Collective bargaining (CB) conducted by trade unions and employer associations (the social partners) plays a key role in the formation of wages in many countries. This paper investigates the potential interactions of CB with the macroeconomy by estimating the business cycle sensitivity of the...

Old and new EU member states still adopt quite different labor market institutions and policies: convergence has been partial and limited. Nevertheless, a new agreement is spreading on the importance of well-developed, coordinated institutions, supported by social dialogue, in view of the...

Das Handwerk gilt in Hinblick auf den Umsatz und die Beschäftigung als Konjunkturstabilisator. Dieser Einschätzung widersprechen allerdings verschiedene wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen. Welche Kräfte hier prozyklisch und welche antizyklisch wirken, lässt sich durch eine...

This paper uses comprehensive high-quality panel data from official statistics for exporting enterprises to investigate the micro-structure of the recent export recovery in 2010 in manufacturing industries in Germany after the great recession of 2008/2009. Almost all of the increase in exports...

The expansion of Western European production accelerated in the first half of 1997. Exports were the main engine, driven by a devaluation of European currencies and strong growth abroad. Domestic demand also picked up somewhat led by investment in machinery and equipment. Inflation remained at...