In many European countries, the majority of workers have their wages directly defined by industry-level agreements. In addition, for some workers, industry agreements are complemented by firm-specific agreements. This paper provides a critical survey of the effects of this two-tier bargaining...

This paper investigates how the distribution of wages differs between small and large establishments in four European countries. Findings show that within-establishment wage dispersion rises with size because large employers have a more diverse workforce. They also suggest that screening and...

This paper models and estimates the impact of quantitative and qualitative training financed by the firm on labour demand in Belgium. It assumes profit maximising firms producing under a short run monopolistic competition regime, where training can increase labour demand through its positive net...

Criticizing the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) on the basis of highly volatile asset prices is conceptually wrong as efficiency is about rationality and information, not about stability. Speculative bubbles are compatible with rational valuation, and hence with market efficiency. As rational...

We analyse Italy’s research evaluation exercise to discuss the issue of evaluating re-search in economics. We claim that evaluation and its criteria, together with its linkage to research institutions’ financing, are likely to affect the direction of research, in a problematic way. We claim...

En Belgique, la question de la formation des salaries n’échappe pas à la communautarisation des débats. Parmi les réformes suggérées apparaît de manière récurrente la régionalisation des négociations salariales. Ses partisans estiment notamment que les différences de productivité...

This paper aims at assessing the impact of R&D activities on the number of patents applied by Belgian R&D manufacturing firms in the mid nineties. The paper extends previous work on the R&D-patent relationship by distinguishing different types as well as sources of financing of R&D activities....

This paper relates the volatility of interest rates to the collective nature of monetary policymaking in monetary unions. Several decision rules are modelled, including hegemonic and democratic procedures, and also committees headed by a chairman. A ranking of decision rules in terms of the...

In Belgium, 2007 has been marked by long coalition negotiations over an agreement on a new government. The main bone of contention had been related to the reform of the Belgian Federal State. Among the suggested reforms, the regionalisation of the collective bargaining system turned out...