Naturkatastrophen haben in den 90iger Jahre hinsichtlich Schadenhöhe und Intensität neue Rekordstände erreicht und sowohl für die Erst- als auch Rückversicherungsbranche eine Herausforderung entstehen lassen.(...)

How does the asymmetry of labor market institutions affect the adjustment of a currency union to shocks? To answer this question, this paper sets up a dynamic currency union model with monopolistic competition and sticky prices, hiring frictions and real wage rigidities. In our analysis, we...

We examine the effect of the Covid pandemic on willingness to work along both the extensive and intensive margins of labor supply. Special survey questions in the Job Search Supplement of the Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE) allow us to elicit information about individuals' desired work...

Why do tax rates vary so much across countries? We study the role of altruism and ethnic fragmentation in redistribution. The government of a two-party democracy is elected by altruistic voters and decides on a redistributive income tax. Social identification directs voters' altruism toward...

We construct and estimate a unified model combining three of the main sources of cross-country income disparities: differences in factor endowments, barriers to technology adoption and the inappropriateness of frontier technologies to local conditions. The key components are different types of...

Das aus dem Grundgesetz abgeleitete Ziel der gleichwertigen Lebensverhältnisse in ganz Deutschland stellt eine wichtige Rechtfertigung für bundespolitische Aktivitäten dar. Die Schwerpunkte dieser Aktivitäten bilden bundeseinheitliche Regelungen und die interregionale Umverteilung von...