Experimental evidence on a range of interventions in developing countries is accumulating rapidly. Is it possible to extrapolate from an experimental evidence base to other locations of policy interest (from “reference” to “target” sites)? And which factors determine the accuracy of such...

In 2008, the Swedish property tax was reformed and a cap on yearly tax liabilities was introduced. A large fraction of owner occupied houses was subject to a substantial decrease in the tax. When the reform was announced, most analysts projected - in line with tax capitalization theory - that...

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Health aims to improve the health of all people living in Austria and to decrease health and social inequalities. This leads to a careful planning and distribution of the available health care resources to meet government aims. The research project SALUD, funded...

This paper identifies the causal impact of urban rail transport on firm location. The evaluation of transport infrastructures always faces an important issue of endogeneity since rail lines are not randomly located. We use the natural experiment offered by the Regional Express Rail (RER) in the...

Im Auftrag des Hessischen Ministeriums für Umwelt, Klimaschutz, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz untersuchte das Thünen-Institut für Ländliche Räume von 2012 bis 2015, welche Effekte die hessische WRRL-Gewässerschutzberatung, welche das Land im Rahmen der Umsetzung der Europäischen...

This paper presents an original econometric model for estimating a dose-response function through a regression approach when: (i) treatment is continuous, (ii) individuals may react heterogeneously to observable confounders, and (iii) selection-into-treatment may be potentially endogenous. After...

This paper outlines elements of a conceptual framework that clarifies the role that clusters play relative to government policies and actions of individual companies in supporting the emergence of 'High Road'-strategies that lead to better New Growth Path-related outcomes. It then focuses on...

This paper develops policy recommendations on the use of cluster-based economic policies and the adoption of a new concept of competitiveness in the context of the new growth path that WWWforEurope aims to outline. A first section discusses summarizes key findings from the previous research...

Standard economics omits the role of narratives (the stories that people tell themselves and others) when they make all kinds of decisions. Narratives play a role in understanding the environment; focusing attention; predicting events; motivating action; assigning social roles and identities;...

Every person desires some level of inner fulfilment at different stages of life and this could come from a combination of several factors including material and resource acquisition and social prestige. The challenge, however, is whether happiness levels across the different social strata are...