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on Microeconomic European Issues |
| By: | Ghazala Azmat (ECON - Département d'économie (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Julien Grenet (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris); Élise Huillery (ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres); Youssef Souidi (IPP - Institut des politiques publiques); Yann Algan (HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the impact of school-level social mixing on social cohesion, socio-emotional development, and educational outcomes. We exploit variation induced by a French Ministry of Education desegregation program, comparing middle schools that increased socioeconomic mixing with observationally similar schools that did not. Focusing on the schools and students with the greatest baseline potential for increased mixing, we find that exposure to a more socioeconomically diverse peer group yields socio-emotional benefits for both high- and low-SES students and strengthens social cohesion, without negatively affecting the academic outcomes of either group. These findings offer actionable insights for policies aimed at fostering social cohesion in an era of rising polarization. |
| Keywords: | Educational Outcomes, Socio-Emotional Outcomes, Desegregation, Social Mixing, School Segregation |
| Date: | 2026–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:ipppap:halshs-05586531 |
| By: | Richiardi, Matteo; Vittal Katikireddi, S.; Daniel, N; Agneta, Cederstrom; David, Sonnewald; Leszek, Morawski; Michal, Brzezinski; Mikael, Rostila; Claire, L |
| Abstract: | This report presents the construction and analysis of a Multidimensional Index (MDI) of Well-Being across four European countries ─ Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Poland ─ using EU-SILC cross-sectional survey data spanning 2004–2024. Based on the OECD well-being framework, the analysis covers ten (out of eleven) key dimensions, including income and wealth, housing, health, safety, environment, life satisfaction, social connections, as well as jobs and earnings, education, and work–life for the working-age population (25─64). Standardized well-being scores (0─1) were constructed for each dimension, with composite indices derived using principal component analysis (PCA) where multiple indicators were available. The MDI was computed as the average of the available dimension scores. The findings reveal notable cross-country variation in both individual dimensions and overall well-being. Sweden consistently ranks highest, followed by Germany, while Spain shows comparatively lower levels. Poland demonstrates the strongest improvement over time. Trends indicate overall progress between 2004 and 2019, a decline during the COVID-19 period, and partial recovery thereafter. Age-related disparities are evident, with older individuals more likely to experience lower well-being. These findings underscore the role of multidimensional approaches in capturing inequalities in well-being across populations and contexts. |
| Date: | 2026–04–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ese:cempwp:cempa7-26 |
| By: | Pawel Adrjan; Jonas Jessen; Carlos Victoria Lanzón |
| Abstract: | We examine whether restricting temporary contracts increases firms' investment in worker training, exploiting Spain's 2022 labour market reform. Using 3.1 million online job postings from 2018 to 2024, we implement a difference-in-differences design that leverages pre-reform variation in reliance on temporary contracts across occupations. More exposed occupations shifted toward permanent hiring and increased advertised training relative to less exposed occupations. Training rose by 4.3 percentage points, fully closing the pre-reform gap by 2024. These results provide evidence that longer expected employment duration increases firms' investment in training, identifying a channel through which labour market regulation can shape human capital formation. |
| Keywords: | temporary employment, on-the-job training, human capital investment, employment contracts |
| JEL: | J24 J41 J63 J68 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12594 |
| By: | Hammermann, Andrea; Stettes, Oliver |
| Abstract: | Die große Mehrheit der Beschäftigten in Deutschland bewertet ihre Arbeitsbedingungen überwiegend positiv. Rund 5.000 Beschäftigte wurden in der IW-Beschäftigtenbefragung 2025 zwischen Ende Mai bis Anfang Juni gebeten, neun zentrale Merkmale ihres Arbeitsplatzes anhand von Schulnoten zu bewerten - von der Arbeitsmenge über Entscheidungsspielräume bis zur Zusammenarbeit mit den Kollegen und der Führungskraft. Insgesamt bewerten 70 Prozent oder mehr der Befragten den Großteil ihrer Arbeitsplatzmerkmale mit "sehr gut", "gut" oder "befriedigend". Besonders positiv schneiden die kollegiale Zusammenarbeit, die Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Privatleben und die Zusammenarbeit mit der Führungskraft ab, die jeweils von mindestens einem Fünftel als "sehr gut" bewertet werden. Am kritischsten sehen Beschäftigte ihre Weiterentwicklungsmöglichkeiten: Über 20Prozent vergeben hier die Noten "mangelhaft" oder "ungenügend". Aus den Einzelbewertungen wurde ein Arbeitsklima-Index gebildet. Dieser zeigt eine deutlich linksschiefe Verteilung, da die Beschäftigten überwiegend gute Noten vergeben. Nur rund 3 Prozent erleben ihr Arbeitsklima insgesamt als "mangelhaft" oder sogar "ungenügend", etwa 6 Prozent vergeben einen "Einserdurchschnitt". Das Arbeitsklima steht in engem Zusammenhang mit der Arbeitszufriedenheit, dem Engagement und der Wechselabsicht. Beschäftigte mit einem niedrigen Arbeitsklima-Index sind mit ihrer Arbeit unzufriedener, fühlen sich weniger engagiert und überlegen häufiger, ihren Arbeitsplatz zu wechseln. Die Ergebnisse differenziert nach Beschäftigtenmerkmalen zeigen: Frauen und Männer beurteilen ihre Arbeitsbedingungen ähnlich. Größere Unterschiede bestehen dagegen nach Altersgruppen. Ältere Beschäftigte bewerten ihre Weiterentwicklungsmöglichkeiten schlechter, sind jedoch häufiger zufrieden mit der Zusammenarbeit im Team, der Arbeitsmenge und den Arbeitsinhalten sowie der Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Privatleben. Beschäftigte mit höheren Bildungsabschlüssen vergeben tendenziell bessere Noten, vor allem in Bezug auf ihre Vergütung und Entscheidungsspielräume. Mit dem geplanten Quality Jobs Act der Europäischen Kommission zur Förderung hochwertiger Arbeitsplätze gewinnt die Debatte über die Qualität der Arbeit in Deutschland wieder an Bedeutung. Die Vorzeichen sind jedoch vor dem Hintergrund einer schwächeren Arbeitsmarktlage anders als in den Jahrzehnten des Beschäftigungsaufbaus zuvor. Die wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit drückt zwar auf das Arbeitsklima, die generell eher positive Grundstimmung zeugt jedoch nicht von einem regulatorischen Handlungsbedarf. Neue Standards "hochwertiger" Arbeitsplätze könnten hingegen zusätzliche Hürden im Arbeitsmarkt festschreiben, die einem Aufschwung der Arbeitskräftenachfrage entgegenwirken. |
| Abstract: | Most employees in Germany rate their working conditions positively. Between late May and early June in 2025 around 5, 000 employees were asked to evaluate nine key characteristics of their workplace using school grades. Overall, 70 percent or more of respondents rated most of their workplace like workload, work content and collaboration with colleagues and supervisors as "very good, " "good, " or "satisfactory." Collaboration among colleagues, work-life balance, and cooperation with supervisors received especially positive ratings, with at least one-fifth of respondents regarding them as "very good." Employees were most critical of their development opportunities: with more than 20 percent "poor" or "very poor" grades. An Arbeitsklima-Index (work climate index) was created from the individual ratings. It shows a clearly left-skewed distribution, as employees predominantly award good grades. Only about three percent experience their overall working climate as poor or very poor, while around six percent give an average grade of "very good". The working climate is linked to job satisfaction, engagement, and intention to change jobs. Employees with a low work climate index are less satisfied with their work, feel less engaged, and more frequently consider changing employers. Results differentiated by employee characteristics show: men and women assess their working conditions similarly. Larger differences appear across age groups. Older employees rate their development opportunities more critically but are more often satisfied with teamwork, workload, work content, and work-life balance. Employees with higher educational qualifications tend to give better ratings, particularly regarding scope for decision-making and compensation. With the European Commission's planned Quality Jobs Act to promote high-quality workplaces, the debate about job quality in Germany is gaining renewed relevance. However, against the backdrop of a weaker labor market, the conditions differ from those of the previous decades of employment growth. Although economic uncertainty weighs on the working climate, the generally positive overall sentiment does not indicate a need for regulatory action. New standards for "high-quality" jobs could instead establish additional barriers in the labor market, potentially hindering a recovery in labor demand. |
| Keywords: | Arbeitsbedingungen, Betriebsklima, Bewertung, Befragung, Deutschland |
| JEL: | J29 J81 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:iwkrep:340023 |
| By: | István Boza (ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies); Szabó Endre (ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Databank); Róbert Károlyi (ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies; Corvinus University of Budapest) |
| Abstract: | Immigrants’ economic integration remains one of the most debated aspects of international migration, as they often experience persistent employment and wage disadvantages compared to natives. We provide the first large-scale evidence on immigrant pay gaps in Hungary (and more generally from Central Eastern Europe) based on administrative matched employer–employee data. Contrary to the pattern documented in Western Europe and North America, most immigrant groups in Hungary earn more than native-born workers on average. We show that this advantage is largely explained by sorting: immigrants are disproportionately employed in higher-paying firms and higher-paying occupation–firm cells, rather than receiving higher pay than natives for the same job in the same workplace. Within-job pay differences are close to zero for transborder Hungarians (ethnic Hungarians born abroad) and remain small but positive for other immigrant groups. These results suggest that immigrant wage differentials in Hungary reflect employer demand and selective recruitment into relatively well-paying segments of the labor market, rather than systematic under or overpayment. Decomposition results (based on the AKM literature) reinforce our interpretation: immigrant–native wage differentials in Hungary are driven mainly by between-job sorting along skill composition and firm and occupation pay premia, not within-job pay inequality. |
| Keywords: | wage differentials, immigration, segregation, wage sorting |
| JEL: | J31 J61 J71 |
| Date: | 2026–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:has:discpr:2606 |
| By: | Benzarti, Youssef; Harju, Jarkko; Matikka, Tuomas; Mattinen, Ella; Tazhitdinova, Alisa |
| Abstract: | This paper studies social insurance contribution choices, adverse selection, and moral hazard among Finnish entrepreneurs. We exploit quasi-exogenous variation from a reform that relaxed mandatory contribution requirements for a subset of entrepreneurs, combining administrative registry data with linked survey evidence. Entrepreneurs who gained discretion reduced their contributions by 16%, on average, relative to entrepreneurs subject to a strict mandate. Using this variation, causal tests of anticipatory responses and moral hazard as well as positive correlation tests, we show that moral hazard and adverse selection effects are near zero in this market. Survey responses help illuminate the mechanisms underlying these results. |
| Keywords: | entrepreneurs, social insurance, moral hazard, adverse selection, H55, J32, L26, fi=Sosiaaliturva|sv=Social trygghet|en=Social security|, |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fer:wpaper:185 |
| By: | Osswald do Amaral, Francisco; Staratschek, Gereon; Zdrzalek, Jonas; Zetzmann, Steffen |
| Abstract: | The rise in total upfront cash requirement has become the main obstacle to homeownership in Germany. Between 2015 and 2024, the average household needed a median of 9.37 years to save the necessary funds for a home purchase. • A substantial share of this burden comes not from the price itself, but from the closing costs incurred at purchase. For the real estate transfer tax and notary and land registry fees alone, the median saving time amounts to 1.46 years. • Regional inequality is considerable: the time needed to save for the total upfront cash requirement varies sharply across districts and exceeds 20 years in Munich and its surrounding area, as well as in other particularly expensive growth regions. • A comparison shows that high overall burdens primarily reflect high prices. In the case of closing costs, however, additional differences arise from the variation in real estate transfer tax rates across the German states. • This entry barrier hits those who lack wealth and family support especially hard. Access to homeownership, and thus also the opportunity to build wealth, is unevenly distributed across regions. • If policymakers want to broaden access to homeownership, they should focus in particular on one-off closing costs. This is a policy lever that can be influenced more readily in the short run than the price level itself. |
| Keywords: | Housing affordability, Homeownership, Wealth inequality, Erschwinglichkeit von Wohneigentum, Wohneigentum, Vermögensungleichheit |
| JEL: | R21 R31 D31 G51 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkpb:340035 |
| By: | Osswald do Amaral, Francisco; Staratschek, Gereon; Zdrzalek, Jonas; Zetzmann, Steffen |
| Abstract: | Der gestiegene Eigenkapitalbedarf stellt die zentrale Hürde beim Immobilienerwerb in Deutschland dar. Im Median musste ein durchschnittlicher Haushalt, zwischen 2015 und 2024, 9, 37 Jahre sparen, um das erforderliche Eigenkapital aufzubringen. • Einen wesentlichen Anteil macht hierbei nicht der Preis an sich aus, sondern die anfallenden Erwerbsnebenkosten. Allein für die Grunderwerbsteuer sowie die Notar- und Grundbuchkosten beträgt die mediane Sparzeit 1, 46 Jahre. • Die regionale Ungleichheit ist erheblich: Die Sparzeit für den gesamten Eigenkapitalbedarf variiert zwischen den Kreisen stark und erreicht in München und seinem Umland sowie in anderen besonders teuren Wachstumsregionen Werte von weit über 20 Jahren. • Ein Vergleich zeigt: Hohe Gesamtbelastungen sind vor allem Ausdruck hoher Preise. Bei den Erwerbsnebenkosten kommen darüber hinaus Unterschiede zum Tragen, die auf die unterschiedlichen Grunderwerbsteuersätze der Bundesländer zurückzuführen sind. • Diese Einstiegshürde trifft diejenigen besonders hart, die über kein Vermögen und keine familiäre Unterstützung verfügen. Der Zugang zu Wohneigentum, und somit auch die Möglichkeit des Vermögensaufbaus, ist regional ungleich verteilt. • Wenn die Politik den Zugang zu Wohneigentum erleichtern möchte, sollte sie deshalb insbesondere bei den einmaligen Erwerbsnebenkosten ansetzen. Hier liegt ein eher kurzfristig beeinflussbarer Hebel als beim Preisniveau selbst. @• The rise in total upfront cash requirement has become the main obstacle to homeownership in Germany. Between 2015 and 2024, the average household needed a median of 9.37 years to save the necessary funds for a home purchase. • A substantial share of this burden comes not from the price itself, but from the closing costs incurred at purchase. For the real estate transfer tax and notary and land registry fees alone, the median saving time amounts to 1.46 years. • Regional inequality is considerable: the time needed to save for the total upfront cash requirement varies sharply across districts and exceeds 20 years in Munich and its surrounding area, as well as in other particularly expensive growth regions. • A comparison shows that high overall burdens primarily reflect high prices. In the case of closing costs, however, additional differences arise from the variation in real estate transfer tax rates across the German states. • This entry barrier hits those who lack wealth and family support especially hard. Access to homeownership, and thus also the opportunity to build wealth, is unevenly distributed across regions. • If policymakers want to broaden access to homeownership, they should focus in particular on one-off closing costs. This is a policy lever that can be influenced more readily in the short run than the price level itself. |
| Abstract: | The rise in total upfront cash requirement has become the main obstacle to homeownership in Germany. Between 2015 and 2024, the average household needed a median of 9.37 years to save the necessary funds for a home purchase. • A substantial share of this burden comes not from the price itself, but from the closing costs incurred at purchase. For the real estate transfer tax and notary and land registry fees alone, the median saving time amounts to 1.46 years. • Regional inequality is considerable: the time needed to save for the total upfront cash requirement varies sharply across districts and exceeds 20 years in Munich and its surrounding area, as well as in other particularly expensive growth regions. • A comparison shows that high overall burdens primarily reflect high prices. In the case of closing costs, however, additional differences arise from the variation in real estate transfer tax rates across the German states. • This entry barrier hits those who lack wealth and family support especially hard. Access to homeownership, and thus also the opportunity to build wealth, is unevenly distributed across regions. • If policymakers want to broaden access to homeownership, they should focus in particular on one-off closing costs. This is a policy lever that can be influenced more readily in the short run than the price level itself. |
| Keywords: | Erschwinglichkeit von Wohneigentum, Wohneigentum, Vermögensungleichheit, Housing affordability, Homeownership, Wealth inequality |
| JEL: | R21 R31 D31 G51 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkpb:340034 |
| By: | Guschanski, Alexander; Wildauer, Rafael |
| Abstract: | We analyse the potential of wealth taxes to reduce CO2 emissions through two transmission channels: the inequality channel, which links reductions in wealth inequality to lower emissions, and the consumption channel, which analyses how wealth taxes affect consumption by top wealth holders. We simulate the effects of various wealth tax designs over one- and ten-year horizons using harmonised microdata from 22 European countries. Our analysis accounts for survey non-response bias, heterogeneous rates of returns across households, and behavioural responses to taxation. We find that, through the inequality channel, an annual progressive wealth tax could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 7.5%–14.7% after ten years relative to a no-tax scenario, depending on tax progressivity. Through the consumption channel, the average reduction is between 1.5%–3.6%. These findings highlight the potential of wealth taxes to serve a dual purpose: curbing wealth concentration and contributing meaningfully to climate mitigation and justice, by focusing on high-net worth households who account for a disproportionate share of emissions. |
| Keywords: | wealth tax; wealth distribution; environmental effect; CO2 emissions |
| Date: | 2025–10–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gpe:wpaper:51227 |
| By: | Baktash, Mehrzad B.; Jirjahn, Uwe |
| Abstract: | Concerns about corporate scandals and abusive leadership suggest that individuals with an opportunistic and manipulative personality sort into managerial positions. Indeed, a fledgling number of econometric studies have shown that individuals high in Machiavellianism are more likely to hold a management position. Our study takes that research an important step further by analyzing the moderating role of gender. It examines whether gender has an influence on how far Machiavellians climb the managerial hierarchy. Using representative data from Germany, we find that Machiavellianism increases the likelihood of holding a middle management position for both men and women. However, Machiavellianism is associated with a higher likelihood of occupying a top-level management position only among men but not among women. For men, the impact of Machiavellianism even appears to increase the further they climb the managerial hierarchy. These findings fit theoretical considerations. |
| Keywords: | Machiavellianism, Gender Career Gap, Women, Top-Level Managers, Managerial Hierarchy |
| JEL: | D90 J16 M12 M51 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:1741 |
| By: | Concepcion Betran (Universitat de Valencia) |
| Abstract: | Using disaggregated trade data for the interwar period, specifically 1928 and 1931-1935, we analyze the changes in Spain’s exports and imports at the product-country level by matching the categories of the original sources with those of the International Standard Classification of Foreign Trade (SITC). In 1928, Spain mainly exported agricultural goods and raw materials (around 60 and 13 percent of total exports, respectively) and mainly imported manufacturing goods and raw materials (45 and 31 percent of total imports, respectively). We calculate the margins of trade for imports and exports to determine the extent to which the Great Depression and trade policy contributed to the collapse in trade in the 1930s. Since Spain was not a member of either a formal or informal trading bloc, it was under pressure to negotiate bilateral trade agreements based on conditional most-favored nation clauses, whereby access to Spain's market was offered in exchange for Spanish agrarian exports, starting in late 1931. As a result, conditional MFN by product and country reduced fixed costs to trade and trade policy played a non-negligible role. The share of intra-industry trade was around 15-19 percent (at 3-digit SITC level) over the period: the Great Depression negatively affected it, whereas trade agreements had a positive effect from 1932 on. Moreover, Spain’s comparative advantages in fruit increased, but declined in wine and olive oil. |
| Keywords: | Disaggregated trade, Great Depression, Trade policy, Spain |
| Date: | 2026–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bci:wpaper:2603 |
| By: | Jose Garcia-Louzao; Alessandro Ruggieri |
| Abstract: | We exploit a novel opportunity to study the dynamics of wage inequality and labor market competition over the course of economic development. Our context is Lithuania, where two decades of sustained growth and labor market tightening coincided with a substantial decline in wage inequality. We first fit a two-way fixed-effects model with worker and firm heterogeneity and document that the compression of the variance of firm fixed effects has been the main source of the fall in inequality. Guided by a standard dynamic monopsony model, we then estimate firms' labor supply elasticities and show that labor market competition has increased over the same period. Finally, we construct a shift-share instrument and provide evidence that new job opportunities created by the accession to the European Union in 2004 contributed to the fall in inequality through their impact on labor market competition in Lithuania. |
| JEL: | J31 J42 O15 |
| Date: | 2026–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:1570 |
| By: | Bahnsen, Lewe; Neusius, Thomas |
| Abstract: | In 1995, Germany established a two-tier compulsory long-term care insurance scheme. While the public branch, with its pay-as-you-go character, lacks sustainable financing due to demographic circumstances, the capital-funded private branch is supposed to be sustainably financed through its special financial architecture. However, specific legal regulations restrict the calculation of premiums, as is the case in a free competitive insurance market with capital funding, and make the inclusion of transfer elements necessary. We present a synopsis of actuarial expertise on German private compulsory long-term care insurance. Therefore, we make the existing German-speaking literature available to an international audience. In doing so, we provide a comprehensive overview of how private compulsory long-term care insurance in Germany works. Considering recent debates on reforming long-term care insurance financing, understanding the functioning and sustainability of the private branch is of increasing interest. As the financial strain on the public sector intensifies, questions arise about the potential future role of capital-funded private long-term care insurance. |
| Keywords: | Private long-term care insurance, equivalence principle, capital funding, premiums, ageing provisions, Germany |
| JEL: | G22 I11 I13 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:wifinw:340009 |