Sector In Germany Research Articles

POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITS OF MODELLING THE DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURAL FARMS BASED ON ACCOUNTING DATA

Often the evaluation of policies, regarding the horticulture sector in Germany, is carried out by analysing official statistics and deriving general qualitative recommendations. In order to generate trends of future developments of horticultural sectors in more detail, quantitative farm models based on individual accounting data from horticultural farms has been designed and implemented as a computer model. To capture the broad variety of farms in a horticultural sector, several different structured enterprises, which correctly reflect the investigated sector, run through the model. For all farms of a simulation the user determines external influencing factors of the forecast period as well as adjustment strategies. Individual accounting data allow a direct description of developments of farms in a model. The validation of the model is limited to the range of the investigated values, because beyond these values distortions of results are possible. Increasing the forecast period also increases the deviation between the model results and the observed accounting data. The depersonalised accounting data available at the ZBG do not include information about individual production methods, cultivated plants and external influencing factors. This and the fact that farmers follow their own individual objectives, which is often not profit maximization, makes it difficult to interpret the single development of a farm in a sector. For individual farms a good agreement could be found between the model results and the real accounting data for a period of seven years. The results obtained by the developed model shows that the use of accounting data are applicable to reproduce medium-term adjustment strategies in horticultural farms on an abstract level.

Opportunities of sectoral freight transport demand modelling

This paper discusses the opportunities of sectoral freight transport demand models. The work is based on literature and insights from interdisciplinary research in the field of production, logistics and transport. First, current and future factors influencing freight transport are discussed. Next, a brief summary of the traditional transport modelling approach and recent extensions and adaptations of freight transport models is given. As interdisciplinary research has shown, the impact of the identified factors on the development of freight transport is strongly dependent on the sector under investigation. As a consequence, this paper proposes the application of a sectoral modelling approach. The automotive and food sectors in Germany are used as examples to further examine the opportunities of sectoral freight transport demand models.

Early childhood education and care in a context of social heterogeneity and inequality. Empirical notes on an interdisciplinary challenge

Against a background of increasing inequality and its impact at various levels on childhood and family life, of the growing societal significance and uptake of extra-familial childcare provision, and of social policy goals emphasising participation and education for all, the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector in Germany is facing new and heightened challenges. This article presents and analyses current and empirically observable changes in society. It comes to the conclusion that ECEC needs to be more strongly viewed as an interdisciplinary challenge, and that ways forward need to include a comprehensive professionalisation and workforce development project: the aim must be to provide children and families with care and support services tailored both quantitatively and qualitatively to their needs, thereby offering not only support to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family obligations and an alternative place of education for children, but also programmes of specific support for disadvantaged and support-dependent children and families.

Exploring benefits of local e-commerce for enhancing firm’s competitiveness

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities offered by local e-commerce solutions to increase the competitiveness of local bakery stores. This study follows an inductive qualitative research guided by grounded theory approach. The web-based questionnaires were used to get opinions of bakery goods consumers and the management board of a bakery goods firm participated in this study, which was geographically limited to the bakery sector in Germany. The value of this study is in initiating the development of theory on benefits of local e-commerce. It introduces consumers as well as companies to a new dimension of distributing or purchasing products and therefore, should encourage both parties to make use of local e-commerce solutions.

'Success Is Satisfaction with What You Have'? Biographical Work–Life Balance of Older Female Employees in Public Administration

This paper analyses the situation of older female employees in the public service sector in Germany, comparing women with middle‐level qualifications to highly‐qualified women in order to explore the intersection of age, qualification and work–life trajectories. The paper theorizes on the notion of work–life balance as experienced across the life course, supporting a holistic and long‐term focus. In particular two questions are emphasized: What does a 'work–life balance' mean in the biography of older female employees; and how do they balance the different areas of their lives? To explore these further, the concept of 'biographical work–life balance' is introduced. This concept embraces a holistic perspective, which is particularly important for the wellbeing of older workers. The paper aims to show the effect of different social discourses, working biographies and policies on perceived work–life balance over the entire life course based on data from narrative biographical interviews with older female employees in the public service sector in Germany.

Potentials, dissonances and reform initiatives in field-based learning and mentoring practices in the early childhood sector in Germany

In Germany, the field-based element in the education/training of early childhood educators is given high priority in the development of professional competencies. Nevertheless, Germany lacks a firmly anchored regulatory and curricular framework for early childhood education and care settings as ‘workplace learning sites’ (Lernort Praxis) and the current approaches towards practical placements have been strongly criticised. Debates have focused on the (inadequate) interface between theory and practice and the overriding influence of the vocational colleges as sites of professional preparation. The examination of existing regulations regarding practical placements shows that the practice sites and the mentors who work there receive too little attention. Beyond this, the education/training of (early) childhood educators is dominated by the vocational colleges – not least because the two places of learning (i.e. the college and the workplace) are assigned to different authorities and ministries. The quality of workplace-based learning can therefore only be enhanced by relevant policy decisions and by integrating the interface between theory and practice on a curricular basis.

The Relationship between Teaching and Research in German Universities: Developmental Consequences for Junior Teaching Academics

Recent developments in the higher education (HE) sector in Germany are characterized by the imposition of market and organization principles on academic work. The situation is especially challenging for young academics. In the context of changing university structures, the relationship between the components of academic work has changed. This paper aims to analyze how the traditional ideal of unity between teaching and research is transformed both in teaching practice and in the understandings of academic work. The paper applies the concept of agency informed by a capability approach and the new institutionalist approaches in sociology, to investigate the potential of academics to operate in the broader context of the labor market and reframe teaching in a meaningful way both in a university and beyond. The study is based on empirical data collected in interviews with sixteen young academics from social sciences in Germany. The analysis incorporates the principles of development evaluation from the Capability Approach (CA) specified as “self-reflection” and “resources”.

Varieties of Qualifications, Training, and Skills in Long‐Term Care: A German, Japanese, and UK Comparison

This article considers the systems of qualifications and training in the long‐term elderly care sector in Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Each country faces similar challenges of coping with increasing demand and securing staff for quality and cost‐effective care. However, the three countries organize qualifications and training in very different ways. In the case of formal care workers, there is a hierarchy of training and skills, with Germany at the top, Japan in the middle, and the United Kingdom at the bottom. However, comparing the whole workforce, Germany has developed a dualistic structure with both highly and lowly trained workers; Japan has developed a relatively large proportion of moderately trained and qualified staff; and the UK workforce consists of a relatively large proportion of lowly trained and unqualified workers. Explanations are considered and implications offered for human resource management. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

How Similar is Innovation in German, Italian and Spanish Medium-Technology Sectors? Implications for the Sectoral Systems of Innovation and Distance-to-the-Frontier Perspectives

This study analyzes innovation activities in medium-technology sectors in Germany, Italy and Spain and checks whether cross-country similarities or differences prevail. The results have important implications for the Sectoral Systems of Innovation and the Distance-to-the-Frontier frameworks. While the Sectoral Systems of Innovation predicts the existence of technology-related similarities in innovative patterns in the same sectors across countries, the Distance-to-the Frontier suggests the existence of relevant differences related with the level of technological development of each national sector. Using Community Innovation Survey data and adapting an econometric strategy first devised by Griffith, Huergo, Mairesse and Peters [Innovation and Productivity Across four European Countries, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 22(4), 483–498, 2006], I test whether similarities or differences prevail across country in different features of innovation activity. The results show that relevant differences between the three countries exist in the intensity of R&D activities and in the economic impact of different types of innovations, providing support to the Distance-to-the-Frontier hypothesis. On the contrary, cross-country similarities emerge among the sources of knowledge used to develop innovations, in line with the Sectoral Systems of Innovation framework. The results highlight the importance to take into account both frameworks for a useful analysis of innovation within sectors and across countries.

Decomposition analysis of changes in value added. A case study of the sawmilling and wood processing industry in Germany

It is basically assumed that a higher level of domestic wood harvesting leads to a higher level of domestic wood use and thus to an increase of value added in the wood processing industry. However, in the past years, the wood input increased in some wood processing sectors in Germany whereas their value added decreased. Against this background we aimed to decompose changes in input and output in order to isolate the effects of value added and to determine the role of wood as intermediate input of the sawmilling and wood processing industries. We regarded the years 2006 compared to 2002 and 2010 compared to 2006. Based on statistical data, a decomposition method was developed that determines changes in the product price, the intermediate input price, the growth and the structural effect. Furthermore, a special focus was set on the impacts of price and quantity changes of the input of wood-based products. We found out, that the growth effect is connected to the wood input in the sawmilling industry in the considered years. Also, it became apparent that a higher input of wood and wood products does not automatically lead to an increase in value added.

Buenas prácticas de sostenibilidad financiera: El caso del desarrollo acelerado de las organizaciones no lucrativas coreanas

El éxito de las Beyoungri Danche depende de las estrategias financieras que sus líderes utilizan para hacerlas sostenibles en el tiempo. La recopilación de buenas prácticas de las Beyoungri Danche coreanas en la literatura y una investigación exploratoria de contenidos web de tres organizaciones exitosas, permite aprender tácticas de otra cultura que ha demostrado un alto nivel organizacional y fortalecer el diálogo alrededor de un tema de interés común.

Dynamics of energy transitions under changing socioeconomic, technological and climate conditions in Northwest Germany

This paper analyzes regional interdependencies and trajectories of the energy and agriculture sectors in Germany's Northwest Metropolitan Region in order to assess the performance of regional low-cost and low-carbon strategies to alter energy sector profiles in the light of changing socioeconomic, technological and climate conditions. Our assessment is based on a dynamic, interactive simulation model for the years 2010 to 2050, which was developed and played out in close collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups in the region. Results from the model and modeling exercises demonstrate the need to increase energy efficiency because the reduction in demand it generates extends the policy space for decreasing emissions and reduces vulnerability to climate change. The results also show the feasibility of expanding renewable energy without heavy reliance on biomass, which currently is an important and contested source of energy in the region.

Do Changes in Regulation Affect Temporary Agency Workers' Job Satisfaction?

This paper evaluates the impact on temporary agency workers’ job satisfaction of a reform that considerably changed regulations covering the temporary help service sector in Germany. We isolate the causal effect of this reform by combining a difference-in-difference and matching approach and using rich survey data. We find that the change of the law substantially decreased agency workers’ job satisfaction while regular workers’ job satisfaction remained unchanged. Further analysis reveals that the negative effect on agency workers’ job satisfaction can be attributed to a decrease in wages and an increase in perceived job insecurity. These results are also robust to the use of different specifications and placebo tests.

Prevalence and development of workplace health promotion in Germany: results of the IAB Establishment Panel 2012.

Based on survey data from the IAB Establishment Panel, the investigation aims to examine the prevalence of workplace health promotion among German establishments and its determinants. The IAB Establishment Panel 2012 comprises interviews with 15,556 establishments of all sizes and industrial sectors in Germany. We first present some descriptive statistics and then analyse the determinants of the prevalence of workplace health promotion by means of a probit regression. In 2012, 27 % of the interviewed establishments reported providing workplace health promotion measures on a voluntary basis. 64 % of all employees do work in establishments with workplace health promotion. From 2002 to 2012, the share of establishments with workplace health promotion increased by 8 % points. The strongest increase was observed in establishments in Western Germany and establishments with work councils. Most popular among the measures of workplace health promotion are employee surveys and analysis of the sickness absence. The vast majority of establishments provide only single measures. The econometric analysis shows that industrial sector, size of establishment, expected problems with human resources and the existence of a work council are important factors for workplace health promotion. Only a minority of establishments are committed to workplace health promotion, while these establishments provide the majority of jobs in Germany. Our analysis displays considerable disparities in terms of prevalence as well as potential for further extensions. This could be taken more into account when discussing innovative approaches of workplace health promotion.

Stress testing German banks against a global credit crunch

This paper investigates the impact of a global credit crunch on the corporate credit portfolios of large German banks using a two-stage approach. First, a macroeconometric simulation model (NiGEM) is used to forecast the impact of a substantial increase in the cost of business capital for firms worldwide in three particularly export-oriented industry sectors in Germany. Second, the impact of this economic multi-sector stress on bank credit portfolios is captured by a state-of-the-art Credit Metrics-type portfolio model with sector-dependent unobservable risk factors as drivers of the systematic risk. In our assessment of capital ratios, we confirm that both the increase of the capital charge for the unexpected loss and the increase in banks’ expected losses need to be considered. We also find that the availability of granular information at the level of borrower-specific probabilities of default has a significant impact on the stress test results.

Combining Technology and Work Organization: An Analysis of Complementarity between IT and Decentralization across Firms of Different Size

This paper examines whether information technology (IT) and decentralized work organization are complementary only for large firms or also for smaller firms. Empirical evidence, which suggests complementarity between IT and decentralization, is mainly based on large firms. Using data from a sample of 3292 SMEs and of 598 larger firms from the manufacturing and service sector in Germany, I can observe firms’ IT intensity in terms of enterprise software and computer use and whether firms have a decentralized work organization. I find that SMEs with decentralized work practices tend to use IT more intensively. Moreover, for the sample of SMEs, IT and decentralized work organization are individually associated with higher productivity but the combination of IT and decentralization does not yield a productivity premium. Contrarily, for the sample of larger firms, the results show that the productivity of IT depends positively on decentralization. The findings suggest that combining IT and decentralized work organization seems to be a successful strategy only for larger firms.

The effect of continuity of ambulatory care on hospitalisations of patients with heart failure in Germany

Background Heart failure is one of the most cost-intensive chronic diseases and the most common cause of hospitalisation. About 61.3% of the treatment costs of heart failure are incurred in the inpatient sector in Germany. However, hospital admissions due to heart failure are defined as ambulatory care sensitive conditions as they are considered to be potentially avoidable through effective and continuous ambulatory care. Our aim is to examine whether continuity in …

In the aftermath of the German labor market reforms, is there a qualitative/quantitative trade-off?

This paper argues that the German labor market reforms implemented in 2003–2005 were successful, according to the main quantitative indicator of labor market conditions. Long-term unemployment decreased substantially in the years after the reform, and the trend of continuously increasing systemic unemployment was reversed. At the same time, the extreme shock to the GDP incurred by the world recession in 2008/2009 left only minor traces in the German labor market. Employment climbed to an all-time high, and several regions, especially Southern Germany, are close to full employment. One should also stress that youth unemployment in the country is among the lowest in Europe. The evidence from several qualitative indicators of labor market conditions, however, is less clear. Since 2005, these different indicators tell both negative and positive stories. On the positive side, the German ‘job miracle’ could have played a role in this context. Even during the sharpest recession in the post-war period, employment was stable. My interpretation is that this ameliorated the perceived job stability for many workers. On the negative side, the wage growth for many groups of workers is unsatisfactory. Wage inequality has risen substantially. Today, the size of the low-pay sector in Germany is higher than that in almost all other European countries. I argue that the increase in wage dispersion has gone too far. It was not a necessary condition for the improvement of the employment rate but was instead an unintended by-product of the reforms. Therefore, this side effect can be corrected without jeopardizing the indisputable employment rate successes.

THE RISE OF THE EAST AND THE FAR EAST: GERMAN LABOR MARKETS AND TRADE INTEGRATION

We analyze the effects of the unprecedented rise in trade between Germany and “the East” ‐ China and Eastern Europe ‐ in the period 1988‐2008 on German local labor markets. Using detailed administrative data, we exploit the cross-regional variation in initial industry structures and use trade flows of other high-income countries as instruments for regional import and export exposure. We find that the rise of “the East” in the world economy caused substantial job losses in German regions specialized in import-competing industries, both in manufacturing and beyond. Regions specialized in export-oriented industries, however, experienced even stronger employment gains and lower unemployment. In the aggregate, we estimate that this trade integration has caused some 493,000 additional jobs in the economy and contributed to retaining the manufacturing sector in Germany. We also conduct our analysis at the individual worker level, and find that trade had a stabilizing overall effect on employment relationships.

Financial Sector in Germany and the UK in the Wake of the Crisis: Size, Structure and Spatial Concentration

We use employment data for 2008-12 to analyse the impact of the subprime and Eurozone crises on the British and German financial sector. In the UK the sector contracted and its spatial concentration increased across regions and urban hierarchy, with London as the sole winner. In Germany there has been no contraction overall, and no significant change in the spatial distribution of financial employment. We argue that while in both countries forced consolidation and financial re-regulation have acted as centripetal forces, in Germany they have been offset by strong regional and local banking, underpinned by a decentralized state.