Nickel and Dimed German Style: The Working Poor in Germany

Using data from the German SOEP, this paper analyses whether there have been (a) any significant changes in poverty rates and poverty intensities before and after the Hartz IV reforms and (b) whether there have been observable changes in the effect of employment in reducing the threat or intensity of poverty. Using multivariate analyses we can find no evidence of increases in poverty rates comparing the time period 2002–2004 with that of 2005–2006. Further we find no change in the effect of employment in reducing the probability and intensity of poverty during this time period. The “working poor” phenomenon in Germany remains relatively small and statistically unchanged by the Hartz reforms.Income distribution, unemployment, poverty

Money for Nothing and Your Chips for Free? The Anatomy of the PC Wage Differential

The role of the computer at the workplace is examined in determining the wage structure in Germany. It is shown that the wage premium attributed to using a computer at work using cross-sectional results for 1997 is 7%. To control for unmeasured individual effects, we use a random effects and fixed effects estimator. The coefficient for computer usage at the workplace did NOT remain stable and although just barely significant, was reduced to mere 1% with individual fixed effects. We conclude that there are no computer usage wage differentials worth speaking of, once one controls adequately for unobserved individual heterogeneity.

International Labor Migration, Economic Growth and Labor Markets – The Current State of Affairs

Even though European labor markets are characterized by high average unemployment, there is a shortage of high-skilled labor, leading many European economists to argue for an immigration policy directed at actively recruiting highly qualified workers from abroad. It has further been argued that an immigration policy that is tailored to attract young and economically successful migrants can alleviate some of the demographic burden associated with an aging population.We embed this discussion into a systematic classification of economic migration research according to its major conceptual and applied questions. The state of theoretical and empirical research on the migration decision, the literature on the economic performance of immigrants and their economic impact is reviewed briefly, proceeding along the lines of a clear conceptual framework. In addition, the paper discusses expectations on future migration flows and the policy options of immigration countries for dealing with these flows.Immigration, European labor markets, Immigration policy

Industry Wage Differentials Revisited: A Longitudinal Comparison of Germany and USA (1984-1996)

In this paper, the inter-industry wage structure in West Germany and USA is compared using the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), the German Mikrozensus (MZ), the American Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and the American Current Population Survey (CPS) from 1984 to 1996. Using a sample of prime age full-time employed males from the respective datasets, it is shown that the structure of wages has remained remarkably stable over this time period, and that the German structure resembles the American structure strongly. Cross-sectional and panel results are provided for both countries. Controlling for unobserved heterogeneity in the random effects panel estimations reduces the industry wage dispersion by about half. Thus, although the MZ and the CPS provide very large sample sizes, panel data sets (although typically smaller in sample size) are still very important in getting at the essence of the industry wage structure and the absolute level of industry wage dispersion. In calculating inter-industry wage differentials as deviations from a hypothetical employment-share weighted mean, we use the methodology as described in Haisken-DeNew and Schmidt (1997) of calculating exact differentials and their respective standard errors

Money for Nothing and Your Chips for Free? The Anatomy of the PC Wage Dipperential

In this paper, the role of the computer at the workplace will be examined in determining the wage structure in Germany. Following Krueger (1993) and using the German Socio- Economic Panel (GSOEP), cross-sectional wage regression results from 1997 and panel results from 1984-1997 are presented. It is shown that the wage premium attributed to using a computer at work using cross-sectional results for 1997 is around 7%. Further it is shown that computer usage is very heterogeneous depending on which industry one works in. In cross-section, hypothesis tests show that several industries and almost all firm size categories exhibit very different wage differentials depending on computer usage at the workplace. As DiNardo and Pischke (1997) stress the need for panel data to control for unmeasured individual effects, we use GSOEP 1984-1997 panel data, where a random effects and fixed effects estimator were run in the wage estimation. We confirm the results that Entorf and Kramarz (1997) had for France, that in Germany the coefficient for computer usage at the workplace did not remain stable and although just barely significant, was reduced to mere 1% with individual fixed effects. We conclude that there are no computer usage wage differentials worth speaking of, once one controls adequately for unobserved individual heterogeneity

Money for Nothing and your Chips for Free? The Anatomy of the PC Wage Differential

In this paper, the role of the computer at the workplace will be examined in determining the wage structure in Germany. Following Krueger (1993) and using the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), cross-sectional wage regression results from 1997 and panel results from 1984-1997 are presented. It is shown that the wage premium attributed to using a computer at work using cross-sectional results for 1997 is around 7%. Further it is shown that computer usage is very heterogeneous depending on which industry one works in. In cross-section, hypothesis tests show that several industries and almost all firm size categories exhibit very different wage differentials depending on computer usage at the workplace. As DiNardo/Pischke (1997) stress the need for panel data to control for unmeasured individual effects, we use GSOEP 1984-1997 panel data, where a random effects and fixed effects estimator were run in the wage estimation. We confirm the results that Entorf/Kramarz (1997) had for France, that in Germany the coefficient for computer usage at the workplace did NOT remain stable and although just barely significant, was reduced to mere 1% with individual fixed effects. We conclude that there are no computer usage wage differentials worth speaking of, once one controls adequately for unobserved individual heterogeneity.Aufbauend auf humankapital-theoretischen Überlegungen wird auf Basis der Individual-Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) die Rolle der Nutzung von Computern am Arbeitsplatz als Determinante der Lohnstruktur in Deutschland untersucht. Bei Verwendung von Querschnittdaten ergibt sich für das Jahr 1997 ein signifikantes Lohndifferential zugunsten der PC-Nutzung von 7%. Um unbeobachtete Heterogenität zu kontrollieren, nutzen wir Fixed-Effects und Random-Effects-Panel-Schätzer. Im Ergebnis bleibt der Koeffizient der PC-Nutzung zwar noch schwach signifikant, reduziert sich aber auf nur noch 1%. Daraus schließen wir, daß es in Deutschland kein nennenswertes Lohndifferential der PC-Nutzung gibt, wenn man adäquat für unbeobachtete Heterogenität kontrolliert

Robo-AO Discovery and Basic Characterization of Wide Multiple Star Systems in the Pleiades, Praesepe, and NGC 2264 Clusters

We identify and roughly characterize 66 candidate binary star systems in the Pleiades, Praesepe, and NGC 2264 star clusters based on robotic adaptive optics imaging data obtained using Robo-AO at the Palomar 60" telescope. Only $\sim$10% of our imaged pairs were previously known. We detect companions at red optical wavelengths having physical separations ranging from a few tens to a few thousand AU. A 3-sigma contrast curve generated for each final image provides upper limits to the brightness ratios for any undetected putative companions. The observations are sensitive to companions with maximum contrast $\sim$6$^m$ at larger separations. At smaller separations, the mean (best) raw contrast at 2 arcsec is 3.8$^m$ (6$^m$), at 1 arcsec is 3.0$^m$ (4.5$^m$), and at 0.5 arcsec is 1.9$^m$ (3$^m$). PSF subtraction can recover close to the full contrast in to the closer separations. For detected candidate binary pairs, we report separations, position angles, and relative magnitudes. Theoretical isochrones appropriate to the Pleiades and Praesepe clusters are then used to determine the corresponding binary mass ratios, which range from 0.2-0.9 in $q=m_2/m_1$. For our sample of roughly solar-mass (FGK type) stars in NGC 2264 and sub-solar-mass (K and early M-type) primaries in the Pleiades and Praesepe, the overall binary frequency is measured at $\sim$15.5% $\pm$ 2%. However, this value should be considered a lower limit to the true binary fraction within the specified separation and mass ratio ranges in these clusters, given that complex and uncertain corrections for sensitivity and completeness have not been applied.Comment: Accepted to A