Some Econometric Evidence on the Effectiveness of Active Labour Market Programmes in East Germany

In this paper we summarise our previous results on the effectiveness of different kinds of labour market training programmes as well as employment programmes in East Germany after unification. All the studies use the microeconometric evaluation approach and are based on different types of matching estimators. We find some positive earnings effect for on-the-job training and also some positive employment effects for employment programmes. No such effects appear for public sector sponsored (off-the-job) training programmes. Generally, the scope of such analysis is very much hampered by the insufficient quality and quantity of the data available for East Germany. Although in particular the results for public sector sponsored training programmes raise serious doubts about the effectiveness of these programmes, any definite policy conclusion from this and other studies about active labour market policy in East Germany would probably be premature.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39702/3/wp318.pd

Some Econometric Evidence on the Effectiveness of Active Labour Market Programmes in East Germany

In this paper we summarise our previous results on the effectiveness of different kinds of labour market training programmes as well as employment programmes in East Germany after unification. All the studies use the microeconometric evaluation approach and are based on different types of matching estimators. We find some positive earnings effect for on-the-job training and also some positive employment effects for employment programmes. No such effects appear for public sector sponsored (off-the-job) training programmes. Generally, the scope of such analysis is very much hampered by the insufficient quality and quantity of the data available for East Germany. Although in particular the results for public sector sponsored training programmes raise serious doubts about the effectiveness of these programmes, any definite policy conclusion from this and other studies about active labour market policy in East Germany would probably be premature.East German labor markets, treatment effects, training, panel data, matching

Scotland’s international competitiveness within Western Europe

The paper measures regional competitiveness of Scotland in comparison to ten EU regions and small countries using the International Benchmarking Index Family (‘IB Index Family’) developed by BAK Basel Economics.1 The IB Index Family contains an index with three dimensions of competitiveness: Performance, Attractiveness and Structural Potential. The Performance Index measures recent economic success; the Attractiveness Index measures how well a region is an attractive location to companies and highly-qualified individuals; and the Structural Potential Index estimates future potential economic growth based on current economic structure. The application of the IB Index Family provides a first-step into a more in-depth benchmarking of the competitiveness of a region, which is necessary when working towards detailed policy conclusions. The paper explains these measurement tools and applies them in a short benchmarking analysis of Scotland and ten EU regions and small nations (e.g. Ireland, Norway, Western Sweden etc.)

The quadratic reciprocity law and the elementary theta function

This note points out a new aspect of the well-known relationship between the subjects mentioned in the title. The following result and its generalization in totally real algebraic number fields is central to the discussion. Let denote the Legendre symbol for relatively prime numbers a and b ℇ and a substitution of the modular subgroup Γ0(4). Then, if γ>0 and b≡1 mod 2, with and According to (1), the Legendre symbol behaves somewhat like a modular function ﹙apart from the known behaviour under and ﹚. (1) follows (see below) from the functional equation with provided that Here we used and always will use the abbreviation and ℇδ means the absolutely least residue of δ mod 4. In the proof, Hecke [4] assumed γ>0 (see also Shimura [5]

Time variability of TeV cosmic ray sky map

The variation in the intensity of cosmic rays at small angular scales is attributed to the interstellar turbulence in the vicinity of the Solar system. We show that {a turbulent origin of the small-scale structures implies that} the morphology of the observed cosmic-ray intensity skymap varies with our location in the interstellar turbulence. The gyroradius of cosmic rays is shown to be the length scale associated with an observable change in the skymap over a radian angular scale. The extent to which the intensity \mpo{at a certain} angular scale varies is proportional to the change in our location with a maximum change of about the amplitude of intensity variation at that scale in the existing skymap.} We suggest that for TeV cosmic rays a measurable variation could occur over a time scale of a decade due to the Earth's motion through the interstellar medium, if interstellar turbulence persists down to the gyroradius, \mpo{about $00\ \mu\mathrm{pc}$ for TeV-ish cosmic rays}. Observational evidence of the variability, or an absence of it, could provide a useful insight into the physical origin of the small-scale anisotropy

The High Energy Budget Allocations in Shocks and GRB

The statistical distribution of energies among particles responsible for long Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) emission is analyzed in light of recent results of the Fermi Observatory. The allsky flux, $F_{\gamma}$, recorded by the Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) is shown, despite its larger energy range, to be not significantly larger than that reported by the Burst and Transient Explorer (BATSE), suggesting a relatively small flux in the 3 - 30 MeV energy range. The present-day energy input rate in $\gamma$-rays recorded by the GBM from long GRB is found, assuming star-formation rates in the literature, to be $\dot W(0)=0.5 F_{\gamma} H/c = 5 \times 10^{42}\ \rm{erg/Mpc^3 yr}$. The Large Area Telescope (LAT) fluence, when observed, is about 5-10\% per decade of the total, in good agreement with the predictions of saturated, non-linear shock acceleration. The high-energy component of long GRBs, as measured by Fermi, is found to contain only $\sim 10^{-2.5}$ of the energy needed to produce ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECR) above 4 Eev, assuming the latter to be extragalactic, when various numerical factors are carefully included, if the cosmic ray source spectrum has a spectral index of -2. The observed $\gamma$-ray fraction of the required UHECR energy is even smaller if the source spectrum is softer than $E^{-2}$. The AMANDA II limits rule out such a GRB origin for UHECR if much more than $10^{-2}$ of the cosmic ray energy goes into neutrinos that are within, and simultaneous with, the $\gamma$-ray beam. It is suggested that "orphan" neutrinos out of the $\gamma$-ray beam might be identifiable via orphan afterglow { or other wide angle signatures of GRB in lieu of coincidence with prompt $\gamma$-rays}, and it is recommended that feasible single neutrino trigger criteria be established to search for such coincidences.Comment: to appear in The Astrophysical Journa

An Evaluation of Public Employment Programmes in the East German State of Sachsen-Anhalt

In East Germany, active labour market policies (ALMPs) are used on a large scale to contain fast rising unemployment after unification. This paper evaluates the effects for participants in public employment programmes (PEPs), that are an important part of ALMPs. It focuses on individual unemployment probabilities. By concentrating on the state of Sachsen-Anhalt, the econometric analysis can use a new and large panel, the Arbeitsmarktmonitor Sachsen-Anhalt. We aim at nonparametric identification of the effects of PEPs by combining the use of comparison groups with differencing over time to correct for selection effects. Our results indicate that PEP participation reduces the unemployment risk of the participants

Public Sector Sponsored Continuous Vocational Training in East Germany : Institutional Arrangements, Participants, and Results of Empirical Evaluations

After unification of the East and West German economies in July 1990 the public sector devoted substantial resources to train the labour force of the former centrally planned East German economy. In this paper we describe the basic trends of the rules and regulations governing these efforts. We supplement this description with empirical stylized facts. Additionally, we report evaluations of the effects of this policy for training participants beginning their training between mid 1990 and early 1993. These evaluations are based on micro data from the Socio-economic Panel (1990-1994) which allows us to follow the individuals' labour market status before and after training on a monthly and yearly basis, respectively. Our general findings of these evaluations suggest that there are no positive effects on such measures as post-training unemployment risk or earnings