Does the support of innovative clusters sustainably foster R&D activity? Evidence from the German BioRegio and BioProfile contests

In this paper, we evaluate the R&D enhancing effects of two large public grant schemes aiming at encouraging the performance of firms organized in clusters. These are Germany's well known BioRegio and BioProfile contests for which we compare the research performance of winning regions in contrast with non-winning and non-participating comparison regions. We apply Difference-in-Difference estimation techniques in a generalized linear model framework, which allows to control for different initial regional conditions in the biotechnology related R&D activity. Our econometric findings support the view that winners generally outperform non-winning participants during the treatment period, thus indicating that exclusive funding as well as the stimulating effect of being a "winner" seems to work in the short-term. In contrast, no indirect impacts stemming from a potential mobilizing effect of the contest approaches have been detected. Also, we find only limited evidence for long-term effects of public R&D grants in the post-treatment period. The results of our analysis remain stable if we additionally augment the model to account for the particular role of spatial dependence in the R&D outcome variables.Biotechnology, R&D Policies, Cluster, Diff-in-Diff Estimation

Effectiveness of Public R&D Subsidies in East Germany – Is it a Matter of Firm Size?

This paper analyses the impact of public subsidies on private sector research and development (R&D) activity for East German firms. Using propensity score matching, our empirical results indicate that subsidized firms indeed show a higher level of R&D intensity and a higher probability for patent application compared to non-subsidized firms for our sample year 2003. On average we find an increase in the R&D intensity of about 3.7 percentage points relative to non-subsidized firms. The probability for patent applications rises by 21 percentage points. These results closely match earlier empirical results for East Germany. Given the fact that the East German innovation system is particularly driven by small and medium sized enterprises (SME), we put a special focus on the effectiveness of the R&D subsidies for this latter subgroup. Here no previous empirical evidence is available so far. Our findings indicate that policy effectiveness also holds for private R&D activity of SMEs, where the highest increase in terms of R&D intensity is estimated for micro businesses with up to 10 employees.Propensity score matching; R&D subsidies; East Germany; SME

Testing the validity of the neoclassical migration model: Overall and age-group specific estimation results for German spatial planning regions

This paper tests the empirical validity of the neoclassical migration model to predict German internal migration flows. We estimate static and dynamic migration functions for 97 Spatial Planning Regions between 1996--2006 using key labour market signals including income and unemployment differences among a broader set of explanatory variables. Beside an aggregate specification we also estimate the model for age-group related subsamples. Our results give empirical support for the main transmission channels identified by the neoclassical framework: That is, regional differences in the real income show the expected effect on the net inmigration rate, while the link between regional unemployment rate differentials and net inmigration is negative. The results remains stable if further variables are added to the model. Net in-commuting shows a negative correlation with in-migration underlying the substitutive nature of the two variables. Moreover an increasing level of international competitiveness attracts further in-migration flows. We also find heterogeneity for different types of settlement structure and the East-West macro regions by including federal state level fixed effects or an East German dummy. The results broadly hold for age-group specific estimates. Here, the impact of labour market signals is tested to be of greatest magnitude for workforce relevant age-groups and especially young cohorts from 18 to 25 and 25 to 30 years. This latter result underlines the prominent role played by labour market conditions in determining internal migration rates of the working population in Germany

Testing the Validity of the Neoclassical Migration Model: Overall and Age-Group Specific Estimation Results for German Spatial Planning Regions

This paper assess the empirical validity of the neoclassical migration model to predict German internal migration flows driven by regional labour market disparities. We estimate static and dynamic migration functions for 97 Spatial Planning Regions between 1996--2006 using key labour market signals including income and unemployment differences among a broader set of explanatory variables. Beside an aggregate specification we also estimate the model for age-group related subsamples. Our results give empirical support for the main transmission channels identified by the neoclassical framework: That is, regional differences in the real income show the expected effect on the net inmigration rate, while the link between regional unemployment rate differentials and net inmigration is negative. The results remains stable if further variables are added to the model. Net in-commuting shows a negative correlation with in-migration underlying the substitutive nature of the two variables. Moreover an increasing level of international competitiveness attracts further in-migration flows. We also find heterogeneity for different types of settlement structure and the East-West macro regions by including federal state level fixed effects or an East German dummy. The results broadly hold for age-group specific estimates. Here, the impact of labour market signals is tested to be of greatest magnitude for workforce relevant age-groups and especially young cohorts from 18 to 25 and 25 to 30 years. This latter result underlines the prominent role played by labour market conditions in determining internal migration rates of the working population in Germany

Zeit für Familie – Thema des 8. Familienberichts

Am 28. Oktober 2011 wurde in Berlin der 8. Familienbericht an die Bundesministerin für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend übergeben. Er beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema »Zeit für Familie« und mit den Notwendigkeiten und Möglichkeiten einer Familienzeitpolitik. Für die Erstellung des Berichts wurde eine achtköpfige Sachverständigenkommission, zusammengesetzt aus den Bereichen der Betriebs- und Volkswirtschaftslehre, der Soziologie, der Entwicklungspsychologie und der Rechtswissenschaften, berufen. Das ifo Institut, das mit den Aufgaben einer Geschäftsstelle beauftragt wurde, hat die Kommission organisatorisch betreut und wesentliche inhaltliche Beiträge geliefert. Insbesondere hat es die empirische Unterfütterung der Diskussionen und des Berichts übernommen.Zeit, Zeitverwendung, Arbeitszeit, Familie, Freizeit, Familienpolitik, Deutschland

Testing the neoclassical migration model: overall and age-group specific results for German regions

"This paper tests the empirical validity of the neoclassical migration model in predicting German internal migration flows. We estimate static and dynamic migration functions for 97 Spatial Planning Regions between 1996 and 2006 using key labor market signals including income and unemployment differences among a broader set of explanatory variables. In addition to an aggregate specification we also estimate the model for age-group related subsamples. Our results give empirical support for the main transmission channels identified by the neoclassical framework - both at the aggregate level as well as for age-group specific estimates. Thereby, the impact of labor market signals is tested to be of greatestmagnitude for workforce relevant age groups and especially young cohorts between the ages of 18 to 25 and 25 to 30. This latter result emphasizes the prominent role played by labor market conditions in determining internal migration rates of the working population in Germany." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))Binnenwanderung - Determinanten, Zuwanderung, Abwanderung, Wanderungsmotivation, regionale Faktoren, regionaler Arbeitsmarkt, Arbeitslosenquote, Einkommensunterschied, junge Erwachsene, Erwerbstätige, Siedlungsstruktur, ländlicher Raum, Stadt, Stadtregion, Ballungsraum, Grenzgebiet, Arbeitsmarktgleichgewicht

Does the support of innovative clusters sustainably foster R&D activity? Evidence from the German BioRegio and BioProfile contests

In this paper, we evaluate the R&D enhancing effects of two large public grant schemes aiming at encouraging the performance of firms organized in clusters. These are Germany's well known BioRegio and BioProle contests for which we compare the research performance of winning regions in contrast with non-winning and non-participating comparison regions. We apply Difference-in-Difference estimation techniques in a generalized linear model framework, which allows to control for different initial regional conditions in the biotechnology related R&D activity. Our econometric findings support the view that winners generally outperform non-winning participants during the treatment period, thus indicating that exclusive funding as well as the stimulating effect of being a "winner" seems to work in the short-term. In contrast, no indirect impacts stemming from a potential mobilizing effect of the contest approaches have been detected. Also, we find only limited evidence for long-term effects of public R&D grants in the post-treatment period. The results of our analysis remain stable if we additionally augment the model to account for the particular role of spatial dependence in the R&D outcome variables

Testing the Validity of the Neoclassical Migration Model: Overall and Age-Group Specific Estimation Results for German Spatial Planning Regions

This paper assess the empirical validity of the neoclassical migration model to predict German internal migration flows driven by regional labour market disparities. We estimate static and dynamic migration functions for 97 Spatial Planning Regions between 1996--2006 using key labour market signals including income and unemployment differences among a broader set of explanatory variables. Beside an aggregate specification we also estimate the model for age-group related subsamples. Our results give empirical support for the main transmission channels identified by the neoclassical framework: That is, regional differences in the real income show the expected effect on the net inmigration rate, while the link between regional unemployment rate differentials and net inmigration is negative. The results remains stable if further variables are added to the model. Net in-commuting shows a negative correlation with in-migration underlying the substitutive nature of the two variables. Moreover an increasing level of international competitiveness attracts further in-migration flows. We also find heterogeneity for different types of settlement structure and the East-West macro regions by including federal state level fixed effects or an East German dummy. The results broadly hold for age-group specific estimates. Here, the impact of labour market signals is tested to be of greatest magnitude for workforce relevant age-groups and especially young cohorts from 18 to 25 and 25 to 30 years. This latter result underlines the prominent role played by labour market conditions in determining internal migration rates of the working population in Germany.German Internal Migration, Harris-Todaro Model, Dynamic Panel Data