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The German labor market response in the world recession : de-mystifying a miracle

Author

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  • Möller, Joachim

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg, Germany ; Department of Economics, University of Regensburg ; IZA)

Abstract

"This paper aims at analyzing the astonishingly mild response of the German labor market to the severe demand shock that occurred in the aftermath of the financial crisis. It stresses the role of institutions such as working-time accounts which create a large scope for a buffering capacity within the firm. It is argued that labor market reforms and the behavior of social partners have strengthened the adjustment possibilities when facing a temporary slump. The crisis mainly affected export-oriented manufacturing firms in Germany's thriving regions. Before the crisis those firms were the engines of growth and suffered from a shortage of qualified professional workers. Moreover, training costs are relatively high and dismissals would entail a significant loss in firm-specific human capital. Supported by the generous short-time work schemes, these factors contributed to the high willingness of crisis-stricken firms to pursue a strategy of massive labor hoarding. By contrast, the comparatively high employment protection does not seem to play a major role in explaining the adjustment behavior of German firms in the current crisis." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Suggested Citation

  • Möller, Joachim, 2010. "The German labor market response in the world recession : de-mystifying a miracle," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 42(4), pages 325-336.
  • Handle: RePEc:iab:iabzaf:v:42:i:4:p:325-336
    DOI: 10.1007/s12651-009-0026-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Helmut Fryges & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Profitability — First Evidence for German Manufacturing Firms," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 7, pages 245-277, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Samuel Bentolila & Giuseppe Bertola, 1990. "Firing Costs and Labour Demand: How Bad is Eurosclerosis?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 57(3), pages 381-402.
    3. Avinash K. Dixit & Robert S. Pindyck, 1994. "Investment under Uncertainty," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 5474.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Burda Michael C. & Seele Stefanie, 2017. "Das deutsche Arbeitsmarktwunder: Eine Bilanz," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 18(3), pages 179-204, October.
    2. Ardiyono, Sulistiyo K., 2022. "Covid-19 pandemic, firms’ responses, and unemployment in the ASEAN-5," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 337-372.
    3. Thomas Grebel & Mauro Napoletano & Lionel Nesta, 2023. "Distant but Close in Sight: Firm‐level Evidence on French–German Productivity Gaps in Manufacturing," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(1), pages 228-261, March.
    4. Alexander Herzog-Stein & Ines Zapf, 2014. "Navigating the Great Recession," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 67(3), pages 891-925, July.
    5. K. Sommerfeld, 2013. "Higher and higher? Performance pay and wage inequality in Germany," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(30), pages 4236-4247, October.
    6. Victoria Osuna & José Ignacio García Pérez, 2021. "Temporary layoffs, short-time work and COVID-19: the case of a dual labour market," Applied Economic Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 30(90), pages 248-262, December.
    7. Martin Abraham & Matthias Collischon & Veronika Grimm & Frauke Kreuter & Klaus Moser & Cornelia Niessen & Claus Schnabel & Gesine Stephan & Mark Trappmann & Tobias Wolbring, 2022. "COVID-19, normative attitudes and pluralistic ignorance in employer-employee relationships," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 56(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Ardiyono, Sulistiyo K. & Patunru, Arianto A., 2023. "Firms’ responses to foreign demand shocks: Evidence from Indonesia after the global financial crisis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Belgodere, Antoine, 2011. "Niurong as the target for NGDP targeting: Mario Draghi's nightmare?," MPRA Paper 34871, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Bonaccolto-Töpfer, Marina & Castagnetti, Carolina & Prümer, Stephanie, 2022. "Understanding the public-private sector wage gap in Germany: New evidence from a Fixed Effects quantile Approach∗," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bundesrepublik Deutschland ; Beschäftigungsentwicklung ; Bruttoinlandsprodukt ; Finanzkrise ; Humankapital ; institutionelle Faktoren ; Kündigungsschutz ; Kurzarbeit ; Kurzarbeitergeld ; Rezession ; Arbeitsmarktentwicklung ; Arbeitszeitkonto ; 2008-2009;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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