IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/onb/oenbmp/y2004i2b3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of Revaluation and Adjustment Factors in Pay-As-You-Go Pension Systems

Author

Abstract

This study examines the role of revaluation and adjustment factors in pension systems. The first part sheds light on the determination of revaluation and adjustment factors according to the General Social Security Act (Allgemeines Sozialversicherungsgesetz — ASVG) and how these factors have evolved over time. The analysis shows that since the mid-1980s the revaluation factors have been set more or less in line with the inflation rate; in other words, contributions have not, in fact, been revalued in real terms. The author then demonstrates that such a system eventually conflicts with principles of intragenerational and intergenerational fairness. In such case, the mere extension of the assessment period may entail substantial reductions in pension benefits. When we consider the Austrian situation, extending the assessment period from 15 to 40 years may cause the average pension to drop by 11% to 36% (depending on the underlying assumptions). Capping maximum losses at 10% certainly is a solution for persons aged 35+ at the cutoff date, but anyone younger than that would have to bear the brunt of such a pension reform measure. In the light of the problematic fairness aspects of the current revaluation regime, relating the necessary reform of the Austrian pension system and the concomitant paring of benefits too closely to the effects of this revaluation regime does not seem to be the right approach. In a new (harmonized) system, the revaluation factors should at any rate be linked to wage growth. The last section of this paper focuses on issues which are crucial in wage-based revaluation regimes and which are mainly related to the emergence of demographic shifts. Some of the questions tackled are: Should revaluation be based on the growth rate of average earnings or of the total wage bill? Is the 80-45-65 formula frequently cited in the pension reform debate in Austria consistent in itself? Should automatic adjustment factors (sustainability factors) be built into the pension system, and if so, which ones? Does it make any difference then whether we are dealing with a traditional pay-as-you-go pension model or a notional account system?

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Knell, 2004. "The Role of Revaluation and Adjustment Factors in Pay-As-You-Go Pension Systems," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 2, pages 55-71.
    • Handle: RePEc:onb:oenbmp:y:2004:i:2:b:3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.oenb.at/dam/jcr:b2d09368-b472-476e-921a-b6367bd3ca2e/mop_20042_the_role_of_revaluation_tcm16-19680.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Baumol, William J, 1972. "Macroeconomics of Unbalanced Growth: Reply," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(1), pages 150-150, March.
    2. Martin Falk, 2004. "Diffusion von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien und Einsatz von qualifizierten Arbeitskräften. Beschleunigung des technischen Fortschritts," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 77(3), pages 213-222, March.
    3. Ad van Riet & Ekkehard Ernst & Christophe Madaschi & Fabrice Orlandi & Alvaro Santos Rivera & Benoît Robert & Jörg Döpke & Constantina Backinezos & Ioanna Bardakas & Esther Gordo Mora & Christian Baro, 2004. "Sectoral specialisation in the EU a macroeconomic perspective," Occasional Paper Series 19, European Central Bank.
    4. Yvonne Wolfmayr, 2000. "Economic Integration, Specialisation and the Location of Industries. A Survey of the Theoretical Literature," Austrian Economic Quarterly, WIFO, vol. 5(2), pages 73-80, May.
    5. Midelfart-Knarvik, K.H. & Overman, H.G. & Venables, A.J., 2000. "Comparative Advantage and Economic Geography: Estimating the Location of Production in the EU," Papers 18/00, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration-.
    6. Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan & Bent E. Sørensen & Oved Yosha, 2003. "Risk Sharing and Industrial Specialization: Regional and International Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(3), pages 903-918, June.
    7. Michael Peneder, 2001. "Eine Neubetrachtung des "Österreich-Paradoxon"," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 74(12), pages 737-748, December.
    8. Tamim Bayoumi & Eswar Prasad, 1997. "Currency Unions, Economic Fluctuations, and Adjustment: Some New Empirical Evidence," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 44(1), pages 36-58, March.
    9. Yvonne Wolfmayr, 2004. "Österreichs Außenhandel mit den EU-Beitrittsländern," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 77(4), pages 231-249, April.
    10. Christian Just, 2004. "The International Financial Architecture: Official Proposals on Crisis Resolution," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 73-89.
    11. Bayoumi, Tamim & Prasad, Eswar, 1995. "Currency Unions, Economic Fluctuations and Adjustment: Some Empirical Evidence," CEPR Discussion Papers 1172, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Ernest Gnan & Jürgen Janger & Johann Scharler, 2004. "Determinants of Long-Term Growth in Austria – A Call for a National Growth Strategy," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 23-46.
    13. Michael Peneder & Karl Aiginger & Gernot Hutschenreiter & Markus Marterbauer, 2001. "Structural Change and Economic Growth," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 20668.
    14. Balázs Égert & Doris Ritzberger-Grünwald & Maria Antoinette Silgoner, 2004. "Inflation Differentials in Europe: Past Experience and Future Prospects," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 47-72.
    15. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Christl, Michael & Kucsera, Dénes, 2015. "Reformoptionen des österreichischen Pensionssystem und ihre finanziellen Auswirkungen," EconStor Preprints 113283, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Ernest Gnan & Claudia Kwapil & Maria Teresa Valderrama, 2005. "EU and EMU Entry: A Monetary Policy Regime Change for Austria?," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 2, pages 53-68.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karl Aiginger & Michael Landesmann, 2002. "Competitive Economic Performance: The European View," WIFO Working Papers 179, WIFO.
    2. Balázs Égert, 2007. "Real Convergence, Price Level Convergence and Inflation in Europe," Working Papers 267, Bruegel.
    3. Miklos Koren & Silvana Tenreyro, 2003. "Diversification and development," Working Papers 03-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    4. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb06/1 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Mike Artis & Hans-Martin Krolzig & Juan Toro, 2004. "The European business cycle," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 1-44, January.
    6. Bachmann Ronald & Burda Michael C., 2010. "Sectoral Transformation, Turbulence and Labor Market Dynamics in Germany," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 37-59, February.
    7. Pradipta Kumar Sahoo & D. Tripati Rao & Badri Narayan Rath, 2019. "Does Financial Integration Reduce Output Volatility? New Evidence from Cross‐Country Data," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 38(1), pages 41-55, March.
    8. Dalila NICET- CHENAF (GREThA-GRES) & Eric ROUGIER (GREThA-GRES), 2008. "Recent exports matter: export discoveries, FDI and Growth, an empirical assessment for MENA countries," Cahiers du GRES (2002-2009) 2008-17, Groupement de Recherches Economiques et Sociales.
    9. Ricci, Luca Antonio, 2008. "A Model of an Optimum Currency Area," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 2, pages 1-31.
    10. Salvador Barrios & Marius Brülhart & Robert J.R. Elliott & Marianne Sensier, 2003. "A Tale of Two Cycles: Co‐Fluctuations Between UK Regions and the Euro Zone," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 71(3), pages 265-292, June.
    11. Karl, Helmut & Matus Velasco, Ximena Fernanda, 2004. "Lessons for regional policy from the new economic geography and the endogenous growth theory," Studies in Spatial Development: Chapters, in: Employment and regional development policy: Market efficiency versus policy intervention, pages 71-89, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    12. Toni Mora & Rosina Moreno, 2010. "Specialisation changes in European regions: the role played by externalities across regions," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 311-334, September.
    13. Raúl Ramos & Miquel Clar & Jordi Suriñach, 1999. "Specialisation in Europe and Asymmetric Shocks: Potential Risks of EMU," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Manfred M. Fischer & Peter Nijkamp (ed.), Spatial Dynamics of European Integration, chapter 4, pages 63-93, Springer.
    14. Balázs Égert, 2007. "Real Convergence, Price Level Convergence and Inflation Differentials in Europe," Working Papers 138, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    15. Daron Acemoglu & Veronica Guerrieri, 2008. "Capital Deepening and Nonbalanced Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(3), pages 467-498, June.
    16. Mongelli, Francesco Paolo & Vega, Juan Luis, 2006. "What effects is EMU having on the euro area and its member countries? An overview," Working Paper Series 599, European Central Bank.
    17. Escobal, Javier, 2005. "The Role of Public Infraestructure in Market Development in Rural Peru," MPRA Paper 727, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Du, Julan & He, Qing & Zhang, Ce, 2022. "Risk sharing and industrial specialization in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 599-626.
    19. Rafael Boix & Joan Trullén, 2004. "Knowledge, networks of cities and growth in regional urban systems: theory, measurement and policy implications," ERSA conference papers ersa04p85, European Regional Science Association.
    20. Gradstein, Mark & Nikitin, Denis, 2004. "Educational expansion : evidence and interpretation," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3245, The World Bank.
    21. Miklós Koren & Silvana Tenreyro, 2007. "Volatility and Development," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(1), pages 243-287.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pension Systems;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:onb:oenbmp:y:2004:i:2:b:3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Rita Glaser-Schwarz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/oenbbat.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.