Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch

Ganz Westeuropa auf dem Weg in die 'Basarökonomie'?

Für einige Ökonomen basiert der Exporterfolg der deutschen Wirtschaft in den letzten Jahren auf Exportgütern, die überwiegend aus importierten Vorprodukten zusammengesetzt worden sind. Wie hat sich der Importgehalt der deutschen Exporte entwickelt? Ist ein sinkender inländischer Wertschöpfungsanteil der Exporte zu beobachten? Wie ist die Entwicklung in anderen EU-Ländern?

Mapping potentials for input–output-based innovation flows in industrial clusters – an application to Germany

ABSTRACT Our paper pursues two aims: first, it presents an approach based on input–output innovation flow matrices to study intersectoral innovation flows within industrial clusters. Second, we apply this approach to the identification of structural weaknesses in East Germany relative to the western part of the country. The case of East Germany forms an interesting subject because while its convergence process after unification began promisingly in the first half of the 1990s, convergence has since slowed down. The existing gap can now be traced mainly to structural weaknesses in the East German economy, such as the absence of strong industrial cluster structures. With this in mind, we investigate whether East Germany does in fact reveal the abovementioned structural weaknesses. Does East Germany possess fewer industrial clusters? Are they less connected? Does East Germany lack specific clusters that are also important for the non-clustered part of the economy?

Auswirkungen des gesetzlichen Mindestlohns im Handwerk in Sachsen-Anhalt

Abstract: This paper examines the effects of the minimum wage introduction in Germany in 2015 on the skilled crafts sector in Saxony-Anhalt. Using novel survey data on the skilled crafts sector in Saxony-Anhalt, we examine three questions: (1) How many employees are affected by the minimum wage introduction in the skilled crafts sector in Saxony-Anhalt? (2) What are the effects of the minimum wage introduction? (3) How did firms react to wage increase? We find that about 8 % of all employees in the skilled crafts sector in SaxonyAnhalt are directly affected by the minimum wage introduction. A difference-indifference estimation reveals no significant employment effects of the minimum wage introduction. We test for alternative adjustment strategies and observe a significant increase of output prices.