Content
1. News
25.03.2020 · ZEW (sse/fkr)
Research
Jobs in Germany With Unused Home Office Potential
Short Expert Report on Working from Home in Times of the Coronavirus Pandemic
A firm culture of presence is now giving way to social distancing in many German companies. Though the coronavirus crisis shows just how well working from home can function in Germany, it also shows the catching up that could be done. In almost all private sector companies to date, the potential for employees to work remotely has not yet been fully realised, especially in administrative professions, IT, natural sciences, and trade and commerce. These are the results of a short expert report from ZEW Mannheim together with the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).
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20.03.2020 · ZEW (dhr/ggr)
Dates and News
New Round of the YES! Student Competition Kicks Off
An Economic Summit for the Next Generation
Facts and fake news, working and welfare, interest rates and savings, start-ups and the green economy, labour markets and refugees – these are just some of the challenges facing our society and economy. We are more in need of innovative ideas than ever before, particularly from the younger generation. The YES! – Young Economic Summit, Germany’s biggest school competition based on social and economic issues, returns for 2020. Five teams of students from schools in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saarland took part in the Southwest region kick-off in the week of 10–19 March 2020.
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12.03.2020 · ZEW (cas/jgl)
DIFI Report by ZEW and JLL
Sentiment in Commercial Real Estate Financing Continues to Worsen
The downward trend of the German Real Estate Financing Index (DIFI) of ZEW and JLL continues in the first quarter of 2020. The index fell 3.7 points to a level of minus 18.9 after the surveyed experts again gave a worse assessment of the financing situation both for the past six months as well as for the coming six months. Only the sub-indicators for stationary retailers show a clear improvement, but still remain in negative territory.
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04.03.2020 · (fhe/jno/thp)
Research
EU Budget
Net Operating Balances Are No Indicator for European Added Value
At the centre of the debate about the possible expansion and restructuring of the EU budget lies the distinction between net contributors and recipients among EU Member States. Even though the concept of net operating balances is by no means suitable for reflecting the added value of the EU as a whole or for its Member States, these annual indicators still receive much political attention. ZEW Mannheim, on behalf of the European Parliament and together with the European Policy Centre, discusses the main points of criticism regarding the net operating balance concept, and possible alternatives for it.
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Additional ZEW news
2. Personalia
2.1. Supervisory Board
18.03.2020 · ZEW (tko/fkr)
Committees
ZEW Supervisory Board Elects New Chair
Ministerial Director Steinbach Takes Over as Chair from Minister Bauer
At its meeting today, the supervisory board of ZEW Mannheim elected Ulrich Steinbach as its new chair. Steinbach is the successor of Theresia Bauer, Minister of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg, and has been Ministerial Director and head of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts since September 2016. Dr. Ralf Krieger, member of the executive board at Freudenberg SE, will continue to serve as vice-chair.
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3. Press Releases
24.03.2020 · ZEW (msc/fkr)
China Economic Panel
Growth Forecasts for China Down Again
Effects of the Corona Crisis Unbroken
The coronavirus pandemic continues to leave a deep mark in the growth forecasts for China for 2020 and 2021, with the growth forecasts for real gross domestic product (GDP) dropping heavily again after an already significant decline in the previous month. This is the main result of the March survey (9–18 March 2020) among international financial market experts for China. The survey is regularly conducted by ZEW Mannheim and Fudan University (Shanghai) on the basis of the China Economic Panel (CEP).
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19.03.2020 · ZEW (fhe)
Comment
ZEW Economist Friedrich Heinemann on the ECB Coronavirus Package
ECB Buys the Eurozone Time for Coronavirus Containment
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has launched a new comprehensive asset purchase programme to stabilize the eurozone in the coronavirus crisis. An initial sum of 750 billion euros will be used to purchase government, corporate and bank bonds until the end of the year. In contrast to the previous government bond-buying programme, the ECB capital key now serves only as a benchmark for the purchases. The ECB explicitly reserves the right to deviate from this key temporarily.
In addition, requirements regarding the minimum credit quality of the bonds will be suspended, with the result that, unlike in the previous programme, Greek government bonds can now also be purchased. Professor Friedrich Heinemann, head of the Research Department “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance” at ZEW Mannheim, comments on this matter.
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19.03.2020 · ZEW (msc/fkr)
Research
Coronavirus Pandemic – Financial Market Experts Expect Sharp Drop in Global Growth
The coronavirus hits the world economy: financial market experts expect the pandemic to put a major strain on the global real gross domestic product (GDP). This is likely to have a particularly severe impact on the German economy. The forecasts vary, however, with regard to the individual sectors. This is the result of a special question featured in the most recent ZEW Financial Market Survey conducted with 170 financial market experts. The survey was carried out by ZEW from 9 to 16 March 2020.
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18.03.2020 · ZEW (gli/fkr)
Research
Coronavirus Pandemic Threatens Existence of Many Businesses
With the coronavirus pandemic starting to spread and take its toll on the German economy, many businesses find themselves in less than ideal conditions, as they go into the crisis with low credit ratings. Industries like the gastronomy sector, automotive suppliers and the construction sector have the highest shares of small companies with weak credit scores. These are the results of calculations conducted by ZEW Mannheim and the economic research division of Creditreform, Neuss, with data from the Mannheim Enterprise Panel, which is based on the databases of Creditreform.
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17.03.2020 · ZEW (msc/fbr/jrr/fkr)
ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment
Economic Outlook Slumps
The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment Stands at minus 49.5 Points
In March, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany plunged by 58.2 points to minus 49.5 points, the largest drop since the survey was started in December 1991. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has also worsened significantly compared to the previous month, with the corresponding indicator currently standing at minus 43.1 points, 27.4 points lower than in February. This combination of strongly negative values for the indicators of both the economic sentiment and the assessment of the current situation has only been witnessed once – during the financial crisis in autumn of 2008.
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13.03.2020 · ZEW (adl)
Comment
ZEW Economist Adriano De Leverano on Joint Procurement in Healthcare Over Coronavirus
Europe Needs Centralized Healthcare Purchases Now More Than Ever
Whereas the Italian government recently issued a nationwide lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus ordering people to leave their homes only for work or health reasons, the rest of Europe is also threatened by the effects of the pandemic. In the light of the EU’s health ministers still trying to find consensus on launching a joint procurement process for the purchase of medical supplies, the need for such processes to come into effect is all the more urgent. Dr. Adriano De Leverano, economist in the Junior Research Group “Economics of Public Procurement” at ZEW Mannheim, comments on this matter.
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11.03.2020 · (gne/fkr)
Research
East Germans Still at Disadvantage Compared to West Germans
Development of Equal Opportunity in Germany
Anyone who lived in East Germany before reunification still has narrower income chances 30 years later than a person of the same age and similar family circumstances from West Germany. Along with regional origin, however, the education level and occupation of the parents also play an important role in determining someone’s income chances. Overall, the observed inequality of opportunity in Germany has not decreased since the early 1990s, but has instead slightly increased. These are the results of a study by ZEW Mannheim and the University of Florence as part of the research programme Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies (SEEK).
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04.03.2020 · ZEW (mkn)
Comment
ZEW Economist Martin Kesternich on the European Climate Law
CO2 Pricing Schemes Should Be Consolidated at EU Level
Today, the European Commission presented the European Climate Law in Brussels. Martin Kesternich, deputy head of the ZEW Research Department “Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management” at ZEW Mannheim and professor of economics at the University of Kassel, shares his views on the goals and measures of the proposed law.
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28.02.2020 · (kso)
Comment
We Cannot Expect to See Major Changes in the Labour Market Any Time Soon
ZEW Economist Katrin Sommerfeld on the Skilled Workers’ Immigration Act
On 1 March 2020, the new Skilled Workers’ Immigration Act will enter into force in Germany. This new legislation aims to facilitate migration for university graduates and vocationally trained individuals coming from non-EU countries. With this measure, the federal government hopes to reduce the skills shortage. Dr. Katrin Sommerfeld, head of the Junior Research Group “Integration of Migrants and Attitudes Towards the Welfare State (IMES)” at ZEW Mannheim, comments on this matter.
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27.02.2020 · (cra/fkr)
Research
Lack of Qualified Personnel Becomes a Major Barrier to Innovation
ZEW Study on Skills Shortages in Companies
Skills shortages are stifling the innovative potential of German companies. This effect is particularly pronounced among companies experiencing a lack of vocationally trained workers, forcing many companies to abandon innovation projects. There is a particularly high demand for professionally trained specialists in the areas of production and IT. On the other hand, a lack of academic staff is less often to blame for the failure of innovation projects. If the German economy is to maintain its capacity for innovation, policymakers and businesses will have to invest more heavily in vocational training.
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26.02.2020 · (der/sel)
Information Economy
Use of Social Media Continues to Grow – But Innovation Potential Often Remains Untapped
ZEW Business Survey in the Information Economy
Today, around one in two companies in the information economy have a social media presence, which they primarily use for advertising and marketing while neglecting the innovation potential of these networks. Companies still make far too little use of this communication channel to obtain constructive customer feedback as a means of improving their products and services. These are the results of a special assessment published in the latest Business Survey in the Information Economy, for which ZEW Mannheim surveyed around 1,000 companies in the German information economy.
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Additional ZEW press releases
4. Recent Publication
Our publications are available to download in PDF format. PDF files can be viewed using, among others, Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free at https://acrobat. adobe. com/us/en/acrobat/pdf-reader. html
IN ENGLISH
4.1. German Real Estate Finance Index(DIFI Report)
DIFI Report, First Quarter 2020
- The Restrained Sentiment Continues
- The Low Point in the Retail Sector Seems to Be Over
- Real Estate Stocks Perform Worst in Terms of Situation and Expectations
- Sustainability Aspects Mainly Influence Loan Portfolios and Market Values
Download PDF file (2 MB)
4.2. ZEW Discussion Papers
Discussion Paper 20-011
Bowen Xiao, Xiaodan Guo, Ying Fan, Sebastian Voigt, and Lianbiao Cui
Climate Policies Under Dynamic International Economic Cycles: A Heterogeneous Countries DSGE Model
Download PDF file (1.3 MB)
Discussion Paper 20-010
Florence Blandinières, Daniela Steinbrenner, and Bernd Weiß
Which Design Works? A Meta-Regression Analysis of the Impacts of R&D Tax Incentives
Download PDF file (529 KB)
IN GERMAN
4.3. ZEWnews German Edition
The ZEWnews German Edition March 2020 contains articles on:
- Apps in Less Competitive Markets Collect More User Data
- University Graduates Have Better Incomes, Higher Professional Status and Greater Life Satisfaction
- Fear of Cybercrime Slows Down Innovation
- AI Is Key Driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
- Levying a Uniform VAT Eliminates the Need for Global Tax Reforms
- Q&A: How Can We Tackle the Labour Shortage?
- Opinion: Competition Law for the Digital Economy
Download PDF file (3.3 MB) in German
This issue contains a Focus on Innovation with the following articles: Innovation Expenditure by Companies in Germany Rises Again
Download PDF file (102 KB) in German
4.4. ZEW-Kurzexpertise (ZEW short expertise)
ZEW short expertise – No. 3, 2020
Philipp Grunau, Susanne Steffes, and Stefanie Wolter
Homeoffice in Zeiten von Corona
In vielen Berufen gibt es bislang ungenutzte Potenziale (Home Office in Times of Corona: Potential in Many Professions Not Yet Fully Realised)
Download PDF file (360 KB) in German
4.5. ZEW-Finanzmarktreport (ZEW Financial Market Report)
ZEW Financial Market Report April 2020
- Economic Outlook Slumps – Coronavirus Pandemic Burdens the Global Economy
- Eurozone: Economic Expectations Collapse
- USA: Financial Market Experts Expect to See a Recession
- Japan: Economic Expectations Fall Dramatically
- Great Britain: Situation and Expectations Indicator Deteriorate Considerably
- Special Question: Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Decline in Global Growth
Download PDF file (1.7 MB) in German
4.6. ZEW-Gutachten/Forschungsberichte (ZEW Expertises/Research Reports)
Irene Bertschek, Thomas Niebel, and Christian Rammer
IKT-Branche 2018, Volkswirtschaftliche Kennzahlen, Innovations- und Gründungsgeschehen (ICT Sector 2018, Economic Indicators, Innovation and Start-Up Activity)
Download PDF file (385 KB) in German
Additional ZEW publications
5. New Research Projects
Innovation Indicators for the Chemical Industry 2020
Additional information on the project site
Innovation Survey 2020 for Berlin
Additional information on the project site
Integrated Economic Analysis of Climate Change Protection and Local Air Pollution
Additional information on the project site
Public Country-by-Country Reporting – Update 2020
Additional information on the project site
SEEK Project 2020: Carbon Neutral Courier Services by Voluntary Carbon Offsets – A Survey Among the Polish Population
Additional information on the project site
SEEK Project 2020: Firms Going Digital: Evidence and Policy Implications
Additional information on the project site
Working Hours Fluctuation, Career Outcomes, and Fertility Decisions
Additional information on the project site
Additional ZEW projects
6. Events
In order to support the nationwide containment measures against the coronavirus, ZEW is examining to what extent the events listed here can take place virtually. Individual dates may be postponed. The current status of the events can be found in the ZEW Events Calendar. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our event team at event@zew.de.
6.1. Scientific Events
08.05.2020
Conference
2020 ZEW Public Finance Conference
Advances in Local Public Economics
Speaker: Daniel Sturm (London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), United Kingdom)
Location of the event: Transmission via video conference
Additional information and meeting link
14.05.2020
ZEW Research Seminar
Tax Professionals and Tax Evasion
Speaker: Chiara Lacava (Goethe University Frankfurt)
Location of the event: Transmission via video conference
Additional information and meeting link
25.–29.05.2020
Workshop
Tenth Edition of the Competition and Innovation Summer School (CISS)
Location of the event: Ulcinj, Montenegro
Additional information
Additional ZEW events
7. Job Offers
20.02.2020
Tenure-Track Postdoctoral Researcher (100 %, f/m/d) for the Research Department “Digital Economy”
Additional information and online application
Additional current job offers
Picture Credits: news article of 20.03.2020: ZBW, press release of 19.03.2020: Anna Logue Fotografie / ZEW, Personalia article of 18.03.2020: Anna Logue Fotografie, press release of 13.03.2020: iStock.com/Photo Beto, news article of 12.03.2020: JLL and ZEW, press release of 11.03.2020: iStock.com/LeoPatrizi, news article of 04.03.2020: iStock.com/inakiantonana, press release of 27.02.2020: iStock.com/yoh4nn, press release of 26.02.2020: iStock.com/ipopba
All further pictures: ©ZEW