Gesamtwirtschaftliche Stabilität im klimapolitischen Wandel

Wirtschaftsdienst - Klimapolitik mit dem Ziel der CO2-Neutralität erfordert einen einschneidenden strukturellen Wandel. Dieser wird nur dann akzeptiert werden und gelingen, wenn er sich neben...     

The Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure at the Heart of EU Economic Governance Reform

While the euro officially came into being in 1999, it was the introduction of euro notes and coins 20 years ago in January 2002 that made the common currency a tangible reality for European citizens. The circle of member states has since grown from 11 to 19, and a growing section of the population no longer has any personal experience with a “national” currency, yet the debate on the legal and institutional framework underpinning the common currency has never gone away.

     

Intended brand associations: Do they really drive consumer response?

Brand managers exhibit considerable effort to define intended brand associations to anchor in consumers' minds. They follow a credo deeply rooted in branding literature: intended brand associations drive consumer response and brand equity. This article investigates the benefits of a strong overlap of actual consumer brand associations and management-intended brand associations (brand association match). The article presents results from two large-scale studies (3353 and 1201 respondents) involving one consumer goods and one service brand with multiple operationalizations of consumer response (attitudinal and behavioral). The results show that consumers with high brand association match show more positive brand response. However, after accounting for the valence of associations match does not add explanatory power. This outcome challenges a key foundation of brand management. The discussion identifies reasons why match may not be necessary to achieve response and provides arguments why the results do not imply free play for brand managers.     

Zur Gleichstellung beim Entgelt von Frauen und Männern mit gleicher Qualifikation

Wirtschaftsdienst - Lohnungleichheit ist ein zentrales Element, das einer Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern entgegensteht. Selbst bei Ausschluss bekannter lohnrelevanter Unterschiede, d....     

Entwickeln sich wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Forschung und Politikberatung auseinander?

Most German economists show strong patterns of professional specialisation. In their work, they either focus on basic research or on policy consultancy. The evidence provided by Haucap und Mödl has been used to question work incentives in academia. The suggestion to change work incentives, however, is not supported by Richter, who rather calls into question the German tradition of research funding. He argues that Germany should devote more competitive funding to research projects and less to institutions. Schmidt et al. explore the question the other way around: do policy consultants publish in top journals? They conclude that they do. Güth/Kliemt show how precarious and limited our (technologically useful) knowledge is. The discussion of alternative policies among economic experts should be used to tease out the controversial arguments to allow for better informed political judgements. Wagner/Fratzscher take a historical view, showing that when modern economic research (and economic research institutes) apply a more pluralistic paradigm than that which prevailed in Germany for a long period after the Second World War, economic research will automatically have a more significant impact on politics, since policy advisors will produce more varied advice with the potential for realisation. Koll also claims that policy advice must not be based on a single supply-side oriented mainstream point of view. By drawing lessons from the crisis, economics must identify a new mainstream providing reliable guidance and policy advice.     

Zur Vertiefung der wirtschaftlichen Konvergenz in der Eurozone

In a draft recommendation, National Competitiveness Boards should be established which inter alia should monitor the developments in labour costs. The German and European Trade Unions have refused this proposal strictly. Here, as a way out, an alternative proposal is presented extending the agenda to the macroeconomic development and policy as a whole. In implementing the agenda, social partners should be included together with the other macroeconomic actors such as monetary and fiscal policy in a Macroeconomic Dialogue forum on both the national and Eurozone levels.     

Zehn Jahre Makroökonomischer Dialog — eine Zwischenbilanz

Zusammenfassung  Der Makro?konomische Dialog (MED) wurde vor zehn Jahren — nahezu zeitgleich mit dem Beginn der dritten Stufe der Europ?ischen Wirtschafts- und W?hrungsunion (EWWU) — konzipiert und umgesetzt. Wie sind die Erfahrungen mit diesem Instrument der wirtschaftspolitischen Koordinierung auf europ?ischer Ebene? Wie kann der MED noch wirksamer zu einer spannungsfreien Wachstums- und Besch?ftigungsdynamik im gesamten Euroraum beitragen? Dr. Volker Hallwirth, 54, und Dr. Willi Koll, 61, sind Mitarbeiter im Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie. Sie geben hier ihre pers?nliche Meinung wieder. W. Koll war seit Beginn im Herbst 1999 bis Herbst 2006 Vorsitzender des Makro?konomischen Dialogs auf technischer Ebene und Berichterstatter im Makro?konomischen Dialog auf politischer Ebene; V. Hallwirth war jeweils an den inhaltlichen Vorbereitungen beteiligt.     

The choice of dilemmas in Hungary's transition: Westernization or latin americanization?

This paper deals with Hungary on the basis of selected characteristics regarding European Union accession conditions. In most cases, there are no exact criteria which must be fulfilled. Therefore, the difference between the real and expected levels of performance cannot be measured. The chances for stabilization and growth, reintegration, or periphery are under investigation. This statistical analysis concentrates on the similarity between members of the European Union (and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and new applicants. The structural similarity and closeness can statistically prove economic success or failure.