About

The central purpose of the proposed Priority Programme is to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing labour markets in Germany in particular and throughout Europe in a global context. The programme addresses pertinent research issues on the link between trade, technology, and demographic changes as they affect wages and employment. In an international perspective, the programme will analyse empirically the way the German labour market works with particular emphasis on labour market flows, on the role of institutions and policies, on the explanation for the increase in inequality, on demographic changes, and on the links to education and important non-economic motives and outcomes. An understanding of these issues is key for policies relating to skills development of the population at all ages, family issues and gender in the labour market, demography, child development, health, social policies, crime, immigration, as well as the macroeconomic performance of the labour market. The challenges posed by competition and potential immigration combined with demographic developments will not only affect various labour market groups in different ways (with important consequences for inequality), but also force human resource management practices to adapt.

The programme aims to make progress in areas of labour market research. The core research areas where the programme invites proposals are:

• technology, globalisation, tasks, wages
• education, vocational training, demographic changes, cognitive and non-cognitive skills, early childhood development
• group differences in labour market outcomes
• imperfect competition, institutions, government policy, unemployment
• human resource management and organisational change
• interaction between the labour market and non-labour market outcomes

Prof. Gerard J. van den Berg, PhD
University of Bristol
E-mail: gerard.vandenberg@bristol.ac.uk

Prof. Christian Dustmann, PhD
University College London
E-mail: c.dustmann@ucl.ac.uk

Prof. Dr. Markus Gangl
University of Frankfurt
E-mail: mgangl@soz.uni-frankfurt.de

Prof. Dr. Alexandra Spitz-Oener
Humboldt University Berlin
E-mail: alexandra.spitz-oener@wiwi.hu-berlin.de

ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research
68161 Mannheim
Germany

Martin Lange
L 7, 1
68161 Mannheim, Germany
Phone: +49 621 12 35 156
E-Mail: dfg1764@zew.de / martin.lange@zew.de