On April 22, 2018 Martin Kocher was invited to the ORF Pressestunde. The following topics (among others) were discussed: the federal budget, development of the business location Austria, reforms in the health sector, labor market, pensions.
Links:
Pressestunde on ORF TVThek (April 22, 2018) (in German)

German Economy Booming – But Air is Getting Thinner

The German economy continues to boom, but the air is getting thinner. The upturn in the world economy will continue to stimulate exports; and the domestic economy is also expected to remain buoyant thanks to the exceptionally favorable situation in the labor market. The fiscal measures outlined by Germany’s new government can be expected to stimulate demand. Annual average economic output can be expected to rise by 2.2 percent this year and by 2.0 percent in 2019. Employment will continue to see clear growth, but will be weakened by labor market shortages. The inflation rate will also rise gradually from 1.7 percent this year to 1.9 percent in 2019.
Links:
Press information of April 19, 2018 (pdf)

Egbert Dierker wrote an article published in the Economic Theory Bulletin: "Initial shares can cause Pareto improvements when markets are incomplete".
Links:
Publication in the IHS Repository

On occasion of the Second Heinrich Neisser Lecture, Dennis Snower presented theses on the future of labor and labor market policy in the digital era. Gerlinde Titelbach, Johannes Kopf (Chairman, AMS) and Erich Foglar (President, ÖGB) joined the lively discussion.
Link:
2nd Heinrich Neisser Lecture

On 9 April, the newly constituted Scientific Advisory Board met for the first time. Points of discussion concerned the recent development of the institute and its agenda until 2020. In the picture: members of the Board with the heads of Research Groups after having enjoyed lunch together.

Link:
Scientific Advisory Board

Economic cycle hits its peak

Driven by the broad-based global economic boom, the domestic economy should continue its vigorous expansion. In 2018 and 2019, the Austrian economy is expected to grow by 2.8% and 1.9%, respectively. While the investment cycle slows noticeably, exports and private consumption are supporting the upswing. It is recommended that the current period of high growth is used to achieve a sustainable budgetary stance and to implement urgently needed structural reforms.
Links:
Press information of March 16, 2018 (pdf - long version in German only)
Press information (pdf - short version in English)
Presentation (pdf - in German only)
Economic Forecast

New Working Paper in the Economics Series by Martin Kocher et al.: More Opportunity, More Cooperation? The Behavioral Effects of Birthright Citizenship on Immigrant Youth.
Links:
Working Paper in the IHS Repository
IHS Economics Series

The paper "On the Political Feasibility of Increasing the Legal Retirement Age" by Benjamin Bittschi and Berthold Wigger (KIT Karlsruhe) was presented at the CESifo Area Conference on Employment and Social Protectionat the ifo Institute, Munich on April 20.
Link:
CESifo Area Conference Program

On April 26, 2018 Beate Littig will give a lecture entitled "Gerechtigkeit, Ökologie und Gleichberechtigung - oder: Gute Arbeit für alle" in Berlin as part of the series "Transformation unserer Welt - Frieden und nachhaltige Entwicklung im 21. Jahrhundert".
Links:
Organizer's website (in German)

In his contribution to the LSE EUROPP blog Robert Braun argues, "Instead of asking whether we need self-driving vehicles, why not ask whether we need cars at all?" He suggests that the development of autonomous mobility hands us the opportunity to rethink our overall mobility strategies.
Link:
Contribution on the LSE EUROPP blog

Following the talk of Kate Raworth (Doughnut Economics) on April 23, 2018 a panel discussion will take place. Beate Littig, Ika Darnhofer and Sigrid Stagl are invited to speak at the panel.
Links:
Zentrum für Globalen Wandel & Nachhaltigkeit (BOKU)

Katrin Auel and Resul Umit wrote an article in the British Journal of Politics and International Relations: ‘Explaining MPs’ communication to their constituents: Evidence from the UK House of Commons‘.
Links:
Publication in the IHS Repository
Publication on publisher‘s website

A new study by Stefan Vogtenhuber finds that social origin effects on education are lower in coordinated economies, and labor market outcomes are more based on merit, than in less regulated liberal systems.
Link:
Free download on Stefan's personal page
Publication in the IHS Repository