Reasons for Wage Rigidity in Germany

Abstract. This study investigates institutional and economic reasons for downward wage rigidity regarding three occupational skill groups. Based on a survey of 801 firms in Germany and an econometric analysis, we find strong support for explanations based on the effects of labour union contracts and efficiency wages that differ between skill groups. Survey respondents indicate that labour union contracts and implicit contracts are important reasons for wage rigidity for the (less) skilled. Specific human capital and negative signals for new hires are causes of the stickiness of wages for the highly skilled. Compared with US evidence, German firms seem to attach more importance to labour union contracts and specific human capital.     

„Ich würde gern weitermachen“ Vom problemorientierten Coaching zur anlassfreien Beratungsarbeit über längere Zeit

?I would like to continue“. From the problem oriented coaching to an unintentional and open-ended counseling When coaching clients ask for more sessions even after the ?problem“ has been solved they might indicate a lack of reflective situations in their life. This creates an interesting dilemma for coaches to operate between the rules of the profession and the challenge to provide a peculiar space of conversation. Unintentional and open-ended, this reflective work may lead the client to surprising discoveries and unforeseen insights. Such a work confronts the guild of professionals with old-new questions of professional self-definition.     

Rudolf Andorka March 30, 1931–May 30, 1997

Social Indicators Research -     

Occupational and Economic Mobility and Social Integration of Mediterranean Migrants in Germany

Foreigners of Mediterranean immigrant origin still occupy the lowerpositions in the German labour market. The employment profile is clearlydifferent from that of German wage earners and salaried employees. Resultsfrom the German Socio-Economic Panel Study show that 60% of this foreignpopulation was employed as unskilled or semi-skilled workers in 1993. Between1984 and 1993 their occupational mobility was relatively low. The situationof the second generation has clearly improved. To a small degree they evenfound access to attractive jobs in the service sector. But compared withGermans of the same age group their occupational success is limited. Thesocial situation of foreigners is characterised by increasing segregation.     

Bereavement Research: An Historical Introduction

Early research in the field of bereavement and widowhood was often problem generated and focused on intrapersonal issues such as health consequences. More recent research has emphasized that, to understand the grieving individual, we must also understand the social context in which the bereavement occurred and in which recovery must progress. This introduction traces the historical development of theory, empirical research, and methodology in the field, and places current developments in perspective. The papers in this issue underline the complexity of the bereavement phenomenon, and the need for conceptual perspectives with which to understand the cultural, socioeconomic, interpersonal, and physiological determinants of grief, mourning, and recovery.     

Are energy-intensive life-images fading? The cultural meaning of the automobile in transition

The paper focuses on the symbolic significance of energy consuming technology. It analyzes the case of the automobile and demonstrates that it cannot be considered just a technical device for transporting people but that it is also a cultural symbol infused with desires, meanings and life-images. The origins, the content and the dynamics of the meaning of the automobile are explored in order to identify the cultural transformations that are implied in a transition to a low-energy society and, possibly, to a low-speed society.The first section of the paper sets out the patterns of life-conceptions centered around the automobile and the second section examines actual counterforces that undermine this car-oriented life-style and which lead to a disenchantment with the automobile. It is concluded that the images of a desirable society are less and less associated with cars, but that the car, however, appears to be an inevitable necessity.     

The Multiple Outlier Problem in Time Series Analysis

In this paper we consider the multiple outlier problem in time series analysis. The underlying undisturbed time series is assumed to be an autoregressive process. The location of the suspicious values is supposed to be known. We introduce conditional least squares estimators for the parameters. The estimates are shown to be strongly consistent. Using similar arguments as in the theory of linear models, we get a test statistic for the general linear hypothesis. Its asymptotic distribution is derived.