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.     

Temptation and Self‐Control

We study a two‐period model where ex ante inferior choice may tempt the decision‐maker in the second period. Individuals have preferences over sets of alternatives that represent second period choices. Our axioms yield a representation that identifies the individual's commitment ranking, temptation ranking, and cost of self‐control. An agent has a preference for commitment if she strictly prefers a subset of alternatives to the set itself. An agent has self‐control if she resists temptation and chooses an option with higher ex ante utility. We introduce comparative measures of preference for commitment and self‐control and relate them to our representations.     

人工智能的未来：“慈爱的机器”还是“交际的工具”

人们对于人工智能的未来有很多设想，其中有两种设想很具有代表性。所谓“慈爱的机器”是一种技术乌托邦式的未来幻想，一种仁慈的技术统治维护着全面的和谐。人工智能作为一种“交际的工具”，对未来的想象也勾勒出了一个平衡的社会，但它颠倒了(前一种设想)影响的顺序:一个交际性的社会为交际行为塑造了相关的技术。但事实是，没有任何一个程序能够满足为所有人都能够接受的普遍规则。人类不需要担心人工智能会变成一个邪恶的还是仁慈的东西，因为人工智能技术原则上不具备邪恶和仁慈的能力。但人工智能可以侵入人类的自主性，以致达到一种无法容忍的程度。