The Institute for Applied Economic Research, located in Tübingen, Germany, is an independent research institute at the University of Tübingen. The IAW’s objective is
to apply economic and social research to issues relating to the private and public economy. Its scientific work contributes to the empirical basis for economic policymaking.
In the following, you will receive an overview of the individual subjects. For more information please click on the topic of interest.
In this field of research, IAW mainly focuses on impact analyses and process-accompanying evaluations of various labor market policies. Another research topic are the effects of legal regulations on the labor market.
Demographic change, the shortage of skilled workers and the increasing inequality of market incomes are central challenges for the social security system. Our research focuses on poverty and wealth, social mobility, rehabilitation and retirement, and working conditions in care.
Research on education issues is an important field of research at the IAW. The focus is on the transition between school and work, on the development of training and further education, on digitization processes in the education sector and on the returns to education.
The IAW feels closely connected to the state of Baden-Württemberg and its economic and social development. In many research projects, we examine current challenges, opportunities and risks of companies and employees in different industries and regions of Baden-Württemberg.
We investigate the significance of international trade and migration for incomes and employment in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the German economy. The focus of our research lies in trade agreements as well as European Integration on goods and factor markets.
Due to demographic change, the topics of migration and integration will gain in importance in the future. Quantitative questions becoming increasingly important for the national economy, e.g. forms of managing immigration and the attractiveness for potential migrants, while qualitative questions may treat about criteria for successful integration.
IAW News 4/2024 (in German)
Even at the end of 2024, Baden-Württemberg's economy will not be able to break out of stagnation. This is the conclusion of the latest Nowcast from the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IAW) and the University of Hohenheim. In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross domestic product (GDP) in Baden-Württemberg - adjusted for seasonal and working-day effects - rose slightly by 0.2%. However, this small increase cannot make up for the negative development in the previous quarters far from making up for the negative development in previous quarters.
In the first half of 2023, the proportion of companies in Baden-Württemberg that were active in further training increased significantly from 48% to 56% compared to the previous year. All forms of continuing education recorded an increase. This growth was particularly strong in self-directed learning. This form of further training is used most in companies with 500 or more employees. However, there has also been an increase of around 30 percentage points in small and micro companies in the country since 2019.
The study also shows that people with a low level of qualification continue to participate less frequently in further training measures than those with higher qualifications. In addition, the continuing education rate for women remains higher than that of men.
The report (in German) was commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism and is based on data from the IAB Establishment Panel.
On behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, a scientific consortium consisting of the Centre for European Economic Research Mannheim (ZEW), the Institute for Applied Economic Research Tübingen (IAW) and the Institute for SME Research Mannheim (ifm) has developed a master plan for SMEs in Baden-Württemberg in order to strengthen SMEs as the heart and backbone of Baden-Württemberg's economy. The report analyses the strengths and weaknesses of SMEs and recommends a comprehensive three-stage action programme based on 1. urgency, 2. broad impact and 3. transformation management.
The report (in German) can be downloaded here.
The press release from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism (in German) is available here.
Germany is sitting on a veritable treasure trove of untapped labour potential. The greatest lever for releasing this potential lies in increasing the number of working hours per capita and not in increasing the number of people in employment. There are still large reserves in the labour force participation of the over 50 to 70-year-olds and immigrants living in Germany. There is also a great deal of potential among women working part-time without children to look after. This was determined by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IAW) on behalf of the Family Business Foundation in a simulation calculation.
Press release (in German)
The study (in German) can be downloaded here.
