GRK 1928: Microeconomic Determinants of Labour Productivity

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Labor productivity is a key determinant of the standard of living in an economy. In times of an increasingly aging population and rising durations of education, improving the quality of the factor labor and increasing the rate of participation in the labor market are vital measures for sustaining the standard of living. This research training group analyzes the determinants of labor productivity on a microeconomic level and isolates causal relationships that can be used by policy makers to improve the standard of living. The research agenda is divided into three parts. In Part 1, the focus is on decisions by individuals that affect the quality of the factor labor. Part 2 deals with the role of incentives, innovations and organizational change for labor productivity. In Part 3, we study the influence of the organization of labor in firms on the productivity of employees. Methodologically, the common theme is the use of different kinds of micro data. Furthermore, all three parts will pursue the questions of why labor productivity exhibits such a large degree of heterogeneity not only between countries or industries but even at a disaggregated level and what ramifications this heterogeneity has for employees, firms, and economic policy. In this research agenda, doctoral candidates can choose their individual topics within a seminal field and conduct their own research in a strong research environment. The qualification program is intended to lead doctoral candidates to their degree efficiently, guide them to academic independence and prepare them for a career in academia or a research-related career. It is based on group-specific courses, research-supporting workshops and a structured support on the academic labor market. Candidates are supported by mentors, in particular in the initial phase. The supervision of dissertations will be performed primarily by the faculty of the research training group and will be specified for each individual candidate in a supervision agreement. Equal opportunities in the group are fostered through a specific mentoring and coaching program for female candidates.