Current Projects

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel

Main focus

• Analysis of collective bargaining
• Determinants of collectively negotiated wages
• Changes in bargaining coverage
• Reform of the German system of collective bargaining

Selected publications

„The German Model of Industrial Relations: (Where) Does It Still Exist?“, in: Journal of Economics and Statistics, 239/1 (2019): 5-37 (with M. Oberfichtner)

„Wage Cyclicality Under Different Regimes of Industrial Relations“, in: Industrial Relations 52/2 (2013): 516-540 (with H. Gartner and T. Schank)

„The Institutional Context of an ‚Empirical Law‘: The Wage Curve under Different Regimes of Collective Bargaining“, in: British Journal of Industrial Relations 51/1 (2013): 59-79 (with U. Blien, W. Dauth and T. Schank)

„Collective Bargaining Structure and its Determinants: An Empirical Analysis with British and German Establishment Data“, in: European Journal of Industrial Relations, 12/2 (2006): 165-188 (with S. Kohaut and S. Zagelmeyer)

„Verbreitung, Ausmaß und Determinanten der übertariflichen Entlohnung“, in: Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung 36/4 (2003): 661-671 (with S. Kohaut, IAB)

„Tarifpolitik unter Reformdruck“, Gütersloh 2003

„Zur Erosion des Flächentarifvertrags: Ausmaß, Einflussfaktoren und Gegenmaßnahmen“, in: Industrielle Beziehungen 10/2 (2003): 193-219 (with S. Kohaut, IAB)

„The German System of Collective Bargaining under Stress: Reforming or Abolishing the Flächentarifvertrag?“, in: Silvia, S.J. (ed.), Unemployment Ebbs in Germany: Explanations and Expectations, Washington D.C. 2000: 121-139

„The Reform of Collective Bargaining in Germany: Corporatist Stability vs. Firm Flexibility“; in: Hoffmann, R. et al. (eds.), The German Model of Industrial Relations between Adaptation and Erosion, Düsseldorf 1998: 83-95

„Tariflohnpolitik und Effektivlohnfindung – eine empirische und wirtschaftspolitische Analyse für die alten Bundesländer“; Frankfurt/Main 1997

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel

Main Focus

• Development of trade union and employers‘ association membership
• Determinants of union density
• Economic impact of trade unions and employers‘ associations

Selected publications

„Union Membership and Collective Bargaining: Trends and Determinants„, in: Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics (2020)

„Gewerkschaften auf dem Rückzug? Mythen, Fakten und Herausforderungen“, in: Wirtschaftsdienst 96/6 (2016): 426-432

„Union membership and density: Some (not so) stylized facts and challenges“, in: European Journal of Industrial Relations 19/3 (2013): 255-272

„Gewerkschaften und Arbeitgeberverbände: Dinosaurier der Industriegesellschaft?“, in: Neuhaus, H. (eds.), Gesellschaft ohne Zusammenhalt?, Erlangen 2009, 67-106

„The Aging of the Unions in West Germany, 1980-2006“, in: Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik, 228/5+6 (2008): 497-511 (with J. Wagner)

„The persistent decline in unionization in western and eastern Germany, 1980-2004: What can we learn from a decomposition analysis?“, in: Industrielle Beziehungen 14/2 (2007): 118-132 (with J. Wagner)

„Union density and determinants of union membership in 18 EU countries: evidence from micro data, 2002/03“, in: Industrial Relations Journal, 38/1 (2007): 5-32 (with J. Wagner)

„The (Parlous) State of German Unions“, in: Journal of Labor Research, 28/1 (2007): 3-18 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Who Are the Workers Who Never Joined a Union? Empirical Evidence from Western and Eastern Germany“, in: Industrielle Beziehungen, 13/2 (2006): 118-131 (with J. Wagner)

„Gewerkschaften und Arbeitgeberverbände: Organisationsgrade, Tarifbindung und Einflüsse auf Löhne und Beschäftigung“, in: Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung 38/2,3 (2005): 181-196

„Trade unions in Germany: on the road to perdition?“, in: Fernie, S., Metcalf, D. (eds.), Trade Unions: Resurgence or Demise?, Abingdon 2005: 213-230

„Determinants of trade union membership in West Germany: evidence from micro data, 1980-2000“, in: Socio-Economic Review 3 (2005): 1-24 (with J. Wagner)

„Trade Union Membership in Eastern and Western Germany: Convergence or Divergence?“, in: Applied Economics Quarterly 49/3 (2003): 213-232 (with J. Wagner)

„Determinants of trade union membership“, in: Addison, J.T., Schnabel, C. (eds.), International Handbook of Trade Unions, Cheltenham 2003: 13-43

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel (in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Boris Hirsch, University of Lüneburg and Prof. Dr. Elke Jahn, University of Bayreuth and Institute of Employment Research)

Fritz Thyssen Foundation Project „Monopsonistic Discrimination on the German Labour Market“

Main focus

• New models of labor market monopsony
• Empirical analysis of the degree of monopsony power
• Monopsonistic wage discrimination against women

Selected publications
„Do Employers Have More Monopsony Power in Slack Labor Markets?“, in: ILR Review 71/3 (2018): 676-704 (with B. Hirsch and E. J. Jahn)

„Is There Monopsonistic Discrimination Against Immigrants?“, in: Industrial & Labor Relations Review 68/3 (2015): 501-528 (B. Hirsch and E. J. Jahn)

„Differences in Labor Supply to Monopsonistic Firms and the Gender Pay Gap: An Empirical Analysis Using Linked Employer-Employee Data from Germany“, in: Journal of Labor Economics 28/2 (2010): 291-330 (with B. Hirsch and T. Schank)

„Monopsonistic Labour Markets and the Gender Pay Gap: Theory and Empirical Evidence“, Heidelberg and Berlin 2010 (B. Hirsch)

„The Gender Pay Gap Under Duopsony: Joan Robinson Meets Harold Hotelling“ Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 56/5 (2009): 543-558 (B. Hirsch)

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel (in cooperation with Dr. Daniel Fackler, IWH and Prof. Dr. Joachim Wagner, University of Lüneburg)

Partly funded in the framework of the DFG Project SCHN 730/5-1

Main Focus

• Determinants and course of establishment exits
• Differences between young and mature establishments
• Start-ups and their effects

Selected Publications

„Does working at a start-up pay off?“ in: Small Business Economics, 58/4 (2022): 2211-2233 (with D. Fackler, L. Hölscher and A. Weyh)

„Do Start-ups Provide Employment Opportunities for Disadvantaged Workers?“ in: Industrial and Labor Relations Review 72 (2019): 1123-1148 (with D. Fackler, M. Fuchs and L. Hölscher)

„Spinoffs in Germany: characteristics, survival, and the role of their parents“, in: Small Business Economics 46/1 (2016): 93-114 (with D. Fackler and A. Schmucker)

„Was wissen wir über Betriebsschließungen? Erkenntnisse für West- und Ostdeutschland“, in: Wirtschaftsdienst 95/2 (2015): 143-147 (with D. Fackler)

„Lingering illness or sudden death? Pre-exit employment developments in German establishments“, in: Industrial and Corporate Change 23/4 (2014): 1121-1140 (with D. Fackler and J. Wagner)

„Establishment exits in Germany: the role of size and age“, in: Small Business Economics 41/3 (2013): 683-700 (with D. Fackler and J. Wagner)

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel

Main focus

• The dimension and development of the low-wage sector
• Low-income earners and their opportunities for career advancement

Selected publications

„Low-wage employment“, in: IZA World of Labor 276 (2016)

„Low-wage employment versus unemployment: Which one provides better prospects for women?„, in: IZA Journal of European Labor Studies 3 (2014) (with A. Mosthaf and T. Schank)

„Low-wage careers: Are there dead-end firms and dead-end jobs?“, in: Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung 43 (2011): 213-249 (with A. Mosthaf and J. Stephani)

„Geringverdiener: Wem und wie gelingt der Aufstieg?“, in: Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik 229/5 (2009):584-614 (with T. Schank and J. Stephani)

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel

Main focus

• Coverage and determinants of works councils
• Effects of works councils on economic performance
• Firm-level employee co-determination and other forms of employee participation

Selected publications

„The German Model of Industrial Relations: (Where) Does It Still Exist?“, in: Journal of Economics and Statistics, 239/1 (2019): 5-37 (with M. Oberfichtner)

„Betriebsräte und andere Formen der betrieblichen Mitarbeitervertretung – Substitute oder Komplemente?“, in: Industrielle Beziehungen , 24 (2017): 296-320 (with S. Ertelt and B. Hirsch)

„Worker Directors: A German Product that Did Not Export?“, in: Industrial Relations 50/2 (2011): 354-374. (with J.T. Addison)

„Works councils and separations: voice, monopoly, and insurance effects“, in: Industrial Relations 49/4 (2010): 566-592 (with B. Hirsch and T. Schank)

„Do Works Councils Inhibit Investment?“, in: Industrial & Labor Relations Review 60/2 (2007): 187-203 (with J.T. Addison, T. Schank and J. Wagner)

„German works councils in the production process“, in: Schmollers Jahrbuch 126/2 (2006): 251-283 (with J.T. Addison, T. Schank and J. Wagner)

„The Course of Research into the Economic Consequences of German Works Councils“, in: British Journal of Industrial Relations 42/2 (2004): 255-281(with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„The Reform of the German Works Constitution Act: A Critical Assessment“, in: Industrial Relations 43/2 (2004): 392-420 (with J.T. Addison, L. Bellmann and J. Wagner)

„German Works Councils Old and New: Incidence, Coverage and Determinants“, in: Schmollers Jahrbuch 123/3 (2003): 339-358 (with J.T. Addison, L. Bellmann and J. Wagner)

„Works councils in Germany: their effects on establishment performance“, in: Oxford Economic Papers 53/4 (2001): 659-694 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Verbreitung und Bestimmungsgründe verschiedener Formen der Arbeitnehmerpartizipation in Industriebetrieben“, in: Industrielle Beziehungen 8 (2001): 445-462 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Die betriebsratsfreie Zone und die Novellierung des Betriebsverfassungsgesetzes aus ökonomischer Sicht“, in: Gewerkschaftliche Monatshefte 52/4 (2001): 237-243 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Die mitbestimmungsfreie Zone aus ökonomischer Sicht“, in: Hamburger Jahrbuch für Wirtschafts- und Gesellschaftspolitik 45 (2000): 277-292 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Nonunion representation in Germany“, in: Kaufman, B.E., Taras, D.G. (eds.), Nonunion Employee Representation: History, Contemporary Practice, and Policy, Armonk und London 2000: 365-385 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„Verbreitung, Bestimmungsgründe und Auswirkungen von Betriebsräten: Empirische Befunde aus dem Hannoveraner Firmenpanel“; in: Frick, B., Kluge, N., Streeck, W. (eds.), Die wirtschaftlichen Folgen der Mitbestimmung, Frankfurt/Main und New York 1999: 223-252 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„On the Determinants of Mandatory Works Councils in Germany“, Industrial Relations 36 (1997): 419-445 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

„German Works Councils, Profits, and Innovation“, Kyklos 49 (1996): 555-582 (with J.T. Addison and J. Wagner)

Prof. Dr. Claus Schnabel (in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Martin Abraham, Prof. Dr. Veronika Grimm, Prof. Dr. Kathrin Möslein, Prof. Dr. Cornelia Niessen and Prof. Dr. Matthias Wrede, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

Main focus

• Opportunities and risks of tracking & tracing
• Acceptance of tracking by employers and employees
• Effects on motivation, health, performance

Selected publications

„Electronic monitoring at work: The role of attitudes, functions, and perceived control for the acceptance of tracking technologies“, in: Human Resource Management Journal 2019/29: 657-675 (with M. Abraham, C. Niessen, K. Lorek, V. Grimm, K. Möslein, M. Wrede)

„To track or not to track?“, LASER Discussion Paper, No. 101, May 2017 (with M. Abraham, V. Grimm , K. Lorek , K. Möslein, C. Niessen and M. Wrede)