Commissioned by: Vienna Chamber of Labour – Lower Austria Chamber of Labour
In der von den Arbeiterkammern Niederösterreich und Wien beauftragten Studie "Die Rolle des öffentlichen Vergabewesens für
eine klimaneutrale Produktions- und Lebensweise" des Österreichischen Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung (WIFO) wird erstmals
die ökologische Bedeutung des österreichischen öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens im Zeitraum 2015 bis 2020 umfassend nachvollzogen
und detailliert dargestellt. Im vorliegenden Beitrag sollen die zentralen Erkenntnisse vorgestellt und das erhebliche Dekarbonisierungspotenzial
der öffentlichen Auftragsvergabe – als wichtiges wirtschaftspolitisches Gestaltungsfeld – ökonomisch und rechtlich eingeordnet
werden.
We analyse the spatial relationships of economic output dynamics in European regions from 2000 to 2019 using dynamic spatial
autoregressive growth models. In contrast to previous studies that rely on exogenous spatial weight matrices based solely
on geographical proximity, we use a novel Bayesian approach to fully estimate the spatial weight matrix. Our results show
that economic and sectoral characteristics (e.g., sectoral production structure, education, etc.) significantly influence
the degree of regional interdependence. The approach thus allows to study the complex dynamics of regional economic development
beyond mere distance.
Julia Bachtrögler-Unger, Mathias Dolls, Carla Krolage, Paul Schüle, Hannes Taubenböck, Matthias Weigand
We present a novel approach to analyze the effects of EU cohesion policy on local economic activity. For all municipalities
in the border area of the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland, we collect project-level data on EU funding in the period between
2007 and 2013. Using night light emission data as a proxy for economic development, we show that receiving a higher amount
of EU funding is associated with increased economic activity at the municipal level. Our paper demonstrates that remote sensing
data can provide an effective way to model local economic development also in Europe, where comprehensive cross-border data
are not available at such a spatially granular level.
Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in all sectors – including agriculture – is key to reach the ambitious European and
national climate targets. We analyse four mitigation scenarios with increasing efforts to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture.
The mitigation scenarios were developed in a stakeholder process and combine several newly implemented and currently developed
policies, agronomic and (socio-)economic developments. By applying three quantitative models, we analyse their effects on
(i) agricultural production activities, (ii) agricultural GHG emissions, and (iii) the national economy (i.e., gross value
added) and employment. The model results show that a significant reduction in GHG emissions comes with a significant reduction
in agricultural production.
Until recently, the geographical coverage of empirical studies on regional technology diffusion was usually rather limited
or biased towards the industrialized world. This paper extends the sample of analysis and investigates regional TFP growth
and the factors determining productivity spillovers for an extensive amount of regions. Nonlinearities in the effects of the
explanatory variables as well as spatial spillovers are considered in the estimation model. The findings confirm a robust
direct impact of technological catch-up on regional TFP growth. Catch-up speeds increase with higher levels of human capital
and in countries with larger inflows of FDI. Furthermore, positive spatial spillovers of technology levels are observed.
To show how homeownership subsidies influence the distribution of population across space, I exploit the 2005 repeal of a
lump-sum real estate purchase subsidy in Germany. Using administrative data on population in local labor markets and IV-estimations
in difference-in-differences and triple differences frameworks, I find that repealing subsidies to homeownership recentralizes
regions. The effect is likely driven by families with children and young residents of "building-age" who no longer become
homeowners in the periphery. These results help inform our understanding of the spatial impacts of subsidizing homeownership.
Der Beitrag fasst die wesentlichen Erkenntnisse der kumulativen Dissertation "On the Effects of Homeownership Subsidies on
the Spatial Distribution of Population, Housing, and Housing Prices within German Cities and Regions" zusammen, die sich in
drei Kapiteln mit den räumlichen Auswirkungen der Wohneigentumsförderung befasst. Das erste Kapitel beleuchtet die Effekte
des Förderprogramms "Eigenheimzulage" (1996 bis 2005) auf die räumliche Verteilung der Bevölkerung innerhalb von deutschen
Städten. Das zweite Kapitel betrachtet die Thematik aus einer intraregionalen Perspektive. Das dritte Kapitel zeigt anhand
der Analyse des "Baukindergelds" (2018 bis 2020) die zu diesen Wanderungseffekten korrespondierenden Preiseffekte auf städtische
Mietwohnmärkte.
Markus Scholz, N. Craig Smith, Maria Riegler, Anna Burton
Pharmaceutical companies developed COVID-19 vaccines in record time. However, it soon became apparent that global access to
the vaccines was inequitable. Through a qualitative inquiry as the pandemic unfolded (to mid-2021), we provide an in-depth
analysis of why companies engaged with the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX), identifying the internal (to
the company) and external factors that facilitated or impeded engagement. While all producers of the World Health Organization
(WHO)-approved vaccines engaged with COVAX, our analysis highlights the differential levels of COVAX engagement and identifies
contractual obligations, opportunities and company strategy, and reputational pressures as key explanatory factors. We discuss
our empirical findings relative to the literature on political corporate social responsibility (PCSR). Accordingly, we question
whether pharmaceutical companies lived up to their responsibilities as corporate citizens and conclude that they failed to
fulfil the implied responsibility of combating inequitable vaccine distribution. We conclude with implications of our research
for practice, in relation to the challenges of global access to COVID-19 vaccines and for access to medicines more generally.
Maria Riegler, Anna Burton, Markus Scholz, Katharina de Melo
This article refines and expands the debate on antecedents of company engagement in business partnerships for sustainability.
It builds upon the Awareness–Motivation–Capability (AMC) framework and extends it by means of an in-depth qualitative study.
The article thereby expands the understanding of antecedents of company engagement in business partnerships for sustainability.
In particular, it advances on the elements related to company- and industry-level motivators and on microlevel aspects. Based
on our research findings, we are able to extend the AMC framework's main categories and provide a more nuanced account of
the underlying elements constituting them. To reach a more complete understanding of the antecedents of company engagement
in business partnerships for sustainability, our analysis provides a general conceptual advancement while also investigating
potential differences based on business size and industry.
Subsidising homeownership decentralises cities, as Muth (1967) suggested over half a century ago. This article focuses on
the related question of whether repealing a homeownership subsidy recentralises cities. This question is relevant today, given
the ubiquity of homeownership subsidies. We provide a first quasi-experimental test of a subsidy repeal's spatial effects
by examining Germany's 2005 homeownership subsidy reform. We find that repealing the subsidy contributed to recentralising
Germany's cities. Since recentralisation helps abate carbon dioxide emissions, repealing a homeownership subsidy also helps
mitigate climate change.