@techreport{Ziemann2022, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Ziemann, Niklas}, title = {You will receive your money next week!}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {56}, address = {Potsdam}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-56398}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-563983}, pages = {24}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Against the background of the increasingly discussed "Linguistic Saving Hypothesis" (Chen, 2013), I studied whether the targeted use of a present tense (close tense) and a future tense (distant tense) within the same language have an impact on intertemporal decision-making. In a monetarily incentivized laboratory experiment in Germany, I implemented two different treatments on intertemporal choices. The treatments differed in the tense in which I referred to future rewards. My results show that individuals prefer to a greater extent rewards which are associated with a present tense (close tense). This result is in line with my prediction and the first empirical support for the Linguistic Saving Hypothesis within one language. However, this result holds exclusively for males. Females seem to be unaffected by the linguistic manipulation. I discuss my findings in the context of "gender-as-culture" as well as their potential policy-implications.}, language = {en} } @techreport{Tuebbicke2020, type = {Working Paper}, author = {T{\"u}bbicke, Stefan}, title = {Entropy Balancing for Continuous Treatments}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {21}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-47895}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-478950}, pages = {32}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Interest in evaluating the effects of continuous treatments has been on the rise recently. To facilitate the estimation of causal effects in this setting, the present paper introduces entropy balancing for continuous treatments (EBCT) by extending the original entropy balancing methodology of Hainm{\"u}ller (2012). In order to estimate balancing weights, the proposed approach solves a globally convex constrained optimization problem, allowing for much more computationally efficient implementation compared to other available methods. EBCT weights reliably eradicate Pearson correlations between covariates and the continuous treatment variable. This is the case even when other methods based on the generalized propensity score tend to yield insufficient balance due to strong selection into different treatment intensities. Moreover, the optimization procedure is more successful in avoiding extreme weights attached to a single unit. Extensive Monte-Carlo simulations show that treatment effect estimates using EBCT display similar or lower bias and uniformly lower root mean squared error. These properties make EBCT an attractive method for the evaluation of continuous treatments. Software implementation is available for Stata and R.}, language = {en} } @techreport{SteckelMissbachOhlendorfetal.2022, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Steckel, Jan Christoph and Missbach, Leonard and Ohlendorf, Nils and Feindt, Simon and Kalkuhl, Matthias}, title = {Effects of the energy price crisis on European households}, publisher = {Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) gGmbH}, address = {Berlin}, pages = {30}, year = {2022}, language = {en} } @techreport{SpaethGoller2023, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Sp{\"a}th, Maximilian and Goller, Daniel}, title = {Gender differences in investment reactions to irrelevant information}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {67}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-60635}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-606351}, pages = {25, 4}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Economic agents often irrationally base their decision-making on irrelevant information. This research analyzes whether men and women react to futile information about past outcomes. For this purpose, we run a laboratory experiment (Study 1) and use field data (Study 2). In both studies, the behavior of men is consistent with falsely assumed negative autocorrelation, often referred to as gambler's fallacy Women's behavior aligns with falsely assumed positive autocorrelation, a notion of the hot hand fallacy. On the aggregate, the two fallacies cancel out. Even when individuals are, on average, rational, the biases in the decision-making of subgroups might cause inefficient outcomes. In a mediation analysis, we find that a) the agents stated perceived probabilities of future outcomes are not blurred by irrelevant information and b) about 40 \% of the observed biases are driven by differences in the perceived attractiveness of available choices caused by the irrelevant information.}, language = {en} } @techreport{Spaeth2021, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Sp{\"a}th, Maximilian}, title = {It's me again… Ask Avoidance and the Dynamics of Charitable Giving}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {38}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-52099}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-520991}, pages = {25}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Charities typically ask potential donors repeatedly for a donation. These repeated requests might trigger avoidance behavior. Considering that, this paper analyzes the impact of offering an ask avoidance option on charitable giving. In a proposed utility framework, the avoidance option decreases the social pressure to donate. At the same time, it induces feelings of gratitude toward the fundraiser, which may lead to a reciprocal increase in donations. The results of a lab experiment designed to disentangle the two channels show no negative impact of the option to avoid repeated asking on donations. Instead, the full model indicates a positive impact of the reciprocity channel. This finding suggests that it might be beneficial for charities to introduce an ask avoidance option during high-frequency fundraising campaigns.}, language = {en} } @techreport{SondergeldWrohlich2023, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Sondergeld, Virginia and Wrohlich, Katharina}, title = {Women in management and the gender pay gap}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {66}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-60581}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-605813}, pages = {31}, year = {2023}, abstract = {We analyze the impact of women's managerial representation on the gender pay gap among employees on the establishment level using German Linked-Employer-Employee-Data from the years 2004 to 2018. For identification of a causal effect we employ a panel model with establishment fixed effects and industry-specific time dummies. Our results show that a higher share of women in management significantly reduces the gender pay gap within the firm. An increase in the share of women in first-level management e.g. from zero to above 33 percent decreases the adjusted gender pay gap from a baseline of 15 percent by 1.2 percentage points, i.e. to roughly 14 percent. The effect is stronger for women in second-level than first-level management, indicating that women managers with closer interactions with their subordinates have a higher impact on the gender pay gap than women on higher management levels. The results are similar for East and West Germany, despite the lower gender pay gap and more gender egalitarian social norms in East Germany. From a policy perspective, we conclude that increasing the number of women in management positions has the potential to reduce the gender pay gap to a limited extent. However, further policy measures will be needed in order to fully close the gender gap in pay.}, language = {en} } @techreport{Schrauth2022, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Schrauth, Philipp}, title = {The Causal Effect of Cycling Infrastructure on Traffic and Accidents}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {48}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-55335}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-553359}, pages = {56}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This paper analyzes the effect of new bicycle lanes on traffic volume, congestion, and accidents. Crucially, the new bike lanes replace existing car lanes thereby reducing available space for motorized traffic. In order to obtain causal estimates, I exploit the quasi-random timing and location of the newly built cycle lanes. Using an event study design, a two-way fixed effects model and the synthetic control group method on geo-coded data, I show that the construction of pop-up bike lanes significantly reduced average car speed by 8 to 12 percentage points (p.p.) and up to 16 p.p. in peak traffic hours. In contrast, the results for car volume are modest, while the data does not allow for a conclusive judgment of accidents.}, language = {en} } @techreport{Obst2022, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Obst, Cosima}, title = {Job Satisfaction and Training Investments}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {47}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-54912}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-549124}, pages = {46}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Job satisfaction has been found to impact behavioral choices at the workplace. Since levels of satisfaction are not guaranteed to remain high, understanding the consequences of job dissatisfaction is essential. Hence, I analyze the relationship between a worker's job satisfaction and her training investments. Based on my theoretical model, I expect a U-shaped relationship if dissatisfied workers attempt to improve the situation or plan to quit. In contrast, there is an overall positive relationship if dissatisfied workers neglect their duties. Using logit regressions with the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey I find tentative evidence that there is on average an overall positive relationship with a 1 standard deviation increase in job satisfaction being associated with a 1.5\% increased likelihood of participating in training. A closer inspection of the reasons for training as well as quit intentions reveals some hints of a U-shaped relationship. My results highlight the importance of considering the source of dissatisfaction as there are heterogeneous effects along different job satisfaction facets.}, language = {en} } @techreport{MatzatSchmeisser2023, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Matzat, Johannes and Schmeißer, Aiko}, title = {Do unions shape political ideologies at work?}, series = {CESifo Working Paper}, journal = {CESifo Working Paper}, number = {10301}, publisher = {CESifo GmbH (M{\"u}nchener Gesellschaft zur F{\"o}rderung der Wirtschaftswissenschaft)}, address = {M{\"u}nchen}, issn = {2364-1428}, pages = {61}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Labor unions' greatest potential for political influence likely arises from their direct connection to millions of individuals at the workplace. There, they may change the ideological positions of both unionizing workers and their non-unionizing management. In this paper, we analyze the workplace-level impact of unionization on workers' and managers' political campaign contributions over the 1980-2016 period in the United States. To do so, we link establishment-level union election data with transaction-level campaign contributions to federal and local candidates. In a difference-in-differences design that we validate with regression discontinuity tests and a novel instrumental variables approach, we find that unionization leads to a leftward shift of campaign contributions. Unionization increases the support for Democrats relative to Republicans not only among workers but also among managers, which speaks against an increase in political cleavages between the two groups. We provide evidence that our results are not driven by compositional changes of the workforce and are weaker in states with Right-to-Work laws where unions can invest fewer resources in political activities.}, language = {en} } @techreport{MatthewesVentura2022, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Matthewes, S{\"o}nke Hendrik and Ventura, Guglielmo}, title = {On Track to Success?}, series = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, journal = {CEPA Discussion Papers}, number = {58}, issn = {2628-653X}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-56725}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-567253}, pages = {70}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Many countries consider expanding vocational curricula in secondary education to boost skills and labour market outcomes among non-university-bound students. However, critics fear this could divert other students from more profitable academic education. We study labour market returns to vocational education in England, where until recently students chose between a vocational track, an academic track and quitting education at age 16. Identification is challenging because self-selection is strong and because students' next-best alternatives are unknown. Against this back- drop, we leverage multiple instrumental variables to estimate margin-specific treatment effects, i.e., causal returns to vocational education for students at the margin with academic education and, separately, for students at the margin with quitting education. Identification comes from variation in distance to the nearest vocational provider conditional on distance to the nearest academic provider (and vice-versa), while controlling for granular student, school and neighbourhood characteristics. The analysis is based on population-wide administrative education data linked to tax records. We find that the vast majority of marginal vocational students are indifferent be- tween vocational and academic education. For them, vocational enrolment substantially decreases earnings at age 30. This earnings penalty grows with age and is due to wages, not employment. However, consistent with comparative advantage, the penalty is smaller for students with higher revealed preferences for the vocational track. For the few students at the margin with no further education, we find merely tentative evidence of increased employment and earnings from vocational enrolment.}, language = {en} }