[ D] The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) is pleased to announce the second conference of the research programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies" (SEEK), funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and implemented by ZEW. The conference will take place on 9-10 March, 2012, in Mannheim, Germany. read more
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) are jointly organising a conference on "New Directions in the Voluntary Provision of International Public Goods", scheduled for April 17-18, 2012, in Mannheim, Germany. International and global public goods are increasingly attracting attention on the political agenda, thereby reinforcing interest in the theory of the voluntary provision of public goods. This conference brings together renowned researchers in order to present their theoretical, experimental, and empirical work. Furthermore, it aims to thoroughly discuss and advance new directions in the research on the voluntary provision of international public goods. We invite interested participants (non-presenters) to register no later than March 19, 2012, via our registration site. Please note that only a limited number of non-presenters will be able to attend. The conference fee is EUR 110, covering conference materials, coffee breaks, and first conference day's lunch. Additional information on the conference
The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has increased by 27.0 points to a level of 5.4 points in February 2012. Consequently, the indicator reaches positive territory for the first time since May 2011. A higher value was last seen in April 2011. read more
Companies that have introduced eco-friendly process innovations registered an up to five per cent larger growth in employment than companies that have introduced non-eco-related process innovations. Especially strong stimulus resulted from "green" innovations that lead to savings in material and energy. These are the findings of a current study conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim in cooperation with Prof. Jens Horbach from the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg. The study analyses the impact of eco-innovations on the employment behaviour of approximately 2,100 companies in Germany between 2006 and 2008. read more
Major costumers do not have to fear an increase of energy prices until mid-2012. But, within the horizon of five years, a rise in energy prices for industrial companies, larger industrial units, municipalities, and other final costumers who demand electricity, oil, natural gas, and coal on a large scale is almost certain. These are the findings of a survey by the ZEW Energy Market Barometer among 200 experts from the energy sector, who have been asked to give an assessment on the short- and medium-term trends of energy prices for major costumers at the end of 2011. read more
Economic expectations for Switzerland have increased markedly for the second consecutive month. The ZEW-CS Indicator has gained 28.9 points and reached the minus 21.2 mark in February 2012. The ZEW-CS Indicator is calculated monthly by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in cooperation with Credit Suisse (CS). The indicator reflects the expectations of the surveyed financial market experts regarding the economic development in Switzerland on a six-month time horizon. read more
The Sponsors' Association for Science and Practice of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) is engaged in a closer connection and cooperation between economy and research. On January 23, 2012, ZEW President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz, together with the Director of Business and Administration, Thomas Kohl, welcomed about 30 representatives from member companies of the ZEW Sponsors' Association to a first Sponsors' Association Breakfast. The objective of the event was to foster the dialogue between science and economy on the recent developments in German energy and climate policy in a pleasant, but constructive atmosphere. read more
In today's meeting, the Supervisory Board of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim appointed Prof. Dr. Clemens Fuest, Oxford University, successor to ZEW President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz. On March 1, 2013, Clemens Fuest will start at the top of ZEW, heading the institute as Director of Science and Research together with Thomas Kohl, Director of Business and Administration. Wolfgang Franz will retire and leave his position as ZEW President by the end of February 2013. read more
The ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for Central and Eastern Europe including Turkey (CEE) has increased by 7.1 points in February 2012 to a level of minus 19.5 points. Economic Expectations for the Eurozone have also slightly increased by 1.3 points to a level of minus 31.4 points. The economic sentiment indicator for the CEE region and further financial market data have been surveyed monthly by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, with the support of Erste Group Bank, Vienna, since 2007. read more
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) is pleased to announce a conference on "The Role of Expectations in Financial Markets". The conference aims to provide a platform for an international, interdisciplinary dialogue on expectation formation in financial markets and the economic impact of expectations. We invite interdisciplinary contributions from the fields of economics, finance, cognitive sciences etc. Preference will be given to empirical papers applying survey data, experimental data, transaction data, market-based expectations data as well as any further data applied in novel approximations of expectations. Full papers including an abstract of up to 200 words should be submitted to expectations-conference2012@zew.de no later than February 29, 2012. Additional information on the conference
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and the University of Mannheim are jointly organising the third conference on "Recent Developments in Macroeconomics" on June 27 and 28, 2012 in Mannheim, Germany. Theoretical as well as empirical submissions are welcome. We particularly encourage the submission of papers dealing with global imbalances and their linkages to the financial crisis. An additional focus will be on the economic and fiscal integration in Europe, international economics, monetary policy, and macroeconometrics. Submissions of papers in other areas are welcome, too. Authors are invited to submit extended abstracts including the following information: title, at least two JEL codes, name(s) of the author(s), affiliation, and contact information. Please submit contributions as PDF to macro-conference@zew.de no later than April 15, 2012. Further Information and Call for Papers
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and the Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation (MaCCI) are pleased to announce the Mannheim Energy Conference 2012 on June 25 and 26, 2012 in Mannheim, Germany. The lessons learned during 15 years of power market liberalisation in Europe as well as new opportunities and future challenges arising from European environmental targets will be discussed by researchers and practitioners from different disciplines. The conference aims at stimulating the discussion between international researchers conducting related empirical and theoretical analysis. In addition, the conference will focus on policy implications of recent research and challenges for research resulting from current political decisions. Theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented contributions from all areas of the economics of national and international energy markets are welcome. Interested researchers and practitioners are invited to submit a paper or an extended abstract (at least 3 pages) as PDF to energy2012@zew.de no later than March 31, 2012. Further Information and Call for Papers
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim, Germany, is holding its 10th Conference on the Economics of Information and Communication Technologies on June 28-29, 2012. The conference objective is to discuss recent scientific contributions to the economics of information and communication technologies (ICT) and the economics of ICT industries. Theoretical, empirical and policy- oriented contributions are welcome. Please submit papers as PDF or MS Wordfile to ict-conference@zew.de no later than March 20, 2012. read more
The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) is pleased to announce the fourth interdisciplinary conference of the Leibniz Network on Real Estate Markets and Capital Markets (ReCapNet) on October 12-13, 2012, in Mannheim, Germany. This conference is open to all researchers interested in the relationship between real estate markets and capital markets. We welcome contributions in real estate finance and economics, as well as in economic and urban geography, regional science, urban development planning, demography, and law. Please submit papers as PDF to conference@recapnet.org no later than July 31, 2012. Further Information and Call for Papers
In the question of how to handle the eurozone crisis, the sole contribution offered by numerous experts is to condemn virtually all of the solutions currently being floated. No alternative solutions are suggested, apart from reiteration of the need for programmes of fiscal consolidation and adjustment in the embattled countries at Europe's periphery. Such fiscal measures are of course essential – this is beyond doubt. But if the markets remain unconvinced by such efforts, what then? read more
