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Which Program for Whom? Evidence on the Comparative Effectiveness of Public Sponsored Training Programs in Germany

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Author Info
Martin Biewen () (University of Mainz, DIW Berlin and IZA)
Bernd Fitzenberger () (University of Freiburg, ZEW, IFS and IZA)
Aderonke Osikominu () (University of Freiburg)
Marie Waller () (University of Freiburg and CDSE, University of Mannheim)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

We use a new and exceptionally rich administrative data set for Germany to evaluate the employment effects of a variety of public sponsored training programs in the early 2000s. Building on the work of Sianesi (2003, 2004), we employ propensity score matching methods in a dynamic, multiple treatment framework in order to address program heterogeneity and dynamic selection into programs. Our results suggest that in West Germany both short-term and medium-term programs show considerable employment effects for certain population subgroups but in some cases the effects are zero in the medium run. Short-term programs are surprisingly effective when compared to the traditional and more expensive longer-term programs. With a few exceptions, we find little evidence for significant positive treatment effects in East Germany. There is some evidence that the employment effects decline for older workers and for low-skilled workers.

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 2885.

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Length: 67 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2007
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2885

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Related research
Keywords: evaluation; multiple treatments; dynamic treatment effects; local linear matching; active labor market programs; administrative data;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods
J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Public Policy
H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Caliendo, Marco, 2008. "Start-Up Subsidies in East Germany: Finally, a Policy that Works?," IZA Discussion Papers 3360, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  2. David Card & Jochen Kluve & Andrea Weber, 2009. "Active Labor Market Policy Evaluations: A Meta-analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Büttner, Thomas, 2007. "Ankündigungseffekt oder Maßnahmewirkung? : eine Evaluation von Trainingsmaßnahmen zur Überprüfung der Verfügbarkeit," IAB Discussion Paper 200725, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
  4. Osikominu, Aderonke & Orlyanskaya, Olga & Fitzenberger, Bernd & Waller, Marie, 2008. "Déj? Vu? Short-Term Training in Germany 1980-1992 and 2000-2003," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-038, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Stephan, Gesine & Zickert, Kathi, 2008. "Participation of unemployment benefit recipients in active labor market programs : before and after the German labor market reforms," IAB Discussion Paper 200815, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
  6. Bernhard, Sarah & Hohmeyer, Katrin & Jozwiak, Eva & Koch, Susanne & Kruppe, Thomas & Stephan, Gesine & Wolff, Joachim, 2008. "Aktive Arbeitsmarktpolitik in Deutschland und ihre Wirkungen," IAB-Forschungsbericht 200802, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
  7. Stephan Thomsen, 2009. "Job Search Assistance Programs in Europe: Evaluation Methods and Recent Empirical Findings," FEMM Working Papers 09018, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management. [Downloadable!]
  8. Stephan, Gesine, 2008. "The effects of active labor market programs in Germany : an investigation using different definitions of non-treatment," IAB Discussion Paper 200812, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Ulf Rinne & Marc Schneider & Arne Uhlendorff, 2007. "Too Bad to Benefit?: Effect Heterogeneity of Public Training Programs," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 749, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. Stephan, Gesine & Pahnke, André, 2008. "The Relative Effectiveness of Selected Active Labour Market Programmes and the Common Support Problem," IZA Discussion Papers 3767, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  11. Krug, Gerhard & Dietz, Martin & Ullrich, Britta, 2008. "The impact of firm characteristics on the success of employment subsidies : a decomposition analysis of treatment effects," IAB Discussion Paper 200818, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
  12. Kruppe, Thomas, 2008. "Selektivität bei der Einlösung von Bildungsgutscheinen," IAB Discussion Paper 200817, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
  13. Waller, Marie, 2008. "Further training for the unemployed : what can we learn about dropouts from administrative data?," FDZ Methodenreport 200804_en, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]. [Downloadable!]
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