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Active Job-search Programs a Promising Tool? A Microeconometric Evaluation for Austria

Author

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  • Weber, Andrea

    (Department of Economics and Finance, Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna)

  • Hofer, Helmut

    (Department of Economics and Finance, Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna)

Abstract

In Austria active job-search programs were introduced on a large scale in 1999. These programs aim at activating unemployed at an early stage and bringing them back to work by training job-search related skills. We evaluate the impact of active labour market programs in Austria on individual unemployment durations, and allow program effects to vary between active job-search programs and formal training programs. We use the timing-of-events method which estimates the program effect as a shift in the transition rate from unemployment to jobs at the moment of program entry. We find that participation in active job-search programs significantly reduces unemployment durations, whereas formal training programs have a negative effect on unemployment durations. For women all programs have positive effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Weber, Andrea & Hofer, Helmut, 2003. "Active Job-search Programs a Promising Tool? A Microeconometric Evaluation for Austria," Economics Series 131, Institute for Advanced Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:ihs:ihsesp:131
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    File URL: https://irihs.ihs.ac.at/id/eprint/1490
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    Cited by:

    1. Kluve, Jochen & Fertig, Michael & Jacobi, Lena & Nima, Leonhard & Schaffner, Sandra & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Card, David & Góra, Marek & Jensen, Peter & Leetmaa, Reelika & Patacchini, Eleonora & van , 2005. "Study on the effectiveness of ALMPs: Research project for the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. Final report," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 69929.
    2. Rodríguez-Planas, Núria, 2007. "What Works Best for Getting the Unemployed Back to Work: Employment Services or Small-Business Assistance Programmes? Evidence from Romania," IZA Discussion Papers 3051, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Rodokanakis Stavros, 2010. "The Dynamics of Regional Labour Markets and Training Programmes: Greek Evidence," European Spatial Research and Policy, Sciendo, vol. 17(1), pages 93-115, June.
    4. Jochen Kluve, 2006. "The Effectiveness of European Active Labor Market Policy," RWI Discussion Papers 0037, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    5. Kluve, Jochen, 2010. "The effectiveness of European active labor market programs," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 904-918, December.
    6. Kluve, Jochen, 2006. "The Effectiveness of European Active Labor Market Policy," RWI Discussion Papers 37, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    7. Stavros Rodokanakis, 2010. "Unemployment Risk in Southern Greece," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 13(35), pages 55-82, (1).
    8. Kluve, Jochen, 2006. "The Effectiveness of European Active Labor Market Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 2018, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. repec:zbw:rwidps:0037 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Gudrun Biffl & Lorenz Lassnigg, 2007. "Weiterbildung und lebensbegleitendes Lernen," Working Paper Reihe der AK Wien - Materialien zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 102, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik.
    11. RODOKANAKIS, Stavros & VLACHOS, Vasileios, 2010. "A Non-Experimental Evaluation Of Education And Training In Greece: The Cases Of Northern Aegean And Crete," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 10(1).
    12. F. Alfonso Arellano, 2010. "Do Training Programmes Get The Unemployed Back To Work? A Look At The Spanish Experience," Revista de Economia Aplicada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Estructura Economica y Economia Publica, vol. 18(2), pages 39-65, Autumn.
    13. Helmut Hofer & Andrea Weber, 2006. "Active Labor Market Policy in Austria: Practice and Evaluation Results," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 75(3), pages 155-167.
    14. Stavros Rodokanakis, 2010. "A Non-Experimental Evaluation of Unemployment Risk in Crete and the Ionian Islands: Regional Evidence for Greece," Acta Oeconomica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(4), pages 44-63.
    15. Rodokanakis, Stavros, 2010. "Comparing the Probability of Unemployment in Northern Greece vis-à-vis the Entire Country," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 137-174.
    16. Rodokanakis Stavros, 2009. "Comparing the Probability of Unemployment in Southern Greece Vis-À-Vis the Entire Country," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 12(12), pages 17-43, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Active labour market policy; Treatment effect; Multivariate duration model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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