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The Dynamic Effects of Works Councils on Labor Productivity: First Evidence from Panel Data

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  • Müller, Steffen
  • Stegmaier, Jens

Abstract

We estimate dynamic effects of works councils on labor productivity using newly available information from West German establishment panel data. Conditioning on plant fixed effects and control variables, we find negative productivity effects during the first five years after council introduction, but a steady and substantial increase in the councils' productivity effect thereafter. Given the frequently reported positive correlation between council existence and plant productivity, this finding supports causal interpretations.
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  • Müller, Steffen & Stegmaier, Jens, 2013. "The Dynamic Effects of Works Councils on Labor Productivity: First Evidence from Panel Data," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79846, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc13:79846
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    Cited by:

    1. Genz, Sabrina & Bellmann, Lutz & Matthes, Britta, 2018. "Do German Works Councils Counter or Foster the Implementation of Digital Technologies?," IZA Discussion Papers 11616, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Genz Sabrina & Bellmann Lutz & Matthes Britta, 2019. "Do German Works Councils Counter or Foster the Implementation of Digital Technologies? : First Evidence from the IAB-Establishment Panel," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(3), pages 523-564, June.
    3. Simon Jäger & Shakked Noy & Benjamin Schoefer, 2022. "What Does Codetermination Do?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(4), pages 857-890, August.
    4. Kato, Takao & Kodama, Naomi, 2015. "Work-Life Balance Practices, Performance-Related Pay, and Gender Equality in the Workplace: Evidence from Japan," IZA Discussion Papers 9379, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Lutz Bellmann, 2020. "Management Practices and Establishment Performance under Non-Union Workplace Representation," CESifo Working Paper Series 8599, CESifo.
    6. Boris Hirsch & Steffen Mueller, 2020. "Firm Wage Premia, Industrial Relations, and Rent Sharing in Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(5), pages 1119-1146, October.
    7. Hans-Dieter Gerner & Holger Reinemann & Andreas Dutzi & Daniel Ludwig, 2019. "Voraussetzungen und Effekte betrieblicher Interessenvertretung in eigentümergeführten Unternehmen," ZfKE – Zeitschrift für KMU und Entrepreneurship, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 67(2), pages 113-144.
    8. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2020. "Management Practices, Worker Commitment, and Workplace Representation," IZA Discussion Papers 13285, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Pedro Silva Martins, 2019. "The Microeconomic Impacts of Employee Representatives: Evidence from Membership Thresholds," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 591-622, October.
    10. Clément Brébion, 2022. "The wage impact of being a works council representative in Germany: A case of strategic discrimination?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 418-455, October.
    11. Steffen Mueller & Georg Neuschaeffer, 2021. "Worker Participation in Decision‐making, Worker Sorting, and Firm Performance," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 436-478, October.
    12. Kerndler, Martin, 2017. "Wage flexibility of older workers and the role of institutions - evidence from the German LIAB data set," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168160, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Müller, Steffen & Stegmaier, Jens, 2017. "Why is there resistance to works councils in Germany? An economic perspective," IWH Discussion Papers 23/2017, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    14. Daniel Arnold & Tobias Brändle & Laszlo Goerke, 2014. "Sickness Absence and Works Councils - Evidence from German Individual and Linked Employer-Employee Data," IAW Discussion Papers 107, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW).
    15. KATO Takao & KODAMA Naomi, 2015. "Performance-related Pay and Productivity: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 15088, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    16. Tina Hinz & Jens Mohrenweiser, 2019. "Competition, Institutions and Company-sponsored Training," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0162, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    17. Chantziaras, Antonios & Dedoulis, Emmanouil & Leventis, Stergios, 2020. "The impact of labor unionization on monitoring costs," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 288-307.
    18. Mario Bossler & Gregor Geis & Jens Stegmaier, 2018. "Comparing survey data with an official administrative population: assessing sample-selectivity in the IAB Establishment Panel," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 899-920, March.
    19. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira, 2022. "The Incidence and Outcomes of Industrial Action: New Evidence from the 2019 European Company Survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 9685, CESifo.
    20. Mohrenweiser, Jens, 2022. "Works Councils," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1103, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    21. Kyoung Yong Kim & Pankaj C. Patel, 2020. "Broad‐Based Employee Ownership and Labour Productivity During the 2008 Recession: Evidence from Public Firms in Europe," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(2), pages 396-423, June.

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    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence

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