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Welcome to the RFBerlin Podcast Series presented by the ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin. This series is dedicated to disseminating cutting-edge research on the economy, society and the welfare state to members of the academic community and beyond.
In each episode of the RFBerlin Podcast series, we invite leading scholars and experts to discuss the key challenges facing labour markets and wage earners across the globe. Join us to hear these experts discuss recent economic trends, new technologies, outsourcing, migration and what governments can do to mitigate instability and more.
Our podcast brings you up to date on the latest empirical research without any complicated mathematical formulas or data sets. Whether at home, at the office or on the road, we look forward to welcoming you wherever you choose to listen!
23 Episodes
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In this episode of Migration Talks, researchers Sandra Sequeira (London School of Economics) and Dominik Hangartner (ETH Zurich) take us into two very different contexts with surprising parallels. From post-conflict displacement in Mozambique to internal migration policies in post-war Finland, the conversation explores what drives people to move, and what happens when that movement is shaped less by choice than by circumstance. How does displacement affect long-term human capital? What...
In this episode of Migration Talks, Professor Leah Boustan (Princeton University) explores what shapes upward mobility for immigrants and who actually gets to rise. Using research, historical records, big data and today’s technology, Boustan takes us through the story of how immigrants and their children find their path. What do we get wrong when we idealize past success stories? How do today’s children of immigrants compare to previous generations? And what role do education, neighborhoods a...
In this episode, Panu Poutvaara (ifo Center for Migration and Development Economics) and Damla Buyuktaskin (UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency) discuss what happens after displacement: who returns, who stays, and why? Focusing on Ukrainian refugees and broader global contexts, they discuss what influences return intentions, how host countries support (or hinder) integration, and the challenges of creating long-term solutions for displaced populations. From access to work and education to regional ...
In this episode, Christian Dustmann (UCL, RFBerlin) and Tommaso Frattini (University of Milan, RFBerlin) discuss the politics of EU border control. As headlines increasingly focus on “securing borders,” they ask: Are these efforts really addressing the underlying challenges, or are they shaped more by public perception and political pressure? From shifting migration routes to policy trade-offs between security and economic needs, this conversation offers timely insights into one of Europe’s ...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Professor Suresh Naidu from Columbia University discusses the recent resurgence of union power, for example, in the context of the successful United Auto Workers (UAW) strike in 2023. The conversation highlights several key points with policy implications: Do unions affect inequality? How effective is union membership? Do they protect the rights and the benefits of union members, or do they have sp...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Professor Stephen Machin from the London School of Economics discusses the recent advances in the Economics of Crime. What are the economic consequences of crime on society? What is the impact of crime on victims? Professor Machin illustrates how better administrative data has helped quantify the labour market and psychological effects of crime and has shown how such effects are long-lasting. Impro...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Professor Katherine Shaw from Stanford Graduate School of Business discusses the recent advances in Personnel Economics and, in particular, the role of managers. What do managers do, how do they do it, and what is their impact on workers’ productivity? She explains that good managers can significantly boost team productivity, equivalent to adding an extra team member. Her research highlights that ef...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, professors Barbara Petrongolo and Jessica Pan discuss the progress and ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality in the labor market. Which policies have been more effective in narrowing the gender gap over the last 50 years? They highlight the significant progress made in reducing the wage gap and increasing female participation. However, they point out persistent issues like the motherhood penal...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Tim Phillips speaks with Patrick Kline, Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley, about monopsony in the labor market. Unlike monopoly, where a single supplier dominates, monopsony occurs when a single buyer—in this case, an employer—has significant power to set wages. Prof. Kline discusses recent research on the prevalence of monopsony and the role of policy and regulation in addressing monopsony p...
In this podcast episode dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Gordon Hanson (Peter Wertheim Professor in Urban Policy at Harvard Kennedy School) and David Dorn (UBS Foundation Professor of Globalization and Labor Markets at the University of Zurich) discuss the current state of globalization and its impact on the labor market. The speakers debate the effectiveness of tariffs and protectionism, suggesting that they often fail to create jobs and can lead to reta...
In this episode of our podcast series dedicated to the new editions of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Arindrajit Dube, Provost Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, tackles the contentious issue of raising the minimum wage. While some advocate the minimum wage as an effective tool to combat poverty, others have argued that it could destroy jobs and increase prices. Who’s right? Prof. Dube addresses this question my summarizing what economists have learned...
How will the rise of AI change our jobs? Should workers have a say in how and when AI is deployed? In this episode of our podcast series, dedicated to the new editions of the Handbook of Labor Economics, Professor Daron Acemoglu clarifies the nuances of these ongoing trends. Daron Acemoglu, a renowned economist and Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a leading researcher in macroeconomics, political economy, and labor economics. Based on his extensive work on tec...
Labor earnings for college-educated workers are about 65-70% higher than for workers without college education. Why do college graduates earn more? How will the emergence of AI shape the college wage premium and college education in the years to come? David J. Deming, Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University, opens our podcast series dedicated to the new edition of the Handbook of Labor Economics with his work on education, skills, inequality,...
Project leader Andrea Weber, a professor of economics at the Central European University in Vienna, brings the first season of RFBerlin Talks to a close with her work on intra-European Union migration, specifically between Austria and Germany. Andrea highlights the lack of comprehensive data on these movements, emphasizing the importance of understanding their effects and policy implications. Her research aims to explore how labor mobility aligns with the European Union's principles while add...
Project leader Jan Nimczik, an assistant professor of economics at the European School of Management Technology (ESMT) in Berlin, discusses his research on labor markets and migration. How did the German reunification, a major shock to the East German labor market, influence migration decisions? How personal connections act as a driver of mobility, especially in times of rapid changes? Join us in this episode to learn more about network effects and migration responses. Stay connected: 🌐 Onli...
In this podcast, project leader Albrecht Glitz, an associate professor at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, shares his journey as a labor economist with a unique twist: a research interest in espionage. Albrecht's research is based on a remarkable data set from the East German secret service during the Cold War, offering unprecedented insights into espionage activities. How did they get access to such data? What is the connection between economic espionage, globalisation, and welfare?...
Project Leader Guido Friebel, professor of human resources at Goethe University in Frankfurt, discusses his research on co-determination within firms with a focus on Denmark's model of worker committees. These committees, distinct from traditional worker councils, emphasize cooperation and trust between management and employees. Tune in to explore the complex relationship between workers and firms in Europe, and the impact of co-determination on profitability, worker well-being an...
Project Leader Sascha Becker is a professor of economics and Xiaokai Yang Chair of Business and Economics at Monash University, Melbourne and part-time professor at the University of Warwick in England. In this podcast, Sascha discusses project at RFBerlin, which aims to unravel the historic roots of regional disparities, tracing economic development over 150 years in Germany. To find out how this fascinating study is carried out and its implications, join us in this episode. Stay connected:...
In this podcast, Project Leader Thomas Cornelissen, Professor of Economics from the University of Essex, discusses his research project funded by the ROCKWOOL Foundation. Thomas is motivated by the evolving nature of work and the increasing importance of peer effects and social interactions, especially in today's changing work environment, including remote work. He highlights the complex interplay between learning from co-workers and competition among colleagues and its implications for busin...
In this podcast, we explore the research of Jérôme Adda, an Economics professor at Bocconi and Project Leader at RFBerlin. Jérôme discusses his ROCKWOOL Foundation-funded projects, combining his background in biology with economics. The first project tackles the pressing issue of antibiotics resistance, an extensively studied medical challenge that remains relatively unexplored in economics. The second project focuses on changes in population health as economies shift from manufacturing to se...
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