EPoS press releases

Press release: Companies Save Costs and Emissions by Helping Employees to Charge their Cars at Home1
Home chargers reduce emissions of plug-in hybrids by 38% The amount of electricity charged increases more than fourfold EPoS Economic Research Center analyzes corporate fleet of 1,263 cars in Germany Bonn, Mannheim, 12.03.2025 – The decarbonization of Germany’s transport sector needs to pick up speed to reach national and international climate targets: In 2024, sales of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) slumped, according to official statistics. At the same time, research shows that Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) use more fossil fuels than necessary. A new study provides evidence that corporate CO2 emissions and energy costs associated with plug-in hybrid company cars can be cut substantially by investing in home charging stations. These findings are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “No Place Like Home: Charging Infrastructure and the Environmental Advantage of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles”.
Press release: How Executive Pay Harms Corporate Productivity2
• New study shows how compensation affects investment decisions • Manager bonuses lower long-term investments • EPoS Economic Research Centre presents new study Bonn, Mannheim, 17.02.2025 – The compensation managers receive for their performance affects their investment decisions and thus the long-term productivity of companies. Because bonuses are linked to short-term profits, they discourage investments that pay off in the long run. As a result, productivity falls. This has an impact on the economic performance of an entire country, as researchers have now shown for the first time. They argue in favor of compensating managers with equity. The EPoS Economic Research Centre at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim has published these findings in the discussion paper “Capital (Mis)allocation, Incentives and Productivity“.
Press release: What Prevents Women from Studying STEM Subjects in Germany3
• EPoS study analyzes school grades and study choices of 573 persons • Gender gap in STEM enrolments confirmed • Women expect discrimination in STEM careers Bonn, Mannheim, 13.02.2025 – At German universities, women are much less likely than men to enrol in STEM courses, even if their school performance in these subjects is the same. The gender gap here is 24 percentage points. This is confirmed by a recent study that also examines the causes. The result: girls only choose to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics when their personal STEM advantage over other subjects is four times greater than that of boys. Additional hurdle: Women in STEM courses expect more gender-based discrimination in the workplace than female students in other study programmes. These are findings of the discussion paper “Relative Grades and Gender Differences in STEM Enrollment“ published by the EPoS Economic Research Centre at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: How Swiss Households Save on Heating Costs with Individual Billing4
• Heating energy consumption in apartments lowered by 17% • Common billing encourages “free-riding” Bonn, Mannheim, 12.02.2025 – Swiss households living in apartment buildings benefit from individualized metering and billing of their energy consumption: They save an average of CHF 144, or 17 percent, each year on heating costs. This is the result of new research which concludes that tenants become more price-sensitive when heat submeters are introduced, especially in larger buildings. These are findings of the discussion paper “The Tragedy of the Common Heating Bill” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim
Press release: France: How Re-election Concerns Influence the Funding of Civil Society Organizations5
• EPoS Economic Research Center publishes new paper Bonn, Mannheim, 05.02.2025 – In France, civil society organizations receive most of their funding from politicians. Yet, new economic research provides evidence that the funding decisions are influenced by electoral considerations: Politicians grant larger amounts to organizations whose members could support a political ally at risk of losing her seat in an upcoming local election. Such organizations receive up to 40 percent more financial support each year compared to those in opposition-controlled municipalities. These are findings of the new discussion paper “Organized voters: Elections and public funding of nonprofits” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Why Extending “Short-Time Work” Will Not Save Jobs6
• Economists compare short-time work extension with wage cuts Bonn, Mannheim, 25.11.2024 – Germany is in economic crisis. According to the latest figures from the Federal Employment Agency, the number of people in short-time work programs has risen by around 55 per cent to 215,300 within a year (April 2024). In the past, the government often extended the duration of short-time work benefits with the objective to save jobs. Yet, a recent study by economic researchers shows when this does not happen. These findings are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Short-Time Work Extensions”.
Press release: Retiring Later: Dutch Grannies Work at the Expense of Their Daughters7
• Economists analyze Dutch pension reform • First evidence of unintended consequences on three generations revealed Bonn, Mannheim, 08.07.2024 – Reforming the pension system has knock-on effects for families across generations: In the Netherlands, for every hour that grandmothers work longer, their adult daughters with young children work 40 minutes less. This widens existing gender gaps within families and in society at large. Furthermore, the performance of children at school is affected by the reform. These findings are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Spillover Effects of Old-Age Pension across Generations: Family Labor Supply and Child Outcomes”.
Press Release: Stock Markets Underestimate Climate Risks, Finance Experts Say8
• Researchers survey around 2,000 finance professionals worldwide (CFA) Bonn, Mannheim, 01.07.2024 – 68 percent of international finance experts think that stock prices currently do not reflect climate risks adequately. This is the result of an online survey of nearly 2,000 international investment experts conducted by economists. The researchers also find that the political leanings of finance professionals influence their climate risk evaluations. These findings are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Mental Models in Financial Markets: How Do Experts Reason About the Pricing of Climate Risk?”.
Press release: Why French Canal Plus TV Channels Broadcast About 50% More Far-Right Opinions9
• New billionaire channel owner shifted political coverage • EPoS team analyzed about 262,000 guests on TV and radio shows (2002-2020) Bonn, Mannheim, 27.06.2024 – The coverage that media outlets give to political parties changes when a new owner takes over: Three French TV channels from the Canal Plus Group gave about 50 percent more air time to the far right after being bought by French billionaire Vincent Bolloré in 2015. These are findings of the discussion paper “Hosting Media Bias: Evidence from the Universe of French Broadcasts” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press Release: French Manufacturers Cut Emissions By 43 Million Tonnes10
• EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) has proved effective • Economists analyze data of 252 ETS-regulated industrial companies Bonn, Mannheim, 30.05.2024 – In France, pricing carbon dioxide has proved to be an effective tool for reducing producers’ emissions: According to a new study, the manufacturing sector cut this harmful greenhouse gas by an estimated 15 percent during the first eight years of the EU Emissions Trading System (2005-2012, estimated 5.4 m tonnes per year). In total, this exceeds the CO2 emissions that Sweden emits in one year (38 m tonnes). Output was unaffected by the costs of complying with this policy. These results are obtained in a study by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim, forthcoming in the Review of Economic Studies under the title “Does Pricing Carbon Mitigate Climate Change? Firm-Level Evidence from the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme“.
Press release: Six Years Of GDPR: Researchers See A Mixed Record In Germany11
• Privacy policies from 75,000 German companies analyzed Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 15.05.2024 – The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires companies to disclose in plain language how they process personal data. A recent study shows that companies in Germany have indeed published considerably more information since then. However, readability - and therefore easy user access to information - has not improved significantly. These study results are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Regulatory Compliance with Limited Enforceability: Evidence from Privacy Policies”.
Press release: How Job Losses Caused By Machines Led To Better-Paid Work12
• Empirical analysis of 380,000 women in Norway Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 07.05.2024 – Artificial intelligence, self-driving cars or smart robots are rapidly changing the way we work. People are more and more afraid of being replaced by machines. Research shows that the outlook is not necessarily negative. A new study analyzes the careers of young rural women who were being pushed out of agriculture in the 1950s upon the adoption of milking machines in Norway. Upskilling and education are the key to long-term success for the human workforce when technology automates tasks. These results are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Why Only Every Second Woman Wants To Work Full-Time As Mother13
• Representative surveys of 5,000 individuals • Increasing hours worked by mothers counteracts skills shortage Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 25.03.2024 – Almost half of the women in Germany work part-time, compared to only about 10 percent of men. New research reveals that perceptions of women drive their work-related decisions: Even in a best-case scenario of high-quality, full-day childcare, only 55 percent of women would want to work full-time – 40 percent would work part-time when having a child. These are findings of the discussion paper “Beliefs About Maternal Labor Supply” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Basic Pension Increases Life Expectancy14
• OECD warns of old-age poverty • German government subsidy for low-income pensions analyzed Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 11.03.2024 – Subsidizing pensions of low-income retirees has important health benefits and lowers the risk of dying early. The analysis of German administrative data shows: A government subsidy of 100 Euros per month (13% increase of pension benefits) reduces the probability of dying before age 65 by 23.5 percent, before age 70 by 8 percent and before age 75 by 2 percent. These are findings of the discussion paper “Live Longer and Healthier: Impact of Pension Income for Low-Income Retirees” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: “Early Bird Car-Sharing Drivers” Can Reduce Traffic Jams15
Bonn, Mannheim, 06.03.2024 – The usage of shared electric vehicles peaks earlier than overall traffic – a study of road trips in Madrid shows. This effect can help to smooth road traffic, reducing congestion and emissions in big cities. These are findings of the discussion paper “Observed Patterns of Free-Floating Car-Sharing Use” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: US Wealth Gap Rises: Black Americans Shy Away From Stock Market16
• Higher risk of losing the job prevents stock investment • Capital gains widen racial income disparities (+15%, 1980-2020) Bonn, Mannheim, 01.03.2024 – Black Americans face a higher risk of losing their job than white Americans, especially during economic recession. That is why Black Americans invest less in the stock market, worsening the racial wealth gap in the US. Had the risk of unemployment been the same for Black and white Americans in the period 1980-2020, the wealth gap would have risen by 3 percent, whereas it actually grew by 15 percent. These are findings of the discussion paper “Unemployment risk, portfolio choice, and the racial wealth gap” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Equal Pay Day: Women Expect 500,000 Euros Less Than Men17
• Women anticipate unequal treatment and accumulate salary losses • EPoS study analyzes data from 15,000 students Bonn, Mannheim, 29.02.2024 – A new EPoS study on the gender pay gap shows that female students expect to earn significantly less than men throughout their professional careers. All in all, they expect to earn more than half a million euros less in their working life. In line with their expectations, women demand lower wages, so that the gender pay gap persists. These are findings of the discussion paper “Gender Differences in Wage Expectations and Negotiation” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center.
Press release: Surprising Finding: Higher Alcohol and Cigarette Taxes Reduce Marijuana Use18
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 08.02.2024 – Young people often use marijuana in combination with alcohol and cigarettes. Therefore, a combination of tax increases on all three counterbalances rising marijuana use among youth after legalization. These are empirical findings of the discussion paper “More than Joints:Multi-Substance Use, Choice Limitations, and Policy Implications” by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: How Facebook, Google & Co. Harm Workers’ Wages19
• Acquisition of firms for hiring eliminates labor market competition Bonn, Mannheim, 31.01.2024 – Large tech firms such as Facebook and Google claim to buy small startups to get specialized talent. Yet, the economic analysis suggests a different rationale: Acquiring a startup and hiring its staff suppresses competition in the labor market. This harms workers’ wages. These are findings of the discussion paper “Acquihiring for Monopsony Power” published by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Black Americans Face Discrimination in Business Social Media20
• Experiment studied the acceptance and response rate to Black and White profiles• Young and female users discriminate most• Field study on LinkedIn in the U.S. Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 15.12.2023 – Black Americans face higher initial barriers when using online business networks compared to White Americans. Contact requests from Black profiles on LinkedIn are rejected more often compared to White profiles. These are findings of the discussion paper “LinkedOut? A Field Experiment on Discrimination in Job Network Formation” by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Unemployment in Germany Rises With Generous Social Benefits21
EPoS Economic Research Center analyses German social security data Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 15.12.2023 – Interactions between generous unemployment insurance and retirement rules can lead to higher unemployment particularly for older workers close to retirement. The reason: The joint effect of both schemes creates an incentive to build a “bridge-to-retirement”. This is the main finding of the discussion paper “When Institutions Interact: How the Effects of Unemployment Insurance are Shaped by Retirement Policies” by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: Steuergelder werden mit „Energiepreisbremsen“ für Unternehmen nicht sinnvoll eingesetzt22
Bonn, Mannheim, 23.11.2023 - Die Energiepreisbremsen bei Strom und Gas in Deutschland werden mit dem jüngsten Gerichtsurteil aus Karlsruhe auf den Prüfstand gestellt. Ökonomen sehen die Entlastungen für Unternehmen in Form von Transferzahlungen und Subventionen kritisch: Eingriffe dieser Art, wie die geplante Absenkung der Stromsteuer für Unternehmen, sind keine sinnvolle Nutzung von Steuergeldern – so ein Fazit einer Studie des EPoS Economic Research Center der Universitäten Bonn und Mannheim. Im aktuellen Diskussionspapier „Hicks in HANK: Fiscal Responses to an Energy Shock“ werden die Wechselwirkungen staatlicher Eingriffe als Reaktion auf Energiepreisschocks untersucht. Wirtschaftsforscher untersuchen Wechselwirkungen staatlicher Eingriffe
Press release: Why people vote for “populists”23
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 21.11.2023 – The fear of losing office in the next election provides a strong incentive for political leaders to satisfy voters. Those in power are particularly prepared to change their political course if the potential successor may belong to a populist party. The threat of voters to switch to populists has a serious impact. These are findings of the discussion paper “Shaking Up the System: When Populism Disciplines Elite Politicians” by the EPoS Economic Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim. EPoS Economic Research Center of the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim publishes new paper Swing voters examined with equilibrium model
Press release: Internet (Power) to the People: How to Bridge the Digital Divide24
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 12.09.2023 – The United Nations aims to provide every person with access to the internet by 2030 in line with Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, about 3 billion people are still totally offline today. New EPoS research on how to bridge the digital divide in Colombia shows that internet literacy plans work best in poor neighborhoods – doubling internet access. This research result is published by the EPoS Economic Research Center of the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Internet (Power) to the People: How to Bridge the Digital Divide”.
Press release: Integration Boosts Labor Market Oppurtunities for Migrants in Germany25
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 31.08.2023 – Workers with a migration background have particular disadvantages in Germany´s labor market if they live in an ethnic enclave. After being laid off, these people are significantly less likely to find a new job compared to their German colleagues: Over a period of five years after job loss, the probability of employment is on average 5.2 percentage points lower. These research results are published by the EPoS Economic Research Center of the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in the discussion paper “Job Displacement and Migrant Labor Market Assimilation”.• Ethnic enclaves impair job prospects• Data of German IAB Institute examined before and after mass layoffs
Press release: Job Level Changes Account for 50 Percent of Wage Growth – EpoS economists report26
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 13.07.2023 – Moving to higher job levels is an integral part of climbing the career ladder and accounts for 50 percent of workers’ wage growth in the course of a professional life. The job level encompasses the complexity of tasks, the autonomy in performing it, and the responsibilities associated with it. This novel perspective on what determines wage structures is published in the Discussion Paper “Job levels and Wages” by EPoS economic research center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.• EPoS research analyzes career paths of workers in the U.S. and Germany.
Press release: How Pension Policies Counteract Government Goals – EPoS research reveals27
Bonn, Mannheim, Germany, 05.07.2023 – Across OECD countries, almost half of all grandparents are involved in the childcare of at least one grandchild. Reforming pension systems to keep people in work longer therefore has serious effects on families across generations. New EPoS economic research using Dutch administrative data shows: for every hour that a grandmother works longer, her adult daughter woks less by half an hour.
Press release: “Wolf of Wall Street” Image Puts People Off Stock Market Investment – EPoS research shows28
• 8,402 individuals surveyed in 11 countries by EPoS economic research center• Shareholders seen as greedy, gambler-like and selfish
Press release: U.S.-China Trade War: Why Trump Tariffs Backfired – new research reveals29
• U.S. importers paid 93% of tariffs on Chinese goods• China’s importers paid 68% of tariffs - different strategies chosen• Total of 17,000 products reviewed by EPoS studyBonn, Mannheim, Germany, 13.06.2023 – In the trade conflict between the world's two largest economies, U.S. importers have suffered from heavier price increases compared to their Chinese counterparts: Latest EPoS economic research at Mannheim University in Germany shows that almost 100 percent of U.S. punitive tariffs were borne by American importers. In contrast, only 68 percent of China’s retaliatory tariffs were shouldered by Chinese importers, U.S. exporters paid the other 32 percent. These are findings of theDiscussion Paper “Who Pays for the Tariffs and Why? A Tale of Two Countries” published by EPoSCollaborative Research Center at the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim.
Press release: “Why Later Retirement Increases Mortality Risk”30
Mannheim, Germany, 09.05.2023 – Populations are ageing rapidly worldwide: The OECD projects that the number of retirees per worker will rise by 50 percent until 2050. To cope with rising costs, governments aim to reform their public pension schemes. One of the main policy tools is to raise the minimum eligibility age. Yet, a new study by the University of Mannheim shows that removing early retirement increases the hazard of dying. “The Effect of Removing Early Retirement on Mortality” Discussion Paper is published by Cristina Bellès-Obrero, Ph.D., Prof. Sergi Jiménez-Martin and Prof. Han Ye at the EPoS Collaborative Research Center Transregio 224, a cooperation of the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim in Germany.

Other press releases covering EPoS research*

University of Bonn, September 18, 2024

ZEW, August 19, 2024

University of Mannheim; March 09, 2022

*The CRC TR 224 bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

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