Do works councils inhibit investment?

"Theory suggests that firms confront a hold-up problem in dealing with workplace unionism: unions will appropriate a portion of the quasi rents stemming from long-lived capital. As a result, firms may be expected to limit their exposure to rent seeking by reducing investments, among other thing...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Addison, John T., Schank, Thorsten, Schnabel, Claus, Wagner, Joachim
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Bonn 2005
IZA
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19296286124910144689-Do-works-councils-inhibit-inve.htm
Description
Summary:"Theory suggests that firms confront a hold-up problem in dealing with workplace unionism: unions will appropriate a portion of the quasi rents stemming from long-lived capital. As a result, firms may be expected to limit their exposure to rent seeking by reducing investments, among other things. Although there is some empirical support for this prediction in firm-level studies for the United States, we investigate whether this is also the case in the different institutional context of Germany where the works council is the analogue of workplace unionism. Using parametric and nonparametric methods and establishment panel data, we find no evidence that the formation (dissolution) of a works council has an unfavorable (favorable) impact on investment."
Physical Description:30 p.
Digital