The German economy is going through a period of profound transformation. Technological change, decarbonization and demographic developments are fundamentally changing labor markets – albeit not uniformly, but with significant differences between regions, sectors and groups of workers.
At the same time, structural change is not a new phenomenon. Past transformation processes provide important insights into how labor markets respond to disruptions and the role institutions and policy can play in managing these adaptation processes.
The workshop brings these perspectives together: the focus is on papers that analyze current transformation processes, examine their heterogeneous effects, and/or draw lessons from past transformations for today’s economic policy challenges.
The aim is to exchange up-to-date research that provides new insights into transformation processes and illuminates their economic policy implications.
Special issue of the workshop:
Selected papers from the workshop may be invited for submission for aplanned Special Issue in the Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbücher für
Nationalökonomie und Statistik).
When submitting to the workshop, authors are asked to indicate whether they are interested in submitting to the Special Issue at a later date.
Submission for the Special Issue takes place separately until 31.12.2026 and is subject to the journal’s regular peer review process.
Date
5.10.2026 - 6.10.2026
Speaker
The workshop will also include a symposium with keynote speeches and a panel discussion where Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Dauth, Prof. Dr. Steffen Müller, PD Dr. Mirko Titze and Prof. Dr. Gesine Stephan will discuss the lessons learned from past transformation processes.
Venue
Institute for Employment Research
of the Federal Employment Agency
Regensburger Straße 104
90478 Nuremberg
Scientific committee
- Dr. Britta Matthes, IAB
- Prof. Dr. Steffen Müller, IWH and Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
- Dr. Boris Ivanov, IAB
Submission
In particular, contributions are welcome on the following aspects:
- Labor market effects of current transformation processes (e.g. technological, ecological)
- Heterogeneity of transformations across regions, industries, businesses or groups of employees
- Comparison of current and past transformation processes and economic policy lessons to be drawn from them
- Labor market adjustment processes, in particular mobility, transitions and skill requirements
- The role of institutions and labor market policies in structural change
- Evaluation of policies in the context of transformation
Contributions may be empirical or theoretical in nature. Particularly desirable are papers that formulate economic policy implications or make reference to overarching perspectives on transformation.
Full papers or abstracts (one to two pages) can be submitted in German or English as a PDF or Word file until June 7, 2026. Submission will be made by mail to iwh-iab-2026@iab.de. The decision to accept a paper will be made by June 22, 2026.
Conference fee and traveling Costs
The IWH/IAB Workshop is a face-to-face event. There are no meeting fees, but participants are expected to cover their own costs. The workshop is generally held in German, lectures in English are possible.
Contact
contact via email: iwh-iab-2026@iab.de