Abstract

The IAB Establishment Panel is a representative employer survey of employment parameters at individual establishments. Near to 16,000 establishments from all branches of the economy and of all sizes are surveyed annually and nationwide from the end of June until October. The survey is carried out orally by way of personal interviews conducted by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung, Munich, on behalf of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). This representative survey of establishments covers a wide range of questions on a great many topics related to employment policy that are examined in various research projects. The standard annual programme of questions is complemented by topics of current interest. The IAB Establishment Panel has been in existence in western Germany since 1993 and in the east since 1996. As a comprehensive longitudinal data set, it forms the basis for research into the demand side of the labour market. The data provided by establishments is intended to help the placement and advisory services of the Federal Employment Agency orientate their activities more closely to the realities experienced within the establishments themselves. The analyses also provide the basis for the decision-making processes of politicians, management/labour representatives, and various associations.