The white spot - On the conception and feasibility of regional price indexes

Abstract

"In the spheres of politics and science there is an urgent need for statistical information on regional price differences. This is because knowledge of the regional price level is vital for numerous economic, social and labour market policy issues and decisions - from the conurbation bonus granted to civil servants, via the appropriateness of Hartz IV standard benefit rates, to the imperative of equal living standards that is anchored in the Basic Law of Germany. Up to now there have only been limited relevant and meaningful data available. At the same time, the compilation of regional price indexes is fraught with serious conceptional and methodological difficulties. The collection of scientific studies in this volume handles important aspects of this topic such as the way housing costs are ascertained and indicates how the current gaps in information and problems of calculating regional price differences can be closed and solved respectively. In addition to this, processes of determining regional price differences used in different countries are presented." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Cite article

Möller, J., Hohmann, E. & Huschka, D. (eds.) (2010): Der weiße Fleck - zur Konzeption und Machbarkeit regionaler Preisindizes. (IAB-Bibliothek 324), Bielefeld: Bertelsmann, 464 p. DOI:10.3278/300713w