Editions

In this paper we show that the development of wealth as a percentage of income in Switzerland has followed a J-shaped pattern over the last 120 years: a very stable trend in the 20th century followed by a sharp increase since 2010.

Gainful and inactive work is still unequally distributed between the sexes. One reason is that few men work part-time. This is partly due to the fact that men looking for part-time jobs are discriminated against by recruiters.

In the fight against the pandemic, countries are relying on non-pharmaceutical containment measures. In Switzerland, these have led to a decline in new infections. In addition, the population is helping by making voluntary adjustments to their behaviour.

The impact of uncertainty on the economy was most recently illustrated in the context of the pandemic. But the uncertainty was also a decisive factor in previous crises. A new KOF study examines the impact of uncertainty on economic development.

Has the free movement of persons resulted in new jobs or has it simply shifted jobs from local residents to immigrants? Has it raised salaries among local residents or reduced them? These are the questions that were investigated in the context of an extensive research programme in which three KOF researchers played a leading role. 

What role does culture play in the founding of businesses? A new study has investigated this question with reference to Swiss linguistic regions. It shows that entrepreneurialism is in fact characterised by cultural differences. Specifically, Swiss nationals hailing from German-speaking areas are more likely to start a business than their French-speaking compatriots.  

As research has shown that good Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems lead to better results, and there is already a good understanding of what a good VET system is, it is important to know what it takes to improve a system. KOF's Education Systems Research Division has just finished the first version of a literature review on the implementation of VET reforms.

The current step-by-step introduction of paid sick leave in the USA is accompanied by a significant decline in the influenza rate. This article illustrates the correlation between paid sick leave and contagion, and suggests that sick pay schemes can be used to avoid contagion.