This paper studies the role of culture in shaping unemployment outcomes. The empir- ical analysis is based on local comparisons across a language barrier in Switzerland. This Röstigraben separates cultural groups, but neither labor markets nor political jurisdictions. Local contrasts across the...

We propose a new strategy to identify the existence of interjurisdictional tax competition and to estimate its spatial reach. Our strategy rests on differences between desired tax levels, determined by culture-specific preferences, and equilibrium tax levels, determined by interjurisdictional...

This paper discusses the effects of a higher unemployment benefit replacement rate on unemployment durations, employment, and earnings. A reform of unemployment insurance in Switzerland in July 2003 increased the replacement rate by up to 5.88 p.p. for individuals who earned between 3,536 and...

We propose a difference-in-differences strategy to identify the existence of interjurisdictional tax competition, and to estimate its spatial reach. Our strategy rests on differences between desired tax levels, determined by culture-specific preferences, and equilibrium tax levels, determined by...

Using data from the Tennessee Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio experiment and subsequent follow-up surveys, we estimate unconditional quantile treatment eects of being assigned to a small-size class and a regular-size class with an aide, compared to regular-size one. Results show that...

In this paper, we examine the long-term effects of high school exit exams (HSEEs)on graduation rates and achievement using an interrupted time series approach.We find that introducing a HSEE has an overall positive effect on graduation rate trends, an effect which is heterogeneous over time. In...

This study presents evidence of heterogeneous returns to education over the wage distribution. The authors use instrumental variable quantile regression and data from the Swiss Labor Force Survey to identify the causal link between education and wages at dierent quantiles of the conditional...

Using Swiss Labor Force Survey data from 1996 to 2009, this study estimates the earning losses of workers experiencing an involuntary job separation. We follow two empirical approaches: the method usually applied in the literature (fixed-effects estimation) and a new approach (Poisson...

This paper endeavours to explain the vast differences in the size of capital markets across countries, by drawing together theories emphasising cultural values, dysfunctional institutions, or impediments to trade as obstacles to financial development. To account for endogeneity, instrumental...