Ludger Woessmann
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woessmann.bsky.social
Ludger Woessmann
@woessmann.bsky.social
Professor of Economics, University of Munich
Director, ifo Center for the Economics of Education
https://sites.google.com/view/woessmann-e
📢 FYI: 🧵 on 🆕 paper on training & early retirement: @hhsievertsen.bsky.social @lindseymacmillan.bsky.social @marirege.bsky.social @ingoisphording.bsky.social @raphaelbrade.bsky.social @econmunich.bsky.social ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬@rationalitycrc.bsky.social @cesifo.org ‬@ifoeducation.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Finding that robot exposure led to labor market exit of elderly workers adds important nuance to literature on labor market effects of robots in Germany

Overall, findings highlight scope for policy to promote adjustment mechanisms conducive to aggregate productivity
9/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
➡️ Training & retiring are relevant adjustment mechanisms used by firms & workers in intricate ways to react to disruptions

➡️ Structural change induces both productivity-enhancing & -reducing responses

➡️ Challenges simple narratives of labor market adaptation
8/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
I.e., response to robot 🤖 adoption:
⬆️ training 🧠 in indirectly affected services 🏢 but
⬆️ early retirement 👴 in directly affected manufacturing 🏭

Response to import 🌏 competition:
⬇️ training 🧠
⬆️ early retirement 👴 in manufacturing 🏭
Opposite response to export expansion 🔁
7/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
4️⃣ Robot 🤖 exposure raises early retirement among manufacturing workers 🧑‍🏭🏖️
5️⃣ Same for import 🌏 exposure
6️⃣ Opposite for export exposure 🔁
6/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Results:
1️⃣ Robot 🤖 exposure increases training 🧠—particularly in indirectly affected services 🧑‍💼
2️⃣ Import 🌏 exposure reduces training—particularly in manufacturing 🏭
3️⃣ Opposite for export exposure 🔁
5/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Established methods:

Shift-share measures of local exposure to
➡️ Trade integration with China & Eastern Europe 🗺️
➡️ Industrial robot adoption 🤖

Identification
➡️ Instrument local exposure using industry-specific changes in other high-income countries 🌐
4/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Novel data construction for German local labor markets, 1994-2014:
1️⃣ Training participation from Microcensus 📊
2️⃣ Early retirement from IAB employment records 🗂️
3/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
How do firms & workers adjust to trade & technology shocks?

We study 2 mechanisms that received little attention:

1️⃣ Training: upgrade skills 🧠💻
2️⃣ Early retirement: shift adjustment costs to public pension systems 🧾🏖️

Opposite implications for aggregate productivity 🔁
2/9
November 11, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Reposted by Ludger Woessmann
And oh boy, "Adam's Research Minute" is a banger. The
@benjaminarold.bsky.social, @woessmann.bsky.social, Zierow research on how schooling affects religiosity is super important and interesting. Here's the link to the journal article: jhr.uwpress.org/content/earl...

6/n
Can Schools Change Religious Attitudes?
We study whether compulsory religious education in schools affects students’ religiosity as adults. We exploit the staggered termination of compulsory religious education across German states in model...
jhr.uwpress.org
October 22, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Unser wichtigster Gradmesser der bundeslandspezifischen Entwicklung. Leider nur alle 6 Jahre.

Extrem wichtige Zahlen. Sie sind ein Desaster.

Die Bildungsministerkonferenz dazu: „Licht und Schatten im IQB-Bildungstrend 2024“😯🤷
3/3
October 17, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Alle sozio-demographischen Gruppen betroffen.

Rückgang in allen Bundesländern. (Lediglich Hamburg (in allen Fächern) nicht signifikant.) Z.B. Mathe:

NRW -34⬇️
Bayern -23⬇️

2/3
October 17, 2025 at 5:32 AM
📢 FYI: 🆕 paper on religious education out in JHR: @tomdee.bsky.social ‪@kinnelavinia.bsky.social‬‬ ‪ @raphaelbrade.bsky.social @econmunich.bsky.social ‪@rationalitycrc.bsky.social‬ ‪@cesifo.org‬ @ifoeducation.bsky.social ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
October 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
➡️Content of school curriculum exerts lifetime influence on students

Even on inner attitudes + values such as religiosity

What you learn in school is for life, indeed‼️
6/6
October 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Effects beyond religion:

🧑‍🏭 Higher labor-market participation + earnings (consistent with shift towards worldly norms + economic activities) 🌎

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Reduced fertility

By contrast, no effects on ethical + political values or non-religious school outcomes
5/6
October 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
👉 Reform abolishing compulsory religious education significantly reduced religiosity of affected students in adulthood

Similar reductions in specific religious actions:
1️⃣ personal act of prayer
2️⃣ public act of church-going
3️⃣ formal (+costly) act of church membership
4/6
October 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM