Welcome
to the Chair of Public Finance and
Public Management!
Honorary professorship for Dr. Gerd Gutekunst
We congratulate Dr. Gerd Gutekunst on being awarded an honorary professorship. On July 7, 2025, he was presented with the certificate of appointment by the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. He then gave an inaugural lecture on the current tax challenges facing energy companies. Prof. Gerd Gutekunst has been closely associated with the Chair as a lecturer for many years.
Inefficiencies of the statutory retirement age
In an article, Prof. Wigger examines the normative criteria for setting the statutory retirement age in the case of majority decisions. He finds that the statutory retirement age tends to be set inefficiently low when the working population forms the democratic majority.
The article published in the "Journal of Public Economic Theory" can be found here.
Courses offered in summer term 2025
In the summer term, the courses offered by the chair are completely in presence form. More detailed information can be found here as well as in the respective ILIAS courses.
Seminar in Summer 2025
In Summer 2025 we offer a seminar.
The more detailed information as well as the registration can be found here in the WIWI portal.
More competition in the digitization of public administration
The Kronberger Kreis has published a study on administrative digitization in Germany. The study examines the causes of this digital backlog and identifies reform options to increase the momentum of administrative digitization in Germany. The main obstacles are the dominance of public IT service providers and the lack of involvement of private IT service providers.
The complete study can be found here.
The vehicle value externality
In an article together with Gernot Sieg, Prof. Wigger identifies a previously unidentified externality in vehicle traffic. In contrast to established external effects such as emissions or congestion, the vehicle value externality results from the influence of vehicle value on accident damage.
The article published in "Economics Letters" can be found here.
Government intervention is part of the problem, not the solution
The article published in the "FAZ" can be found here.
Statement in the Finance Committee of the German Bundestag
In the hearing of the Finance Committee of the German Bundestag on 15.01.2024, Prof. Wigger gave a statement on the draft of the second Budget Financing Act 2024.
The complete, written statement can be found here.
New job posting
We are looking for reinforcement for our scientific team starting as soon as possible. The core task is to work on a three-year empirical research project on the economics of higher education, in which the German higher education sector - more precisely, non-governmental higher education institutions - is the object of study. A doctorate is possible in the course of this project.
Please contact Patrick Schmelzer (patrick schmelzer ∂does-not-exist.kit edu) if you have any questions or wish to make initial contact.
Novel publication - "Das Messingschild"
Berthold Wigger has written a novel. "Das Messingschild" tells the fateful entanglement of the lives of the inhabitants of Bewersfeld, a small rural community in Münsterland. Here you can learn more about his novel.
Statement in the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag
In the hearing of the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag on 21.11.2023, Prof. Wigger gave a statement on the federal budget for the financial year 2024.
The complete, written statement can be found here.
Pensions, more stable than thought?
Prof. Wigger, together with Benjamin Bittschi, analyzes the german pensions and the increase of the retirement age in an article.
The article published in the "FAZ" can be found here.
Analysis on the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI)
Prof. Wigger has published an analysis on the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI), a government funding program in the EU.
The article in the journal Wirtschaftsdienst can be found here.
Age-specific individual preferences for the legal retirement age
Prof. Wigger, together with Dr. Benjamin Bittschi, has published a study on age-specific individual preferences for the legal retirement age in the journal Economic Letters.
The article can be found here.
Cumulative advantage in higher education finance
"For to every one that hath shall be given" - Lars Herberholz has published a study on cumulative advantage in higher education finance in the journal Science and Public Policy.
The article can be found here.
Statement in the Economic Committee of the German Bundestag
At the hearing of the Economic Committee of the German Bundestag on Feb. 28, 2023, Prof. Wigger gave a statement on the motion of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group "Strengthen Germany as a location for innovation, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, secure EU funding, join IPCEI Health".
The article and the recording of the hearing can be found here. In addition, Prof. Wigger's explicit speeking minutes within the hearing can be seen here.
The full statement can be found here.
Interview in Deutschem Ärzteblatt
In an interview with Deutsches Ärzteblatt, Berthold Wigger explains why he believes dual hospital financing has failed and why hospital planning should also be done by the federal government.
The complete interview can be found here.
Hospital Care in Germany
The Kronberger Kreis has published a study on hospital care in Germany.
The study identifies three deficits from which hospital care in Germany suffers: Firstly, there are too many hospital beds, secondly, there are many hospitals that are too small and thirdly, hospital investments are too low.
The complete study can be found here.
Position on Bundeswehr debt
The Kronberger Kreis has published its position on the planned Bundeswehr debt in an article.
The article, which appeared in the FAZ, can be found here.
Statement in the Budget Committee
On Jan. 10, 2022, Prof. Wigger made a statement in the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag on the Second Supplementary Budget of the Federal Government 2021. The written statement can be found here.
Prediction of dropouts
Jascha Buchhorn and Berthold Wigger have published their study "Efficiency of European universities: A comparison of peers" as a CESifo Working Paper.
The article can be found here.
Guide to governing
The Kronberger Kreis has published an article with policy recommendations for the next German government.
The article, which appeared in the "FAS," can be found here.
Efficiency of European universities
Lars Herberholz and Berthold Wigger published their study "Efficiency of European universities: A comparison of peers" in Research Policy.
The article can be found here.
Science Award by the Department of Economics and Management
For his dissertation On the Mechanics Behind Academic Progress, Lars Herberholz received the Science Award 2020 in the field of economics/statistics.
Insights into his thesis are provided by this video.
FRONTAL - SMART - DIGITAL? The education system put to the test
Berhold Wigger will be a speaker on March 9 at the online event FRONTAL - SMART - DIGITAL? - The education system on the test bench at Villa Lessing. Information on how to participate can be found here.
Matthias Erzberger Award
The bachelor thesis of Jascha Buchhorn, written at the chair, titled "Voting Rights from 16 - Effects on Municipal Expenditures" was awarded with the Matthias-Erzberger-Award of the Chamber of Tax Advisors Nordbaden.
Long live the difference!
The Kronberger Kreis has published an article on the Day of German Unity.
The article published in the "FAZ" can be found here.
A master plan for the way out of the Corona crisis
The Kronberger Kreis has published an article on economic policy measures in the Corona crisis.
The article published in "Die Welt" can be found here.