Up or out: research incentives and career prospects of postdocs in Germany


Fitzenberger, Bernd ; Leuschner, Ute


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URL: https://ub-madoc.bib.uni-mannheim.de/32192
URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-321929
Document Type: Working paper
Year of publication: 2012
The title of a journal, publication series: ZEW Discussion Papers
Volume: 12-020
Place of publication: Mannheim
Publication language: English
Institution: Sonstige Einrichtungen > ZEW - Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung
MADOC publication series: Veröffentlichungen des ZEW (Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung) > ZEW Discussion Papers
Subject: 330 Economics
Classification: JEL: A11 , A29 , I21 , I23 , J24 , J49,
Keywords (English): Postdocs , academic career prospects , research incentives , university reforms
Abstract: Academic careers in Germany have been under debate for a while. We conduct a survey among postdocs in Germany, to analyze the perceptions and attitudes of postdocs regarding their research incentives, their working conditions, and their career prospects. We conceptualize the career prospects of a postdoc in a life-cycle perspective of transitions from academic training to academic or non-academic jobs. Only about half of the postdocs sees strong incentives for academic research, but there is quite a strong confidence to succeed in an academic career. Furthermore, postdocs who attended a PhD program show better career prospects and higher research incentives compared to others. Academic career prospects and motivation are strongest for assistant professors. Apart from this small group, however, postdocs report only a small impact of the university reforms of the last decade. Female postdocs show significantly higher research incentives but otherwise we find little gender differences. Finally, good prospects in non-academic jobs are not associated with a reduction in the motivation for research.




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