DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research

Its main task is to investigate economic processes in Germany and abroad and to support decision making in the public and private sectors. Since its inception, DIW Berlin has focused on business cycle analysis and forecasts, ranging from short-term analysis of economic trends and analysis of current economic and fiscal affairs to the long-term projection and assessment of developments in the global economy and in individual sectors. It also addresses questions of international economic relations resulting from the integration of Germany into the EU and from the strongly international orientation of the German economy. The analysis of the transformation processes in Eastern Europe has become a new research field since the political changes of the late `80s. Traditional focal points of the institute's research work include economic questions of environmental protection, energy and resource economy, and transportation. The German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) regularly surveys 10,000 private households in a representative longitudinal study; the data acquired is analyzed within and outside DIW Berlin. The new orientation of several research departments offers the possibility of examining effectively the developments in the new economy.