Since January 1st 2015 a general statutory minimum wage has been in force in Germany. An analysis of the impacts of the minimum wage is methodologically demanding due to the practically nationwide applicability of the minimum wage. Classic control group approaches that have been used in the United States or for the analysis of German industry-specific minimum wages are not readily applicable. Against this background the article presents research approaches and methods that are particularly promising for the analysis of the statutory minimum wage in Germany. Taking as a starting point the classic approaches to evaluate the effects of minimum wages, adequate concepts for the analyses of the statutory minimum wage are discussed. In addition, suitable data sets for such analyses are described. Besides quantitative approaches, the article also looks at the potential of qualitative designs for evaluating the minimum wage.

Schlagworte
Minimum Wage, Evaluation, Quantitative Methods, Qualitative Methods