Access to Data for Researchers

External researchers may use the data from the IAB/ZEW Start-up Panel for research projects. There are three access options with varying degrees of anonymisation of individual company data:

  1. You can work with the panel at the visiting researcher workstation at the ZEW Research Data Centre. The data is formally anonymised, i.e. it does not contain the names or addresses of the companies surveyed as part of the IAB/ZEW Start-up Panel. Otherwise, no data-altering anonymisation measures are carried out.
     
  2. Furthermore, the panel can be accessed via a secure remote desktop connection, which allows external access to the data. This technical implementation of data access was made possible as part of the BERD@NFDI cooperation project with the University of Mannheim. The remote desktop connection provides access to ZEW data via the bwCloud of the State of Baden-Württemberg. These data are also only formally anonymised.
     
  3. In addition, the ZEW-FDZ makes some ZEW research data available to external researchers for download in a de facto anonymised form as Scientific Use Files, which can be used outside the ZEW-FDZ at their own research institution. You can download the documentation regarding the IAB/ZEW Start-up Panel’s scientific-use files for external use; this includes a list of variables and explains the data-altering procedures (anonymisation methods) used to ensure de facto anonymity.
     

Data use is generally free of charge and reserved for scientific, non-commercial research. The ZEW-FDZ has been accredited by the German Council for Social and Economic Data (RatSWD).

External researchers may submit a written application for data use by email. The application should include a brief description of the research project. The contact person for this is Dr Sandra Gottschalk. Once the application for data use has been approved, a data transfer agreement will be concluded between ZEW and the respective data user.