Thomas Niebel joined ZEW’s Research Department “Digital Economy” in August 2009. He studied economics at the University of Konstanz, focusing on the economy and the state as well as statistics and econometrics. In 2014, he graduated from the Goethe University of Frankfurt with a doctoral thesis entitled “Essays on Information and Communication Technologies, Services and Growth”.
His research focuses on the growth and productivity effects of ICT and intangible capital. Thomas Niebel is the co-ordinator of the research area “Diffusion of Digital Technologies“ and has a long record of research projects and research-oriented policy consulting.
Selected Publications
Articles in Refereed Journals
Niebel, Thomas, Fabienne Rasel and Steffen Viete (2019), BIG Data - BIG Gains? Understanding the Link Between Big Data Analytics and Innovation, Economics of Innovation and New Technology Volume 28, Issue 3, 296-316. Download
Niebel, Thomas (2018), ICT and Economic Growth - Comparing Developing, Emerging and Developed Countries, World Development Volume 104, April 2018, 197-211. Download
Niebel, Thomas, Mary O'Mahony and Marianne Saam (2017), The Contribution of Intangible Assets to Sectoral Productivity Growth in the EU, Review of Income and Wealth Volume 63, Issue s1, 49–67. Download
Bertschek, Irene and Thomas Niebel (2016), Mobile and More Productive? Firm-Level Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Mobile Internet Use, Telecommunications Policy Volume 40, Issue 9, September 2016, 888-898. Download
Chen, Wen, Thomas Niebel and Marianne Saam (2016), Are Intangibles More Productive in ICT-Intensive Industries? Evidence from EU Countries, Telecommunications Policy Volume 40, Issue 5, 471-484. Download
Niebel, Thomas and Marianne Saam (2016), ICT and Growth - The Role of Rates of Return and Capital Prices, Review of Income and Wealth Volume 62, Issue 2, 283–310. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Wolfgang Briglauer, Kai Hüschelrath, Benedikt Kauf and Thomas Niebel (2015), The Economic Impacts of Broadband Internet: A Survey, Review of Network Economics 14 (4), 201-227. Download
Breyer, Friedrich, Lorenz Normann and Thomas Niebel (2015), Health Care Expenditures and Longevity: Is There a Eubie Blake Effect?, The European Journal of Health Economics Volume 16, Issue 1, 95-112. Download
Monographs, Contributions to Edited Volumes
Niebel, Thomas (2014), Essays on Information and Communication Technologies, Intangibles and Growth, Dissertation, Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main. Download
Discussion and Working Papers
Grömling, Michael and Thomas Niebel (2022), Konzeptionelle Ansätze zur Messung der Produktivitätseffekte von Digitalisierungskapital, Instituts der Deutschen Wirtschaft: Wirtschaftliche Untersuchungen, Berichte und Sachverhalte IW-Report 20/2022, Köln. Download
Axenbeck, Janna and Thomas Niebel (2021), Climate Protection Potentials of Digitalized Production Processes: Microeconometric Evidence?, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 21-105, Mannheim. Download
Gierten, David, Steffen Viete, Raphaela Andres and Thomas Niebel (2021), Firms Going Digital: Tapping into the Potential of Data for Innovation, OECD Digital Economy Papers, December 2021, No. 320, Paris. Download
Breithaupt, Patrick, Reinhold Kesler, Thomas Niebel and Christian Rammer (2020), Intangible Capital Indicators Based on Web Scraping of Social Media, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 20-046, Mannheim. Download
Andres, Raphaela, Timothy DeStefano, Thomas Niebel and Steffen Viete (2020), Capital Incentive Policies in the Age of Cloud Computing: An Empirical Case Study, OECD Publishing OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers, No. 2020/07, Paris. Download
Andres, Raphaela, Timothy DeStefano, Thomas Niebel and Steffen Viete (2020), Capital Incentive Policies in the Age of Cloud Computing: An Empirical Case Study, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 20-036, Mannheim. Download
Niebel, Thomas (2019), Wachstumsperspektiven der digitalen Transformation - Wird der ökonomische Mehrwert der Digitalisierung in der Volkswirtschaftlichen Gesamtrechnung angemessen abgebildet?, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung Forschungsförderung Working Paper Nr. 142, Düsseldorf. Download
Peters, Bettina, Pierre Mohnen, Marianne Saam, Florence Blandinières, Martin Hud, Bastian Krieger and Thomas Niebel (2018), Innovationsaktivitäten als Ursache des Productivity Slowdowns? Eine Literaturstudie, Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem Nr. 10-2018, Berlin. Download
Niebel, Thomas, Fabienne Rasel and Steffen Viete (2017), BIG Data – BIG Gains? Empirical Evidence on the Link Between Big Data Analytics and Innovation, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 17-053, Mannheim. Download
Saam, Marianne and Thomas Niebel (2016), Vergleich der Ausgaben für Digitalisierungsprojekte im Mittelstand mit den gesamtwirtschaftlichen IKT-Investitionen, ZEW-Dokumentation No. 16-02, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Wolfgang Briglauer, Kai Hüschelrath, Benedikt Kauf and Thomas Niebel (2016), The Economic Impacts of Telecommunications Networks and Broadband Internet: A Survey, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 16-056, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene and Thomas Niebel (2015), Mobile and More Productive? Firm-Level Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Mobile Internet Use, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 15-090, Mannheim. Download
Niebel, Thomas (2014), ICT and Economic Growth – Comparing Developing, Emerging and Developed Countries, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 14-117, Mannheim. Download
Chen, Wen, Thomas Niebel and Marianne Saam (2014), Are Intangibles More Productive in ICT-Intensive Industries? Evidence from EU Countries, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 14-070, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel, Jörg Ohnemus, Fabienne Rasel, Marianne Saam, Patrick Schulte, Katrin Schleife, Andreas Stiehler, Tobias Ortwein, Armin Heinzl and Marko Nöhren (2014), Produktivität IT-basierter Dienstleistungen - Wie kann man sie messen und steuern?, ZEW-Dokumentation No. 14-02, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene and Thomas Niebel (2013), Mobile and More Productive? Firm-Level Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Mobile Internet Use at the Early Stage of Diffusion, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 13-118, Mannheim. Download
Niebel, Thomas, Mary O'Mahony and Marianne Saam (2013), The Contribution of Intangible Assets to Sectoral Productivity Growth in the EU, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 13-062, Mannheim. Download
Breyer, Friedrich, Normann Lorenz and Thomas Niebel (2012), Health Care Expenditures and Longevity: Is There a Eubie Blake Effect?, DIW Discussion Paper 1226, Berlin. Download
Niebel, Thomas and Marianne Saam (2011), Productivity of ICT and Non-ICT Capital – The Role of Rates of Return and Capital Prices, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 11-083, Mannheim. Download
Niebel, Thomas (2010), Der Dienstleistungssektor in Deutschland - Abgrenzung und empirische Evidenz, ZEW-Dokumentation No. 10-01, Mannheim. Download
Expertises
Niebel, Thomas (2022), Der Beitrag der Investitionen in Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien zum Produktivitätswachstum in Deutschland, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK), Berlin. Download
Niebel, Thomas, Robin Sack and Mareike Seifried (2022), IKT-Branchenbild 2021 - Volkswirtschaftliche Kennzahlen, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK), Berlin und Mannheim. Download
Clausen, Jens, Thomas Niebel, Ralph Hintemann, Stefanie Schramm, Janna Axenbeck and Stefan Iffländer (2022), Klimaschutz durch digitale Transformation: Realistische Perspektive oder Mythos? - CliDiTrans Endbericht, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Berlin und Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel, Christian Rammer and Mareike Seifried (2021), IKT-Branchenbild 2021 - Innovations- und Gründungsgeschehen, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie BMWi, Berlin. Download
Heinemann, Friedrich, Albrecht Bohne, Patrick Breithaupt, Thorsten Doherr, Georg Licht, Thomas Niebel and Michael Thöne (2021), Studie zur Einführung einer Zukunftsquote, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Mannheim. Download
Andres, Raphaela, Janna Axenbeck, Irene Bertschek, Patrick Breithaupt, Rebecca Janßen, Emanuel Kollmann, Thomas Niebel, Simon Reif and Mareike Seifried (2021), Metastudie – Chancen und Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung in Baden-Württemberg, Ministerium für Inneres, Digitalisierung und Migration Baden-Württemberg; Staatsministerium Baden-Württemberg; Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Daniel Erdsiek, Thomas Niebel, Bettina Schuck, Mareike Seifried, Johannes Ewald, Thorsten Lang, Jan Hicking, Lucas Wenger and Tim Walter (2020), Schwerpunktstudie Digitalisierung und Energieeffizienz - Erkenntnisse aus Forschung und Praxis, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Büchel, Jan, Vera Demary, Henry Goecke, Christan Rusche, Alexander Burstedde, Barbara Engels, Oliver Koppel, Armin Mertens, Marc Scheufen, Jan Wendt, Johannes Ewald, Vanessa Hünnemeyer, Hanno Kempermann, Karl Lichtblau, Edgar Schmitz, Irene Bertschek, Thomas Niebel, Christian Rammer, Bettina Schuck, Frederick Birtel, Tobias Harland, Jan Hicking and Lucas Wenger (2020), Digitalisierung der Wirtschaft in Deutschland: Digitalisierungsindex 2020, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi), Köln. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel, Christian Rammer and Mareike Seifried (2020), IKT-Branchenbild 2020, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel and Christian Rammer (2020), IKT-Branche 2018, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel and Jörg Ohnemus (2019), Zukunft Bau: Beitrag der Digitalisierung zur Produktivität in der Baubranche, Bundesinstituts für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (BBR), BBSR-Online-Publikation 19/2019, Bonn. Download
Weber, Tobias, Irene Bertschek, Michael Weinzierl, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer and Thomas Niebel (2018), DIGITAL Economy Monitoring Report 2018: Germany as an ICT Location and Its Position in an International Comparison, Short Version, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Weber, Tobias, Irene Bertschek, Michael Weinzierl, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer and Thomas Niebel (2018), Monitoring-Report Wirtschaft DIGITAL 2018: Der IKT-Standort Deutschland und seine Position im internationalen Vergleich, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Niebel, Thomas, Marianne Saam and Patrick Schulte (2018), The Sectoral Impact of the Digitisation of the Economy, European Commission, Directorate-General of Communications Networks, Content & Technology, Brussels. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Wolfgang Briglauer, Daniel Erdsiek, Reinhold Kesler and Thomas Niebel (2018), Metastudie zur Bestandsaufnahme des Digitalen Ökosystems NRW, Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Mannheim. Download
Nicolay, Katharina, Irene Bertschek, Christoph Spengel, Ulrich Laitenberger, Thomas Niebel, Peter Buchmann and Ann-Catherin Werner (2018), Struktur und Volumen des Marktes von Internetdienstleistungen mit Fokus auf Drittlandsunternehmen, Bundesministerium der Finanzen, Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Martin Ebert, Michael Weinzierl, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte and Johannes Bersch (2018), Monitoring-Report DIGITAL Economy 2017, Short Version, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) , Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Martin Ebert, Michael Weinzierl, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte and Johannes Bersch (2017), Monitoring-Report Wirtschaft DIGITAL 2017, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Martin Ebert, Michael Weinzierl, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte and Johannes Bersch (2017), Monitoring-Report Wirtschaft DIGITAL 2017 - Kurzfassung, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Daniel Erdsiek, Reinhold Kesler, Thomas Niebel and Fabienne Rasel (2017), Metastudie: Chancen und Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung in Baden-Württemberg, Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg; Ministerium für Inneres, Digitalisierung und Migration Baden-Württemberg; Staatsministerium Baden-Württemberg, Mannheim. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Martin Ebert, Karola Ettner, Ansel Speich, Michael Weinzierl, Jörg Ohnemus, Thomas Niebel, Christian Rammer, Fabienne Rasel and Patrick Schulte (2016), Monitoring Report DIGITAL Economy 2016, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Martin Ebert, Karola Ettner, Anselm Speich, Michael Weinzierl, Jörg Ohnemus, Thomas Niebel, Christian Rammer, Fabienne Rasel and Patrick Schulte (2016), Monitoring-Report Wirtschaft DIGITAL 2016, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie , Berlin. Download
Düll, Nicola, Irene Bertschek, Bernd Dworschak, Pamela Meil, Thomas Niebel, Jörg Ohnemus, Tim Vetter and Helmut Zaiser (2016), Arbeitsmarkt 2030 Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt, Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, München. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Michael Weinzierl, Victoria Winkler, Benedikt Zieger and Rebecca Armbruster (2015), Monitoring Report: Digital Economy 2015, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Michael Weinzierl, Victoria Winkler, Benedikt Zieger and Rebecca Armbruster (2015), Monitoring-Report. Wirtschaft DIGITAL 2015, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Jörg Ohnemus, Anselm Speich, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Michael Weinzierl, Carolin Schneider, Chris Merklein and Maren Schuster (2014), Monitoring-Report: Digital Economy 2013 - Digitalization and the new working world, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Tobias Rachidi, Michael Weinzierl and Felix Schörner (2014), Monitoring-Report: Digital Economy 2014 - ICT as innovation driver, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Anselm Speich, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Tobias Rachidi, Michael Weinzierl and Felix Schörner (2014), Monitoring-Report Digitale Wirtschaft 2014. Innovationstreiber IKT, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Graumann, Sabine, Irene Bertschek, Tobias Weber, Jörg Ohnemus, Anselm Speich, Christian Rammer, Thomas Niebel, Patrick Schulte, Michael Weinzierl, Carolin Schneider, Chris Merklein and Maren Schuster (2014), Monitoring-Report Digitale Wirtschaft 2013. Digitalisierung und neue Arbeitswelten, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Armin Heinzl, Thomas Niebel, Marko Nöhren, Jörg Ohnemus, Marianne Saam, Katrin Schleife, Patrick Schulte, Andreas Stiehler, Eric Dubiel and Tobias Ortwein (2013), Produktivität IT-basierter Dienstleistungen (ProdIT), Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Armin Heinzl, Thomas Niebel, Marko Nöhren, Jörg Ohnemus, Marianne Saam, Katrin Schleife, Patrick Schulte and Andreas Stiehler (2012), Produktivität IT-basierter Dienstleistungen (ProdIT), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Mannheim. Download
Bertschek, Irene, Thomas Niebel, Vigen Nikogosian, Jörg Ohnemus, Christian Rammer and Miruna Sarbu (2010), Informations- und Telekommunikationstechnologien als Wegbereiter für Innovationen, Studie im Auftrag des BITKOM e.V., Berlin. Download
Research Reports
- IKT-Report
Projects
Current Projects
- Project Duration 01.05.2021 - 30.04.2024Incentives and Economics of Data Sharing (IEDS)
- Project Duration 01.06.2019 - 31.12.2022Measurement of the Digitalisation of the German Economy
Finished Projects
- Project Duration 01.05.2021 - 31.07.2021Study to Design a Future Share of Public Spending
- Project Duration 09.02.2021 - 15.03.2021Opportunities and Challenges of Digitalisation in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg 2021
- Project Duration 01.02.2020 - 31.12.2020SEEK Project 2020: Firms Going Digital: Evidence and Policy Implications
- Project Duration 01.01.2019 - 31.03.2021SEEK-Project 2019: Digitalisation and Heterogeneity
- Project Duration 01.12.2018 - 30.11.2021Climate Protection Potential of Digital Transformation (CliDiTrans): Micro- and Macroeconomic Evidence on the Role of Demand Effects and Production Relocation
- Project Duration 01.01.2018 - 31.05.2018Opportunities and Challenges of the Digital Eco-System of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Project Duration 01.12.2017 - 31.12.2019Contribution of Digitisation to Productivity in the Construction Industry
- Project Duration 01.12.2017 - 31.05.2020Investments in New Forms of Knowledge-Based Capital (INFOWIK)
- Project Duration 01.10.2017 - 31.10.2018Growth Potential of the Digital Transformation
- Project Duration 01.08.2017 - 30.06.2018Productivity Paradox in the Manufacturing of Machinery and Equipment Industry
- Project Duration 01.06.2017 - 31.03.2018Literature Survey on the Productivity Slowdown and its Relation to Innovation Activities
- Project Duration 01.06.2017 - 15.07.2017Opportunities and Challenges of Digitalisation in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg
- Project Duration 01.01.2017 - 19.09.2017The Sectoral Impact of the Digitisation of the Economy
- Project Duration 15.06.2016 - 31.05.2017Structure and Volume of the Market for Digital Services with a Focus on Companies from third Countries
- Project Duration 01.01.2016 - 31.10.2016Meta-Study on the Role of Broadband Internet on Innovation, Productivity and Employment
- Project Duration 01.07.2015 - 31.12.2018Monitoring of the Digital Economy
- Project Duration 01.07.2015 - 31.12.2015Determinants of high-speed broadband take-up and the impact of mobile internet on firm productivity and innovation
- Project Duration 01.02.2015 - 31.05.2015The Impact of Digitalisation on Future Labour Markets
- Project Duration 01.09.2014 - 29.02.2016Cloud Computing: Hype or Success Strategy? A Microeconometric Analysis of the Determinants and Effects of Cloud Computing
- Project Duration 01.12.2013 - 30.11.2016Smart Public Intangibles (SPINTAN)
- Project Duration 01.06.2012 - 31.05.2015Monitoring the German Information and Communication Economy, 2012-2014
- Project Duration 01.12.2010 - 28.02.2014The Productivity of IT-based Services
- Project Duration 01.09.2010 - 31.08.2012European Network for the Research on the Economic Impact of ICT (ICTNET)
- Project Duration 01.03.2010 - 28.02.2013The Impact of Service Sector Innovation and Internationalisation on Growth and Productivity (SERVICEGAP)
- Project Duration 01.01.2010 - 31.12.2012Indicators for evaluating international performance in service sectors (INDICSER)
- Project Duration 01.09.2009 - 30.09.2010Analysis and Assessment of the Economic Potential of the New Technologies Supporting the “Internet of Services”
- Project Duration 01.01.2002 - 30.06.2015ZEW ICT Survey: Diffusion and Use of Information and Communication Technologies
More Information
Teaching Activities and Stand-in Professors
-
HS 2016:
"Applied Microeconometrics with Stata",
University of Mannheim, Germany -
HS 2015:
"Applied Microeconometrics with Stata",
University of Mannheim, Germany -
HS 2014:
"Applied Microeconometrics with Stata",
University of Mannheim, Germany
-
HS 2016:
"Applied Microeconometrics with Stata",
Research Stays
- 11. – 11.2012 University of Groningen, Netherlands
Department
Function
Senior Researcher
Doctoral degree/habilitation
-
Doctoral degree/PhD
(12.2014),
University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,
Thesis title: Essays on Information and Communication Technologies, Services and Growth
