The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) is a member of the Leibniz Association. IWH’s tasks are economic research and research-based advising of economic policy. The Institute conducts evidence-based research by combining theoretical and empirical methods. In the focus of its research, IWH investigates processes of economic convergence, the role of the financial system regarding the (re-)allocation of production factors as well as the facilitation of productivity and innovation.