MICSIM: Concept, Developments, and Applications of a PC Microsimulation Model for Research and Teaching

It is the growing societal interest about the individual and its behaviour in our and 'modern' societies which is asking for microanalyses about the individual situation. In order to allow these microanalyses on a quantitative and empirically based level microsimulation models were developed and increasingly used for economic and social policy impact analyses. Though microsimulation is known and applied (mainly by experts), an easy to use and powerful PC microsimulation model is hard to find. The overall aim of this study and of MICSIM-A PC Microsimulation Model is to describe and offer such a user-friendly and powerful general microsimulation model for (almost) any PC, to support the impact microanalyses both in applied research and teaching. Above all, MICSIM is a general microdata handler for a wide range of typical microanalysis requirements. This paper presents the concept, developments and applications of MICSIM. After some brief remarks on microsimulation characteristics in general, the concept and substantive domains of MICSIM: the simulation, the adjustment and aging, and the evaluation of microdata, are described by its mode of operation in principle. The realisations and developments of MICSIM then are portrayed by the different versions of the computer program. Some MICSIM applications and experiences in research and teaching are following with concluding remarks. Zusammenfassung Das wachsende gesellschaftliche Interesse am Individuum und seinem Verhalten in unserer und in 'modernen' Gesellschaften fragt nach Mikroanalysen zur individuellen Situation. Um diese Mikroanalysen quantitativ und empirisch basiert durchführen zu können, wurden Mikrosimu-lationsmodelle entwickelt und zunehmend für ökonomische und sozialpolitische Wirkungs-analysen eingesetzt.