Estimation of production and demand functions for German, Austrian and Swiss non-profit theatres

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the production technology and the economic determinants of demand for the performing arts. Both the demand and the production function are estimated using econometric linear regression methods (mainly the fixed effects approach) on the panel data for the non-profit theatres in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Chapter 1 sets the context of the empirical analysis and introduces the institutional framework relevant for the theatres in the examined three countries. The main part of the empirical analysis in this thesis is based on the most extensive data available for German non-profit theatres being entirely state-owned and hence further tenned public theatres.