Kumulative Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2019

This cumulative dissertation is divided into four self-contained articles, each analyzing important decisions during the life course. Rational behavior is the theoretical framework for each article. Starting with childhood, the first investigates the decision among various secondary school tracks following elementary school. The second examines the decisions after secondary school related to transitions from secondary track into apprenticeship training and from apprenticeship training into the labor market. The third investigates the consequences of a decision in early adulthood and analyzes wage differences for men based on the type of compulsory military service. The fourth considers lifelong learning and analyzes working hours and gender-specific training participation.