Dr. Markus Promberger, born in 1963 in Nuernberg/Germany, attended the Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) in Erlangen, where he achieved his MA-degree in sociology 1990. Until 2001 he worked at the FAU's Department of Sociology, where he did various research on industrial and labour relations as well as working hours items, especially on the "Four-Day-Working-Week" at Volkswagen, the reduction of working hours in the german metal manufacturing industry and entrepreneurship and labour relations in cross-cultural contexts. In 1999 Markus Promberger gained a Dr. phil. degree at the FAU. Since late 2001 he changed to the IAB's Department of Labourforce Demand and Innovations in Nuernberg. Markus Promberger is consultant to the German Metalworkers Union (IGM) and the Hans-Böckler-Foundation (HBS) on working-hours and collective agreements since 1992.