Completed under the academic supervision of the JKU's Institute of Economics, Alexander Ahammer's cumulative post-doctoral thesis titled "On the Economics of Health, Labor, and Risky Behavior" covers various topics at the crossroads of labor and health economics, including how mass company layoffs impact the health of those employees who remain at the company.

Those pursuing a habilitation/post-doc undergo an academic evaluation in regard to special qualifications that proves their ability to independently conduct academic/scientific research and teach the entire depth and breadth of their selected subject area [facultas docendi], This, in turn, is the prerequisite to grant authorization to teach that particular subject area.