Förderung freiwilligen Arbeitsengagements in Organisatione

Two leading questions about the issue on application of research on prosocial organizational behavior are: Who will profit from it? By what measures could it be promoted? The question of benefit is discussed by considering the interests of employers and employees, while the topic of promotion of prosocial organizational behavior is illustrated by considering research with regard to influences of mood at work and the meaning of intrinsic motivation for work performance.     

Die Eliminationsmethode – Förderung kreativer Ideen durch die Elimination bekannter Lösungen

This pilot study presents the first implementation and evaluation of a new technique to raise creative performances by eliminating common ideas and conventional solutions in a first step and subsequently generate new ideas. This technique is termed “elimination method”. The experiment of this study was conducted with individually working subjects, not involving group interaction. 30 subjects worked on a creativity task with the elimination method, 30 subjects worked on the same creativity task with brainstorming technique instructions. They produced 1919 ideas which could be summarized to 268 different cognitive elements as the baseline of the research. The theoretical focus of this study is to highlight the role of common knowledge in group discussion and the corresponding intra-individual processes and cognitive processes. Overall results of data examination were in line with expectations and support future testing of the proposed elimination method in a group context. This study was able to show that the instructions for the elimination method induced effects as intended, producing mainly common ideas in the first step and mainly new ideas in the second step, overall resembling the output of the brainstorming condition. The second step of the elimination method outperformed the brainstorming condition in producing idea output with a higher creative density and one-tailed differences were significant (p? =? 0.028). Furthermore, interactions between method and creativity measures were explored. Findings were connected to corresponding research where appropriate and implications for future research were remarked upon.     

Nutzenpotenziale und Effekte betrieblicher Gesundheitsförderung

Research regarding workplace health promotion (WHP) frequently neglects the employees’ perspective. Due to that, assumptions regarding the effects of WHP for employees are typically based on experts’ opinions but not statements from the workforce. The present paper therefore exploratively investigates the effects of WHP as perceived by the staff. The results of problem-centred interviews with 19 employees in three organizations, and the four people there responsible for WHP show that potential effects of WHP from the employees’ perspective can be grouped in five areas: (1) prevention is facilitated, (2) cognitive and affective changes are possible, (3) physical effects are observed, (4) emotional effects can arise, and (5) WHP can lead to social effects. As WHP’s potential positive effects can be hindered in case the employees’ perspective is not sufficiently taken into account, the individuals’ expectations and aims should become more central in WHP design and research.     

Informationsüberlastung bei digitaler Zusammenarbeit – Ursachen,Folgen und Interventionsmöglichkeiten

In this article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation (GIO) we analyze current research on influencing factors and consequences of information overload (IO) in team information exchange mediated by modern information and communication technologies (ICT). We consider, which underlying mediating mechanisms cause information overload in team information search and processing, as well as team decision making and communication information, and discuss possible interventions. We focus both on empirical research and on the differentiation between causes, resources and on team level interventions. Based on existing findings we draw implications for future research and practice. In particular we show, how leaders can avoid IO and can contribute to efficient ICT mediated team communication.     

Gesundheitsförderliches Führungsverhalten bei un- und angelernten, kulturell diversen Belegschaften

One of the most important factors affecting inequitable health opportunities is the work activity. The respective supervisor exerts influence on the subordinates’ health and well-being. This study investigates health-promoting leadership behavior among low-skilled, culturally diverse workforces through interviews with employees and managers of the lowest hierarchical level (N?=?53). Information and approachability as well as appreciative feedback and showing interest of the supervisor are identified as relevant target group specific leadership behavior. Health-promoting effects of work design, learning opportunities as well as strain the supervisors themselves suffer from were also examined.     

Förderung sozialer Ressourcen — eine gemeindepsychologische Perspektive

The subject of ?resources‘ has become a much discussed topic, even a buzzword, in the fields of counselling and psychotherapy in recent years. A problem-oriented approach is called for with equal perspectives which emphasize the positive sides of a person in terms of strengths and empowerment. Community psychology expands on this view of counselling and therapeutic work by focussing on context-related resources and how they balance with the individual potential of a person. Special attention has been placed on social resources which have been formed through the social network. In recent years, there have been a number of tested methods supporting networking. They indicate a suitable, resource-oriented approach complementing clinical psychological counselling.     

Gestaltpädagogische Konzepte und Praxen von Beratung und Förderung sozialer und personaler Kompetenzen in der Aus- und Fortbildung von Erwachsenenbildnern und -bildnerinnen

The article describes pedagogical Gestalt concepts of consultancy and professional development of adult educators. The focus change of the adult educators from teachers to consultants is outlined at the beginning. The changed role demands concepts of consultancy and professional development that can reflect and strengthen the self and social competence of the actors. It is shown that the design pedagogical concepts are particularly suitable because the promotion of the conscious perception of one owns’ body, needs, feelings and imagination and their integration into the self image of the learning person (client) are in the center of such approach. The concept and practice of ‘role-playing’ as part of the course instructors’ further professional training related to the design pedagogical concepts are documented in details using case-studies. It is furthermore detailed where the learning opportunities lie, related to the perception, self reflection and enhancement of one owns’ action potential for teaching and consultancy activities. The summary emphasizes one of the most important axioms of the design approach: It is not about a somehow newly defined nice person but about the paradox of change through precise perception of the actual situation.     

Netzwerkintervention und soziale Unterstützungsförderung — konzeptioneller Stand und Anforderungen an die Praxis

A short reconstruction of the social network and social support research history is a starting point for a critical reflection of the state of the art of network and support intervention. Target levels of social network intervention are systematically discussed. The urgent need for an evaluation of more network and support intervention programs is expressed. Important conditions of effective interventions are drawn from network and support theory, research and practical experiences.     

Ein Ansatz zur Förderung von Reflexionskompetenz: Fallarbeit in 7 Schritten

This article describes a didactical model for higher education purposes focusing on the development of theory driven and self driven ‘case reflection competence’. We (Telse Iwers-Stelljes and Renate Luca) have developed this procedure in the last 6 years and formative evaluated it in different investigations. Starting point of this project were the actual results on studies of antinomical conditions of professional teachers and students in the classroom environment and the intention to find a humanistic psychologically-oriented access to handle them. In the following, we are going to describe 1) the theoretical foundations of our researches to explain the context of our model, 2) its methodical implementation and 3) a case reconstruction based on an example reflected by one of our students.     

Das internationale Führungsparkett – Herausforderungen,Haltegriffe und hilfreiche Schrittfolgen

Managers and executives are increasingly facing the challenge of being successful in an complex international context. This article explains the specific demands international co-operation poses on leading executives. It offers encouragement as well as methods which could be used as ‘helping grips’ when observing and coming to terms with situations in this special working environment, with the objective of offering the involved players a larger spectrum of possible action. The first part describes concrete action fields of international co-operation that managers should pay attention to in their daily international work. The second part of the article dedicates itself to the fields of intercultural competencies that are helpful for leading executives. The concluding part deals with some highly demanding general challenges of international co-operation, which managers sometimes describe as surprising and overwhelming, and which are therefore good and quite helpful to know in advance.     

Organisationsentwicklung durch Gesundheitsförderung,dargestellt am Beispiel Krankenhaus

The public interest in the health status of the individual has increased steadily over the last decades. Organisations — as goal oriented groups of individuals-need health promotion too. The article shows, using hospitals as an example, that this can be an important task for corporate social work. In addition to fundamental reflections on the health damaging impact of hospitals on their staff this article describes as well concrete and practical measures of how health promotion can be achieved in companies.     

Die Entwicklung des Partnermarkts im Längsschnitt – Alters- und Kohortenunterschiede

For the first time, this study provides longitudinal research on regional partner market conditions and trends in Germany. It works with indicators of the partner market that are appropriate to theoretical concepts. Using ministerial regional population data, the study examines several assumptions about how the partner market alternates over the life course and differs between birth cohorts. It describes differences between partner market conditions of the sexes and shows effects on the partner market that derive from changes of the birth rate, from shifts in the prevalence and forms of couple relationships, from the expansion of higher education, and from migration.     

Das Fördern der Empathie bei Kindern mit FAUSTLOS

Preventing violence among children and youth is one of our society’;s major present challenges. Scientifically based prevention programs have been published to lower the level of aggression among children. These programs build upon the development of children pro-social competences to reduce aggressive and destructive behaviour. Furthermore, the promotion of empathy plays a central role in these. FAUSTLOS, the German adaptation of the US program Second Step, is such a curriculum developed for kinder-gardens and elementary schools. This program focuses on the development of prosocial competences fitting to the age and development of children in the following three dimensions: empathy, impulse control and personal anger-management. The effectiveness of FAUSTLOS has been proven in a couple of studies. More than 2000 teachers in German kinder-gardens and schools have been trained to use this program in their institutions.     

Der Wunsch nach Verbundensein – Achtsamkeitspraxis und die Entwicklung beraterischer Qualitäten

This article explores the potentials of a structured mindfulness practice for professionals like councelors, therapists and teachers who work in psychosocial contexts. Mindfulness is being looked at as a way of selfcare and nourishment for the professional her- or himself and effects on the relationship with clients or patients are considered as well. Recent studies show that an ongoing practice of mindfulness enables professionals in psychosocially demanding positions to foster caring and appreciative relationships with themselves and with their clients. A pracitce of mindfulness seems to strengthen the abilies of presence, connectedness, acceptance, appreciation and serenity.     

Demografische Alterung und Reformen der Alterssicherung in Europa – Probleme der ökonomischen,sozialen und politischen Nachhaltigkeit

Ageing is one of the long-term challenges for old age security in Europe, in particular for the intergenerational contract of pay-as-you go public pensions. The comparative macro-sociological analysis maps the demographic trends, political constraints, and social policy reform dynamics across Europe. Due to demographic ageing all European societies face long-term sustainability problems of their pension systems. Despite many reforms, European welfare states differ in the timing of retirement and the extent of pay-as-you-go public pensions. The comparison of ten European welfare states reveals the cross-national variations in reducing early retirement and in partially shifting to prefunded pensions. In addition to financial sustainability, the contribution also discusses other sustainability issues, particularly social inequality and political feasibility, which must be overcome in addition to the demographic challenge.     

Teamarbeit und Gesundheit – Der Einfluss von Teammerkmalen auf Stressbewältigung und Gesundheit bei Un- und Angelernten

To date, research on teamwork and health is sparse. This accounts for teams with low-qualified workers in particular. In this paper a work psychological model for resource and stress management in teams and a study with teams of low-qualified workers are presented (N?=?265 in 33 teams). Results of multi-level analyses show, that team resources in the social work system and understaffing in teams as a team stressor have significant influence on collective coping and explain team differences. Further, team resources in the technical work system, i.e. the quality of teamwork design have significant influence on psychosomatic complaints. These influences go beyond the influences of socio-demographic variables and individual job stressors and job resources.     

Typen religiöser Sozialformen und ihre Bedeutung für die Analyse religiösen Wandels in Deutschland

The article examines different forms of institutionalization of religion in Germany since the 1950s. Going beyond the classical church-sect dichotomy, we discuss in a theoretical part communities, organizations, market relations, movements and events as possible candidates for the structuring of religious communication. In an empirical part, we outline recent changes of social forms in Germany. By addressing divergent trajectories in the major German churches, smaller Christian denominations, immigrant religions and the evolving spectrum of new religiosity, we show that a general trend is not observable. The developments do not prove the often claimed ‘end of religious communities’. It rather seems that modernity produces a variety of religious social forms that seem to balance the tension between communalization (Vergemeinschaftung) and socialization (Vergesellschaftung).