Sektionen Arbeits- und Industriesoziologie und Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung

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Sektionen Kultursoziologie und Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie

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Modellvergleich und Ergebnisinterpretation in Logit- und Probit-Regressionen

In the social sciences logit and probit models are often used multivariate data analysis procedures for binary dependent variables. Both procedures can be thought of as resting on a linear model for an unobserved variable y* from which a nonlinear model for the probability of y?=?1 is derived. We first show that compared to linear models this nonlinearity leads to problems of interpreting results from such analysis. In particular odds ratios (exponentiated logit coefficients) often used in logistic regression are problematic in this respect. Instead we recommend using graphical procedures and reporting (corrected) average marginal effects (AME). Based on a series of Monte-Carlo simulations we next demonstrate that the regression coefficients from logit and probit models should not be compared between nested models. Because model building in the social sciences often employs a stepwise procedure a method allowing valid comparisons of effect sizes between models would be advantageous. Results from our simulation study show that average marginal effects and regression coefficients corrected by a method proposed by Karlson et al. (Sociological Methodology 42, 2012) lead to satisfactory results in many different scenarios. In contrast, y*-standardized coefficients are of limited utility and coefficients from a linear probability model should only be used with normally distributed variables.     

Mentoring und soziale Netzwerke — Theorie und Praxis

In a permanently changing environment measures for staff development always win more importance. This article demonstrates with theoretical bases first, that mentoring and active networking represent suitable solutions for it. Furthermore the practical realization and the necessity of networking are explained and discussed with the results of an empirical study in the form of expert interviews.     

Kommunikation und Kooperation in Team und Großunternehmen

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Spielarten des Kapitalismus und Kompetenzen von Hochschulabsolventinnen und -absolventen

The assumption that differences in Higher Education (HE) systems can be related to Varieties of Capitalism (VoC) is the underlying hypothesis of this article. Drawing on the example of skills and competencies of HE graduates in the UK and Germany, complementarities between the educational and economic system are analysed. First, hypotheses about differences in competencies are deduced on a theoretical basis from the VoC-approach. Second, the analysis of data from an international comparative survey (REFLEX) confirms that these differences indeed can be found empirically: German graduates put more emphasis on specific skills, while UK-graduates stress more general competencies. Additionally, the fit between study and later job is closer in Germany. These results show, first, that the complementarities postulated by the VoC-approach can also be found for the field of HE. Second, the recourse on the relationship between economic and educational system can stimulate research in comparative and international education. Third, these findings are also relevant for the current HE reform discourse.     

Fremdheit und Unterschied als Hürde und Chance

This paper is based on the personal experience of persons who have been strangers themselves and discusses the effect of (actual and attributed) strangeness on a person’s identity within a group, the subjective perception people have of others who are different, and also the way groups handle this strangeness. The attempts to explain these experiences and the observed social phenomena within groups serve to introduce the issue of what role ‘difference’ plays in organizational development. Difference is perceived both as barrier and opportunity, a window to self-knowledge, learning and further development.     

Generationen-Management und Mitarbeiterbindung

The objective of this study was to verify the declining loyalty of younger employees by a quantitative method. Additionally, this paper shows the result of all identified generation management instruments in order to be able to prove the effects. The effects of generation management instruments were verified by five items: (1) loyalty to the organization, (2) emotional distress, (3) job satisfaction, (4) job identification, and (5) innovation performance.According to the results, it could be verified that employee retention increases with age. Moreover, the results suggest that by actively creating career opportunities, loyalty can be increased. It was also confirmed that good leadership increases job satisfaction and reduces emotional fatigue, which indirectly increases loyalty.     

Migration und Finanzkrise

This paper analyzes the impact of the financial and economic crisis on migration within Europe and towards Germany. The crisis has triggered a diversion of migration flows from the new EU Member States to prospering countries such as Germany rather than a large increase of migration from the mainly affected countries. Novel estimation procedures, which consider systematically conditions in alternative destinations, show that the overwhelming share of the migration surge in Germany can be attributed to the deterioration of economic conditions in alternative destinations. Furthermore, micro data from the new IAB-SOEP migration sample demonstrate that the share of individuals who did not immigrate from their birth countries in all arrivals has significantly increased since the begin of the crisis. The share of individuals, who have been non-employed before their arrival in Germany, has not increased in the course of the crisis. However, average education levels of new arrivals have declined.     

Figuration und Emergenz

The paper reconstructs the methodology of Norbert Elias against the background of his ontology. Thereby Robert van Kriekens thesis will be defended that Elias is a proponent of a “third sociology”. His ontology shows that figurations are integrated wholes. Human beings form the parts of this wholes and necessarily build up social relations based upon their “relational properties”. This model of social wholes builds the finishing part of a mereological ontology of layers of the natural and social world. Physical-chemical wholes can reductively explained, biological and sociological wholes are ontologically and epistemologically irreducible because of phenomena of emergence. This ontology of Elias serves as a background for his methodology which does not favour individualist but moderat holist or relationalist explanations. With a new definition of social emergence it can be shown that relations are central factors of sociological explanations which can be found in Elias’ historical-sociological studies.?Keywords:Norbert Elias ? Ontology ? Methodology ? Third sociology ? Part-whole ? Methodological individualism ? Methodological relationalism ? Relational sociology ? Emergence ? Figuration ? Micro-macro     

Stressmanagement und Personalentwicklung

Stress management is a main topic of human resources development. This article discusses therefore characteristics of human resources development by means of stress management and starts by presenting theoretical foundations of stress management, intervention concepts, and evaluation results as well as contexts of intervention and target groups. Demands for interventions in the area of human resources development are then specified. These demands touch neglected target groups like low qualified workers and intervention contexts as well as interventions at the workplace. The further development needs of the intervention process are finally highlighted. The intervention process should systematically consider the motivation for participation and not only the motivation of the employees but also the motivation of the managerial decision-makers. Furthermore the relevance of the analysis and its instruments, the intervention methods, didactics and evaluation methods are pointed-out. A new developed intervention concept for stress and resource management for low qualified workers is presented, in which these demands are seized and used.