Ans?tze einer Produktionstheorie des Serienanlaufs

Over the last few decades, the number of production ramp-ups has risen substantially due to the increasingly fast pace of both technology and product life cycles. Up to now, however, the growing significance of ramp-ups for companies and their development has not been adequately addressed by business science from a theoretical perspective. We contribute by outlining a research map of production ramp-up from a theoretical perspective and identifying outstanding ramp-up characteristics: the initially lacking control over production quality, advancing experience effects, and the varying intensity of production as the operationalisation of the production ramp-up-policy. Existing models are then being analysed, as to how far they are able to reflect the so-sketched phenomenon of production ramp-up. By subsequently introducing a model of production ramp-up based on elements of these models, this study is to advance the development of a theory of production ramp-up. The proposed model builds upon a dynamisation of Gutenberg??s production model in order to explain the characteristic curve of production ramp-up.     

Der Anwendungsbereich der Sharpe Ratio als Performancema? ist gr??er, als viele vermuten

The best-known performance measure is the Sharpe ratio. During the last two decades, many alternatives to the Sharpe ratio have been proposed. A common argument for using an alternative reward-to-risk ratio is the presence of asymmetry and fat tails in returns. This papers points out that this argument is problematic. In fact, in order to reject the Sharpe ratio as a performance measure one has to reject the hypotheses that the funds?? returns satisfy the location and scale property (see Sinn. Economic Decisions Under Uncertainty, 2?Aufl. Amsterdam, 1983; Meyer. American Economic Review 77:421?C430, 1987) or it generalization (see Meyer and Rasche. The Economic Journal 102(410):91?C106, 1992). This shows that the Sharpe ratio is better than many people think. Use of the Sharpe ratio is justified even in the presence of asymmetry and fat tails.     

Die Geld-zur��ck-Garantie �C Mehr als nur ein Qualit?tsindikator?

Money-back guarantees have become an increasingly popular tool for marketing managers??mainly because they are regarded as an effective means to signal product quality. However, from an academic perspective there is sparse empirical evidence on whether such a signaling effect really exists and, most importantly, whether it influences consumer decision making. Hence, the objective of the paper is to empirically analyze the consequences of money-back guarantees on consumer buying behavior in a holistic theoretical framework accounting for both cognitive and affective consumer responses. Our results reveal that the existence of the rather cognitively driven signaling effect of a money-back guarantee is contingent on several factors: Besides the type of the product (search versus experience good), it particularly depends on consumer knowledge as well as on whether a money-back guarantee is offered for a strong or for a rather weak brand. In addition, we show that a money-back guarantee also induces affective consumer responses which additionally contribute to consumer buying behavior. These responses are mainly due to the guarantee??s insurance function reducing consumer uncertainty about product features.     

Creeping-In als neues Instrument des Erwerbs von Unternehmenskontrollrechten ?C Taktische Meisterleistung oder unkalkulierbares Risiko?

A modern method for (partial) acquisitions is the so called creeping-in tactic. In this procedure the acquirer uses cash settled equity swaps to undermine WpHG notification requirements systematically until she holds at least 30% of the voting rights in the target company. In this case the acquirer has the obligation to submit a mandatory takeover bid for the remaining outstanding shares. In many cases acquirers are not interested in a complete acquisition of the target company but rather want to make use of low shareholder presence levels during the general assembly and therefore have the opportunity to significantly influence fundamental decisions like, e.g. allocation of the net income, corporate actions etc. The mandatory takeover bid has to be equal at least to the three months average share price. At first glance, this involves a high risk of an unintentional acceptance by the targets?? shareholders. The goal of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the mandatory takeover bid. We show that with a temporal shift of the mandatory takeover bid to a point in time when the share price is above the three months average share price an unintentional acceptance is virtually impossible. In a logit-regression company specific context factors for the acceptance risk are indentified and rejected.     

Coaching als Befähigung

Coaching as an instrument of staff development is becoming increasingly popular. The different coaching concepts comprehend praxeological and methodological orientations, and their metatheoretical base often remains largely unreflected. This paper situates coaching as a distinct profession with a stand-alone approach within the sciences. In the sense that coaching processes transcend conflicts and presented topics on underlying needs attributed to significant connection points to the theories Johan Galtung and the “capability approach” resulting in the tradition of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. This is preceded by a meta-theoretical localization of the process of a praxeology of coaching.     

Geschichten erzählen als Beratungsintervention

If the coach tells a story during a coaching then it is far more than just entertainment. But what is it then? The author reveals the basics of this rarely discussed form of intervention. He points to important aspects of the narratology, theory of cognition and theory of coaching. He makes clear what can be achieved through stories in this context and gives pragmatic tips for a successful input of this form of intervention. He also tells the story of how he has been disappointed by his son.     

Vertrauen als Merkmal von Beziehungsqualit?t: Modellentwicklung und explorative Interviews im Kontext sportpsychologischer Betreuung

A model is developed, defining interpersonal trust as the consequence of the individual??s evaluation concerning personal conditions and task conditions of counselling. Regarding evaluation, a situational, contextual, and global orientation is distinguished. Five expert-interviews are presented, aimed to test the structure and applicability of the given model in the practice. Goodwill and esteem for the athlete, both situational and contextual connected, were stressed by the experts as important for trust building so as the attribution of a trustful personality was. The interviewed experts ranked expertness as a factor of lower significance for trust building. Discrepancies between the theoretical model and the experts?? opinion refer to future research and opportunities to optimize counselling.     

Individuelle Freiheit als Grundlage normativer Ökonomik

The economic approach to CSR has been increasingly criticized as being too narrow to provide a basis for ethical judgments. However, economic theory makes an implicit but fundamental ethical judgment as it emphasizes individual freedom, premising that everyone should be free to make their decisions in the marketplace. I interpret this ethical judgment explicitly and derive three implications, which allow assessing the legitimacy of corporate action in a globalized world. More specifically, I argue that contracts must rely on the voluntary and informed consent of all people concerned to be legitimate. Companies have the responsibility to ensure that these criteria are met in their contracts.     

Ein Pl?doyer f��r Coaching vor dem Karrieresprung als fest installiertes Angebot in Organisationen

The occupational transitions of executives are considered in concerns of the conceptions ??Social Support?? and ??Sense of Coherence?? by a four structured model of a transition cycle. Furthermore the importance of a coaching that recognizes the specific needs during the single phases of a professional transition is described. After all the idea of a coaching is supported, which becomes a status of a fixed installation in organizations. The executives are accompanied through the transition in order to reduce the psychological and organizational costs and finally to commit them and their team members for a long-term employment. In addition the special change from an expert to an executive is taken into consideration.     

Innovationsberatung: Ansätze für Veränderung und Neues

In this paper we argue that a systematic organizational consulting approach can be supportive in fostering innovation and change processes in companies. We discuss the consulting approach in three steps: First, we present a scientific meta-definition of the term “innovation”, which helps to identify the major challenges for companies in being innovative. Second, we raise urgent questions which companies have to face in order to address these major challenges. Third, we discuss tools from our organizational consulting experience that support companies in answering these questions on their way to innovation success, therefore providing a useful basis for innovation consulting.     

Das Reflektierende Team als Methode des „Peer-Coaching“

The Reflecting Team as method of ?peer coaching“ Presented is the employment of coaching in leadership training to grant for the participants a ?peer coaching“ method (collegial case study) for the day by day operations. The scope is the expansion for the problem solving capability. As methodical procedure is a ?reflecting team“, which originally was developped in the systemic psychotherapy and is applied as well as supervisory tool in a modified form. Application possibilities and methodical procedures as frame conditions are described. The feed back by the participants refering to usefullness and practical results are in general of positiv relevance.     

Mehr als nur Überleben — Anerkennung und Selbstbehauptung

More than survive — acknoledgement and self-assertiveness. Coaching for feministic researchers The need for coaching for feminist women academics arises from the unfavourable conditions of their employment at Universities. This relates, in particular, to the conditions which are important for professional ?power“ such as the need for acknowledgement and the opportunity for assertiveness. Group coaching for women, in this case, serves to strengthen women’s belief in themselves which then becomes a resource and a basis for self-assertiveness. Solidarity and a long-term career perspective are indispensable.     

Das Planspiel Burgschwand als Erwerbsförderungsmaßnahme

Occupational qualifications, social and interpersonal competency as well as methodical background are highly important in working life. For the professional integration and/or reintegration into the labour market, it is essential to be aware of one’s knowledge and abilities. Different strategies and support structures for career improvement such as the simulation game Burgschwand, aim at a self-reflexive engagement with above mentioned competencies. Self-confidence for job hunting, defined career goals as well as increased motivation and drive are results of such methods and are discussed in this study.     

Innere Kündigung als Thema in der Organisationsentwicklung

According to the theory of psychological contract employees are redressing the balance in the employment relationship when they perceive their employer has not fulfilled its obligations to the extent that it could. The psychological contract breach leads to reduction of commitment and willingness to engage in organizational citizenship behaviour. Factors which can lead to a psychological contract breach are leadership behaviour, career options, meaningfulness of work, participation and communication. Organizational development should focus on prevention of psychological contract breach—especially by specific leadership development programs.     

Life-Coaching als Bestandteil von Führungskräfte-Coaching

Executive coaching represents a significant tool of human resources development and is applied to strengthen leadership and management skills. Regardless of specific professional issues on and around the job itself, experience reveals that personal issues should also represent an integral constituent of executive coaching. Indeed, managers do not only encounter professional challenges, but are challenged in their whole personality. Hence, executive coaching expands to life coaching. Based on a specific case study regarding work life balance the following article illustrates how life coaching may successfully be applied in a systematic manner and how the aspects function and human being are mutually dependent.     

Preis und Qualität als Dimensionen von Kompromissoptionen

This article deals with the question of how consumers cope with decision situations in which a compromise product exists. We examine how the compromise product's position influences choice probabilities. The products we test differ in price and overall quality rating. We present theories, which provide hypotheses on the influence of such types of compromise products and we conduct a new experiment to gain insights into the effects of a compromise product on choice probabilities. The results of the study show that even compromise products with a poor quality/price relation are frequently chosen. The loss in choice probability of the existing products depends on the price category the products belong to.     

Containing als Führungsaufgabe in Zeiten der Unternehmensveränderung

Globalization and its pressure for change poses increasing challenges to managers and employees. But unlike technical processes, the phases of mental development required in human beings cannot be accelerated at will. On the emotional level, it is therefore about dealing with increasing expectations, frustration and interpersonal tensions. It requires a practicable approach to work with emotionally stressed situations, such as the container-container model. The paper examines the effectiveness of the model in the organizational life with regard to change and executive recruitment.     

Der Körper als Ressource in individuellen Veränderungsprozessen

Nowadays the focus on the rational mind dominates big parts of our society. The body and emotions as helpful information are underestimated. The integration and systematical utilization of body based information in coaching processes is an adjuvant approach. This article reports the neurophysiological and -biological basis of behavioural patterns and outlines how to change these patterns applying different methods which use body based information. An example case illustrates the practical implication of the referred theories.     

Bewusster Umgang mit Übertragungsphänomenen als Management Soft Skill

The author presents the psychological concept of transference and it’s relevance for daily management life in companies. This aspect can above all be found in hierarchical working relationships were the transference of unsolved and repressed conflicts of collaborators coming from their personal biography appear rather frequently. But also the dynamics within teams may be influenced by transference phenomena. Explanation is given how these transference-based conflicts can develop counterproductive dynamics. Based on three case examples the author illustrates these dynamics. He finally comes to the conclusion that the knowledge of the transference phenomena and how to deal with them consciously is an important management soft skill that improves manager’s and leader’s efficiency.