Franchise- vs. Neugr��ndung: Analyse der Einfl��sse auf Gr��ndungsart und Gr��ndungserfolg

The survey at hand uses a sophisticated classification between derivative and original founders to demonstrate that the group of entrepreneurs consists of several distinct sub-groups or types. With the help of personality traits (Big Five) we examine the different entrepreneurial types. We also investigate how the interaction of personality and entrepreneurial type influences success. The analyses were conducted with a sample of franchise founders (derivative founders) and new business founders (original founders) in Germany. The results in relation to the entrepreneurial type support the distinction between groups as differences were found in personality traits. With respect to the prediction of success we identify interaction effects between personality and entrepreneurial type.     

Das Erfordernis der Umsatzunabh?ngigkeit und die Konzentration auf dem deutschen Markt f��r Abschlusspr��ferleistungen

The German market for services provided by audit firms is characterised by a growing concentration over the last decades. Due to numerous scandals, an auditor is obliged to meet stricter independence regulations. An audit firm has to reject a client if it received more than 15% of its total income from the listed company to be audited at any time during the last five years and at the same time expects to receive more than 15% in the current period. It can be argued that this regulation accelerates the concentration process, while small and midsize accountants, which serve only a small number of clients, are suppressed. This analysis is based on the data of 442 Prime-Standard audits for the periods 2005, 2006 and 2007. The results show that the Big4-audit firm obtained an increasing market share in terms of clients (77% (2005), 83% (2007)) and total fees (96% (2005), 97% (2007)). Furthermore, it is noticeable, that in particular NonBig4-audit firms exceed the critical threshold of 15% during the periods under investigation. As a result hereof such firms must leave the market after five years. Hence, the German commercial code`s independence regulations may affect the audit market structure. The results suggest that an enhancement of auditor independence through income thresholds is in conflict with a reduction of market concentration. Furthermore, it can be observed that an increase in fees earned from a particular client does not impact auditor independence as long as the income threshold is not exceeded. In addition, internal auditor rotation, auditor engagement by supervisory boards, and the implementation of audit committees could also result in an increase of concentration.     

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.     

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.     

Steuerfreiheit von Gewinnen aus der Ver?u?erung von Kapitalgesellschaftsanteilen durch nat��rliche Personen?

Subject of this article is the question for the taxation of capital gains of holdings in corporations, in which tax effects are reduced. Thereby tax effects are explicated under realistic uncertainty. Under realistic uncertainty tax effects are possible in case of taxation of capital gains, but not mandatory. Furthermore the analysis shows that for capital gains from concealed reserves each form of taxation will entail tax effects. This also applies to tax exemption. In the case of capital gains from profit reserves in the applicable corporate income tax system, tax exemption of capital gains from profit reserves and immediate write-off of profit reserves itself evoke tax effects. In the current corporate tax system only the distribution induced write-down of a shareholding to going concern value reduces tax effects. Nevertheless, this only applies to personal corporations, for public corporations tax effects have to be accepted. Beyond the valid tax system, tax effects must also be expected in a tax system, in which the corporate tax is integrated in the income tax and in which capital gains from profit reserves are tax-exempt. In comparison, the Dual Income Tax as proposed by the German Council of Economic Experts is a better solution for the problem of tax effects caused by the tax exemption of capital gains.     

Das 360-Grad-Feedback zur Unterstützung der Kompetenzerweiterung von Führungskräften

Zusammenfassung:  Der Beitrag beschreibt die Einbettung des 360-Grad-Feedbacks in ein Programm der Führungskr?fteentwicklung. 360-Grad-Feedback ist eine Voraussetzung für die systematische Kompetenzentwicklung der Führungskr?fte eines Unternehmens. Darüber hinaus k?nnen die Entwicklungs- und Lernm?glichkeiten, die ein individuelles Coaching bietet, durch ein vorheriges 360-Grad-Feedback optimiert werden. Die bei ThyssenKrupp Services mit dem F?rderprogramm „best-for-best“ gesammelten Erfahrungen zeigen deutlich, dass die Kombination von einem 360-Grad-Feedback mit gezielten Coaching-Angeboten ein echtes Erfolgsmodell darstellt.

Effekte von ?Life-Coaching�� f��r F��hrungskr?fte in einem Gesundheitszentrum

This study evaluates the effects of life-coaching for high-level managers in an approved regeneration-center in Tyrol/Austria. This type of life-coaching consists of four steps, namely to analyze the life-situation, to de-block in case of disorders, to transform realizations into new attitudes and finally to integrate optimized thinking- and behavioral pattern in the daily routine. The effects of life-coaching were evaluated with a sound multimethodical design and the use of a control group. Results show that there is full satisfaction with the effectiveness of the entire treatment, but also there are significant differences between the groups with and without coaching.     

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.     

Wertorientierte Simulation zur Unterst��tzung der logistischen Prozessgestaltung bei der Stahlherstellung

In this contribution we propose a novel approach for the simulation-based design of steel manufacturing systems. We name it Value-oriented Simulation. It combines Riebel??s Generic Direct Costing with Discrete-Event Simulation. The two models are coupled by the quantity structure, which incorporates consumption functions for a technically founded calculation of energy consumption behavior. The approach is compared with a classical Discrete-Event Simulation and a Cost Simulation in a real-world setting of a German steel manufacturer. The results show that the approaches lead to different and conflicting evaluations of the logistics processes. Value-oriented Simulation provides a more accurate and technically founded decision-support. Furthermore, it reveals the benefits that a value-oriented control of logistics processes can generate in a real-world setting. All in all, Value-oriented Simulation constitutes an important methodical development for the design of steel manufacturing systems.     

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.     

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.     

Zum Einfluss der Mandatsdauer des Abschlusspr��fers auf die Pr��fungsqualit?t

This study provides evidence on the relation between auditor tenure and audit quality. It is motivated by calls for mandatory auditor rotation, which are based on concerns that longer auditor tenure reduces auditor independence and thus audit quality. Earnings management is used as proxy for audit quality and is measured by absolute and signed performance-adjusted-Jones-model discretionary accruals. Multivariate analyses, controlling for additional firm and auditor characteristics indicate lower earnings management with longer auditor tenure. This result suggests that, in the current environment, mandatory limitations on the length of auditor-client-relationship would result in lower audit quality.     

Die Organisation des Verdachts und „Das Leben der Anderen“

The film “The Lives of Others” relates two worlds to each other – the world of the Stasi (State Security Service of the GDR) and the world of arts, theater and literature in the mid-eighties during the GDR. A chief of Stasi eavesdrops and spies on life of an initially party-loyal playwright. Step by step the “operative process” transforms not only the life of the one, but also of the Stasi-chief himself, who becomes a secret accomplice of the opposition. The film gives an insight into the process of organizational erosion of surveillance and of cultural change, which by the end encompasses the entire political system. It emphasizes the question of a “good person”, the corruption and dependence on a power, and finally of resistibility against it by the good and the beautiful.     

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.     

Start up! Und was kommt nach der Gründungszeit?

More than 50 % of all start ups derail within the first five years. Key reasons are insufficient financing and the lack of qualified employees. The entrepreneur him- or herself as well is a risk factor. The case study shows, how an internet marketing agency has managed to survive. The complementary consulting took place during the 3 and 4 year of existence. It showed that the entrepreneur himself, who was the owner and managing director, was as well a risk as a success factor.     

Erwiderung zu den Anmerkungen von Georg Merkl zum Beitrag ?Quasirententheorie und Abschlusspr��fungshonorare in Deutschland��

The comments made by Merkl on our study Bigus and Zimmermann (2009) are generally not helpful. The arguments put forward are partly wrong, partly not consistent and partly irrelevant.     

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.     

Qualität in der Personalberatung am Beispiel von Instrumenten der Personalauswahl

Empirical evidence shows that personnel selection methods positively contribute to the quality of the personnel selection process, which is one of the main fields of activity of personnel consultants. Unfortunately it is repeatedly mentioned in literature that selection methods could be implemented more efficiently. Personnel-consulting agencies and self-employed consultants bear a lot of responsibility regarding these aspects: they should recommend proven selection methods to their clients. In this article it is discussed how the selection process can achieve consistent quality.