Kommunikation und Problemlösen in Gruppen: eine Prozessanalyse

This study analyses problem-solving processes in groups concerning the formation of contents and activities in the group, and such which are directed toward the task. Building on a theoretical model of group problem-solving, the communication process of three distinct groups, given a complex, non-dynamic problem, was encoded by means of a multi-level coding system to study the underlying thinking and action processes. The complete interaction was encoded episode by episode. On a macro level, differences in communication patterns depending on different stages of the problem-solving process were observed. Furthermore, on the micro level, single sequences of interactions are analysed. The underlying thinking and problem-solving process is discussed on the basis of these vare observed interaction sequences. A two-process-theory of problem solving in groups is proposed, in which ‘routine’ problem-solving is differentiated from a more elaborate form of problem-solving.     

Die Schere öffnet sich

Recent decades have witnessed some extraordinary increases of income richness in some countries. Even though many consider Germany to be different, recent research has found a strong increase of rich income households in Germany, as well. However, Germany’s data infrastructure on rich households is comparatively weak so that little is known on the causes of higher richness headcounts. This article discusses research and possible causes of the recent increase of household richness using a decomposition of unconditional quantile regressions and data from the German Socio-economic Panel (GSOEP). Comparing most recent data and the early 1990s after reunification, the most striking result is that the upper half of the German income distribution was polarized most by taxes and social security contributions which reinforce labor market related developments.     

Die Umstellung auf ökologische Landwirtschaft

Utilizing data from a recent postal survey of farmers in western Germany (n=657), this paper studies the influence of environmental concern on environmental behaviour in a rational choice context. The analyses reveal both an indirect and a direct effect of environmental concern. First, environmental concern increases the preference for environmentally friendly consequences leading to a higher expected utility of environmentally friendly alternatives. Second, even controlling for the influence of utility expectations, environmental concern increases the probability of environmentally friendly behaviour, indicating a direct influence over and above the indirect effect. The direct effect of environmental concern, however, can be observed only if environmentally friendly action alternatives are associated with higher behavioural cost than environmentally degrading alternatives. Apart from that, the effect of environmental attitudes is not moderated by utility considerations and the cost structure of the respective alternatives. In sum, these results do not lend support to the low cost hypothesis.     

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.     

Mein(nach-wie-vor-schöner)Prof.de

Tobias Wolbring argues in his replica to our article Mein(schöner)Prof.de (issue 4/2009 of this journal) that the presented empirical analyses would be problematic in several respects. He claims our sample was selective, criticizes the lacking control of relevant confounding variables and our statistical model building. In this response we consider Wolbring’s criticism in detail. We believe we can prove that his points of criticism do not hold after a close investigation. In particular, we think our central substantial conclusions can be maintained.     

Mein(schöner)Prof.de

Evaluations of academic teaching have become an instrument for the quality management in universities of constantly growing importance. This process is unproblematic as long as the quality of teaching is rated validly by the evaluations of students. The validity of the rating, however, becomes questionable as an influence of the teaching staffs’ physical attractiveness on the evaluation of teaching has been proved. This effect would only be compatible with an assumed valid rating of the teaching performance if attractive teachers would in fact show a better performance in academic teaching and are not just better rated for their attractiveness. We analyzed data from the German online platform MeinProf.de for the evaluation of academic teachers. The results show that attractive teachers very probably do not perform better. The attractiveness of female teachers does not have the expected influence on the evaluation of their teaching.     

Work and health in Gnosjö: a longitudinal study

This study includes women and men born between 1934 and 1953 in the municipality of Gnosj? in the south of Sweden and covers the period 1998 to 2001. Compared with the country, a large proportion of the population of the municipality of Gnosj? works in the manufacturing industry. The aim was to examine associations between physical and psychological stress factors in and outside work, sickness absence and cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases, from a gender perspective. Information about working conditions and other aspect of life was collected by a questionnaire in 1998, and register data about sickness absence, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal diseases 1999-2001. The impact on sickness absence consisted mainly of demand and control aspects of the psychosocial working conditions, but also temporary employment and of low sense of coherence. In relation to musculoskeletal health, demand and control was important among women, but not among men. Very few physical factors in the work environment were related to musculoskeletal diseases. Low sense of coherence had an impact also on musculoskeletal diseases. Cardiovascular diseases among women were influenced by demand and control and by life style related factors. We hope that the knowledge gained from our study makes it possible to develop better tools for both the preventive work in Gnosj? and for the rehabilitation of the people already ill. Because of our holistic approach, both public health aspects and working life aspects are covered. The municipality of Gnosj? is small, and therefore foreseeable in a way that many municipalities are not. Still, we do believe that our finding, in this longitudinal study, can be of value also in the public efforts and the efforts to develop adequate and successful rehabilitation approaches.     

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.     

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.     

Fragmentierung sozialer Zugehörigkeit in Unternehmen durch Ökonomisierung

This article focuses on unintended consequences of internal-marketisation strategies on employees’ social belonging to companies. By the example of two case studies, it shows that internal marketisation may foster a fragmentation of social belonging, specifically reflected by established-outsider figurations within the workforce. Moreover, case-study results highlight the importance of “third actors”, e.?g. management, for the fragmentation of social belonging at company level. Therefore, competence building of third actors is required to prevent or effectively deal with fragmentation of social belonging at company level.     

Können Organisationen nicht lernen? Facetten organisationaler Lernkulturen

Recently, the concept of ‘learning culture’ has entered the discussion on learning organizations and organizational learning, especially in the German speaking countries. Most of the academics, but also practitioners seem to use the term ‘learning culture’ in a particular sense as nurturing a self-directed, on-the-job learning of all employees. An implicit, often neglected assumption of this conception is that organizations can be divided into those who have a learning culture and those who do not. Although this idea of a dichotomy is also found in the discussion on learning organizations, it can be called into question. Past research has shown that (organizational) learning is a multifaceted phenomenon. Different organizations engage in very diverse kinds of learning due to the fact that they are facing varying environmental conditions. This brings us to doubt the idea of a ?one-best-way“ learning culture. Following the basic question, who learns what, how, when and why, the article presents a set of distinguishing attributes to distinguish between different types of learning cultures. Finally, yet unanswered questions and paths for future research are discussed.     

Religiöse Diversität und Sozialintegration im internationalen Vergleich

Following Robert D. Putnams (2007) thesis that ethnic diversity weakens social cohesion, this study addresses the social consequences of religious diversity. Instead of contrasting social-psychological mechanisms it takes a macro-sociological perspective that focuses on different structural forms of religious diversity and relates them to the trust relations within a population. The empirical results based on a cross-national comparison of 41 European and Non-European societies show that religious macro-structures are indeed related to social trust. But contrary to Putnam’s “hunkering down” thesis religious diversity does not lead to social anomia and isolation but has different effects on social trust toward religious in- and out-groups. Key is the result that different macro-structural forms of religious diversity have different consequences for social cohesion. The question, whether religious diversity poses a threat or opportunity for the social integration of society, therefore crucially depends on its concrete form.     

Virtuelle Arbeitsstrukturen durch Vertrauen,Zeitkompetenz und Prozessfeedback fördern

The article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation (GIO) deals with challenges of virtual structures of cooperation and of the team. It focuses especially on effects of personal characteristics, individual competence and team competence on team work and team performance in particular. Apparently, trust emerges in a different way in virtual working structures than in face-to-face teams. The discussion of the term ?trust‘ leads to a broader understanding of the development of trust and its importance, which helps to classify it in a process. Time competence is classified as particularly relevant to the emergence of trust, as teamwork becomes more flexible and team members take higher responsibilities than in face-to-face-teams. Control and responsibility move towards the members of the team, which in turn corresponds with a necessity for trust. Consequently, process feedback and transformational leadership can be identified as recommendable instruments for the enhancement of time competence and trust, which can lead to better team play. When taking a closer look at the role of leaders and team members in virtual environments, it becomes clear that reciprocity cannot be taken for granted in virtual teams. Differences in team structure as well as differing priorities in team goals throughout the team are similarly important as the frequency of contacts, the availability and reliability, or trustworthiness, of the individual team members.     

„Speaking Up“ statt tödlichem Schweigen im Krankenhaus

We describe the importance of silence versus speaking up for patient care. Silence is defined as intentionally withholding work-related ideas, information, and opinions. Speaking up or voice is defined as intentionally expressing work-related ideas, information, and opinions. Speaking up is not only important for error prevention and correction in healthcare. It also allows for working together in highly diverse teams in complex clinical settings in hospitals and is a core element of organizational learning. However, speaking up is rare in hospitals. Based on recent literature we describe that the scarcity of speaking up is due to organizational climates and group interaction processes rather than to lack of individual skill or motivation to speak up. In addition to provide speaking up-enabling ideas, using the concept of organizational paradoxes we provide paradoxical recommendations as humorous and unserious tips for increasing undesired silence.     

Wo lernen Kinder mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf besser? Ein Vergleich schulischer Kompetenzen zwischen Regel- und Förderschulen in der Primarstufe

Promoted by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, there is a trend towards the inclusive education of students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular classrooms. The present study addresses the question if achievement differences emerge between SEN students who attend a regular primary school and those who attend a school for special education. Based on data from the IQB-Ländervergleich Primarstufe 2011, a national assessment in German primary schools, the achievement of SEN students in regular schools (n?=?658) was compared to the achievement of students in special schools (n?=?413). Propensity score matching was applied to control for differences in achievement related characteristics between the two groups. After matching, SEN students in inclusive educational settings showed significantly higher test scores in German reading and listening comprehension as well as in mathematics than comparable SEN students in special schools. The effects were more pronounced for students with a special need of learning support than for students with speech and language-related special education support. Possible explanations for the higher achievement of SEN students in regular schools and for differential effects with regard to type of SEN are discussed.