Measuring technological breadth and depth of patent documents using Rao’s Quadratic Entropy

ABSTRACT

In this article we propose indices for technological breadth and depth of patent documents. We conceptually compare and contrast several indices that have been used in the existing literature, explaining main limitations. Motivated by the drawbacks of those we demonstrate how Rao’s Quadratic Entropy, a statistical index used in ecology for measuring biodiversity, can be decomposed to separately measure technological breadth and depth. The properties of breadth and depth are then investigated using patents for business data processing. For the technological domains with the highest patenting activity, we show how the novel measures of technological breadth and depth can be used to rank the patenting entities by average breadth, and identify ones with inventions that on average exceed the domain-specific average depth. Practical implications of the proposed indices are also exemplified and discussed in the context of competitor analysis for entrepreneurial ventures in the area of network security for business data processing.     

On Collision Course : The European Central Bank,Monetary Policy,and the Nordic Welfare Model

The question addressed in this paper is whether a particular discursive construction of globalization sets the boundaries for what is politically feasible within the EU. To answer this question, the macroeconomic policies of the European Monetary and Economic Union with its rigid emphasis on price stability are analysed in the context of the Nordic promise to preserve the present level of social programmes. What makes this 'puzzle' so interesting is that for the first time a large section of women voters hold the key to joining EMU. The analysis differs frommanyother feminist approaches to EMUand equal opportunity policy in that it combines a constructivist understanding of EMU with feminist political economy. The paper concludes that the Nordic promise to its female constituency to safeguard the present socialandemployment system cannot be sustained within the context of the restrictive monetary regime institutionalized by EMU. Feminist economists are calling for a 'transformative' approach to macroeconomics arguing that democratizing the process of macroeconomic policy making is a crucial element in changing the fundamental assumptions of the present neo-liberal policies and provides an alternative that would lead to a more gender-democratic Europe.     

Zambian Women in South Africa: Insights Into Health Experiences of Labia Elongation

Labia minora elongation consists in the manual stretching of the inner lips of the external genitalia. This practice is documented in east and southern Africa. The experiences of African women in the diaspora practicing elongation are not thoroughly understood. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the health harms and benefits associated with this practice of Zambian women who have migrated to Cape Town, South Africa. Twenty women and seventeen men participated in this study. Between December 2013 and May 2014, in-depth interviews and natural group discussions were conducted with the participants. The focus of this article is to report on the emic of the women related to notions of health, hygiene, and well-being. Labial elongation is perceived as a practice involving minor, short-term adverse effects that can be prevented by following some basic hygiene. Overall, personal and social value is placed on this practice because of its reported benefits for the sexual health of men and women, and for women's femininity and self-image. Further research is necessary on how female genital modifications influence Zambians’ sexual preferences to inform the development of culturally appropriate health promotion interventions.     

Wie gefährlich kann Supervision sein?

Risks for side effects and damage that can occur through supervision are a rarely discussed topic. This article originates in the Department of Psychotherapy and Bio-psychosocial Health of the Danube University Krems and gathers data from various research studies on the subject. Statements from literature analysis, supervision-experts and (damaged) supervisees about structure and process variables are combined in a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative empirical data: personality and competence of the supervisor, contracting and setting of supervision, matching, supervisors interventions and dealing with secrecy as well as conditions of risk for damages and injuries in supervision. In addition, definitions for risk, damage and side effects, as well as implications for quality-management in supervision are outlined.     

Stressmanagement und Führungskräfte

The state-of-the-art in worksite stress management interventions (wSMI) with focus on the executive staff is shown through meta-analyses and reviews. The field is dominated by cognitive-behavioral, multimodal and relaxation trainings. These methods are effective on the individual level, however interventions with executives are rarely evaluated. New developments in wSMI are described where target-group and condition-focused methods are integrated on the basis of stress analyses. For executives, a coaching concept based on the specific demands, stressors and resources is developed with emphasis on the promotion of self-leadership and transfer plans.     

Starting Relationships with Neighbors After a Move Later in Life: An Exploratory Study

The authors examined eight personal and contextual conditions associated with starting new relationships with neighbors after short- and long-distance moves. A total of 625 Dutch movers and 1,936 non-movers (57–93 years old) were selected from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. OLS linear regression analyses showed that short-distance movers mainly started relationships with neighbors when they did volunteer work. Long-distance movers who moved to rural areas and felt safe in their new neighborhood or moved to areas with lower priced homes also started new relationships with neighbors. Contextual conditions appear to play a larger role than personal ones, especially after long-distance moves.     

Markt der Gefühle, Macht der Gefühle

The assumption of the commodification of feelings implies that emotions can become a commodity and generate surplus value. Starting from two concepts, emotional labor (Arlie Russel Hochschild) and affective labor (Encarnación Gutiérrez Rodríguez), this article discusses how emotion and affect can be considered as an effective mode of (gendered transnational) capitalist exploitation. It examines how emotions and affects can be considered as powerful resources both in the service industry and in domestic work. The article argues that the notions of emotion and affect may furthermore enhance a multilayered understanding of power that focuses on three dimensions: power as fabric of feelings, the power of transmission, and governing through feelings.     

Gender and Promotion in the Academic Labour Market

Several hypotheses are put forward with respect to promotion differentials between males and females on the academic labour market. These hypotheses are tested on the basis of a longitudinal data set of academic staff members at Utrecht University. The methods applied include Poisson regression, Negative Binomial analysis and Probit analysis. Full-time instead of part-time work and a Ph.D. degree prove to be efficient but not sufficient instruments for women on the academic labour market to catch up with men with respect to promotions.