Bildungschancen von Grundschülern: Die Bedeutung des Klassen- und Schulkontextes am Übergang auf die Sekundarstufe I

Do context characteristics of class and school have an impact on elementary school pupils’ educational opportunities in addition to the confirmed individual effects of social origin and academic performance? The paper investigates the influence of the contextual performance- and SES-level as well as of the ethnic composition of the context on the probability of (1) obtaining a recommendation for higher secondary schools (Gymnasium) and (2) effectively attending a higher secondary school. To this end, we base our theoretical framework on the distinction between primary and secondary effects, as introduced by Boudon (1974), and extend it by a contextual perspective, as well as the related decisions of parents and teachers. The analyses are based on a survey of all 4^th graders of elementary schools in the city of Wiesbaden (Germany) during the school year 2006/07. The context effects are modelled by using logistic multilevel models. The results show that the affiliation to both school- and class context explains about 10 per cent of the total variance of academic achievement. Additionally, there is evidence that the context effects significantly influence the individual educational opportunities in particular when the individual marks are controlled for (secondary context effects). Furthermore, especially the SES-related context composition influences the educational outcomes when controlling for relevant individual variables. With respect to the accomplished transitions to the Gymnasium, the performance level of the school also has significant impact. Contrary to previous studies, we could not detect any effect of the ethnic composition of the context when SES is controlled for. While there are effects of the class context as well as of the school context with the educational recommendation as dependent variable, only the school context is of relevance concerning the effectively attained school transition.     

Ökologische Validität durch Mixed-Methods-Designs

Due to their focus on variable-oriented comparisons and large-N samples, survey methods are prone to lack information on the context-specific, practical meaning of measured constructs. This issue is explicated via the concept of “ecological validity”. A sequential quantitative-qualitative mixed-methods-study on anti-American prejudice in Germany is presented to demonstrate how semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 22) can compensate for lacking ecological validity in standardized prejudice measurements (CATI-survey, n = 808, summer 2011). Qualitative analyses provide context-sensitive insight into the rhetorical functions of anti-American speech. They are used to generate explanatory hypotheses for correlations between anti-American, anti-Semitic, and racist prejudice in the survey data. This complementarity of research methods is closely connected to an enhanced theoretical perspective: The combination of attitude-based and speech-act-theoretical concepts of prejudice helps to increase construct validity in the example study.     

On the bivariate negative binomial regression model

In this paper, a new bivariate negative binomial regression (BNBR) model allowing any type of correlation is defined and studied. The marginal means of the bivariate model are functions of the explanatory variables. The parameters of the bivariate regression model are estimated by using the maximum likelihood method. Some test statistics including goodness-of-fit are discussed. Two numerical data sets are used to illustrate the techniques. The BNBR model tends to perform better than the bivariate Poisson regression model, but compares well with the bivariate Poisson log-normal regression model.     

Characterization of dominance relations in finite coalitional games

McGarvey (Econometrica, 21(4), 608–610, 1953) has shown that any irreflexive and anti-symmetric relation can be obtained as a relation induced by majority rule. We address the analogous issue for dominance relations of finite cooperative games with non-transferable utility (coalitional NTU games). We find any irreflexive relation over a finite set can be obtained as the dominance relation of some finite coalitional NTU game. We also show that any such dominance relation is induced by a non-cooperative game through β-effectivity. Dominance relations obtainable through α-effectivity, however, have to comply with a more restrictive condition, which we refer to as the edge-mapping property.     

Drivers of internationalization success: a conjoint choice experiment on German SME managers

Internationalization is a common growth strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, SMEs face several challenges within the internationalization process. As SMEs are characterized by limited resources, managers are constantly involved in a decision-making process concerning the allocation of the SMEs’ resources. Therefore, internationalization can be understood as a complex, multidimensional decision process. Based on a set of 2244 internationalization decisions made by German SME managers, the present study examines how eight strategic and structural factors drive the perceived international success of SMEs. When applying conjoint choice analysis, the results suggest that especially equity financing in the internationalization process, an appropriate market selection as well as proactive motives, and a long-term scope can drive SMEs’ international success. Moreover, it becomes evident that strategic factors are more relevant for successful internationalization than structural factors.     

Approximate versus Exact Equilibria in Dynamic Economies

This paper develops theoretical foundations for an error analysis of approximate equilibria in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models with heterogeneous agents and incomplete financial markets. While there are several algorithms that compute prices and allocations for which agents' first‐order conditions are approximately satisfied (“approximate equilibria”), there are few results on how to interpret the errors in these candidate solutions and how to relate the computed allocations and prices to exact equilibrium allocations and prices. We give a simple example to illustrate that approximate equilibria might be very far from exact equilibria. We then interpret approximate equilibria as equilibria for close‐by economies; that is, for economies with close‐by individual endowments and preferences. We present an error analysis for two models that are commonly used in applications, an overlapping generations (OLG) model with stochastic production and an asset pricing model with infinitely lived agents. We provide sufficient conditions that ensure that approximate equilibria are close to exact equilibria of close‐by economies. Numerical examples illustrate the analysis.     

Scheduling and packing malleable and parallel tasks with precedence constraints of bounded width

We study the problems of non-preemptively scheduling and packing malleable and parallel tasks with precedence constraints to minimize the makespan. In the scheduling variant, we allow the free choice of processors; in packing, each task must be assigned to a contiguous subset. Malleable tasks can be processed on different numbers of processors with varying processing times, while parallel tasks require a fixed number of processors. For precedence constraints of bounded width, we resolve the complexity status of the problem with any number of processors and any width bound. We present an FPTAS based on Dilworth’s decomposition theorem for the NP-hard problem variants, and exact efficient algorithms for all remaining special cases. For our positive results, we do not require the otherwise common monotonous penalty assumption on the processing times of malleable tasks, whereas our hardness results hold even when assuming this restriction. We complement our results by showing that these problems are all strongly NP-hard under precedence constraints which form a tree.     

A rational approach to pricing of catastrophe insurance

A methodology for rational pricing of catastrophe insurance is described. The methodology has two components: a solvency- and stability-based pricing framework, and an engine to quantify the loss variability that drives solvency and stability. Generalization to account for contagious effects of catastrophes and multiple occurrence of peril is presented in detail.     

Genetic tests in the insurance system: criteria for a moral evaluation

An increasing number of genetic tests are available as an early spin-off from human genetic research. Beyond their application in the context of medical diagnosis there are other possible domains of use: e.g. in the testing of individuals asking for life or health insurance. It is claimed that individuals with an increased genetic risk might have to pay higher premiums or, worse, might be unable to obtain insurance coverage at all. The main question discussed in this paper will be whether there is a right to health and/or life insurance coverage without prior genetic testing. The legal regulations of the use of genetic tests in the insurance system are various. While some countries in principle permit the use of (some) genetic tests for the calculation of actuarial risks, others banned genetic tests for non-medical uses; still other countries have not made any explicit provisions up to now. In the face of the attempted harmonisation of legal systems, as well as an increasing commercialisation of the international market for genetic tests, which neglects national borders, providing criteria for a moral evaluation of this issue appears to be a timely and urgent task. The view defended in this paper is that a right to health insurance without genetic testing is legitimised, insofar as health insurance belongs to the provision of elementary requirements, and insofar as the latter is everybody's moral right. On the other hand, it is implausible to postulate a right to life insurance without genetic testing – as long as life insurance is understood to be a part of one's provision of supplementary requirements.

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Zusammenfassung. Als frühes Beiprodukt humangenetischer Forschung stehen heute immer mehr genetische Tests zur Verfügung. über ihre Anwendung im Bereich medizinischer Diagnose hinaus gibt es weitere m?gliche Einsatzbereiche beispielsweise die überprüfung von Personen, die eine Lebens- oder Krankenversicherung abschlie?en m?chten. Es wird behauptet, dass Personen mit einem erh?hten genetischen Risiko m?glicherweise h?here Pr?mien zahlen müssen oder gar von solchem Versicherungsschutz ganz ausgeschlossen werden k?nnten. Die in diesem Beitrag diskutierte Hauptfrage ist, ob Personen, die sich keinem genetischen Test unterzogen haben, dennoch ein Recht auf Kranken- und/oder Lebensversicherung beanspruchen k?nnen. Es gibt eine Reihe gesetzlicher Regelungen zum Einsatz genetischer Tests im Bereich des Versicherungssystems. W?hrend die Anwendung (mancher) genetischer Tests zur Berechnung versicherungsmathematischer Risiken in manchen L?ndern grunds?tzlich erlaubt ist, ist sie in anderen verboten, sofern sie nichtmedizinischen Zwecken dient. In wieder anderen L?ndern existieren bis heute überhaupt noch keine expliziten Regelungen. Angesichts der Bemühungen zur Harmonisierung der Rechtssysteme und der zunehmenden Kommerzialisierung des internationalen Marktes für genetische Tests ohne Rücksicht auf nationale Grenzen, erscheint es dringend notwendig, Kriterien für eine Beurteilung dieses Problemkreises unter moralischen Gesichtspunkten bereitzustellen. Der in diesem Artikel vertretene Standpunkt ist, dass ein Recht auf Krankenversicherung ohne genetische Tests insofern legitimiert ist, als eine solche Versicherung zu den Grundbedürfnissen geh?rt, auf deren Erfüllung jeder Mensch einen moralischen Rechtsanspruch hat. Andererseits werde ich argumentieren, dass es nicht plausibel ist, ein Recht auf Lebensversicherung ohne genetische Tests zu postulieren, solange die Lebensversicherung als ein Mittel zur Erfüllung einer zus?tzlichen Versorgung angesehen wird.

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Résumé. L'un des premiers sous-produits de la recherche en génétique humaine a conduit à un nombre croissant de tests génétiques, tests maintenant disponibles. En dehors de l'application qu'ils trouvent dans le contexte du diagnostic médical, ces tests se voient utilisés dans bien d'autres domaines : l'un d'eux étant par exemple le testage des dispositions individuelles afin de pouvoir passer une assurance-vie ou une assurance-maladie. Des voix se sont élevées, demandant que les personnes avec un risque génétique accru auraient à payer des primes d'assurance plus élevées ou n'auraient même au pire plus du tout le droit de profiter de la protection offerte. La principale question soulevée dans ce papier sera de savoir s'il existe un droit de couverture des risques assurance-maladie et/ou assurance-vie sans passer par un testage génétique préalable. Les réglementations légales décidant de l'usage des tests génétiques dans les systèmes d'assurance sont très divergentes. Tandis que quelques pays permettent en principe de faire usage des tests génétiques (ou d'en utiliser seulement quelques uns) pour procéder au calcul des risques actuariels, d'autres en ont interdits les usages à but non médical; il existe également des pays où jusqu'à présent aucune disposition explicite n'a été prise. Compte tenu des tentatives entreprises pour harmoniser les systèmes légaux et compte tenu du fait qu'en se commercialisant de plus en plus le marché international pour les tests génétiques réduit toujours davantage le r?le joué par les frontières nationales, il s'avère urgent de trouver à temps des critères permettant de procéder à une évaluation morale de ce point litigieux. Le point de vue défendu dans ce papier est qu'un droit à une assurance-maladie sans testage génétique est légitimé dans la mesure où, comme mon argumentation le montrera, une assurance-maladie fait partie des droits élémentaires aux pensions de retraite et dans la mesure où ces dernières constituent pour chacun un droit moral. D'un autre c?té, j'invoquerai le fait qu'il n'est guère plausible de postuler un droit à une assurance-vie sans un testage génétique préalable – tant qu'une assurance-vie est comprise comme faisant partie des conditions supplémentaires exigées par les pensions de retraite.

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