Joint strategic planning between health and local authorities

This paper describes an approach to joint consideration of strategic planning problems between Health Authorities and Local Authorities. It is currently being pilot tested in the UK by two Area Health Authorities and their corresponding County Councils. The approach is most effective in planning the provision of health and social services for periods between three and ten years ahead and has been particularly designed for planning the non-acute services. These are the services for which joint planning between the health and social services is most important. Depending on local needs and planning priorities the approach may be used for one or more ‘client groups’ (the Elderly, Mentally Ill, Mentally Handicapped, Physically Handicapped etc.). In the pilot applications the approach is being used in planning for the Elderly client group only. The model now used relies on very simple assumptions, arithmetic calculations, and a heuristic optimisation algorithm, in place of a previous mathematical programming model originally aimed at national planning needs and then adapted to local planning. The revised model has achieved these simplifications, while extending the power of the model to fit local needs, by separating out different parts of the problem corresponding to different stages in the planning process, and developing techniques appropriate to each. In a companion paper² in this issue authors from the participating Authorities put their views on the pilot applications of the approach.     

Replik zu dem Kommentar von Jörg Laitenberger zu meinem Aufsatz „Nutzenorientierte versus traditionelle subjektive Unternehmensbewertung”

Zusammenfassung  Der Kommentar Laitenberger’s zu meinem Aufsatz „Nutzenorientierte versus traditionelle subjektive Unternehmensbewertung” befruchtet zweifelsohne an zwei Stellen die Diskussion um eine theoretisch fundierte Unternehmensbewertung. Zum Ersten arbeitet Laitenberger heraus, dass Konsumvorgaben ein Problem bei der Unternehmensbewertung beinhalten. Allerdings trifft diese Problemerkenntnis gerade nicht auf die von mir vorgeschlagene nutzenorientierte Unternehmensbewertung zu wie irrtümlich von Laitenberger angenommen. Laitenberger kehrt n?mlich die Vorgehensweise der nutzenorientierten Unternehmensbewertung um: Anstatt, wie von der nutzenorientierten Unternehmensbewertung verfolgt, Vorgaben für Stückzahlen zu treffen und damit Konsumzahlungen zu errechnen, gibt Laitenberger Konsumzahlungen vor und berechnet daraus Stückzahlen. Darüber hinaus sind die Vorgabe eines Konsums und die Vorgabe einer Stückzahlstrategie trotz der Budget-Identit?t gerade nicht identisch.-Dieser Irrtum Laitenberger’s bezüglich der nutzenorientierten Unternehmensbewertung erlaubt es mir aber, sowohl Konsistenz als auch Leistungsf?higkeit der nutzenorientierten Unternehmensbewertung nochmals herauszuarbeiten. Zum Zweiten konnte, angeregt durch Laitenberger’s grafische Erl?uterungen, ein formaler Beweis dafür geliefert werden, dass der nutzenorientierte Unternehmenswert bei ausschlie?licher Investition in das Unternehmen immer kleiner als der entsprechende Wert der traditionellen subjektiven Unternehmensbewertung sein muss.

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Der Fussballverein zwischen e.V. und Kapitalgesellschaft

The overcoming of the dilemma of members’ contribution and efficient goal attainment leads German soccer clubs to an organizational development process. Three patterns of overcoming this dilemma in clubs of the first German soccer league are discussed. After analyzing theoretical problems of clubs at the point of view of rational-choice-theory, we focus on the three patterns of overcoming the dilemma and illustrate each with a case study. For the case studies we choose three traditional soccer clubs from the Ruhr-area. The three patterns are: (1) The classical German club structure: In this case the control of the resource ‘provision of capital’ solves the dilemma ad hoc in favor of goal attainment. (2) The stock company structure without a joint investment structure: This pattern preserves the participation of the members only by representatives through the introduction of a supervisory board. (3) Limited liability company as the general partner of a public limited company (a typical German form of a joint stock company): In this pattern the soccer club is transformed into a company, which restricts the members’ participation possibilities to symbolic acts in favor of goal attainment. The organizational development process of the German soccer clubs leads in general to a democratic-flexible form of organization.     

Wahlbeteiligung im Lebensverlauf

This empirical investigation attempts to answer the question whether the change in voter turnout at the German general elections is related to cohort specific voting behavior of political generations, also taking into account age and period effects. Furthermore, it is asked whether the decline of voter turnout after the 1972 German general election is a statistical artefact of official statistics. Both questions are investigated with retrospective life history data about voting behavior of individuals from several birth cohorts. It is analyzed that the voter turnout has really declined in the 1980s because of the increased number of determined non-voters. There is evidence that the changes of the voting behavior of younger individuals in successive political generations results in the social change of the general voter turnout. While the effects of the citizens’ age on the voter turnout are minimal for the whole period between 1953 and 1987, the impact of period effects are less important for the historical change of voter turnout as often assumed.     

Patterns in perceived employment discrimination for adults with multiple sclerosis

Using multiple correspondence analysis, data from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1992-2003) were examined for types and patterns of allegations of discrimination filed by adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Women comprised the majority of the Charging Parties (n=687, 67%), and most of the Charging Parties were White (n=769, 76%). The total number of allegations studied (N=3,668) was divided into two datasets, specifically 1,142 occurring separately and 2,526 occurring as part of a multiple allegation set. The four most frequent allegations were related to discharge, reasonable accommodation, terms and conditions of employment, and harassment. Multiple correspondence analysis indicated that a 5 axis model was required to explain approximately 50% of the variance in allegation patterns, and no charging party or employer characteristics were related to the axes. Axis themes derived from perceived discrimination on the part of employers included threats to retention (2 axes), employer hostility, informal or formal employer actions, and barriers to career mobility. Results supported the need for rehabilitation counseling interventions to help adults with MS identify and address precipitants to discharge (involuntary termination) or constructive discharge (voluntary termination in response to an untenable work situation).