Was kosten Kliniken? Zur Weiterentwicklung des Krankenhaussektors am Beispiel Berlins

The costs of hospitals. Developments of the German hospital sector evaluated in the case of Berlin This article illustrates the development of the German hospital sector evaluated in the case of the capital Berlin. Due to the difficult economic situation of the hospital sector after the reunification major reforms became unavoidable. Especially a reduction of the average days of stay per case created overcapacities of personell. But all the reforms which have been taken during the last years had to consider the major role of the hospital sector for the labour market of the city. On the one hand the article shows, that the reforms of the nineties have been successful also with regard to the important role for the labour market. On the other hand the restructuring of the hospital sector is not finished yet, there is still a need for further reforms.     

„Da gibt es Sachen,die macht man einfach nicht“ – Deutungsmuster von Banken im Kontext von Nachhaltigkeit und Krise

Banks in Germany are experiencing a profound legitimacy crisis. In the wake of financial and economic crises, failures, and bailouts, as well as new oversight and stricter regulations, banks have lost the reputation and trust they once had. The present article uses an analysis of interpretative patterns to examine how banks seek to legitimize themselves in times of crisis, with reference to sustainability as a guiding principle of society. Following the concept of social legitimacy by new institutionalism in sociology, and based on discursive interviews with 18 representatives of German banks, we reconstructed three interpretative patterns: a) the differentiation from “bad” banks, which abandons profit-maximizing business models and promotes the moral superiority of sustainable banking, b) responsibility for society, which promotes the role and responsibility of banks as socially relevant actors that spur social change, and c) “right” return, whereby banks seek an appropriate relationship between their value orientation and a return on investments. Although a return on investment is economically necessary and confers legitimacy, it may not be understood as an end in itself. Banks discredited during the crisis can refocus on a banking model which promises social legitimacy by referring to sustainability.     

In the Streets of San Francisco

The presidency of Donald Trump has occasioned critical repercussions within the field of American Studies around the world. This piece is a response from Germany: a country marked by the historical experiences of fascism and a socialist surveillance state, but a country that, in spite of the liberal pluralistic consensus that grew out of these historical traumata, now has to face a similar development as other Western countries: the rise of new forms of nationalist parochialism, racism coupled with white patriarchal nostalgia and a militant anti-humanism. The rise of a new right, the piece argues, must be regarded as the manifestation of deep insecurities about individual and collective identities which are increasingly defined not on the basis of achievement but on the basis of inheritance. Remembering an instance of ‘hospitality toward a stranger’ in 1979 California, the essay evokes the spirit of cosmopolitanism which, though currently under fierce attack, continues to thrive in the United States, thanks to the commitment of local civil actors, and which needs to be defended by comparatively minded American Studies scholars.     

Biografien von Coacherinnen

Biographies of female coaches. Conscious and unconscious aspects of the career development The article presents the major results of a qualitative research project. It shows the conscious and unconscious dynamics of the family-background which influence the career development of adults. The authors also show how this background becomes a resource and gets professionalised in the new field of coaching. A theoretic and methodic part flanks this article.     

Gibt es „interkulturelles Coaching“?

The definition of intercultural coaching depends as well on expectations and objectives of the clients as on underlying concepts of culture. To detect the required competencies of the coach we differentiate between coaching as intercultural learning, coaching in inter- and multicultural contexts and transcultural coaching. Taken these perspectives in mind, culture is and cultures are immanent dimensions in all coaching processes. Hence, in a globalized world of hybrid cultures and individuals the coach needs to use culture(s) as reflexive resource for any kind of coaching process and session.     

Decision support for vessel traffic service (VTS): user needs for dynamic risk management in the VTS

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) is a shore-side service implemented by a "Competent Authority to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic and to protect the environment". It is a service that operates through VTS centers, from which VTS operators monitor traffic, assist in navigational matters and provide information to all ships in a designated area. As VTS is provided by operators located on shore, they usually make use of several decision support systems to be able to monitor the traffic and to provide information to the vessels. Although several new tools and approaches have been introduced in the VTS domain, there is still room for improvements. This paper summarizes the results from three studies conducted within the EfficienSea project to approach user needs for dynamic risk management in the VTS domain. Data was collected by conducting study visits and observations at VTS centers, a focus group interview as well as several semi-structured interviews. The paper summarizes the results and presents technical and organizational user needs for dynamic risk management within the VTS domain.