Business unusual: collective action against bribery in international business

Collective action initiatives in which governments and companies make anti-corruption commitments have proliferated in recent years. This apparently prosocial behavior defies the logic of collective action and, given that bribery often goes undetected and unpunished, is not easily explained by principal-agent theory. Club theory suggests that the answer lies in the institutional design of anti-corruption clubs: collective action can work as long as membership has high entry costs, members receive selective benefits, and compliance is adequately policed. This article contributes to the debate by examining how these conditions manifest in the case of anti-corruption clubs in the realm of international business, with particular focus on the international dimension of many initiatives. This vertical aspect of institutional design creates a richer, more complex set of reputational and material benefits for members, as well as allowing for more credible and consistent monitoring and enforcement

Algometry to measure pain threshold in the horse's back - An in vivo and in vitro study

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to provide information on algometric transmission of pressure through the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues of the equine back. Using a commercially available algometer, measurements were carried out with six different tips (hemispheric and cylindrical surfaces, contact areas 0.5 cm2, 1 cm2, and 2 cm2). In nine live horses the threshold of pressure that lead to any reaction was documented. In postmortem specimens of five euthanized horses the transmission of algometer pressure onto a pressure sensor placed underneath the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues at the level of the ribs or the transverse lumbar processes respectively was measured. Results Algometer tips with a contact area of 1 cm2 led to widely similar results irrespective of the surface shape; these measurements also had the lowest variance. Contact areas of 0.5 cm2 resulted in a lower pressure threshold, and those of 2 cm2 resulted in a higher pressure threshold. The hemispheric shape of the contact area resulted in a higher pressure threshold, than the cylindrical contact area. Compared to the thoracic region, a significantly higher pressure threshold was found in the lumbar region in the live horses. This result corresponds to the increased tissue thickness in the lumbar region compared to the thoracic region, also documented as less pressure transmission in the lumbar region on the in vitro specimens. Conclusions Algometry is an easily practicable and well tolerated method to quantify pain but it is important to consider the many factors influencing the results obtained

Zwischen "Kirche" und "Welt"?

Die "Lust am Diskurs" als signifikante Begleiterscheinung der unter dem Begriff "Wertewandel" gebündelten gesellschaftl. Transformationsprozesse wird auch vor den Toren kath. Institutionen nicht halt gemacht haben. Mit dem Wissen um die öffentl. Auseinandersetzungen bzgl. der "Pillenenzyklika" Humanae Vitae, vor dem Hintergrund des II. Vatikanums widmet sich die Studie der folgenden Fragestellung: Wie viel "Platz" gestand die Amtskirche der "Welt", bzw. "weltlichen" Themen, seit dem II. Vatikanum im Raum "Kirche" zu, bzw. wie viel Platz nahm sich die "Welt" einfach selbst? Wie reagierte die Amtskirche auf die damit verbundenen Veränderungen und welche Konsequenzen ergaben sich für kath. Vereine u. Verbände, die sich zwischen "Welt" und "Kirche" bewegten? Die Dissertation geht diesen Leitfragen am Bsp. des BDKJ nach und zeichnet für einen Zeitraum von mehr als 30 Jahren seine Organisationsgeschichte nach, richtet ihren Fokus aber vor allem auf die Genese geschlechterrelevanter Diskurse

IGZO TFT-based all-enhancement operational amplifier bent to a radius of 5 mm

An all-enhancement operational amplifier operating at 5 V and comprising 16 n-type amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) is fabricated on a 50 μm thick flexible polyimide substrate. The operational amplifier has an open loop voltage gain of 18.7 dB and a unity-gain frequency of 472 kHz while the common-mode rejection ratio (CMMR) is larger than 40 dB. The mechanical flexibility of the amplifier is demonstrated by bending the circuit to a radius of 5 mm, which corresponds to a tensile strain of 0.5% parallel to the TFT channels. The bent amplifier shows the same output behavior as when flat. The power consumption of the operational amplifier is 900 μW, regardless whether the circuit is flat or bent

Wafer-scale design of lightweight and transparent electronics that wraps around hairs

Electronics on very thin substrates have shown remarkable bendability, conformability and lightness, which are important attributes for biological tissues sensing, wearable or implantable devices. Here we propose a wafer-scale process scheme to realize ultra flexible, lightweight and transparent electronics on top of a 1-μm thick parylene film that is released from the carrier substrate after the dissolution in water of a polyvinyl- alcohol layer. The thin substrate ensures extreme flexibility, which is demonstrated by transistors that continue to work when wrapped around human hairs. In parallel, the use of amorphous oxide semiconductor and high-K dielectric enables the realization of analogue amplifiers operating at 12 V and above 1 MHz. Electronics can be transferred on any object, surface and on biological tissues like human skin and plant leaves. We foresee a potential application as smart contact lenses, covered with light, transparent and flexible devices, which could serve to monitor intraocular pressure for glaucoma disease

Investigation of gate material ductility enables flexible a-IGZO TFTs bendable to a radius of 1.7 mm

TFTs on flexible plastic foils have the potential to enable new applications like electronic skins or smart textiles. Due to the temperature sensitivity of plastic substrates, amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) is a promising semiconductor since it provides a carrier mobility ≥10 cm2/Vs when deposited at room temperature. Therefore, a-IGZO TFTs have significantly increased electrical performance compared to organic TFTs, but also suffer from a decreased bendability. Here, focused ion beam (FIB) images are used to identify the gate metal as the dominant factor for the formation of cracks in bent a-IGZO TFTs. Flexible a-IGZO TFTs using a high-k Al2O 3 gate dielectric and different gate contact materials (Cr, Pt, Ti, or Cu) exhibit a similar effective mobility μFE, threshold voltage VTH, and on-off current ratio of: ≈15 cm2/Vs, ≈1 V, and ≥109. Simultaneously, bending experiments confirmed that their bendability depends on the ductility of the gate material. These findings are used to identify Cu as suitable gate material, and to fabricate a-IGZO TFTs on free-standing plastic foil which can be operated at a bending radius of 1.7 mm (1.55% strain), whereas bending shifts μFE and VTH only by + 2%, and - 6 mV. © 2013 IEEE