Einflussfaktoren auf die Wahl einer Markteintrittsstrategie: Eine meta-analytische Untersuchung der Entscheidung zwischen Tochtergesellschaft und Kooperation

Zusammenfassung: Die Wahl einer Markteintrittsstrategie, eine der wichtigsten Entscheidungen im Kontext der Internationalisierung, wurde in zahlreichen empirischen Untersuchungen analysiert. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse sind vielfältig, teilweise kontrovers und nur noch schwer zu überschauen. In der vorliegenden Meta-Analyse werden empirische Ergebnisse zur Entscheidung zwischen den Alternativen Tochtergesellschaft und Kooperation integriert. Auf Basis von 61 empirischen Untersuchungen wird analysiert, welche Einflussfaktoren auf die Entscheidung bislang betrachtet wurden und welche bei der Kombination der bisherigen Studienergebnisse einen signifikanten Einfluss aufweisen. Zugleich wird ein Bezug zu unterschiedlichen theoretischen Ansätzen, welche einen Erklärungsbeitrag zur Wahl der Markteintrittsentscheidung liefern, hergestellt. Als Ergebnisse können zusammenfassend signifikante Einflüsse der Mitarbeiterzahl des Unternehmens, der Machtabstandstoleranz im Stammland, der landesspezifischen internationalen Erfahrung, der Werbe- und Exportintensität, der internationalen Produktdiversifikation, des Marktwachstums, der Ressourcen-Intensität der Auslandseinheit, der Marktgröße, der staatlichen Restriktionen im Gastland und des Länderrisikos festgestellt werden. Nicht-signifikante Ergebnisse werden für eine Vielzahl von Variablen erzielt, so für die Faktorspezifität, die F&E-Intensität, die Größe der Tochtergesellschaft, das Vermögen und den Umsatz des Unternehmen

The Transposition of the CSR Directive into German Commercial Law

Through the “Act to Strengthen the Non-financial Reporting by Corporations in their Management and Group Management Reports” (Gesetz zur Stärkung der nichtfinanziellen Berichterstattung der Unternehmen in ihren Lage- und Konzernlageberichten) (CSR Directive Transposition Act, „CSR-RUG“) of 11 April 2017[1], the German Bundestag implemented Directive 2014/95/EU (“CSR Directive”)[2] into German law. Following the European impetus, the CSR-RUG enriches the traditional repertoire of forms of action under environmental law by a further instrument. Already the regulatory context gives an idea of its atypical nature: The centrepiece of the CSR-RUG is the amendment of and addition to the Third Book of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch, “HGB”), which deals with the “trading books” of undertakings, i.e., accounting and reporting requirements. Since the reporting year 2017, large capital market-oriented corporations must report extensively within the framework of their annual management reports on their activities and effects in certain areas of “Corporate Social Responsibility”. This also includes environmental matters. The transparency and publicity this entails is intended to generate positive stimuli for more responsible, sustained and not least of all environmentally friendly entrepreneurial action.Following a brief presentation of the European legal bases and their implementation in Germany (I.), we will classify the provisions within the underlying concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (II.) and analyse and systemise the governance effects of non-financial reporting (III.). A few remarks on selected aspects of the chosen approach and its implementation (IV.) as well as an outlook summarising our conclusions (V.) will complete this article. By detailing the German approach to transposing the CSR Directive, this paper intends to provide an example of the challenges member state legislators face when complying with modern governance concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility by way of non-financial reporting obligations.[1]           Federal Law Gazette, Part I 2017, 802 et seq.[2]           Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 22 October 2014 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups, OJ EU No. L 330, p. 1

Cryotherapy in the paediatric airway: Indications, success and safety

Airway obstruction; Cryobiopsy; Paediatric bronchoscopyObstrucción de las vías respiratorias; Criobiopsia; Broncoscopia pediátricaObstrucció de les vies respiratòries; Criobiòpsia; Broncoscòpia pediàtricaBackground and objective Cryotherapy in interventional bronchoscopy is a new treatment modality, which has recently been made available for the paediatric airway. Lack of experience and safety concerns have led to hesitant adaptation. The aim of this study was to assess indications, success rates and complications of airway cryotherapy in children. Methods Bronchoscopists from medical centre performing cryotherapy in patients between 0 and 18 years were invited to participate in a prospective study based on an online questionnaire. Patient and participant data were collected between June 2020 and June 2021. Results A total of 69 cryotherapy procedures were performed in 57 patients a for three main indications: Biopsy (30), restoration of airway patency (23) and foreign body aspiration (16). The overall success rate was 93%, the remaining 7% were performed for foreign body removal and required a switch of technique. Restoration of airway patency was successfully applied in various pathologies, including mucus plugs, bronchial casts and post traumatic stenosis. The diagnostic yield of transbronchial biopsies was 96%. No severe complications were encountered; one pneumothorax following a cryobiopsy required a chest drain for 48 h. No child was admitted to intensive care or died from a procedural complication. Conclusion In this largest paediatric case collection to date, cryotherapy was safe and carried a high success rate. Cryobiopsy compares favourably to the widely used forceps biopsy and could replace it in the future. Paediatric bronchoscopists are encouraged to add cryotherapy to their armamentarium of airway interventions.Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL

From gradual spreading to catastrophic collapse - Reconstruction of the 1888 Ritter Island volcanic sector collapse from high-resolution 3D seismic data

Volcanic island flank collapses have the potential to trigger devastating tsunamis threatening coastal communities and infrastructure. The 1888 sector collapse of Ritter Island, Papua New Guinea (in the following called Ritter) is the most voluminous volcanic island flank collapse in historic times. The associated tsunami had run-up heights of more than 20 m on the neighboring islands and reached settlements 600 km away from its source. This event provides an opportunity to advance our understanding of volcanic landslide-tsunami hazards. Here, we present a detailed reconstruction of the 1888 Ritter sector collapse based on high-resolution 2D and 3D seismic and bathymetric data covering the failed volcanic edifice and the associated mass-movement deposits. The 3D seismic data reveal that the catastrophic collapse of Ritter occurred in two phases: (1) Ritter was first affected by deep-seated, gradual spreading over a long time period, which is manifest in pronounced compressional deformation within the volcanic edifice and the adjacent seafloor sediments. A scoria cone at the foot of Ritter acted as a buttress, influencing the displacement and deformation of the western flank of the volcano and causing shearing within the volcanic edifice. (2) During the final, catastrophic phase of the collapse, about 2.4 km³ of Ritter disintegrated almost entirely and travelled as a highly energetic mass flow, which incised the underlying sediment. The irregular topography west of Ritter is a product of both compressional deformation and erosion. A crater-like depression underlying the recent volcanic cone and eyewitness accounts suggest that an explosion may have accompanied the catastrophic collapse. Our findings demonstrate that volcanic sector collapses may transform from slow gravitational deformation to catastrophic collapse. Understanding the processes involved in such a transformation is crucial for assessing the hazard potential of other volcanoes with slowly deforming flanks such as Mt. Etna or Kilauea

ERS International Congress 2021: highlights from the Paediatric Assembly

In this review, Early Career Members of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the Chairs of the ERS Assembly 7: Paediatrics present the highlights in paediatric respiratory medicine from the ERS International Congress 2021. The eight scientific Groups of this Assembly cover respiratory physiology and sleep, asthma and allergy, cystic fibrosis (CF), respiratory infection and immunology, neonatology and intensive care, respiratory epidemiology, bronchology, and lung and airway development. We here describe new developments in lung function testing and sleep-disordered breathing diagnosis, early life exposures affecting pulmonary function in children and effect of COVID-19 on sleep and lung function. In paediatric asthma, we present the important role of the exposome in asthma development, and how biologics can provide better outcomes. We discuss new methods to assess distal airways in children with CF, as some details remain blind when using the lung clearance index. Moreover, we summarise the new ERS guidelines for bronchiectasis management in children and adolescents. We present interventions to reduce morbidity and monitor pulmonary function in newborns at risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and long-term chronic respiratory morbidity of this disease. In respiratory epidemiology, we characterise primary ciliary dyskinesia, identify early life determinants of respiratory health and describe the effect of COVID-19 preventive measures on respiratory symptoms. Also, we describe the epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases, possible consequences of tracheomalacia and a classification of diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in children. Finally, we highlight that the characterisation of genes and pathways involved in the development of a disease is essential to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets

A20 regulates lymphocyte adhesion in murine neuroinflammation by restricting endothelial ICOSL expression in the CNS.

A20 is a ubiquitin-modifying protein that negatively regulates NF-κB signaling. Mutations in A20/TNFAIP3 are associated with a variety of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). We found that deletion of A20 in central nervous system (CNS) endothelial cells (ECs) enhances experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS. A20∆CNS-EC mice showed increased numbers of CNS-infiltrating immune cells during neuroinflammation and in the steady state. While the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was not impaired, we observed a strong activation of CNS-ECs in these mice, with dramatically increased levels of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. We discovered ICOSL as adhesion molecule expressed by A20-deficient CNS-ECs. Silencing of ICOSL in CNS microvascular ECs partly reversed the phenotype of A20∆CNS-EC mice without reaching statistical significance and delayed the onset of EAE symptoms in wildtype mice. In addition, blocking of ICOSL on primary mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (pMBMECs) impaired the adhesion of T cells in vitro. Taken together, we here propose that CNS EC-ICOSL contributes to the firm adhesion of T cells to the BBB, promoting their entry into the CNS and eventually driving neuroinflammation

Impact of donor lung quality on post-transplant recipient outcome in the Lung Allocation Score era in Eurotransplant - a historical prospective study

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an impact of donation rates on the quality of lungs used for transplantation and whether donor lung quality affects post-transplant outcome in the current LAS era. All consecutive adult LTx performed in Eurotransplant (ET) between January 2012 and December 2016 were included (N=3053). Donors used for LTx in countries with high donation rate were younger (42% vs. 33% ≤ 45 years, p<0.0001), were less often smokers (35% vs. 46%, p<0.0001), had more often clear chest X-rays (82% vs. 72%, p<0.0001), had better donor oxygenation ratio's (20% vs. 26% with PaO /FiO ≤ 300 mmHg, p<0.0001) and had better lung donor score values (LDS) (28% vs. 17% with LDS=6, p<0.0001) compared to donors used for LTx in countries with low donation rate. Survival rates for the groups LDS =6 and ≥7 at 5 years were 69.7% and 60.9% (p=0.007). Lung donor quality significantly impacts on long-term patient survival. Countries with a low donation rate are more oriented to using donor lungs with a lesser quality compared to countries with a high donation rate. Instead of further stretching donor eligibility criteria, the full potential of the donor pool should be realized