Professionelles Händlermanagement : Ausgestaltung und Erfolgsfaktoren im Business-to-Business Bereich

Die gesamtwirtschaftliche Lage, der hohe Wettbewerbs- und Kostendruck sowie die ständig steigenden Kundenanforderungen verlangen heute nach einer immer professionelleren Marktbearbeitung der Unternehmen. Insbesondere der Handel als zentraler Vertriebskanal im Industriegüterbereich nimmt aufgrund seines häufig gut ausgebauten Vertriebsnetzes, der Etablierung eigener erfolgreicher Marketing- und Vertriebskonzepte sowie der Nähe zum Kunden eine wichtige Position in der Absatzkette ein. Zusätzlich haben die Konzentrationsprozesse im Handel die Nachfragemacht und damit die Bedeutung des Industriehandels weiter erhöht. Auch wenn die Ausgestaltung der Beziehung zwischen Hersteller und Handel für viele Hersteller ein zentrales Problemfeld darstellt, nutzen bislang nur wenige Industriegüterunternehmen die Möglichkeiten der Ertragssteigerung durch ein systematisches Händlermanagement aus. Das Institut für Marktorientierte Unternehmensführung (IMU) der Universität Mannheim und die Unternehmensberatung Prof. Homburg & Partner haben deshalb eine Studie zum Thema professionelles Händlermanagement von Industriegüterunternehmen durchgeführt, an der 157 deutsche Unternehmen teilgenommen haben. Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt anhand einer fünfstufigen Vorgehensweise zur Umsetzung eines professionellen Händlermanagement auf, wie Industriegüterhersteller Ertragssteigerungspotenziale generieren und damit ihren Unternehmenserfolg systematisch steigern können. Eine Illustrierung der Vorgehensweise durch praxisnahe Beispiele erfolgt hierbei ebenso wie eine Darstellung der zentralen Erfolgsfaktoren eines professionellen industriellen Händlermanagement

INDIVIDUALIZATION CONCEPT IN HOUSING ARCHITECTURE

Although single-family housing in the city is considered higher quality and preferred type of housing, housing crisis, as a permanent actual problem in the world, requires adequate solutions. In this sense, housing in multi-family housing buildings can be considered as a necessity (social, moral, economic, etc.), but in fact, now and in the future, it is the main form of housing construction which can give the solution for housing problems. However, to make this housing type more attractive and acceptable to the occupants, it is necessary to improve it by the implementation of individualization modalities, and in that way make its qualities much closer to the preferred single-family housing

Charcot-Leyden crystal protein/galectin-10 interacts with cationic ribonucleases and is required for eosinophil granulogenesis

BACKGROUND: The human eosinophil Charcot-Leyden Crystal (CLC) protein is a member of the Galectin superfamily and is also known as Galectin-10 (Gal-10). CLC/Gal-10 forms the distinctive hexagonal bipyramidal crystals considered hallmarks of eosinophil participation in allergic responses and related inflammatory reactions; however, the glycan-containing ligands of CLC/Gal-10, its cellular function(s), and its role(s) in allergic diseases are unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the binding partners of CLC/Gal-10 and elucidate its role in eosinophil biology. METHODS: Intracellular binding partners were determined by ligand blotting with CLC/Gal-10, followed by co-immunoprecipitation and co-affinity purifications. The role of CLC/Gal-10 in eosinophil function was determined by employing enzyme activity assays, confocal microscopy, and shRNA knock-out of CLC/Gal-10 expression in human CD34(+) cord blood hematopoietic progenitors differentiated to eosinophils. RESULTS: CLC/Gal-10 interacts with both human eosinophil granule cationic ribonucleases, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN, RNS2) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP, RNS3), and with murine eosinophil-associated ribonucleases. The interaction is independent of glycosylation and is not inhibitory toward endoribonuclease activity. Activation of eosinophils with INF-γ induces the rapid co-localization of CLC/Gal-10 with EDN/RNS2 and CD63. ShRNA knock-down of CLC/Gal-10 in human cord blood-derived CD34(+) progenitor cells impairs eosinophil granulogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: CLC/Gal-10 functions as a carrier for the sequestration and vesicular transport of the potent eosinophil granule cationic ribonucleases during both differentiation and degranulation, enabling their intracellular packaging and extracellular functions in allergic inflammation

PARAMETERS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE HOUSING QUALITY IN SOCIAL HOUSING DWELLINGS

Abstract. Experiences of the countries with developed social housing sector indicate that the role of social housing should not be treated in a limited manner, considered to be just a roof over one’s head, whereby housing quality will be neglected. Contemporary approaches to the development of social housing models are focused on users themselves, with a special concern for the housing quality. Because the units of social housing have the minimal size, it is necessary to provide such amenities so as to overcome the shortage of usable housing space. It is also desirable that the design of social housing dwellings should have a simulative effect on the tenants within this areas. This paper discusses the spatial and physical parameters which could affect the housing quality of this type of dwellings. Key words: housing quality, housing standard, housing unit, social housing

Correlation of histopathological findings and magnetic resonance imaging in the spine of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease which affects primarily the sacroiliac joints and the spine. In patients with active disease, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine shows areas of bone marrow edema, the histopathological equivalent of which is unknown. In this study we correlate inflammation in the spine of patients with AS as revealed by histological examination with bone marrow edema as detected by MRI. We have compared the histopathological findings of zygapophyseal joints from 8 patients with AS (age: 30 to 64, disease duration 7 to 33 years) undergoing spinal surgery with findings in MRI. For histopathological analysis, we quantified infiltrates of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as CD20+ B cells immunohistochemically. Bone marrow edema was evaluated in hematoxylin and eosin stained sections and quantified as the percentage of the bone marrow area involved. All patients with AS showed interstitial mononuclear cell infiltrates and various degrees of bone marrow edema (range from 10% to 60%) in histopathological analysis. However, in only three of eight patients histopathological inflammation and edema in the zygapophyseal joints correlated with bone marrow edema in zygapophyseal joints of the lumbar spine as detected by MRI. Interestingly, two of these patients showed the highest histological score for bone marrow edema (60%). This first study correlating histopathological changes in the spine of patients with AS with findings in MRI scans suggests that a substantial degree of bone marrow inflammation and edema is necessary to be detected by MRI

Nitric oxide availability is increased in contracting skeletal muscle from aged mice, but does not differentially decrease muscle superoxide

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have been implicated in the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function that occurs during aging. Nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide are generated by skeletal muscle and where these are generated in proximity their chemical reaction to form peroxynitrite can compete with the superoxide dismutation to hydrogen peroxide. Changes in NO availability may therefore theoretically modify superoxide and peroxynitrite activities in tissues, but published data are contradictory regarding aging effects on muscle NO availability. We hypothesised that an age-related increase in NO generation might increase peroxynitrite generation in muscles from old mice, leading to an increased nitration of muscle proteins and decreased superoxide availability. This was examined using fluorescent probes and an isolated fiber preparation to examine NO content and superoxide in the cytosol and mitochondria of muscle fibers from adult and old mice both at rest and following contractile activity. We also examined the 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and peroxiredoxin 5 (Prx5) content of muscles from mice as markers of peroxynitrite activity. Data indicate that a substantial age-related increase in NO levels occurred in muscle fibers during contractile activity and this was associated with an increase in muscle eNOS. Muscle proteins from old mice also showed an increased 3-NT content. Inhibition of NOS indicated that NO decreased superoxide bioavailability in muscle mitochondria, although this effect was not age related. Thus increased NO in muscles of old mice was associated with an increased 3-NT content that may potentially contribute to age-related degenerative changes in skeletal muscle