Dimensions of variability in Northern Khoekhoe language and culture

This article takes an interdisciplinary route towards explaining the complex history of Hai//om culture and language. We begin this article with a short review of ideas relating to 'origins' and historical reconstructions as they are currently played out among Khoekhoe groups in Namibia, in particular with regard to the Hai//om. We then take a comparative look at parts of the kinship system and the tonology of ≠Âkhoe Hai//om and other variants of Khoekhoe. With regard to the kinship and naming system, we see patterns that show similarities with Nama and Damara on the one hand but also with 'San' groups on the other hand. With regard to tonology, new data from three northern Khoekoe varieties shows similarities as well as differences with Standard Namibian Khoekhoe and Ju and Tuu varieties. The historical scenarios that might explain these facts suggest different centres of innovations and opposite directions of diffusion. The anthropological and linguistic data demonstrates that only a fine-grained and multi-layered approach that goes far beyond any simplistic dichotomies can do justice to the Hai//om riddle

Das Goodwill-Modell des Wettbewerbsmarktes: Vertrauen ermöglichen und Arbeitsplätze schaffen

The Goodwill Model of the Competitive Market Allowing for Trust and Creating Jobs Consumers often cannot judge the quality of goods and services at the time of the purchase decision. The goodwill model explains how the market participants deal with this problem. It makes a distinction between markets for search goods, experience goods and credence goods. In markets for experience goods the goodwill mechanism can ensure completely by itself that suppliers behave with integrity. The goodwill mechanism causes irreversible costs of the market entrance in the form of goodwill investments for new suppliers. These irreversible costs of the market entrance lead to the fact that established suppliers can permanently achieve prize and volume premiums if they behave with integrity. Established suppliers, therefore, abstain from a hidden reduction of the quality of their products. The strength of the goodwill mechanism lies in the fact that it adapts itself in markets for experience goods to changed circumstances of the market by changes in the communications behavior of the market participants and thereby it stabilizes the market development and optimizes the market result. Markets for credence goods, however, are, in spite of the social institution Goodwill, characterized by market failure. The root causes for this result are selected sporadic bad quality deliveries which cannot be recognized by the consumers as those. Suitable regulations to stabilize markets for credence goods artificially generate irreversible costs of the market entrance for new suppliers. These created irreversible costs enable the established suppliers of credence goods to permanently earn positive economic profits by behaving with integrity. Numerous regulations which exist today in functioning markets for credence goods establish such irreversible costs of the market entrance. The abolition of such regulations can lead to market failure. An example having a lasting effect even today is the transformation which occurred between 1980 and 1999 of the US banking system which developed from a system of separated commercial and investment banks to a system of fully integrated banks

Schweigende Lämmer und reißende Wölfe, moralische Helden und coole Zyniker: zum öffentlichen Diskurs über 'sexuellen Kindesmissbrauch' in Deutschland

'Seit Anfang der 80er Jahre avancierte 'sexueller Kindesmissbrauch' zu einem emotional und moralisch hochgradig besetzten Thema der öffentlichen deutschen Diskussion. Das Buch ist einer Bestandsaufnahme und kritischen Beleuchtung dieses Diskurses gewidmet. Die zentrale These identifiziert ihn als Schnittstelle für zahlreiche psychische und soziale Konfliktlagen unserer Gesellschaft sowie als Vehikel für ideologische und ökonomische Interessen verschiedener sozialer Gruppen. Mittels Analysen der einschlägigen, vor allem feministisch geprägten Fachliteratur sowie mehrerer deutscher Zeitungen (Bild, taz, Süddeutsche, Spiegel, Die Zeit) werden wesentliche Inhalte der Debatte vorgestellt sowie methodologisch und problemgeschichtliche Trends ermittelt. Der zweite Teil dient schließlich einer Erklärung des gewonnenen Diskursprofils: So vermag der Blick auf die Geschichte der neuen deutschen Frauenbewegung vielschichtige feministische Eigeninteressen am Thema zu demaskieren. Die feministisch auf die Geschlechterfrage angelegte Problemanzeige 'Väter als Täter' konnte sich allerdings nur deshalb öffentlich durchsetzten, weil sie zu einer Debatte um die Gefährdung und den Schutz von Kindern umgedeutet worden ist. Dieser Diskurs hat seine eigene Tradition: Es ist das Ergebnis (sozio-)historischer Prozesse sowie der Entwicklung ideeller, teilweise sogar mythisch erhöhter Kinder- und Kindheitsbilder, die - wie etwa das 'unschuldige' Kind - in der Missbrauchsdebatte als Projektionen wirksam werden konnten. Auch andere Themenkreise, wie die historisch sich wandelnde Einschätzung des Stellenwerts von Sexualität, der gesellschaftlichen Moral- bzw. Strafrechtsdiskurs sowie einschlägige soziologische Theorien sozialer Probleme vermögen es, neue Perspektiven auf das gegenwärtig virulente soziale Problem 'Sexueller Kindesmissbrauch' zu eröffnen.' (Autorenreferat

An empirical investigation of the efficiency effects of integrated care models in Switzerland

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> This study investigates the efficiency gains of integrated care models in Switzerland, since these models are regarded as cost containment options in national social health insurance. These plans generate much lower average health care expenditure than the basic insurance plan. The question is, however, to what extent these total savings are due to the effects of selection and efficiency.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> The empirical analysis is based on data from 399,274 Swiss residents that constantly had compulsory health insurance with the Helsana Group, the largest health insurer in Switzerland, covering the years 2006 to 2009. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the different integrated care models, we apply an econometric approach with a mixed-effects model.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Our estimations indicate that the efficiency effects of integrated care models on health care expenditure are significant. However, the different insurance plans vary, revealing the following efficiency gains per model: contracted capitated model 21.2%, contracted non-capitated model 15.5% and telemedicine model 3.7%. The remaining 8.5%, 5.6% and 22.5% respectively of the variation in total health care expenditure can be attributed to the effects of selection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Integrated care models have the potential to improve care for patients with chronic diseases and concurrently have a positive impact on health care expenditure. We suggest policy makers improve the incentives for patients with chronic diseases within the existing regulations providing further potential for cost-efficiency of medical care.</p

Der psychisch Kranke

Diese Diplomarbeit ist in drei Teile gegliedert. Der erste Teil behandelt den Historischen Rückblick der Psychiatrie; Eine Geschichte von den Anfängen in der Antike bis in das 20. Jahrhundert. In diesem Teil liegt der Schwerpunk auf den psychisch Kranken. Des Weiteren wird auch der Umgang der Gesellschaft mit diesen Menschen näher beleuchtet. Der zweite Teil geht explizit auf die Entwicklung einer psychiatrischen Systematik ein. Auch in diesem Zusammenhang beginnt die Autorin in der Antike und verfolgt die Entwicklung bis ins 21. Jahrhundert. Der abschließend dritte Teil behandelt die Bewegung der Antipsychiatrie. Mit dieser Gegenbewegung wollte die Autorin zeigen, dass es auch sehr viele kritische Stimmen in Bezug auf die Psychiatrie gab, die zum Teil bis in das 21. Jahrhundert reichen

Epidemiology and costs of multiple sclerosis in Switzerland : an analysis of health-care claims data, 2011–2015

Background: Medical therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) is expensive. Quantifying the burden of MS is fundamental for health-care planning and the allocation of resources for the management of MS. This study provides current national estimates of prevalence, incidence, mortality, and costs of MS in Switzerland using claims data between 2011 and 2015. Methods: We analyzed health insurance claims of adult persons enrolled with a large health insurance group covering about 13% of the Swiss population between 2011 and 2015. The identification of patients with MS was based on prescription data of MS-specific medication using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification system as proxy for clinical diagnosis. We estimated prevalence, mortality, and costs of basic health insurance between 2011 and 2015. Furthermore, incidence of MS was calculated for 2015. All results were weighted with census data to achieve an extrapolation to the Swiss general population level. Cost of illness was estimated as direct medical cost from the perspective of a Swiss health insurance using multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Of the 943,639 subjects in the year 2015, 1,606 were identified as MS patients resulting in a prevalence of 190 per 100,000 (95% CI: 180-190 per 100,000). Incidence was 16 per 100,000 (95% CI: 13-19 per 100,000). According to regression analysis, the total cost of illness for basic mandatory health insurance was 26,710 Swiss Francs (CHF) (95% CI: 26,100-27,300) per person per year with the cost of medication being almost identical 26,960 CHF (95% CI: 26,170-27,800). Conclusions: MS affects 10,000–15,000 persons in Switzerland, and the prevalence has increased over the last 22 years. These persons have high need and demand for health care. High costs are primarily due to expenses for medication. Given the imbalance of MS medication therapy from the perspective of basic health insurance on the disposable resources, it is crucial to increase transparency related to the volume, type, and allocation of expenses

Das Goodwill-Modell des Wettbewerbsmarktes: Vertrauen ermöglichen und Arbeitsplätze schaffen

The Goodwill Model of the Competitive Market Allowing for Trust and Creating Jobs Consumers often cannot judge the quality of goods and services at the time of the purchase decision. The goodwill model explains how the market participants deal with this problem. It makes a distinction between markets for search goods, experience goods and credence goods. In markets for experience goods the goodwill mechanism can ensure completely by itself that suppliers behave with integrity. The goodwill mechanism causes irreversible costs of the market entrance in the form of goodwill investments for new suppliers. These irreversible costs of the market entrance lead to the fact that established suppliers can permanently achieve prize and volume premiums if they behave with integrity. Established suppliers, therefore, abstain from a hidden reduction of the quality of their products. The strength of the goodwill mechanism lies in the fact that it adapts itself in markets for experience goods to changed circumstances of the market by changes in the communications behavior of the market participants and thereby it stabilizes the market development and optimizes the market result. Markets for credence goods, however, are, in spite of the social institution Goodwill, characterized by market failure. The root causes for this result are selected sporadic bad quality deliveries which cannot be recognized by the consumers as those. Suitable regulations to stabilize markets for credence goods artificially generate irreversible costs of the market entrance for new suppliers. These created irreversible costs enable the established suppliers of credence goods to permanently earn positive economic profits by behaving with integrity. Numerous regulations which exist today in functioning markets for credence goods establish such irreversible costs of the market entrance. The abolition of such regulations can lead to market failure. An example having a lasting effect even today is the transformation which occurred between 1980 and 1999 of the US banking system which developed from a system of separated commercial and investment banks to a system of fully integrated banks

The Goodwill Modell of the Competitive Market: Allowing for trust and creating jobs

The Goodwill Model of the Competitive Market Allowing for Trust and Creating Jobs Consumers often cannot judge the quality of goods and services at the time of the purchase decision. The goodwill model explains how the market participants deal with this problem. It makes a distinction between markets for search goods, experience goods and credence goods. In markets for experience goods the goodwill mechanism can ensure completely by itself that suppliers behave with integrity. The goodwill mechanism causes irreversible costs of the market entrance in the form of goodwill investments for new suppliers. These irreversible costs of the market entrance lead to the fact that established suppliers can permanently achieve prize and volume premiums if they behave with integrity. Established suppliers, therefore, abstain from a hidden reduction of the quality of their products. The strength of the goodwill mechanism lies in the fact that it adapts itself in markets for experience goods to changed circumstances of the market by changes in the communications behavior of the market participants and thereby it stabilizes the market development and optimizes the market result. Markets for credence goods, however, are, in spite of the social institution Goodwill, characterized by market failure. The root causes for this result are selected sporadic bad quality deliveries which cannot be recognized by the consumers as those. Suitable regulations to stabilize markets for credence goods artificially generate irreversible costs of the market entrance for new suppliers. These created irreversible costs enable the established suppliers of credence goods to permanently earn positive economic profits by behaving with integrity. Numerous regulations which exist today in functioning markets for credence goods establish such irreversible costs of the market entrance. The abolition of such regulations can lead to market failure. An example having a lasting effect even today is the transformation which occurred between 1980 and 1999 of the US banking system which developed from a system of separated commercial and investment banks to a system of fully integrated banks.Goodwill; reputation; price premiums; mouth-to-mouth-information; sunk costs; quality uncertainty; search goods; experience goods; credence goods; minimum quality; behavior with integrity; established suppliers; selected sporadic bad quality deliveries; hidden reduction of the quality of goods; market failure