Firm dynamics in East Germany: first empirical results

In this paper, we report results of an ongoing empirical analysis of firm dynamics in East Germany. After discussing specifics of a newly available data set with information on more than 100.000 firms, we analyze patterns of business starts and failures. Furthermore, we present preliminary results on employment, revenue and labor productivity growth in East German firms. They suggest that large East German enterprises are characterized by significant labor shedding and small or no nominal revenue growth, resulting in an apparently impressive gain in labor productivity. Small firms turn out to be the carriers of employment growth. On average, they experience the highest revenue growth rates. However, the combination of revenue and employment growth yields labor productivity increases well below those of larger firms. --

Growth and exit of West German firms: an empirical investigation on the impact of liability statutes

In this paper we discuss determinants of firm survival and growth in Germany within its pre-1989 boundaries. We develop our central hypotheses on the basis of a simple theoretical model describing the self-selection of heterogeneous entrepreneurs into particular legal forms, and the implications for profitability and survival. We also describe institutional details of liability regulation and taxation rules which German entrepreneurs face when choosing a particular legal form for their firms. We then test the predictions of our model by considering the survival chances and employment growth rates of various types of enterprises in a sample of approximately 11000 West German firms in all major sectors of the German economy. in our analysis of firm survival we distinguish between voluntary liquidation without losses to creditors, and bankruptcy as forced liquidation. Firms under limited liability are characterized by higher growth and higher insolvency rates than comparable firm under full liability. We also confirm the previously found negative relationship between employment growth and firm size which persists after controlling for selection biases. The likelihood of insolvencies is a nonmonotonic function of firm size. --

A sugar beet chlorophyll a/b binding protein promoter void of G-box like elements confers strong and leaf specific reporter gene expression in transgenic sugar beet

BACKGROUND: Modification of leaf traits in sugar beet requires a strong leaf specific promoter. With such a promoter, expression in taproots can be avoided which may otherwise take away available energy resources for sugar accumulation. RESULTS: Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) was utilized to generate an enriched and equalized cDNA library for leaf expressed genes from sugar beet. Fourteen cDNA fragments corresponding to thirteen different genes were isolated. Northern blot analysis indicates the desired tissue specificity of these genes. The promoters for two chlorophyll a/b binding protein genes (Bvcab11 and Bvcab12) were isolated, linked to reporter genes, and transformed into sugar beet using promoter reporter gene fusions. Transient and transgenic analysis indicate that both promoters direct leaf specific gene expression. A bioinformatic analysis revealed that the Bvcab11 promoter is void of G-box like regulatory elements with a palindromic ACGT core sequence. The data indicate that the presence of a G-box element is not a prerequisite for leaf specific and light induced gene expression in sugar beet. CONCLUSIONS: This work shows that SSH can be successfully employed for the identification and subsequent isolation of tissue specific sugar beet promoters. These promoters are shown to drive strong leaf specific gene expression in transgenic sugar beet. The application of these promoters for expressing resistance improving genes against foliar diseases is discussed

Copulation patterns in captive hamadryas baboons: a quantitative analysis

For primates, as for many other vertebrates, copulation which results in ejaculation is a prerequisite for reproduction. The probability of ejaculation is affected by various physiological and social factors, for example reproductive state of male and female and operational sex-ratio. In this paper, we present quantitative and qualitative data on patterns of sexual behaviour in a captive group of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas), a species with a polygynous–monandric mating system. We observed more than 700 copulations and analysed factors that can affect the probability of ejaculation. Multilevel logistic regression analysis and Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) model selection procedures revealed that the probability of successful copulation increased as the size of female sexual swellings increased, indicating increased probability of ovulation, and as the number of females per one-male unit (OMU) decreased. In contrast, occurrence of female copulation calls, sex of the copulation initiator, and previous male aggression toward females did not affect the probability of ejaculation. Synchrony of oestrus cycles also had no effect (most likely because the sample size was too small). We also observed 29 extra-group copulations by two non-adult males. Our results indicate that male hamadryas baboons copulated more successfully around the time of ovulation and that males in large OMUs with many females may be confronted by time or energy-allocation problems

Innovationsverhalten der deutschen Wirtschaft : Ergebnisse der Innovationserhebung 1993

Ein Schlüsselfaktor für das wirtschaftliche Wachstum und für die internationale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der deutschen Wirtschaft bilden die Innovationsanstrengungen der Unternehmen. Durch die Globalisierung der Märkte wird die Fähigkeit, neue Produkte, neue technische Verfahren und Ideen hervorzubringen und am Markt umzusetzen, immer wichtiger. Das Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie (BMFT) hat daher eine jährlich stattfindende repräsentative Erhebung "Zukunftsperspektiven der deutschen Wirtschaft" in Auftrag gegeben, das Innovationsverhalten in den alten und neuen Bundesländern zu erfassen. Die damit beauftragten Institute - das Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW) und das Institut für Angewandte Sozialwissenschaft (infas) - haben im Mai Fragebögen an über 13000 zufällig ausgewählte Unternehmen des 'Produzierenden Gewerbes' und des 'unternehmensnahen Dienstleistungssektors' im gesamten Bundesgebiet gesandt. Etwa 3000 Unternehmen aus den alten und neuen Bundesländern beteiligten sich an der Umfrage. Parallel zu der Innovationserhebung in Deutschland wurden in der gesamten EG Unternehmensbefragungen mit den gleichen Fragestellungen durchgeführt. Damit gelingt es zum ersten Mal, eine international vergleichbare Datenbasis zu schaffen, die durch die geplante Teilnahme der USA und Japans auf alle Länder der Triade erweitert wird. In diesem Bericht stehen folgende Aspekte des Innovationsverhaltens im Vordergrund: • Ziele von Innovationsaktivitäten • Hemmnisse für die Innovationstätigkeit von Unternehmen • die Messung der Innovationsaktivitäten und des Innovationserfolges sowie • die Rolle von FuE-Kooperationen und ihre Bedeutung für den Innovationserfolg

Innovationsverhalten der deutschen Wirtschaft : Methodenbericht zur Innovationserhebung 1993

Bei dem vorliegenden Bericht handelt es sich um eine überarbeitete Version des Berichtes an das Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie (BMFT). Veränderungen erfuhr dabei Kapitel 8 "Die Messung von Innovationsaktivitäten anhand von Innovations- und FuElntensitäten". Gingen im ursprünglichen Bericht alle Unternehmen in die Hochrechnung ein, so wurden bei der Neuberechnung eine geringe Zahl von Unternehmen mit sehr hohen Gewichten und weit überdurchschnittlichen Intensitäten aus der Hochrechnung ausgeschlossen. Außerdem wurde eine Variante der Verhältnisschätzung mit aufgenommen, deren Verwendung für kleine Stichproben empfohlen wird, Die Ergebnisse der freien Hochrechnung ohne Berücksichtigung der Schichtung werden dafür nicht mehr ausgewiesen. Eine Neubehandlung erfuhren auch die Geschäftsbereiche. Wurden sie ursprünglich zum Gesamtunternehmen aggregiert, so werden sie nun als eigenständige Unternehmen behandelt

Innovationsverhalten der deutschen Wirtschaft : ein Vergleich zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschland

Im Zuge der Umstrukturierung der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft verringerte sich die Produktion in den neuen Bundesländern im Zeitraum von 1989 bis 1991 um über 42 Prozent. Auch 1992 war der Schrumpfungsprozeß noch nicht abgeschlossen und führte weiterhin zu einem starken Beschäftigungsabbau sowie zu einem Rückgang des Sachanlagenbestandes. Zwar konnte der ab 1992 zunehmende Einsatz neuer Produktionstechniken noch nicht den mit der Deindustrialisierung verbundenen Abbau von Sachkapital und Beschäftigung in Ostdeutschland kompensieren, er führte aber - zusammen mit anderen Faktoren - zu einem Anstieg des ostdeutschen Einkommens. Das Bruttoinlandsprodukt pro Erwerbstätigen stieg von ca. 28 Prozent im Jahre 1991 innerhalb von zwei Jahren auf ca. 46 Prozent des westdeutschen Niveaus. Diese Zahlen signalisieren allerdings keineswegs, daß eine Angleichung der Leistungskraft der ostdeutschen Unternehmen an die ihrer westdeutschen Konkurrenten unmittelbar bevorsteht. Vielmehr wird dieser Prozeß nach heutigem Stand des Wissens noch Jahrzehnte dauern. Durch westliche Kapitaltransfers und andere staatliche Maßnahmen konnten zwar bisher außerordentlich hohe Bruttoanlageinvestitionen in Ostdeutschland realisiert werden, aber diese werden allein nicht ausreichen, um eine Angleichung der wirtschaftlichen Leistungskraft in Ostund Westdeutschland in den nächsten zwei oder drei Jahrzehnten zu ermöglichen. Eine Konvergenz innerhalb dieses Zeitraumes erfordert neben einer hohen Kapitalakkumulation auch ein starkes Produktivitätswachstum, das über technisch-organisatorischen Fortschritt zustande kommt. Somit fällt dem Innovationsverhalten der ostdeutschen Unternehmen in dem wirtschaftlichen Aufholrozeß eine Schlüsselrolle zu. Ein wichtiger Sonderfaktor für einen schnellen Aufholprozeß der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft könnte das Engagement westlicher Firmen bei ostdeutschen Unternehmen spielen. Denn wie der Bericht zeigt, unterliegen ostdeutsche Tochtergesellschaften westlicher Firmen geringeren finanziellen Restriktionen als unabhängige Ostunternehmen. Auch profitieren ostdeutsche Tochtergesellschaften vom Technologie- und Wissenstransfer ihrer Muttergesellschaften

Modulating flowering time and prevention of pod shatter in oilseed rape

Floral induction is a key developmental switch in plants that leads to the production of flowers, fruits and seeds, which are of paramount importance for human life. To meet the demands of several crop harvests per year, or the growth of crop plants in regions with short vegetation times and for the production of ornamental plants, the timing of the floral transition is very important. The discovery of genes that are involved in flowering time control in model plants should allow the modulation of this developmental switch also in plants with economic value. By using a transgenic approach, we showed that a single MADS box gene accelerated flowering and seed ripening in summer rape plants. The MADSB transgene also partially substituted for the strict temperature requirements for flowering in winter rape plants. Transgenic winter rape plants expressing the MADSB transgene also produced more rigid siliques than wild type winter rape plants, and this prevented precocious seed dispersa

Group Composition of Guinea Baboons (Papio papio) at a Water Place Suggests a Fluid Social Organization

Baboon social systems are among the most studied in primates. Solid knowledge of the hamadryas and savannah baboon systems has accumulated, leading to a dichotomic view of baboon social systems. Hamadryas baboons live in multilayered troops based on 1-male units whereas savannah baboons live in multimale multifemale groups based on a network of related females. Less attention has been paid to their West African congenerics, the Guinea baboons, Papio papio. To fill this gap, in 2007 we initiated a long-term study of a baboon troop ranging in the Niokolo Koba National Park in southeastern Senegal. Earlier studies suggested a tendency for a multilayered social system in Guinea baboons, similar to the hamadryas baboon organization. Therefore, as a first approach to analyzing variability in party size and composition, we observed members of the troop crossing an open area from a fixed point for 3 mo during the dry and wet seasons. We counted individuals and recorded changes in composition of both arriving and departing parties. Party size and composition were highly variable on both a daily and a seasonal basis; 45.9% of the arriving parties changed in composition while crossing the open area, either splitting into smaller parties or fusing into larger ones, suggesting a fluid organization. Our data support the existence of neither a hamadryas baboon-like multilayered social organization nor a stable medium-sized multimale multifemale group as in savannah baboons. In light of our data we may need to revise the dichotomic view of baboon social systems and include space for greater variability of their social systems

Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome: retrospective analysis of 14 patients

Introduction: The anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) is a only motor nerve innervating the deep muscles of the forearm. Its compression is rare. We present a retrospective analysis of 14 patients with an AIN syndrome with a variety of clinical manifestations who underwent operative and conservative treatment. Patients and methods: Fourteen patients (six female, eight male, mean age 48 ± 9 years) were included. In six patients, the right limb was affected, and in eight patients the left limb. Conservative treatment was started for every patient. If no signs of recovery appeared within 3 months, operative exploration was performed. Final assessment was performed between 2 and 9 years after the onset of paralysis (mean duration of follow-up 46 ± 11 months). Patients were examined clinically for return of power, range of motion, pinch and grip strengths. Also the disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score was calculated. Results: Seven of our 14 patients had incomplete AIN palsy with isolated total loss of function of flexor pollicis longus (FPL), five of FPL and flexor digitorum profundus (FDP)1 simultaneously, and two of FDP1. Weakness of FDP2 could be seen in four patients. Pronator teres was paralysed in two patients. Pain in the forearm was present in nine patients. Four patients had predisposing factors. Eight patients treated conservatively exhibited spontaneous recovery from their paralysis during 3-12 months after the onset. In six patients, the AIN was explored 12 weeks after the initial symptoms and released from compressing structures. Thirteen patients showed good limb function. In one patient with poor result a tendon transfer was necessary. The DASH score of patients treated conservatively and operatively presented no significant difference. Conclusion: AIN syndrome can have different clinical manifestations. If no signs of spontaneous recovery appear within 12 weeks, operative treatment should be performed