A multi-level understanding of trust development in contexts of blurred organizational boundaries: the case of crowdfunding

Are trust development processes in settings of blurred organizational boundaries different from those in conventional organizational settings, and if so, how? Taking the crowdfunding campaigns of the Fin-Tech Monzo as examples of settings of blurred organizational boundaries, we analyze how the three main trust forms (individual, organizational, and institutional trust) emerge and interact in the campaigns’ online discourse and develop a process model that captures distinct trust development dynamics. We contribute to the trust literature by highlighting increased dynamics and co-existence of trust forms, and by showing that the validation of extra-organizational boundary spanners is crucial to compensate for a missing personal interaction in settings of blurred organizational boundaries. We also contribute to the crowdfunding literature and derive managerial implications

Wissensmanagement beim altersbedingten Berufsausstieg von Fach- und Führungskräften

Das Umkippen der Alterspyramide aufgrund des demografischen Wandels sorgt in tradi-tionellen Unternehmen und Organisationen für eine Überalterung des Personalbestan-des. Der dramatische Wissensverlust ist nur eine Folge aus der Verrentung großer Ko-horten, dem unternehmensseitig mit Methoden des Wissensmanagements entgegen-gewirkt wird. In dieser Studie wurde die Durchführung eines solchen Verfahrens zum Wissenstransfer zwischen ausscheidenden Mitarbeitern und deren Nachfolgern, der Me-thode Expert Debriefing, bei dem internationalen Maschinenbauunternehmen Schaeffler Gruppe mit Stammsitz in Herzogenaurach wissenschaftlich begleitet und analysiert. Die Interdisziplinarität sowie die gegenwärtige Forschungslage zur Thematik des Wis-sensmanagements erforderten eine explorative Herangehensweise, verbunden mit einer Befragung der beteiligten Fach- und Führungskräfte anhand von Leitfadeninterviews. Die empirischen Daten wurden mithilfe der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring ausgewertet. Die vorliegende Studie identifiziert die Faktoren, die den Wissenstransfer beim altersbe-dingten Berufsausstieg von Fach- und Führungskräften im Rahmen der Methode Expert Debriefing beeinflussen. Die zunächst sehr heterogenen Ergebnisse aus Perspektive der Fach- und Führungskräfte, der Organisation sowie auch in Abhängigkeit von der Methode selbst konnten zu den vier relevanten Erfolgsfaktoren Kommunikation, Motivation, Zeitfaktor und Berufsbiografie konsolidiert werden, die beim Wissenstransfer mit variierender Priorität berücksichtigt werden müssen. Insgesamt ist der Wissenstransfer beim Berufsausstieg als Teil des organisationalen Wissensmanagements zu sehen, auf den die Erfolgsfaktoren einwirken. Vor diesem Hintergrund besitzt die Methode Expert Debriefing integrativen Charakter, indem sie gemäß des Münchner Modells die tragenden Komponenten Mensch, Organisation und Technik miteinander verbindet.Abstract The tipping of the population pyramid age structure due to demographic changes repre-sents the major cause for ageing of employees in traditional enterprises and organiza-tions. The dramatic loss of expertise and knowledge is only one of the consequences following retirement of large cohorts of staff, a fact, which companies try to counteract by methods targeting knowledge management. The present study analyzed the transfer of knowledge between retiring employees and their successors by the method of Expert Debriefing, exemplified within the machine building industry at the international company Schaeffler Gruppe with headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The multidisciplinarity as well as the available research data regarding the subject of knowledge management for older employees required an explorative approach, aligned with semi-structured interviews with the leaving specialists and executive managers. Empirical data evaluation was done by qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. In the present study, critical success factors have been identified which have an impact in transferring knowledge within the method of Expert Debriefing. The heterogeneous results from the perspective of the leaving employees, from the perspective of the organization and on dependency of the method itself have been consolidated to four relevant key success factors: communication, motivation, time planning and professional biography. These key factors have to be considered with different priorities within in the knowledge transfer process depending on assignment and intention of the method Ex-pert Debriefing. Taken together, knowledge transfer going along with retirement may be seen as part of the organizational knowledge management which is clearly affected by the critical success factors. Against this background, the results show that the method of Expert Debriefing displays an integrative character according to the “Munich Model” by linking the supporting elements human, organization, and technolog

Ambient-noise tomography of the wider Vienna Basin region

We present a new 3-D shear-velocity model for the top 30 km of the crust in the wider Vienna Basin region based on surface waves extracted from ambient-noise cross-correlations. We use continuous seismic records of 63 broad-band stations of the AlpArray project to retrieve interstation Green’s functions from ambient-noise cross-correlations in the period range from 5 to 25 s. From these Green’s functions, we measure Rayleigh group traveltimes, utilizing all four components of the cross-correlation tensor, which are associated with Rayleigh waves (ZZ, RR, RZ and ZR), to exploit multiple measurements per station pair. A set of selection criteria is applied to ensure that we use high-quality recordings of fundamental Rayleigh modes. We regionalize the interstation group velocities in a 5 km × 5 km grid with an average path density of ∼20 paths per cell. From the resulting group-velocity maps, we extract local 1-D dispersion curves for each cell and invert all cells independently to retrieve the crustal shear-velocity structure of the study area. The resulting model provides a previously unachieved lateral resolution of seismic velocities in the region of ∼15 km. As major features, we image the Vienna Basin and Little Hungarian Plain as low-velocity anomalies, and the Bohemian Massif with high velocities. The edges of these features are marked with prominent velocity contrasts correlated with faults, such as the Alpine Front and Vienna Basin transfer fault system. The observed structures correlate well with surface geology, gravitational anomalies and the few known crystalline basement depths from boreholes. For depths larger than those reached by boreholes, the new model allows new insight into the complex structure of the Vienna Basin and surrounding areas, including deep low-velocity zones, which we image with previously unachieved detail. This model may be used in the future to interpret the deeper structures and tectonic evolution of the wider Vienna Basin region, evaluate natural resources, model wave propagation and improve earthquake locations, among others

Arrival angles of teleseismic fundamental mode Rayleigh waves across the AlpArray

The dense AlpArray network allows studying seismic wave propagation with high spatial resolution. Here we introduce an array approach to measure arrival angles of teleseismic Rayleigh waves. The approach combines the advantages of phase correlation as in the two-station method with array beamforming to obtain the phase-velocity vector. 20 earthquakes from the first two years of the AlpArray project are selected, and spatial patterns of arrival-angle deviations across the AlpArray are shown in maps, depending on period and earthquake location. The cause of these intriguing spatial patterns is discussed. A simple wave-propagation modelling example using an isolated anomaly and a Gaussian beam solution suggests that much of the complexity can be explained as a result of wave interference after passing a structural anomaly along the wave paths. This indicates that arrival-angle information constitutes useful additional information on the Earth structure, beyond what is currently used in inversions

Mehr weibliche Business Angels führen zu mehr Startup Gründerinnen

Female entrepreneurs belong to the underrepresented groups and are thereby an economically unused potential. 84.9% of startup founders are male, so women are still underrepresented in the field of startups. Female founders, just like their male colleagues, have to master the challenges of start-up financing and networking with the established economy. However, studies have found that male investors tend to provide money to male founders and many female founders complain about lack of capital. It can be worthwhile to invest in female founders. Female founders achieve better turnovers and are on average more successful than purely male teams of founders. For this early stage phase of the business start-up, capital procurement by business angels is the preferred method of financing. Parallel to the low number of female company founders, the number of female business angels is also very low. According to a recently published study by the European Commission, only 8% of business angels in Europe are female. In 2019, the Forbes list of top investors included only 12 women out of 100 listed investors, in 2018 there were even only nine. Thus, an increase in female business angels also means a strengthening and diversification of the female start-up landscape. This promotion of female entrepreneurship thus benefits not only the women themselves, but the German economy as a whole. The aim of the study was to find out the reasons for the low number of female business angels in Germany and to present suitable measures that could lead to an increase in investment by women

Klassisch, agil oder hybrid? Der Anforderungs-Check für das Projektmanagement in KMU

The collection of requirements in the project is common practice. However, the requirements check serves the structured analysis and presentation of the requirements for project management in SMEs. Whether classical, agile or hybrid project management is applied is thus no longer a subjective assessment of individuals. The aim is to select the right method and provide targeted support to the project team in order to professionalize project management. Project management in small and medium-sized SMEs must not be bulky, but must adapt standards, best practices and methods to the company and must remain practicable but secure. Likewise, the usually very scarce resources must be taken into account. Whether classic, agile or hybrid project management: The authors believe that the choice can be narrowed down on the basis of clear criteria. It is not a question of taste or trend, but of requirements! Project management is not an end in itself. Determining the requirements internal and external to the organization is the first step before project management is structured. A project has certain characteristics that must be taken into account and phases in which certain activities must take place. Projects can also be categorized to determine the right approach, the stakeholders involved and therefore the right requirements. Any SME can very efficiently approach the right choice of approach in a structured way using the described procedure, select the appropriate methods at the critical points in project management and thus support the project team in a targeted manner

Die Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring als Auswertungsmethode für wissenschaftliche Interviews

This paper examines the key elements of the quantitative content analysis developed by the scientist Philip Mayring as a method of data evaluation. First, the circular research process is presented to explain the application of this method for scientific interviews in student theses. The content analysis referring to Mayring will be classified to show and briefly discuss the differences to other methods. Next, the implementation of the method is explained in 10 steps, whereby compliance with the quality criteria is explicitly considered. Finally, the method application is reviewed and its limitations and the need for further research in this context are discussed

Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung auf das Controlling und die Rolle der Controller:innen

This paper examines the megatrend of digitalization and the effects that selected technologies have on controlling and the role of the controller. This includes an overview of current controlling processes, the role of the controller and selected technology trends in digitalization. Therefore, the paper provides an overview of controlling processes, competences controllers need to have and the important technology drivers of digitalization. Based on this, we focus on how the Internet of Things, Big Data, Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence do and will impact different controlling processes (esp. planning, budgeting and forecasting, investment controlling, cost, performance and profit accounting, management reporting and business partnering), on the one hand, and the role of the controller, on the other hand

Regulation of MRTF-A by JMY via a nucleation-independent mechanism

Abstract Background MRTF-A (myocardin-related transcription factor A) is a coactivator for SRF-mediated gene expression. The activity of MRTF-A is critically dependent on the dissociation of G-actin from N-terminal RPEL motifs. MRTF-SRF induction often correlates with enhanced polymerization of F-actin. Here we investigate MRTF regulation by the multifunctional JMY protein, which contains three WASP/verprolin homology 2 (WH2/V) domains and facilitates Arp2/3-dependent and -independent actin nucleation. Methods Co-immunoprecipitation experiments, immunofluorescence and luciferase reporter assays were combined with selective inhibitors to investigate the effect of JMY and its domains on MRTF-A in NIH 3 T3 mouse fibroblasts. Results JMY induced MRTF-A transcriptional activity and enhanced its nuclear translocation. Unexpectedly, MRTF-A was hyperactivated when the Arp2/3-recruiting CA region of JMY was deleted or mutated, suggesting an autoinhibitory mechanism for full-length JMY. Moreover, isolated WH2/V domains which are unable to nucleate actin were sufficient for nuclear accumulation and SRF activation. Recombinant WH2/V regions of JMY biochemically competed with MRTF-A for actin binding. Activation of MRTF-A by JMY was unaffected by Arp3 knockdown, by an Arp2/3 inhibitor, and by latrunculin which disassembles cellular F-actin. Restriction of JMY to the nucleus abrogated its MRTF-A activation. Finally, JMY RNAi reduced basal and stimulated transcriptional activation via MRTF-A. Conclusions Our results suggest that JMY activates MRTF-SRF independently of F-actin via WH2/V-mediated competition with the RPEL region for G-actin binding in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the C-terminal region facilitates an autoinhibitory effect on full-length JMY, possibly by intramolecular folding