Empirical essays on educational and labour market integration of immigrants

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Maternal cash for better child health? The impacts of India’s IGMSY/PMMVY maternity benefit scheme

The maternity benefit scheme introduced as Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) in 2011 and renamed Pradhan Mantri Matriva Sahyog Yojana (PMMVY) in 2017, which incentivizes pregnant and lactating women to participate in various infant health-promoting activities, is India’s largest conditional cash transfer program thus far. We approach IGMSY’s geographically targeted pilot phase as a natural experiment and use data from a large national health survey to estimate its effects by a matched-pair differences-in-differences approach. Consistent with the program’s objectives we find positive, albeit small effects on infant immunization as well as long-term health care utilization. In addition, intervals between eligible births increase by 15 percent. Our findings suggest that PMMVY is moderately cost-effective, at least regarding immunization, but that it will make only a small contribution to redressing India’s dismal child-health record

Integration of Velos-Simulation-Results into the Supply Chain Balanced Scorecard

The subproject M3 of the Collaborative Research Center 559 has been working at the field of network controlling of large logistics networks since 1998. Firstly, for this purpose, requirements on such a network controlling had been developed within the subproject. Secondly a conception had been designed, which is qualified for cost input and cost allocation in a network and which is able to investigate the suitability of existing instruments respectively. The conception should also enable the transfer of cost information within the network as well as function as a supporting instrument for the cost management. Based on these demands the Supply Chain Balanced Scorecard has been developed as a controlling conception for planning, regulating and controlling large logistics networks. The conception is described detailed in chapter 2. The goal of the collaboration is to exemplify the implementation of the Supply Chain Balanced Scorecard. Therefore, a model of a transport network is specified, which has been constructed with the simulation-tool VeloS, to point out the integration of selected operating figures of the model and respectively the planned simulation into the Supply Chain Balanced Scorecard. The model and the simulation are described in chapter 3 so that subsequently in chapter 4 selectiv

Ansätze zur Systematisierung des Instrumentariums zum Supply-Chain-Risikomanagement

Durch verschärfte Wettbewerbsbedingungen durch die Globalisierung, steigende Kundenanforderungen, zunehmende Umfelddynamik und kürzere Produktlebenszyklen hat sich in den letzten Jahren die Diskussion im Bereich Supply Chain Management als unternehmensübergreifende Gestaltung der Geschäftsprozesse und die systematische Koordination der kompletten Wertschöpfungskette intensiviert. Die innerhalb einer Supply Chain bestehenden Beziehungen und Abhängigkeiten zwischen den Lieferanten und deren Lieferanten, den Kunden und Kunden des Kunden ermöglichen durch die Abstimmung untereinander eine Milderung der aus dem Wettbewerbsumfeld entstehenden Risiken. Aus den Kooperationen resultieren allerdings zahlreiche neue Risiken, die sowohl einzelne Unternehmen als auch die Supply Chain als Ganzes gefährden können. Um diese Gefahren zu kontrollieren und zu steuern, bedarf es eines systematischen Risikomanagements mit geeigneten Instrumenten. Ziel des vorliegenden Berichts ist eine umfassende Analyse des bestehenden Instrumentariums zum Supply-Chain-Risikomanagement sowie eine Klassifizierung der betrachteten Instrumente. Im Rahmen des Teilprojekts M3 des Sonderforschungsbereichs 559 stellt das Risikomanagement von Supply Chains einen aktuellen Forschungsbereich im Rahmen einer Konzeption zum Controlling großer Netze in der Logistik dar. Gerade in den letzten Jahren gewinnt das Supply-Chain-Risikomanagement neben dem Supply Chain Controlling und dem Supply Chain Finance wachsende Bedeutung. Der vorliegende Bericht gliedert sich im Wesentlichen in vier Kapitel: Im Anschluss an die Einleitung erfolgt ein grober Überblick über die Grundlagen zum SC-Risikomanagement, insbesondere zum Prozess des SC-Risikomanagements. Kapitel drei bildet den Hauptteil des vorliegenden Berichts und gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten zur Systematisierung des Instrumentariums zum SC-Risikomanagement wieder, ehe dies schließlich anhand der Phasen des Risikomanagementprozesses eingeordnet wird. Ein Fazit und Ausblick runden die Überlegungen ab

Naturalisation and on-the-job training: evidence from first-generation immigrants in Germany

This paper empirically analyses the effect of naturalisation on on-the-job training (OJT) participation among first-generation immigrants in Germany. OJT is associated with improved labour market outcomes and provides therefore an indicator for labour market integration. Naturalisation is assumed to act as a signal of the employee’s commitment to the host country and may thus increase employers’ likelihood of offering OJT. Testing the theoretical link with multivariate estimations (based on the German Socio-Economic Panel) shows a positive and significant correlation. To reduce selection bias on observables, propensity score matching is applied, yielding a significant average treatment effect

Communicating spatial planning decisions at the landscape and farm level with landscape visualization

Landscape visualizations have the potential to support participatory environmental planning at different spatial scales and decision levels from international to farm level. However, it is yet unclear what specific demands are relevant for visualization on the different decision levels. In this context more knowledge is needed about visualization objectives and the respective tasks, intended effects and suitable techniques for the specific levels. Especially the farm level has been neglected in research, although farmers make many decisions that affects public interests in the visual landscape. Farmers need to communicate these decisions to the public in an understandable way. The question of how visualization can support participation in the planning process at the municipal level is examined by drawing on the findings of the Interactive Landscape Plan Koenigslutter, Germany (IALP) about the preferences and reactions of citizens to visualizations used in the landscape planning process at the local decision level. On this basis, we examined the applicability and differences of the findings for the farm level. Furthermore, in order to explore visualization opportunities at the farm scale, the farm management system MANUELA was used as an example of an information platform that could serve as a basis for farm scale visualizations. By transferring landscape planning results to the farm level, we developed recommentations about the application of visualization, intended effects and appropriate techniques at the farm scale. The general findings for the municipal level show that visualization can improve participation by providing participants with a common image of the planning proposals for discussion and collaborative decisions. Different visualization methods offer different capabilities for supporting participation in the different planning phases. At the farm scale, 2D visualizations and diagrams are often sufficient to communicate information to customers about farm performance for providing ecosystem services. They may consist of maps and supporting information that is easily generated from GIS data. However, for a higher (more interactive) level of communication and participation activities, such as discussions with affected neighbors about land use changes or the integration of citizens' proposals, more sophisticated visualization techniques would be required. Visualization techniques are needed that farmers can use to easily simulate visual impacts of land use changes at the landscape scale

How do urban dwellers react to potential landscape changes in recreation areas? A case study with particular focus on the introduction of dendromass in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region

Recently, many German regions have seen dramatic landscape changes in agricultural areas due to increasing cultivation of bioenergy crops. Especially in regions that are economically dependent on income from recreational use, this development faces opposition by tourist stakeholders, local inhabitants and recreationists. In the future tall bioenergy plants like maize could be replaced by even taller short rotation coppice plantations of willow and poplar. This development raises the question of how people perceive landscape changes and if perceptions are influenced by the landscape where they take place. We surveyed urban residents in the city of Hamburg (n = 400) to see how they perceive potential landscape changes in four recreation areas with different landscape structures in the vicinity of Hamburg (Luneburg Heath, Harburg Hills, Elbe Marshes and Altes Land). The survey showed that people rated changes significantly different, depending on the specific landscape type of the recreation areas. The survey did not show a clear general preference for reducing or increasing forests. However, the landscape character of each recreation area had a strong influence on the acceptance of landscape changes by planting forests, hedges, and shrubs. People showed a significantly higher negative reaction towards more forests in open landscapes characterized by heath and meadows than in landscapes with a higher share of forests and fields. Interestingly, the introduction of hedges and shrubs was evaluated differently from the introduction of forests depending on the type of open landscape. People preferred the introduction of hedges and shrubs in the landscape rich in meadows and pastures while they rejected the introduction of hedges and shrubs in a historic cultural landscape rich in heathland. In view of these results we recommend that the landscape character and the cultivation system are considered in the assessment and determination of potential short rotation coppice production sites. This may considerably increase the acceptability of dendromass cultivation for energy purposes

Agri-ecological dataset from vegetation surveys on organic legume fields in Tuscany, Italy

Legumes are becoming increasingly important regarding the transformation of food consumption and production systems towards more sustainability. Apart from supporting and production services, legumes can also enhance biodiversity in agroecosystems. In this dataset, we present results from vegetation surveys of 244 samplings on 32 lentil and chickpea fields of five organic farms in Tuscany, Italy. Centre and edge zones of the fields were surveyed separately. Additionally, the dataset provides a comprehensive summary of the associated management practices applied to the respective fields as well as a characterisation of the site conditions through soil texture, organic matter, local weather data during the legume growing period and the diversity of the field's landscape contexts. This additional extensive characterisation of the management system and environment allows the data to be used for a variety of multivariate analysis on biodiversity and agroecosystems

Who may use scarce water? An expedition into the normative basis of sustainable decision-making norms for sustainable water use

Water is becoming an increasingly contested resource. Today, the sustainability of water use is assessed with different indicator frameworks that usually refer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or other norms. Classifying international norms and the subsequent indicators for assessment according to their legitimacy will increase the practical relevance of assessment results. The classification will enable addressees to differentiate between mandatory obligations in water management and additional more ambitious targets for decisions on sustainable water distribution. This study presents 11 standards for sustainable water distribution which have been classified based on legitimacy and specificity. A literature review identified relevant international norms that were subsequently classified. Suggestions for the implementation of the standards and priorities in assessment methods are discussed. Through the new set of standards, assessment results can transparently be communicated to policymakers, NGOs and business and support them to identify their obligations for sustainable water use

How to achieve the climate targets? Spatial planning in the context of the German energy transition

Background: The transition of the energy system to renewable energy depends on how successfully the national objectives can be implemented at the lower planning levels. Germany pursues an incentive-oriented policy that is not spatially targeted and lets regional and local stakeholders determine where and how renewable energies are used. A core question is how to achieve the national goals, in a federal system that allows freedom of planning for the local communities. The aim of this paper is to show the discrepancies between the current expansion of wind energy and the necessary expansion that is derived from a scientific analysis. Methods: The study examined the policy objectives for the expansion of wind energy, based on a literature analysis. In a second step, the regulatory competences and spatial planning at the various levels and their influence on the expansion were explored. In a third step, the current procedure was compared with scientific scenarios of the energy system in 2050 and concretized using the example of the Hannover Region. Results: The theoretical and empirical analysis shows that people at regional level underestimate their responsibility for contributing to energy transition. The expansion targets for wind energy in the Hannover Region projected in the scientific scenario are above the minimum demand that the local authorities have assumed. The same applies to the state of Lower Saxony, which underestimates its own wind energy potential and thus its necessary contribution to achieving the national targets. Conclusions: We propose a nationwide coordinated strategy for the successful implementation of the energy transition. With the methodology described, regional targets can be determined and the responsibility of the region and the local actors can be clarified. With the help of spatial planning and public participation, the energy transition can be achieved with this approach