Ecological Labelling in North-South Trade

We investigate in a horizontal product differentiation model with North-South trade the implications of a home bias in consumers' demand for labelled goods. We compare mutual recognition and international harmonisation of ecological labels with respect to firms' profits and welfare. Northern consumers perceive a warm glow from buying green, but have information problems with imported labelled products. Firms differ in labelling costs which could help a Southern firm to compensate for the home bias under mutual recognition. Under harmonisation the home bias disappears. Welfare analysis of harmonised labelling shows that a Southern firm gains from adopting a harmonised label - even if there is "eco-imperialism". Given the specific trade structure in our model, harmonisation is a beneficial regime except for the case that labelling costs reach a specific treshold.Ecological Labels, Product Differentiation, North-South Trade, WTO Rules

Development and evaluation of interventions based on self-regulation for workers with flexible work designs

The aim of this dissertation is to deepen the understanding of effects, mechanisms and individual boundary conditions of interventions that help workers self-regulate in the context of flexible work designs (FWD). Because FWD require a high level of self-regulation, four interventions based on self-regulation were developed to help workers cope with challenges of FWD. They were evaluated in four randomized controlled trials to examine the role of different mechanisms and individual boundary conditions, compare the effect of different training formats, and investigate the effectiveness of transferring individual self-regulation processes to the team level. This publication-based dissertation consists of five empirical articles: Paper 1 evaluated an online training based on mindfulness as a self-regulatory strategy. Paper 2 and Paper 3 evaluated an online training based on self-regulation that integrates the mindfulness-based training. Building on the effectiveness of the online approach, Paper 4 evaluated the effectiveness of a blended training format. Extending the focus from individuals to teams, Paper 5 evaluated an intervention for hybrid work teams to promote their team regulation. The overall goal of the interventions was to promote self-regulation to help workers cope with challenges of FWD and improve their well-being, work–life balance, and recovery. Paper 1 evaluated a mindfulness-based online training to support workers in mentally detaching from work, focusing on change trajectories over the course of the intervention and person characteristics as a moderator. Mindfulness serves a self-regulatory function (Brown & Ryan, 2003) and facilitates the conscious regulation of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors (Good et al., 2016; Koole et al., 2013). Thus, mindfulness may function as a cognitive-emotional segmentation strategy to disengage from work-related thoughts and emotions after work. Daily effects of the mindfulness-based intervention were assessed with a randomized waitlist control group design (n = 190). Based on boundary theory (Ashforth et al., 2000) and its person–environment fit perspective (Kreiner, 2006; Kreiner et al., 2009), it was examined whether segmentation preference would moderate training effectiveness. Growth curve analyses revealed positive effects on psychological detachment, psychological work–life conflict, and satisfaction with work–life balance. No effects were found for strain-based work–life conflict, and affective well-being increased in both groups. Participants with low segmentation preference reported stronger intervention effects on psychological detachment. Practicing mindfulness as a means of cognitive and emotional segmentation to detach from work is particularly important for workers with FWD. Therefore, we integrated the mindfulness-based training from Paper 1 into the development of an online training based on self-regulation to help workers cope with challenges of FWD. The online training for workers with FWD was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial and resulted in two articles: Both articles evaluated short- and long-term effects on various outcomes of well-being, work–life balance, and recovery. In addition, Paper 2 examined self-regulation as a mechanism of the online training, whereas Paper 3 focused on positive emotions and behaviors as mechanisms as well as on individual boundary conditions. Paper 2 evaluated short- and long-term effectiveness of the intervention with a randomized waitlist control group design (n = 358). Based on self-regulation theories (Bandura, 1977, 1991; Kanfer, 1977; Kanfer & Karoly, 1972; Zacher & Frese, 2018; Zimmerman, 2000), self-regulation was examined as a mechanism to explain intervention effects. Covariance analyses revealed that the self-regulation intervention improved positive affect and work engagement, and reduced stress and strain-based work–life conflict. Effects on psychological detachment were found for participants with low baseline levels of psychological detachment. Except for work engagement, intervention effects sustained over four weeks and six months. Self-regulation mediated intervention effects on positive affect and work engagement. Paper 3 also evaluated short- and long-term effectiveness of the intervention with a randomized waitlist control group design (n = 288), but with regard to other outcomes. Based on the positive-activity model (Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013), changes in positive emotions and boundary management were examined as mechanisms. Further, depressive symptoms were examined as a moderator of this relationship. Mixed variance analyses revealed that the intervention improved emotional exhaustion and satisfaction with work–life balance. Effects persisted over four weeks. Changes in positive emotions and boundary management mediated intervention effectiveness. Results indicated no moderator effect, that is, the intervention was effective regardless of participants’ baseline level of depressive symptoms. Expanding on Paper 2 and Paper 3 and building on the effectiveness of the online intervention based on self-regulation, we examined whether a blended training format, in which participants attended three group sessions in addition to the online modules, would be more effective than the online training format. Paper 4 evaluated short- and long-term effectiveness of the blended intervention for workers with FWD with a randomized waitlist control group design with two intervention groups and one control group (n = 373). Based on social identity theory and self-determination theory (Haslam et al., 2019; Ryan & Deci, 2000), the effectiveness was investigated in comparison to the online training format. Multilevel analyses revealed that the blended training format, like the online training, improved psychological detachment, satisfaction with work–life balance, and well-being. These effects sustained over four weeks, and, with regard to psychological detachment, over six months. That is, blended training participants did not benefit more from the intervention than online training participants. However, they reported more sharing of experiences and emotional support. They were also more compliant in completing modules and practicing exercises. Thus, group sessions in addition to the online modules increased social exchange processes and compliance. In addition to testing different training formats and building on the effectiveness of the individual interventions, we investigated whether the individual training approach could be transferred to the team level. We developed a two-session team workshop in which hybrid work teams learned to practice team regulation strategies based on models of individual self-regulation. Paper 5 evaluated short- and long-term effectiveness of this team regulation intervention with a cluster-randomized waitlist control group design with two intervention groups and one control group, including data from 750 individuals across 84 teams. Multilevel analyses revealed that the intervention increased team regulation. This mediated effects on improved social support, psychological safety, and collaboration in the FWD context. The effects on team regulation, collaboration, and psychological safety persisted over nine weeks. Aggregated individual self-regulation did not improve, suggesting that team regulation is conceptually distinct from team-level aggregated self-regulation. The results of the five articles presented in this dissertation reveal that web-based individual interventions based on self-regulation can help workers recover, improve their work–life balance, and increase their well-being. The role of mechanisms of intervention effectiveness such as self-regulation, positive emotions, and positive behaviors, as well as moderators such as segmentation preference, is demonstrated. Additional group sessions can increase social exchange processes and training compliance. Team regulation of hybrid work teams can be enhanced in a team intervention, which increases team resources. The findings contribute to the development of effective interventions based on self-regulation to promote well-being, work–life balance, and recovery of workers with FWD

Familienbesteuerung zwischen Steuersystematik und Tarifmanipulation

Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat im November 1998 in seinem „Familienurteil" festgestellt, dass der Betreuungs- und Erziehungsbedarf für Kinder in das steuerfreie Existenzminimum einzubeziehen ist. Wird das Ende 1999 verabschiedete Familienfördergesetz diesem Urteil gerecht? Lassen sich „gerechtere" Lösungen finden? --

Spin transport and spin dephasing in zinc oxide

The wide bandgap semiconductor ZnO is interesting for spintronic applications because of its small spin-orbit coupling implying a large spin coherence length. Utilizing vertical spin valve devices with ferromagnetic electrodes (TiN/Co/ZnO/Ni/Au), we study the spin-polarized transport across ZnO in all-electrical experiments. The measured magnetoresistance agrees well with the prediction of a two spin channel model with spin-dependent interface resistance. Fitting the data yields spin diffusion lengths of 10.8nm (2K), 10.7nm (10K), and 6.2nm (200K) in ZnO, corresponding to spin lifetimes of 2.6ns (2K), 2.0ns (10K), and 31ps (200K).Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; supplemental material adde