Wachsender Markt

Fondsgebundene PPLI-Lebensversicherungen gewinnen als Alternative zu den klassischen Vermögensverwaltungsmandaten zunehmend an Bedeutung

Ein Drittel prüft Alternativen

Kleinere und mittelgrosse Arbeitgeber sind von der zunehmenden Regulierung in der beruflichen Vorsorge besonders betroffen. Während ein Teil Alternativen prüft, unterstreicht der andere die Vorteile der eigenen Vorsorgelösung

Auswahlkriterien für externe Asset Manager und Anlagegrundsätze : eine Untersuchung von 35 Schweizer Pensionskassen

StudieDas wirtschaftliche Umfeld mit geringem Wachstum, tiefen Zinsen und volatilen Finanzmärkten fordert die Schweizer Vorsorgeeinrichtungen. Hinzu kommen die demographische Entwicklung (höhere Lebenserwartung) sowie die von der Politik festgelegten Parameter wie BVG-Umwandlungssatz oder die Mindestverzinsung. Die Pensionskassen stossen bei der Finanzierung der Leistungen an ihre Grenzen. Die Zinsen galten neben den Sparbeiträgen von Arbeitgebern und Arbeitnehmern in der beruflichen Vorsorge lange Zeit als „dritter Beitragszahler“. Diese Rolle ist mehr denn je in Frage gestellt. Im Herbst 2015 gab der Bundesrat bekannt, dass er den BVG-Mindestzinssatz für 2016 auf 1.25% senkt – auf das tiefste Zinsniveau seit Inkrafttreten des Gesetzes über die berufliche Vorsorge (1985). Den steigenden Anforderungen an die Finanzierbarkeit der 2. Säule kann nicht nur mit Anpassungen auf der Anlageseite begegnet werden. Notwendig ist auch die Kürzung von Leistungen. Damit einher muss die Entpolitisierung der beruflichen Vorsorge gehen. Die Umverteilung hat zu grosse, nicht haltbare Dimensionen angenommen und die Generationensolidarität wird in der beruflichen Vorsorge zunehmend in Frage gestellt. Die Vorsorgeeinrichtungen unterliegen wie andere Anleger den Verwerfungen an den Finanzmärkten. Mit einer weiteren Professionalisierung im Anlagebereich und einer aktiveren Wahrnehmung ihrer Rolle als bedeutende Investoren können jedoch Voraussetzungen geschaffen werden, um die Zukunft erfolgreich zu meistern

Gedrückte Stimmung

Die Altersvorsorge bereitet Schweizerinnen und Schweizern immer wieder Sorgen. Umso erstaunlicher, dass die Schweizer Bevölkerung nicht oder nur zögerlich handelt. Das nationale Vorsorgebarometer zeigt nun Gründe

Operationelles Risikomanagement von Schweizer Vorsorgeeinrichtungen : Status quo und zukunftsgerichteter Leitfaden für Geschäftsführerinnen und Geschäftsführer

StudieDie vorliegende Studie untersucht den Stand des operationellen Risikomanagements von Schweizer Vorsorgeeinrichtungen. Während der Entwicklungsstand insgesamt fortgeschritten ist, bestehen noch Lücken in der Risikoidentifikation, der Risikoberichterstattung und der Berücksichtigung des Reputationsrisikos. Darüber hinaus lassen sich deutliche Unterschiede zwischen kleinen und grossen Vorsorgeeinrichtungen erkennen

Videoconference fatigue: a conceptual analysis

Videoconferencing (VC) is a type of online meeting that allows two or more participants from different locations to engage in live multi-directional audio-visual communication and collaboration (e.g., via screen sharing). The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a boom in both private and professional videoconferencing in the early 2020s that elicited controversial public and academic debates about its pros and cons. One main concern has been the phenomenon of videoconference fatigue. The aim of this conceptual review article is to contribute to the conceptual clarification of VC fatigue. We use the popular and succinct label “Zoom fatigue” interchangeably with the more generic label “videoconference fatigue” and define it as the experience of fatigue during and/or after a videoconference, regardless of the specific VC system used. We followed a structured eight-phase process of conceptual analysis that led to a conceptual model of VC fatigue with four key causal dimensions: (1) personal factors, (2) organizational factors, (3) technological factors, and (4) environmental factors. We present this 4D model describing the respective dimensions with their sub-dimensions based on theories, available evidence, and media coverage. The 4D-model is meant to help researchers advance empirical research on videoconference fatigue

Dynamics of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli in pig farms: A longitudinal study

Point prevalence estimates of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli (ESC-R-Ec) are important surveillance measures but may not uncover the ESC-R-Ec dynamics within pig farms. A longitudinal study was therefore performed by sampling individual pigs, pig farmers and the environment. On average, 30 (range 10-46) piglets of 31 Swiss farms were sampled during the suckling, weaning and fattening stages (n= 2437 samples). In addition, stool from pig farmers and environmental samples were obtained and metadata collected by questionnaires. ESC-R-Ec was identified by routine culture, and clonal relationships and resistance genes were derived from whole genome sequencing data. Working on pig farms was not associated with an increased prevalence of ESC-R-Ec in humans. ESC-R-Ec prevalence significantly decreased from 6.2% to 3.9% and 1.8% for the suckling, weaned and fattening pigs, respectively (P < 0.001). Within the 57 ESC-R-positive suckling piglets, persisting carriage was detected in 25 animals at two consecutive time points and one animal at three consecutive time points. Clonal spread (n=7 farms, 22.6%) and horizontal gene transfer (n=1 farm, 3%) within pigs but not between humans and animals was detected. Liquid manure (n=10 samples, 16.7%) was identified as the major environmental reservoir of ESC-R-Ec in the pig farm environment. Pig farming practices like all-in-all-out systems, but not antimicrobial usage, were associated with reduced risk of ESC-R-Ec at the farm level. As carriage duration is normally short within the individual pigs, the risk of recolonisation and clonal spread of ESC-R-Ec might be reduced by applying appropriate decontamination strategies

Leading the green insurance revolution

Anthropogenic climate change is a significant and growing challenge. Insurance has thus far not taken a leadership role in its response to the challenge, partly because of modeling uncertainties and partly because of unclear customer expectations. It is, however, too large a sector to wait on the sidelines and a more proactive approach is required. The demand for a program we developed for insurance companies in 2021 sends a positive signal for this development. Insurers have started incorporating ESG criteria in their product and service development and have taken steps to control their environmental footprint. Both are challenging, as they involved deep collaboration across the organization and along the value chain. Investment management and risk management have also been evolving to meet the challenge, with the latter especially well-positioned to deliver also market-facing services to insurance customers. Claims handling, however, is not typically considered in an insurer’s footprint and has lagged behind. This is unfortunate, as the potential for a broader societal impact through claims is significant. There are several best practices for transforming organizations to deliver more value along corporate responsibility criteria, and insurance companies need to make treasure of this experience. Further, they need to start developing their purpose beyond purely financial dimensions to align important stakeholders and deliver the promise of insurance as a social good in the 21st Century

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: International survey and call for harmonisation.

AIM Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is an often deadly complication of IPF. No focused international guidelines for the management of AE-IPF exist. The aim of this international survey was to assess the global variability in prevention, diagnostic and treatment strategies for AE-IPF. MATERIAL AND METHODS Pulmonologists with ILD expertise were invited to participate in a survey designed by an international expert panel. RESULTS 509 pulmonologists from 66 countries responded. Significant geographical variability in approaches to manage AE-IPF was found. Common preventive measures included antifibrotic drugs and vaccination. Diagnostic differences were most pronounced regarding use of KL-6 and viral testing, while HRCT, BNP and D-Dimer are generally applied. High dose steroids are widely administered (94%); the use of other immunosuppressant and treatment strategies is highly variable. Very few (4%) responders never use immunosuppression. Antifibrotic treatments are initiated during AE-IPF by 67%. Invasive ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are mainly used as a bridge to transplantation. Most physicians educate patients comprehensively on the severity of AE-IPF (82%) and consider palliative care (64%). CONCLUSION Approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of AE-IPF vary worldwide. Global trials and guidelines to improve the prognosis of AE-IPF are needed

Meta-analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Extraversion : Findings from the Genetics of Personality Consortium

Extraversion is a relatively stable and heritable personality trait associated with numerous psychosocial, lifestyle and health outcomes. Despite its substantial heritability, no genetic variants have been detected in previous genome-wide association (GWA) studies, which may be due to relatively small sample sizes of those studies. Here, we report on a large meta-analysis of GWA studies for extraversion in 63,030 subjects in 29 cohorts. Extraversion item data from multiple personality inventories were harmonized across inventories and cohorts. No genome-wide significant associations were found at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) level but there was one significant hit at the gene level for a long non-coding RNA site (LOC101928162). Genome-wide complex trait analysis in two large cohorts showed that the additive variance explained by common SNPs was not significantly different from zero, but polygenic risk scores, weighted using linkage information, significantly predicted extraversion scores in an independent cohort. These results show that extraversion is a highly polygenic personality trait, with an architecture possibly different from other complex human traits, including other personality traits. Future studies are required to further determine which genetic variants, by what modes of gene action, constitute the heritable nature of extraversion.Peer reviewe