On the Importance of Complaint Handling Design : A Multi-Level Analysis of the Impact in Specific Complaint Situations

Given the large investments required for high-quality complaint handling design, managers need practical guidance in understanding its actual importance for their particular company. However, while prior research emphasizes the general relevance of complaint handling design, it fails to provide a more differentiated perspective on this interesting issue. This study, which is based on an integrative multi-level framework and a dyadic dataset, addresses this important gap in research. Results indicate that the impact of a company’s complaint handling design varies significantly depending on the characteristics of the complaining customers with which the firm has to deal. Further, this paper shows that, contingent on these characteristics, a company’s complaint handling design can shape complainants’ fairness perceptions either considerably or only slightly. Overall, findings suggest that companies should apply an adaptive approach to complaint handling to avoid misallocation of attention, energy, and resources

Muscle Interstitial Cells: A Brief Field Guide to Non-satellite Cell Populations in Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle regeneration is mainly enabled by a population of adult stem cells known as satellite cells. Satellite cells have been shown to be indispensable for adult skeletal muscle repair and regeneration. In the last two decades, other stem/progenitor cell populations resident in the skeletal muscle interstitium have been identified as "collaborators" of satellite cells during regeneration. They also appear to have a key role in replacing skeletal muscle with adipose, fibrous, or bone tissue in pathological conditions. Here, we review the role and known functions of these different interstitial skeletal muscle cell types and discuss their role in skeletal muscle tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and disease, including their therapeutic potential for cell transplantation protocols

Indigenous Self-Determination in Health in Guatemala: Lessons from Chile and Canada Title: Indigenous Self-Determination in Health in Guatemala: Lessons from Chile and Canada Examining Committee

Abstract As a response to the poor health conditions that indigenous people experience worldwide, indigenous groups in many countries have demanded increased autonomy and control over health care in hopes of developing more accessible and responsive health services. The purpose of this work is to explore factors required for selfdetermining indigenous health systems, and consider whether these would work in Guatemala. To accomplish this, a review of the literature was conducted and two examples of indigenous self-determination in health from Chile (Makewe Hospital) and Canada (NAN's Crisis Teams) were selected. The formation and implementation process of these initiatives was analysed to identify factors that enable indigenous selfdetermination in health. Factors that would be feasible to replicate in Guatemala include strong community involvement in organizing health care, revalorization and revitalization of indigenous knowledge and culture, leadership capacity, flexibility, and integration of Western and traditional medical systems

Portal alumni

Die Universität Potsdam verlieh am 22. Juni 2017 an die türkische Politologin Hilal Alkan erstmals den „Voltaire-Preis für Toleranz und Völkerverständigung und Respekt vor Differenz“. Mit dem Preis ehrt die Universität künftig einmal jährlich eine Person, die sich für die Freiheit von Forschung und Lehre sowie für das Recht auf freie Meinungsäußerung eingesetzt hat. Voltaire wurde Namensgeber des Preises, weil er als Vordenker für den gesellschaftlichen Toleranz-Gedankens zählt. Sein Plädoyer für Toleranz zwischen den Religionen, gegen Fanatismus und Aberglauben ist heute so aktuell wie lange nicht. Die Stadt Potsdam und ihre Universität sind mit Voltaire, der Aufklärungsepoche und dem Toleranzgedanken eng verbunden. In Potsdam lebt der Geist der Aufklärung und Toleranz, was im Leitbild der Stadt öffentlich dokumentiert ist. Gelebt wird dieser Geist in Projekten wie dem „Neuen Potsdamer Toleranzedikt von 2008“ oder dem Bündnis „Potsdam bekennt Farbe“, an dem die Universität Potsdam beteiligt ist. Auch Ehemalige der Universität engagieren sich für Frieden, Toleranz und Demokratieentwicklung. Da liegt es nahe das Thema zum inhaltlichen Schwerpunkt des Ihnen hier vorliegenden Magazins zu machen. Auf unseren Aufruf zur Mitwirkung meldeten sich rund 50 Ehemalige aus aller Welt, die von ihren Engagements berichteten. Eine Auswahl von 12 Berichten präsentieren wir in diesem Heft. Mit dabei ist etwa Geoökologe Sylvio Mannel, der in einem amerikanischen Indianerreservat gearbeitet und die Lakota bei der Rückbesinnung auf ihre stolze Tradition unterstützt hat. Oder Nicole Erfurth, die afghanischen Mädchen eine gute Schulbildung ermöglichen will. Oder aber Ralf Wunderlich, der als Profitrainer für Fußball nach Finnland auswanderte und nun mit Flüchtlingen trainiert. In diesem Heft stellen wir auch aktuelle Projekte Ihrer Alma Mater zu diesem Themenkomplex vor und berichten darüber hinaus von den Höhepunkten des Jahres 2017

The Effect of Geography and Citizen Behavior on Motor Vehicle Deaths in the United States

Death due to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) remains a leading cause of death in the US and alcohol plays a prominent role in a large proportion of these fatalities nationwide. Rates for these incidents vary widely among states and over time. Here, we explore the extent to which driving volume, alcohol consumption, legislation, political ideology, and geographical factors influence MVC deaths across states and time. We specify structural equation models for extracting associations between the factors and outcomes for MVC deaths and compute correlation functions of states' relative geographic and political positions to elucidate the relative contribution of these factors. We find evidence that state-level variation in MVC deaths is associated with time-varying driving volume, alcohol consumption, and legislation. These relationships are modulated by state spatial proximity, whereby neighboring states are found to share similar MVC death rates over the thirty-year observation period. These results support the hypothesis that neighboring states exhibit similar risk and protective characteristics, despite differences in political ideology

Alnus peptides modify membrane porosity and induce the release of nitrogen-rich metabolites from nitrogen-fixing Frankia.

International audienceActinorhizal plant growth in pioneer ecosystems depends on the symbiosis with the nitrogen-fixing actinobacterium Frankia cells that are housed in special root organs called nodules. Nitrogen fixation occurs in differentiated Frankia cells known as vesicles. Vesicles lack a pathway for assimilating ammonia beyond the glutamine stage and are supposed to transfer reduced nitrogen to the plant host cells. However, a mechanism for the transfer of nitrogen-fixation products to the plant cells remains elusive. Here, new elements for this metabolic exchange are described. We show that Alnus glutinosa nodules express defensin-like peptides, and one of these, Ag5, was found to target Frankia vesicles. In vitro and in vivo analyses showed that Ag5 induces drastic physiological changes in Frankia, including an increased permeability of vesicle membranes. A significant release of nitrogen-containing metabolites, mainly glutamine and glutamate, was found in N2-fixing cultures treated with Ag5. This work demonstrates that the Ag5 peptide is central for Frankia physiology in nodules and uncovers a novel cellular function for this large and widespread defensin peptide family