Die Rolle von Unternehmen im Wachstumsprozess Afrikas

Um afrikanische Unternehmen wettbewerbsfähig zu machen, sind folgende Maßnahmen zentral: 1. Beseitigung von Hindernissen für das Wachstum von Unternehmen. 2. Eine pro-aktive Industriepolitik, bspw. durch Clusterförderung und Anreizsysteme für Linkages von großen und kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen. 3. Humankapitalentwicklung (Kompetenzen, Training, Wissen), um Produktivitätssteigerungen zu realisieren. 4. Verlässliche Makropolitik, enabling environment für Unternehmen

The Role of Detailed Geomorphic Variability in the Vulnerability Assessment of Potential Oil Spill Events on Mixed Sand and Gravel Beaches: The Cases of Two Adriatic Sites

The role of short- to medium-term geomorphic variation is analyzed in two Italian mixed sand and gravel beaches to better understand how it could affect vulnerability assessments of oil spill events. The study sites, Portonovo and Sirolo, are in one of the most congested areas for oil transportation in the Adriatic Sea (Ancona port). A “snapshot” situation populated with field data collected in April 2015 is compared to a “changing” situation built with previous field datasets (topographic surveys and surface sediment samplings) available for the two beaches. According to the ESI guidelines established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA], 2002, both Portonovo and Sirolo can be ranked as ESI 5 or 6A in most of the cases. Sediment size resulted in the most decisive factor for the ESI assessment. As consequence of the bimodal direction of storms, the high geomorphic variability on the two sites is mainly related to storm berms which lead to rapid burial processes on both beaches. In oil spill circumstances, burial is considered the most alarming factor, especially on microtidal mixed beaches that develop storm berms so high and close to the shoreline. A quantification of the maximum potential depth reachable by the oil in the beach body is therefore needed for the most dynamic beaches; this could be achieved with repeated field measurements to be performed in the period between two consecutive ESI updates (5–7 years) and the addition of an appendix in the ESI maps dealing with the geomorphic characteristics of the beach. The significance of a changing ESI rank is that the authorities in charge of responding to the oil spill could be improperly prepared for the conditions that exist at a spill site if the geomorphology has changed from when it was first given an ESI rank

Singlet exciton fission in solution.

Singlet exciton fission, the spin-conserving process that produces two triplet excited states from one photoexcited singlet state, is a means to circumvent the Shockley-Queisser limit in single-junction solar cells. Although the process through which singlet fission occurs is not well characterized, some local order is thought to be necessary for intermolecular coupling. Here, we report a triplet yield of 200% and triplet formation rates approaching the diffusion limit in solutions of bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS)) pentacene. We observe a transient bound excimer intermediate, formed by the collision of one photoexcited and one ground-state TIPS-pentacene molecule. The intermediate breaks up when the two triplets separate to each TIPS-pentacene molecule. This efficient system is a model for future singlet-fission materials and for disordered device components that produce cascades of excited states from sunlight.B.J.W. was supported by a Herchel Smith Research Fellowship. A.J.M. received funding from a Marie Curie Scholarship. D.B. is a FNRS Research Director. Both A.J.M and D.B. acknowledge support from the European Community’s Initial Training Network SUPERIOR (PITN-GA-2009-238177). Further funding for this project came from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and a pump-prime grant from the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability.This is the accepted version of an article originally published in Nature Chemistry 5, 1019–1024 and available online at http://www.nature.com/nchem/journal/v5/n12/full/nchem.1801.html. Nature Publishing Group's conditions for reuse are detailed at http://www.nature.com/authors/policies/license.html

Chromosome-scale genome assembly provides insights into rye biology, evolution and agronomic potential

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an exceptionally climate-resilient cereal crop, used extensively to produce improved wheat varieties via introgressive hybridization and possessing the entire repertoire of genes necessary to enable hybrid breeding. Rye is allogamous and only recently domesticated, thus giving cultivated ryes access to a diverse and exploitable wild gene pool. To further enhance the agronomic potential of rye, we produced a chromosome-scale annotated assembly of the 7.9-gigabase rye genome and extensively validated its quality by using a suite of molecular genetic resources. We demonstrate applications of this resource with a broad range of investigations. We present findings on cultivated rye's incomplete genetic isolation from wild relatives, mechanisms of genome structural evolution, pathogen resistance, low-temperature tolerance, fertility control systems for hybrid breeding and the yield benefits of rye-wheat introgressions.Peer reviewe

“You are capable of MORE!”—Validation procedures to authorise the ability to study between student’s perceptions and higher education’s gatekeeping

Abstract The paper tackles the issue of procedures for the validation of competences, which are used in the tertiary education sector in order to evaluate an individual’s study ability on the basis of his/her vocational qualifications. This contested terrain will be explored by means of the University of Hamburg’s validation procedure (the so-called Eingangsprüfungsverfahren, §38 HmbHG). The focus of interest will be put on a qualitative reconstruction of individual decision-making processes during these periods of transition. For this aim, the paper introduces findings of a qualitative research project on students with such vocational qualifications background, using Grounded Theory Methodology and a triangulation of methods (participatory observations; focus groups; a quantitative questionnaire). The findings show that the validation procedure is indeed perceived by the sample as a legitimate and feasible instrument for assessing an individual’s ability of study—and serves, however, as an instrument for (re)producing discursive orderings of society in periods of transition during the life course

Coming Back for More: The Effect of News Feed Serendipity on Social Networking Site Usage

Recent spikes in social networking site (SNS) usage times have launched investigations into reasons for excessive SNS usage. Extending research on social factors (i.e., fear of missing out), this study considers the News Feed setup. More specifically, we suggest that the order of the News Feed (chronological vs. algorithmically assembled posts) affects usage behaviors. Against the background of the variable reward schedule, this study hypothesizes that the different orders exert serendipity differently. Serendipity, termed as unexpected lucky encounters with information, resembles variable rewards. Studies have evidenced a relation between variable rewards and excessive behaviors. Similarly, we hypothesize that order-induced serendipitous encounters affect SNS usage times and explore this link in a two-wave survey with an experimental setup (users using either chronological or algorithmic News Feeds). While theoretically extending explanations for increased SNS usage times by considering the News Feed order, practically the study will offer recommendations for relevant stakeholders

How Messy Is Your News Feed - Perceived Disorder As A Novel Stressor

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are pervasive in our daily lives. However, emerging reports suggest that people are increasingly dissatisfied with their experience of SNSs News Feeds. Motivated by the cognitive load theory, the paper postulates that arrangement and presentation of information are important constituents of one’s Facebook News Feed experience. Integrating these factors into the novel concept of ‘perceived disorder’, this paper hypothesizes that the perception of disorder elicited by the Facebook News Feed plays an important role in causing discontinuance intentions. Drawing on the Stressor-Strain-Outcome Model, we suggest that perceived disorder leads to SNS discontinuance intention and is partially mediated by SNS fatigue. The paper uses the responses of 268 Facebook users to investigate these relationships and introduces perceived disorder as a novel stressor. Besides adding to the existing body of literature, these insights are of relevance to internet service providers, policy makers and SNS users

We Need to Talk! Antecedents and Consequences of Children\u27s Smartphone Use - A Literature Review

Smartphones have become central devices of daily use in our society and constitute an important part of IS research. An emergent group of smartphone users are children who grow up facing the ubiquity of such devices. Yet, little is understood concerning the antecedents and consequences of their smartphone use. This systematic literature review identifies 30 papers that empirically analyze the causes and effects leading to or resulting from smartphone usage of this vulnerable group to assess the current state of research. Parenting style is key in explaining causes for smartphone use of children. In terms of consequences, negative effects seem to outweigh the benefits. Especially sleep quality, quantity and cognitive abilities are negatively affected. Our paper identifies opportunities for further research and provides advice on proactive approaches to ensure responsible interaction of children with smartphones. Acknowledgment This work has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (BMBF) under grant no. 16DII116 (“Deutsches Internet-Institut”)

“Your Home Screen is Worth a Thousand Words”: Investigating the Prevalence of Smartphone Apps among Refugees in Germany

Inspired by increasing IS research on refugees’ ICT use, this study contributes to a better understanding of which smartphone applications (apps) are common among refugees in Germany compared to immigrants and Germans. In relying on the heuristic that most frequently used apps are present on the home screen, we designed a descriptive study to gain initial insights. We analyzed the smartphone home screens of a sample composed of 101 refugees, 107 Germans, and 72 immigrants living in Germany. Out of the 280 home screens in our sample, we decoded 6,249 apps that we analyzed along four dimensions: app frequency and assigned category, participants’ genders, and participants’ age group. Our results show which apps and app categories are most prevalent on the home screens of refugee smartphones. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to open the ‘black box’ of refugees’ adoption of smartphone apps and offers practical knowledge for mobile industry stakeholders, NGOs, and governments