Ausländische Direktinvestitionen und lokale Wissensbasis: Die Einbettung von Niederlassungen in die deutsche duale Ausbildung

Die duale Ausbildung verbindet das Lernen von Auszubilden-den (in Berufsschulen) oder dual Studierenden (in Hochschulen) mit dem 'Lernort' Betrieb. Die duale Ausbildung trifft man in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz an. Sie steht für regionale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ebenso wie für die Förderung von Berufschancen junger Menschen auf dem lokalen Arbeitsmarkt. Außerhalb dieser drei Länder ist die duale Aus-bildung nur selten gängige Praxis, bildet aber Gegenstand des Berufsbildungstransfers ins Ausland. Während über diesen Transfer bereits zahlreiche Forschungsbefunde vorliegen, ist kaum bekannt, inwiefern - spiegelbildlich - Niederlassungen ausländischer Unternehmen im Kontext dualer Berufsbildungssysteme hierzulande ausbilden. Diese Frage wurde am Beispiel von Niederlassungen multinationaler Unternehmen in Deutschland untersucht. Theoretisch knüpft der Beitrag an Forschungen über lokale Wissensbasen und die Einbettung ausländischer Niederlassungen an. Die Methode ist qualitativ. Die Resultate zeigen, dass die betrieblichen Entscheider über Freiheiten von Seiten der ausländischen Muttergesellschaft verfügen und diese zugunsten dualer Ausbildung nutzen. Allerdings erweist sich der Aufwand für das Engagement in dualer Ausbildung als hoch. Duale Ausbildungsaktivität erfolgt vor allem als Anpassungsstrategie an die institutionelle Um-welt, nicht als Gestaltung. Die lokalen Stakeholder verhalten sich überwiegend reaktiv. Dies verweist auf Ansatzpunkte für die Forschung zu Wissensbasen und lokale Einbettung sowie praxisorientiert auf mögliche Abstimmungsbedarfe.Dual vocational education and training systematically combines the learning of apprentices (in vocational schools) or students (in applied universities) with the 'learning venue' of the company. The dual vocational education and training exists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and stands for regional competitiveness as well as for job opportunities of young people on the local labour market. Outside of these three countries, the dual system hardly exists, but dual practices are subject of international skill transfer policies. While this transfer is well researched, it is hardly known to what extent (in mirror image) subsidiaries of foreign companies take part in the dual system of German speaking countries. This question was examined, by focussing on subsidiaries of multinational companies in Germany. Theoretically, the contribution relates to research on local knowledge bases and the embeddedness of foreign subsidiaires. The study pursues a qualitative method. The results show that the local training managers have freedom for decision-making and use this in favour of getting involved in dual vocational education and training. However, the effort turns out to be high. Dual activities take place primarily as a strategy for adapting to the institutional environment, not as a way of shaping the environment. The local stakeholders are mostly reactive in this regard. This points to possible future fields of research on local knowledge bases and local embeddedness and, with regard to practice, to the relevance of mutual coordination

Fully Automated Optimization of Robot‐Based MOF Thin Film Growth via Machine Learning Approaches

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), have emerged as ideal class of materials for the identification of structure–property relationships and for the targeted design of multifunctional materials for diverse applications. While the powder form is most common, for the integration of MOFs into devices, typically thin films of surface anchored MOFs (SURMOFs), are required. Although the quality of SURMOFs emerging from layer-by-layer approaches is impressive, previous works revealed that the optimum growth conditions are very different between different types of MOFs and different substrates. Furthermore, the choice of appropriate synthesis conditions (e.g., solvents, modulators, concentrations, immersion times) is crucial for the growth process and needs to be adjusted for different substrates. Machine learning (ML) approaches show great promise for multi-parameter optimization problems such as the above discussed growth conditions for SURMOF on a particular substrate. Here, this work presents an ML-based approach allowing to quickly identify optimized growth conditions for HKUST-I SURMOFs with high crystallinity and uniform orientation. This process can subsequently be used to optimize growth on other types of substrates. In addition, an analysis of the results allows to gain further insights into the factors governing the growth of MOF thin films

The "Lake of Olympia": geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

Our results yield evidence of a large lake environment that existed near the ancient site of Olympia which was so far unknown. The limnic sequence reveals considerable changes in the ecological conditions over time, based on Direct Push sensing, sedimentary and micropalaeontological analyses. Radiocarbon data show that the “Lake of Olympia“ existed from the 8th/7th millennium BC until, at least, the 1st century AD. The existence of the “Lake of Olympia” next to the cult site of Olympia has considerable historical, archaeological and geographical implications (e.g., as waterway or water supplier)

Sitting on the Fence: Adapt or Import? A study on Training Activities of Foreign Multinationals in Germany

Even though Germany has been an attractive location for foreign investors for many years and foreign subsidiaries in Germany create a significant number of jobs on an intermediate qualification level, whether and how these foreign companies act regarding training at their German locations is largely unknown. Therefore the paper asks the question how multinational companies, which are socialized in differing skill-formation systems, practice training in their subsidiaries in Germany, where the German dual apprenticeship system is predominant. The focus lies on multinational companies from France, Japan and the United States, as these countries are significant in terms of direct investments in Germany and as the selection follows a ‘most different design’ regarding their respective skill-formation system. Qualitative methods, i.e. expert interviews and a qualitative content analysis, were used in order to adequately reflect the explorative approach of the study. Using neo-institutionalist organisational theory, the study first examines how companies act in the area of training and recruiting on the intermediate skill level and second how they are influenced by the two different country environments. The differing training practices of foreign multinational companies in Germany are presented, and the influence of environmental conditions on adaptation towards local practices is discussed

Training activities in subsidiaries of foreign multinational companies: Local embeddedness in Germany?

While labour geography notes that subsidiaries of multinational companies (MNCs) exploit workers, studies in vocational education show that the international subsidiaries perform education and training. Often, the latter strand of literature relates to cases of MNCs from countries with 'dual' apprenticeships that combine comprehensive vocational education and training (VET) of vocational schools/universities and companies. This is how VET is practiced in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The VET literature also explores how transfer of 'dual' practices from these countries of origin can contribute to skilling employees in the host countries. Starting from these conceptual approaches, this paper takes a different perspective. It asks how training activities of MNCs with headquarters in countries where companies hardly combine their in-house trainings with vocational schools, perform training activities in Germany where 'dual' apprenticeship is the prevalent institutional environment. Besides 'dual' VET, the study also includes MNCs' 'dually' coordinated training activities with universities. The topic of MNCs' training activities in such complex structured institutional environments has hardly been researched until now. Methodologically, the study is based on case studies and uses qualitative research approaches for the evaluation of interviews. The results illustrate a spectrum of different kinds of training by presenting three case studies and show how they relate to the particular institutional context in Germany. The discussion and conclusion integrate the results in further findings of the study and literature

Social timing influences sleep quality in patients with sleep disorders

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Objectives: We aimed to compare three variants of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI usual, work- and work-free days: PSQIu, PSQIw, PSQIf) and to assess whether chronotype (MSFsc)/social jetlag (SJL) are associated with sleep quality in patients with sleep disorders (SD). Methods: In sum, 431 SD patients and 338 subjects from the general population (GP) were included. Participants filled in three variants of the PSQI and the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ). We used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to investigate effects of group (GP, SD), PSQI (usual, work or free) and their interaction (group∗PSQI) on scores. To investigate associations between MSFsc/SJL and the difference between PSQIw and PSQIf (PSQIdiff) in patients with SD we used linear regressions (N = 352). We used Sobel to test whether there was a mediation effect of SJL on the association between MSFsc and PSQIdiff. Results: PSQI scores differed between groups (p < 0.001). Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant difference between PSQIu vs. PSQIf and PSQIw vs. PSQIf with PSQIf presenting lower scores, while PSQIu vs. PSQIw did not differ in any group. In line with previous findings, SJL was associated to PSQIdiff in SD patients. Conclusions: PSQIu mainly represents sleep quality on workdays also in SD patients. Being a late chronotype seems to be associated with higher differences in sleep quality on work-vs. free days mostly when it coincides with societal time constraints. Since sleep quality is poorer on workdays even in SD patients, we suggest that treatment strategies should address social aspects affecting sleep, including ways of minimizing SJL.This study was financed in part by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) PhD research grant PDE/BDE/114584/2016, the Coordenaçao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil (CAPES - PVE A046/2013) - Finance Code 001, and the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (CAPES/DAAD - PROBRAL 12/2017).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Obesity in Humans Is Characterized by Gut Inflammation as Shown by Pro-Inflammatory Intestinal Macrophage Accumulation

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and associated with cardiovascular complications. However, it remains unclear where this inflammation starts. As the gut is constantly exposed to food, gut microbiota, and metabolites, we hypothesized that mucosal immunity triggers an innate inflammatory response in obesity. We characterized five distinct macrophage subpopulations (P1-P5) along the gastrointestinal tract and blood monocyte subpopulations (classical, non-classical, intermediate), which replenish intestinal macrophages, in non-obese (BMI32kg/m2). To elucidate factors that potentially trigger gut inflammation, we correlated these subpopulations with cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle behaviors. In obese individuals, we found higher pro-inflammatory macrophages in the stomach, duodenum, and colon. Intermediate blood monocytes were also increased in obesity, suggesting enhanced recruitment to the gut. We identified unhealthy lifestyle habits as potential triggers of gut and systemic inflammation (i.e., low vegetable intake, high processed meat consumption, sedentary lifestyle). Cardiovascular risk factors other than body weight did not affect the innate immune response. Thus, obesity in humans is characterized by gut inflammation as shown by accumulation of pro-inflammatory intestinal macrophages, potentially via recruited blood monocytes. Understanding gut innate immunity in human obesity might open up new targets for immune-modulatory treatments in metabolic disease. Keywords: Obesity; chronic inflammation; diabetes; intestinal inflammation; macrophages; metabolic disease; monocytes; mucosal immunity