The role of external broadcasting in a closed political system

This article investigates the role and impact of external broadcasting (radio and television) on a closed political system, through the example of the two post-war German states: the West German Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the East German German Democratic Republic (GDR). The aim is to debunk myths about the influence of external broadcasting on the events that led to German reunification in 1990. The study follows a historical approach and discusses what role external media played during the years of a divided Germany. The findings are based on several historical sources, research reports from the 1950s and 1960s and over 100 biographical interviews with former residents of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The article analyses the impact of external broadcasting on citizens and the political elite in times of crisis as well as during everyday life

Flexible work and immigration in Europe

Immigration has risen substantially in many European economies, with far-reaching if still uncertain implications for labor markets and industrial relations. This paper investigates such implications, focusing on employment flexibility, involving both ‘external flexibility’ (fixed-term or temporary agency and/or involuntary part-time work) and ‘internal flexibility’ (overtime and/or balancing-time accounts). The paper identifies reasons why immigration should generally increase the incidence of such flexibility, and why external should rise more than internal flexibility. The paper supports these claims using a dataset of establishments in sixteen European countries

How Much Can We Trust Maternal Ratings of Early Child Development in Disadvantaged Samples?

An increasing number of panel studies use short screening questionnaires to assess infant development. Although some research examines the validity of screening questionnaires for middleclass families, knowledge about their accuracy in disadvantaged households is scarce. This paper validates a short screening questionnaire included in the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) with the Bayley Scales for Infant Development (BSID) as an external criterion with a disadvantaged population. The results reveal significant correlations between the screening questionnaire ratings and the BSID scores for disadvantaged mothers. However, the concordance of maternal ratings and test results decreased in mothers with multiple risk burdens

Reliability in the German value of time study

The German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure is currently preparing the 2015 Federal Transport Investment Plan. As part of this, it is updating the overall methodology of its cost-benefit analysis meaning values of both reliability (VOR) and travel time (VOT) for personal and business travel will be estimated. While the VOTs will replace a set of existing values, the VOR will be estimated for the first time as they are not incorporated in the standard appraisal yet. The data collection adopted a two-stage approach: first respondents reported about current trips (revealed preference), which were then systematically varied to be the basis for stated preference experiments. This paper presents the findings of estimating the VOR. In the SP experiments the reliability of the travel modes was presented with different formats. The final model formulation differs in the definition of reliability for private and public transport. For car trips, saving travel time is “worthier” to the respondents than reducing the variability. The calculated VOR for the mean expected unscheduled delay of public transport trips are slightly lower than the VOTs which means that the reliability is here less important to the respondents than relevant travel time saving. One minute of mean expected unscheduled delay and one minute of standard deviation are almost equivalent to one minute of travel time saving (reliability ratio). As this has been the first official estimation of the value of reliability and time for Germany, the values should be reconsidered and updated on a regular basis

Clashing Traditions: German Foreign Policy in a New Era

A series of crises over the last decade have put pressure on Europe's fundamental ordering principles. In response, German policymakers have scrambled to reinterpret Germany's foreign policy for a new era. To understand this process, the authors utilize an interpretivist approach, analyzing the discourse of German foreign policymakers through the lens of four traditions of thought informing debates: regionalism, pacifism, realism, and hegemonism. The article suggests that despite serious challenges, prevailing patterns of belief centered round regionalism and pacifism, supported by a particular civilian understanding of hegemony, persist. Yet, Germany's allies are challenging this framework and calling for it to accept more responsibility for regional and global security. As a result, a realist tradition is reemerging in Germany's discourse. The taxonomy provided here allows a richer understanding of these debates as well as an appreciation of how policymakers mobilize ideas to resist or enable policy change

What determines the motivation for further training? Results from a factorial survey among jobseekers

Publically sponsored further trainings for the unemployed are an important measure of active labour market policies (ALMP) in Germany. Current discussions within this context also focus on the willingness to participate, which is an important prerequisite for the success of the programs. Financial incentives may foster both participation and successful completion, thereby reducing opportunity costs of these measures. We investigate the question what factors determine the motivation to participate by conducting a CATI survey among around 4000 unemployed persons from the unemployment insurance system (Social Code III) and the means-tested basic income support system for needy recipients (Social Code II). We use a factorial survey - also known as vignette analysis - in combination with administrative data of the Federal Employment Agency (FEA), the latter providing detailed information about the individual labour market history. Multivariate analyses suggest that a program's duration, monthly bonus payments in addition to regular unemployment benefits, future job prospects and gratifications for successful completion influence the probability of participation mostly in the theoretically expected way

Social Data of the Federal Republic of Germany

Social data of the residential population of the Federal Republic and attitude to data protection. Topics: Attitude to protection of personal data or attitude to their being given to various authorities and institutions; occupational contact with personal data; information on all completed insurance policies; type of loans currently outstanding; payment of fine as road-user; participation in legal proceedings; type of social services received; type of taxes paid; participation in military service; last visit to the doctor; number of doctors visited in the last six months; last hospital stay; membership in clubs or citizen initiatives. Demography: age; sex; marital status; school education; vocational training; occupation; professional position; employment; type of company; household income; size of household; composition of household; head of household; city size; state.Sozialdaten der Wohnbevölkerung der Bundesrepublik und Einstellung zum Datenschutz. Themen: Einstellung zum Schutz persönlicher Daten bzw. Einstellung zu deren Weitergabe an verschiedene Behörden und Institutionen; beruflicher Kontakt mit personenbezogenen Daten; Angabe aller abgeschlossenen Versicherungen; Art der derzeit laufenden Kredite; Zahlung von Bußgeld als Verkehrsteilnehmer; Beteiligung an Gerichtsverfahren; Art der empfangenen Sozialleistungen; Art der abgeführten Steuern; Teilnahme am Wehrdienst; letzter Arztbesuch; Anzahl der im letzten Halbjahr besuchten Ärzte; letzter Krankenhausaufenthalt; Mitgliedschaft in Vereinen oder Bürgerinitiativen. Demographie: Alter; Geschlecht; Familienstand; Schulbildung; Berufsausbildung; Beruf; berufliche Position; Berufstätigkeit; Art des Betriebs; Haushaltseinkommen; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Haushaltungsvorstand; Ortsgröße; Bundesland

Citizens and Welfare State

Economic, social and occupational situation of the population. Attitude of the population to the welfare state system and individual social services. Topics: judgement on one´s own economic situation in comparison over time; satisfaction with income; judgement on the economic and social situation of pensioners; judgement on adequate security of one´s own provision for old age; detailed information on income composition; payments received from the social services office or a charity organization; attitude to the welfare state as well as to reducing government expenditures in certain areas and especially social expenditures; judgement on tax equity; interest in honorary activity in the social area; social security versus personal responsibility; occupational mobility; interest in change of company and change of occupation; assessment of age limits for occupational development and capability; time worked daily and weekly; personal times of absence at work; attitude to reduction in working hours; assessment of the stress burden at work; assessment of personal job security; knowledge about the works council; satisfaction with the job of employee representation; membership in a trade union and participation in meetings; membership of family members in a trade union; definition of the most important areas of social progress; adequate time for relaxation and last vacation trip; need for help due to physical handicap or age; persons or organizations providing assistance; person in need of help in the household; degree of reduction in earning capacity. Demography: age; sex; marital status; ages of children (classified); school education; occupational training; occupation; employment; area of business of company; company size; income; household income; sources of income; household size; household composition; respondent is head of household; characteristics of head of household; city size; degree of urbanization; state; union membership.Wirtschaftliche, soziale und berufliche Situation der Bevölkerung. Einstellung der Bevölkerung zum Sozialstaat-System und zu einzelnen Sozialleistungen. Themen: Beurteilung der eigenen wirtschaftlichen Situation im Zeitvergleich; Zufriedenheit mit dem Einkommen; Beurteilung der wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Situation der Rentner; Beurteilung der ausreichenden Absicherung der eigenen Altersversorgung; detaillierte Angaben über die Einkommenszusammensetzung; empfangene Leistungen vom Sozialamt oder von einem Wohlfahrtsverband; Einstellung zum Wohlfahrtsstaat sowie zur Reduzierung staatlicher Ausgaben in bestimmten Bereichen und speziell der Sozialausgaben; Beurteilung der Steuergerechtigkeit; Interesse an ehrenamtlicher Tätigkeit im sozialen Bereich; soziale Sicherung versus Eigenverantwortung; berufliche Mobilität; Interesse an Betriebswechsel und Berufswechsel; Einschätzung der Altersgrenzen für berufliche Entwicklung und Leistungsfähigkeit; tägliche und wöchentliche Arbeitszeit; eigene Fehlzeiten im Betrieb; Einstellung zur Arbeitszeitverkürzung; Einschätzung der Streßbelastung am Arbeitsplatz; Einschätzung der eigenen Arbeitsplatzsicherheit; Kenntnis des Betriebsrates; Zufriedenheit mit der Arbeit der Arbeitnehmervertretung; Mitgliedschaft in einer Gewerkschaft und Teilnahme an Versammlungen; Mitgliedschaft von Familienangehörigen in einer Gewerkschaft; Definition der wichtigsten Bereiche sozialen Fortschritts; ausreichende Zeit zum Ausspannen und letzte Urlaubsreise; Hilfsbedürftigkeit durch Körperbehinderung oder Alter; Personen oder Organisationen, die Hilfeleistungen durchführen; hilfsbedürftige Person im Haushalt; Grad der Erwerbsminderung. Demographie: Alter; Geschlecht; Familienstand; Alter der Kinder (klassiert); Schulbildung; Berufsausbildung; Beruf; Berufstätigkeit; Branche des Betriebes; Betriebsgröße; Einkommen; Haushaltseinkommen; Einkommensquellen; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Befragter ist Haushaltsvorstand; Charakteristika des Haushaltsvorstands; Ortsgröße; Urbanisierungsgrad; Bundesland; Gewerkschaftsmitgliedschaft

Employee Study 1968

The company situation of employees in the Federal Republic and their attitude to co-determination. Topics: characterization of job; length of company employment; change of companies; work satisfaction; judgement on the business and development chances of the area of business; relationship with superiors and colleagues; judgement on employee status in comparison with the status of a worker; attitude to continued payment of wages during sickness for workers; judgement on the job of the works council; characterization of the most important areas of co-determination for employees; satisfaction with co-determination possibilities; knowledge about so-called ´expanded co-determination´ and assessment of the chances of realization of such a demand by the trade unions; attitude to co-determination (scale); achievement-based pay; satisfaction with income; type of long-term savings program; savings goals and extent of savings; right to vacation, judgement on the appropriateness of vacation; union vacation or additional days of vacation; attitude to education leave; membership in a trade union; reasons for possible intent to leave or reasons for not joining; attitude to trade unions; knowledge about trade unions; knowledge about union representatives in the company or government office; attitude to trade unions as representation of all employees; judgement on the importance of selected trade union demands; attitude to strike calls by the trade union during wage negotiation conflicts as well as a political general strike; reading trade union magazines; judgement on the economic situation of the FRG and personal economic situation; judgement on the economic policy of the past few months and assignment of responsibility for these policies; judgement on the issue relevance and issue ability of the parties; judgement on equal opportunities in the FRG; satisfaction with country and society; judgement on political influence of selected special interest groups and media; political interest; sympathy scale for the CDU, SPD, FDP and NPD; behavior at the polls in the Federal Parliament election 1965; party preference and party ties; assessment of the result of the Federal Parliament election 1969; preferred government coalition; party preferences of family and friends; memberships; self-assessment of social class; importance of work and leisure time; athletic activities and organization of leisure time; most important criteria in judging people; topics of conversation within the family; friendships; media usage; knowledge of foreign languages. For the survey groups pensioners, self-employed and dependents of employees extensive supplemental questions were posed. Demography: age; sex; marital status; religious denomination; frequency of church attendance; school education; occupational training; occupation; employment; area of business of company; company size; income; household income; number of recipients of income; possession of durable economic goods; household size; household composition; respondent is head of household; characteristics of head of household; residential status; local residency; social origins; degree of urbanization; refugee status; union membership. Interviewer rating: willingness of respondent to cooperate; interest in interview; reliability of respondent.Die betriebliche Situation der Arbeitnehmer in der Bundesrepublik und ihre Einstellung zur Mitbestimmung. Themen: Charakterisierung der Arbeitsstelle; Dauer der Betriebszugehörigkeit; Firmenwechsel; Arbeitszufriedenheit; Beurteilung des Unternehmens und der Entwicklungschancen der Branche; Verhältnis zu den Vorgesetzten und Kollegen; Beurteilung des Angestelltenstatus im Vergleich zum Status eines Arbeiters; Einstellung zur Lohnfortzahlung für Arbeiter; Beurteilung der Arbeit des BetriebsPersonalrats; Charakterisierung der wichtigsten Felder der Mitbestimmung für Arbeitnehmer; Zufriedenheit mit den Mitbestimmungsmöglichkeiten; Kenntnis der sogenannten ´erweiterten Mitbestimmung´ und Einschätzung der Verwirklichungschancen einer solchen Forderung der Gewerkschaften; Einstellung zur Mitbestimmung (Skala); leistungsgerechte Bezahlung; Einkommenszufriedenheit; Art der Vermögensbildung; Sparziele und Umfang des Sparens; Urlaubsanspruch, Beurteilung der Angemessenheit des Urlaubs; tariflicher Urlaub oder zusätzliche Urlaubstage; Einstellung zu einem Bildungsurlaub; Mitgliedschaft in einer Gewerkschaft; Gründe für eine evtl. Austrittsabsicht bzw. Gründe für einen Nichteintritt; Einstellung zu den Gewerkschaften; Kenntnis über die Gewerkschaften; Kenntnis der Vertrauensleute in der Firma oder Behörde; Einstellung zu den Gewerkschaften als Vertretung aller Arbeitnehmer; Beurteilung der Wichtigkeit ausgewählter Gewerkschaftsforderungen; Einstellung zu Streikaufrufen der Gewerkschaft bei lohntariflichen Auseinandersetzungen sowie zu einem politischen Generalstreik; Lesen von Gewerkschaftszeitschriften; Beurteilung der wirtschaftlichen Lage der BRD und der persönlichen wirtschaftlichen Situation; Beurteilung der Wirtschaftspolitik der vergangenen Monate und Zuweisung der Verantwortlichkeit für diese Politik; Beurteilung der Issue-Relevanz und Issue-Kompetenz der Parteien; Beurteilung der Chancengleichheit in der BRD; Zufriedenheit mit Staat und Gesellschaft; Beurteilung des politischen Einflusses ausgewählter Interessengruppen und Medien; politisches Interesse; Sympathie-Skalometer für die CDU, SPD, FDP und NPD; Wahlverhalten bei der Bundestagswahl 1965; Parteipräferenz und Parteibindung; Einschätzung des Ausgangs der Bundestagswahl 1969; präferierte Regierungskoalition Parteipräferenzen der primären Umwelt; Mitgliedschaften; Selbsteinschätzung der Schichtzugehörigkeit; Wichtigkeit von Arbeit und Freizeit; sportliche Aktivitäten und Freizeitgestaltung; wichtigste Kriterien bei der Personenbeurteilung; Gesprächsthemen im Familienkreis; Freundschaften; Mediennutzung; Fremdsprachenkenntnisse. Für die Befragungsgruppen Rentner, Selbständige und Familienangehörige der Arbeitnehmer wurden jeweils umfangreiche Zusatzfrage gestellt. Demographie: Alter; Geschlecht; Familienstand; Konfession; Kirchgangshäufigkeit; Schulbildung; Berufsausbildung; Beruf; Berufstätigkeit; Branche des Betriebes; Betriebsgröße; Einkommen; Haushaltseinkommen; Anzahl Einkommensempfänger; Besitz langlebiger Wirtschaftsgüter; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Befragter ist Haushaltsvorstand; Charakteristika des Haushaltsvorstands; Wohnstatus; Ortsansässigkeit; Soziale Herkunft; Urbanisierungsgrad; Flüchtlingsstatus; Gewerkschaftsmitgliedschaft; Interviewerrating: Kooperationsbereitschaft des Befragten; Interesse am Interview; Zuverlässigkeit des Befragten