How cost-effective are result-oriented agri-environmental measures?—An empirical analysis in Germany

Agri-environmental measures (AEM) are the central area-based measures of the second pillar of the Common European Agricultural Policy. Cost-effectiveness of AEMs has to be improved. In this paper a newly designed AEM called result-oriented incentive is empirically analysed for the first time concerning its impacts on environmental effects and cost.     

The Information Content of Magazine Advertising in Market and Transition Economies

This study examines differences in the information content of magazine advertisements across market and transition economies in Europe. Content analyses are performed on 396 advertisements that appeared in women's magazines in the Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Results of statistical analyses reveal marked differences between economies with respect to the information content of advertisements. Compared to market economies, advertisements in transition economies contain significantly more product-related information, and focus less on consumers' life style. In addition, they contain more prize winning contests and their glossy magazines contain more availability information. The study also explores reasons for these differences and discusses their implications.     

E-Learning in der Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft

Using electronic media as teaching and learning tools is no longer a novelty; the fast development and diffusion of §new media”, such as CD-ROM and theWorldWideWeb, have given the use of these media a big boost in recent years. Thus, a number of electronic learning projects have been developed in the field of communication and media studies, of which, however, no general overview was available so far. This article provides such an overview, allows for classification and evaluation of these projects, and thus represents a prerequisite for the future success of such projects. A survey by the authors among communication and media studies departments in German-speaking countries accounted for 14 electronic learning projects that showed fairly diverse emphases with respect to their contents, concepts, didactics, technology, and organisation. In a case study on the Leipzig-based §Distance Learning Propädeutikum" (DLP), the article explores the advantages of electronic learning systems and discusses the challenges in the development and application of such systems. This section also draws on the results of a project-specific evaluation. Both the survey and the case study show that rather than substituting courses or cutting costs on instructors, the main advantage of electronic learning systems lies in their ability to make teaching and learning processes more independent of temporal and spatial constraints.     

Von pragmatischen Post-Docs und progressiven PraktikernAbout Pragmatic Post-docs and Progressive Practitioners

Scientific journals are a key factor for the integration of a research discipline. For their integrative capacity it is mainly important how members of a discipline use these journals as readers and authors and how they assess them. To gain more insight into this topic, all members of the German Society for Journalism and Communication Science (DGPuK) were asked to take part in an online survey during the summer of 2015. Object of this survey were the three journals Publizistik, Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft and Studies in Communication | Media. Participants were asked about the utilization of those journals, their fulfillment of general expectations towards journals in German communication science as well as about publication behavior and expectations towards the publication process. Using a cluster analysis, participants were split in five different groups, discriminant in terms of expectations, assessments and forms of utilization. Results show that the analyzed journals still do not use their full potential to create long-term commitment, especially among younger academics.     

Beziehen sich Medien immer mehr auf Medien?

The media are becoming more and more media-referential. This thesis has become quite common among communication scholars. When reviewing the relevant literature, however, it becomes clear that terms such as self-referentiality or media-orientation are used to decribe a great variety of different phenomena. In addition, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the notion of a growing frequency of media references in the media. Moreover, the discussion about media reliance and its changes is based on different theoretical approaches, some of which do not make any reference to other such approaches. Against that backdrop, this article first identifies different dimensions of self-or media-referentiality. Second, empirical evidence is presented that speaks for or against an increase of self-or media-referentiality. Third, the usual theoretical approaches used in explanations of self-or media-referentiality are discussed. Fourth, it is explained how an integrative social theory — the structural-individualistic approach — can be used as a basis for the explanation of changes in self-or media-referentiality. Finally, possible effects of such a development are discussed.     

Functions of units,scales and quantitative data: Fundamental differences in numerical traceability between sciences

Quality & Quantity - Quantitative data are generated differently. To justify inferences about real-world phenomena and establish secured knowledge bases, however, quantitative data generation...     

The Inefficiency of Litecoin: A Dynamic Analysis

We analyze the informational efficiency of Litecoin using computationally efficient and robust estimators of long-range dependence for a sample period spanning over April 28, 2013 to November 27, 2017. We show evidence of market inefficiency. However, some short periods with negligible inefficiency are also observed. We also find evidence of multifractality of Litecoin returns.

     

Optimal taxation in the Uzawa–Lucas model with externality in human capital

In this paper we study the optimal policy in the Uzawa–Lucas model with externality in human capital when agents value both consumption and leisure. We find that the government pursuing the first best can achieve its goal by a subsidy which depends on foregone earnings while studying and which is financed through a lump sum tax. Anyway, the optimal policy, that should be designed to provide incentives for agents to devote more time to schooling and cut both on leisure and working, is not unique. There exists an infinite number of combinations of consumption, capital income, labor income and lump sum taxes that can decentralize the first best.     

Interdependence and Contagion in Global Asset Markets

We assess interdependence and contagion across three asset classes (bonds, stocks, and currencies) for over 60 economies over the period 1998–2011. Using a global VAR, we test for changes in the transmission mechanism—both within and cross‐market changes—during periods of global financial turbulence. Contagion effects within‐market are notable in Latin American and Emerging Asian equities. In addition, in times of financial crisis, we find that US equity shocks lead to risk aversion by investors in equities and currencies globally and in some emerging market bonds. Euro area shocks are significant mainly within the bond market.