Auditing Quality of Research in Social Sciences

A growing body of studies involves complex research processes facing many interpretations and iterations during the analyses. Complex research generally has an explorative in-depth qualitative nature. Because these studies rely less on standardized procedures of data gathering and analysis, it is often not clear how quality was insured or assured. However, one can not easily find techniques that are suitable for such complex research processes to assess the quality of the study. In this paper, we discuss and present a suitable validation procedure. We first discuss how ‘diagnosing’ quality involves three generic criteria. Next, we present findings of previous research in possible procedures to assure the quality of research in social sciences. We introduce the audit procedure designed by Halpern [(1983) Auditing Naturalistic Inquiries: The Development and Application of a Model. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University] we found an appropriate starting point for a suitable procedure for quality judgment. Subsequently, we will present a redesign of the original procedure, with according guidelines for the researcher (the auditee) and for the evaluator of the quality of the study (the auditor). With that design, we aim to enable researchers to bring forward their explorative qualitative studies as stronger and more equally valuable to studies that can rely on standardized procedures.     

Rechtliche Strukturen und Rahmenbedingungen der Privat- und Sozialversicherung

Private insurance and national social security insurance do not coexist unrelatedly. The constitution rather presumes a complementary co-operation of both branches of insurance. Whereas private insurance is based on the doctrine of privity of contract, national social security requires statutory legitimation. However, the principle of the bipolar insurance constitution restricts social security insurance to the effect, that it cannot expand unlimitedly at the expense of private insurance. This constitutional basis is reinforced by European Community law in Articles 49, 81 pp. EC. An essential difference between private and social security insurance is the fact that private insurance is characterized by the principle of personal equivalence between contribution and benefit payments, whereas in social security insurance this relation is determined by the principle of general equivalence. Consequently, the principle of solidarity in social security insurance is enriched by additional social components, the most dominant being the principle of social protection. Contrary to the developments of the last decades, social security systems are not designed as a legal scheme to protect a status quo of possession but should primarily serve to fight poverty. Thus, social security law should recall its absorbing function in the social network and rediscover, guarantee and realize the principle of subsidiarity in social security.     

„Wash and Walk“ in der Pflege – Wozu?

Pflegequalit?t steigern - „Ach ja! Mobilisieren! Dazu bin ich heute gar nicht mehr gekommen“. Das ist selbst auf Intensivstationen eine h?ufige Antwort bei der pflegerischen übergabe und ein Indiz für den Zeitdruck und die Arbeitsdichte, denen Pflegende im Arbeitsalltag ausgesetzt sind. An der Charité hat sich ein Team der Problematik angenommen und die Mitarbeiter deshalb nach Viv-Arte^? geschult.     

Community Classification and Growth in Effective Property Tax Rates: A Case Study of Rate Divergence in 39 Rhode Island Towns

Abstract . A multiple regression analysis of cross-sectional data for 39 Rhode Island towns indicates that variation in the level of effective property tax rates among communities can be substantially explained. The determinants are a community's population density, median family income, real property per capita, and the ratio of commercial to total property tax, revenue. Population density serves as a criterion for judging the “cityness” (1) of a community, that is, its degree of urbanization. A positive relationship exists between population density and effective property tax rate. Communities with the highest population density tend to have the highest tax rates. This relationship is shown in each analyzed year. Covariance analysis applied to the regression coefficients for the various years reveals a significant change in the population density coefficient. This coefficient change indicates a divergence in effective property tax rates among city, suburban, and rural communities.     

The Globalization–Welfare State Nexus Reconsidered

Two hypotheses relate to the globalization–welfare state nexus: the efficiency hypothesis predicts that globalization reduces government sector size and governments' capacity to finance the welfare state. The compensation hypothesis, in contrast, predicts that globalization induces a higher demand for social insurance which results in an extended welfare state. Empirical evidence on the globalization–welfare state nexus is mixed. The evidence is re‐examined by investigating a yearly panel dataset of 186 countries for the 1970–2004 period. This paper uses data compiled by the Penn World Tables on government sector size and employs the Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF—Swiss Economic Institute) index of globalization. The results show that globalization increased government sectors around the world. Social globalization especially had a positive influence. Globalization‐induced effects were stronger in Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries. Overall globalization and economic globalization reduced the relative price of government expenditures. These findings suggest that globalization does not jeopardize the welfare state at all.     

Development of the informal economy: A strategy for resolving the crisis of the welfare state

This article is about the factors and conditions which would influence an expansion of the informal sector (jobs which at present are not registered or taxed and which are done on a voluntary or self-help basis). The need and the opportunity for a stronger informal sector are assessed and the social forces which could support such a strategy are identified. There is a danger of a situation arising where the dominant economic system would use the informal sector for its own stabilization; this reflects the limitations of such independent activities as a model for solving our problems.