Suchergebnisse

This paper investigates determinacy of equilibrium in a canonical New Keynesian model under different monetary and fiscal policy rules. It is shown that a simple monetary rule that responds aggressively to inflation is a necessary condition for equilibrium determinacy, when fiscal policy is accommodating. If there is a high degree of structural distortions in the economy, then the interesting possibility arises that both aggressive monetary and fiscal policies are required to guarantee existence. When investment adjustment costs are introduced, the monetary and fiscal policy dichotomy is in principle maintained. The determinacy region is, however, highly dependent on the degree of distortion in the economy. The more prices are sticky, and the less competitive firms are, the economy is likely to exhibit indeterminacy even if monetary policy is active.

The article informs readers about the construction of a test of narcissism and associated phenomena. The author developed a scale based on a definition from the American Psychiatric Association (DSM IV-TR) and it is intended for use in standardised sociological surveys of non-clinical populations. The author tested it in two surveys: a pilot survey (N=141, snowball sampling) and in a representative survey of the Czech Republic (N=1081, quota sampling). The resulting parameters (17 items, the common factor exhausts 47% of the variance, Cronbach's a=0,926) indicate that the test is more reliable than other instruments used to date (NPI, NPI-16) and owing to its smaller scope is also easy to use in questionnaire surveys. Intensive questioning confirmed the scale's validity and produced results that correspond with the findings of psychologists focusing on this issue. The author inductively arrived at an auxiliary typology of narcissism. In the text he distinguishes between voluntary and involuntary narcissists, the characteristics of which are described in literature published to date. The findings presented in the article support the view of cognitive psychologists (e.g. J. Beck) who interpret narcissism as a 'defective cognitive scheme'. However, given the scope of the phenomenon measured in the Czech Republic (narcissistic features can be observed approximately from the eighth decile), narcissism cannot still be viewed as just a marginal and pathological phenomenon. On the contrary, it is necessary to approach it as a phenomenon that has a strong social aspect and also plays a significant role in how modern society functions. In the Czech population narcissistic features are most often observed among the young generation (aged 18–29), childless, singles and people living in communities with more than 5000 inhabitants. As well as identifying narcissism as a socio-cultural phenomenon the article also demonstrates the relationship between the observed phenomenon and homosexuality.

Abstract. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) have run a
national flood forecasting and warning service since 1989. In 2009, the
directorate was given the responsibility of also initiating a national
forecasting service for rainfall-induced landslides. Both services are part
of a political effort to improve flood and landslide risk prevention. The
Landslide Forecasting and Warning Service was officially launched in 2013 and
is developed as a joint initiative across public agencies between NVE, the
Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET), the Norwegian Public Road
Administration (NPRA) and the Norwegian Rail Administration (Bane NOR). The
main goal of the service is to reduce economic and human losses caused by
landslides. The service performs daily a national landslide hazard assessment
describing the expected awareness level at a regional level (i.e. for a
county and/or group of municipalities). The service is operative 7 days a
week throughout the year. Assessments and updates are published at the
warning portal http://www.varsom.no/ at least twice a day, for the
three coming days. The service delivers continuous updates on the current
situation and future development to national and regional stakeholders and to
the general public. The service is run in close cooperation with the flood
forecasting service. Both services are based on the five pillars: automatic
hydrological and meteorological stations, landslide and flood historical
database, hydro-meteorological forecasting models, thresholds or return
periods, and a trained group of forecasters. The main components of the
service are herein described. A recent evaluation, conducted on the 4 years
of operation, shows a rate of over 95 % correct daily assessments. In
addition positive feedbacks have been received from users through a
questionnaire. The capability of the service to forecast landslides by
following the hydro-meteorological conditions is illustrated by an example
from autumn 2017. The case shows how the landslide service has developed into
a well-functioning system providing useful information, effectively and on
time.

This research focuses upon understanding whether the group factors will serve as predictors and explain the variance in individual's job and life satisfaction. A purposive sampling was adopted for the selection of 475 employees from the four different firms having global operations. A structured questionnaire was distributed amongst respondents and data were analyzed with hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analysis in order to assess the extent of variance in job satisfaction and life satisfaction. The results of the analysis indicate that the dimensions of group factors emerged as significant predictors of job satisfaction and life satisfaction in the diverse organizations.

Veränderte Lebensbedingungen, Erwartungen und Zufriedenheit im
Vorfeld der deutsch-deutschen Vereinigung, Einstellungen zur
Chancengleichheit.

Themen: Veränderungen der persönlichen Lebenssituation seit der
Währungsunion; Zufriedenheit mit Arbeitsplatzsicherheit,
Preisentwicklung, Miete, Dienstleistungen, Einkommen; erwartete
Verbesserungen in den Bereichen Umwelt, Wohnen, wirtschaftliche
Situation, Arbeitsplatzsicherheit, Gesundheitsbetreuung,
Versorgung; Parteienpräferenz; Vertrauen in deutsche Politiker,
Entscheidungskompetenzen in der Familie; Hauptverdiener in der
Familie früher und heute, sowie Auswirkung von Veränderung auf
die Familie; Einstellung zur Chancengleichheit der Geschlechter
auf dem Arbeitsmarkt; Reaktion auf Entlassungen zugunsten des
anderen Geschlechts; Bedingungen für den Verzicht auf einen
Arbeitsplatz zugunsten des anderen Geschlechts; Meinung zur
Teilzeitbeschäftigung; Veränderungen der zwischenmenschlichen
Beziehungen innerhalb des Arbeitskollektivs; Anzahl der Kinder im
Haushalt; Religiosität.