Public procurement amounts to approximately 12% of the gross domestic product of industrialized countries. The greatest part of it is controlled by municipalities. Consequently, their procurement decisions have an enormous potential to initiate and support sustainable development. But measures that have been taken so far did not have a substantial impact on production processes and products yet. This was the starting point for heading toward one of the objectives of the European research project RELIEF (Environmental Relief Potential of Urban Action on Avoidance and Detoxification of Waste Streams through Green Public Procurement): to identify existing hurdles for green public procurement and to develop strategies for overcoming those hurdles. For this a decision-oriented view on public procurement was chosen, possible hurdles, revealed in practice, were identified with the help of a therefore developed questionnaire and their relevance for the cities participating in the RELIEF project was examined. Thus the concept of the hurdles analysis was developed. Subsequently the method was improved by expanding the questioning on other European municipalities than those taking part in the RELIEF project as well as using it within the German research project NaBesI where a case study was accomplished. Based on the experiences and outcomes of these first hurdles analyses a self-evaluation tool was developed. It shall enable municipalities to assess their hurdles for green procurement and deduce strategies on their own.

Reservoirs and dams are often situated in the mountains upstream of cities and towns. This implies a theoretical but difficult to evaluate hazard potential for downstream communities. This paper reflects experiences of the related safety analysis practice including the steps from the breach estimation towards the drawing of special hazard maps.

We investigate the effect of general-purpose transfers on different expenditure categories and tax rates in the municipalities of Saxony (eastern Germany) and North Rhine-Westphalia (western Germany). Findings from the panel data analysis suggest the existence of the “flypaper effect” – municipalities use transfers to increase expenditures but do not reduce taxes. For most expenditure subcategories the estimated coefficients are alike, suggesting similarity of spending priorities in the two federal states despite the differences in the transfer dependency. Targeted support of eastern municipalities could potentially explain few identified differences in the spending behavior.

Viele Städte und Gemeinden klagen über ihre hohen Haushaltsdefizite. Nun gibt es Kommunen, die extrem stark verschuldet sind und sehr hohe laufende Defizite besitzen und Kommunen, bei denen das weniger der Fall ist, bis hin zu Städten, die Überschüsse erwirtschaften. Zu diesen Phänomenen existieren in der Fachwelt verschiedene Sichtweisen. In dieser Arbeit werden einige der diskutierten Hypothesen aufgegriffen und mithilfe einer multivariaten OLS-Regressionsanalyse empirisch überprüft. Es zeigt sich, dass der Fokus verstärkt auf endogene statt auf exogene Faktoren gelegt werden muss.

We investigate the effect of general-purpose transfers on different expenditure categories and tax rates in the municipalities of Saxony (eastern Germany) and North Rhine-Westphalia (western Germany). Findings from the panel data analysis suggest the existence of the “flypaper effect” – municipalities use transfers to increase expenditures but do not reduce taxes. For most expenditure subcategories the estimated coefficients are alike, suggesting similarity of spending priorities in the two federal states despite the differences in the transfer dependency. Targeted support of eastern municipalities could potentially explain few identified differences in the spending behavior.

Public procurement amounts to approximately 12% of the gross domestic product of industrialized countries. The greatest part of it is controlled by municipalities. Consequently, their procurement decisions have an enormous potential to initiate and support sustainable development. But measures that have been taken so far did not have a substantial impact on production processes and products yet. This was the starting point for heading toward one of the objectives of the European research project RELIEF (Environmental Relief Potential of Urban Action on Avoidance and Detoxification of Waste Streams through Green Public Procurement): to identify existing hurdles for green public procurement and to develop strategies for overcoming those hurdles. For this a decision-oriented view on public procurement was chosen, possible hurdles, revealed in practice, were identified with the help of a therefore developed questionnaire and their relevance for the cities participating in the RELIEF project was examined. Thus the concept of the hurdles analysis was developed. Subsequently the method was improved by expanding the questioning on other European municipalities than those taking part in the RELIEF project as well as using it within the German research project NaBesI where a case study was accomplished. Based on the experiences and outcomes of these first hurdles analyses a self-evaluation tool was developed. It shall enable municipalities to assess their hurdles for green procurement and deduce strategies on their own.

The rapid demand for wood products globally has put pressure on natural forests. Therefore, global efforts are now being directed toward establishing plantation forests to fill the wood supply gap while reducing the pressure on natural forests. This study conceptualized the socio-economic contribution of large-scale plantation forests to adjacent rural communities in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone based on the local perceptions of 125 households interviewed during data collection. To complement the household survey data, two forest-plantation experts were interviewed. The study found that local communities mainly benefit from plantation forestry through employment, improved road conditions, and water well constructions. However, the delivery of these benefits differed among the communities depending on the spatial distance from the plantation forestry central office. Benefits related to improvements in road conditions were perceived higher in the more far away communities. The trend is similar for the perception of benefits from plantation forestry activities: the farthest community with limited opportunities for alternative livelihood options appreciated the plantation forestry benefits highly and as fairly distributed. The results further revealed that perceived benefits from the plantation forestry industry, specifically employment and income, were rather unevenly distributed because the elites were able to capture more benefits than the others. These people were also identified to be influential in the distribution of benefits from the plantation industry. It is suggested that the plantation industry makes a conscious effort to extend the delivery of benefits to more community members regardless of their landholding, social status, or education level to ensure equal access to employment and land lease income, as well as CSR benefits.

Text in German / Die vorliegende Arbeit ist der Kybernetik zuzuordnen, einer Unterdisziplin der Praktischen Theologie. In einer empirischen Untersuchung wird Führungsangst im Pastorendienst am Beispiel von Pastoren im Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden erforscht. Ausgangspunkt ist die Frage, welche Ängste Pastoren beim Führen haben. Dabei wird nach Ursachen, Erklärungen und Folgen dieser Ängste gefragt. Ziel ist, den Einfluss von Angst im Führungsverhalten von Pastoren besser zu verstehen, um damit bewusster umgehen zu können. Das Literatur-Kapitel erklärt Begriffe und stellt relevante Literatur dar. Dabei werden Angstklassifikationen, Angstabwehrmechanismen sowie systembedingte und individuelle Angstauslöser näher gefasst. In der empirischen Forschung wurden erfahrene Pastoren größerer Freien evangelischer Gemeinden interviewt. Die Datenanalyse erfolgte mittels der Methode Grounded Theory. Macht und Angst wurden als Tabu-Themen deutlich, die wenig reflektiert werden. Sie führen zu Konflikten, Machtkämpfen und zu überforderten, kranken oder gemobbten Pastoren. Die Arbeitshypothese wurde bestätigt: Führungsangst ist Pastoren nicht fremd. Allerdings ist sie eine verdrängte Form ihrer Arbeitsrealität und sozialen Wirklichkeit. / From within the field of cybernetics, a sub-discipline of Practical Theology, the fear for roles of leadership in pastoral ministry is examined empirically, through interviewing pastors of the Covenant of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany. The specific fears pastors experience when leading congregations, as well as the causes and effects of these fears, are examined from relevant sources of literature. The classification of fear and defense mechanisms, as well as system-specific and individual-specific triggers, are also discussed. For the empirical part, experienced pastors of larger Free Evangelical Churches were interviewed and data was analyzed according to the Grounded Theory method. Power and fear are identified as factors which can lead to conflict and power struggles and to overworked or ill pastors. Seen as taboo topics, pastors tend to ignore these issues. The study shows that the fear for leadership, although repressed, is a reality in the lives of pastors. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Christian Leadership)

This thesis describes the unique transition of the German Alliance-Mission (GAM) from an interdenominational faith mission to a denominational church mission agency. This process was begun and developed by the affiliation on the Federation of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany (FFEC). The GAM was in the beginning stage an intentionally interdenominational mission agency. Their founding fathers Carl Polnick and Fredrik Franson were against denominationalism. Therefore they could not imagine approaching one particular denomination to work together. However, in the 1920's the GAM became more denominationally minded through the influence of the new mission leaders. After World War II the leaders of GAM and FFEC began to negotiate about cooperation. In 1960 the FFEC leaders asked their individual congregations to support the GAM only. In 1975, it became necessary to record an agreement. This agreement made the GAM the official world mission organisation of the FFEC in Germany. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

This thesis describes the unique transition of the German Alliance-Mission (GAM) from an interdenominational faith mission to a denominational church mission agency. This process was begun and developed by the affiliation on the Federation of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany (FFEC). The GAM was in the beginning stage an intentionally interdenominational mission agency. Their founding fathers Carl Polnick and Fredrik Franson were against denominationalism. Therefore they could not imagine approaching one particular denomination to work together. However, in the 1920's the GAM became more denominationally minded through the influence of the new mission leaders. After World War II the leaders of GAM and FFEC began to negotiate about cooperation. In 1960 the FFEC leaders asked their individual congregations to support the GAM only. In 1975, it became necessary to record an agreement. This agreement made the GAM the official world mission organisation of the FFEC in Germany. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)