1 ABSTRACT MEDIATION AS A MEAN OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION This dissertation deals with the phenomenon of discrepancies between commonly shared perceptions about international mediation and its real and practical situation. The aim of this disertation is not to analyze the legal provisions on mediation in individual national jurisdictions or to analyze individual provisions of the private international law, which potentially apply to issues of cross-border mediation. The intention is to point to current trends and current issues in the field of international mediation. We especially want to conduct generally accepted theoretical concepts of mediation in an international context critical view by comparing it to empirical dates proving the actual state of mediation as a method of resolving international business disputes. The first part of this disertation summarizes the basic theoretical background related to mediation, which serves as a basis for the construction of generally recognized premises in this field. These premises relate to the context of international commerce. Therefore, it deals with the mediation principles, models and important aspects that are relevant to international commercial disputes with an international element. In the second part, the disertation tries to point...

Text in German / This thesis takes as a starting point the societal change in Germany with its concomitant economic risks for substantial parts of the population. Evangelical churches in Germany have yet to react to this change. While the relationship between social work and mission has been a point of widespread discussion within the evangelical movement internationally, it fails to have any impact on local churches. The question is thus: how can a mission-oriented church benefit from Christian social reform movements? Transformative as well as holistic understandings of mission have already yielded an enlarged vision of mission as encompassing social justice. But how about a missiological paradigm which is practically translatable into cultural and social relevance as far as the local church’s vision for becoming an agent of societal change/reform is concerned? When interpreted missiologically, mediation can be such a useful paradigm, as its essence is conflict as a constant anthropological signifier of human/divine distance on the one side and God’s purpose of redemption as reflected in the church’s mission on the other. Thus mediation could be called a category of the missio dei. This practical implementation into the church’s work as being relevant for its community is reached by reverting to the sciences of social work, namely the concept of community development. As mediative community work, this approach will add to the profile of a mission-oriented church as determined to serve a holistic vision of the gospel. At the focus is thus the immediate social environment of a local church, in which it can trigger spiritual, personal, social, cultural and economic processes of transformation. In the social context of Germany this way of expressing the missiological drive of a local church seems to be a hopeful avenue, since the social and economic risks are likely to remain and are threatening a large percentage of the population with social marginalisation. It is here that the economy of community work will be furnishing useful aspects to help a mission-oriented church develop its mediative-communal thrust into its immediate social context in order to proclaim God’s redemptive purpose. / Ausgangspunkt dieser Arbeit ist die Beobachtung des gesellschaftlichen Wandels in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland samt seiner sozialen und ökonomischen Risiken für weite Teile der Bevölkerung. Eine Antwort auf diesen Transformationsprozess ist seitens der evangelikalen Kirchen in Deutschland ausgeblieben. Die Frage nach der Verhältnisbestimmung zwischen sozialer Arbeit und Mission ist in der evangelikalen Bewegung zwar international breit diskutiert worden, doch hat sie kaum Wirkung auf die Praxis der örtlichen Gemeinden in Deutschland gezeigt. Bearbeitet wird daher die Fragestellung, wie eine missionarisch orientierte Gemeinde in ihrem Sendungsauftrag Initiativen christlicher Sozialreformen umsetzen kann. Transformative und ganzheitliche Missionskonzepte haben bereits ein erweitertes Missionsverständnis hervorgebracht, welches die soziale Gerechtigkeit als missionarischen Auftrag mit einschließt. Die Frage stellt sich nun nach einem missionstheologischen Paradigma, welches praktisch in eine kultur- und gesellschaftsrelevante Tätigkeit einer missionalen Gemeinde umgesetzt werden kann, durch die sie zu einem Träger einer christlich geprägten Sozialreform wird. Das Paradigma, das hierfür erarbeitet und missionstheologisch gedeutet wird, ist das der Mediation. Sie offenbart in ihrem Wesen zum einen den Konflikt als anthropologische Konstante und somit die Distanz zu Gott und zum anderen die Heilsabsicht Gottes, die sich im Missionsauftrag an die Gemeinde widerspiegelt. So stellt sich die Mediation als Kategorie der missio dei dar. Die konkrete Umsetzung dieses Paradigmas in eine die Gesellschaft gestaltende Arbeit gelingt durch die Hinzuziehung des Arbeitsprinzips der Gemeinwesenarbeit aus der Sozialarbeitswissenschaft. In Form einer mediativ-gemeinwesenorientierten Arbeit gibt sie einer missional ausgerichteten Gemeinde die Möglichkeit ihren Sendungsauftrag mit einem umfassenden Heilsverständnis umzusetzen. Dabei steht der unmittelbare Sozialraum der lokalen Kirchengemeinde im Fokus des Interesses, in dem geistliche, persönliche, soziale kulturelle und ökonomische transformative Prozesse eingeleitet werden können. Bezugnehmend auf den Kontext der Bundesrepublik Deutschland erweist sich diese Art den Sendungsauftrag umzusetzen als hoffnungsträchtig, da die sozialen und ökonomischen Risiken in Zukunft weiter bestehen werden und ein nicht unerheblicher Teil der Bevölkerung bereits als sozial ausgegrenzt ist. Hier gibt insbesondere die Gemeinwesenökonomie Anhaltspunkte, wie eine mediativ-gemeinwesenorientierte missionale Gemeinde in ihrem Sozialraum den Heilswillen Gottes verkündigen kann. / Christian Spirituality,Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The work of an engineer is closely intertwined with safety. An engineer’s perception of the “safety” task is traditionally inherent in his or her design. However, in the technical world most machines and systems designed by engineers contain a human element, which engineers have to consider in their work. In the oil and gas upstream industry – especially drilling, production and workover operations – petroleum engineers (including drilling and production engineers) are responsible not only for design but also for operational and organizational aspects. The human factor becomes more important in complex offshore operations. Incorporating safety into a sys-tem design requires identifying, analyzing and evaluating risks and ensuring that any not accounted for are taken into consideration. This process requires communication among everyone involved in the process. Analysis of accidents in the oil and gas industry shows that often a lack of that communication led to incident triggering events. In this thesis, the author proposes a novel communication model that improves this exchange of information and supposedly makes the process of risk assessment more effective. In addition, the new model also incorporates factors such as emotions, feelings, needs and imagination into the risk assessment process. This broadens the information base for the risk identification and analysis and creates an atmosphere of psychological ownership for the stakeholders in the process, which leads to a perceived safety climate in the organization where the new model is applied. The innovative communication or consultation model, as it is also referred to in risk assessments, is based on a structured process used in conflict resolution called mediation. Mediation is an alternative conflict resolution process that is centered on mutual under-standing and listening to each other’s needs. The process is composed of elements that characterize it. These elements of mediation are used to assess other communication processes and to develop new communication models. The application of the elements of mediation and the safety-mediation consultation into the risk assessment process enables this process to be enhanced with human factors such as emotions, feelings, intuition and imagination. The inclusion of all stakeholders creates psychological ownership, improves communication, enables organizational learning and expands the knowledge base for risk analysis. The applicability of the safety-mediation consultation process for a human factor-based risk assessment is presented and tested using illustrative examples and field cases from the international oil and gas industry. Possible concerns and limitations are also discussed. This thesis shows that mediation and elements of the mediation process can be applied to improve communication in the international oil and gas industry. This is facilitated by educated safety mediators, who help the petroleum engineer and operational crew on a drilling rig to achieve a better understanding by ensuring that they hear and fully register each other’s needs.

The work of an engineer is closely intertwined with safety. An engineer’s perception of the “safety” task is traditionally inherent in his or her design. However, in the technical world most machines and systems designed by engineers contain a human element, which engineers have to consider in their work. In the oil and gas upstream industry – especially drilling, production and workover operations – petroleum engineers (including drilling and production engineers) are responsible not only for design but also for operational and organizational aspects. The human factor becomes more important in complex offshore operations. Incorporating safety into a sys-tem design requires identifying, analyzing and evaluating risks and ensuring that any not accounted for are taken into consideration. This process requires communication among everyone involved in the process. Analysis of accidents in the oil and gas industry shows that often a lack of that communication led to incident triggering events. In this thesis, the author proposes a novel communication model that improves this exchange of information and supposedly makes the process of risk assessment more effective. In addition, the new model also incorporates factors such as emotions, feelings, needs and imagination into the risk assessment process. This broadens the information base for the risk identification and analysis and creates an atmosphere of psychological ownership for the stakeholders in the process, which leads to a perceived safety climate in the organization where the new model is applied. The innovative communication or consultation model, as it is also referred to in risk assessments, is based on a structured process used in conflict resolution called mediation. Mediation is an alternative conflict resolution process that is centered on mutual under-standing and listening to each other’s needs. The process is composed of elements that characterize it. These elements of mediation are used to assess other communication processes and to develop new communication models. The application of the elements of mediation and the safety-mediation consultation into the risk assessment process enables this process to be enhanced with human factors such as emotions, feelings, intuition and imagination. The inclusion of all stakeholders creates psychological ownership, improves communication, enables organizational learning and expands the knowledge base for risk analysis. The applicability of the safety-mediation consultation process for a human factor-based risk assessment is presented and tested using illustrative examples and field cases from the international oil and gas industry. Possible concerns and limitations are also discussed. This thesis shows that mediation and elements of the mediation process can be applied to improve communication in the international oil and gas industry. This is facilitated by educated safety mediators, who help the petroleum engineer and operational crew on a drilling rig to achieve a better understanding by ensuring that they hear and fully register each other’s needs.

1 Mediation as a Mean of International Commercial Dispute Resolution Abstract The subject of this dissertation is the topic of mediation in solving international commercial disputes. At the outset, the author focuses on the general theory of dispute and argues that the main psychological features of thinking about conflicts are inherent in virtually all types of social relations, regardless of their specific nature. It is therefore useful to recall the knowledge about the psychology of conflict in the context of research on the resolution of international commercial disputes, as this initial line of reasoning is also present. In the first part of the dissertation, the author defines the position of mediation within the spectrum of the dispute resolution and identifies its relationship with other ADR methods. She is particularly concerned with the recent change in the ADR area, particularly as regards the shift of arbitration towards judicial proceedings and convergence of mediation with arbitration in certain respects. Furthermore, the author considers the importance of mediation for international commerce, noting in particular the aspect of the institutionalisation of mediation and touches on the phenomenon of regional change in international trade. The author points out that the cross-border commercial...

Der um 1410 entstandene Versroman "Ring" Heinrich Wittenwilers beschreibt satirisch das Leben der Menschen in einem (fiktiven) Dorf am Bodensee. Das Forschungsvorhaben setzt sich zum Ziel, die urkundlich erfassbaren Tätigkeiten Wittenwilers als Mediator in die Interpretation des Gesamtwerkes einzubeziehen. Es soll aufgezeigt werden, inwiefern ein Schiedsmann des 14./15. Jahrhunderts seine Kenntnisse in sein literarisches Schaffen integrierte und damit einen Einblick in Vorgänge spätmittelalterlicher Mediation gibt. Dabei werden die vielseitigen Varianten der Vermittlung und Beratung sowie die historische Situation um 1400 im Bodenseeraum berücksichtigt.

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Weight loss maintenance is essential for the reduction of obesity-related health impairments. However, only a minority of individuals successfully maintain reduced weight in the long term. Research has provided initial evidence for associations between weight-related teasing (WRT) and greater non-normative eating behaviors. Further, first evidence was found for associations between non-normative eating behaviors and weight loss maintenance. Hence, the present study aimed to examine the predictive value of WRT for weight loss maintenance and the role of non-normative eating behaviors as possible mediators of this relationship. The study was part of the German Weight Control Registry that prospectively followed individuals who had intentionally lost at least 10% of their maximum weight and had maintained this reduced weight for at least one year. In N = 381 participants, retrospective WRT during childhood and adolescence, current non-normative eating behaviors (i.e., restrained, external, emotional eating), and change in body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) over two years were examined using self-report assessments. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the assumed mediational relationship. As a result, a greater effect of retrospective WRT during childhood and adolescence predicted less successful adult weight loss maintenance over two years. Current emotional eating fully mediated this relationship while current restrained and external eating yielded no mediational effects. Hence, a greater effect of WRT predicted greater current emotional eating, which in turn predicted a smaller decrease or a greater increase in BMI. Our findings suggest that suffering from WRT during childhood and adolescence might lead to emotional eating which in turn impairs long-term weight loss maintenance. Thus, our results highlight the need for interventions aiming at reducing weight stigmatization and targeting emotional eating for successful long-term weight loss maintenance.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Die Dissertation untersucht die Auswirkung fehlenden Commitments eines zentralen ökonomischen Akteurs in verschiedenen institutionellen Umfeldern. Aufsatz 1 bietet eine neuartige Erklärung für grobe Zertifizierung: Diese verringert die Anreize für Kollusion zwischen Zertifizieren und Zertifizierten. Kollusion wird verstanden als die Möglichkeit, gegen Bestechung, ein vorteilhaftes Zertifikat an einen Verkäufer zu vergeben. Konfrontiert mit einem Bestechungsangebot wägt der Zertifizier ab ob der kurzfristige Ertrag - in Form eines Bestechungsgeldes - die langfristigen Kosten – in Form des einhergehenden Reputationsverlustes – aufwiegt. Dabei erweist sich eine gröbere Zertifizierung als besonders nützlich um den kurzfristigen Ertrag zu reduzieren. Im zweiten Aufsatz werden optimale Vertragsmechanismen untersucht, wenn sich der Prinzipal nicht auf eine Auditstrategie verpflichten kann. Solche optimalen Mechanismen nutzen unparteiische Mediatoren aus. Die Verwendung eines Mediators ist profitabel, da somit Korrelation zwischen dem Report des Agenten und der Handlungsempfehlung an den Prinzipal erzeugt werden kann. Optimale Mechanismen verwenden zudem strikt mehr Verträge als Typen des Agenten, was unter vollständigem Commitment nie optimal sein kann. Der dritte Aufsatz beschäftigt sich mit Verträgen welche die Abwanderung von Unternehmen verhindern können. Der Regulierer kann sich dabei nur auf kurzfristige Verträge verpflichten und die Firmen können standortspezifische Investitionen tätigen. Wenn im Gleichgewicht Abwanderung permanent verhindert wird, dann werden keine Subventionen in der Zukunft gezahlt. Dies bedeutet, dass die Firma in Zukunft gar keinen Anreiz mehr haben darf abzuwandern. Um dies zu erreichen muss also der heutige Vertrag enorme Investitionsanreize setzen. Im Extremfall ist dann teurer Abwanderung zu verhindern wenn die Firma investieren kann, als im hypothetischen Fall ohne Investitionsmöglichkeit. / This dissertation studies the impact of a lack of commitment of a central economic actor in a given institutional environment. Essay 1 offers a novel explanation for the occurrence of coarse disclosure in certification: coarseness reduces the threat of collusion between certifiers and sellers. Collusion is understood as the possibility of selling a favorable certificate to a seller. Upon accepting a bribing offer, the certifier trades-off short-run gains – in form of the bribe – against long-run losses, from loosing reputation. Coarse disclosure is shown effective in reducing the short-run gain. The second essay studies optimal mechanisms in a contracting problem where the principal cannot commit to an auditing strategy. In this framework optimal mechanisms make use of an impartial mediator. Employing a mediator is strictly beneficial because it allows for correlating the agent’s report with the recommendation to the mediator. In general, optimal mechanisms use strictly more contracts than types, which would be not profitable under full commitment. The third essay studies contracts that avert relocation of a firm. The regulator can offer contracts only on a short-term basis, and the firm can undertake a location-specific investment. If in equilibrium relocation is permanently averted, then there are no future transfer payments. But this implies the firm cannot have an incentive to relocate in the future. Tom guarantee the latter, the initial contract has to provide string investment incentives. In the extreme, averting relocation with the firm’s possibility of investing becomes more costly than in the hypothetical case without an opportunity to invest.