Although the copper axes with central shaft-hole from south-eastern Europe have a long history of research, they have not been studied on a transnational basis since the 1960s. What has also been missing is an integrated or holistic approach, trying to use as many methods as possible and better understand the production, use and context of these enigmatic objects. This present research therefore approaches the axes from different angles. A database was compiled in order to find answers on questions such as the patterns of distribution, context, fragmentation and deformation of axes. For the distribution of axes in general as well as different attributes like fragmentation and typology, the content of the database was imported into GIS software and analysed. Aspects of production were considered through experimental archaeology, metallographic analysis and a re-discovered axe blank with missing shafthole. Especially the missing moulds make it difficult to fully understand the production sequence. The typology was re-evaluated and modified to ensure comparability across modern national boundaries. The context and background was developed through a thorough review of the literature and combined with theoretical considerations. The integration of all these approaches yielded some interesting results. The great variability in shape combined with the results of metallographic analyses clearly shows that a variety of production techniques were used, but it is as yet difficult to relate these to specific geographic areas or even cultural groups. In fact the typology as well as the practice of marking the axes indicate that traditional archaeological ‘cultures’ rarely correspond to the distribution of a type or to the practice of marking the axes. They show instead that there were different spheres of influence, some even more localised and others much larger (like the Carpathian Basin) than specific ceramic traditions. These different levels of belonging, as well as the increasing visibility of the individual in the archaeological record, show that it was a period of complex cultural patterns and interactions. The axes were a part of these networks of the daily life on many different levels from the strict utilitarian to the ritualised placement in burial contexts.

Cette thèse s’ouvre sur l’analyse de l’évolution spatiale des flux du transport ferroviaire de marchandises dans les Pays d’Europe centrale et orientale (PECO), depuis la chute du mur de Berlin en 1989 à l’adhésion à l’Union européenne en 2004. Au cours d’un peu plus d’une décennie, de profondes mutations ont contribué à ouvrir les PECO à l’Union européenne. La chute du mur s’est accompa gnée de la recomposition des réseaux ferroviaires, structurés désormais par les frontières nationales. Alors même que la demande du transport évolue sous l’effet des échanges commerciaux dont la nature et les origines-destinations changent en profondeur et privilégient le transport routier, les chemins de fer doivent affronter d’autres facteurs d’incertitudes liés à la transition, telles que les réformes engagées par l’Etat dans le cadre des négotiations d’entrée des PECO à l’Union Européenne. Les chemins de fer réagissent pas la mise en place de stratégies de survie et parfois même de réhabilitation d’institutions de la période socialiste tombées en désuétude durant la première phase de la transition. Tout au long de la transition, les chemins de fer présentent une puissante force d’inertie aux changements, notamment au travers d’une forme d’adhérence du réseau d’infrastructure au territoire, tout en incarnant une forme de stabilité dans les périodes de mutations propres à la transition / This thesis begins with the analysis of the freight transportation flows in the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), from 1989 up to membership of the European Union (EU) in 2004. During more than a decade, the CEECs have gone through deep political and macroeconomic structural changes that led to the opening up of the CEECs’ trade with the EU. The fall of the Berlin wall was followed by the reorientation and restructuring of the railway networks and services along the national borders, which are revealed by the freight flows. Although the transport demand changes as a result of the new trade exchanges, which give more importance to the road transport, railway networks are challenged by new factors of uncertainties generated by the transition process itself, such as the restructuring reforms initiated by CEECs’ governments, as part of the negotiations to enter the EU. Railways respond by implementing what is described as being surviv al strategies, and in some cases rehabilitate former socialist institutions that were actually abandoned in the early stage of the transition. Throughout the whole transition process, the railways demonstrate a strong capacity of inertia against change, whilst incarnating a needed form of stability during the periods of rapid and chaotic changes of transition

Als "Mitteilungen" dokumentieren die einzelnen Hefte die Zusammenarbeit von Musikwissenschaftlern aus den betroffenen Gebieten seit 1997.

Als \"Mitteilungen\" dokumentieren die einzelnen Hefte die Zusammenarbeit von Musikwissenschaftlern aus den betroffenen Gebieten seit 1997.

In diesem Heft unserer "Mitteilungen" bilden Beiträge zu Karol Mikuli einen Schwerpunkt. Sie sind hervorgegangen aus einer Konferenz 24.-26. März 1998 in Lemberg.

This thesis investigates the association between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in Eastern Europe. The main aim was to estimate to what extent changes in per capita alcohol consumption have an impact on different forms of alcohol-related mortality, and to put the results in an international comparative perspective. The thesis includes four papers; the first two papers use aggregate time-series analysis to assess how changes in per capita consumption affect rates in suicide mortality and fatal non-intentional injuries in several Eastern European countries, respectively. The third paper applies the same methodological approach to analyse the population-level relationship between alcohol and homicide in Russia and the U.S.. The fourth paper employs survey data to assess how the risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems in relation to volume of consumption in the Baltic countries compares to Sweden and Italy. The results of the first three papers suggests: (i) that changes in per capita consumption are significantly related to changes in mortality rates of suicide, non-intentional injuries and homicide in the countries under study; (ii) that the relationship is stronger for men than for women, and (iii) that the relationship tends to be stronger in the countries with more detrimental drinking patterns, e.g. Russia. The results of the fourth paper suggest that the risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems in relation to level of drinking in the Baltic countries is similar to the corresponding risk in Sweden, but considerably stronger than in Italy. In conclusion, the findings support the significance of a public health approach to alcohol-related problems in Eastern Europe, i.e., policy measures directed towards total alcohol consumption. In addition, strategies aimed at reducing the occurrence of binge drinking seem to have great potential for reducing alcohol-related harm and mortality in Eastern European countries. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p> / Alcohol in Eastern Europe - a Public Health Perspective

Biographien zu den Autoren der Beiträge aus Heft 4

The purpose of this thesis is to deliver an integrated overview on the development of marketing in the Eastern European countries from the communist era to the present time and answer the main research question: How has marketing in the Eastern European countries changed from the communist era to the present time? In addition to this, three propositions are composed and further investigated.   The research philosophy of this thesis is based on a subjectivist ontological view and an interpretivist epistemological approach. The deductive research approach studies the research question, while adopting a qualitative research method. In addition, the practical research adopted for the purpose of this thesis is based on conducting multiple semi structured interviews with respondents, representing a diverse sample of firms. The firms are divided according to their country of origin, providing an inside and an outside view on the development of marketing in the Eastern European countries. At the same time, all the firms interviewed fulfill the criteria of being present on the Eastern European market. The final results are gained by the combination of the primary data, collected during the interviews, and secondary data, gained from a literature review undertaken by the authors.   The theoretical contribution of this thesis is represented by the empirical findings. They provide a complex overview on the most important political, economic, social and cultural changes in the Eastern Europe from the communist era to the present time, while linking them to the development of marketing within this selected geographical area.

Biographien der Autoren der Beiträge von Heft 3

The objective of this thesis is to examine cross-border contagion effects during the 2007-09 crisis in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and from all the possible propagation channels, it chooses to focus on cross-border bank loans. It tries to discover which global and local factors had significant influence on the changes in bank loans from banks in source (lending) countries to banks, as well as households, corporations and government in host (borrowing) countries. The main research method is a panel data regression model. The empirical results suggest that both local and global factors had influence on the changes in cross-border loans, i.e. helped to spread the 2007-09 crisis to CEE. The significant local factors were macroeconomic and financial characteristics of both source and host countries, such as their GDP growth differential, interest rate differential, FDI, or profitability and health of the banking sector. The significant global factors were the expected market volatility and investors' risk appetite/aversion which was an indicator of "pure" contagion. The main contribution of this thesis lies in its focus on CEE and the analysis of investors' behavior based on their changing risk appetite.