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Thermal printing technology requires a color developer to activate the dye under the action of heat. Bisphenol A (BPA) has traditionally been used for this purpose, although it has increasingly been replaced by bisphenol S (BPS) in recent years. Due to concerns regarding their toxicity, the Swiss authorities have banned both BPA and BPS from thermal papers since 2020. The impact of this regulatory decision was evaluated during 3 monitoring campaigns: in 2013-2014, 2019 and 2021. They were used to describe the starting point, the transition phase, and the status after entry into force of the ban, respectively. Whereas the use of BPA as color developer dropped from 82.2% in 2013/14 to 10.8% in 2021, the fraction of BPS-based thermal paper rose from 3.1% to 19.1% during the same period, despite being banned. However, Pergafast® 201 (PF201) is now the main color developer in thermal paper in Switzerland, with an occurrence of 60.3%. Other alternatives such as D-8, TGSA, PPSMU, NKK-1304, BPS-MAE, D-90 and Blue4est® have only been marginally detected. This study demonstrates the efficiency of the regulatory measure and the feasibility to substitute BPA in thermal papers with less-toxic alternatives., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Central neurocytoma is the most common primary intraventricular tumor in adults being classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a benign grade II tumor with a good prognosis. Given the recent advances with regard to this tumor, a bibliometric analysis was due to study the future direction of research for neurocytomas. A comprehensive Elsevier's Scopus database search was performed to capture all published and indexed studies to date relevant to neurocytoma. A discrete set of validated bibliometric parameters were extracted and analyzed on R v4.1.3. A total of 1002 documents were included in our analysis covering a period between 1910 and 2021 (111 years). Around 98.5% of the documents were multi-author publications with a collaboration index (CI) of 4.21. Acta Neuropathologica, The American Journal of Surgical Pathology, and Cancer were the journals to include the highest number of top ten cited articles (2 out of 10 most cited articles, 20%). Switzerland (4 out of 10, 40%) accounted for the country to have the highest number of top 10 most cited articles with the USA (5588 out of 16,395 citations, 34.1%) having the greatest number of citations. Lastly, our analysis reported an annual growth rate of 6.9% for the number of papers produced by year. This is the first bibliometric analysis to study the top 10 most cited articles with regard to neurocytomas. A shift from histopathologic and clinical symptoms towards the treatment and management of the tumor was observed in our analysis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Fear of falling (FoF) results in social, functional, physical, and psychological symptoms, including secondary disorders, such as depression and general anxiety disorder (GAD). A vicious cycle develops, where symptoms maintain and reinforce FoF and its consequences, including increasing the risk of falling. In this position paper, we suggest screening for FoF using the falls efficacy scale international (FES-I) questionnaire. The presence of a high score (> 23) warrants an investigation into frailty and exclusion of depression and GAD, during the clinical interview. Stratifying frailty, based on the Fried frailty criteria will guide treatment options based on the most significant health concerns. Frail older adults should first receive physiotherapy and exercise interventions, as physical disabilities are their most significant characteristic, while pre-frail and non-frail older adults should receive multicomponent interventions, consisting of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with physical exercise. The non-frail with predominantly GAD and depression should receive specialized CBT interventions. Currently, only exercise interventions are available for FoF treatment in Switzerland. Although some exercise interventions use CBT elements, such as goal setting and reflections on behavior and feelings, they are not systematically used, are not part of a quality-assured procedure, and do not address the psychological-cognitive aspects of FoF. As the pre-frail and non-frail are the largest groups to use these services, adapting current exercise programs by incorporating a CBT component would be the most practical means to provide optimized care., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

In the wake of local initiatives and developmental funding programs, interprofessionality is now included in national curricula in the German-speaking countries. Based on the 3P model (presage, process, product), this position paper presents the development of interprofessional education in recent years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and places it in an international context. Core aspects as legal frameworks, including amendments to occupational regulations as well as the formation of networks and faculty development are basic requirements for interprofessional education. New topics and educational settings take shape in the process of interprofessional education: patient perspectives and teaching formats, such as online courses, become more important or are newly established. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on interprofessional education is explored as well. Among many new interprofessional courses, particularly the implementation of interprofessional training wards in Germany and Switzerland are positive examples of successful interprofessional education. The objective of interprofessional education continues to be the acquisition of interprofessional competencies. The main focus is now centered on evaluating this educational format and testing for the corresponding competencies. In the future, more capacities will be required for interprofessional continuing education and post-graduate education. Structured research programs are essential to ascertain the effects of interprofessional education in the German-speaking countries. In this position paper the GMA committee on interprofessional education encourages further advancement of this topic and expresses the aim to continue cooperating with other networks to strengthen and intensify interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Only a few studies with small sample sizes have compared electronic Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) rating checklists with traditional paper-based OSCE rating checklists. In this study, the examiner-perceived usability and preference for type of OSCE checklist (electronic vs. paper based) were compared, and the influence of OSCE checklist type on missed ratings was determined, for the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in clinical skills for human medicine., Methods: All examiners in the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in clinical skills for human medicine were invited over two subsequent years to evaluate the OSCE checklist type they had worked with during the examination. This was based on a questionnaire with 14 closed questions (i.e., demographic, checklist-type experience, perceived usability, checklist type preference). Furthermore, the numbers of missed ratings for the paper-based checklist were recorded., Results: The data from these examiners ( n =377) with experience of both OSCE checklist types were analyzed. The electronic OSCE checklist was rated significantly higher on all usability aspects (i.e., ease of use, candidate rating and error correction, clarity, distraction using the checklist, overall satisfaction), except for the speed of registering comments (no significant difference). The majority of the examiners in both years (2014: 54.5%, n =60, 2015: 89.8%, n =230) reported preference for working with the electronic OSCE checklist in the future. Missed ratings were seen for 14.2% of the paper-based OSCE checklists, which were prevented with the electronic OSCE checklists., Conclusions: Electronic OSCE checklists were rated significantly more user-friendly and were preferred over paper-based OSCE checklists by a broad national sample of examiners, supporting previous results from faculty-level examinations. Furthermore, missed ratings were prevented with the electronic OSCE checklists. Overall, the use of electronic OSCE checklists is therefore advisable., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. The OSCE-Eval application that was used to implement the electronic OSCE checklist was designed and developed by the Department for Software Development, Usability Consulting and IT Infrastructure (ASCII), at the Institute for Medical Education. More information about the application can be accessed through the website [https://eosce.ch/]., (Copyright © 2022 Wagner et al.)

This document is an introduction to a special collection of papers in honor of Robert Deschenaux, a chemist who made significant contributions to the field of soft materials. Deschenaux was born in Switzerland in 1957 and obtained his PhD in chemistry in 1983. Throughout his career, he conducted research on various topics including metal complexes, liquid-crystalline materials, and dendrimers. Deschenaux also played a role in teaching and promoting chemistry. The special collection of papers was organized to celebrate his retirement and his outstanding contributions to the field. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines digital archiving policies of open access (OA) electronic scholarly journals in Central Europe. The research sample consists of 1589 journals from nine Central European countries registered in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Results show that of the 1589 journals, 69% of them have an archiving policy. In terms of the number of indexed journals, Poland ranks first with 592 journals. Switzerland is at the forefront of digital archiving with 89% of archived journals. It was also found that Portico and national libraries are the most widely used archives, and that 19% of the preserved journals are archived in more than one archive. A preliminary analysis was also conducted to investigate the possible existence of a relationship between journal rank and digital archiving. The results show a higher number of JCR indexed titles, as well as a higher ranking, among archived journals. The paper also compares the status of archiving policies among Asian and Central European countries. The results reveal that archived journals are significantly more represented in Central European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free-banking history of Switzerland is subdivided into periods with unfettered competition (1826–1881), and strict banknote regulation (1881–1907). This paper suggests that the Federal Banknote Act of 1881 was introduced to remedy the fragmentation of the unfettered-competition period, during which private note-issuing banks were unable to issue standardised paper money. Although the corresponding minimum-reserve and mutual-acceptance rules led to a standardisation, they created new problems. For example, these regulatory interventions reduced the flexibility (or "elasticity") of the paper-money supply. It turned out that a central note-issuing bank is needed to supply adequate amounts of standardised banknotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent reforms in Swiss higher education transformed vocational training institutions with a teaching mission into universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education that should balance research and teaching activities of individual lecturers following the Humboldtian model. Drawing on the concept of ambidexterity, we aim to examine the current outcome of the reforms in terms of the structural conditions for research and the research competence of lecturers at the two new types of universities. By means of a document analysis, we first assess how the shift manifests itself in institutional mission statements. We then analyze recent survey data (N=2454) regarding the lecturers' perceptions of the structural conditions for research and their research competence. While our findings suggest that the new higher education sector has formally adopted the Humboldtian model, notable differences between the two types of universities can be observed in the extent to which the new policy imperatives have influenced the mission statements. Furthermore, we find a certain degree of mismatch between the organizational ambidexterity required by the Humboldtian model, the structural conditions for research encountered by lecturers, and the individual research competence. A number of conceptual and policy implications are drawn.

In Switzerland, regulatory requirements mandated that spraying drones undergo a testing procedure, which included assessing their transversal spray distribution using a patternator. Various stakeholders have repeatedly expressed uncertainty as to whether these static measurements correctly reflect the real dynamic spray distribution or whether this type of measurement falsifies the spray pattern. Taking these uncertainties into account, the present study compared the static patternator method with dynamic field measurements using water-sensitive and filter paper. The three methods showed good agreement in the results. In contrast to the other two methods, the measurements on the patternator showed the lowest variability, which shows that hovering at the same point probably causes some compensation in the distribution. Different nozzles (flat fan, hollow cone, air induction nozzles) produce quite similar distribution patterns in all three measurement methods, whereby the injector nozzle with the largest droplets produced the best transverse distribution with a coefficient of variation of less than 10 %. • Spray drones can achieve regular transversal distribution with coefficients of variation less than 10 %. • Patternator is well suited to measure the transversal volume distribution of the spray liquid. • Collectors (water sensitive and filter paper) show the variability of the distribution during the flight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Due to the complexity and importance of oral bone structure, oral bone regeneration materials differ from those used in other parts of the body. To study the research trends and hotspots of oral bone regeneration materials, this paper conducts a bibliometric analysis of related papers from 1991 to 2023 (retrieved on 27 September 2023). Materials and methods: Using bibliometric methods, two visualization metric software, Citespace and VOSviewer, were used to analyze 1217 papers in SCIE, including paper analysis, author analysis, country and institution analysis, keyword analysis, and cited literature analysis. Results: (Alavi et al., Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology Oral Radiology, 2023, 136 (5), 554-68) The number of papers is generally increasing and gradually stabilizing; (Xia et al., Bioactive Materials, 2021, 6 (11), 4186-208) Buser D is the most influential author, while Jung, Ronald E has the highest number of papers and total citations; (Wagner et al., Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 2019, 8 (10), 1084-91) The United States has the highest number of papers and citation frequency. The University of Bern and the University of Zurich in Switzerland are not only the institutions with the most papers but also the institutions with the most collaborations with other institutions. (Gallego et al., T Engineering Part A, 2010, 16 (4), 1179-87) Many research directions have persisted for decades since their inception. The field of oral bone regeneration materials is constantly developing and improving. In recent years, the research direction in this field may mainly focus on the role of blood cells and proteins in bone regeneration. (Wang et al., Japanese Dental Science Review, 2022, 58, 233-48). In recent years, the types of cited literature mainly include barrier membranes, alveolar ridge augmentation, bone graft materials, histological examination, and in vivo animal experimental models. Conclusion: The United States and Switzerland have a significant influence in the field of oral bone regeneration materials. The research hotspot in recent years is mainly on tissue engineering materials. However, traditional materials still occupy a large proportion in clinical treatment or research. In addition, the combined use of new and old materials has gradually become one of the research hotspots in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine deficiency-induced goiter continues to be a global public health concern, with varying manifestations based on geography, patient's age, and sex. To gain insights into clinical occurrences, a retrospective study analyzed medical records from patients with iodine deficiency-induced goiter or thyroid cancer who underwent surgery at the Community Hospital in Riehen, Switzerland, between 1929 and 1989. Despite today's adequate iodine supplementation, a significant risk for iodine-independent goiter remains in Switzerland, suggesting that genetic factors, among others, might be involved. Thus, a pilot study exploring the feasibility of genetic analysis of blood spots from these medical records was conducted to investigate and enhance the understanding of goiter development, potentially identify genetic variations, and explore the influence of dietary habits and other environmental stimuli on the disease. Blood prints from goiter patients' enlarged organs were collected per decade from medical records. These prints had been made by pressing, drawing, or tracing (i.e., pressed and drawn) the removed organs onto paper sheets. DNA analysis revealed that its yields varied more between the prints than between years. A considerable proportion of the samples exhibited substantial DNA degradation unrelated to sample collection time and DNA mixtures of different contributors. Thus, each goiter imprint must be individually evaluated and cannot be used to predict the success rate of genetic analysis in general. Collecting a large sample or the entire blood ablation for genetic analysis is recommended to mitigate potential insufficient DNA quantities. Researchers should also consider degradation and external biological compounds' impact on the genetic analysis of interest, with the dominant contributor anticipated to originate from the patient's blood. Highlights: DNA can be extracted from paper-derived historical blood spots using a commercial kit. Strong fluctuation in DNA quantity and quality over and within decades due to storage and samples' age. DNA mixtures are to be expected due to the handling of patient files by multiple individuals. Analysis of blood ablations should be considered individually and holistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to find an answer to the questions of "whether chief executive officers (CEOs) are compensated for market risk", and "how the combined interaction of board size and CEO duality moderates this relationship" from the tenets of agency theory and managerial power theory. Even though the contracting view of agency theory posits that agents are neither to be punished nor rewarded for events that go beyond their direct control (market risk), the research findings in the corporate governance domain are contradictory. It was found that Chinese and American executives were paid for market risk, including oil prices and exchange rates, which was explained by retention risk and weaker corporate governance systems. To shed light on previous inconclusive research, this paper investigates the topic further in a new country setting, that of Switzerland, because the previous results were mostly related to Anglo-Saxon countries. Switzerland is also one of the exemplary countries for executive compensation. Furthermore, it investigates the combined (cascaded) interaction effects of the board size and CEO duality on CEO compensation and market risk from the perspective of managerial power theory, which has not been previously analyzed in the literature to date. For the direct effect, in contrast to previous findings in Anglo-Saxon countries, it has been found that CEOs were not paid for market risk in Switzerland, which confirms agency theory's contracting prediction. This finding outlines the future comparative research area in this domain. For the combined interaction effect, it has been found that board size incorporated with CEO duality is the significant cascaded moderator, and large boards with CEO duality are significantly more effective in controlling asymmetric compensation, which confirms the efficacy of large boards with CEO duality in coping with asymmetric compensation and managerial entrenchment (managerial power theory). These results have both practical and academic implications for boards of directors, Human Resources and corporate governance literature, agency theory, and managerial power theory, by providing further evidence on previous inconclusive findings on board size, CEO duality, and the role of market risk in the CEO pay structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the impact of the introduction of a tax on unsorted waste increasing the 35-l bag price from 0.24 to 1.95 CHF in 2013 in the canton of Vaud. Using panel data for 22 districts over the period 2010–2017, we identify the effects over time of the waste tax on unsorted waste and recycling. The neighbouring cantons of Geneva and Valais form our control group. The waste tax decreases the amount of yearly unsorted household-waste by about 47 kg, corresponding to a reduction of about one fourth per inhabitant. The effect is strongest the year after the introduction of the tax and is persistent over time. We further find a robust increase in organic waste recycling. For recycling of paper and glass, the effect is not clear-cut. Interestingly, in terms of weight, the reduction in unsorted waste is not fully compensated by increased recycling. Given that there are no signs for illegal waste disposal, this means that consumers probably reduced their total packaging bought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past decades, there has been an increase in research publications focusing on peri‐implantitis. When facing limited healthcare resources, bibliometric analyses can guide researchers and funding parties toward areas where reallocation or more focus on research activity is warranted. The main objective of this study was to identify the trends of the top 100 cited articles on peri‐implantitis research as the first study of its kind. Methods: A Web of Science search, using the keywords "peri‐implantitis or periimplantitis" was built to create a database of the most‐cited articles. Articles were ranked by citation count and screened by two independent reviewers. The bibliometric characteristics of the studies were gathered and analyzed using several bibliometric software. Author collaborations, author clusters, and keyword co‐occurrence network analyses were also performed. The correlation between the citation count and the age of each article was tested. Results: The top 100 cited papers were published from 1994 to 2018 and the total citation counts ranged from 119 to 972 with 244.5 citations/paper on average. There was no correlation between the age of the articles and the citation count (p‐value = 0.67). 21% of the studies consisted of prospective clinical studies. 35% of the papers focused on treatment and prevention of peri‐implantitis while 65% concerned epidemiology. The top three most prolific countries were Sweden (n = 31), Germany (n = 15), and Switzerland (n = 13). We found 12 authors who had greater than five publications on the list. Also, the most published journal was Clinical Oral Implants Research. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the characteristics and quality of the most highly cited peri‐implantitis literature. This revealed a deficiency in terms of the number of studies on treatment strategies as well as a higher level of evidence studies among the most‐ impactful papers on peri‐implantitis at the moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current political situation in Europe has amplified economic sanctions as a retaliatory measure for states not directly involved in the conflict but wanting to influence the political situation. The purpose of this paper is to further understand the interplay of the neutrality principle and employment of economic sanctions. Design/methodology/approach: Through an extensive literature review, heavily based on the publications of the Swiss Confederacy, neutrality as a foreign policy serving to promote Swiss interests is explored. The room for interpretation and freedom of action in the neutrality principle is highlighted above all. Findings: Economic sanctions are compatible with the neutrality principle, but do not necessarily further the same purpose. Political pressure to participate in sanctions does not take into consideration the ways in which the credibility of neutrality can be implicated, as well as the value of protecting Switzerland's role as an international mediator. Originality/value: The consistency with which the neutrality principle is translated into the modern geopolitical context is crucial for its longevity. The novelty of the current political sanctions, still unfolding, demands a careful examination into the history of neutrality and the use of sanctions. No better insight can be offered than by the development of neutrality in the history of the titan of neutrality, Switzerland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decades have seen an increase in entrepreneurial development based on innovation. Having access to innovation and setting up a business in a country that can serve as an innovation-enabler can increase the degree of attractiveness of that respective country. Governments around the world have adopted innovation-centered views and implemented relevant policies to serve as a driver for reaching high competitiveness and to ensure a more rapid economic and, implicitly, social progress. The aim of the paper is to present the top ten countries in the world in their evolution specific to the Global Innovation Index (GII) for the 2021-2023 period. The research methodology is based on a qualitative method. The paper shows that the top ten ranked countries in the world using this specific index remained the same for the investigated period, also maintaining a fairly constant relative position for the three years subject to analysis, Switzerland being the acknowledged leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Particularly at the beginning of the pandemic, adults aged 65 and older were portrayed as a homogeneously vulnerable population due to the elevated health risks associated with contracting the COVID-19 disease. This portrayal, combined with travel restrictions, closures of economic sectors, country-wide lockdowns, and suggestions by governmental authorities to limit social contact, had important implications for the wellbeing of older individuals. However, older adults are a heterogeneous population who relies on different resources to cope with stressful periods, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, countries also employed differentmeasures to contain the virus. Research thus far has focused on the short-termconsequences of the pandemic, but studies have yet to address its long-term consequences. Objectives: We explore older adults' lived experiences nearly 2 years after the pandemic onset. Moreover, we focus on the bordering countries of Switzerland and Italy, who employed contrasting containmentmeasures. This paper analyzes (1) Howthe COVID-19 pandemic impacted the experiences of wellbeing of older adults in these regions and (2) How older adults coped with the stressors brought about by the pandemic, in particular social distancing. Methods: The paper draws on 31 semi-structured interviews with 11 Swiss natives residing in Switzerland, 10 Italian migrants residing in Switzerland, and 10 Italian natives residing in Italy. Interviews were conducted from December 2021 to March 2022. Results: Coping mechanisms of the three groups related to acceptance, hobbies, cognitive reframing, telephone use, vaccine use and social distancing. However, results show heterogeneous experiences of wellbeing, with Swiss natives sharing more positive narratives than the other two groups. Moreover, Italian migrants and Italian natives expressed the long-term negative consequences of the pandemic on their experienced wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electoral engineering strategies in majoritarian electoral systems, in particular the possibility to contain insurgent parties by manipulating electoral districts for partisan gain, are key determinants of parties' positions on the adoption of proportional representation (PR). Providing both qualitative and quantitative evidence, this paper demonstrates that partisan districting can be an effective strategy to protect incumbent parties' dominant political positions. In addition, it shows how insurgent parties push for the adoption of PR to end the practice of partisan districting. Finally, it demonstrates that incumbents – in the face of increasing electoral threats – cling to the existing majoritarian system if partisan districting allows them to influence vote-seat distortions in their favor. Together, these findings suggest that the possibility to contain insurgent parties by means of partisan districting is an important but overlooked alternative to the adoption of PR. Moreover, by demonstrating that vote-seat distortions moderate the relationship between district-level electoral threats and legislators' support for PR adoption, this paper offers an important corrective to Stein Rokkan's influential electoral threat thesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the complex relationship between leadership styles, organizational performance, and employee retention across different economic systems. Furthermore, it seeks to illustrate how different leadership approaches impact organizational dynamics within different economic contexts. Employing a mix of case study and qualitative methodologies, the research investigates the multiple organizations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, utilizing a structured analysis on the collected data. The methodology is designed to capture the nuanced ways in which leadership influences key organizational outcomes, including employee loyalty and organizational efficacy. The findings suggest that transformational leadership universally enhances organizational performance and employee retention, yet the effectiveness of leadership styles is significantly shaped by cultural and economic factors. In conclusion, this research paper indicates that adaptable, context-aware leadership is crucial for navigating the complexities of global economic systems, highlighting the need for leaders to tailor their approaches according to the environment in which it operates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paperwork has always been a central part of bureaucratic work. Over the last few years, bureaucratic procedures have become increasingly standardised and digitalised. Based on interviews and ethnographic fieldwork within welfare offices in Switzerland and Belgium, we reflect on the way evidence is constructed within social policy and cases built for or against noncitizen welfare recipients in order to show how paper truths are established and challenged. The focus on digital practices within public policy implementation highlights how it contributes to enhanced control mechanisms on the implementation level and how migration law continues to guide welfare governance for noncitizens. This allows targeting of the most marginalised groups, whose rights to access state support are institutionally impeded. Through database information flows, official forms, paper reports and face-to-face meetings, we further show how a hybrid form of bureaucratic work emerges, where direct contact with the client is still key, yet highly influenced by standardisation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper quantifies empirically the macroeconomic and financial effects of Climate Policy Risk (CPR) in Switzerland. To do so, I develop a new CPR index using text analysis techniques on a large dataset of Swiss media articles. The identification of CPR shocks is achieved by using narrative restrictions around events which are likely to have coincided with an increase in the probability of adopting tighter climate policies. I find that CPR shocks are associated with a significant decline in real GDP and a decline in firm-level CO2 emissions. Using firm-level equity price data and rolling linear panel regressions, I document that CPR is increasingly reflected in asset prices. I further find that CO2-intensive firms perform significantly worse than their greener counterparts following events which increased transition risk. The results are in line with recent theoretical contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In times of climate change, periods of drought will occur more frequently. This causes challenges for water use, ranging from limitations on the navigability of water courses, limited availability of water for irrigation and drinking water supply, reduced hydropower production, increasing concentrations of pollutants, deteriorating water quality, and ecosystem degradation. Dealing with droughts, however, is a complex puzzle due to the multi-level governance characteristics of international river basins and the need to meet the freshwater demands of all sectors involved. This increases the need to address drought issues in a coordinated way, along all levels of decision making. Thus far, the way this must be executed has been under-researched. This paper addresses this knowledge gap as it aims to provide design principles for good multi-level drought risk governance in international river basins. In order to meet our aim, we first reviewed literature on multi-level and good governance and established an assessment framework. This framework was applied in a case study on drought risk governance in the international Rhine basin. Policy documents were analyzed and key informants interviewed. We found that although the governance practice in the basin meets most of our framework criteria, differences between the international level, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland also occurred. We have synthesized our findings into a list of 10 design principles for good multi-level drought risk governance, which could function as a starting point for the analysis and improvement of other multi-level drought risk governance practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education is the property of Comparative & International Education Society Higher Education SIG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Economic development directly manifests itself in the form of employment at the local level. This paper examines the ability of local politics to shape this development in a competitive federalist environment by examining how local party–political developments affect local economic development in Swiss small and medium-sized towns (SMSTs). Local economic development in the form of employment is a central local policy domain in federal and polycentric Switzerland. This paper argues that party–political influence is conditional on the characteristics of four distinguished economic sectors that differ in their dependence on the regional context. By analyzing the panel data of all Swiss SMSTs, the paper finds that local party–political developments only systematically precede growth in the residential economy, while regional processes determine the economic sectors in ambiguous ways. The grip of local politics on the development of export-oriented economies therefore is not guided by party–political development and more influential at regional levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an environment of accelerating technological change and increasing digitalization, firms need to adopt new technologies faster than ever before to stay competitive. This paper examines whether updates of education curricula help to bring new technologies faster into firms' workplaces. We study technology changes and curriculum updates from an early wave of digitalization (i.e., computer-numerically controlled machinery, computer-aided design, and desktop publishing software). We take a text-as-data approach and tap into two novel data sources to measure change in educational content and the use of technology at the workplace: first, vocational education curricula and, second, firms' job advertisements. To examine the causal effects of adding new technology skills to curricula on the diffusion of these technologies in firms' workplaces (measured by job advertisements), we use an event study design. Our results show that curriculum updates substantially shorten the time it takes for new technologies to arrive in firms' workplaces, especially for mainstream firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Small Business International Review is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Contabilidad y Administracion de Empresas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the complications experienced by Switzerland and Spain in administering the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML). The Charter is a vital legislative instrument for defending the varied languages across Europe. The paper digs into the problems encountered, including concerns with ratification, sociolinguistic obstacles, resource limits, and linguistic variety. The research highlights the need to maintain language rights while encouraging multilingualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain the exact controllability for a refined stochastic wave equation with three controls by establishing a novel Carleman estimate for a backward hyperbolic-like operator. Compared with the known result [Q. L\"u and X Zhang, Mathematical Control Theory for Stochastic Partial Differential Equations, Springer, Cham, Switzerland, 2021], the novelty of this paper is twofold: (1) Our model contains the effects in the drift terms when we put controls directly in the diffusion terms, which is more sensible for practical applications; (2) We provide an explicit description of the waiting time which is sharp in the case of dimension one and is independent of the coefficents of lower terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to extreme conditions, government endowed with extraordinary powers in the form of a state of exception, released from the norms of a rule of law legal order, has been accepted as a modern political institution with an essential role in safeguarding democracy. It is only then, that a democratic government may achieve effective measures necessary to best address the extremities unfolding. The lack of public law theory legitimizing such an institution, alongside the heavy reliance on the medieval principle necessitas legem non habet as the institution's theoretic premise, prompt contemporary theorist Giorgio Agamben to question the role of the state of exception within modern democracy. This paper will first present how Agamben grounds the state of exception to the concept of necessity, tracing the theory of necessity to its apparent European origin, in the writings of Gratian and Thomas Aquinas. Then, this paper will focus on divergent interpretations of necessity drawn from the halls of the Swiss Federal Palace, whilst discussing the fate of recent state of exceptions. These divergent interpretations of necessity, namely by Ernest Paul Graber and Robert Grimm, both historic members of the Swiss Federal Assembly, indicate how necessity may be interpreted in different ways. Finally, this paper will question the extent to which this parallel relationship, between the state of exception and the concept of necessity, may undermine a democratic rule of law legal order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The demographic changes affecting Switzerland and other European countries, including population ageing, will continue to challenge policymakers in building accessible, affordable, comprehensive and high-quality long-term care (LTC) systems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Switzerland's LTC system compares to other European countries, in order to inform how to respond to the increasing need for LTC. We carried out a descriptive study using secondary data from key national and international organizations. Methods: By comparing the financing, workforce, service delivery and need for LTC in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom, we described similarities and differences in these five European countries between 2005-2019. Thirty-three indicators within five domains were analysed: (1) Population statistics and health expenditure, (2) Need for LTC, (3) LTC financing, (4) LTC service delivery, and (5) LTC workforce. Results: Switzerland has the highest life expectancy in comparison to the other four high-income countries. However, similarly to other countries, the years lived with disability are increasing in Switzerland. Switzerland's public expenditure on LTC as a share of GDP is lower than that of Norway and Germany, yet out-of-pocket expenditure on LTC is highest in Switzerland. Switzerland has the highest proportion of persons receiving formal LTC both in institutions and at home. Switzerland has had the most pronounced increase in the proportion of over 65-year-olds receiving LTC at home. Even though more than fourfold more persons receive care at home, Switzerland still has more workforce in LTC institutions than in home-care. In comparison to Germany and the UK, Switzerland has a lower number of informal carers as a proportion of 50-year-olds and over, as well as fewer nationally available services for informal carers compared to Germany, Italy, Norway and the UK. Conclusions: Our comparative study corroborates the importance of improving the affordability of LTC, continuing to support the movement towards home care services, improving the support given to both the professional workforce and informal carers, and improving the amount and quality of LTC data. It also provides a valuable contrast to other European countries to support evidence-informed policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In public management research, the focus in the public value debate has been on public administration organizations' broader societal outcomes. Public value describes how public administrations form a vital part of the social context in which people develop and grow. However, there has not yet been an analysis of how public administration contributes to happiness in society. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, we empirically analyze the relationship between people's happiness and the public value of public administration. Our approach is based on a unique Swiss survey dataset comprising 870 individuals. Findings: We find a positive relationship between public administration's public value and happiness. We also find preliminary evidence with a moderation analysis that the relationship between a value-creating public administration sector and self-reported happiness is stronger for public administration employees. Research limitations/implications: While correlation studies cannot claim causal explanations and common method bias may additionally limit any research in social science, we took a number of measures to mitigate related problem. We tested our model in two samples and took both several procedural techniques and a survey design minimizing common method bias. Practical implications: The paper discusses implications for public sector performance measurement for public management and practitioners. Social implications: This study calls for a more positive view on the multiple functions public administration performs for society. After an era of critical voices, our study helps reclaim public administration as a positive force for society at large in times of grand challenges, such as climate crisis, demographics and digitization. Originality/value: This study has highlighted the importance between public administration's public value and happiness in Swiss public service organizations. The study also showed that an employment in the public administration contributes to the happiness of individuals and beyond to society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Higher education institutions (HEIs) seek innovative approaches to attract students. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many HEIs have considered diversification through digitalization. From the initial urgency to implement technology at the start of the pandemic to a gradual acceptance over time, HEIs witnessed a shift in perceptions. This paper aims to explore the evolution of the use of technology in HEI classrooms from pre- to post-Covid-19 as seen through the eyes of students and faculty members. Design/methodology/approach: Seven surveys were conducted from March 2020 to January 2023 with faculty members and students at one business HEI in Switzerland. This longitudinal study analyzed the perceptions of faculty and students regarding technology in the ever-changing HEI environments. These results have been used to make practical recommendations for future HEI classroom settings. Findings: The findings reveal that the social aspect must be considered when implementing technology into HEIs. Faculty members and students need appropriate training and adequate resources to engage with the technology in and outside the classroom. The results suggest that one result of the pandemic was a greater acceptance of blended learning practices in traditional business education. Originality/value: The pandemic has left long-lasting effects on teaching and learning. While many HEIs revert to traditional ways, the authors suggest the need to embrace technology that encourages engagement and authentic teaching and learning. HEIs must listen to their faculty members and students, to create more innovative learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is a key determinant of wage development. The relationship between education and wages is particularly strong in countries with vocationally oriented educational systems and a clear distinction between general and vocational education, such as Germany and Switzerland. However, whether general and vocational education offer the same returns to education is an ongoing debate. Previous findings from international research are still inconclusive. Against this background and based on theoretical arguments from human capital and signalling theory and the task-specific learning-by-doing approach, our paper examines the long-term wage development of Swiss university and professional education degree holders from the time they obtain their tertiary degree until their late career. It asks how differences between the two groups in wage development may be explained. Our results, produced with regression decomposition methods, show that within the first 20 years after graduation, university degree holders experience steeper wage growth. An important reason for this difference is that university graduates move more often than vocational tertiary degree holders into well-paid labour market positions endowed with formal authority, management responsibility, and a large proportion of cognitive nonroutine tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two out of three family caregivers are female. However, current trends show that men are more likely to undertake caregiving duties, yet female caregivers report a higher burden. This paper analyzed data from long-term family caregivers to determine whether, under similar circumstances, gender differences in caregiving persist. We examined whether the observed gender gap affects caregivers' satisfaction with their health and quality of life. Methods: We analyze cross-sectional data from family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Switzerland. The data provides comprehensive information about the time and type of weekly tasks family caregivers undertake. To determine differences in caregiving related to gender, we balanced the characteristics of the caregiver and the cared-for person using a propensity score kernel matching. With the balanced sample, we estimated how the observed differences in caregiving varied across cohorts using a Poisson regression. Results: Under similar circumstances, male and female caregivers invest similar time in caregiving. This result holds for 21 caregiving tasks, except for household chores, where women spent, on average, four more hours per week than male caregivers. Despite these differences, female caregivers report a quality of life and satisfaction with their health that is similar to that of male caregivers. Conclusion: Gender differences in caregiving narrow over time, except for household chores, where female caregivers continue to spend significantly more hours than male caregivers. Measures designed for family caregivers must consider these gender differences, as the support needs of female caregivers can differ greatly from those of male caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar has confirmed its dominance among all power generation technologies, and along with the demand for zero-emission buildings, Photovoltaics (PV) is contributing to transforming the building skin. More than 200 products for Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) are commercialized nowadays in the EU market. However, only 1–3% of all PV installations are BIPV due to the weak penetration in the construction sector. At the state of the art, the sector lacks a specific analysis from a construction technology perspective, describing the dynamics and the traits that BIPV innovation articulates on construction and architectural processes. The authors, elaborating a new model from the building technology sector to explore the relationship between PV technology and architectural innovation, aim to identify the main principles, forms, and approaches that describe the structural organization of the "integrability" concept of PV in buildings. This study applies the method to a database of 233 real buildings located in Switzerland, a unique country leading with a 10% BIPV rate on PV installations documented between the years 1997 and 2023. The novel findings of the research suggest the definition of the levels of innovation and the reference traits of the innovative process of BIPV in the Swiss construction sector, which can also be used in other practical applications and contexts. The results of the paper are expected to impact both the scientific academy and the key players from the construction sector, encouraging the adoption of an integrated research and design approach to revolutionize the energy role of building skins with PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring Consumption Switzerland is a public–private partnership between the University of St. Gallen and the payment companies Worldline and SIX that processes and publishes payment data on transactions in Switzerland processed by Wordline/SIX in real time. This paper provides background information on this novel source of data and presents their attributes, aggregation and granularity, and their interpretability. The paper presents several use cases that show the strengths of the data, and it alerts future users of the data to possible challenges. The paper also discusses the project's impact and provides an outlook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]