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Farm Animal Welfare in Breeding and Gene Editing: a Comparative Analysis of European Union and Swiss Law
No full textWhether through conventional breeding or new gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas 9, farm animal breeding can impact animal welfare positively or negatively, depending on how breeders design the breeding program. An emphasis on productivity traits has often resulted in detrimental effects on the welfare of various farm animal species. This paper conducts a comparative legal analysis of European Union (EU) and Swiss legislation on biotechnology, animal welfare, and breeding. The paper shows the approaches these two jurisdictions take, highlighting differences and similarities, and offers an overall assessment of how effectively the relevant laws address the welfare concerns identified in the scientific literature. Ethical and philosophical literature also inform the analysis, considering the extent to which the laws align with an ethical animal welfare approach that recognizes animals as sentient beings with intrinsic value whose interests merit consideration and protection. The analysis reveals that both EU primary and secondary laws are weaker overall than Swiss legislation from either perspective. Specifically, EU laws either fail to adequately address the issues identified in the scientific literature, leaving animals vulnerable to potential suffering from breeding, or do not consider animals’ interests meaningfully. The paper concludes by proposing reforms, primarily by incorporating specific Swiss approaches into EU law. Whether through conventional breeding or new gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas 9, farm animal breeding can impact animal welfare positively or negatively, depending on how breeders design the breeding program. An emphasis on productivity traits has often resulted in detrimental effects on the welfare of various farm animal species. This paper conducts a comparative legal analysis of European Union (EU) and Swiss legislation on biotechnology, animal welfare, and breeding. The paper shows the approaches these two jurisdictions take, highlighting differences and similarities, and offers an overall assessment of how effectively the relevant laws address the welfare concerns identified in the scientific literature. Ethical and philosophical literature also inform the analysis, considering the extent to which the laws align with an ethical animal welfare approach that recognizes animals as sentient beings with intrinsic value whose interests merit consideration and protection. The analysis reveals that both EU primary and secondary laws are weaker overall than Swiss legislation from either perspective. Specifically, EU laws either fail to adequately address the issues identified in the scientific literature, leaving animals vulnerable to potential suffering from breeding, or do not consider animals’ interests meaningfully. The paper concludes by proposing reforms, primarily by incorporating specific Swiss approaches into EU law. 
Platons sogenannte ‹edle Lüge› – Propaganda oder wahre Dichtung?
Get PDFPlaton scheint in der Politeia den Dichtern das Dichten zu verbieten, den Herrschern aber ‹edle Lügen› zu erlauben. Der ‹phönizische› Mythos der Erdgeborenen und der Metalle gilt als Musterbeispiel einer solchen Lüge. Aus diesen Gründen wird Platon seit den 1930er Jahren vorgeworfen, totalitäre Propaganda zu befürworten und sie in seinem Idealstaat zur Beherrschung der ‹Masse› auch selbst vorzusehen. Die gegen Platon gerichteten Bücher von Richard Crossman und Karl Popper waren diesbezüglich besonders einflussreich.
Im Beitrag wird erstens nachgewiesen, dass der fragliche Mythos keine ‹edle Lüge› ist, sondern ein ‹edles Beispiel› einer Gattung politischer ψευδή, die nicht notwendig Lügen sein müssen. Zweitens wird nachgewiesen, dass sich der Propagandavorwurf gegen Platon auch sonst nicht halten lässt.
Aufgrund der Untersuchung einer spezifisch platonischen Auslegung des wohlverstandenen ψεῦδος und im Blick auf die ontologisch fundierte, eikonisch-mimetische Poetik der Politeia wird dargelegt, auf welcher Grundlage der Mythos ‹wahr› ist: Er befindet sich an der Schnittstelle der Möglichkeit eines ‹wahren Pseudos› und der Wahrheitsmöglichkeit von Dichtung überhaupt. Dieser wahre Mythos ist ‹edel›, γενναῖος, weil er dank seiner ‹edlen› Abstammung ‹das Gute› in altehrwürdigen Bildern eikonisch-mimetisch entfaltet.
Dieser Befund wird von einem bei Crossman und Popper virulenten, zeitgleichen Verständnis von Propaganda abgegrenzt. Dadurch wird ihr Propagandavorwurf endgültig widerlegt
Addressing (In)Equalities and (In)Equities in Digital Health Communication
No full textIn this special issue of the European Journal of Health Communication, we feature three articles that collectively highlight the intricate relationship between digital health technologies and numerous forms of inequalities and inequities that persist within society. From cultural perspectives to public participation, considering access, competence and cognitive ability, the studies reveal the complexity of factors and elements that affect health in a digital context. Unfortunately, inequalities and inequities persist within societies despite the best efforts of and promises for digital health technologies. As these three articles suggest, the digital communication technologies themselves cannot solely be the solution to inequity. These studies remind health communication scholars of the importance of studying the processes of digital health communication itself, whether that be in clinician-patient communication or in communication about technology aimed at patients, and always in their actual contexts of use. Doing so requires academic attention to the unintended consequences of both technology design and use that may exacerbate inequity and reduce patients’ abilities to communicate about their health
Effet des agents fluorés topiques sur les altérations de la dureté de la dentine induites par l’irradiation : une étude in vitro: a laboratory study
No full textRadiation therapy for head and neck cancers often leads to radiation-induced caries and microstructural dentin alterations. This laboratory study evaluated the impact of radiation on dentin microhardness and the effectiveness of various topical fluoride treatments in mitigating these effects. One hundred dentin specimens from extracted human teeth were irradiated with a cumulative dose of 60 Gy, simulating therapeutic conditions. Post-irradiation, specimens received weekly applications of silver diamine fluoride (SDF), SDF with potassium iodide, or sodium fluoride varnishes with and without additional compounds. Dentin microhardness was measured using the Knoop hardness test at three key phases: baseline, immediately after reaching a cumulative irradiation dose of 60 Gy, and weekly for five weeks following repeated fluoride applications. At baseline, the average Knoop Hardness Number (KHN) was 57.6 ± 3.9. After irradiation, the average KHN decreased significantly to 41.2 ± 8.1, reflecting an approximate 30% reduction in dentin hardness across all groups (p < 0.0001). Five weeks of weekly fluoride treatments led to partial recovery of microhardness, with average KHN values ranging from 42.4 to 54.3, but none of the groups returned to baseline hardness levels. Notably, no significant differences were found among the fluoride treatments in their ability to enhance microhardness. These findings underscore the detrimental effects of radiation therapy on dentin integrity and emphasize the need for targeted dental management strategies. While fluoride applications provide some protective benefit, their limitations highlight the necessity of comprehensive approaches to prevent radiation-related dental deterioration in head and neck cancer patients.Einleitung
Kopf-Hals-Tumoren erfordern häufig eine Strahlentherapie, die trotz ihrer Wirksamkeit mit langfristigen Nebenwirkungen wie strahlenbedingter Karies verbunden ist. Strahlenbedingte Karies betrifft bis zu 29 % der Patienten innerhalb von drei Monaten nach der Strahlentherapie und steht im Zusammenhang mit Hyposalivation sowie direkten, strahleninduzierten Veränderungen der Zahnhartsubstanzen, insbesondere des Dentins. Frühere Studien zeigten, dass Bestrahlung den Mineralgehalt und die Mikrohärte des Dentins reduziert und so dessen strukturelle Integrität beeinträchtigt. Kurzzeituntersuchungen deuten darauf hin, dass topische Fluoridbehandlungen — insbesondere Silberdiaminfluorid (SDF) — die Mikrohärte nach der Bestrahlung teilweise wiederherstellen können. Es ist allerdings unklar, wie sich Fluoridbehandlungen über mehrere Wochen auf die Mikrohärte des Dentins auswirken. Das Ziel dieser Studie war es daher, den Einfluss wiederholter Fluoridanwendungen über einen längeren Zeitraum auf bestrahltes Dentin zu untersuchen, um Strategien zur Reduktion strahlenbedingter Zahnschäden besser zu verstehen.
Material und Methoden
In dieser In-vitro-Studie wurden 100 extrahierte, kariesfreie menschliche Zähne präpariert, poliert und randomisiert fünf Behandlungsgruppen zugeteilt. Die Proben wurden schrittweise bis zu einer Gesamtdosis von 60 Gy bestrahlt, um die klinischen Bedingungen einer Strahlentherapie nachzuahmen. Nach der Bestrahlung erhielten die Proben über fünf Wochen wöchentliche Fluoridanwendungen, darunter SDF, SDF kombiniert mit Kaliumiodid (KI), zwei unterschiedliche Natriumfluorid-haltige Lacke oder keine Behandlung (Kontrollgruppe). Die Knoop-Härte der Dentinoberflächen wurde vor, während und nach der Behandlung gemessen, um den Einfluss der Fluoridapplikationen auf die mechanische Stabilität bestrahlten Dentins zu bewerten. Die Datenanalyse erfolgte mittels Kruskal-Wallis-Test und Dunn’s Post-hoc-Vergleich bei einem Signifikanzniveau von α=0.05.
Resultate
Zu Beginn zeigten alle Gruppen vergleichbare Knoop-Härtewerte (KHN) des Dentins (Durchschnitt: 57.6 ± 3.9). Nach Bestrahlung fiel die KHN signifikant auf durchschnittlich 41.2 ± 8.1 ab, was einer Reduktion von rund 30 % entspricht (p<0.0001). Im Anschluss an fünf Wochen wöchentlicher Fluoridbehandlungen stieg die Härte der behandelten Proben im Vergleich zu den Werten, die unmittelbar nach der Bestrahlung gemessen wurden, leicht an, erreichte jedoch in keiner Gruppe wieder das Ausgangsniveau. Zwischen den behandelten Gruppen zeigten sich nach fünf Wochen keine signifikanten Unterschiede.
Diskussion
In dieser In-vitro-Studie wurde der Einfluss wiederholter Applikationen verschiedener topischer Fluoridpräparate auf die Mikrohärte von bestrahltem Dentin untersucht. Die Ergebnisse bestätigten, dass die Bestrahlung die Mikrohärte von Dentin signifikant reduziert, was mit früheren Studien übereinstimmt. Zwar zeigten Fluoridbehandlungen eine moderate Erhöhung der Härte, jedoch wurde das Ausgangsniveau nicht erreicht. Zwischen den getesteten Fluoridpräparaten ergaben sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede, was nahelegt, dass die Strukturschädigung primär durch die Bestrahlung verursacht wird und durch Fluorid nur begrenzt reversibel ist.
Die Studie weist einige Limitationen auf: mögliche Variabilität durch die Orientierung von Dentintubuli, Unterschiede im Alter und Vorbehandlung der Probenzähne, der Einsatz von künstlicher Speichelersatzlösung anstelle physiologischer Bedingungen sowie die ausschliessliche Betrachtung der Mikrohärte ohne ergänzende strukturelle Analysen. Darüber hinaus wurde die Bildung von fluoridhaltigen Mineralphasen nicht direkt nachgewiesen.
Zusammenfassend verdeutlichen die Ergebnisse die anhaltende Anfälligkeit von bestrahltem Dentin für strukturelle Schwächungen und unterstreichen die Bedeutung von Strahlenschutzstrategien sowie von weiterführender Forschung zu ergänzenden oder kombinierten Therapien, um Zahnschäden durch Bestrahlung wirksam zu mindern.Introduction
Les tumeurs de la tête et du cou nécessitent fréquemment une radiothérapie, laquelle, malgré son efficacité, est associée à des effets secondaires à long terme, tels que la carie radio-induite. Cette pathologie touche jusqu’à 29 % des patients dans les trois mois suivant la radiothérapie et est corrélée à une hyposialie ainsi qu’à des altérations directes des tissus dentaires d’origine radiogénique, en particulier au niveau de la dentine. Des travaux antérieurs ont montré que l’irradiation réduit la teneur minérale et la microdureté de la dentine, compromettant ainsi son intégrité structurelle. Des études à court terme suggèrent que les applications topiques de fluor — en particulier le fluorure diamine d’argent (SDF) — peuvent partiellement restaurer la microdureté de la dentine après irradiation. Cependant, l’effet de traitements fluorés prolongés sur la microdureté du tissu dentinaire irradié reste incertain. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’influence d’applications répétées de fluor sur une période prolongée sur la dentine irradiée, en vue d’améliorer la compréhension des stratégies de prévention des dommages dentaires liés à la radiothérapie.
Matériels et méthodes
Dans cette étude in vitro, 100 dents humaines extraites, saines et sans carie, ont été préparées, polies puis aléatoirement réparties en cinq groupes expérimentaux. Les échantillons ont été irradiés par fractions successives jusqu’à atteindre une dose cumulative de 60 Gy, simulant ainsi les conditions cliniques d’un protocole de radiothérapie. Après irradiation, les échantillons ont reçu, sur une période de cinq semaines, des applications hebdomadaires de fluor, incluant du SDF, du SDF combiné à de l’iodure de potassium (KI), deux vernis fluorés à base de fluorure de sodium, ou aucune application (groupe témoin). La microdureté des surfaces dentinaires a été mesurée à l’aide du test de dureté Knoop avant irradiation, après irradiation, et à la fin du protocole fluoré, afin d’évaluer l’effet des traitements sur la stabilité mécanique de la dentine irradiée. L’analyse statistique a été réalisée au moyen du test de Kruskal-Wallis et du test post hoc de Dunn, avec un seuil de signification fixé à α=0,05.
Résultats
Au début de l’expérimentation, les échantillons présentaient des valeurs de microdureté Knoop (KHN) homogènes (moyenne : 57,6 ± 3,9). Après irradiation, une diminution significative de la dureté a été observée, les valeurs chutant en moyenne à 41,2 ± 8,1, correspondant à une réduction d’environ 30 % (p<0,0001). Après cinq semaines de traitements fluorés hebdomadaires, une légère augmentation de la microdureté a été notée dans les groupes traités, comparée aux valeurs mesurées immédiatement après irradiation, sans toutefois retrouver les niveaux initiaux. Aucune différence statistiquement significative n’a été observée entre les différents agents fluorés après cinq semaines de traitement.
Discussion
Cette étude in vitro visait à examiner l’impact d’applications répétées de divers agents fluorés topiques sur la microdureté de la dentine irradiée. Les résultats confirment que l’irradiation induit une réduction marquée de la microdureté dentinaire, corroborant ainsi les observations antérieures. Bien que les traitements fluorés aient permis une récupération partielle de la dureté, celle-ci est restée inférieure aux valeurs initiales. L’absence de différences significatives entre les divers agents fluorés suggère que les altérations structurales sont principalement dues à l’exposition aux rayonnements et que la capacité de réparation via les fluorures est limitée.
Cette étude présente certaines limites, notamment la variabilité potentielle liée à l’orientation des tubules dentinaires, les différences d’âge et d’exposition préalable au fluor des dents utilisées, l’usage d’une solution de substitution salivaire non physiologique, ainsi que l’évaluation restreinte à la microdureté sans analyses structurelles complémentaires. Par ailleurs, la formation de phases minérales fluorées n’a pas été directement confirmée.
En conclusion, ces résultats soulignent la vulnérabilité persistante de la dentine irradiée face aux altérations structurales et mettent en évidence l’importance d’adopter des stratégies de radioprotection dentaire, ainsi que la nécessité de recherches complémentaires sur des approches thérapeutiques combinées afin d’atténuer les effets délétères de la radiothérapie sur les tissus dentaires
Associations Measured = Stereotypes Conveyed? A Semantic Validation of Word Embedding-Based Measures of Implicit Group Stereotyping in Large Text Corpora
No full textWord embedding-based measures are increasingly being used in computational communication research to assess how entities (such as individuals or social groups) are implicitly contextualized within mediated discourse. We argue that these corpus-level metrics, yet, lack a demonstration of their semantic validity and point out several challenges that preclude researchers from using the traditional ``gold-standard\u27\u27 coding for its establishment. In this study, we propose and apply an alternative avenue, namely, to use the experimental survey logic to test a causal conjecture between human-perceived context and the implicit associations measured using word embeddings. We report the results of an application of this approach which uses texts and measures from a previous study investigating the implicit stigmatization of ethnic groups. Results indicate alignment between participants\u27 perceived group contextualization and the respective estimations from a word embedding model across experimental conditions. We interpret this as evidence for semantic validity of word embedding-based measures of implicit stereotypical associations
Michèle Robert, "Que dorénavant chacun fuie paillardise, oisiveté, gourmandise?" Réforme et contrôle des mœurs: la justice consistoriale dans le Pays de Neuchâtel (1547–1848), 2016
No full textNo abstract available.No abstract available.No abstract available
Le régime de l\u27action en responsabilité du créancier social : de lege lata et de lege ferenda
No full textCette contribution a pour thème la qualité pour agir en responsabilité contre les organes de la société du créancier social. Si le caractère lacunaire, ambigu, voire contradictoire de la loi, associé à des développements jurisprudentiels parfois hétérogènes, ont longtemps restreint la qualité pour agir du créancier social, les arrêts les plus récents du Tribunal fédéral ont marqué un tournant en l\u27élargissant significativement, en matière d\u27action sociale autant que dans le cadre de l\u27action individuelle. La définition de « personne lésée » en droit de la responsabilité civile est rappelée, avant que les conditions d\u27exercice de l\u27action sociale exercée par le créancier social en cas de faillite de la société, et celles se rapportant à son action individuelle, ne soient examinées en détail. Après avoir relevé les limites du système actuel, une révision de la loi est proposée.
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Der Beitrag befasst sich mit der Klagebefugnis des Gesellschaftsgläubigers gegenüber den Organen der Gesellschaft. Die lückenhafte, mehrdeutige und teilweise widersprüchliche Gesetzgebung in Verbindung mit teilweise heterogenen Rechtsprechungsentwicklungen hat die Klagebefugnis des Gesellschaftsgläubigers lange Zeit eingeschränkt. Die jüngsten Urteile des Bundesgerichts markieren aber einen Wendepunkt, indem sie diese Klagebefugnis sowohl im Bereich der Gesellschaftsklage als auch im Rahmen der Individualklage erheblich erweitert haben. Die Definition der «geschädigten Person» im Zivilhaftungsrecht wird in Erinnerung gerufen, bevor die Bedingungen für die Ausübung der Gesellschaftsklage durch den Gesellschaftsgläubiger im Falle des Konkurses der Gesellschaft sowie die Bedingungen der Individualklage im Detail untersucht werden. Nach Aufzeigen der Grenzen des aktuellen Systems wird eine Gesetzesrevision vorgeschlagen
Perceived Autonomy and Competence Support Through Physicians’ Digital Provision of Health Information
No full textSelf-determination is essential for health-related behaviours and requires that patients possess sufficient health information. However, patients’ most trusted information source—physicians—often lack the time to adequately educate their patients during a consultation. A physician-provided digital health information service (DHIS) may provide a solution to this challenge. Guided by self-determination theory, this study explored the potential of this DHIS to promote patients’ self-determination through increased autonomy in healthcare, competence in managing health and relatedness with their physician. A survey involving a stratified sample of 1,000 German residents was conducted via an online access panel. A total of 239 participants with unmet information needs were included in the analyses. Three one-way repeated measure ANOVAs were conducted to compare the general and DHIS-supported levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Participants perceived an increase in autonomy (η² = .265, p < .001) and competence support (η² = .025, p = .013), but no increase in relatedness (η² = .001, p = .649) based on the DHIS. Physicians should implement digital services providing health information to fulfil patients’ autonomy and competence needs. In the long term, this could positively impact patients’ self-determination, health-related behaviour and health status
Country reputation
Get PDFCountry reputation is a central target construct in research on country-of-origin effects, international public relations, and especially public diplomacy. Public Diplomacy is about building up international relationships in a networked environment and creating a favorable (foreign) public opinion about the country to advance its goals (Wu & Wang, 2019; Zaharna, 2020). We can distinguish four important attitudinal key constructs relevant to public diplomacy: The country’s image, identity, reputation, and brand.
Buhmann and Ingenhoff (2015) systematize the conceptual differences along two basic axes by differentiating between a) whether the primary perspective focuses essentially on internal (identity, brand) or external (image, reputation) contexts and b) whether the constitutive process relies primarily on individual perceptions (image, identity) or public communication and estimation (reputation, brand).
The country\u27s identity and image are primarily \u27perceptive constructs\u27 shaped by individual, subjective perceptions. Conversely, country brand and reputation are \u27constructs of representation\u27 developed within public communication which are chiefly acknowledged internationally and built on public estimation.
Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), these attitudinal constructs always comprise a component of beliefs (the cognitive component) and a component of emotions (the affective component) towards the image object.
Country reputation is a multidimensional attitudinal construct articulated through five distinct dimensions. Four of these dimensions are cognitive and one is emotional. The four cognitive reputation components are defined as 1) Functional, assessing a nation\u27s competitiveness, including its economy, innovation, and government efficiency; 2) Normative, evaluating the integrity, norms, values, and social and ecological responsibilities; 3) Cultural, representing the country\u27s cultural assets and heritage, such as history, traditions, culinary delights, and sport; 4) Natural, concerning perceptions of the country\u27s geographical features. The affective reputation component is called the emotional dimension, reflecting general feelings of attraction and fascination towards the country (Ingenhoff, 2017, 2018; Ingenhoff & Chariatte, 2020). These dimensions collectively shape a country’s attitude towards a nation, encompassing cognitive beliefs and affective responses.
All five dimensions of the attitudinal constructs can be analyzed in terms of their content, details of which are elaborated below based on the example of country reputation.
Fields of Application/theoretical foundation
Studies often examine a country\u27s reputation in the context of agenda-setting processes on public opinion formation (McCombs & Shaw, 1972). Thereby, the media portrayal of countries is investigated, highlighting the unequal visibility of countries in the news agenda and the importance of media frames (e.g., Brewer et al., 2003; Wanta et al., 2004; Jain & Winner, 2013). Many of these studies examine the tonality and valence of media portrayal of countries or the countries\u27 associations with specific issues.
In their 2020 study, Ingenhoff and Chariatte emphasized the importance of considering the perspectives of foreign audiences (the so-called "listening approach") when assessing a country\u27s reputation in public diplomacy. They conducted a thorough content analysis at different communication levels to examine the content and tone of strategic communication. This involved analyzing survey data, news media, and trace data and using structural equation modeling to evaluate both direct and indirect effects of communication on how a country is perceived and portrayed. In country perception studies, so-called country-of-origin effects or destination images are also frequently examined. However, these often only deal with certain facets of the country’s image (e.g., tourism, economy).
References/combination with other methods
Walter et al. (2022) examined the extent to which American media report and frame 55 countries. The sample consisted of the ten highest-circulating US news in 2018. Walter et al. used content analysis but applied recent methodological innovations using a machine learning topic network approach. They identified three central country frames that could serve as a basis for coding, namely "conflict," "economy," and "human interest." Conflict includes topics such as immigration, electoral politics, or foreign affairs, and the economy contains trade relationships. In contrast, human interest includes, for example, sports news or cultural characteristics such as food, fashion, or music.
These coding categories can, among others, also be found in the study of Ingenhoff, Segev, and Chariatte (2020). They analyzed how a country\u27s image varies among nearby and distant countries and whether online search behavior for information about a country is linked to its perception. They conducted a content analysis of Google searches and open-ended survey questions based on the five-dimensional country image model. In another multimethod study (2020), Ingenhoff and Chariatte expand the study’s results: They comprehensively analyze the country\u27s reputation using a combination of media content analysis, Google search analysis, survey answers, and structural equation modeling.
Example study: Ingenhoff et al. (2020)
Theoretical foundation: The study by Ingenhoff, Segev, and Chariatte (2020) is rooted in theories of country stereotypes and news value theory. It investigates whether perceptions of a country differ between distant and nearby countries and considers the impact of digital cross-border sources of information, such as Google. Additionally, the study examines how Google queries from various countries align with open survey responses regarding Switzerland\u27s image and reputation. The theoretical framework includes the five-dimensional model of country images, which encompasses functional, normative, cultural, natural, and emotional dimensions, each with specific subdimensions (Ingenhoff, 2017, 2018; Ingenhoff & Chariatte, 2020).
Methods of data collection: The study employed content analysis on data from multiple sources:
Survey data: A representative survey was conducted in seven countries (N=3,556) in Fall 2016, collaborating with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs/Presence Switzerland. Respondents answered the open question, “What immediately comes to mind when you think of Switzerland? Think about its characteristics and special features, as well as about current events, personalities, organizations, companies, products, etc. Please note down everything that comes to mind when you think about Switzerland”.
Google Trends Data: Top and rising Google searches about Switzerland between 2004 and 2017 (N=3,839) were collected from the same countries using Google Trends.
The units of analysis are the open survey answers and the Google search queries. These were coded into multiple categories using polytomous nominal scales. A comprehensive codebook based on the five-dimensional model of country images guided the coding process (see Table 1).
Table 1.
Coding scheme for country reputation applied in the study by Ingenhoff, Segev and Chariatte (2020).
Country Dimensions Variables (based upon the five-dimensional country image model)
Codes
Reliability
Nature dimension of the country image: relates to the natural qualities of the country
1.Landscape (aspects of geographical location, size, /weather/topography)
2. Preserved nature 3. Activities related to the landscape (e.g., good spot for winter sports)
κ = .82, p < .001
for the five country image dimensions
κ = .78, p < .001 for the variables of the subcategories of the country dimensions
Functional dimension of the country image: relates to the political, economic and social aspects of a country’s competitiveness and effectiveness
1. Education system 2. Science and innovation 3. Products (e.g., Switzerland’s watches.) 4. Economy (economical wealth and autonomy, currency and exchange rates, tax system, investments, industry related information)
5. Infrastructure (e.g., transport system)
6. politics (political system, international relations, political votes, political actors like politicians or parties)
7. Living- and working conditions (job market, cost of living)
8. Security aspects.
Normative dimension of the country image: relates to the integrity of a country and its norms and values
1. Environmental protection
2. Freedom and human rights 3. Civil rights
4. International solidarity (collaboration and engagement)
5. Ethical issues (e.g., bank scandals)
6. Conflict avoidance (e.g., peace, neutrality)
7. tolerance and openness (e.g., towards minorities, strangers)
Culture dimension of the country image: relates to cultural aspects of Switzerland
1. Sports
2. Typical dishes
3. Cultural offer (e.g., theatre, design, architecture),
4. Personalities (e.g., athletes, tv stars)
5. Traditions
6. History
7. Cultural diversity
Emotional dimension of the country image: relates to feelings of sympathy and fascination towards the country
1. Sympathy towards citizens
2. General positive/negative comments on the country
Other (e.g., confusions with other countries)
Example Study: Jain & Winner (2013)
Theoretical Foundation: Jain & Winner\u27s (2013) study is grounded in the theories of agenda-setting and agenda-building. Based on this approach, the authors assume that the media can adopt public relations messages (such as press releases) and that media coverage can shape the perception of countries. Therefore, the study analyzes a country’s information in press releases and its media portrayal and how this is connected to people’s attitudes toward a nation and its economic performance. By examining the transference of both issue salience and attribute salience (substantive and affective attributes), the authors explore how media portrayal impacts public attitudes and economic performance (Kiousis et al., 2007; McCombs et al., 1997). The study differentiates between substantive and affective attributes: Substantive attributes describe the qualities or characteristics of the issues, objects, or people being discussed. In this study, these are attributes based on the six dimensions of Anholt’s NBI (people, products and services, governance, tourism, culture, investment and immigration). Subattributes are more specific aspects within these broader categories. For example, subattributes within the \u27people\u27 category might include perceptions of the population as welcoming, friendly, or educated. On the other hand, affective attributes refer to the tone or emotional valence in which these substantive attributes are presented, which can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Methods of data collection: Data were retrieved from the Factiva database, including press releases from PR Newswire US (N=598) and news articles from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (N=488), collected between April 1 and June 20, 2009. For the survey and economic performance results, the study consulted secondary data from the same year, which came from Simon Anholt’s Nation Brand Index, the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the US Department of Commerce.
The analysis involved coding press releases and news articles to capture the salience and tone of the issue (see Table 2). Issue salience was recorded using dichotomous nominal scales (presence=1; absence=0), while tone was assessed on an ordinal scale (negative=1, neutral=2, positive=3).
Table 2.
Coding scheme for country issues and attributes applied in the study by Jain & Winner (2013).
Substantive attributes, i.e.,
variables of issue salience
Subattributes
(shortened description of items)
Reliability
People
a) Welcoming people
b) Friendly people
c) Qualified/educated people
Press releases: Holsti 0.90, κ = 0.67.
For both variables of issue salience and codes: Holsti 0.96, κ = 0.66.
Media articles:
Holsti 0.97, κ = 0.70.
For variables of issue salience: Holsti 0.93, κ = 0.70.
For codes: Holsti 0.98 and κ = 0.66.
Products and services
a) Innovative products/services
b) High quality products/services
c) Creative place with cutting edge ideas
Governance
a) Competently and honestly governed
b) Respect of citizen rights and fair treatment
c) Responsible behavior in international peace and security
d) Responsibly protect the environment
e) Responsibly reduce the world poverty
Tourism
a) Like to visit the country if money were no object
b) Country is rich in natural beauty
c) Historic buildings and monuments
d) Host of international events
Culture
a) Excels at sports
b) Rich cultural heritage
c) Interesting place for contemporary culture (films, music,…)
Immigration and Investment
a) Willingness to live and work for substantial period in the country
b) Quality of life
c) Good place to study
d) Businesses to invest in
e) Equal opportunity
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