EconStor (ZBW Kiel)
Not a member yet
310344 research outputs found
Sort by
Human Rights Violations in Global Value Chains: A Locally Grounded Governance Framework
No full textAbstract
Social governance models of global value chains (GVCs) are criticized as being dominated by advanced economy multinational corporations (MNCs) and primarily focusing on civil society organizations (CSOs) from developed countries, marginalizing the local agency, knowledge, and needs of rightsholders at the producing end of the GVC. These traditional governance frameworks often reinforce corporate power by framing compliance as a linear, top-down mandate. We address these shortcomings in the literature by proposing a locally grounded governance framework that accounts for vulnerable rightsholders who are often sidelined or underrepresented. The study is based on an inductive qualitative analysis of 54 interviews with CSOs operating in rightsholders’ home countries, MNCs’ home countries, and globally. Our study contributes in two major ways. First, we develop a theoretical model that conceptualizes a shift from a static, meeting-minimum-legal-standards, compliance-driven model to an adaptive, locally grounded GVC governance framework that is genuinely collaborative and can evolve with local insights. Second, we theorize a shift from a linear top-down framework that reinforces corporate power to an iterative process in which the dynamics of conflict and collaboration interact and shape the outcomes of the governance model
LGBT* People in Later Life: The State of Research and Opportunities for Empirical Quantitative Analysis with Secondary Data in Germany
No full textAbstract
Increasing population ageing and demographic change are accompanied by greater diversity among later age cohorts. This phenomenon is evident with regard to the specific aspect of sexual and gender diversity. In recent decades, an increasing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBT*) people who have lived through periods with different levels of social acceptance and legal equality have been entering later life. However, little is known about the life situations of older LGBT* people in Germany, and this raises questions about how sexual orientation and gender identity affect life situations in old age in our society. Based on the life course approach and the concept of structural stigma, we first theoretically derive the consequences of historical persecution and stigmatisation for life in old age. We then analyse the current state of research on LGBT* people in later life. Due to the lack of quantitative studies on older German LGBT* people, this article mainly summarises the international state of research on differences between LGBT* and cis-heterosexual people, as well as on the ways that LGBT* people differ according to minority status and age cohort. Building on this, we provide an overview of available quantitative secondary datasets that can be used to analyse the life situations of older LGBT* people in Germany. In doing so, we discuss the potential of the study selection for analysing the relevant topics, and we conclude by discussing its limitations together with improvements that could be made to gain better knowledge about this field of research. @Die zunehmende Alterung der Bevölkerung und der demografische Wandel gehen mit einer größeren Vielfalt in den späteren Alterskohorten einher. Dies gilt auch für den Aspekt der sexuellen und geschlechtlichen Vielfalt. Immer mehr lesbische, schwule, bisexuelle, trans* und andere Menschen aus sexuellen und geschlechtlichen Minderheiten (LGBT*) erreichen ein höheres Lebensalter und haben in den letzten Jahrzehnten unterschiedliche Phasen gesellschaftlicher Akzeptanz und rechtlicher Gleichstellung erlebt und mitgestaltet. Allerdings ist wenig über die Lebenssituation älterer LGBT*-Menschen in Deutschland bekannt und es stellt sich die Frage, wie sich sexuelle Orientierung und Geschlechtsidentität in unserer Gesellschaft auf die Lebenssituation im Alter auswirken. Auf der Grundlage des Lebenslaufansatzes und des strukturellen Stigmas leiten wir zunächst theoretisch die Folgen der historischen Verfolgung und Stigmatisierung für das Leben im Alter ab. Anschließend analysieren wir den aktuellen Stand der Forschung zu LGBT*-Personen im Alter. Aufgrund des Mangels an quantitativen Studien zu der Zielgruppe in Deutschland fasst dieser Artikel hauptsächlich den internationalen Forschungsstand zusammen, der sich mit Unterschieden zu cis-heterosexuellen Menschen, aber auch mit Unterschieden zwischen Menschen mit verschiedenen Minderheitenstatus und zwischen Alterskohorten beschäftigt. Darauf aufbauend geben wir einen Überblick über verfügbare quantitative Sekundärdatensätze, die zur Analyse der Lebenssituation älterer LGBT*-Menschen in Deutschland genutzt werden können. Dabei diskutieren wir das Potenzial der Studienauswahl für die Analyse relevanter Themen und erörtern abschließend Einschränkungen und mögliche Verbesserungen, um Erkenntnisse in diesem Forschungsfeld zu gewinnen
Sociology of Age and Ageing: Theoretical and Empirical Challenges (Re‑)Visited
No full textAbstract
Demographic ageing and increasing life expectancy require sociology to recognize and address new but also persistent challenges. The sociology of age and ageing is essential for understanding contemporary societies because age is a fundamental marker of social difference that structures roles, rights, responsibilities, and life trajectories. Age profoundly shapes opportunities and constraints, often through ageism, which remains one of the most pervasive forms of discrimination across life stages. Despite its wide relevance, however, sociological research has tended to privilege middle age, often overlooking older adults and failing to integrate age structures into broader theories of inequality and social order. This Special Issue aims to mainstream age into general sociological debates by showcasing what a sociology of age and ageing can contribute to sociological theory building (part 1), methodological developments and empirical insights (part 2). It demonstrates that the sociology of ageing is not a niche field but a vital driver of broader sociological theory, applying perspectives from Marx and Bourdieu to affect theories and care ethics. Importantly, it shows theoretically as well as empirically how age intersects with categories such as gender, race, class, and disability, generating complex configurations of privilege and disadvantage that vary across institutional contexts like employment, healthcare, and political representation. By treating age as a dynamic category of difference, we argue for adding complexity to intersectional analysis to better understand processes of inequality, vulnerability, and care across the life course. Ultimately, the issue calls for dialogue between sociology of ageing and sociology at large, positioning age as a “litmus test” for advancing sociological inquiry. @Die demografische Alterung und die steigende Lebenserwartung stellen die Soziologie vor teils neue, teils persistente Herausforderungen. Alter ist ein grundlegender Marker für soziale Unterschiede und Ungleichheiten; es strukturiert Rollen, Rechte, Verantwortlichkeiten und Lebenswege und prägt Chancen sowie Einschränkungen tiefgreifend, oft durch Altersdiskriminierung, eine der am weitesten verbreiteten Formen der Diskriminierung in allen Lebensphasen. Die Soziologie des Alters und des Alterns ist daher für das Verständnis heutiger Gesellschaften von wesentlicher Bedeutung. Trotz ihrer großen Relevanz privilegiert die soziologische Forschung jedoch tendenziell das mittlere Alter, übersieht ältere Menschen oft und versäumt, Altersstrukturen in umfassendere Theorien über Ungleichheit und soziale Ordnung zu integrieren. Dieses Sonderheft zielt darauf ab, das Alter stärker in allgemeine soziologische Debatten einzubeziehen und zeigt auf, welchen Beitrag die Soziologie des Alters und des Alterns zur soziologischen Theoriebildung (Teil 1) und zu methodischen Entwicklungen und empirischen Erkenntnissen (Teil 2) leisten kann. Die Soziologie des Alter(n)s ist keine Nische, sondern ein wichtiger Motor für eine umfassendere soziologische Theoriebildung. So belegt dieses Sonderheft sowohl theoretisch als auch empirisch, wie das Alter mit Kategorien wie Geschlecht, Rasse, Klasse und Behinderung zusammenhängt und komplexe Konfigurationen von Privilegien und Benachteiligungen erzeugt, die je nach institutionellem Kontext wie Beschäftigung, Gesundheitswesen und politischer Vertretung variieren. Wir plädieren dafür, das Alter als eine dynamische Differenzkategorie zu behandeln, um die intersektionale Analyse zu erweitern und Prozesse der Ungleichheit, Vulnerabilität und Fürsorge über den gesamten Lebensverlauf hinweg besser verstehen zu können. Letztlich braucht es dafür einen Dialog zwischen der Soziologie des Alter(n)s und der Soziologie im Allgemeinen, bei der das Alter als „Lackmustest“ für die Weiterentwicklung der soziologischen Forschung positioniert werden kann
Analysing Biases in Genealogies Using Demographic Microsimulation
No full textAbstract
An incomplete understanding of biases affecting the representativeness of genealogies has hindered their full exploitation. We report on a series of experiments on synthetic populations assessing how structural biases in ascendant genealogies affect the accuracy of demographic estimates. Using the SOCSIM microsimulation programme and Swedish fertility and mortality data (1751–2022), we analyse three biases: lineage survival, limited coverage of collateral kin, and selective omission. Comparing demographic measures from ‘fully recorded’ and ‘bias-infused’ synthetic populations, we find that across the period, including only direct ancestors can underestimate total fertility rate (TFR) ( ) and overestimate life expectancy at birth ( ) ( ), mainly due to missing infant, child, and some young adult deaths. Including direct ancestors’ offspring shifts TFR to overestimation ( ) while improving mortality estimation across all ages, with overestimation reduced to . Our study shows that completeness of family trees is essential for obtaining accurate demographic estimates from genealogies
Spatially Optimised Approach for Predicting Water Quality in a Heterogeneous Agricultural Watershed
No full textAbstract
Predicting water quality in a heterogeneous watershed is challenging because parameters and prediction accuracy vary with space. Therefore, spatially adaptive machine learning models were introduced for predicting water quality conditions in the Haraz and Babolroud watersheds, Iran. Initially, the Irrigated Water Quality Index (IWQI) was calculated. Then, spatial clusters of 16 water quality stations having similar physiochemical characteristics were identified. In the next step, numerical prediction models were developed for each cluster by assessing the prediction accuracy of six machine learning models including support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), extra trees (ET), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), decision trees (DT), and boosted regression trees (BRT). Finally, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to investigate the sets of key parameters needed to enhance water quality prediction using locally optimised prediction models. The findings indicated that water quality varied across the study area and three clusters, based on physico-chemical characteristics of the water quality, of the monitored stations were identified. The XGBoost model gave the highest accuracy and performance in cluster 1, 2, and 3 with R 2 values of 0.99 and RMSE values of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.02, respectively. The results indicated that acceptable local prediction can be obtained using different water quality parameters in the clusters across the watershed. Our findings can help managers and policymakers providing prompt alerts regarding irrigation water quality concerns in adaptive agricultural development
The moral states we seek: conscientious corporate branding for the perplexed
No full textAbstract
Corporate brands are increasingly willing or expected to demonstrate a moral stance, but existing frameworks often simplify moral agency, failing to capture its complexity. Consequently, corporate brands struggle to engage morality in a way that resonates with diverse stakeholder perspectives. How can moral development inform the orchestration of conscientious corporate brands? This conceptual paper aims to make sense of conscientious corporate branding as the project of becoming worthy of moral consideration. It introduces a maturity model, illustrating how corporate brands may evolve conscience as an emergent axis throughout different layers by emphasizing the importance of relational dynamics and situational contexts. This approach enriches theoretical discourse on conscientious corporate branding and provides actionable insights for brand managers seeking to enhance moral identity formation. Ultimately, this paper advocates for a shift toward an assemblage view of conscientious corporate branding, empowering corporate brands to become collective agents in an ever-evolving moral landscape
Age Is (Not) Just a Word—A Bourdieusian Perspective on the Social Construction of Age, Ageing, and Generations
Full text linkAbstract
Mass media and sociopolitical and academic discourses on ageing are characterised by a diffuse and often essentialist use of the concepts of age, ageing, and generation. Based on an interview with Bourdieu on “Youth Is Just a Word” and philosophical reflections on the semantics of age and ageing, the social-ontological status of age and generation classifications as arbitrary segmentations of a temporal continuum will therefore first be discussed. However, the life phase of old age was not the focus of Bourdieu’s work, so his scattered statements on old age are too undifferentiated and stereotypical for an approach based on the sociology of ageing. In order to gain further building blocks for a critical gerontology “with Bourdieu and beyond him”, additional sociological and gerontological perspectives on the social construction of age are presented. On this foundation, a model of the dialectic of symbolic and material constructions of age is presented, which regards “age” as a symbolic means for the field-specific inclusion and exclusion of individuals, “ageing” as a lifelong process of opening and closing life chances, and “generations” as socially constructed groups of adjacent age cohorts that compete for access to resources and social positions. The social construction of age, ageing, and generations is conceived of as an institutional, cultural, interactional, and individual process that builds on the material and physical basis of class-specific living conditions and in turn influences and changes them. @Massenmediale, sozialpolitische und fachwissenschaftliche Diskurse über Altersfragen sind durch einen diffusen und oft essentialistischen Gebrauch von Alters- und Generationenbegriffen geprägt. Ausgehend von einem Interview mit Bourdieu zu „Jugend ist nur ein Wort“ und sprachphilosophischen Überlegungen zur Semantik von Alter und Altern wird daher zunächst der sozialontologische Status von Alters- und Generationenklassifikationen als willkürliche Segmentierungen eines zeitlichen Kontinuums diskutiert. Die Lebensphase Alter stand allerdings nicht im Fokus des Werks von Bourdieu, sodass seine verstreuten Aussagen zum höheren Alter für eine alterssoziologische Grundlegung zu undifferenziert und stereotyp sind. Um weitere Bausteine für eine praxeologische Gerontologie „mit Bourdieu und über ihn hinaus“ zu gewinnen, werden weitere soziologische und gerontologische Perspektiven auf die soziale Konstruktion von Alter und Altern vorgestellt. Darauf aufbauend wird ein Modell zur Dialektik symbolischer und materieller Alterskonstruktionen vorgestellt, das „Alter“ als symbolisches Mittel zur feldspezifischen Inklusion und Exklusion von Menschen, „Altern“ als lebenslangen Prozess der Öffnung und Schließung von Lebenschancen und „Generationen“ als sozial konstruierte Gruppen benachbarter Alterskohorten versteht, die um den Zugang zu Ressourcen und sozialen Positionen konkurrieren. Die soziale Konstruktion des Alters, des Alterns und der Generationen wird als institutioneller, kultureller, interaktionaler und individueller Prozess begriffen, der auf der materiellkörperlichen Basis klassen- und schichtspezifischer Lebenslagen beruht und diese wiederum beeinflusst und verändert
Designing Carbon Pricing Policies Across the Globe
No full textAbstract
This study presents a large-scale, multi-country assessment of expert recommendations on key policy design options for implementing carbon pricing schemes at a country level, for which there is no consensus in the literature. Based on a survey of more than 400 academic experts on carbon pricing across the globe, we find that almost twice as many favor a carbon tax over a cap-and-trade scheme for unilateral carbon pricing than vice versa, and three-quarters strongly recommend using border carbon adjustment to address competitiveness concerns. By contrast, guidance on the use of revenue from carbon pricing is much more nuanced, with considerably lower support for lump-sum transfers to households than reflected in academic and policy discussions. Furthermore, recommendations on instrument choice and revenue use vary considerably with country and expert characteristics, such as GDP per capita and academic discipline. Our findings can guide the search for suitable public policy approaches that combine environmental effectiveness with economic efficiency and fairness considerations.Q54,;H4
Frontier Technology Adoption and Inclusive Green Growth in the EU: A Double-edged Sword?
No full textAs the EU Commission strategises towards a more technologically advanced region, a critical question arises: Does frontier technology adoption (FTR) truly foster inclusive green growth (IGG)? This study answers this question by empirically examining the impact of FTR on IGG, while accounting for the contingency role of electricity access. Applying pooled least squares, Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, and the dynamic generalised method of moments techniques, we uncover a paradox: while FTR accelerates economic growth and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, it exacerbates income inequality. The second lesson from this study is that although electricity access enhances the growth and environmental sustainability benefits of FTR, it only mitigates (but does not nullify) the downside of income inequality. These findings underscore the crucial need for the EU Commission to establish complementary and compensatory mechanisms to ensure that the EU’s technological leap delivers greener and more inclusive growth