Nina Baur

Towards a process-oriented methodology: modern social science research methods and Norbert Elias's figurational sociology

This paper suggests that Norbert Eliass conception of process-oriented methodology consists of four stages: (1) explicating the researchers theoretical and personal perspectivity; (2) reconstructing the figurations rules and social structure using standardized data; (3) analysing the individuals placement within, perception of and ability to change the figuration, using open-ended data, and; (4) exploring the figurations sociogenesis, using process-produced data. Having explicated this figurational methodological approach we will demonstrate how it can be used to illuminate contemporary discussions of: (a) the relationship between theory and data; (b) mixed methods research; (c) multi-level analysis; (d) process-produced data; (e) longitudinal research; and (f) methods of historical research.

Anthropogenic organic micro-pollutants and pathogens in the urban water cycle: assessment, barriers and risk communication (ASKURIS)

In urban areas, water often flows along a partially closed water cycle in which treated municipal wastewater is discharged into surface waters which are one source of raw waters used for drinking water supply. A number of organic micro-pollutants (OMP) can be found in different water compartments. In the near future, climatic and demographic changes will probably contribute to an increase of OMP and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in aquatic ecosystems. The occurrence of OMP, possible adverse effects on aquatic organisms and human health and the public perception must be carefully assessed to properly manage and communicate potentially associated risks and to implement appropriate advanced treatment options at the optimum location within the water cycle. Therefore, the interdisciplinary research project ASKURIS focuses on identification and quantification, toxicological assessment and removal of organic micro-pollutants and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in the Berlin water cycle, life cycle-based economic and environmental assessment, public perception and management of potential risks.

Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung

The first € price and the £ and

Stichprobenprobleme bei Online-Umfragen

price are net prices, subject to local VAT. Prices indicated with * include VAT for books; the €(D) includes 7% for Germany, the €(A) includes 10% for Austria. Prices indicated with ** include VAT for electronic products; 19% for Germany, 20% for Austria. All prices exclusive of carriage charges. Prices and other details are subject to change without notice. All errors and omissions excepted. N. Baur, J. Blasius (Hrsg.) Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung

Map design aspects, route complexity, or social background? Factors influencing user satisfaction with indoor navigation maps

Geschlossene Online-Befragungen grenzen sich einerseits von offenen Befragungen, andererseits von anderen geschlossenen Befragungsmodi ab. Gegenuber anderen geschlossenen Befragungsmodi haben Online-Befragungen eine Reihe von Vorteilen, u. a. die schnellere Durchfuhrbarkeit; die geringeren Erhebungskosten; den Wegfall von Interviewereinflussen; eine geringere soziale Erwunschtheit; die Moglichkeit der Protokollierung des Befragtenverhaltens; erweiterte Moglichkeiten der optischen Darstellung, der komplexen Filterfuhrung sowie der Variation der Fragereihenfolge.1 Gegenuber offenen haben geschlossene Befragungen v. a. den Vorteil, dass Forschungsergebnisse inferenzstatistisch verallgemeinert werden konnen. Voraussetzung hierfur ist allerdings, dass eine Zufallsstichprobe aus der Zielgesamtheit vorliegt.2 Um eine Zufallsstichprobe in der Praxis herstellen zu konnen, sind eine Reihe von Schritten erforderlich:3

Urbanism as a Way of Life? Räumliche Variationen der Lebensführung in Deutschland Urbanism as a Way of Life? Spatial Variations in Lifestyles in Germany

Indoor map design is still an uncharted territory. More often than not, existing architectural floor plans are used as visualization means that do not fulfill cartographic requirements. In collaboration between geoinformation science and sociology, we develop and investigate cartographic methods for effective route guidance in indoor environments. The baseline for our evaluation is the annual user studies with up to 1100 participants per year. Since 2009, they were conducted during the “Long Night of Sciences,” a big event where large scientific institutions present themselves to the general public. For the 2011 study, we developed eight maps, which varied in design with respect to two map properties: map perspective and landmark representation. We evaluated the map design features as well as route complexity and sociodemographic characteristics. In order to rate their effect on an user satisfaction as an indicator of navigational success, we carried out a series of analyses of variance. Our results underline the importance of a map design: Map perspective and landmarks alone explain about 30% of the variance in the user satisfaction with maps, which is by far the biggest share in a navigational success.

Analyseverfahren in der empirischen Organisationsforschung

Zusammenfassung Drei Positionen dominieren die Diskussion um großräumige Variationen der Lebensführung: Die These der Nivellierung von Stadt-Land-Unterschieden geht auf Wirths (1938) Annahme einer Diffusion urbaner Lebensweisen zurück. In der Stadt- und Regionalforschung ist die Ansicht verbreitet, dass der Stadt-Land-Kontrast heute von regionalen Disparitäten prosperierender und schrumpfender Räume überlagert wird. Fischer (1975) postuliert ein Fortbestehen der Stadt-Land-Differenz, da erst eine „kritische Masse“ räumlich konzentrierter Personen die Institutionalisierung unkonventioneller Kulturpraxen ermögliche. Diese Positionen empirisch zu untersuchen, ist unser erstes Anliegen. Dazu stützen wir uns auf eine standardisierte Bevölkerungsumfrage in ländlichen und großstädtischen Gemeinden in vier Bundesländern. Als Messinstrument verwenden wir die von Otte (2004) konzipierte Lebensführungstypologie, die wir - das ist unser zweites Ziel - erstmals überregional replizieren und validieren. Die Performanz des Instruments ist insgesamt überzeugend, wenn auch in Ostdeutschland mit Vorbehalten. Inhaltlich zeigen sich - bei Kontrolle sozialstruktureller Kompositionsunterschiede - Tendenzen zu modernen, unkonventionellen Lebensführungsmustern in Großstädten und eine geringe Verbreitung statusgehobener Muster in Ostdeutschland. Summary In his classic article Wirth (1938) asserted that urban ways of life would eventually spread into rural areas through enhanced mobility and communicative interconnectedness. This view is shared by many contemporary urban sociologists who claim that disparities in prosperity and shrinking regions have replaced the rural-urban continuum as the primary dimension of spatial inequality in Germany. According to Fischer’s (1975) subcultural theory of urbanism, however, large cities will continue to produce and attract unconventional, nontraditional lifestyles due to a critical mass of like-minded people. In this paper, we test these hypotheses against rural-urban as well as regional variations in lifestyles using survey data randomly sampled from resident registration lists of rural and urban municipalities in four German states. As a measurement instrument we use Otte’s (2004) lifestyle typology conceptualized along two dimensions: a level of living and a modernity/biographical perspective. Replicating it supra-regionally for the first time, we provide evidence of its reliability and construct validity, albeit with some reservations for East Germany. In essence, inhabitants of large cities prove to be more modern, biographically open, and unconventional; East Germans tend to have a reduced level of living - even when differences in social structural composition are controlled for.

Die Rationalität lokaler Wirtschaftspraktiken im Friseurwesen : Der Beitrag der "Ökonomie der Konventionen" zur Erklärung räumlicher Unterschiede wirtschaftlichen Handelns

Der Beitrag diskutiert zunachst, wie sich die Forschungstrias aus Gegenstandsbereich „Organisation“, Forschungsfrage und Sozialtheorie auf die Auswertung auswirkt sowie wie die Auswertung in den gesamten Forschungsprozess eingebettet ist und insbesondere welche Effekte Fall- und Feldabgrenzung bzw. Abgrenzung der Grundgesamtheit sowie Datenerhebung allgemein auf die Auswertung haben. Danach stellt der Beitrag einige besonders fur die Organisationsforschung geeignete Auswertungsverfahren vor, namentlich aus der quantitativen Sozialforschung drei multivariate Verfahren – Clusteranalyse, hierarchische lineare Mehrebenenanalyse (HLM) und strukturelle Netzwerkanalyse (SNA) – sowie zwei qualitative Verfahren – die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse und die sozialwissenschaftliche Hermeneutik (hermeneutische Wissenssoziologie). Anhand eines Beispiels wird fur jedes Verfahren dessen theoretisches Potenzial diskutiert.

App-Free Zone: Paper Maps as Alternative to Electronic Indoor Navigation Aids and Their Empirical Evaluation with Large User Bases

Die soziologische Kritik an wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Modellen hat eine lange Tradition. Ausgangspunkt fast aller dieser Debatten ist das neoklassische Marktmodell, welches den Markt (Baur 2013a) isoliert von der Gesellschaft, vom Staat und von anderen Rahmenbedingungen analysiert. Auf idealen Markten ist der Wettbewerb vollkommen, und alle Marktakteure haben vollstandige Informationen uber Angebot, Nachfrage und Preisstrukturen. Weiterhin unterstellt die Neoklassik das Modell des homo oeconomicus, d. h. sie nimmt an, dass Akteure in sich konsistent handeln, uber eine klar definierte Praferenzstruktur verfugen und insofern zweckrational ihre eigenen Interessen verfolgen, als dass ihnen egal ist, an wen sie verkaufen bzw. von wem sie kaufen. Entscheidend ist allein, als Verkaufer den bestmoglichen Preis fur die grostmogliche Menge des verkauften Gutes zu erzielen und als Kaufer moglichst viele Guter zum geringstmoglichen Preis zu erwerben (Baur 2008a; Zafirovski 2007).

Some like Them Hot: How Germans Construct Male Attractiveness

Nowadays, mobile devices are widely used as navigation aids, e.g., for car navigation. Their greatest advantage is the ability of automatic position tracking. In indoor environments, this feature is often not available, since indoor localization techniques are not ready for the mass-market yet. What remains is a small display with limited space for route visualizations. In contrast, the variable size of paper allows for the representation of additional context information as a means for spatial understanding and orientation in space, rendering it a valuable alternative presentation medium for indoor navigation aids. Independent of the medium used, provided visualizations must meet specific cartographic requirements like clarity, comprehensibility, and expedience. Within a co-operation between geoinformation science and sociology, we develop and investigate cartographic methods for effective route guidance in indoor environments. Our evaluation base comes from user studies conducted with more than 3,000 visitors, of both genders and aged between 4 and 78 years. These user studies were collected during the “Long Nights of Science” in Berlin in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. We used paper as the presentation medium for our experiments, not only for practical reasons but also because we want to confront our participants with a solution which does not align to the current trend. Within this article we put special focus on media characteristics and users’ media preferences. Therefore, we asked our participants about their opinion on the provided paper maps in contrast to mobile solutions. Based on their answers, we could derive media characteristics relevant from a user’s perspective, as well as the affinities of different user groups. One astonishing outcome was that 11–15 year-old teenagers indicate a much higher tendency towards paper maps than towards smartphone apps.