The Performance of Swiss and German Family Firms: Investigating Strategies, Orientations and SEW as Determinants

In this chapter we center our attention on the performance drivers of family firms in Switzerland and Germany and compare the corresponding results with the findings generated in the US. Investigating family firms is justified as this organizational form not only constitutes the majority of all firms globally (Sharma and Carney, 2012), but in particular in Switzerland and Germany. In fact, more than 88 percent of all firms in Switzerland are defined as family firms (Frey, Halter, Klein, and Zellweger, 2004), and numbers for Germany are similar (Klein, 2000). While more than 99 percent of all companies in Switzerland are small and medium-sized (Frey et al., 2004), the share of family firms varies with firm size; more specifically, the share of family firms decreases with increasing firm size, which is in line with findings from Germany (Klein, 2000). The social and economic impact of family firms is remarkable. In Germany for instance, family controlled firms provide 60 percent of all jobs and account for 51 percent of the total sales of the German economy (cf. www.familienunternehmen.de). Even though the interest of both academics and practitioners in family firms has been rising significantly in recent years, the existing body of knowledge in the field is still rather fragmented (Sharma, 2004; Sharma and Carney, 2012).

Screening for Language Disorders in Stroke: German Validation of the Language Screening Test (LAST)

BACKGROUND Screening of aphasia in acute stroke is crucial for directing patients to early language therapy. The Language Screening Test (LAST), originally developed in French, is a validated language screening test that allows detection of a language deficit within a few minutes. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate two parallel German versions of the LAST. METHODS The LAST includes subtests for naming, repetition, automatic speech, and comprehension. For the translation into German, task constructs and psycholinguistic criteria for item selection were identical to the French LAST. A cohort of 101 stroke patients were tested, all of whom were native German speakers. Validation of the LAST was based on (1) analysis of equivalence of the German versions, which was established by administering both versions successively in a subset of patients, (2) internal validity by means of internal consistency analysis, and (3) external validity by comparison with the short version of the Token Test in another subset of patients. RESULTS The two German versions were equivalent as demonstrated by a high intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.91. Furthermore, an acceptable internal structure of the LAST was found (Cronbach's α = 0.74). A highly significant correlation (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001) between the LAST and the short version of the Token Test indicated good external validity of the scale. CONCLUSION The German version of the LAST, available in two parallel versions, is a new and valid language screening test in stroke.

(Table 1) Cd/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios of benthic foraminifera from DSDP Hole 30-289

The late Miocene carbon shift (~6.2 Myr) -a 0.5-1.0 per mil, d13C decrease in benthic and planktonic foraminifera- has been ascribed to changes in global inventory, deep-ocean circulation, and/or productivity. Cadmium, d13C, and nutrients in the ocean are linked; comparison of d13C and Cd/Ca yields circulation and chemical inventory information not available from either alone. We determined Cd/Ca ratios in late Miocene benthic foraminifera from DSDP Site 289. Results include: (1) late Miocene Pacific Cd/Ca values fall between those of late Quaternary Atlantic and Pacific benthic foraminifera; (2) there are no systematic Cd/Ca offsets between Cibicidoides kullenbergi, Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi and Uvigerina spp.; and (3) there is a very slight Cd/Ca change coincident with d13C. Cd/Ca, slightly higher in younger, isotopically lighter samples, exhibits a smaller increase than predicted if circulation were the primary cause of the carbon shift. The carbon shift may have been due to a long-term shift in the steady-state carbon isotope input or to a change in the sedimentation of organic carbon relative to calcium carbonate.

An outline of German historical grammar,

"The present book is far from being a mere new edition of [the author's 'The sound and history of the German language'] ... In a sense ... [it] may be considered a precursor of the author's comprehensive grammar of the Germanic languages."--Pref.

Memoirs of Elizabeth Stuart, queen of Bohemia, daughter of King James the First. Including sketches of the state of society in Holland and Germany, in the 17th century.

Mode of access: Internet.

Saul, king of Israel,

A poem.

For love of a king.

Mode of access: Internet.

Memoirs of the last days of Her late most gracious Majesty Caroline, Queen of Great Britain, and consort of King George the Fourth;

Lettered: Memoirs of Queen Caroline. Vol. VI. Life. Last days.

A royal tragedy; being the story of the assassination of King Alexander and Queen Draga of Servia,

Appendix: The principal causes which brought about the tragic end of King Alexander and Queen Draga (p. 217-228)

Hero tales of the far North,

A knight errant of the sea [Tordenakjold] - Hans Egede, the apostle to Greenland. - Gustav Vasa, the father of Sweden. - Absalon, warrior bishop of the North. - King Valdemar, and the story of the Dannebrog. - How the ghost of the heath was laid. - King Christian IV. - Gustav Adolf, the snow-king. - King and sailor, heroes of Copenhagen. - The trooper who won a war alone [Jens Kofoed] - Carl Linné, king of the flowers. - Niels Finsen, the wolfslayer.

Specimens of early English.

Uniform with the above, and lettered "Part III" is Skeat's "Specimens of English literature ... 1394-1579" (2d edition, 1879)

The autobiography and correspondence of Mary Granville, Mrs. Delany : with interesting reminiscences of King George the Third and Queen Charlotte /

Mode of access: Internet.