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Ein besonderes Problem wissenschaftlicher Befragungen ist die Tendenz von Respondenten ihre Antworten - bewusst oder unbewusst - in Richtung sozialer Erwünschtheit zu verzerren. Dieses Problem erhält mit steigendem Interesse der Marktforschung an sozial verträglichem Konsumentenverhalten sowie an negativen Aspekten des Konsumentenverhaltens, wie etwa Materialismus oder Kaufsucht, immer mehr Aufmerksamkeit. Eine weit verbreitete Technik zur Messung sozial erwünschten Antwortverhaltens sind Kontrollskalen. Die bisher konstruierten Skalen eignen sich jedoch nur begrenzt für die Anwendung in der Marktforschung, da sie einerseits für Marketingskalen unverhältnismäßig lang sind und andererseits teils psychopathologische Inhalte abfragen, die in einer Marktforschungsumfrage Anstoß erregen können. Die Autoren stellen eine neue Skala zur Messung von sozial erwünschtem Antwortverhalten vor, die eine vertretbare Skalenlänge besitzt und in der Marktforschung eingesetzt werden kann ohne Reaktanz beim Respondenten hervorzurufen.

Assessment centers have highly contributed to the quality of employee selection, training, and development in organizations. While many assessment centers are developed for business settings, they are also used as selection method in educational settings, although not as widely. Most assessment centers mainly focus on social skills. Those that simulate real problems that may be faced in the job show the highest validity. Current assessment formats for applicants of master’s degree programs usually test core knowledge and social skills. However, they may underemphasize other important domains for master students, like scientific skills and the integration of scientific skills, social skills and core knowledge. We propose that for simulating real problems one may face at a master’s degree program it is not sufficient to measure merely social skills. In this article we will discuss an extension of conventional assessment centers. We will show the design of an assessment center for the master’s degree program ‘Financial Management and Controlling’ at FHWien University of Applied Sciences Vienna, which additionally measures the scientific skills of the applicants in the field of finance. We developed the following two dimensions of scientific skills: a) scientific method skills, b) argumentation skills and reflectivity. This method should help to simulate real problems one may face at a master’s degree program and therefore to increase the validity of the assessment.

Die vergangenen Jahre standen im Zeichen von stark schwankenden Energiepreisen und Unsicherheiten in der Energieversorgung. Prognosen zeigen eine drastische Differenz zwischen Angebot und Nachfrage an fossilen Energieträgern für die kommenden Jahre. Energieeffizienz ist die Basis, um den zukünftigen weltweiten Energiebedarf decken zu können. Die Sektoren Industrieöfen bzw. Prozesswärme nehmen in Österreich und Deutschland einen merklichen Anteil am Gesamtenergieaufkommen ein. Durch Primärmaßnahmen an den Anlagen und eine konsequente Verwertung von Abwärmeströmen kann es zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung von Anlagenwirkungsgraden in Verbindung mit einer Reduktion von CO²-Emissionen kommen. Am Beispiel einer Durchstoß-Gasaufkohlungsanlage werden interne und externe Energieeffizienzmaßnahmen aufgezeigt und deren Auswirkung auf den Gesamtprozess einer Bewertung unterzogen. Eine Wirkungsgradsteigerung um bis zu 19 % sowie eine Reduktion der CO²-Emissionen um 547 t/a kann erzielt werden. Für die optimale Integration in ein betriebliches Energiekonzept ist die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit von Anlagenhersteller, Energieplaner und Anlagenbetreiber erforderlich.

Mechanical processing using predominantly particle size and density as separation criteria is currently applied in the production of solid-recovered fuel or refuse-derived fuel. It does not sufficiently allow for the optimization of the quality of heterogeneous solid waste for subsequent energy recovery. Material-specific processing, in contrast, allows the separation criterion to be linked to specific chemical constituents. Therefore, the technical applicability of material-specific sorting of heterogeneous waste, in order to optimize its routing options, was evaluated. Two sorting steps were tested on a pilot and a large scale. Near infrared multiplexed sensor-based sorting devices were used (1) to reduce the chlorine (Cl) respectively pollutant content, in order to broaden the utilization options of SRF in industrial co-incineration, and (2) to increase the biogenic carbon (Cbio) content, which is highly relevant in the light of the EU emission trading scheme on CO2. It was found that the technology is generally applicable for the heterogeneous waste fractions looked at, if the sensor systems are appropriately adjusted for the sorting task. The first sorting step allowed for the removal of up to 40% of the Cl freight by separating only 3 to 5% of the material mass. Very low Cl concentrations were achieved in the output stream to be used as solid-recovered fuel stream and additionally, the cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentration was decreased. A two- to four-fold enriched Cbio content was achieved by the second sorting step. Due to lower yields in the large-scale test further challenges need to be addressed.

A major challenge for modern waste management lies in a smart integration of waste-to-energy installations in local energy systems in such a way that the energy efficiency of the waste-to-energy plant is optimized and that the energy contained in the waste is, therefore, optimally utilized. The extent of integration of thermal waste treatment processes into regular energy supply systems plays a major role with regard to climate control. In this research, the specific waste management situation looked at scenarios aiming at maximizing the energy recovery from waste (i.e. actual scenario and waste-to-energy process with 75% energy efficiency [22.5% electricity, 52.5% heat]) yield greenhouse gas emission savings due to the fact that more greenhouse gas emissions are avoided in the energy sector than caused by the various waste treatment processes. Comparing dedicated waste-to-energy-systems based on the combined heat and power (CHP) process with concepts based on sole electricity production, the energy efficiency proves to be crucial with regard to climate control. This underlines the importance of choosing appropriate sites for waste-to-energy-plants. This research was looking at the effect with regard to the climate impact of various waste management scenarios that could be applied alternatively by a private waste management company in Austria. The research is, therefore, based on a specific set of data for the waste streams looked at (waste characteristics, logistics needed, etc.). Furthermore, the investigated scenarios have been defined based on the actual available alternatives with regard to the usage of treatment plants for this specific company. The standard scenarios for identifying climate impact implications due to energy recovery from waste are based on the respective marginal energy data for the power and heat generation facilities/industrial processes in Austria.

Shopper confusion represents a mental state often occurring in shopping situations. While extant research focuses on product-related consumer confusion, the current investigation examines store environmental retail shopper confusion. Combining research streams on store environment, environmental psychology, and categorization theory, the authors build a conceptual retail shopper confusion framework. An analysis of expert interviews and open-ended questionnaires distributed to grocery shoppers reveals a classification of retail shopper confusion causes into ambient, design, and social factors, as characterized by the environmental properties variety, novelty, complexity, and conflict. A mediation analysis by means of structural equation modeling confirms the mediating role of retail shopper confusion between cognitive fit with an environment and shopping value. Retail shopper confusion thus explains why shoppers experience low hedonic and utilitarian shopping values in certain shopping situations.

In Austria more than 50% of the high-calorific industrial residues and wastes generated are utilized for energy recovery in industrial utility boilers. This study investigated full-scale trials of combined incineration of in-plant residues with various industrial wastes. These trials were carried out in order to learn how the alternatively used fuel influences the incineration process itself as well as the quantity and quality of the various incineration products. The currently used fuel, which consisted of in-plant residues as well as externally acquired waste wood and the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) mixtures used during the full-scale trials are characterized in terms of material composition as well as chemical and physical parameters. An input–output mass balance for the incineration plant (two fluidized bed combustion units, 20 and 30 MW, respectively) has been established, based on the data collected during the full-scale incineration trials. Furthermore, pollutant concentrations in the off-gas as well as the solid incineration residue are reported. It is not only the pollutant content but also a variety of other internal as well as external factors that have to be considered if a company is to decide whether or not to thermally utilize specific waste types. Therefore a strengths and weaknesses profile for several types of waste and the specific industrial boiler is also presented.

The REACT (Renewable Energy & Efficiency Action) project is an EU-funded cross-border cooperative venture featuring the participation of companies and researchers from Burgenland (Austria) and western Slovakia that is developing zero energy concepts for newly built single-family homes. A variety of building structures are defined for family houses, and the different impacts they have on the environment are evaluated over the entire life cycle. This paper aims to compare the environmental impacts of different building shells during both the construction and the demolition phases. However, the operation phase of the building is not evaluated. One of the findings of the project thus far is that the demolition and disposal of building materials should be included in any such evaluation. For some environmental impact assessment categories, both demolition and disposal are important. The environmental impacts of various end-of-life scenarios can differ greatly based on the disposal method (e.g., landfill, incineration, recycling, etc.) chosen and on the proportion of recycled content. Furthermore, the results show that manufacturing building materials from renewable resources can have strong environmental impacts, particularly when substantial amounts of fossil fuel are required in their production.

Research is scarce on ways to enhance the effect of rest breaks during mentally demandingtasks. The present study investigated the effectiveness of two rest‐break interventionson well‐being during an academic lecture. Sixty‐six students (53 females, mean age22.5 years) enrolled in two different university classes of 4‐hr duration participatedin the study. Two measures of well‐being (fatigue and vigor) were assessed immediatelybefore, after, and 20 minutes after the break. A control condition without a breakas well as an unstructured break was compared with breaks either encompassing physicalactivity or a relaxation exercise. Compared with the nonbreak condition, the unstructuredrest break led to an increase in vigor, the exercise break as well as the relaxationbreak both to an increase in vigor and a decrease in fatigue at 20‐min post break.Compared with the unstructured break, exercise led to an (additional) increase invigor and relaxation to an (additional) decrease in fatigue at 20‐min post break.Thus, the effects of rest breaks during mentally demanding tasks can be enhanced byengaging in physical activity or relaxation exercises, with effects lasting at leastas long as 20 min into the continuation of the task.

Research has increasingly focused on career development in a globalized economy. It has investigated the impact of international assignments on careers and their implications for organizations. Surprisingly, academic research has largely failed to address the importance of a city’s attractiveness to expatriates. This exploratory study makes an initial attempt to fill this gap using data from Vienna, Austria. The study shows that expatriates distinguish between work and non-work location factors when considering an assignment. In the work area they distinguish between more organisation-focused career issues and the professional environment in the target location. Expatriates report a definite increase in knowing-how and knowing-why. Increases in knowing-whom are uncertain. This is one of the first studies that look at the attractiveness of a metropolitan area to expatriates and the perceived career impact of an assignment to Vienna. The study provides data on a city that so far has not featured in the literature on expatriation.

A qualitative study was the basis for the design of an academic post-graduate program geared to the education of CFOs. A later quantitative survey stimulated refinements of the program. The findings of the studies were directly incorporated into the program. The paper gives an overview of the studies’ conclusions and gives clues on how to integrate them into post-graduate financial management programs.