Browsing by Subject "Wohlbefinden"

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Commute time and subjective well-being in urban China
(2015) Sousa-Poza, Alfonso; Nie, Peng
Using data from the 2010 China Family Panel Studies, this study investigates the association between commute time and subjective well-being in a sample of 16- to 65-year-old employees in urban China. We find evidence that a longer commute time is associated with lower levels of both life satisfaction and happiness, especially when the commute times are extreme (≥ 1 hour per day). A multiple mediation analysis further indicates that the relation between commute time and happiness is partially mediated by time spent on daily activities, particularly sleeping. We calculate the amount of income necessary to compensate an employee’s loss in well-being at approximately 82 yuan per hour of commute time, implying that, in urban China, the annual loss of well-being amounts to around 10 billion yuan.
Glaube Online - Auswirkungen von religiösen Online-Angeboten auf das Wohlbefinden von Kirchengemeindemitgliedern
(2021) Siegle, Laura
Through the measures taken against the spread of the Corona Virus in early 2020, the churches in Germany also had to find new ways to implement their offerings. Many Christian churches have offered religious online formats. Studies have already shown that religious people have a better well-being than non-religious people. This study examines now, how the use of religious online offers affects the well-being of church members. To investigate the research interest, an online survey was conducted in cross-sectional design. The sample includes 169 parishioners aged between 15 and 83. 103 of the respondents used religious online services, on average they used them sometimes. 66 of the respondents did not participate in the religious online offerings. The survey found that parishioners who used religious online offerings had both better subjective and better religious well-being during the pandemic. There was no difference between interactive and non-interactive religious online offerings in terms of subjective well-being. It turned out that improved religious well-being is positively related to the balance of affection. However, there was no significant connection between the religious well-being and the life satisfaction of the parishioners. Overall, it can be stated that the well-being of church members could also be influenced by other factors not researched in this study, which will need to be investigated and identified in future research.
Investigating dairy cow welfare by optimizing pulsation cycles and improving activity measurements during milking from a technical perspective
(2016) Blümel, Franziska Elisabeth; Schick, Matthias
During machine milking, farmers often encounter milking problems even though milking machine constructions generally comply with the required international standards. The first aim of this thesis was to investigate the effect of two different durations of the closing and closed phase (c- and d-phase, respectively) on physical processes in the milking cluster. The second aim was to examine the effect of these c- and d-phases on milk removal and hind-leg activity. It was hypothesized that a prolonged c-phase (i.e. slower liner closing) might be gentler and more comfortable for the dairy cow than a short c-phase (i.e. faster liner closing). Consequently, this would lead to optimized milk removal and calmer dairy cow behavior in the milking parlor. Therefore, dairy cows were confronted randomly with two types of pulsation chamber cycles (Treatments A and B) for 12 milkings. The treatments differed in the durations of c- and d-phases. In Treatment A, the c-phase lasted 70 ms and the d-phase 330 ms, whereas in Treatment B, the c-phase lasted 130 ms and the d-phase 270 ms. Using a vacuum measuring device (MT52, BEPRO AG, Güttingen, Switzerland), measurements were taken during milking proceedings. Milk flow characteristics were recorded using milk flow meters (LactoCorder®, WMB AG, Balgach, Switzerland). Hind-leg activity was recorded during milking using accelerometers attached on the hind-legs (RumiWatch® pedometer, ITIN+HOCH GmbH, Liestal, Switzerland). Treatment B showed the following effects on parameters measured in the milking cluster compared with Treatment A: -Durations of open liner were on average 26.2 ms longer. -Durations of closing liner were on average 23.4 ms longer. -Pressure sum was on average 1 kPa lower. Treatment B showed the following effects on milk flow and hind-leg activity compared with Treatment A: -Cows produced 0.21 kg higher total milk yield. -Peak flow rate was 1.04 kg/min higher. This thesis showed that c-phase durations influence physical processes in the milking cluster and milk flow characteristics. A prolonged c-phase is not only beneficial for dairy cow’s health but also from an economic point of view. Statements regarding welfare improvements are rather difficult to make. In addition to the first and second aim of this thesis, the third aim was to examine the correlations of hind-leg activity with accelerometers attached to the hind-leg and to the milking cluster with direct observations. As restlessness during milking is considered as an important parameter for impairments of dairy cow welfare, a standardized measuring procedure for this behavior may be severe for detection of deficient milking conditions. It was assumed that the milking cluster is set in motion as hind-legs of dairy cows move, because the milking cluster is freely suspended on the cow’s udder. Therefore, an accelerometer attached to the milking cluster may measure the hind-leg activity of the dairy cow indirectly. This method could replace laborious attaching of accelerometers on the hind-legs of dairy cows and provide a standardized on-line measuring procedure. Therefore, measurements with accelerometers on hind-legs of dairy cows and on the milking cluster were taken once during morning and evening milkings for every cow. In addition, direct observations of dairy cows’ motion behavior during milking were made. The differentiation of hind-leg activity took place between active phases and inactive phases. Data from morning milkings were used to create an algorithm to validate data automatically from evening milkings. The correlation measurements of hind-leg activity were as follows: - The algorithm is defined as the number of observations using mean values + standard deviation + 0.2 m/s2. -Correlation “visually counted number of active phases from graphs” with “number of observations calculated with the algorithm from the milking cluster” was 97 % (morning milkings). -Correlation “number of active phases recorded with milking cluster using the algorithm” with “number of active phases using direct observations” was 74 %. -Correlation “number of active phases recorded with the hind-leg using the algorithm” with “number of active phases using direct observations” was 91 %. It was possible to develop a hind-leg activity measuring method, without attaching accelerometers on the hind-legs of dairy cows. With this novel method, costs and labor can be minimized and objective examination of animal behavior can be guaranteed. In a next step, it can be implemented in the milking parlor or in the automatic milking device as a diagnostic tool providing valuable information to the farmer and consultant in a management program.
Stress management and coping using smartphones by mothers of young children
(2021) Wolfers, Lara N.; Utz, Sonja
Being a parent of young children is associated with both joy and stress. High parental stress was shown to be associated with decreased parental wellbeing and negative child outcomes. Thus, it is important that parents successfully cope with stress. Research has shown that becoming a parent often results in constraints on time allocation and a perceived state of isolation, making it harder to cope with stress. Smartphones might be a useful tool for parental stress management. For most parents, smartphones are always and easily accessible. Moreover, smartphones can provide many resources such as social support and information and can be used for short periods. Accordingly, first studies show that parents often use their smartphones to cope with stress. However, parental smartphone use has been widely problematized in academic and public discussions because smartphones are said to distract parents from interacting with their children. Research on how parents use smartphones to their benefit is still limited. Moreover, we do not know yet whether and under what circumstances coping using smartphones effectively reduces parental stress. To fill this knowledge gap, I examined in my dissertation how mothers of young children use their smartphones for coping with stress and under what circumstances coping using smartphones is effective. As mothers are still the primary caregivers, my dissertation mainly focuses on mothers. In a first theoretical step, I conducted a systematic scoping review summarizing and integrating the previous literature on media use for coping. Many studies assessed how media are used for coping. However, the literature had not clearly identified where media have their place in stress management models. In the scoping review, I suggested placing media in the transactional model of stress and coping by differentiating between coping strategies, such as social support or distraction and coping tools, such as talking to a friend or using a smartphone. When confronted with a stressful encounter, individuals choose a combination of coping tools and coping strategies to cope with stress. The fit of this combination with the situational circumstances determines whether the coping efforts are successful. Based on this conceptualization, I conducted a qualitative focus groups study and a quantitative experience sampling study (ESS). In the focus group study, building on a synthesis of the literature on digital media use for parenting and smartphone use while parenting, I interviewed parents in a medium-sized city and a parent-child health retreat clinic about how they use their smartphones for stress management. In the ESS, I additionally drew on theoretical conceptualizations from mobile communication and digital wellbeing research. Over 200 mothers filled in four questionnaires a day for one week and answered questions about a stressful situation that had happened in the last two hours. Both studies showed that when mothers are in stressful situations with their children, they mainly use their phones to distract themselves from the stressful encounter and to find information and support. In the focus groups study, parents reported many instances in which they successfully used their phones for stress coping. In the ESS, mothers, however, experienced a smaller stress decrease in stressful situations in which they used their phone than in situations involving no phone use. Using positive phone content, though, was related to increased coping effectiveness. My dissertation also demonstrated that social norms around maternal smartphone use play an important role when mothers use their phones for coping with stress. To explore this, I suggested a social constructivist viewpoint on media use and media effects. This viewpoint posits that the perception of and feelings around ones own media use are just as important for media effects as characteristics of objectively measurable media use, such as usage time. Further, I argue that these media use perceptions are influenced by what others say about media use and are, thus, socially constructed. Confirming the value of this viewpoint, I show in the ESS that mothers who perceived stronger injunctive norms against parental phone use experienced increased guilt when they used their phone for stress coping. Feelings of guilt around phone use in turn were related to a diminished coping effectiveness. Overall, my dissertation shows that by using positive content, mothers can use their smartphones to their benefit when they are confronted with stressful situations. Negative social norms against parental smartphone use can, by inducing guilt, be associated with diminished coping effectiveness when mothers use their phone to cope with stress. Therefore, academic and public discussions around smartphone use should consider the benefits of smartphone use for parents so that a more nuanced debate does not lead to social pressure and feelings of guilt among parents.
Wohlbefinden als neue Erfolgsgröße im Dienstleistungsmanagement : eine Analyse von Kunden- und Mitarbeiterwohlbefinden im Dienstleistungskontext
(2019) Falter, Mareike; Hadwich, Karsten
Currently, a paradigm shift from a customer-centered mindset to humanistic marketing takes place in science and practice. Thereby, individual, collective and social wellbeing plays a significant role. In service management, the subject area of transformative service research, which serves as a starting point for social transformation with regard to improving our society and environment, has been established. However, current research about wellbeing as a new success factor in the service context is very limited or incomplete. The present study’s central aim is therefore to make a scientific contribution to the topic of wellbeing in the service context, and to give practical implications for service managers, companies and political decision-makers with regard to service design, in order to create a positive impact on individual and social wellbeing. Subsequently, chapter 2 includes an analysis of wellbeing in the context of internal service marketing. This article aims to analyze the effects of digitalization in the work environment on employee wellbeing. The results show that with a high degree of digitalization in an employee’s work environment, the fulfilment of the basic needs competence, autonomy and human relationships decreases, as opposed to a work environment with a medium or low degree of digitalization. Mediation analysis reveals that employee satisfaction is not only influenced by digitalization in the work environment. These findings suggest that looking beyond indicators for employee satisfaction and taking psychological employee wellbeing as a new success factor into account benefits service management. Thus, by surveying employee wellbeing, additional determining factors can be identified in order to further explain employees’ reactions and behavior, and to create a pleasant work environment that serves employees and their individual needs. In the third chapter, wellbeing is considered as a new success factor in external service marketing. The study aims to analyze the effect of buying from social enterprises on consumer wellbeing, as in comparison with buying from other business models. Four experiments were conducted. The results of the variance analysis clearly show that buying products or services from a social enterprise increases consumer wellbeing, in comparison to buying from profit-oriented companies or companies with CSR activities. Accordingly, the present study gives an indication that a social enterprise not only represents a suitable business model for improving societal wellbeing or protecting the environment, but also brings wellbeing to the consumers themselves. Moreover, the results show that consumer wellbeing depends on the mission, or the objective of the business model. No significant differences between the purchase of products or services regarding consumer wellbeing occur. This finding especially widens the discussion about whether consumption of material goods as opposed to experiences increases wellbeing. The authors emphasize the significance of social enterprises and encourage managers and political decision-makers to invest in social enterprises. Chapter 4 contains an analysis of wellbeing in interactive service marketing. Its objective is to conceptualize and operationalize customer wellbeing in customer-employee-interaction in the service context, and thus develop a suitable measurement tool. Along the scale development process by Churchill (1979), the customer service wellbeing scale is developed. Hence, the measurement tool customer service wellbeing consists of the following five dimensions: positive emotions during the service process, engagement during the service process, (good) relationships with the service employees, meaning and accomplishment of the service, and absence of negative emotions during the service process. The results show that the customer service wellbeing scale, as compared to established dimensions, yields an important explanatory contribution in the service context. Furthermore, the study provides valuable findings regarding the scientific discourse on the bottom-up-spillover theory, and the suspected connection of individual consumption situations affecting superordinate areas of life, and therefore contribute to people’s overall life satisfaction. In chapter five, the author finally takes up all findings obtained, and illustrates how relevant it is to incorporate wellbeing as a new success factor in service management. It is emphasized that a consideration of wellbeing in the service context allows for further developing the design of sustainable services, for promoting services with a social value and impact, for creating a suitable work environment for employees, and last but not least for valuing individuals with their personalities and needs, instead of merely focusing on a calculable consumer.
Wohlbefinden von Mastschweinen in verschiedenen Haltungssystemen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung ethologischer Merkmale
(2003) Weber, Ragnhild E. F.; Valle Zárate, Anne
This study aims to compare practice oriented husbandry systems with regard to their effect on the welfare of fattening pigs. This should also contribute to the development of evaluation indicators for pig welfare. A literature review was conducted covering Definition of Welfare, Indicators for Welfare Assessment, Behavior of Fattening Pigs, Ethological Methods for Welfare Assessment, and Husbandry Systems for Fattening Pigs. Insights attained were significantly taken into account when developing and conducting the study. 2 husbandry systems were established, compromising on conventional pig husbandry and currently available knowledge on the welfare of fattening pigs. The investigation emphasizes on ethological traits. This research is part of a comprehensive project investigating prevalent fattening pig husbandry systems in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with regard to animal welfare and pig farmers? and consumers? attitudes towards husbandry conditions. The present study was conducted on the experimental station Frankenforst of the University of Bonn, Germany. A total of 256 Piétrain (Pi) x German Landrace (DL) or Pi x (Large White (DE) x DL) fattening pigs were investigated throughout 2 periods of time: middle of June 1998 to beginning of January 1999, and middle of April to end of September 1999. They were kept in two enriched husbandry systems. One system was equipped with heater, forced ventilation and partly slatted floor (TSP: 8 pigs/pen), the other was in an open stable with half the area deep littered (OT: 32 pigs/pen). The enrichments included chains, a wooden chewing bar, and a straw rack in the non-bedded system. Over a period of 10 weeks indirect video observations were conducted once per week between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. The behavioral traits observed included feeding, exploration and occupation, abnormal occupation, comfort, aggression and fighting, locomotion, and resting and lying. In the second year direct observations were additionally conducted at specific times to analyse occupation and comfort behavior in more detail. Further traits investigated included: state of health, medical treatments, skin lesions, changes of extremities and claws, general condition, carcass, lung, liver, heart, kidney, and lymph node changes, fattening and slaughtering performance and housing characteristics. The results showed that rooting, which is of utmost importance for the welfare of pigs and which could only be performed in the OT, could not completely be compensated for in the TSP by the enrichment objects and the stable environment. In the TSP the behavioral disorders of pseudo-rooting and manipulation of pen-mates were clearly performed more often. In contrast, the husbandry environment of the OT (straw bedding, enrichment, more overall space, more outside stimuli) had a positive effect on the behavior of the pigs. An improvement of the pigs? welfare in the OT can particularly be concluded from the increased level of rooting, playing, alertness, and walking+standing as compared to the TSP. Comfort+wallowing, the least observed behavior, was also performed significantly more often in the OT. On the other hand, fattening pigs in the OT were also not completely free of behavioral disorders. In both husbandry systems pigs laid (with no other activity) more than 70 % of the observation time. Low lighting in the TSP probably caused a less pronounced endogenously predisposed two-phase daily rhythm of the pigs with less activity in the morning as compared to the pigs in the OT. The forced ventilation in the TSP and the non-bedded area of the OT were not completely sufficient to cool the pigs in summer. The territorial division of the pen by the pigs was disturbed to the point that no clear distinction between lying, defecation and feeding areas could be made. Cardiovascular problems occurred in the OT on some very hot days. Skin lesions, changes in the extremities and claws and the pigs? general condition did not deviate greatly from normal and healthy conditions. No obvious relation of injuries being caused by means of the husbandry system could be found. Carcass inspections showed that lung alterations and pleuritis occurred most frequently. Significant differences between the husbandry systems (OT > TSP) were found for liver and pluck findings. With regard to animal health the pigs in the TSP were better off. It can be presumed that welfare was reduced by the slight Ra. outbreak in the OT in the second year. Differences in daily gain and feed conversion were only due to a substantially lower performance of the pigs in the OT in the first year probably caused by higher thermoregulation efforts. By means of the methods and traits (indicators) used the welfare of the pigs in the two different husbandry systems could be compared. Proposals for further improvements of the methods as well as for the improvement of the husbandry systems were submitted.