Organised Interests,Authority Structures and Political Influence: Danish and Norwegian Patient Groups Compared

The article presents a comparative analysis of the strategies applied by Danish and Norwegian patient organisations and organisations for disabled persons in order to promote the interests of their members. Three research questions are addressed: Are Danish and Norwegian patient organisations service organisations operating according to a ‘logic of membership’ or political pressure groups acting according to a ‘logic of influence’? Do patient organisations apply ‘insider’ or ‘outsider’ strategies in their efforts to influence healthcare policies? What impact do different authority structures have on the patient organisations' influencing strategies? The latter question is related to recent reforms in the public healthcare systems of the two countries. The major responsibility for public hospitals now rests with regional authorities in Denmark and central government in Norway. The study is based on a survey among nationwide patient organisations in the two countries and shows that most patient groups are ‘polyvalent’‘venue shoppers’ combining a variety of influencing strategies.     

Comparison of five DNA quantification methods

Six commercial preparations of human genomic DNA were quantified using five quantification methods: UV spectrometry, SYBR-Green dye staining, slot blot hybridization with the probe D17Z1, Quantifiler™ Human DNA Quantification kit and RB1 rt-PCR. All methods measured higher DNA concentrations than expected based on the information by the manufacturers. UV spectrometry, SYBR-Green dye staining, slot blot and RB1 rt-PCR gave 39, 27, 11 and 12%, respectively, higher concentrations than expected based on the manufacturers’ information. The DNA preparations were quantified using the Quantifiler™ Human DNA Quantification kit in two experiments. The measured DNA concentrations with Quantifiler were 125 and 160% higher than expected based on the manufacturers’ information. When the Quantifiler™ human DNA standard (Raji cell line) was replaced by the commercial human DNA preparation G147A (Promega) to generate the DNA standard curve in the Quantifiler™ Human DNA Quantification kit, the DNA quantification results of the human DNA preparations were 31% higher than expected based on the manufacturers’ information. The results indicate a calibration problem with the Quantifiler™ human DNA standard for its use with the Quantifiler™ Human DNA Quantification kit. The possible reasons for the problem are discussed and a solution is suggested. The results emphasise the need for standard reference DNA material and standard methods for DNA quantification.     

Health policy in Denmark: leaving the decentralized welfare path?

In this article, we investigate developments in Danish health care policy. After a short presentation of its historical roots, we focus on the decades after the administrative reform of 1970, which shaped the current decentralized public health care system. Theories of path dependency and institutional inertia are used to explain the relative stability in the overall structure, and theories of policy process and reform are used to discuss gradual changes within the overall framework. Although comprehensive reforms have not taken place in Denmark, many gradual changes may pave the way for more radical changes in the future. The political climate currently seems to be more favorable toward structural reform than in the past.     

Global Governance through Private Organizations

Governance at international and global levels is not only provided through states and markets but also through a variety of private organizations. The business world is well represented through this kind of organization and contributes to global governance through self-regulation across a number of industries. This article examines these efforts in the encompassing organization of global commerce, in the pharmaceutical industry and among dye stuffs producers. Smaller organizations are generally better suited to monitor compliance and impose sanctions on members violating the codes and norms behind self-regulation. Even small organizations, however, are confronted with problems and there is also evidence of large and very complex organizations having established effective mechanisms as alternatives to public regulation. These experiences can be built into theories on self-regulation as a form of global governance.     

Community-Kirchen im Wandel

The first section of this article describes a hiatus dominating present-day research on immigrants’ religious associations: On the one hand, the theoretical debates among sociologists of religion are more or less based on the analysis of Western Christianity. On the other hand, empirical researchers focus predominantly on the associations of Muslim and Asian immigrants. On this basis, the author presents a heuristic model that adds the distinction between immigration society and immigrants’ community to the classical sect-church typology. Following this line of thought, the article highlights the concept of community-churches, referring to Max Weber’s ideal type of the ?church“ as well as Friedrich Heckmann’s idea of the ?community“. Starting with the 1950s, the development of Christian immigrants’ associations appears to be dominated by groups close to the community-church type. Since the mid-1990s, these associations are developing in different directions: First, new types of religious institutions are developing among the immigrants. Second, the religious groups are linking themselves more and more to the immigration society.     

Britain and the Working Time Regulations

It is now over a year since the Working Time Regulations entered force in Britain on 1 October 1998, during a period when the government also introduced the minimum wage. But whereas that piece of legislation appears to have faded away into the background of British industrial relations, the Working Time Regulations continue to remain a central topic. Based on a survey of British companies and organisations, this article reviews the implementation of the legislation and examines the scope of coverage. It finds that the failure of the Labour government to consult the social partners – employer and employee representatives – resulted in business being unprepared for the Regulations. The article also notes that the manner in which this legislation was introduced has meant that many of the employees who were working excessive hours continue to do so.