Archetype Transition in the German Health Service? The Attempted Modernization of Hospitals in a North German State

In this paper, we argue that, rather than aiming at universal contingency relationships, archetype theory needs to go down a path where 'local variants' can be discovered and understood by relating them to their organizational and institutional context(s). The case study of a public sector hospital group in a North German state (Hamburg) is drawn on here to elaborate the argument. We found evidence for a change from a Public Sector hospital archetype to a Public Hospital Corporation archetype. Drawing on this model permits us to explore the impact of the introduction of new forms of public management organization and the implications the managerial ideology underpinning this may have for the professional organization. The study explores the consequences of the innovations for professional/managerial relations. We also suggest that the 'archetype' approach may be particularly useful for the comparative study of organizations. This is particularly pertinent given the different – corporatist – organization of the German health care system and its different approach to public sector reform to that of the Anglo-American and Scandinavian systems where the 'archetypal' approach has so far been applied.     

Binge drinking and negative alcohol-related behaviors: A test of self-control theory

Binge drinking and alcohol-related behaviors have been viewed as major concerns on college campuses. Although national studies were conducted to describe these behaviors, less research attempted to explain them. Self-control theory is extended as a theoretical framework to explain both while considering other known risk factors. Using a sample of college students (n = 268) from a university in the southern United States, the additive and interactive effects of self-control were modeled to predict binge drinking and negative alcohol-related behaviors. A series of multivariate regression models showed that low self-control had effects on binge drinking and related behaviors. Binge drinking's effect on negative alcohol-related behaviors varied across levels of self-control.     

The effect of linkage on the calculation of DNA match probabilities for siblings and half siblings

The loci in many forensic multiplexes are often selected to avoid linked loci. However as the multiplices used increase in the number of loci represented instances are occurring of loci that are loosely linked. As yet little attention has been paid to the likely consequence of this. We begin the process of developing formulae to give the match probability at two linked loci for full and half siblings. The methodology proceeds from the previously published joint IBD states for two linked loci [B.K. Suarez, J. Rice, T. Reich, The generalized sib pair IBD distribution: its use in the detection of linkage, Ann. Hum. Genet. Lond. 42 (1978) 87; J.K. Haseman, R.C. Elston, The investigation of linkage between a quantitative trait and a marker locus, Behav. Genet. 2 (1972) 3-19]. Our formulation has the drawback of assuming linkage equilibrium. This assumption may be tenable as a first order approximation. We hope to stimulate work on developing better treatments.