Showing papers by "University of Applied Sciences, Mainz published in 2003"

Does Capital Regulation Matter for Bank Behavior? Evidence for German Savings Banks *

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to assess how German savings banks adjust capital and risk under capital regulation. We estimate a modified version of the model developed by Shrieves and Dahl (1992). In comparison to former research, we impose fewer restrictions with regard to the impact of regulation on capital and risk adjustments. Besides, we complement our analysis with dynamic panel data techniques and a rolling window approach. We find evidence that the coordination of capital and risk adjustments depends on the amount of capital the bank holds in excess of the regulatory minimum (the so-called capital buffer). Banks with low capital buffers try to rebuild an appropriate capital buffer by raising capital and simultaneously lowering risk. In contrast, banks with high capital buffers try to maintain their capital buffer by increasing risk when capital increases.

Towards Task Oriented Map-based Mobile Guides

Abstract: The adaptation of mobile services to context specific parameters provides great potential for developing enhanced and more user friendly systems. In this article we argue that in addition to technical issues (display size, bandwidth, etc.) and user centred factors (demographics, preferences, etc.) especially situational aspects (e.g. location) need to be considered when designing new mobile guides. One major situational parameter is the task which the tourist wants to accomplish in using the mobile system. This provides a range of implications for the individual usage process

Open courseware and open source software

Abstract: eginning as a personal project by Linus Tor-valds, the Linux operating system continuestoday as a community of volunteers and atthe same time has generated a huge commercialmarket. In April 2001 the Massachusetts Instituteof Technology (MIT)announced the Open-CourseWare project,making all of MIT’scourseware freely avail-able on the Web (seeocw.mit.edu); MIT’sintention was not todesign an e-learningenvironment. MITplans the official launchof its courseware thismonth, with 500courses online in thefirst stage. Coursewareincludes lecture notes,course outlines, readinglists, and assignments supporting traditional class-room teaching. Within 10 years, more than 2,000courses will be online. While putting individual course material online isalready a widespread practice, the systematic organi-zation of freely available course material from differ-ent academic disciplines in a standardized,searchable archive on an organizational level is aninnovative approach. The project’s name suggestssome conceptual relation to open source software,and the first press release was used in newspaperfront-page articles throughout the world. Will thisapproach now have a similar impact on universityteaching as open source had on software development?The suitability of a product for an openapproach is influenced by both the basic nature ofthe product and the motivation of the contributorson an individual and organizational level. The exis-tence of open products in turn influences commu-nities and markets.While communities aregroups of people infor-mally bound together byshared expertise and pas-sion for a joint enter-prise [4], participants inmarkets are motivatedby expected financialreturns. Existing prod-ucts and services incommunities and mar-kets are assumed to havea moderating influenceon the nature of theproduct (by providing apublicly available basis for further development), aswell as on the motivation of the contributors (byenhancing their visibility). The figure here illus-trates our framework, which also forms theroadmap for the subsequent analysis.

A Framework for supporting Graphical Interactive Assessment

Abstract: Online-Assessment is widely accepted both for self-assessment and also as the basis for examinations. However its potential has not been fully made use of in current systems. Good instruments for innovative assessment are e.g. modern graphics based questions. Unfortunately their production is still very time and cost intensive. The GIA project develops a framework, which provides a solution that enhances the process of “authoring, providing and evaluation” of graphics based questionnaires. The use of existing specifications will at the same time insure the interchangeability of the course material.

Anforderungen an mobile Geo-Datenbanken für Katastropheninformations- und -warnsysteme.

Abstract: Die jüngsten Hochwasserkatastrophen verdeutlichten, dass heutige Katastropheninformationsund -warnsysteme nur bedingt den Anforderungen an die Technik genügen und das Potential moderner mobiler Informationssysteme nicht voll ausgeschöpft wird. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht welche Anforderungen an mobile Katastropheninformationsund -warnsysteme insbesondere bezüglich mobiler Datenbanken zu stellen sind. Besondere Bedeutung kommt hierbei mobilen Geodatenbanken zu, da Umweltkatastrophen per se einen raumzeitlichen Bezug – wie eine sich verändernde Ausdehnung – aufweisen. So müssen Aktualisierungen auch des räumlichen Ausmaßes der Katastrophe vor Ort eingepflegt werden können und rasch allen Betroffenen zur Verfügung stehen. Es werden Szenarien mobiler Katastropheninformationsund –warnsysteme vorgestellt und die für Datenbanken daraus ableitbaren Anforderungen skizziert. 1. Mobile Katastropheninformationssysteme Die Ereignisse an der Elbe zeigen, dass im Katastrophenfall eine leistungsfähige, dezentrale Kommunikationsplattform zum Informationsaustausch zwischen Krisenstäben, Einsatzkräften, Behörden und Bevölkerung nötig ist. Hochwasservorhersagemodelle sind nutzlos, wenn ihre Prognosen die betroffene Bevölkerung nicht rechtzeitig erreichen oder nicht richtig verstanden werden. Zwar existieren bereits Vorhersagemodelle zur Hochwasserdynamik [MA02], doch ein Großteil dieser Informationen ist für die eigentliche Zielgruppe nicht zugänglich. Beispielsweise ist die Vorhersage des in 24 Stunden an einem amtlichen Pegel zu erwartenden Wasserstandes für den Normalbürger wertlos, wenn sie nicht mit einer räumlichen Information verbunden ist (z.B. einer Karte der zu erwartenden Überschwemmungen)[LE03]. Diese Überlegungen ergeben sich aus aktuellen Arbeiten an der Konzeption eines mobilen Katastropheninformationssystems. Bereits existierende Vorhersagemodelle sollen integriert und die errechneten Überschwemmungsflächenvorhersagen den betroffenen Bürgern, zuständigen Behörden und Krisenstäben vor Ort rasch zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Bisher werden im Katastrophenschutz allerdings v.a. Desktop-GIS (GIS = Geographisches Informationssystem, Software zur Aufnahme, Verwaltung, Analyse und Visualisierung raumbezogener (geographischer) Daten) eingesetzt [NO00]. GIS bieten ein großes Potential im weiteren Bereich Katastrophenvorhersage und -management, wie bei Erdbeben etc. [KI03], da sie Informationen über ihre räumliche Position als Schlüssel integrieren, verwalten und analysie-