Father's Migration and Leaving the Parental Home in Rural Mozambique

Migration is an increasingly common global phenomenon and has important implications for the well‐being of family members left behind. Although extensive research has examined the impact of parental labor migration on school‐age children, less is known about its effect on adolescents. In this study, the authors used longitudinal survey data collected in rural Mozambique (N = 515) to assess the association between father's migration and adolescent children's leaving the parental home, an important component of the transition to adulthood. The results showed that father's migration delays home‐leaving for adolescent girls and that these effects are not mediated by school enrollment. The results for boys were inconclusive. The authors also found that remittances and longer durations of paternal migration were negatively associated with the transition out of the home. On the basis of the findings, they argue that father's migration delays girls' marriage.     

A Description of Attachment in Adoptive Parents and Adoptees in Romania During Early Adolescence

This study is an assessment of different components of attachment for a sample of Romanian adoptees and their parents, both who participated in the project (n = 63). Results suggest that various aspects of the parent–child relationship in early adolescence is quite positive from both the adoptee and adoptive parent perspective. However, almost half (46 %) of the adoptees were assessed as having insecure attachment. There are differences between all components of parental attachment and adoptee attachment security. Also, insecure attachment is more likely to occur with less optimal parenting style. Implications for social work practice and research are discussed.     

The Social Structuring of Mental Health over the Adult Life Course: Advancing Theory in the Sociology of Aging

The sociology of aging draws on a broad array of theoretical perspectives from several disciplines, but rarely has it developed its own. We build on past work to advance and empirically test a model of mental health framed in terms of structural theorizing and situated within the life course perspective. Whereas most prior research has been based on cross-sectional data, we utilize four waves of data from a nationally representative sample of American adults (Americans' Changing Lives Study) collected prospectively over a 15-year period and find that education, employment and marital status, as well as their consequences for income and health, effectively explain the increase in depressive symptoms after age 65. We also found significant cohort differences in age trajectories of mental health that were partly explained by historical increases in education. We demonstrate that a purely structural theory can take us far in explaining later life mental health.     

The benefits of a cross-docking delivery strategy: a supply chain collaboration approach

In this study, two models are developed to co-ordinate both production and distribution in order to reduce the relevant costs in a supply chain. According to the functions of the distribution centre, there is a distinction between an inventory co-ordination point and an inventory storage point. The former is a cross-docking strategy, and the latter is a traditional warehousing strategy. The manufacturer has distinct production processes when co-operating with the distribution centre. Case study analysis is used to illustrate the models developed, in which the following conclusions can be obtained: the cross-docking distribution strategy will result in tremendous savings in the total system cost for the supply chain. This study makes two important contributions to the production, and logistics literature. First, the range of applications was extended by studying a new combinatorial problem that incorporates cross-docking in a supply chain environment. Second, computational performance with cross docking was evaluated. The benefit delivery policy for a distribution centre was found by means of integrating manufacturer production planning and a distribution centre delivery policy.     

Strategic alliances in fast-moving markets

The pace of technological change and market shifts is forcing organizations to reconsider their strategies for creating sustainable competitive advantage. Strategic alliances focused on destabilizing market values are currently the most effective source of sustainable competitive advantage. The purpose of this article is to explain how successful strategic alliances can be arranged in fast-moving markets.