Distribution system choice in a service industry: An analysis of international insurance firms operating in the United States

Service firms play an increasingly important role in the global economy. However, the internationalization strategies of such firms, and especially their distribution system choices, have been underexplored in the international management literature. One specific service industry that has internationalized rapidly in recent years is the insurance industry. This paper examines the determinants and performance implications of the choice by international insurance firms between two rival distribution systems: direct writing and independent sales agents. Drawing on the transaction cost theory-based literature on resource commitment, control, and risk, we develop hypotheses on the determinants of the choice between these two distribution systems and on the performance implications of this choice for insurance firms. Analyzing a sample of 168 distribution entries into the United States by insurance firms from six foreign countries over the 1992–2000 period, we find that cultural distance has a U-shaped effect on the probability of direct writing, and that an insurer's intangible assets have a positive effect on this probability. We also find that the direct writing system performs better in terms of profitability, but that the independent agency system performs better in terms of market share growth.     

On-Line Scheduling of Two-Machine Open Shops Where Jobs Arrive Over Time

We investigate the problem of on-line scheduling two-machine open shops with the objective of minimizing the makespan.Jobs arrive independently over time, and the existence of a job is not known until its arrival. In the clairvoyant on-line model, the processing requirement of every job becomes fully known at the arrival of the job, while inthe non-clairvoyant on-line model, this processing requirement is notknown until the job is processed and completed.In both models, scheduling of a job is irrevocable.We study the two-machine open shop problem for both models in the preemptive and in the non-preemptive version. For each of the four variants, we provide an algorithm that is best possible with respect to the worst-case performance. In the clairvoyant on-line model, the best worst-case performance ratios are 5/4 (preemptive) and 3/2 (non-preemptive), and in the non-clairvoyant on-line model, they are 3/2 (preemptive and non-preemptive).     

Physical Distance Between Romantic Partners as a Marker for Attachment in Couples: A Proof of Concept Study

Proximity seeking is at the core of attachment theory. Previously proximity has been studied almost exclusively in psychological terms. In clinical practice, however, couple therapists may interpret physical distance between romantic partners as a marker for the quality of the attachment bond. Unfortunately, this concept of physical distance between partners as an expression of attachment has never been tested. This study examines whether physical distance between romantic partners is associated with attachment. In 53 students and 43 clinical couples physical distance was repeatedly measured from video using novel software with excellent reliability. Attachment was measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire. It was found that male attachment anxiety about rejection repeatedly showed statistically significant associations with physical interpersonal distance in student and clinical couples. We conclude that attachment may manifest itself not only in terms of psychological intimacy but also in terms of physical distance. Clinical utility and research implications are discussed.     

Volunteering and Wellbeing Among Ageing Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - Previous scholarship has shown evidence of a positive relationship between volunteering and improved measures of mental...     

Actor and Partner Effects of Attachment on Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Satisfaction Across the Genders: An APIM Approach

Previous studies found gender differences in relationship satisfaction and sexuality. We tested gender differences in associations between attachment, a lasting relationship determinant, and two outcomes, relationship and sexual satisfaction. This study improves on earlier research by examining these associations in one Actor‐Partner‐Interdependence‐Model, making direct statistical testing between outcomes possible. Furthermore, a community and a distressed sample (N = 113 heterosexual couples each) were included to attempt replication across samples and to examine clinical implications. In both genders, actor attachment avoidance negatively affected relationship satisfaction and (with one exception) sexual satisfaction. Also in both genders, partner attachment avoidance negatively affected sexual satisfaction. However, whereas partner attachment avoidance influenced female relationship satisfaction, it did not affect male relationship satisfaction. The findings replicated across samples. Clinical implications are discussed.     

Lessons from the flipside: How do acquirers learn from divestitures to complete acquisitions?

We examine whether experience from prior divestitures is associated with higher completion likelihood in subsequent acquisitions. We argue that through divestitures, firms could extract meaningful knowledge that is helpful for completing their acquisitions, such as a general understanding of acquisition deal-making stages, and the stories and aims of the target in an M&A transaction. In addition, viewing divestitures as the flipside of acquisitions, we conjecture that the selling firm can observe how the divested component of their business is acquired, and vicariously learn from these observations. We also investigate the relative importance of learning from divestiture vis-à-vis acquisition experience in determining acquisition deal completion. Finally, we contend that the effect of learning from divestitures on acquisition deal completion depends on acquisition experience and deal value. We find evidence supporting our conjectures in a sample of 2164 M&A transactions from the worldwide computer and printing industries between 1991 and 2010.     

When the Border Is “Everywhere”: State‐level Variation in Migration Control and Changing Settlement Patterns of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States

Governments increasingly exclude unauthorized migrants from labor markets and public provisions and apprehend those who have settled in the territory. In the U.S., recent increases in interior control coincided with a reduction in (the growth of) the estimated unauthorized population. This study describes the mechanisms through which interior control may impact migration patterns and analyzes whether interior control has been responsible for the changing settlement patterns. We find that when the effects of labor markets and internal dynamics of migration processes are controlled, policy has a (moderate) negative effect on estimated levels of unauthorized residence, both in individual states and the U.S. as a whole.     

On the Differential Attachments of Migrants from Central and Eastern Europe: A Typology of Labour Migration

In this article we develop an empirically grounded typology of labour migration patterns among migrants from Central and Eastern Europe, based on two dimensions: attachment to the destination country and attachment to the country of origin. We conducted a survey (N=654) among labour migrants in the Netherlands from Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. We found four migration patterns in our data: (i) circular migrants (mostly seasonal workers) with weak attachments to the country of destination, (ii) bi-nationals with strong attachments to both the home country and that of destination, (iii) footloose migrants with weak attachments to both the home and the destination country, and (iv) settlers with weak attachments to the home country. Our findings demonstrate the relevance to the debate on transnationalism and integration of distinguishing different migration patterns. Successful integration in Dutch society can go hand-in-hand with ‘strong’ as well as with ‘weak’ forms of transnationalism. The bi-national pattern shows a tendency to strong transnationalism, while the settlement pattern demonstrates less transnational involvement with the country of origin.     

Works Councils and Organizational Performance

Most studies on the effects of works councils simply analyze whether their mere presence contributes to firm performance. This study seeks to offer a contribution to the literature by adding, to date, largely unexplored potential contingencies: the attitudes of Dutch top managers and works councils as to the functioning of the latter, in bad vis-à-vis good times. The overall conclusion from our probit analyses is that the way in which management and works councils interact, and hence the way in which codetermination is implemented, makes all the difference to the firm’s economic position. Our most compelling finding relates to the role of management: a positive attitude of managers toward the works council is positively associated with organizational performance, both in the private and the public sector. In the private sector, this result is even reinforced in times of reorganization.