Research on the improvement of technical efficiency of China's property insurance industry: a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguang Li ◽  
Yaokuang Li ◽  
Dan Long
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Operating Efficiency ◽  
Scale Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Property Insurance

PurposeFrom the perspective of cause and effect, the operational processes of property insurance companies can be considered as historical events. The purpose of this study is to measure the operating efficiency of China's property insurance industry, explore the determinants that affect technical efficiency and outline the path to achieving high-quality development.Design/methodology/approachWe chose 44 Chinese property insurance companies as research objects. The data were obtained from the Chinese Insurance Yearbook and China Statistical Yearbook 2015–2017. First, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method was used to calculate the technical efficiency of property insurance companies. Then, Tobit regression and quantile regression were adopted to explore the influencing factors of technical efficiency. Finally, the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method was employed to summarize the path to improving the operating efficiency of property insurance companies.FindingsThe empirical results in the first stage suggested that the operation efficiency of China's property insurance industry was technically inefficient, and the scale efficiency was relatively better than the pure technical efficiency. In the second stage, we observed that the drivers for firm size, reinsurance rate, claim ratio and equity restriction were important determinants of an insurance firm's efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsWe also put forward four applicable, targeted and proven ways to improve the technical efficiency of property insurance companies. These configurations are verified by cases of existing property insurance companies, which can provide practical references for the insurance industry.Originality/valueOur research enriches the insurance literature and efficiency methods, particularly regarding the specific paths of improving the technical efficiency. The relationship between elements and results is analyzed from a systematic perspective, and the research results are not only more consistent with what logic might imply but also more instructive for the improvement of reality.

Configuration analysis of influencing factors of operating efficiency based on fsQCA: evidence from China’s property insurance industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguang Li ◽  
Yaokuang Li ◽  
Wei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Operating Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leverage Ratio ◽  
Property Insurance ◽  
High Loss ◽  
Core Conditions

Purpose Based on the perspective of complexity theory, the operation process of property insurance companies can be regarded as a complex dynamic nonlinear chaotic system. This paper aims to measure the operating efficiency of 29 Chinese domestic property and casualty (P&C) companies and 18 foreign-invested P&C companies from 2011 to 2017 and outline the path to achieving high-quality development. Design/methodology/approach The data were obtained from the Chinese Insurance Yearbook and China Statistical Yearbook 2012–2018. The data envelopment analysis method was used to calculate the technical efficiency of property insurance companies and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis is used for configuration analysis of determinants affecting technical efficiency. Findings This paper founds the average technical efficiency of Chinese domestic P&C insurance companies was 0.914 and that of foreign-invested P&C insurance companies was 0.895. The average total factor productivity of Chinese domestic P&C insurance companies was 1.058 and that of foreign-invested P&C insurance companies was 1.051. There were three modes to improve the company’s technical efficiency, with high loss ratio and low reinsurance ratio, poor employee education and higher leverage ratio and high leverage ratio and low reinsurance ratio as the core conditions. Originality/value This study puts forward four applicable, targeted and proven ways to improve the technical efficiency of China’s P&C insurance industry. These configurations were verified by the cases of existing property insurance companies, which can provide practical references for the insurance industry.

scholarly journals Effective contracting for high operational performance in projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kapsali ◽  
Jens K. Roehrich ◽  
Pervaiz Akhtar
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contractual Incompleteness ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine combinations of contract clauses in order to ascertain which combinations correlate to high operational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach Two hypotheses were formulated from contracting theory and tested on data collected from 45 projects. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis was used and validated with multiple regression and simulation. Findings The hypotheses were tested to determine whether combinations of classical, relational, and/or associational contract clauses correlate to high OP. The results show that whereas high OP correlates to combinations of relational and associational contract clauses, classical and relational clauses should not be combined. Research limitations/implications Directions are proposed to guide future research in order to produce a more nuanced testing of contractual complementarity. Practical implications The managerial implications of the findings include a more thorough understanding of the use of contract clauses and of which clauses managers should combine to achieve high OP. Originality/value This study contributes to the theory of contractual incompleteness and complementarity, specifically in the context of project contracting. The analysis produced two theoretical implications: first, that better performing contracts are created when combining relational and associational contract clauses; and second, that in projects, relational and classical contract clauses are not complementary with regards to realizing high OP.

scholarly journals E-waste-word of mouth (EW-WOM) generation: a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Rezaei ◽  
Ree Chan Ho
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electrical Devices ◽  
Market Maven ◽  
Asymmetrical Relationships

PurposeThis study aims to examine the asymmetrical relationships among information-sharing desire, moral attitudes, lack of concern, relative advantage, market maven tendency and complexity as the antecedents of E-waste-word of mouth (EW-WOM) generation.Design/methodology/approachTo obtain a holistic view and the interrelationships between conditions, the configural analysis was conducted to assess the asymmetrical relationships using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA). In addition, construct validity, reliability and symmetrical relationships between antecedent conditions (i.e. exogenous constructs) and outcome conditions (i.e. endogenous constructs) are examined using variance-based structural equation modeling (VB-SEM) technique.FindingsResults imply that market maven tendency accounts for 86.8% of the sum of the memberships in EW-WOM generation. In total, 11 configurations show sufficiency in constructing EW-WOM generation. The configuration of relativeadvanta*moralattitudes*marketmaventend shows the highest consistency value (0.939684) in producing EW-WOM generation (outcome condition). The ∼relativeadvanta *moralattitudes*complexity*∼lackfconcern with raw coverage of 0.626757 and consistency value of 0.864088 show the most sufficient configuration path in producing the outcome.Originality/valueProduct review and recommendation are easily shared in various communication formats and consumers are prone to disseminate information and their experiences with other market segments. However, the role and phenomena of such viral communication in preventing environmental issues caused by electronic and electrical devices (i.e. E-waste) are not well understood. This study is among a few attempts at understanding consumer's decision-making process to engage in E-waste activities such as the reduction of garbage, recycling, compositing and the reuse of electronic or electrical devices.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-11-2019-0343

A fuzzy set analysis of the determinants of intention to adapt and pro-environmental behaviour

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara El-Deeb ◽  
Maria Correia ◽  
Christian Richter
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Theory Of Planned Behaviour ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Planned Behaviour ◽  
Environmental Behaviour ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate what drives people to show a willingness to mitigate the effects of climate change. To accomplish this goal, this research uses the theory of planned behaviour to examine whether attitude towards climate change, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control are potential determinants of a pro-environmental intention and thus a pro-environmental behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThis explanatory paper applies a Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to identify the key drivers of pro-environmental intention and behaviour. A non-probability convenience sample of 481 Egyptian respondents was collected.FindingsThis study finds that awareness combined with a willingness to pay to mitigate climate change are key drivers of pro-environmental intention. Moreover, personal responsibility and confidence in the ability to mitigate climate change also trigger climate-friendly intentions. Finally, it is found that societal engagement and willingness to take action increase the propensity to exhibit pro-environmental behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of our analysis cannot be generalized to the Egyptian population as a whole as our sample only comprises a sample of Egyptian students.Originality/valueThis paper is novel as it is the first that applies Qualitative Comparative Analysis to the Theory of Planned Behaviour. By doing so, the paper sheds light on the understanding of key cognitive, social-psychological and behavioural factors which lead to environmental actions. Hence, it provides policy-makers with a framework to support a more sustainable society.

Holistic configural models for sustainable entrepreneurs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun-Huang Huarng ◽  
Tiffany Hui-Kuang Yu
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Personal Traits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Opportunity ◽  
Start Ups

PurposeThis research explores causal combinations (personal traits, external factors and self-fulfillment) that could provide holistic views leading to sustainable start-ups via data collected from Taiwanese entrepreneurs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ five-point Likert scale measurements in the questionnaires and fuzzy-set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) for the investigation.FindingsThe study finds four types of sustainable entrepreneurs. Conservative resilient entrepreneurs have an absence of both openness and neuroticism. Conservative achieving entrepreneurs have an absence of openness and the presence of conscientiousness. Conservative-hired entrepreneurs have an absence of both openness and unemployment. Lastly, conservative opportunistic entrepreneurs exhibit an absence of openness and the presence of business opportunity.Originality/valueThe results add to the authors’ knowledge and understanding of the entrepreneurship literature and also offer implications for people who are interested in entrepreneurship as well as to policymakers wanting to promote new start-ups.

Environmental proactivity and firm performance: a fuzzy-set analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 648-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaja Primc ◽  
Tomaž Čater
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Performing ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore causal complexity in the relationship between environmental proactivity and firm performance. Using data collected from 27 Australian firms and controlling for the organizational life cycle, type of industry and external contingencies, the study empirically examines environmental proactivity in high-performing firms from polluting industries. Design/methodology/approach – The data were analyzed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Findings – In general, the results of the analysis imply that environmental proactivity is not always associated with high firm performance, and that environmental proactivity is not as important as the other causal conditions for high-performing firms in highly polluting industries. Research limitations/implications – The study addresses the relationship between environmental and firm performance more holistically by including a number of the firm’s external and internal factors identified as important in past research. Second, it offers a new perspective on the relationship with its systematic comparative analysis of complex cases. Next, it identifies different combinations of conditions (paths) leading to a high firm performance and, finally, the core complementary model allows an exploration of which factors are essential and which are less important or even irrelevant to high-performing firms. Practical implications – Based on the findings, firms from highly polluting industries can determine in which circumstances, if any, the adoption of environmental proactivity will result in a positive firm performance. Originality/value – The study is valuable because it contains a rich set of measures of the firm’s external and internal environment, thus allowing a more holistic examination of the relationship between environmental proactivity and firm performance.

Configurations of factors affecting triage decision-making

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 2148-2171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Ponsiglione ◽  
Adelaide Ippolito ◽  
Simonetta Primario ◽  
Giuseppe Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Triage Decision ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the configuration of factors affecting the accuracy of triage decision-making. The contribution of the work is twofold: first, it develops a protocol for applying a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) in the context of triage decision-making, and second, it studies, through two pilot cases, the interplay between individual and organizational factors in determining the emergence of errors in different decisional situations. Design/methodology/approach The methodology adopted in this paper is the qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The fuzzy-set variant of QCA (fsQCA) is implemented. The data set has been collected during field research carried out in the Emergency Departments (EDs) of two Italian public hospitals. Findings The results of this study show that the interplay between individual and contextual/organizational factors determines the emergence of errors in triage assessment. Furthermore, there are some regularities in the patterns discovered in each of the investigated organizational contexts. These findings suggest that we should avoid isolating individual factors from the context in which nurses make their decisions. Originality/value Previous research on triage has mainly explored the impact of homogeneous groups of factors on the accuracy of the triage process, without considering the complexity of the phenomenon under investigation. This study outlines the need to consider the not-linear relationships among different factors in the study of triage’s decision-making. The definition and implementation of a protocol to apply fsQCA to the triage process in EDs further contributes to the originality of the research.

Three paths to e-service availability: a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis among the EU member states

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Marienfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Service Availability ◽  
State Structure ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Government Capacity ◽  
Managerial Innovation

PurposeThis study aims to explore under which institutional and organizational conditions the national e-government reform efforts of EU member states lead to very high availability of e-services.Design/methodology/approachFollowing e-government literature of information systems and public administration research, this study applies an analytical framework encompassing characteristics of the national politico-administrative system (state structure, government capacity, managerial innovation orientation and civil service system) to understand why a common policy framework does not lead to convergence but great variety in the degree of e-service availability. A comparative case study approach using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is applied to systematically compare e-service availability in the former 28 EU member states.FindingsThree configurations of sufficient conditions are identified: government capacity in conjunction with either bureaucratic human resource practices, centralized state structure or managerial innovation orientation. Three country clusters are derived: effective bureaucrats, effective centralists and effective managers.Originality/valueThe results demonstrate the importance of administrative effectiveness for the digital transformation. Rather than mimicking best practices, countries are advised to learn from better performing countries that are most similar in terms of institutional and organizational characteristics of the politico-administrative system.

Can configurations of motivation and extraversion attenuate job demands-job burnout bond?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadegh Farivar ◽  
Osveh Esmaeelinezhad
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Recent research highlights the necessity to critically examine the factors that can reduce the relationship between job stressors, such as job demand and burnout, to create healthier workplaces. This study aims to explore how five types of motivations (extrinsic motivation-social, extrinsic motivation- material, introjected, identified and intrinsic motivation), in combination with extraversion trait influence the impact of job demands on job burnout. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a set-theoretic approach named fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyze the data collected from 84 employees working in an research and development department of a public organization. Findings Findings revealed two distinct configurations. First, the absence of intrinsic and identified motivations lead to job burnout if extraverted participants suffer from high job demands. Second, non-extraverted participants reported high job burnout in the presence of high job demands, although all five types of motivations drove them. Practical implications This study suggests managers need to consider personalized preventive actions, depending on the level of extraversion trait when they try to motivate their employees who are dealing with high levels of job demands. Originality/value The emerging trend in social science suggests adopting linearity assumptions to study social phenomena is inconsistent with the reality of human behavior. Thus, this study used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to examine the complex interplay among all five types of motivations, extraversion trait, job demands, which contribute to burnout.

Success factors in managing the sponsor–sponsee relationship—a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis for state-owned enterprises in Germany

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-596
Author(s):  
Bjoern Ivens ◽  
Florian Riedmueller ◽  
Peter van Dyck
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Top Management Support ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Novel Method

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide meaningful information about sponsorship management in state-owned enterprises.Design/methodology/approachQualitative and quantitative data from Germany are analyzed in a case study approach using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (Fs/QCA)—an analytic method relevant for describing configurational patterns of causal factors.FindingsThe case study of sponsorships from state-owned enterprises in Germany reveals four alternative configurations of top-management support, sponsee prominence, standardized processes, and sponsorship leverage explaining sponsor satisfaction.Originality/valueThe paper combines two underrepresented but important aspects of sponsorship research, i.e. sponsorship management in state-owned enterprises, in an empirical study. Further, present study adds to sponsorship literature by pointing to fuzzy-set Fs/QCA as a relatively novel method that can capture the phenomenon of complex causality.

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