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In the evolving landscape of retail, brands increasingly pursue direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies to gain greater control over customer relationships and data. According to Michiel Van Crombrugge, Associate Professor at Erasmus School of Economics, this shift, however, can strain relationships with traditional retail partners.

A comprehensive new study by econometrician Philip Hans Franses of Erasmus School of Economics, analysing the relationship between Chinese loans and economic growth across 49 African countries, reveals a striking conclusion: in general, Chinese loans do not associate with significant positive economic development on the continent.

A new study by Assistant Professors Clément S. Bellet of Erasmus School of Economics and Eve Colson-Sihra of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem uncovers how economic inequality significantly alters the spending priorities of poor households, often at the cost of their basic nutritional needs. The research, published in the Journal of the European Economic Association, provides compelling evidence that inequality influences consumption habits among the poor, shifting their spending toward luxury goods and away from necessities such as staple foods.

The new year is the perfect time to set goals, not only on a personal level but also in the workplace. Research shows that this works: employees at small cassava processing companies in Ghana increased their production by 16% by setting daily goals, even without financial incentives. Economists from Tilburg University demonstrate that goal setting is a cost-effective practice benefiting both workers and employers in small businesses.

Is it unfair to pay extra for healthcare when you're ill? The topic of out-of-pocket healthcare costs is hotly debated in Dutch politics. Health economist Martin Salm, who will deliver his inaugural lecture on November 1, dives deep into this issue. In the Netherlands, much debate surrounds the mandatory deductible in health insurance.

In some municipalities in the Netherlands, residents must explicitly indicate that they want to receive advertising mail by placing a 'yes' sticker on their mailbox. Without this sticker, the delivery person is not allowed to deliver any advertising materials. New research from Tilburg University shows that while the number of leaflets has decreased by half as a result, it has not significantly influenced how people shop.

In recent decades, American suburbs have witnessed a dramatic transformation in house sizes. Back in 1980, only a small fraction of suburban homes were larger than 900 square meters. By 2010, that number had tripled, as sprawling 'McMansions' became a common sight. Bigger homes often mean greater satisfaction, right? Surprisingly, that's not the whole story.

On 18 September it's International Equal Pay Day-a day to reflect on the global fight for equal pay between men and women. At UvA Economics and Business, this topic is examined from a variety of angles. From fatherhood bonuses and diversity issues in tech startups to the impact of contraception on women's careers-these studies shed light on the hidden dynamics behind the gender gap.

Online marketplaces like Etsy and UpWork are turning millions of individuals into business owners overnight. So, what should sellers say about themselves and their products to turn their online shop into a success? Tilburg researchers Anna Paley and Robert Smith discovered that one of the best things sellers can mention is that they enjoy their work.

A group of scientists has developed a model that explains how schedule-based systems, such as supply chains and railways, can be prone to spontaneous explosions of large-scale delays. The researchers recommend system operators to prioritize resilience, alongside efficiency, for better long-term outcomes.

Marketing researcher Rik Pieters has developed, together with colleagues from other universities, a new, indirect questioning technique to improve the chance that people answer truthfully. The technique can be used, for instance, in conducting surveys or in making policies. Chances are that people tend to give socially desirable answers to direct survey questions on sensitive subjects, like watching porn, smoking during pregnancy, theft in the supermarket or illegal acquisition of prescription drugs.

The deductible and patient costs are important topics in the political debate in the Netherlands. According to health economics professor Martin Salm, a viable alternative could be the no-claim scheme, which was previously abolished in the Netherlands. He researched how no-claim refunds influence claiming behavior at a large German health insurer.

January, bonus time! Many companies pay out bonuses at the end of January. Economist David Schindler investigated whether bonuses work in modern work environments, where teams have to solve complex problems together. Main conclusion: bonuses are very effective and improve performance in this setting by facilitating the emergence of leadership.

How many subscriptions do you have? A large study by Anna Paley and Niels van de Ven from Tilburg University shows that you probably have more than you realize, and that you're spending a lot more money on subscription services than you think. The researchers found a new way of nudging people towards better insight into their finances, which proves to be highly effective in helping the oversubscribed cut down on their monthly subscription charges.

Projects that reduce deforestation often sell carbon credits, for example to consumers buying flight tickets. However, over 90 percent of these credits do not actually offset carbon emissions. That is the conclusion of environmental scientist Thales A.P. West, who is the main author of a paper that was published in Science.

The climate promises of oil and gas companies are an 'empty box'. That is according to research conducted by scientist Mathieu Blondeel (Institute for Environmental Issues, VU Amsterdam) together with Gregory Trencher (Kyoto University, Japan) and Jusen Asuka (Tohoku University, Japan) on the fossil industry's climate strategy.

This blog shows insights into an investigation of the impact of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) on market efficiency. The researchers conducted a lab experiment to examine the degree of investors' disagreement toward a security's return, given ESG information, compared with non-ESG information.

Here's something else chess players need to keep in check: air pollution. That's the bottom line of a newly published study, showing that chess players perform objectively worse and make more suboptimal moves, as measured by a computerized analysis of their games, when there is more fine particulate matter in the air.

SBE-onderzoekers Anouk Festjens (MSCM) en Nico Pestel (ROA) hebben een NWO-subsidie gekregen voor hun onderzoeksprojecten in het domein Sociale en Geesteswetenschappen (SSH).

Sorry! De informatie die je zoekt, is enkel beschikbaar in het Engels. You are not logged in yet to My study choice Portal. Login or create an account to save your programmes. A recent study by the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at VU Amsterdam shows that changing letterbox stickers from a system based on refusal (NO) to a system based on permission (YES) results in a 5-10% reduction in paper waste in the Dutch capital.