Logistics has been an important part of every economy and every business entity. The worldwide trend in globalization has led to many companies outsourcing their logistics function to Third-Party Logistics (3PL) companies, so as to focus on their core competencies. This paper attempts to broadly identify and categorize the challenges faced by 3PL companies and discover potential gaps for future research. Some of the challenges will be related with the experience and information collected from interviews with two 3PL companies. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Since the business environment of today is characterized to be dynamic and service-driven, corporations are looking for solutions how to cut costs and still keep their competitive advantage in the market, and also how to decrease lead-time and flexibility. In this environment are 3PL-providers operating with an incentive to always please the customer. This study will investigate a 3PL-provider´s information sharing with its customer and how value can be extracted from this type of sharing. The purpose of this thesis is to understand and investigate the value of information sharing between the 3PL-provider and its customer. Two research questions have been dictated; R1: How do the respondents at the 3PL-provider perceive the relationship with their customer? R2: How are information requirements met? For the frame of reference have theories in the area of third-party logistics, information, relation, and value been studied. The carrying out of the study has been performed with a bounded ethnography approach since this study has essences from both the scientific and ethnographic approaches. The research reasoning is mainly inductive but with deductive elements. The research strategy is of qualitative character, where the data collection has been carried out through interviews/discussions within multiple case studies. There were several interviews launched within the target 3PL-relationships. The analysis of the empirical findings has been done through the existing theories in the frame of reference. The investigation showed that improvements of the information requirements and utilization of the communication methods improves the quality of the information sharing, and the conclusion drawn is that the information requirements and communication methods are big contributors for the information sharing as a whole. Since the information sharing is considered a big contributor to the customer value one can use the customer value as reference for how to value the information sharing. A main conclusion is therefore that the value of information sharing is dependent on its contribution for the customer value.

<p>This study examines whether taxpayers intentionally avoid IRS third-party reports. In 2017 an IRS amendment created an exogenous shock that impacted how third parties report gambling winnings to the IRS. In thoroughbred racing, this shock had a substantial impact on certain types of wagers. This paper considers how gamblers reallocated their money following the shock. Using a difference-in-differences research design that compares U.S. tracks to Canadian tracks, I find that gamblers increased their investment in wager types that had become less likely to trigger third-party reports by 27 percent. In the U.S., over $400 billion in tax revenue goes uncollected annually, largely due to unreported income. Third-party IRS reporting is considered the most effective way to reduce underreporting, but there is limited understanding of how taxpayers interact with third-party reporting rules. This paper provides evidence on this interaction, showing that taxpayers purposefully avoid third-party reports to facilitate tax evasion.</p>

A recent trend in the study of forgiveness is to look at forgiveness outside of traditional victim-perpetrator dyads. One way of going beyond these dyads is to look at third-party forgiveness. A recent advance in the study of relationship valence is to look at the amount of positivity and negativity in a relationship as on independent scales rather than on two ends of the same spectrum. This allows for categorization of relationships that are high in both positivity and negativity—ambivalent relationships. This study attempts to combine these two recent advances. I hypothesized that participants would have more difficulty forgiving offenders with whom they had ambivalent relationships, that participants would be more forgiving when they were personally offended compared to when they were a third-party to an offense committed against a friend, and that participants would be more forgiving of a perpetrator when an offense was committed against an ambivalent relation than when the same offense was committed against a positive relation. Strong support was obtained for the first hypothesis, but little support for the second and third hypotheses. The implications of these results are discussed and possible directions for future research are recommended.

Previous researchers have established that social networks can influence an individual’s romantic relationship. Two studies examined whether one third party’s opinion was more influential than another when multiple parties’ opinions conflict or concur. The first study was a 2 (Parent Opinion: approval, disapproval) x 2 (Friend Opinion: approval, disapproval) between-subjects factorial design experimental survey which examined how third party opinions influenced an individual’s current romantic relationship state. Analyses revealed that both friend and parent opinion had significant effects on an individual’s romantic relationship. The second study incorporated a virtual dating game in which participants received feedback about one of their interaction partners. The study employed a 2 (Parent Opinion: good match, bad match) x 2 (Friend Opinion: good match, bad match) x 2 (Interaction Partner: Target, Control – within-subjects) mixed factorial design. Friend opinion emerged as playing an important role in individuals’ perceptions and choices of a potential romantic partner.

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Given the rapidly changing nature of third party reproduction, there is an increasing need for pastoral guidance about the use of these technologies and the relationships that develop from them. This dissertation explores theological bases upon which Episcopalians can ground their practice of third party reproduction, with implications for the wider Church. Beginning with a study of Episcopal clergy and their present practices, this dissertation engages Episcopal, womanist, and feminist theological resources to forge a practical theological response. It highlights layered practices, including the development of relationships between third parties and intended parents, the abuse of third parties, and disclosure to children that call for theological reinterpretations of family, the ministerial vision of Jesus, and the doctrine of God. The thesis of this dissertation is that third party procedures offer an opportunity for Christians to enrich their relationships with one another and with God in unique and--literally--life-giving ways. The argument unfolds with qualitative research findings from Episcopal clergy interviews and it documents how the writings of F.D. Maurice and David H. Smith provide additional context for an Episcopal practical theology. It then turns to the work of Delores Williams for the purpose of arguing that, while contemporary third party reproduction potentially casts third parties as scapegoats, it does not necessarily do so. In response, it develops a six-fold application of William's ministerial vision to prevent abuse. This model in turn provides resources for Episcopal clergy to use in pastoral conversations. The next chapter discusses Sallie McFague's metaphorical theology to argue that American culture upholds the biological family as a model much as Christians have upheld patriarchal language as a model. It advocates for new language to express the God-human relationship that might in turn support the construction of broader metaphors for family relationships. Finally, this dissertation incorporates these findings into practical theological themes and questions that Episcopal priests can utilize in their work. It advocates for applying discernment when navigating loyalty claims, for thinking about reproduction as a calling, for broader constructions of family, for building awareness of how autonomy can facilitate idolatry, for encouraging disclosure and healthy boundaries, and for composing liturgies for those participating in third party procedures.

Due to the profound impact that aphasia has on both the person with aphasia and their close family members, aphasia is a family problem. Aphasia is a communication disorder, most commonly caused by stroke. It is associated with impairments in spoken language, understanding, reading, and writing that impact upon daily activities, participation in society, and the quality of life of those with the condition and their family members. However, family-centred rehabilitation programs, policy, and funding are not well established. In the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the World Health Organization introduced the term “third-party disability” and identified the need for further investigation into family members’ functioning and disability in relation to a significant other’s health condition. In this thesis, the term “third-party functioning” is used to describe positive and/or neutral changes to a family member’s functioning as a consequence of a significant other’s health condition; “third-party disability” describes negative changes. The overall aims of this thesis are to: i) describe third-party functioning and disability in family members of people with aphasia post-stroke, and ii) develop the Significant other Scale for family members of people with Aphasia (SOS-Aphasia), a scale for measuring third-party functioning and third-party disability in this population. Two systematic reviews were conducted to provide a summary of the current literature related to family members’ third-party functioning and third-party disability secondary to aphasia. Positive/neutral and negative findings were extracted from included articles, then synthesized and mapped to the ICF. These reviews showed that family members experienced third-party functioning and third-party disability secondary to aphasia in the Body Functions and Activities and Participation components of the ICF, in addition to the development and exacerbation of health conditions. The results laid the groundwork for the qualitative-quantitative sequential mixed methods study that followed. In the first phase of the study, qualitative methods were used to explore the positive and negative effects of aphasia on family members, thus expanding and confirming our existing understanding of third-party functioning and third-party vii  disability. Twenty family members participated in individual in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were analysed using qualitative content analysis with research codes subsequently mapped to the ICF. The results revealed five categories of positive/neutral aphasia-related changes, including: (1) emotions (e.g., focusing on the positive); (2) communication (e.g., talking to the person with aphasia more); (3) relationships (e.g., making new friends); (4) recreational activities and social life (e.g., taking up new hobbies); and (5) paid/volunteer work or education (e.g., volunteering to help people with aphasia). In addition, seven categories that described the negative effects of aphasia on family members were revealed: (1) physical, mental, and emotional health (e.g., tired); (2) communication (e.g., difficulty communicating with the person with aphasia); (3) relationships (e.g., lack of physical intimacy between spouses); (4) recreational activities and social life (e.g., restricted social activities); (5) paid/volunteer work or education (e.g., took extended time off work); (6) domestic and caregiving responsibilities (e.g., transporting the person with aphasia places); and (7) finances (e.g., loss of person with aphasia’s income). Research codes were mapped to two domains within the Body Functions component (i.e., Mental functions and Functions of the digestive, metabolic and endocrine systems) and eight domains within Activities and Participation components of the ICF (i.e., Learning and applying knowledge, General tasks and demands, Communication, Self-care, Domestic life, Interpersonal interactions and relationships, Major life areas, and Community, social and civic life). Health conditions (e.g., depression and anxiety) associated with the aphasia of a significant other were also identified in family members. Mapping of the qualitative research codes to the ICF demonstrated how the ICF framework could be applied to family members. The second phase of the study involved the development and validation of the SOS-Aphasia. The SOS-Aphasia items were derived from the constructs of third- party functioning and third-party disability identified in the qualitative study and the response scale format was based on the ICF. Following the development of the SOS- Aphasia, 104 family members completed the original 34-item version. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis were used to examine the underlying structure and internal construct validity of the SOS-Aphasia. Test-retest reliability and feasibility were also investigated. Based on the analysis, five SOS-Aphasia subscales were identified and viii 10 items marked for deletion. The revised 24-item SOS-Aphasia demonstrated preliminary evidence of good psychometric properties. In summary, this series of studies demonstrates that family members experience third-party functioning and third-party disability, as well as changes to their health, secondary to a significant other’s aphasia. In addition, the SOS-Aphasia shows validity and reliability in measuring third-party functioning and third-party disability. Together, these findings provide the motivation for the inclusion of family members of people with aphasia in a family-centred care model with implications for research, practice, and policy.

Context: The explosive growth of renowned software ecosystems such as the cloud-based accounting platform Xero, and the communication hub Slack has largely occurred because of an app marketplace they have built. To a large extent, in-app marketplaces are becoming mandatory for SaaS companies. Looking at the 15 largest SaaS companies, all of them have an app marketplace with a median number of 347 applications integrated to the marketplace [1]. It is challenging for any organization to orchestrate a platform independently. The more other participants contribute to that platform, greater resources are applied to create richer offerings for the platform’s end-users. Looking at the initial stages of when an organization transitions from a product to platform development, there is an underlying challenge of how that organization attracts third-party developers to partner and enrich the ecosystem. Objective: This thesis aims to identify what can be used to attract third-party developers or organizations to develop and integrate onto an emerging platform or- ganization. It also examines problem areas faced by emerging software ecosystems when trying to attract third-party developers onto their platform. Method: I performed a case study to investigate the needs of third-party devel- opers looking to develop on a platform organization. I also used mixed data collection to obtain different sources of information, including internal and external interviews, virtual events, an internal developer workshop, and an investigation of competitors and other software ecosystems. Results: The thesis highlights that emerging software ecosystems often do not have the resources or capacity to build an initial robust platform experience as some of the more established software ecosystems like HubSpot and Shopify. With the lack of research completed to date on emerging software ecosystems, I was motivated to investigate the best practices that are crucial to attract third-party developers onto the platform. Conclusion: Through thematic analysis, the study revealed eight emerging con- cepts. When transitioning to a software ecosystem, organizations have struggled with six common issues. Additionally, six recommendations were gathered to help guide emerging software ecosystems towards best practices to attract third-party developers onto their platform. / Graduate

Com a presente tese de doutoramento procurou-se sustentar que o ingresso voluntário do terceiro nas hipóteses hoje tratadas pela doutrina como sendo de assistência litisconsorcial revela, na realidade, a intervenção de um verdadeiro litisconsorte, o qual, com a sua admissão no processo em curso, assume a qualidade de parte para todos os fins. Para demonstração da tese proposta, iniciou-se com um exame histórico do instituto, por meio do qual foi possível localizar suas raízes mais remotas no direito italiano medieval até ser positivado pelo §69 da ZPO alemã em 1877. Esse mesmo estudo histórico foi realizado em face do ordenamento brasileiro, apresentando-se a evolução do instituto nos sucessivos diplomas legais, culminando com o artigo 54 do atual Código de Processo Civil (Capítulo 2). Na sequência, foram examinadas as figuras de intervenção de terceiros naqueles ordenamentos estrangeiros considerados mais relevantes para o estudo da assistência litisconsorcial no Brasil (Capítulo 3). Prosseguiu-se com a análise do tratamento conferido ao instituto pela doutrina brasileira contemporânea, objetivando elencar as principais características que são costumeiramente atribuídas à (assim conhecida) modalidade qualificada da assistência (Capítulo 4). Esse estudo, contudo, não ficaria completo sem o exame de uma figura já tratada há algum tempo por alguns doutrinadores, mas ainda objeto de polêmica, denominada de intervenção litisconsorcial voluntária (Capítulo 5). O capítulo final foi dedicado a demonstrar que, nas hipóteses hoje configuradoras da assistência litisconsorcial, a própria situação jurídica do terceiro é objeto do processo pendente. Assim, quando esse terceiro voluntariamente intervém nessas situações, ele o faz como efetivo litisconsorte, assumindo os pedidos formulados pela parte originária à qual adere e devendo ser destinatário direto do comando advindo da decisão de mérito proferida no processo. Ademais, sua verdadeira natureza jurídica reclama uma nova sistematização do instituto, que deve ser tratado não como espécie do gênero assistência, mas no capítulo destinado ao litisconsórcio, como modalidade de intervenção litisconsorcial voluntária (Capítulo 6). / This doctorate thesis aims at arguing that the voluntary entry of a third person into a lawsuit in the cases currently considered by Brazilian legal doctrine as a third-party joinder intervention (assistência litisconsorcial) actually reveals the joinder of a true party to the lawsuit, which, after being admitted into the ongoing lawsuit, is therefore deemed as a party to it for all purposes. Initially, in order to demonstrate the proposed thesis, a historical analysis of the legal doctrine on third-party intervention was completed. This led to the roots of which the doctrine originally stemmed, from the most remote medieval Italian law until being inserted in §69 of the ZPO in 1877. This same historical study was done regarding Brazilian law, presenting the legal doctrines evolution in the successive enactments that culminated in Article 54 of the current Brazilian Civil Procedure Code (Chapter 2). Thereafter, the voluntary entry of a third person into a lawsuit in foreign jurisdictions considered most relevant to the study of third-party joinder intervention (assistência litisconsorcial) in Brazil was analyzed (Chapter 3). Subsequently, the opinion of contemporary Brazilian scholars on third-party joinder intervention (assistência litisconsorcial) was analyzed, aiming at listing the main characteristics usually attributed to such a qualified sort of intervention (Chapter 4). This study, however, would not be complete without also analyzing a recognized category of intervention for long debated by Brazilian scholars, but still subject to some controversies known as voluntary party joinder (intervenção litisconsorcial voluntária) (Chapter 5). The final chapter aims at demonstrating that, given the current elements of the third-party joinder intervention doctrine (assistência litisconsorcial); the actual legal situation of the third person to a lawsuit is the object of the pending process. Therefore, when a third person voluntarily enters a lawsuit, it does so as a genuine party to the lawsuit, accepting what is sought by the original party and joining its claims, thus being entirely subject to the effects arising from the decision on the merits. Moreover, its true legal nature demands a new organization of the legal doctrine within the Brazilian law, which should be treated, not as a species of the genre intervention, but rather a genuine party joinder, as voluntary party joinder (intervenção litisconsorcial voluntária) (Chapter 6).