Flexible Policy Research Articles

What Is the State of the Literature About Refugees Aged 45 and Older from Burma in Third-Country Resettlement Contexts?: A Scoping Review.

Older adult refugees from Burma face unique challenges in third-country resettlement, yet their experiences are often overlooked in research and policy. This scoping review aims to examine the literature on refugees aged 45 and older from Burma in third-country resettlement contexts, identify factors contributing to successful integration, and elucidate the unique challenges they encounter. We systematically searched seven databases using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Studies were selected if they included refugees from Burma aged 45 and older in third-country resettlement contexts. Data were analyzed using Ager and Strang's conceptual framework of refugee integration. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Key findings highlighted disparities in health outcomes based on pre-resettlement environments, the interplay between chronic health issues and employment challenges, the importance of family bonds and institutional support, language proficiency barriers, and the impact of citizenship on self-perception. Instances of resilience and post-traumatic growth were noted, alongside lower reported well-being among older refugees compared to younger counterparts. The review revealed complex interactions between health, employment, social connections, language proficiency, safety, and citizenship in the integration experiences of older refugees from Burma. Findings underscore the need for integrated support systems addressing health and employment, flexible family reunification policies, tailored language acquisition programs, and clear pathways to citizenship. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, specific employment support strategies, and the long-term impacts of institutional support on integration.

"Assessing Urban Transformation and Land-Use Dynamics in Unplanned Settlements: Case Studies of 10 No. Market and Bittan Market

- Unplanned settlement areas, such as '10 No. Market' and 'Bittan Market,' highlight the dynamic transformation of urban zones due to rapid population growth, economic activities, and shifting societal demands. Initially planned as low-density residential neighborhoods, these areas have evolved into bustling commercial hubs, exposing the disconnect between land-use planning and actual urban development. This study examines the key drivers behind these changes, including population growth, economic incentives, cultural shifts, and regulatory gaps. Through surveys, interviews, historical analysis, and geospatial data, the research identifies both the positive impacts—such as enhanced local economies and improved access to goods—and the negative consequences, including traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental degradation. The study reveals a mismatch between planned intentions and reality, emphasizing the importance of adaptive urban planning frameworks. The paper recommends integrated land-use planning, zoning flexibility, infrastructure upgrades, community engagement, and sustainability initiatives as strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of uncontrolled commercialization. The findings underscore the necessity of resilient, flexible urban policies to address the complexities of fringe area development and ensure a balance between economic growth, environmental sustainability, and residents' quality of life. Key Words: urban transformation, mixed-use development, informal zoning, infrastructure strain, fringe areas, adaptive planning

Integrating circular economy policies in urban policy making: Strategies for green energy and environmental management to reinforce city image in China.

The implementation of circular economy (CE) policies in the management of urban policies have become essential for improving overall quality of life, development of green energy, and environmental management hence improving the image of cities. This research focuses on uncovering the core concepts of CE within urban environments, emphasizing actions that can improve green energy and environmental management. The CE aims to create a closed-loop system by prioritizing practices like remanufacturing, reusing, and recycling, which collectively help decrease resource usage and limit environmental damage. Therefore, in the study, the fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and fuzzy VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) are used to assess the identified several key factors and strategies for integrating CE activities for sustainable urban policy making and reinforce city image in China. The results of fuzzy AHP indicated that economic viability, policy and governance, and technological innovation are the key factors. While the cost effectiveness, policy flexibility and adaptability, and resource efficiency are identified as most crucial sub-factors. The fuzzy VIKOR presented that green building and sustainable development policies, green infrastructure development, and policy alignment and institutional support are the key strategies in handling and mitigating environmental issues as well as supporting economic growth, thus CE policies holds the key in creating a better perception of cities as innovative and sustainable. The contributions to this research are significant as it provides a structure for policymakers by offering a framework to integrate CE principles into urban policies. It also shows how CE can solve environmental challenges, promote growth in economy, and contribute to sustainable urban transformation. The implications of this study extend to policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders dealing with greener and more adaptable cities consistent with global sustainability goals.

A Study on the Impact of Flexible Working Arrangements on Turnover Intention of Chinese Working Women: From the Perspective of SDG 8 (Decent Work）

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of flexible work arrangements on the turnover intention of female workers in China. The goal is to provide valuable insights for optimizing flexible work policies, strengthening policy guidance, and fostering a more equitable, autonomous, and sustainable work environment for women, ultimately contributing to the realization of SDG 8 (Decent Work). Theoretical Framework: This study draws on key concepts such as SDG 8 (Decent Work), job satisfaction, and turnover intention, which form the theoretical foundation for understanding the impact of flexible work arrangements on female employees. Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted among female working students from the School of Continuing Education at a university in Guangzhou. The participants had already implemented flexible working arrangements, and data were collected to analyze the relationships between flexible work arrangements, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that the prevalence of flexible work arrangements positively influences organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among working women. Specifically, opportunities for flexible work arrangements significantly impact job satisfaction and turnover intention but do not significantly affect organizational commitment. The discussion highlights that organizations should consider both the prevalence and availability of flexible work opportunities when designing policies to meet the needs of female workers, enhancing their job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and reducing turnover intention. Research Implications: This study emphasizes the importance of flexible working arrangements in achieving SDG 8, particularly in improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover intention. Originality: This study uniquely focuses on Chinese working women who have adopted flexible work arrangements, an area underexplored in existing literature. Value: This study explores the impact of flexible working arrangements on working women in alignment with SDG 8, aiming to enhance job satisfaction, reduce turnover intention, and promote decent work.

From consumers to pioneers: insights from thermal energy communities in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands

BackgroundWhile energy communities working on electricity provision have been extensively studied, thermal energy communities (TECs) focusing on bringing district heating (DH) systems to decarbonise heat systems in buildings have been relatively under-researched. This study addresses this gap by presenting the first comprehensive examination of key factors influencing the emergence and development of TEC projects in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The study uses an established analytical framework from previous research encompassing seven dimensions: market structure, hard- and soft institutions, financing, physical infrastructure, capacity, and interactions with other stakeholders. Data are gathered through a literature review and interviews.ResultsTECs have emerged at different times in each country, shaped by contextual circumstances and diverse forms of institutional support. Elements that have supported the development of TECs are regulatory frameworks promoting DH growth, heat decarbonisation policies, economic incentives to use waste heat in plants, targeted financing mechanisms, and assistance to enhance the capacity of TECs. External factors such as high oil prices, seismic events, and recent rising energy prices have also spurred project initiation. TECs also rely on additional factors for success, including organisational and entrepreneurial abilities to engage with stakeholders, gain social acceptance, and secure commitment from community members. Involvement from local government, intermediary organisations, and private companies is crucial for TEC implementation.Among the studied countries, Danish TECs stand out as the most developed, benefiting from a stable policy environment, decades of experience with DH and TEC, and positive societal perceptions. Conversely, Dutch and German TECs face challenges because of the early stage of their heat transition, dealing with financial obstacles, underdeveloped policies, unfamiliarity with DH technology and with TECs, as well as the need for expensive infrastructure changes. Shared challenges across regions include capacity limitations in small projects and implementing cost-effective, local, and sustainable heat sources.ConclusionsIn light of the study's findings, policymakers must consider establishing stable, integral and flexible policies supporting heat decarbonisation and TECs, addressing TECs' reliance on limited capacities, involving TECs in local heat municipal plans, and facilitating high DH connection rates where DH is the most cost-effective solution from a socio-economic perspective.

Analysis of the Influence of Financial Flexibility, Financial Distress, and Tax Policies on the Performance of Companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange

The growth of Indonesia's manufacturing sector GDP has shown a declining trend since 2016 and was further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, necessitating improved company performance through the application of sound financial management principles. Financial flexibility, financial distress, and tax policies are key factors that need to be studied to understand their impact on the performance of manufacturing companies. This study aims to identify the influence of financial flexibility, financial distress, and tax policies on the performance of manufacturing companies in Indonesia.bThis research uses a quantitative method with a descriptive statistical approach, examining manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the period 2018-2023. A sample of 123 companies was selected using purposive sampling techniques, and data analysis was used to test the analysis hypothesis, namely panel data regression using the Eviews 12 program to broadcast the influence of financial flexibility, financial difficulties and tax policy on company performance. The research results show that financial flexibility has no significant effect on company performance and financial distress has a significant effect on company performance, while tax policy has a significant effect on company performance.

Flexibility in choosing decision policies in gathering discrete evidence over time.

The brain can remarkably adapt its decision-making process to suit the dynamic environment and diverse aims and demands. The brain's flexibility can be classified into three categories: flexibility in choosing solutions, decision policies, and actions. We employ two experiments to explore flexibility in decision policy: a visual object categorization task and an auditory object categorization task. Both tasks required participants to accumulate discrete evidence over time, with the only difference being the sensory state of the stimuli. We aim to investigate how the brain demonstrates flexibility in selecting decision policies in different sensory contexts when the solution and action remain the same. Our results indicate that the decision policy of the brain in integrating information is independent of inter-pulse interval across these two tasks. However, the decision policy based on how the brain ranks the first and second pulse of evidence changes flexibly. We show that the sequence of pulses does not affect the choice accuracy in the auditory mode. However, in the visual mode, the first pulse had the larger leverage on decisions. Our research underscores the importance of incorporating diverse contexts to improve our understanding of the brain's flexibility in real-world decision-making.

ADVANCING FUTURISTIC DIGITAL BANKING: STRATEGIC ENHANCEMENT AND A ROADMAP FOR EXCELLENCE

This research aims to rectify misconceptions surrounding banking digitalisation and conduct an in-depth analysis of Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority’s (OJK) policies concerning developing and enhancing the banking sector’s digitalisation. Additionally, this study is designed to formulate a strategic roadmap for developing banking sector digitalisation, accompanied by risk mitigation processes. The fundamental misconception identified herein pertains to the limited understanding of banking digitalisation as merely transitioning from conventional to digital services. This narrow perspective, still embraced by regulatory authorities, adversely impacts national banking industry stakeholders. Employing a normative legal research methodology through an extensive literature review, our findings reveal a prevailing tendency towards structural collaboration in policy formulation rather than embracing synergistic approaches. This research underscores the urgency of formulating visionary and flexible policies in banking digitalisation. Based on the findings, this study seeks to build the framework for policy formulation by regulation authorities in conducting further studies regarding the direction of policies for developing and strengthening banking sector digitalisation.

Exploring the Impacts of Work-related Stress on Master’s Project and Completion Rates among Post Graduate Working Learners

The dual demands of professional and academic responsibilities often create stress that hinders progress on master’s projects, leading to delays, reduced motivation, and other challenges. This research examines the challenges faced by postgraduate working learners in managing work-related stress while completing their master’s project; and aims to identify effective strategies and institutional support mechanisms that enhance stress management and improve project completion success rates. A qualitative approach was employed, involving in-depth interviews with 16 postgraduate learners conducted via Google Forms to capture detailed insights into their experiences and coping mechanisms. Participants identified key stressors such as time management difficulties, professional responsibilities interfering with project tasks, and the mental and physical strain caused by overlapping commitments. These factors were found to disrupt project focus and hinder progress. Despite these challenges, respondents displayed resilience by implementing strategies such as task prioritisation, collaboration with colleagues and supervisors, and seeking support from their institutions. Many noted that institutional interventions, such as tailored workshops, flexible policies, and enhanced supervisor guidance, were instrumental in alleviating stress and sustaining their progress. The findings underscore the importance of creating structured and empathetic support systems for postgraduate working learners, highlighting the need for institutions to address their unique challenges. This research contributes valuable insights into the experiences of postgraduate working learners, offering practical recommendations for educators and policymakers. By addressing these factors, institutions can improve the learning environment, enhance the success rates of master’s project completion, and support the overall well-being of working postgraduate learners. This study also opens avenues for future research to explore interventions across diverse academic settings.

Analysis Key Variables and Generation Z Turnover Intention Scenarios: MICMAC and Bayesian Network Approaches

Generation Z is projected to dominate the workforce and have great opportunities for the development of a company, but problems arise when various surveys show that Gen Z has a tendency to change jobs (turnover intention). This research aims to analyze key variables and explore shared Gen Z turnover intention scenarios. This research uses a new approach, namely MICMAC and Bayesian Belief Network (BBN. The research highlights that Gen Z employees’ turnover intentions are influenced by factors such as Job Insecurity, Job Stress, Compensation and Benefits, Job Satisfaction, and Leadership and Management, which can be anchored to the Two-Factor Theory and Equity Theory. The results of the strength analysis show that the probability of Gen Z turnover intention is 68%. Based on scenario analysis, it is proven that when Gen Z does not experience job stress, they do not experience job insecurity, and satisfaction with current work can reduce turnover intention levels by 40%. Reducing turnover intention will also have a positive impact on company stability, increasing by 29%. The findings of this research have significant implications for policy recommendations and practices in company management. This study emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive company environment to reduce job stress and job insecurity. Flexible policies and management support can create a positive work atmosphere, increase employee satisfaction, and reduce the risk of burnout.

A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF WORK-LIFE BALANCES AMONG SALESWOMEN IN KERALA'S MAJOR SUPERMARKETS

This study investigates at the work-life balance concerns that saleswomen confront in Kerala's supermarket sector, with a focus on the specific dynamics for women in frontline retail employment. Supermarkets, one of Kerala's fastest-growing retail industries, provide major employment prospects for women. However, the demanding nature of sales jobs characterized by long hours, physical strain, restricted flexibility, and unpredictable schedules places a significant burden on their personal lives, mental health, and overall job satisfaction. The study plunges into crucial aspects influencing work-life balance, such as work hours, stress levels, family responsibilities, organisational support, and the presence or absence of work-life policies in the workplace. Furthermore, the study investigates how these women balance family life with their work responsibilities. This study helps to a better understanding of the unique requirements of female retail workers in Kerala's supermarket operation. It emphasizes the significance of managerial knowledge and policy actions suited to the specific issues these women confront. This study's findings are important for legislators, retail managers, and researchers interested in workforce sustainability and gender-focused workplace practices. (Keywords: Work-life balance, saleswomen, supermarkets, retail sector, Kerala, employee well-being, organizational support, flexible work policies and gender-specific challenges).

Promoting Employee Well-Being and Mental Health: An Analysis of Initiatives at Flipkart, Bommanahalli, Bangalore

Employee well-being and mental health are critical for fostering a productive and engaged workforce. This analysis explores initiatives implemented at Flipkart to promote mental health and holistic well-being among employees. Key measures include flexible work policies, counselling support, mental health awareness programs, and innovative digital wellness platforms. Flipkart emphasizes creating a supportive organizational culture by encouraging open communication and work-life balance. The company’s approach integrates preventive care, such as resilience training, and reactive support, like professional counselling services. Results from these initiatives highlight increased employee satisfaction, reduced stress levels, and improved overall productivity. This study underscores the significance of proactive strategies in addressing workplace mental health challenges, setting a benchmark for similar organizations. Recommendations for future improvements and scalability are also discussed. Key Words:Employee well-being, mental health, Flipkart, workplace initiatives, digital wellness.

Markov-Decision-Process-Based Reinforcement Learning for Emergency Vehicles of Dispatch and Reallocation Strategies through the Lens of Efficiency and Fairness: Evidence from Chinese Emergency Medical Services System

Efficient proactive emergency vehicle planning is crucial for effective emergency response management systems. This paper develops a flexible deep reinforcement learning framework to address uncertainties in dynamic emergency requests and complex traffic conditions. The Markov decision process model is proposed to optimize ambulance dispatch and reallocation, focusing on minimizing average response time, reducing delays from traffic congestion and patient severity misclassification, and enhancing general fairness. To tackle the challenges of the unbounded MDP state space, we employ a least-squares-based approximate policy iteration model for the upper bound and a linear programming model for the lower bound. We use Chinese emergency medical services system data for computational experiments and select average response time, fraction of delay, risk level, and Gini coefficient to evaluate the performance of our model. The numerical results demonstrate our optimal flexible policy outperforms the first-in-first-served rule, improving both efficiency and equity in medical decision-making.

Studi Perbandingan Status Kenegaraan Umat Muslim dalam Pelayanan Pendidikan di Inggris dan Jerman

The increasing number of Muslim communities in Europe, especially in the UK and Germany, has highlighted the important role of education in the process of social integration. Inclusive and adaptive education policies can help create equality of opportunity for Muslims and support social cohesion. However, the approach to education policy in the UK and Germany shows significant differences that reflect the history, politics, and culture of each country. This study aims to conduct a comparative study between education policies in the two countries in the context of education services for Muslims. This study is a qualitative study using a literature study approach which will then describe and compare education policies in the two countries in the context of education services for Muslims. By collecting and analyzing data from various sources, including academic journal articles, books, official government reports, and publications from international organizations. The results of the study show that the UK has a more centralized and flexible education policy, allowing support for faith-based schools, including Islamic schools. On the other hand, the decentralized education system in Germany results in variations in policies between states, creating differences in access and implementation of Islamic religious education. Keywords: education, Muslims, education policy, England, Germany

Անուղղակի խոսքային ակտերը՝ որպես բանակցային դիսկուրսի լեզվագործաբանական կաղապար

This article examines the role of indirect speech acts in business negotiations based on the method of principled negotiation. The correct choice of speech strategies in the business sphere evidently plays a key role in the successful conduct of the negotiation process. A comprehensive analysis of business discourse allows for the identification and study of communicative strategies that facilitate a flexible speech policy and minimize conflict situations between the parties. Based on J. Searle's classification of speech acts, the article presents a quantitative analysis of various types of speech acts that reflect the values of principled negotiation. It discusses their frequency of use and effectiveness in achieving the set goals during negotiations. The core of the analysis of indirect speech acts consists of four key values of principled negotiation. Their representation through corresponding speech acts significantly enhances the negotiation process and fosters the formation of mutually beneficial relationships, reducing the level of conflict. The research results are based on the analysis of speech acts used in the discourse of business negotiations extracted from various films. The conclusions of this linguistic study contribute to the creation of a more dynamic and effective negotiation discourse.

Analyzing the Impact of Service Quality, Technology, and Policy Management on Insurance Policy Renewal

This research aims for a better understanding of the relationship between service quality, policy features, and customer satisfaction and the decision to renew a policy in Saudi Arabia. Factors affecting the renewal behavior include claims processing, policy flexibility, customer support, and technology development. In the research, questionnaires will be distributed to a randomly selected sample of insurance policyholders in Saudi Arabia. The responses thus collected will be consolidated and then analyzed through description by using SPSS statistical software. The results draw attention that Technology and Policy Management influence the product and service quality positively and significantly, with coefficients of 0.189 and 0.331. Policy flexibility and applicability also exert a positive effect on quality with a coefficient of 0.077. Procedures and Speed show a weak influence, marginally significant at a coefficient of 0.050. This research provides significant insights into service quality, policy flexibility, and demographic factors' influence on insurance policy renewal decisions in Saudi Arabia by emphasizing critical elements that could enhance customer retention within this industry.

Dampak Work-Life Balance, Motivasi Kerja, terhadap Kinerja Karyawan: Tinjauan Sistematis Tempat Kerja di Indonesia

This study explores the impact of work-life balance and work motivation on employee performance within organizational contexts in Indonesia. Using a systematic literature review approach based on PRISMA, the study analyzes 64 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2024. The findings reveal that work-life balance, facilitated by flexible policies and supportive supervisor behavior, significantly enhances employee engagement and productivity. Work motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, also plays a crucial role in achieving optimal performance through internal incentives such as personal satisfaction and external support like organizational encouragement. In Indonesia’s collectivist culture, social and familial values strongly influence the relationship between work-life balance, work motivation, and employee performance. This study highlights the importance of organizational strategies, such as flexible work arrangements and supportive leadership, in fostering a conducive and productive work environment. It provides practical insights for organizations in designing balanced policies to sustainably improve employee well-being and performance.

Optimization of the Regulatory Framework to Attract Tertiary Sector Investment: A Policy Analysis in Garut Regency

The increase in investment in the tertiary sector, such as tourism, trade, and services, has become one of the strategic priorities of Garut Regency in driving regional economic growth. However, regulatory barriers, lack of legal certainty, and infrastructure challenges often pose major obstacles for investors. This study aims to analyze the existing regulatory framework, identify challenges in policy implementation, and offer recommendations for optimizing policies to attract more investment in the tertiary sector. This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 informants, including officials from the Investment and Integrated Licensing Service Office (DPMPT), local business actors, prospective investors, and academics. Data analysis was conducted using triangulation methods, which included policy document analysis, investment statistics, and insights from interviews. The results of the study show that despite Garut Regency's great potential in the tertiary sector, such as natural tourism and trade, investment policy implementation is still suboptimal. Major inhibiting factors include the complexity of licensing procedures, lack of synchronization between regional and national policies, and insufficient structured investment promotion. The study recommends streamlining regulations, digitalizing the licensing system, and strengthening coordination between local governments and stakeholders. The conclusion of this study emphasizes the importance of optimizing an adaptive regulatory framework that aligns with investor needs. With more flexible and conducive policies, Garut Regency has the potential to become a leading destination for tertiary sector investment in Indonesia.

A Systematic Review: The Impact of COVID-19 Policy Flexibilities on SNAP and WIC Programmatic Outcomes.

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE), the federal government deployed policy flexibilities in food and nutrition assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to meet the needs those experiencing economic hardship. Emergent literature evaluates the impact of these flexibilities on program outcomes. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of policy flexibilities deployed during the COVID-19 PHE on access, enrollment/retention, benefit utilization, and perceptions of SNAP and WIC. Keyword searches were performed in November 2023, February 2024, and August 2024. The search included peer-reviewed literature from 2020 to 2024, following Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, resulting in 37 eligible articles. Twelve studies evaluated policy flexibilities in SNAP only, 21 in WIC only, and 4 in both programs. Across these, 12 studies explored program access, 7 enrollment/retention, 13 benefit utilization, and 15 program perceptions. JBI critical appraisal tools were used to assess risk of bias. The reviewed articles show that although SNAP and WIC participants identified challenges to access, there were increases in enrollment/retention due to policy flexibilities enabling remote services and reducing administrative burden in both programs. Benefit increases led to greater purchase of preferred foods in SNAP and greater access to fruit and vegetables in WIC. Overall, participants were satisfied with the flexibilities and reported most were beneficial for their households. Some implementation challenges were identified by participants and staff. A few studies showed potential risks of bias, including selection bias and confounding bias. COVID-19-related policy flexibilities in SNAP and WIC demonstrated significant improvements in selected program outcomes; however, challenges communicating policy flexibilities to authorized vendors and participants created difficulties to benefiting from the flexibilities. Findings from the evaluations of these flexibilities can inform future program enhancements and long-term regulatory changes. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023493302).

Price markdowns to induce customers to opt out of free returns

With consumers increasingly relying on online shopping, returns have become a considerable issue in the retail e-commerce industry. Major e-retailers typically impose either “free returns” or a “partial refund” policy. This article studies a flexible return policy in which customers get to self-select return options. We consider a setting where, alongside the conventional free return (FR) option, consumers are offered an additional return alternative called opt-out of free return (FO). Choosing FR allows consumers to return items within a grace period for a full refund. Alternatively, selecting FO gives them a price markdown, but involves paying a fixed and variable penalty if they choose to return the product. We aim to derive managerial insights on when offering FO would be beneficial to firms and, if so, how to set the optimal markdown level. We find that the uncertainty level in the consumers’ valuation distribution has a subtle impact on the profitability of providing the FO option alongside the FR. While conventional wisdom suggests that offering the FO option is more likely to be beneficial as customers’ uncertainty about the product’s valuation pre-purchase increases, we show that the opposite could be true. Specifically, we show that if the product’s expected valuation is high (low), higher (lower) uncertainty in the valuation distribution makes it more likely that offering FO alongside FR is advantageous to the firm.