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The EC single market is one of the world's largest. It offers both opportunities and challenges to U.S. insurers wanting to expand their operations into that market. Some U.S. companies possess unique qualifications that give them a good competitive position vs. European companies. Greater financial capacity, extensive underwriting experience particularly in the area of environmental U.S. insurers have focused on their vast home market which is responsible for approximately 37 percent of global insurance premiums. pollution and product liability, unique products and services of special appeal to European consumers, and the ability to service integrated international insurance programs are just a few examples. However, certain barriers may stand in the way of U.S. insurers’ entry to Europe. High entry cost, regulatory constraints, keen domestic competition, the possibility of lower profit margins, and the likelihood of certain protectionist policies are examples of these barriers. U.S. insurers are also concerned about entering an unknown market with radically different cultural characteristics and considerable national differences still existing among its members which would require adapting their approaches to the peculiarities of each country's insurance market instead of being able to use their own ideas about methods of operation. Nonetheless, U.S. insurers should abandon their domestic orientation and conservative nature and seek to resolve those difficulties that hinder their path of entry to Europe. The EC market is too important to be ignored.

This paper examines the effects of foreign debts on the economic performance of small countries. Forty‐eight small countries, each with a population of approximately five million, have been desegregated according to their per capita income and geographical location. The groups in question include Africa, the Caribbean region, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. Using correlation analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple comparison procedure, the collected data on fourteen economic indicators for each group of countries were analyzed. It was found that the economic effects of external debt varied among countries not only on the basis of their income level, but also on the basis of their geographical locations. Middle Eastern and European countries, being more prosperous, were able to maintain a relatively lower external debt to export ratio and thus were able to attain better economic accomplishments as compared to the poorer nations such as those in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean region. Within this latter group, those countries which were able to borrow more in relation to their GDP were able to perform better as far as their export, import, and government expenditures are concerned.

The study investigates the effects of core self-evaluations on project managers' competencies. The study further examines the moderating effect of cultural intelligence between core self-evaluations and competencies.

In this study, with a descriptive-survey approach, necessary data were collected from a sample of project managers of Iran's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology through questionnaires. The conceptual framework of the study was tested according to structural equation modeling by PLS software.

Findings show that core self-evaluations have positive and significant effects on project managers' competencies among which psychological stability has the greatest effect. Furthermore, the moderating role of cultural intelligence in the relationship between core self-evaluations and project managers' competencies was confirmed. According to the calculated coefficient, motivational cultural intelligence had the greatest role.

The data were collected using a questionnaire at a single point in time, and thus, not allowing cause–effect inferences. Also, the demographic variables were not controlled.

The results of this study provide some implications for HRM professionals and project managers interested in promoting a system of HR practices that contributes to enhancing project managers' competencies and effectiveness.

This study advances our understanding of the factors that have an effect on project managers' competencies, specifically on a list of main competencies necessary for project managers' performance. Moreover, it suggests that project managers' competencies will benefit from cultural intelligence, which will display a greater effect when embedded in highly diverse cultural contexts.