Benjamin K Tkach
Conflict and Development Laboratory
600 John Kimbrough, 2124 TAMU
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
Phone: 979.458.9397
Cell: 903.293.7654
Fax: 979.847.8924
btkach@pols.tamu.edu
http://people.tamu.edu/~btkach
Academic Position
Postdoctoral Fellow, Conflict and Development Laboratory, Texas A&M University, 2013-
Education
Ph.D. Texas A&M University, Political Science, 2013
Fields: International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Quantitative Methods
Committee: David Boyle, Michael Koch, Quan Li, and Ahmer Tarar
Dissertation Title: Corporate Security: Private Security Firms and Conflict Outcomes
B.A., Whitworth University, 2007
Publications
Koch, Michael and Benjamin Tkach. 2012. “Deterring or Mobilizing? The Influence of Government
Partisanship and Force on the Frequency, Lethality, and Suicide Attacks of Terror Events”Peace
Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy 18(2): 1-27.
Working Papers and Works Under Review
“Private Security Firms and the Influence of Corporate Structure on Conflict Outcomes.”
(under review )
“MBA’s go to War: Competition in the Private Security Market and Conflict Outcomes”
(under review )
“Determinants of Nuclear Technologies: Unpacking Nuclear Latency” (with Matthew Fuhrmann)
“Who Pays for Terror? Military Assistance and Transnational Terrorism in Fragile States”
“When Aid Kills: The Discriminatory Consequences of Foreign Aid on Domestic Terrorism”
(with Blake Garcia)
Research Experience
Research Assistant, Texas A&M University, 2008Matthew Fuhrmann: Designed, collected and analyzed nuclear facilities data. Coordinated efforts with
Pacific Northwest National Lab.
Tkach 2
Michael Koch: Collaborated on research papers.
Shuhei Kurizaki: Created and analyzed diplomatic ties using network analysis.
Research Fellow, National Defense University, 2009-2011
Executed quantitative analysis on energy security questions.
Research Consultant, Jane’s Information Group, 2008
Developed multiple projects with quantitative market analysis for client presentations.
Research & Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Conflict
Non-state Actors
Quantitative Methods
Terrorism
U.S. Foreign Policy
Teaching Interests
Conflict
Defense and Security Policy
Theories of International Relations
Research Methods
Terrorism
Courses Taught
POLS 207: State and Local Government, Summer 2013 (at Texas A&M University, Qatar)
Instructor responsible for the design, instruction and grading of the course.
POLS 335: International Conflict, Fall 2012
Instructor responsible for the design, instruction and grading of the course.
POLS 415: Contemporary Issues in American Foreign Policy, Spring & Summer 2012
Instructor responsible for the design, instruction and grading of the course.
Grad. Assistant, Methods Sequence: Bush School of Government and Public Service, 2009-2011
Assisted in course administration and exam design for multiple methods courses.
Research Presentations
“MBA’s go to War: Competition in the Private Security Market and Conflict Outcomes” (2013)
Presented at ISA ISSS-ISAC Joint Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
“Private Security Firms and the Influence of Corporate Structure on Conflict Outcomes”(2013)
Presented at the Annual Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago , IL.
“Democratic Norms: Conflict Decision Making Following Regime Change in Pakistan’s International Conflict Behavior–1947-2010” (2013) Presented at the Athens Institute for Education and
Research Annual Meeting, Athens Greece. (with Hassan Bashir and Phillip Gray).
“When Aid Kills: The Effect of Foreign Aid on Domestic Terrorism”(2012) Presented at the Peace
Science (International) Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA. (with Blake Garcia).
“Private Military Firms and Conflict Success: Victory for Hire” (2012) Presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Tkach 3
“The Effects of Foreign Aid on Domestic Terrorism” (2012) Presented at the Midwest Political
Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
“Presidential Agenda Setting Revisited” (2012) Presented at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. (with B. Dan Wood).
“Government Partisanship, the Use of Force and the Frequency and Lethality of Terror Events.”
(2011) Presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. (with
Michael T. Koch).
“Failed States, Terrorism and Foreign Aid: Wasteful Spending or Smart Investment?” (2010)
Presented at the Transatlantic Fall Symposium, Otzenhausen, Germany.
“Carpe Diem: An Examination of High Domestic Approval and Presidential Foreign Policy Initiatives.” Presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
(with Matthew Warhol)
“Foreign Aid and Peacekeeping: Can Foreign Aid Buy Peace?” (2010) Presentation at the New
Horizons in International Security: An Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Conference, University
of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
Honors and Awards
Dissertation Writing Fellowship, College of Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University (declined) 2013
Dissertation Writing Fellowship, Texas A&M University Qatar 2013
Excellence in Teaching, Political Science Department, Texas A&M University, 2012, 2013
Invited Research Presentations
American University Beirut, Lebanon, “Private Security Firms and Conflict Outcomes: Evidence
from the Second Iraq–U.S. War.” Department of Political Studies, 2013
American University Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 2013 “Private Security Firms and
Providing Desired Outcomes: Evidence from the Second Iraq-US War.”
Department of International Studies, 2013
University of Groningen, Netherlands, “Erosion of State Sovereignty in Conflict: Private Security
Companies in Security Operations” Global Studies Program, 2013
Department Service
Co-Director, Graduate Teaching Academy, Texas A&M University, 2013-2014
Member, Undergraduate Research Team Leader, Political Science Department, Texas A&M University, 2013
Member, Graduate Student Advisory Committee, Office of the Dean of Liberal Arts,
Texas A&M University, 2012-2013
Member, Graduate Teaching Academy Steering Committee, Texas A&M University, 2012-2013
Representative, Graduate Student Council, Texas A&M University, 2012-2013
Member, Faculty Search Committee (2 IR positions), Texas A&M University, 2010-2011
Reviewer: Conflict Management and Peace Science, International Studies Quarterly
Tkach 4
Professional Affiliations
American Political Science Association, 2009Midwest Political Science Association, 2008-
References
Michael T. Koch
Department of Political Science
4348 TAMU
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4843
Phone: 979.458.0686
mtkoch@polisci.tamu.edu
Maria Escobar-Lemon
Department of Political Science
4348 TAMU
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4843
Phone: 979.845.1442
m escobar@pols.tamu.edu
Quan Li
Department of Political Science
4348 TAMU
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4843
Phone: 979.845.3023
quanli@tamu.edu
Dissertation Abstract:
My dissertation contributes to the emerging literature on non-state actors by extending research
to private security firms (PSFs). Private security firms are defined as publicly traded or individually (privately) owned corporations that provide legal military services based on contracts to
other actors in the international system. PSFs have been employed for decades in the international system by actors including nation-states, corporations and non-governmental organizations
(i.e. United Nations). PSFs are headquartered in over thirty countries, provide numerous services,
and generate billions in annual revenue. By investigating how the provision of public goods (i.e.
security) are provided by private actors, this project focuses on general questions of state privatization of services. Specifically my dissertation asks, under what conditions do private security
firms’ produce good outcomes in conflicts? PSFs are contracted to provide services to employers.
PSFs, similar to other firms, are profit-maximizing agents hired to produce outcomes in conflict.
Firms can directly or indirectly influence conflict. PSFs that provide physical protection directly
influence conflict whereas PSFs that provide logistical support indirectly influence conflict outcomes. However, incomplete contracting establishes a principal–agent dynamic where information
asymmetries and incentive differences arise. The theory developed argues that firm attributes, not
the services provided, influence agency problems. I argue that when information asymmetries and
incentive differences are minimized firms provide higher quality services. Higher quality services,
in turn, produce better outcomes for the client in conflicts in which firms operate. I test specific
hypotheses based on the general expectations using the most recent U.S.–Iraq. I demonstrate that
characteristics of the firm, not the specific services provided, influence conflict outcomes.