A little movement orientated to the geomagnetic field makes a big difference in strong flows

Whilst a range of animals have been shown to respond behaviourally to components of the Earth’s magnetic field, evidence of the value of this sensory perception for small animals advected by strong flows (wind/ocean currents) is equivocal. We added geomagnetic directional swimming behaviour for North Atlantic loggerhead turtle hatchlings (Caretta caretta) into a high-resolution (1/4°) global general circulation ocean model to simulate 2,925-year-long hatchling trajectories comprising 355,875 locations. A little directional swimming (1–3 h per day) had a major impact on trajectories; simulated hatchlings travelled further south into warmer water. As a result, thermal elevation of hatchling metabolic rates was estimated to be between 63.3 and 114.5% after 220 days. We show that even small animals in strong flows can benefit from geomagnetic orientation and thus the potential implications of directional swimming for other taxa may be broad.

The Big Five and brand personality: investigating the impact of consumer personality on preferences towards particular brand personality

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between consumer personality and brand personality as measured by constructs refl ecting The Big Five dimensions in the context of fashion products. The fi ndings of the study show that some dimensions of The Big Five constructs are signifi cantly related to preferences on particular dimensions of brand personality. It was found that consumers who exhibit a Conscientious personality demonstrate preferences towards ‘ Trusted ’ brands. In contrast, those who are Extrovert in nature are motivated by ‘ Sociable ’ brands. Findings related to gender reveal that male and female consumers differ in how they express their personality when it comes to brand personality. Male respondents who are dominant on the Neuroticism dimension prefer ‘ Trusted ’ brand, whereas ‘ Trusted ’ brand is preferred by females who are dominant on the Conscientiousness dimension. The results of this study will inform brand managers about how to tailor specifi c marketing strategies such that brand personalities communicated to consumers are congruent with their personalities.

The role of brand orientation in church participation: an empirical examination

Although a large amount of research has been undertaken into the application of marketing techniques in church organizations, few studies have provided empirical evidence on the effects of brand orientation on church participation. This empirical study sought to contribute to the body of literature via a survey of 344 church attendees of a particular church denomination in Australia. The conceptual model hypothesizes brand orientation as performing direct and indirect effects on church participation through perceived benefits as the mediating variables. A person's perception of the extent to which a church engages in brand-oriented activities and behavior is significantly related with his or her perception of the benefits associated with church activities, which then leads to a higher level of church participation. The results reveal that brand orientation is significantly related with perceived benefits and church participation.

The role of brand orientation in the higher education sector: a student-perceived paradigm

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between perceived brand orientation (PBO), satisfaction, loyalty, and post-enrolment communication behaviour in the Australian higher education sector.

Design/methodology/approach
Two hundred and fifty-eight questionnaires were completed by undergraduate students of a particular university in Australia. Structural equation modeling was employed in this study to examine the associations between the constructs.

Findings
This study provides empirical evidence that PBO has a positive and significant relationship with all dependent variables. The research reveals that students' perception of a university's brand orientation is significantly related to satisfaction, loyalty, and post-enrolment communication behaviour.

Research limitations/implications
The findings may guide the key decision makers in higher education institutions to understand the importance of brand orientation in their corporate strategy to enhance satisfaction, loyalty, and positive WOM, which can be used to differentiate themselves from other institutions in the highly competitive education market.

Originality/value
Past researchers have not looked into the dynamic relationships between PBO, satisfaction, loyalty, and post-enrolment communication behaviour, and hence research is to be called for in this area. The paper is the first to examine brand orientation from the perspective of the students and provide higher education institutions with recommendations to improve service quality through brand orientation.

A conceptual model of consumer personality-brand preferences relationship

There have been a significant number of studies that investigate the antecedents to customers in forming their brand preferences. However, there is a dearth of research devoted to examining the role of customer personality in marketing. This conceptual paper attempts to cover this gap through examining the relationships between consumer personality and brand preference. We developed a conceptual model which is based on the Big Five theory of personality and show how this could be applied to the marketing context. It is proposed that human personality has a significant relationship with brand preferences.

A Conceptual Framework on the Relationship between Nation Brand Perception and Donation Behaviour

Over the past two decades, the topic of nation brands has attracted the interest of academics, researchers, and policy markers alike. Governments in particular have used the concept of nation brands to attract support from international audiences. This study developed a conceptual framework of donation behaviour with nation brand perceptions as a mediating variable between donation motives and donation behaviour. The framework proposes that people‘s perception of a nation‘s brand will have significant implications on the willingness and extent of contribution to a charitable cause associated with the nation.

Wet-spinning of PEDOT:PSS/Functionalized-SWNTs Composite: a Facile Route Toward Production of Strong and Highly Conducting Multifunctional Fibers

With the aim of fabricating multifunctional fibers with enhanced mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and electrochemical performance, we develop wet-spinning of composite formulation based on functionalized PEG-SWNT and PEDOT:PSS. The method of addition and loading are directly correlated to the quality and the ease of spinnability of the formulation and to the mechanical and electrical properties of the resultant fibers. Both the fiber modulus (Y) and strength (σ) scaled linearly with PEG-SWNT volume fraction (Vf). A remarkable reinforcement rate of dY/dVf = 417 GPa and dσ/dVf = 4 GPa were obtained when PEG-SWNTs at Vf ≤ 0.02. Further increase of PEG-SWNTs loading (i.e. up to Vf 0.12) resulted in further enhancements up to 22.8 GPa and 254 MPa in Modulus and ultimate stress, respectively. We also show the enhancement of electrochemical supercapacitor performance of composite fibers. These outstanding mechanical, electrical and electrochemical performances place these fibers among the best performing multifunctional composite fibers.

The effect of product placement in computer games on brand attitude and recall

Media fragmentation and proliferation, in concert with declining television advertising efficacy, has engendered interest in developing more effective ways to reach consumers – particularly non-users of a brand. This study explores the effect of active product placement in computer games on both brand attitude (Abrand) and recall. Findings suggest that exposure to a particular brand in a computer game can increase Abrand among consumers whose pre-existing attitude towards the brand in question is fairly low. It was concluded that product placement within computer games is an effective means of fostering high spontaneous brand recall and even of influencing consumers less positively predisposed towards a brand (analogous to non-users). These findings have promising managerial implications for firms looking to grow their customer base through acquisition and conversion.