The effects of cultural values in word-of-mouth communication

When new products and brands are introduced into other cultures, the speed and extent of the product's acceptance are important concerns for marketers. The spread of positive word of mouth (WOM) and the lack of negative WOM about the product or brand by early adopter groups are critical to the product's successful diffusion in a population. This is the first study to investigate the effects of consumers' cultural values on their WOM behavior. Data analysis from two samples indicates that the pattern, type, and target receivers of consumers' WOM activity depend on their cultural values. The authors use Hofstede's four cultural dimensions to test the effects of cultural values on WOM behavior to social in- and out-groups. They find that all four dimensions have significant effects on WOM engagement to those groups. Although the authors could not determine the causal nature of the relationships because of the sample design used, they argue that marketers should monitor the cultural values of their market to anticipate in- and out-group discussions and the choice of appropriate brand communication strategies in other countries.

Are these reviews for real? The importance of belief and trust in reviews and word-of-mouth for web-purchases

Routine activities that many of us are used to performing in person like paying bills, purchases and bookings are now done online. With more people buying irregularly bought products online, more consumers are relying on professional, amateur and user reviews to inform them of the quality of their intended purchase. Little known about how consumers use these reviews. Less is known about how these reviews influence buying behavior. This article outlines a research framework that can provide insight into these areas.

On 4 June 2008 Siberian Red Knots at Elbe Mouth kissed the canonical evening migration departure rule goodbye

Observations of departing Siberian-breeding Red Knots Calidris canutus canutus from their central staging site during northward migration, the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, Germany, in early June 2008, challenge the established notion that departing long-distance migrating waders only leave around sunset. During four days we scanned several thousand Red Knots for colour-ringed individuals and found a total of 20 different individuals that were previously ringed at either their main wintering site, the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania, or at stopover sites on the Atlantic coast of France. Body masses of captured Red Knots in Schleswig-Holstein were higher than 200 g and hematocrite values showed an average of 58%, clearly indicating that they were ready for take-off. On all except one evening, we noted impressive departure movements during the incoming tide. On that exceptional evening a cold front thunderstorm passed over the area. Late the next morning, thousands of Red Knots departed during the incoming tide. We assume that the birds avoided taking off in adverse weather conditions and elaborate why Red Knots presumably traded off advantages from departing during twilight. We suggest that during spring migration, schedules are so tight that further delays decrease fitness, either because it would cause another full day of exposure to high predation risk by falcons, or because of conditions upon arrival on the tundra.

An examination of service quality dimensionality and positive word-of-mouth intentions in a Chinese telecommunication context

Word-of-mouth is a powerful force in today’s marketplace. However, few researchers
examine how the dimensions of SERVQUAL relate to positive word-of-mouth, particularly in
the Chinese market. This study attempts to fill this gap. The context is Chinese
telecommunication market. A survey was conducted with a sample of 241 respondents. The
results showed that Reliability and Assurance encouraged more positive word-of-mouth
intention, while Tangibles, Responsiveness, and Empathy did not have any significant effect
on one’s word-of-mouth. These findings have useful implications to international service
companies, particularly those operating in a Chinese environment, by identifying factors that
are salient to the generation of positive word-of-mouth.

Early protection in sheep against intratypic heterologous challenge with serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus using high-potency, emergency vaccine

In 2009-2011, spread of a serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) belonging to the South East Asia topotype led to the culling of over 3.5 million cattle and pigs in Japan and Korea. The O1 Manisa vaccine (belonging to the Middle East-South Asian topotype) was used at high potency in Korea to limit the expansion of the outbreak. However, no data are available on the spread of this virus or the efficacy of the O1 Manisa vaccine against this virus in sheep. In this study, the early protection afforded with a high potency (>6 PD50) FMD O1 Manisa vaccine against challenge with the O/SKR/2010 virus was tested in sheep. Sheep (n=8) were vaccinated 4 days prior to continuous direct-contact challenge with donor sheep. Donor sheep were infected with FMDV O/SKR/2010 by coronary band inoculation 24h prior to contact with the vaccinated animals, or unvaccinated controls (n=4). Three of the four control sheep became infected, two clinically. All eight O1 Manisa vaccinated sheep were protected from clinical disease. None had detectable antibodies to FMDV non-structural proteins (3ABC), no virus was isolated from nasal swabs, saliva or oro-pharyngeal fluid and none became carriers. Using this model of challenge, sheep were protected against infection as early as 4 days post vaccination.

Foot-and-mouth disease in red deer - experimental infection and test methods performance

Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate a number of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) test methods for use in red deer. Ten animals were intranasally inoculated with the FMD virus (FMDV) O UKG 11/2001, monitored for clinical signs, and samples taken regularly (blood, serum, oral swabs, nasal swabs, probang samples and lesion swabs, if present) over a 4-week period. Only one animal, deer 1103, developed clinical signs (lesions under the tongue and at the coronary band of the right hind hoof). It tested positive by 3D and IRES real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) in various swabs, lesion materials and serum. In a non-structural protein (NSP) in-house ELISA (NSP-ELISA-IH), one commercial ELISA (NSP-ELISA-PR) and a commercial antibody NSP pen side test, only deer 1103 showed positive results from day post-inoculation (dpi) 14 onwards. Two other NSP-ELISAs detected anti-NSP serum antibodies with lower sensitivity. It also showed rising antibody levels in the virus neutralization test (VNT), the in-house SPO-ELISA-IH and the commercial SPO-ELISA-PR at dpi 9, and in another two commercial SPO-ELISAs at dpi 12 (SPO-ELISA-IV) and dpi 19 (SPO-ELISA-IZ), respectively. Six of the red deer that had been rRT-PCR and antibody negative were re-inoculated intramuscularly with the same O-serotype FMDV at dpi 14. None of these animals became rRT-PCR or NSP-ELISA positive, but all six animals became positive in the VNT, the in-house SPO-ELISA-IH and the commercial SPO-ELISA-PR. Two other commercial SPO-ELISAs were less sensitive or failed to detect animals as positive. The rRT-PCRs and the four most sensitive commercial ELISAs that had been used for the experimentally inoculated deer were further evaluated for diagnostic specificity (DSP) using 950 serum samples and 200 nasal swabs from non-infected animals. DSPs were 100% for the rRT-PCRs and between 99.8 and 100% for the ELISAs.

Experimental foot-and-mouth disease virus infection in white tailed deer

White tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were inoculated with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) O UKG 11/2001 and monitored for the development of clinical signs, histopathological changes and levels of virus replication. All FMDV-infected deer developed clinical signs starting at 2 days post inoculation and characterized by an increase in body temperature, increased salivation and lesions in the mouth and on the feet. Virus spread to various tissues was determined by quantifying the amount of FMDV RNA using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Virus or viral antigen was also detected in tissues using traditional isolation techniques, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry. Deer-to-cattle transmission of the virus was observed in this experimental setting; however, inoculated deer were not found to become carriers of FMDV.

Application of the Ceditest® FMDV type O and FMDV-NS enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus in selected livestock and wildlife species in Uganda

Diagnosis and control of Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) requires rapid and sensitive diagnostic tests. Two antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, Ceditest® FMDV-NS for the detection of antibodies against the nonstructural proteins of all FMDV serotypes and Ceditest® FMDV type O for the detection of antibodies against serotype O, were evaluated under African endemic conditions where the presence of multiple serotypes and the use of nonpurified vaccines complicate serological diagnosis. Serum samples from 218 African buffalo, 758 cattle, 304 goats, and 88 sheep were tested using both kits, and selected samples were tested not only in serotype-specific ELISAs for antibodies against primarily FMDV serotype O, but also against other serotypes. The FMDV-NS assay detected far more positive samples (93%) than the FMDV type O assay (30%) in buffalo (P < 0.05), with predominant antibodies against the South African Territories (SAT) serotypes, while the seroprevalence was generally comparable in cattle with antibodies against serotype O elicited by infection and/or vaccination. However, some districts had higher seroprevalence using the FMDV type O assay indicating vaccination without infection, while 1 cattle herd with antibodies against the SAT serotypes had far more positive samples (85%) using the FMDV-NS versus the FMDV type O (10%), consistent with the latter test's lower sensitivity for antibodies against SAT serotypes. Based on the current investigation, the FMDV type O ELISA may be limited by the presence of SAT serotypes. The FMD NS assay worked well as a screening test for antibodies against all FMDV serotypes present in Uganda; however, as long as nonpurified vaccines are applied in the region, this test cannot be used to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals.