Value Creation in Professional Service Processes. Propositions for Understanding Financial Value from a Customer Perspective

Many service management studies have suggested that service providers benefit from having long-term relationships with customers, but the argument from a customer perspective has been vague. However, especially in the business-to-business context, an analysis of financial value creation seems appropriate also from a customer perspective. Hence, the aim of this study is to develop a framework for understanding monetary value creation in professional service assignments from a customer perspective. The contribution of this study is an improved insight and framework for understanding financial value creation from a customer perspective in a professional service delivery process. The sources for monetary differences between transactional and long-term service providers are identified and quantified in case settings. This study contributes to the existing literature in service and relationship management by extending the customer’s viewpoint from perceived value to measurable monetary value. The contribution to the professional services lies in the process focus as opposed to the outcome focus, which is often accentuated in the existing professional services literature. The findings from the qualitative data suggest that a customer company may benefit from having an improved understanding of the service delivery (service assignment) process and the factors affecting the monetary value creation during the process. It is suggested that long-term relationships with service providers create financial value in the case settings in the short term. The findings also indicate that by using the improved understanding, a customer company can make more informed decisions when selecting a service provider for a specific assignment. Mirel Leino is associated with CERS, the Center for Relationship Marketing and Service Management at the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration

Fading Customer Relationships

This dissertation is based on the assumption that fading customer relationships are important phenomena to understand in order for companies to prevent a future relationship termination, manage a desired relationship termination, or manage the situation where the relationship strength temporarily or permanently has weakened but where the customer still stays with the same service provider. It is assumed that fading could take different forms and develop through a range of different processes. The purpose of the thesis is therefore to define and describe fading, reveal different types of fading relationship processes, and discuss the dynamics of these processes. In services literature there is a lack of research focusing on the weakening of customer relationships. Fading therefore represents a new approach to understanding issues related to the ending of customer relationships. A fading relationship process could precede a relationship ending, but could also represent a temporal weakening of the relationship without leading to termination. It thus distinguishes the concept from other concepts within ending research which focus solely on relationships that have been terminated, taking a larger aspect of the relationship into account (as a relationship could build on constant changes). A pilot study created an understanding of difficulties related to understanding and detecting fading customer relationship, which led to a follow-up study incorporating qualitative interviews in relationship dyads characterised as fading with both private banking customers and their respective financial advisor. The focus remained on the understanding of the fading process resulting in a model for analysing different types of fading processes. Four types of fading processes were also revealed; the crash landing process, the altitude drop process, the fizzle out process and the try out process. The dissertation contributes to a broadened understanding of different types of fading processes within the research area of ending relationships emphasising the dynamic aspects of the phenomenon. Managerial implications include the management of different types of fading processes and also the understanding of the financial advisor’s role in influencing the development of these processes. Helena Åkerlund is associated with CERS, the Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management at Hanken, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Helsinki

Structure-function relationships of icosahedral plant viruses

X-ray diffraction studies on single crystals of a few viruses have led to the elucidation of their three dimensional structure at near atomic resolution. Both the tertiary structure of the coat protein subunit and the quaternary morganization of the icosahedral capsid in these viruses are remarkably similar. These studies have led to a critical re-examination of the structural principles in the architecture of isometric viruses and suggestions of alternative mechanisms of assembly. Apart from their role in the assembly of the virus particle, the coat proteins of certian viruses have been shown to inhibit the replication of the cognate RNA leading to cross-protection. The coat protein amino acid sequence and the genomic sequence of several spherical plant RNA viruses have been determined in the last decade. Experimental data on the mechanisms of uncoating, gene expression and replication of several classes of viruses have also become available. The function of the non-structural proteins of some viruses have been determined. This rapid progress has provided a wealth of information on several key steps in the life cycle of RNA viruses. The function of the viral coat protein, capsid architecture, assembly and disassembly and replication of isometric RNA plant viruses are discussed in the light of this accumulated knowledge.

Professional Driving : An Emphasis on Organizational Safety Climate

According to the literature and statistical figures, professional drivers constitute a high-risk group in traffic and should be investigated in connection with the factors related to safe driving. However, safety-related behaviours and outcomes among professional drivers have attracted very little attention from safety researchers. In addition, comparing different professional and non-professional driver groups in terms of critical on-the-road characteristics and outcomes has been indicated in the literature as being necessary for a more comprehensive understanding of driver groups and the nature of driving itself. The aim of the present study was to investigate professional driving from a safety climate stand point in relation to predominant driving-related factors and by considering the differences between driver groups. Hence, four Sub-studies were conducted according to a framework emphasizing the relationships between safety climate, driver groups, driver stress, human factors (i.e., driver behaviour and performance) and accidents. Demographic information, as well as data for driver behaviour, performance, and driver stress was collected by questionnaire. The data was analysed using factor analysis, analysis of covariance as well as hierarchical and logistic regression analysis. The results revealed multi-dimensional factor structures for the safety climate measures. Considering the relationships between variables, differences were evidenced regarding on-the-road stress reactions, risky driver behaviours and penalties, between the various professional and non-professional driver groups. Driver stress was found to be related to accidents. The results also indicated that the safety climate has positive relationships with both driver behaviour and performance, and as well as involvement in accidents. The present study has a number of critical implications resulting from the fact that the way in which the effects of safety climate on professional driving were investigated, as well as the differences between professional and non-professional driver groups, was unique. Additionally, for the first time, a safety climate scale was developed specifically for professional drivers. According to the results of the study and to previous literature, a tentative model was proposed representing a possible route for the relationships between safety climate, human factors, driver stress, driver groups and accidents, by emphasizing the effects of safety climate.

Characterization of the DNA-binding domain of beta protein, a component of phage lambda Red-pathway by UV catalyzed cross-linking

beta protein, a key component of Red-pathway of phage lambda is necessary for its growth and general genetic recombination in recombination-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli. To facilitate studies on structure-function relationships, we overexpressed beta protein and purified it to homogeneity. A chemical cross-linking reagent, glutaraldehyde, was used to stabilize the physical association of beta protein in solution. A 67-kDa band, corresponding to homodimer, was identified after separation by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Stoichiometric measurements indicated a site-size of 1 monomer of beta protein/5 nucleotide residues. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays suggested that beta protein formed stable nucleoprotein complexes with 36-mer, but not with 27- or 17-mer DNA. Interestingly, the interaction of beta protein with DNA and the stability of nucleoprotein complexes was dependent on the presence of MgCl2, and the binding was abolished by 250 mM NaCl. The K-d of beta protein binding to 36-mer DNA was on the order of 1.8 x 10(-6) M. Photochemical cross-linking of native beta protein or its fragments, generated by chymotrypsin, to 36-mer DNA was performed to identify its DNA-binding domain. Characterization of the cross-linked peptide disclosed that amino acids required for DNA-binding specificity resided within a 20-kDa peptide at the N-terminal end. These findings provide a basis for further understanding oi the structure and function of beta protein.

Cross-taxon surrogacy of biodiversity in the Indian Garhwal Himalaya

Biodiversity surveys were conducted in 13, 10x50 m(2) plots located between 1400 to 3100 in abode mean sea level in a range of habitats in temperate mixed Oak and Coniferous forests through sub-alpine to the alpine grasslands in Chamoli district of Uttaranchal state in the Indian Garhwal Himalaya. Cross-taxon congruence in biodiversity (alpha-diversity and beta-diversity) across macrolichens, mosses, liverworts, woody plants (shrubs and trees) and ants was investigated, so as to examine the extent to which these group, of organisms can function as Surrogates for each other. Although woody plants provided a major substrate for macrolichens and mosses, there was no species-specific association between them. Woody plant species richness was highly positively correlated with mosses (r(2) = 0.63, P < 0.001) but the relationship, as not particularly very strong with lichens and liverworts. While there was a significant correlation in the species turnover (β-diversity) of macrolichens with mosses (r(2) = 0.21 P < 0.005). the relationship was relatively poor with the woody plants. On the other hand. negative correlations emerged in the species richness of ants with those of macrolichens, mosses and woody plants (r(2) = -0.44 P < 0.05). but most of the complementarity (turnover) relationships among them were positive, Since diversity between taxonomic hierarchies within the group was consistently significantly positively correlated in all these taxa, the higher taxonomic categories Such as genus and family may be employed as surrogates for rapid assessment and monitoring of species diversity, Although no single group other than macrolichens has emerged as a good indicator of changes in species richness in all other groups, some concordant relationships between them conform to the hypothesis that species assemblages of certain taxonomic groups could still be used as surrogates for efficient monitoring of species diversity in other groups whose distribution may further predict the importance of conserving overall biodiversity in landscapes such as the Garhwal Himalaya. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-Guided Clustering: Transfer of Relevant Supervision across Tasks

Lack of supervision in clustering algorithms often leads to clusters that are not useful or interesting to human reviewers. We investigate if supervision can be automatically transferred for clustering a target task, by providing a relevant supervised partitioning of a dataset from a different source task. The target clustering is made more meaningful for the human user by trading-off intrinsic clustering goodness on the target task for alignment with relevant supervised partitions in the source task, wherever possible. We propose a cross-guided clustering algorithm that builds on traditional k-means by aligning the target clusters with source partitions. The alignment process makes use of a cross-task similarity measure that discovers hidden relationships across tasks. When the source and target tasks correspond to different domains with potentially different vocabularies, we propose a projection approach using pivot vocabularies for the cross-domain similarity measure. Using multiple real-world and synthetic datasets, we show that our approach improves clustering accuracy significantly over traditional k-means and state-of-the-art semi-supervised clustering baselines, over a wide range of data characteristics and parameter settings.

Scale-dependent relationships between tree species richness and ecosystem function in forests

1. The relationship between species richness and ecosystem function, as measured by productivity or biomass, is of long-standing theoretical and practical interest in ecology. This is especially true for forests, which represent a majority of global biomass, productivity and biodiversity. 2. Here, we conduct an analysis of relationships between tree species richness, biomass and productivity in 25 forest plots of area 8-50ha from across the world. The data were collected using standardized protocols, obviating the need to correct for methodological differences that plague many studies on this topic. 3. We found that at very small spatial grains (0.04ha) species richness was generally positively related to productivity and biomass within plots, with a doubling of species richness corresponding to an average 48% increase in productivity and 53% increase in biomass. At larger spatial grains (0.25ha, 1ha), results were mixed, with negative relationships becoming more common. The results were qualitatively similar but much weaker when we controlled for stem density: at the 0.04ha spatial grain, a doubling of species richness corresponded to a 5% increase in productivity and 7% increase in biomass. Productivity and biomass were themselves almost always positively related at all spatial grains. 4. Synthesis. This is the first cross-site study of the effect of tree species richness on forest biomass and productivity that systematically varies spatial grain within a controlled methodology. The scale-dependent results are consistent with theoretical models in which sampling effects and niche complementarity dominate at small scales, while environmental gradients drive patterns at large scales. Our study shows that the relationship of tree species richness with biomass and productivity changes qualitatively when moving from scales typical of forest surveys (0.04ha) to slightly larger scales (0.25 and 1ha). This needs to be recognized in forest conservation policy and management.

La arqueología comercial en España: ¿un sistema sectorial de innovación?

[ES] La publicación de la Ley de Patrimonio Histórico Español en 1985 y el desarrollo de la construcción, especialmente de grandes infraestructuras, en la primera década del siglo XXI han sido los factores desencadenantes de la arqueología comercial en España.

Relationships between Larval and Juvenile Abundance of Winter-Spawned Fishes in North Carolina, USA

We analyzed the relationships between the larval and juvenile abundances of selected estuarine-dependent fishes that spawn during the winter in continental shelf waters of the U.S. Atlantic coast. Six species were included in the analysis based on their ecological and economic importance and relative abundance in available surveys: spot Leiostomus xanthurus, pinfish Lagodon rhomboides, southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma, summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus, and Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus. Cross-correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between the larval and juvenile abundances within species. Tests of synchrony across species were used to find similarities in recruitment dynamics for species with similar winter shelf-spawning life-history strategies. Positive correlations were found between the larval and juvenile abundances for three of the six selected species (spot, pinfish, and southern flounder). These three species have similar geographic ranges that primarily lie south of Cape Hatteras. There were no significant correlations between the larval and juvenile abundances for the other three species (summer flounder, Atlantic croaker, and Atlantic menhaden); we suggest several factors that could account for the lack of a relationship. Synchrony was found among the three southern species within both the larval and juvenile abundance time series. These results provide support for using larval ingress measures as indices of abundance for these and other species with similar geographic ranges and winter shelf-spawning life-history strategies.

A measurement of inclusive quasi-elastic electron scattering cross sections at high momentum transfer

We have measured inclusive electron-scattering cross sections for targets of ^(4)He, C, Al, Fe, and Au, for kinematics spanning the quasi-elastic peak, with squared, four­ momentum transfers (q^2) between 0.23 and 2.89 (GeV/c)^2. Additional data were measured for Fe with q^2's up to 3.69 (GeV/c)^2 These cross sections were analyzed for the y-scaling behavior expected from a simple, impulse-approximation model, and are found to approach a scaling limit at the highest q^2's. The q^2 approach to scaling is compared with a calculation for infinite nuclear matter, and relationships between the scaling function and nucleon momentum distributions are discussed. Deviations from perfect scaling are used to set limits on possible changes in the size of nucleons inside the nucleus.

Enhancement of three-photon absorption cross-sections in a novel class of symmetrical charge transfer fluorene-based molecules

The three-photon absorption effect (3PA) of two novel symmetrical charge transfer fluorene-based molecules (abbreviated as BASF and BMOSF) has been determined by using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser pumped with 38 ps pulses at 1064 nm in DMF. The measured 3PA cross-sections are 84 x 10(-78) and 114 x 10(-78) cm(6) s(2), respectively. The geometries and electronic excitations of these two molecules are systematically studied by PM3 and ZINDO/S methods. The relationships between 3PA cross-sections and intramolecular charge transfer are discussed micromechanically. The experimental and theoretical results have shown that the larger intramolecular charge transfer, which was characterized by the charge density difference between the ground state (SO) and the first excited state (S-I), the greater enhancement of the 3PA cross-sections. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Refined genome-wide comparative map of the domestic horse, donkey and human based on cross-species chromosome painting: insight into the occasional fertility of mules

We have made a complete set of painting probes for the domestic horse by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR amplification of flow-sorted horse chromosomes. The horse probes, together with a full set of those available for human, were hybridized onto metaphase chromosomes of human, horse and mule. Based on the hybridization results, we have generated genome-wide comparative chromosome maps involving the domestic horse, donkey and human. These maps define the overall distribution and boundaries of evolutionarily conserved chromosomal segments in the three genomes. Our results shed further light on the karyotypic relationships among these species and, in particular, the chromosomal rearrangements that underlie hybrid sterility and the occasional fertility of mules.

The adoption of sustainable remediation behaviour in the US and UK: a cross country comparison and determinant analysis.

The sustainable remediation concept, aimed at maximizing the net environmental, social, and economic benefits in contaminated site remediation, is being increasingly recognized by industry, governments, and academia. However, there is limited understanding of actual sustainable behaviour being adopted and the determinants of such sustainable behaviour. The present study identified 27 sustainable practices in remediation. An online questionnaire survey was used to rank and compare them in the US (n=112) and the UK (n=54). The study also rated ten promoting factors, nine barriers, and 17 types of stakeholders' influences. Subsequently, factor analysis and general linear models were used to determine the effects of internal characteristics (i.e. country, organizational characteristics, professional role, personal experience and belief) and external forces (i.e. promoting factors, barriers, and stakeholder influences). It was found that US and UK practitioners adopted many sustainable practices to similar extents. Both US and UK practitioners perceived the most effectively adopted sustainable practices to be reducing the risk to site workers, protecting groundwater and surface water, and reducing the risk to the local community. Comparing the two countries, we found that the US adopted innovative in-situ remediation more effectively; while the UK adopted reuse, recycling, and minimizing material usage more effectively. As for the overall determinants of sustainable remediation, the country of origin was found not to be a significant determinant. Instead, organizational policy was found to be the most important internal characteristic. It had a significant positive effect on reducing distant environmental impact, sustainable resource usage, and reducing remediation cost and time (p<0.01). Customer competitive pressure was found to be the most extensively significant external force. In comparison, perceived stakeholder influence, especially that of primary stakeholders (site owner, regulator, and primary consultant), did not appear to have as extensive a correlation with the adoption of sustainability as one would expect.

Quantitative structure-property relationships for octanol-air partition coefficients of polychlorinated naphthalenes, chlorobenzenes and p,p '-DDT

The octanol-air partition coefficient (K-OA) is a key descriptor of chemicals partitioning between the atmosphere and environmental organic phases. Quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR) are necessary to model and predict KOA from molecular structures. Based on 12 quantum chemical descriptors computed by the PM3 Hamiltonian, using partial least squares (PLS) analysis, a QSPR model for logarithms of K-OA to base 10 (log K-OA) for polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), chlorobenzenes and p,p'-DDT was obtained. The cross-validated Q(cum)(2) value of the model is 0.973, indicating a good predictive ability of the model. The main factors governing log K-OA of the PCNs, chlorobenzenes, and p,p'-DDT are, in order of decreasing importance, molecular size and molecular ability of donating/accepting electrons to participate in intermolecular interactions. The intermolecular dispersive interactions play a leading role in governing log K-OA. The more chlorines in PCN and chlorobenzene molecules, the greater the log K-OA values. Increasing E-LUMO (the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) of the molecules leads to decreasing log K-OA values, implying possible intermolecular interactions between the molecules under study and octanol molecules. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.