Place illusion and plausibility can lead to realistic behaviour in immersive virtual environments

In this paper address we the question as to why participants tend to respond realistically to situations and events portrayed within an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) system. The idea is put forward, based on experience of a large number of experimental studies, that there are two orthogonal components that contribute to this realistic response. The first is"being there", often called"presence", the qualia of having a sensation of being in a real place. We call this Place Illusion (PI). Second, Plausibility Illusion (Psi) refers to the illusion that the scenario being depicted is actually occurring. In the case of both PI and Psi the participant knows for sure that that they are not"there" and that the events are not occurring. PI is constrained by the sensorimotor contingencies afforded by the virtual reality system. Psi is determined by the extent to which the system can produce events that directly relate to the participant, and the overall credibility of the scenario being depicted in comparison with expectations. We argue that when both PI and Psi occur, participants will respond realistically to the virtual reality.

The Same, but Different: Central Banks, Regulatory Agencies, and the Politics of Delegation to Independent Authorities

Independent regulatory agencies are the institutional foundations of the regulatory state that, during the past 15 years, has gained prominence throughout Europe. This article studies the rise of independent authorities in European countries by comparing regulatory agencies and central banks. Delegation to independent central banks and to independent regulatory agencies is similar in many respects. In both cases, agents are deliberately made independent from political principals through a specific institutional design. Moreover, it has been argued that delegation to both central banks and regulatory agencies is linked to the need for policy-makers to improve the credibility of policy commitments, to the wish of incumbent politicians to tie the hands of future majorities, and to the extent to which the institutional contexts safeguard policy stability. Through an analysis of the formal independence of central banks and regulatory agencies in Western Europe, this article identifies an empirical puzzle that casts doubts on the accuracy of current explanations. Veto players and the uncertainty of incumbent policy-makers in respect to their re-election prospects matter for delegation to both central banks and regulatory agencies, but in opposite ways. Making sense of these anomalies is necessary to achieve a better understanding of delegation to independent authorities.

Association of socioeconomic status with sleep disturbances in the Swiss population-based CoLaus study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with subjective and objective sleep disturbances and the role of socio-demographic, behavioural and psychological factors in explaining this association. METHODS: Analyses are based on 3391 participants (53% female, aged 40-81 years) of the follow-up of the CoLaus study (2009-2012), a population-based sample of the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. All participants completed a sleep questionnaire and a sub-sample (N = 1569) underwent polysomnography. RESULTS: Compared with men with a high SES, men with a low SES were more likely to suffer from poor sleep quality [prevalence ratio (PR) for occupational position = 1.68, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.30-2.17], and to have long sleep latency (PR = 4.90, 95%CI: 2.14-11.17), insomnia (PR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.12-1.93) and short sleep duration (PR = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.78-5.18). The same pattern was observed among women (PR = 1.29 for sleep quality, 2.34 for sleep latency, 2.01 for daytime sleepiness, 3.16 for sleep duration, 95%CIs ranging from 1.00 to 7.51). Use of sleep medications was not patterned by SES. SES differences in sleep disturbances were only marginally attenuated by adjustment for other socio-demographic, behavioural and psychological factors. Results from polysomnography confirmed poorer sleep patterns among participants with low SES (p <0.05 for sleep efficiency/stage shifts), but no SES differences were found for sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based sample, low SES was strongly associated with sleep disturbances, independently of socio-demographic, behavioural, and psychological factors. Further research should establish the extent to which social differences in sleep contribute to socioeconomic differences in health outcomes.

From trade to industry. The wine production sector in the Penedès Denomination of Origin, 1940-2000

[cat] Aquest treball té com a objectiu mostrar el grau en què el sector de la producció de vi a la Denominació d'Origen Penedès ha respost als reptes que s’han plantejat tant en termes de l'oferta (de consolidació i sorgiment dels països productors fora de l'esfera europea tradicional) i de la demanda (caiguda de la el consum de vi i els nous hàbits de consum) durant la segona meitat del segle XX. El document analitza l'evolució del sector a la regió des del començament de la dècada de 1940 fins a la fi del segle. Amb la fi de la Guerra Civil de 1936-1939 el sector va haver d'afrontar una caiguda de la producció, la qual va continuar concentrant-se en la comercialització de vins tradicionals. Aquesta situació va canviar quan, a finals de la dècada de 1960, la demanda es va girar cada vegada més als vins de major qualitat embotellats. Des del punt de vista legislatiu, la resposta es va centrar en la innovació tecnològica i la reestructuració de l'empresa. Aquest període va ser testimoni de la introducció de nous equips i processos, com ara l’acer inoxidable i tancs de fermentació a temperatura controlada, amb els vins embotellats expulsant el vi a granel i la transformació dels grans magatzemistes en cellers i caves. A més, una de les principals característiques del període 1970-1985 va ser la formació dels grans conglomerats empresarials dels vins i del cava. L’entrada d'Espanya a la Unió Europea el 1986 va impulsar una acceleració d'aquest procés de transformació, deixant el sector format principalment per empreses que produeixen vins i caves, que han introduït els vins negres i varietals en la seva oferta de productes, que posseeixen moltes hectàrees de vinyes i en molts casos, que han mostrat una clara intenció de penetrar en el mercat internacional.

From trade to industry. The wine production sector in the Penedès Denomination of Origin, 1940-2000

[cat] Aquest treball té com a objectiu mostrar el grau en què el sector de la producció de vi a la Denominació d'Origen Penedès ha respost als reptes que s’han plantejat tant en termes de l'oferta (de consolidació i sorgiment dels països productors fora de l'esfera europea tradicional) i de la demanda (caiguda de la el consum de vi i els nous hàbits de consum) durant la segona meitat del segle XX. El document analitza l'evolució del sector a la regió des del començament de la dècada de 1940 fins a la fi del segle. Amb la fi de la Guerra Civil de 1936-1939 el sector va haver d'afrontar una caiguda de la producció, la qual va continuar concentrant-se en la comercialització de vins tradicionals. Aquesta situació va canviar quan, a finals de la dècada de 1960, la demanda es va girar cada vegada més als vins de major qualitat embotellats. Des del punt de vista legislatiu, la resposta es va centrar en la innovació tecnològica i la reestructuració de l'empresa. Aquest període va ser testimoni de la introducció de nous equips i processos, com ara l’acer inoxidable i tancs de fermentació a temperatura controlada, amb els vins embotellats expulsant el vi a granel i la transformació dels grans magatzemistes en cellers i caves. A més, una de les principals característiques del període 1970-1985 va ser la formació dels grans conglomerats empresarials dels vins i del cava. L’entrada d'Espanya a la Unió Europea el 1986 va impulsar una acceleració d'aquest procés de transformació, deixant el sector format principalment per empreses que produeixen vins i caves, que han introduït els vins negres i varietals en la seva oferta de productes, que posseeixen moltes hectàrees de vinyes i en molts casos, que han mostrat una clara intenció de penetrar en el mercat internacional.

Language Ability and Motivation among Foreigners in Survey Responding

With increasing migration and linguistic diversification in many countries, survey researchers and methodologists should consider whether data provided by individuals with variable levels of command of the survey language are of the same quality. This paper examines the question of whether answers from resident foreign respondents who do not master available survey languages may suffer from problems of comprehension of survey items, especially items that are more complicated in terms of content and/or form. In addition, it addresses the extent to which motivation may affect the response quality of resident foreigners. We analyzed data from two large-scale surveys conducted in Switzerland, a country with three national languages and a burgeoning foreign population, employing a set of dependent measures of response quality, including don't know responses, extreme responding, mid-5 responding, recency effects, and straight-lining. Results show overall poorer response quality among foreigners, and indicate that both reduced language mastery and motivation among foreigners are relevant factors. This is especially true for foreign groups from countries that do not share a common language with those spoken in Switzerland. A general conclusion is that the more distant respondents are culturally and linguistically from the majority mainstream within a country, the more their data may be negatively affected. We found that more complex types of questions do generally lead to poorer response quality, but to a much lesser extent than respondent characteristics, such as nationality, command of the survey language, level of education, and age.

Availability, Cost or Culture ? : Obstacles to Childcare Services for Low-Income Families

Recent research has highlighted the existence of a social bias in the extent to which children have access to childcare. In general, children living in higher income households are more likely to be cared for in childcare centres. While the existence of a social bias in access to childcare services has been clearly demonstrated, we currently lack a clear explanation as to why this is the case. This paper uses a unique dataset based on survey data collected specifically to study patterns of childcare use in the Swiss canton of Vaud (N = 875). The paper exploits the variation in the way childcare is organised within the canton. Childcare is a municipal policy, as a result of which there are twenty-nine different systems in operation. Fees are progressive everywhere, but variation is substantial. Availability is also very different. This peculiar institutional setup provides an ideal situation to examine the determinants of childcare use by different income groups. Our findings suggest that differences in the fees charged to low-income households, as well as the degree of progressivity of the fee structure, are significant predictors of use, while availability seems to matter less.

Corporate governancen raportointi, case Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaa

Tämän tutkielman tarkoitus oli tutkia corporate governancen raportointia suomalaisen normiston mukaan. Suositus listayhtiöiden hallinnointi- ja ohjausjärjestelmästä (corporate governance) tuli voimaan vuonna 2004, ja se on tarkoitettu Helsingin Pörssissä listattujen yhtiöiden noudatettavaksi. Listaamattomien yhtiöiden hallinnoinnin kehittämisestä (corporate governance) Keskuskauppakamari julkaisi vuonna 2006 asialuettelon. Laajasti omistetut osuuskunnat Keskuskauppakamari huomioi vuonna 2006 erillisessä kannanotossa, jonka mukaan laajasti omistettujen osuuskuntien tulisi noudattaa nykyistä listayhtiöille annettua suositusta siltä osin, kuin se on mahdollista. Tutkielman teoreettinen viitekehys käsittelee corporate governancen ja sen raportoinnin taustateorioita sekä corporate governancen suomalaista normistoa. Corporate governanen ja sen raportoinnin taustateorioita ovat tässä tutkimuksessa agenttiteoria, stewardship - teoria, stakeholder -teoria, legitimacy -teoria ja transaktiokustannusteoria. Corporate governancen raportointia käytännössä on tutkittu benchmarking-tutkimuksen avulla. Tutkielman empiirisen osan case-tutkimus on tehty Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaassa. Case-tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli löytää kohdeyrityksen corporate governancen raportoinnista kehityskohteita. Tutkimuksen tuloksissa näkyy corporate governancen raportoinnin vapaaehtoisuus sekä osuuskuntamuotoisen yrityksen erityispiirteet.

A relational approach to the geography of innovation: a typology of regions

The aim of this study was to devise a method for computing a composite indicator that measures the regional degree of exposure to external knowledge sources. On the basis of this indicator, we propose a typology of regions according to their potential capacity to access extra-local items of knowledge, which might help them to recombine complementary elements of such an asset to produce a higher number of new ideas. Building on various research streams that have been relatively independent to date, we summarize a non-exhaustive instrumental list of recent studies that motivates our approach and the construction of our complex indicator, which can be used to appraise the extent to which each region is in an optimal position to access external innovative resources.

Ownership Effects on Unrelated Diversification: An Institutions' Perspective

Purpose To show that differences in the extent to which firms engage in unrelated diversification can be attributed to differences in ownership structure. Methodology/approach We draw on longitudinal data and use a panel analysis specification to test our hypotheses. Findings We find that unrelated diversification destroys value; pressure-sensitive Anglo-American owners in a firm’s equity reduce unrelated diversification, whereas pressure-resistant domestic owners increase unrelated diversification; the greater the firm’s free cash flow, the greater the negative effect of pressure-sensitive Anglo-American owners on unrelated diversification. Research limitations/implications We contribute to corporate governance and strategy research by bringing in owners’ institutional origin as a shaper of owner preferences in particular with regards to unrelated diversification. Future research may expand our investigation to more than one home institutional context, and theorize on institutional origin effects beyond the dichotomy between Anglo-American and non-Anglo-American (not oriented toward shareholder value maximization) owners. Practical implications Policy makers, financial analysts, owners, and managers may want to reflect about the implications of ownership structure, as well as promoting or joining corporations with particular ownership configurations. Social implications A shareholder value-destroying strategy, such as unrelated diversification has adverse consequences for society at large, in terms of opportunity costs, that is, resources could be allocated to value-creating activities instead. Promoting an ownership configuration that creates value should contribute to social welfare. Originality/value Owners may not be exclusively driven by shareholder value maximization, but can be influenced by normative beliefs (biases) stemming from the institutional context they originate from.

Towards a Network Government? A critical analysis of current assessment methods for e-Government

Contemporary public administrations have become increasingly more complex, having to cordinate actions with emerging actors in the public and the private spheres. In this scenario the modern ICTs have begun to be seen as an ideal vehicle to resolve some of the problems of public administration. We argue that there is a clear need to explore the extent to which public administrations are undergoing a process of transformation towards a netowork government linked to the systematic incorporation of ICTs in their basic activities. Through critically analysing a selection of e-government evaluation reports, we conclude that research should be carried out if we are to build a solid government assessment framework based on network-like organisation characteristics.

Competitive flexibility in systems supplier companies in mechanical engineering industry

Systems suppliers are focal actors in mechanical engineering supply chains, in between general contractors and component suppliers. This research concentrates on the systems suppliers’ competitive flexibility, as a competitive advantage that the systems supplier gains from independence from the competitive forces of the market. The aim is to study the roles that power, dependence relations, social capital, and interorganizational learning have on the competitive flexibility. Research on this particular theme is scarce thus far. The research method applied here is the inductive multiple case study. Interviews from four case companies were used as main source of the qualitative data. The literature review presents previous literature on subcontracting, supply chain flexibility, supply chain relationships, social capital and interorganizational learning. The result of this study are seven propositions and consequently a model on the effects that the dominance of sales of few customers, power of competitors, significance of the manufactured system in the end product, professionalism in procurement and the significance of brand products in the business have on the competitive flexibility. These relationships are moderated by either social capital or interorganizational learning. The main results obtained from this study revolve around social capital and interorganizational learning, which have beneficial effects on systems suppliers’ competitive flexibility, by moderating the effects of other constructs of the model. Further research on this topic should include quantitative research to provide the extent to which the results can be reliably generalized. Also each construct of the model gives possible focus for more thorough research.

Marketing culture of Finnish research libraries : an analysis of marketing attitude, knowledge and behaviour

The aim of the present dissertation is to investigate the marketing culture of research libraries in Finland and to understand the awareness of the knowledge base of library management concerning modern marketing theories and practices. The study was based onthe notion that a leader in an organisation can have large impact on its culture. Therefore, it was considered important to learn about the market orientation that initiates at the top management and flows throughout the whole organisationthus resulting in a particular kind of library culture. The study attempts to examine the marketing culture of libraries by analysing the marketing attitudes, knowledge (underlying beliefs, values and assumptions), behaviour (market orientation), operational policies and activities, and their service performance (customer satisfaction). The research was based on the assumption that if the top management of libraries has market oriented behaviour, then their marketing attitudes, knowledge, operational policies and activities and service performance should also be in accordance. The dissertation attempts to connect all these theoretical threads of marketing culture. It investigates thirty three academic and special libraries in the south of Finland. The library director and three to ten customers from each library participated as respondents in this study. An integrated methodological approach of qualitative as well as quantitative methods was used to gain knowledge on the pertinent issues lying behind the marketing culture of research libraries. The analysis of the whole dissertation reveals that the concept of marketing has very varied status in the Finnish research libraries. Based on the entire findings, three kinds of marketing cultures were emerged: the strong- the high fliers; the medium- the brisk runners; and the weak- the slow walkers. The high fliers appeared to be modern marketing believers as their marketing approach was customer oriented and found to be closer to the emerging notions of contemporary relational marketing. The brisk runners were found to be traditional marketing advocates as their marketing approach is more `library centred¿than customer defined and thus is in line of `product orientation¿ i.e. traditional marketing. `Let the interested customers come to the library¿ was appeared to be the hallmark of the slow walkers. Application of conscious market orientation is not reflected in the library activities of the slow walkers. Instead their values, ideology and approach to serving the library customers is more in tuneof `usual service oriented Finnish way¿. The implication of the research is that it pays to be market oriented which results in higher customer satisfaction oflibraries. Moreover, it is emphasised that the traditional user based service philosophy of Finnish research libraries should not be abandoned but it needs to be further developed by building a relational based marketing system which will help the libraries to become more efficient and effective from the customers¿ viewpoint. The contribution of the dissertation lies in the framework showing the linkages between the critical components of the marketing culture of a library: antecedents, market orientation, facilitators and consequences. The dissertationdelineates the significant underlying dimensions of market-oriented behaviour of libraries which are namely customer philosophy, inter-functional coordination,strategic orientation, responsiveness, pricing orientation and competition orientation. The dissertation also showed the extent to which marketing attitudes, behaviour, knowledge were related and impact of market orientation on the serviceperformance of libraries. A strong positive association was found to exist between market orientation and marketing attitudes and knowledge. Moreover, it also shows that a higher market orientation is positively connected with the service performance of libraries, the ultimate result being higher customer satisfaction. The analysis shows that a genuine marketing culture represents a synthesis of certain marketing attitudes, knowledge and of selective practices. This finding is particularly significant in the sense that it manifests that marketing culture consists of a certain sets of beliefs and knowledge (which form a specific attitude towards marketing) and implementation of a certain set of activities that actually materialize the attitude of marketing into practice (market orientation) leading to superior service performance of libraries.

The history of Lapland : containing a geographical description, and a natural history of that country; with an account of the inhabitants, their original, religion, customs, habits, marriages, conjurations, employments, &c. Written by John Scheffer, ... Translated from the last edition in Latin, and illustrated with many curious copper-cutts. To which are added, the travels of the King of Sweden's mathematicians into Lapland: the history of Livonia, and the wars there: also a journey into Lapland, Finland, &c. Written by Dr. Olof Rudbeck in the year 1701

Added engraved title page: The history of Lapland.

The Effects of Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Customer Perceived Value on Behavioral Intentions

The intent of this research was to develop a model that describes the extent to which customer behavioral intentions are influenced by service quality, customer satisfaction and customer perceived value in the business-to-business service context. Research on customer behavioral intentions is quite fragmented and no generalized model has been presented. Thus, there was need for empirical testing. This study builds on the services marketing theory and assesses the relationships between the identified constructs. The data for the empirical analysis was collected via a quantitative online survey and a total of 226 usable responses were obtained for further analysis. The model was tested in an employment agency service setting. The measures used in this survey were first assessed by using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) after which the hypothesized relationships were further verified using structural equation modeling (SEM) in LISREL 8.80. The analysis identified that customer satisfaction played a pivotal role in the model as it was the only direct antecedent of customer behavioral intentions, however, customer perceived value showed a strong indirect impact on buying intentions via customer satisfaction. In contrast to what was hypothesized, service quality and customer perceived value did not have a direct positive effect on behavioral intentions. Also, a contradicting finding with current literature was that sacrifice was argued to have a direct but positive impact on customer perceived value. Based on the findings in this study, managers should carefully think of their service strategies that lead to their customers’ favorable behavioral intentions.