Sweetcorn colour change and consumer perception associated with increasing zeaxanthin for the amelioration of age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Increasing dietary intake of lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods is a potential means of preventing, or at least slowing the progression of AMD. Zeaxanthin levels in tropical super-sweetcorn was increased from 1.1 to 11.9 µg/g FW through conventional breeding and selection, associated with both an increase in the proportion of zeaxanthin relative to other carotenoids, and a general increase in carotenoid synthesis. Increasing zeaxanthin was associated with a colour shift from traditional ‘canary-yellow’ kernels to a golden-orange colour. Kernel colour was most closely correlated (r2=69%) with an increase in beta-arm carotenoid concentration. Consumer analysis revealed that prior to any knowledge of zeaxanthin-related health benefit, consumers would readily purchase both yellow and gold cobs. Once the health benefit was explained, this extended to deep-gold cobs. Colour difference between regular yellow sweetcorn and high-zeaxanthin sweetcorn could potentially be used as a visual means of differentiating high-zeaxanthin sweetcorn in the marketplace.

We are what we eat: The demise of the ethical grocery shopper

In 1954, American consumer behaviour academic, Gregory Stone identified four different types of consumers. Consisting of 150 in-depth interviews, Stone’s research found there was an “economic” shopper, who was after bargains, a “personalising” shopper, who liked interaction with staff, and an “apathetic” shopper, who was disillusioned and unengaged in shopping activity. Then there was the “ethical” grocery shopper – consumers who demonstrated a moral obligation to patronise local merchants, purchase locally produced products and felt the need to “shop where they ought to”. This ethical shopper was willing to sacrifice lower prices, convenience and range, in order to “help the little guys out”.The idea of the ethical shopper has since taken hold in mainstream retailing. But my new research has suggested that socially responsible consumption may be a thing of the past.

Schoolman family papers, undated, 1889-1994

The Schoolman Papers reflect Dr. Albert P. and Mrs. Bertha Schoolmans' staunch dedication to Jewish education, Jewish causes, and Israel. Bertha Schoolman, a lifelong member of Hadassah, assisted thousands of Israeli youth as chairman of the Youth Aliyah Committee. Her diaries, photos, scrapbooks, and correspondence record her numerous visits to Israel on which she helped set up schools, met with Israeli dignitaries, and participated in Zionist Conferences and events. The collection includes a 1936 letter from Hadassah founder, Henrietta Szold, praising Mrs. Schoolman's work as well as a letter from the father of Anne Frank, thanking Mrs. Schoolman for naming a Youth Aliyah center the "Anne Frank Haven" after his later daughter.

Judah P. Benjamin collection, undated, 1838-1942.

The collection consists of 25 letters written by Benjamin between 1838 and 1881 on a variety of subjects, four Confederate notes and two bonds bearing his picture, miscellaneous items about Benjamin (1893-1942), nine issues of the Congressional globe with speeches by Benjamin, as well as separate copies of his printed speeches, and a photostatic copy of the "Diary of Events" (400 pp.) kept by Benjamin, the original of which is in the Library of Congress (1862-1864).

Cecilia Razovsky papers, undated, 1913-1971.

The papers consist of correspondence and reports of Cecelia Razovsky (married name: Davidson), noted social worker specializing in immigration and resettlement of refugees. The collection includes information about her work with the National Council of Jewish Women in the 1920's, and with the National Refugee Service (and predecessor organizations) in the 1930's. Information is included about her work as a Resettlement Supervisor in the post-World War II DP camps in Europe, and as a field worker in the southwestern U.S. for the United Service for New Americans in 1950. The collection contains reports and correspondence from her trips to South America, primarily Brazil: to explore possibilities of refugee settlement in 1937 and 1946; as a representative for United HIAS Service to aid in settling Egyptian and Hungarian refugees in 1957-58; and as a pleasure trip and evaluation of the changes in the Jewish community of the country in 1963. Also included in the collection are many of Razovsky's articles, plays, and pamphlets.

A Framework for Detecting Glaucomatous Progression in the Optic Nerve Head of an Eye Using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Often, the optic nerve head (ONH) glaucomatous damage and ONH changes occur prior to visual field loss and are observable in vivo. Thus, digital image analysis is a promising choice for detecting the onset and/or progression of glaucoma. In this paper, we present a new framework for detecting glaucomatous changes in the ONH of an eye using the method of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). A baseline topograph subspace was constructed for each eye to describe the structure of the ONH of the eye at a reference/baseline condition using POD. Any glaucomatous changes in the ONH of the eye present during a follow-up exam were estimated by comparing the follow-up ONH topography with its baseline topograph subspace representation. Image correspondence measures of L-1-norm and L-2-norm, correlation, and image Euclidean distance (IMED) were used to quantify the ONH changes. An ONH topographic library built from the Louisiana State University Experimental Glaucoma study was used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the POD-induced parameters with the parameters of the topographic change analysis (TCA) method. The IMED and L-2-norm parameters in the POD framework provided the highest AUC of 0.94 at 10 degrees. field of imaging and 0.91 at 15 degrees. field of imaging compared to the TCA parameters with an AUC of 0.86 and 0.88, respectively. The proposed POD framework captures the instrument measurement variability and inherent structure variability and shows promise for improving our ability to detect glaucomatous change over time in glaucoma management.

Baron de Hirsch Fund records undated, 1870-1991.

Contains Deed of Trust, By-Laws, Annual Reports, Corporation Minutes (1909, 1913-1919, 1923-1924, 1926-1933), Minutes of the Board of Trustees (1893, 1899, 1907, 1910, 1915-1916, 1918, 1923, 1926-1927, 1930-1933), and the minutes, correspondence, and reports of the various national and local committees. Financial materials include income and expenditure records (1891-1933), audits (1919-1923, 1926-1928), the records of agricultural loans and mortgages, bond and real estate holdings, and bequests. Includes also correspondence and other materials regarding the establishment of the Fund, correspondence of and other papers concerning the Baron and Baroness de Hirsch, and several histories of the Fund. Included in the wide range of activities are material on the work of the Agriculture Bureau and the Jewish Agriculture Society, Housing, English Classes, Immigration (including monthly reports for several ports of entry 1885-1916) and Immigrant Aid, German Refugee Aid in the early years of the Holocaust, Kings Park, N.Y. Test Farm, the Laundry Project, Peekskill Farm, Public Baths, Student Loans, the Baron de Hirsch Trade School, and the Woodbine Colony and Baron De Hirsch Agricultural & Industrial School. Contains also materials on the Colonization attempts made in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Galveston, Texas, The Southwest, Washington, Canada, and Mexico.

Consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards firms' green marketing initiatives: How do they influence green consumption?

This thesis examines green marketing and green consumption behaviours addressing limited understandings about how consumers interpret their green consumption behaviour in their everyday lives; what motivates people to purchase green products, and what barriers exist to this behaviour. Findings reveal that enhancing green consumption through green marketing depends on consumers' enthusiasm to engage in green practices and green behavioural influences. The research supports the need for qualitative research to provide rich insights into relationships between consumer behaviour, green marketing and green consumption and builds a stronger knowledge foundation by introducing social practice theory into the marketing discipline.

Relative ranking: A biased rating

Reviewers' ratings have become one of the most influential parameters when making a decision to purchase or rent the products or services from the online vendors. Star Rating system is the de-facto standard for rating a product. It is regarded as one of the most visually appealing rating systems that directly interact with the consumers; helping them find products they will like to purchase as well as register their views on the product. It offers visual advantage to pick the popular or most rated product. Any system that is not as appealing as star system will have a chance of rejection by online business community. This paper argues that, the visual advantage is not enough to declare star rating system as a triumphant, the success of a ranking system should be measured by how effectively the system helps customers make decisions that they, retrospectively, consider correct. This paper argues and suggests a novel approach of Relative Ranking within the boundaries of star rating system to overcome a few inherent disadvantages the former system comes with. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010.

Besides tracking: Simulation of RFID marketing and beyond

This paper asks a new question: how we can use RFID technology in marketing products in supermarkets and how we can measure its performance or ROI (Return-on-Investment). We try to answer the question by proposing a simulation model whereby customers become aware of other customers' real-time shopping behavior and may hence be influenced by their purchases and the levels of purchases. The proposed model is orthogonal to sales model and can have the similar effects: increase in the overall shopping volume. Managers often struggle with the prediction of ROI on purchasing such a technology, this simulation sets to provide them the answers of questions like the percentage of increase in sales given real-time purchase information to other customers. The simulation is also flexible to incorporate any given model of customers' behavior tailored to particular supermarket, settings, events or promotions. The results, although preliminary, are promising to use RFID technology for marketing products in supermarkets and provide several dimensions to look for influencing customers via feedback, real-time marketing, target advertisement and on-demand promotions. Several other parameters have been discussed including the herd behavior, fake customers, privacy, and optimality of sales-price margin and the ROI of investing in RFID technology for marketing purposes. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Influencing customers through customers: Simulation of herd behavior in supermarkets

This work proposes a supermarket optimization simulation model called Swarm-Moves is based on self organized complex system studies to identify parameters and their values that can influence customers to buy more on impulse in a given period of time. In the proposed model, customers are assumed to have trolleys equipped with technology like RFID that can aid the passing of products' information directly from the store to them in real-time and vice-versa. Therefore, they can get the information about other customers purchase patterns and constantly informing the store of their own shopping behavior. This can be easily achieved because the trolleys "know" what products they contain at any point. The Swarm-Moves simulation is the virtual supermarket providing the visual display to run and test the proposed model. The simulation is also flexible to incorporate any given model of customers' behavior tailored to particular supermarket, settings, events or promotions. The results, although preliminary, are promising to use RFID technology for marketing products in supermarkets and provide several dimensions to look for influencing customers via feedback, real-time marketing, target advertisement and on-demand promotions. ©2009 IEEE.

An eroding social justice agenda: The case of physical education and health edu-business in schools

In this paper we draw on current research to explore notions of a socially just Health and Physical Education (HPE), in light of claims that a neoliberal globalisation promotes markets over the states, and a new individualism that privileges self-interest over the collective good. We also invite readers to consider United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s ambition for PE in light of preliminary findings from an Australian led research project exploring national and international patterns of outsourcing HPE curricula. Data were sourced from this international research project through a mixed method approach. Each external provider engaged in four phases of research activity: (a) Web-audits, (b) Interviews with external providers, (c) Network diagrams, and (d) School partner interviews and observations. Results We use these data to pose what we believe to be three emerging lines of inquiry and challenge for a socially just school HPE within neoliberal times. In particular our data indicates that the marketization of school HPE is strengthening an emphasis on individual responsibility for personal health, elevating expectations that schools and teachers will “fill the welfare gap” and finally, influencing the nature and purchase of educative HPE programs in schools. The apparent proliferation of external providers of health work, HPE resources and services reflects the rise and pervasiveness of neoliberalism in education. We conclude that this global HPE landscape warrants attention to investigate the extent to which external providers’ resources are compatible with schooling’s educative and inclusive mandates.

Significance of a short-term test drive for prospective plug-in electric vehicle consumers: An exploratory study

The test drive is a well-known step in car buying. In the emerging plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market, however, the influence of a pre-purchase test drive on a consumer's inclination to purchase is unknown. Policy makers and industry participants both are eager to understand what factors motivate vehicle consumers at the point-of-sale. A number of researchers have used choice models to shed light on consumer perceptions of PEVs, and others have investigated consumer change in disposition toward a PEV over the course of a trial, wherein test driving a PEV may take place over a number of consecutive days, weeks or months. However, there is little written on the impact of a short-term test drive - a typical experience at dealerships or public "ride-and-drive" events. The impact of a typical test drive, often measured in minutes of driving, is not well understood. This paper first presents a synthesis of the literature on the effect of PEV test drives as they relate to consumer disposition toward PEVs. An analysis of data obtained from an Australian case study whereby attitudinal and stated preference data were collected pre- and post- test drive at public "ride-and-drive" event held Brisbane, Queensland in March 2014 using a custom-designed iPad application. Motorists' perceptions and choice preferences around PEVs were captured, revealing the relative importance of their experience behind the wheel. Using the Australian context as a case-study, this paper presents an exploratory study of consumers' stated preferences toward PEVs both before and after a short test drive.

Kantoaalto koulutuksesta työyhteisön viestintäosaamiseen : lyhytkestoisen viestintäkoulutuksen vaikuttavuuden avaintekijät

The purpose of this research is to examine whether short-term communication training can have an impact on the improvement of communication capacity of working communities, and what are prerequisites for the creation of such capacity. Subjects of this research were short-term communication trainings aimed at the managerial and expert levels of enterprises and communities. The research endeavors to find out how communication trainings with an impact should be devised and implemented, and what this requires from the client and provider of the training service. The research data is mostly comprised of quantitative feed-back collected at the end of a training day, as well as delayed interviews. The evaluations have been based on a stakeholder approach, and those concerned were participants to the trainings, clients having commissioned the trainings and communication trainers. The principal method of the qualitative analysis is that of a data-driven content analysis. Two research instruments have been constructed for the analysis and for the presentation of the results: an evaluation circle for the purposes of a holistic evaluation and a development matrix for the structuring of an effective training. The core concept of the matrix is a carrier wave effect, which is needed to carry the abstractions from the training into concrete functions in the everyday life. The relevance of the results has been tested in a pilot organization. The immediate assessment and delayed evaluations gave a very differing picture of the trainings. The immediate feedback was of nearly commendable level, but the effects carried forward into the everyday situations of the working community were small and that the learning rarely was applied into practice. A training session that receives good feedback does not automatically result in the development of individual competence, let alone that of the community. The results show that even short-term communication training can promote communication competence that eventually changes the working culture on an organizational level, provided that the training is designed into a process and that the connections into the participants’ work are ensured. It is essential that all eight elements of the carrier wave effect are taken into account. The entire purchaser-provider -process must function while not omitting the contribution of the participants themselves. The research illustrates the so called bow tie -model of an effective communication training based on the carrier wave effect. Testing the results in pilot trainings showed that a rather small change in the training approach may have a signi¬ficant effect on the outcome of the training as well as those effects that are carried on into the working community. The evaluation circle proved to be a useful tool, which can be used while planning, executing and evaluating training in practice. The development matrix works as a tool for those producing the training service, those using the service as well as those deciding on the purchase of the service in planning and evaluating training that sustainably improves communication capacity. Thus the evaluation circle also works to support and ensure the long-term effects of short-term trainings. In addition to communication trainings, the tools developed for this research are useable for many such needs, where an organization is looking to improve its operations and profitability through training.

Boost Customer Loyalty with Online Support. The Case of Mobile Telecoms Providers.

The paper explores the effect of customer satisfaction with online supporting services on loyalty to providers of an offline core service. Supporting services are provided to customers before, during, or after the purchase of a tangible or intangible core product, and have the purpose of enhancing or facilitating the use of this product. The internet has the potential to dominate all other marketing channels when it comes to the interactive and personalised communication that is considered quintessential for supporting services. Our study shows that the quality of online supporting services powerfully affects satisfaction with the provider and customer loyalty through its effect on online value and enjoyment. Managerial implications are provided.