Large-scale DNA sequencing in taxonomy and conservation : a case study with the mayfly family Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera) in the Alps and Madagascar

Les larves aquatiques d'éphémères (Ephemeroptera) colonisent toutes les eaux douces du monde et sont couramment utilisées comme bio-indicateurs de la qualité de l'eau. Le genre Rhithrogena (Heptageniidae) est le deuxième plus diversifié chez les éphémères, et plusieurs espèces européennes ont une distribution restreinte dans des environnements alpins sensibles. Les espèces de Rhithrogena ont été classées en "groupes d'espèces" faciles à identifier. Cependant, malgré leur importance écologique et en terme de conservation, beaucoup d'espèces présentent des différences morphologiques ambiguës, suggérant que lataxonomie actuelle ne refléterait pas correctement leur diversité évolutive. De plus, aucune information sur leurs relations, leur origine, le taux de spéciation ou les mécanismes ayant provoqué leur remarquable diversification dans les Alpes n'est disponible. Nous avons d'abord examiné le statut spécifique d'environ 50% des espèces européennes de Rhithrogena en utilisant un large échantillonnage de populations alpines incluant 22 localités typiques, ainsi qu'une analyse basée sur le modèle général mixte de Yule et de coalescence (GMYC) appliqué à un gène mitochondrial standard (coxl) et à un gène nucléaire développé spécifiquement pour cette étude. Nous avons observé un regroupement significatif des séquences coxl en 31 espèces potentielles, et nos résultats ont fortement suggéré la présence d'espèces cryptiques et de fractionnements taxonomiques excessifs chez les Rhithrogena. Nos analyses phylogénétiques ont démontré la monophylie de quatre des six groupes d'espèces reconnus présents dans notre échantillonnage. La taxonomie ADN développée dans cette étude pose les bases d'une future révision de ce genre important mais cryptique en Europe. Puis nous avons mené une étude phylogénétique multi-gènes entre les espèces européennes de Rhithrogena. Les données provenant de trois gènes nucléaires et de deux gènes mitochondriaux ont été largement concordantes, et les relations entre les espèces bien résolues au sein de la plupart des groupes d'espèces dans une analyse combinant tous les gènes. En l'absence de points de calibration extérieurs tels que des fossiles, nous avons appliqué à nos données mitochondriales une horloge moléculaire standard pour les insectes, suggérant une origine des Rhithrogena alpins à la limite Oligocène / Miocène. Nos résultats ont montré le rôle prépondérant qu'ont joué les glaciations du quaternaire dans leur diversification, favorisant la spéciation d'au moins la moitié des espèces actuelle dans les Alpes. La biodiversité et le taux d'endémisme à Madagascar, notamment au niveau de la faune des eaux douces, sont parmi les plus extraordinaires et les plus menacés au monde. On pense que beaucoup d'espèces d'éphémères sont restreintes à un seul bassin versant (microendémisme) dans les zones forestières, ce qui les rendrait particulièrement sensibles à la réduction et à la dégradation de leur habitat. Mis à part deux espèces décrites, Afronurus matitensis et Compsoneuria josettae, les Heptageniidae sont pratiquement inconnus à Madagascar. Les deux genres ont une distribution discontinue en Afrique, à Madagascar et en Asie du Sud-Est, et leur taxonomie complexe est régulièrement révisée. L'approche standard pour comprendre leur diversité, leur endémisme et leur origine requerrait un échantillonnage étendu sur plusieurs continents et des années de travaux taxonomiques. Pour accélérer le processus, nous avons utilisé des collections de musées ainsi que des individus fraîchement collectés, et appliqué une approche combinant taxonomie ADN et phylogénie. L'analyses GMYC du gène coxl a délimité 14 espèces potentielles à Madagascar, dont 70% vraisemblablement microendémiques. Une analyse phylogénique incluant des espèces africaines et asiatiques portant sur deux gènes mitochondriaux et quatre gènes nucléaires a montré que les Heptageniidae malgaches sont monophylétiques et groupe frère des Compsoneuria africains. L'existence de cette lignée unique, ainsi qu'un taux élevé de microendémisme, mettent en évidence leur importance en terme de conservation. Nos résultats soulignent également le rôle important que peuvent jouer les collections de musées dans les études moléculaires et en conservation. - Aquatic nymphs of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) colonize all types of freshwaters throughout the world and are extensively used as bio-indicators of water quality. Rhithrogena (Heptageniidae) is the second most species-rich genus of mayflies, and several European species have restricted distributions in sensitive Alpine environments and therefore are of conservation interest. The European Rhithrogena species are arranged into "species groups" that are easily identifiable. However, despite their ecological and conservation importance, ambiguous morphological differences among many species suggest that the current taxonomy may not accurately reflect their evolutionary diversity. Moreover, no information about their relationships, origin, timing of speciation and mechanisms promoting their successful diversification in the Alps is available. We first examined the species status of ca. 50% of European Rhithrogena diversity using a widespread sampling scheme of Alpine species that included 22 type localities, general mixed Yule- coalescent (GMYC) model analysis of one standard mitochondrial (coxl) and one newly developed nuclear marker. We observed significant clustering of coxl into 31 GMYC species, and our results strongly suggest the presence of both cryptic diversity and taxonomic oversplitting in Rhithrogena. Phylogenetic analyses recovered four of the six recognized species groups in our samples as monophyletic. The DNA taxonomy developed here lays the groundwork for a future revision of this important but cryptic genus in Europe. Then we conducted a species-level, multiple-gene phylogenetic study of European Rhithrogena. Data from three nuclear and two mitochondrial loci were broadly congruent, and species-level relationships were well resolved within most species groups in a combined analysis. In the absence of external calibration points like fossils, we applied a standard insect molecular clock hypothesis to our mitochondrial data, suggesting an origin of Alpine Rhithrogena in the Oligocene / Miocene boundary. Our results highlighted the preponderant role that quaternary glaciations played in their diversification, promoting speciation of at least half of the current diversity in the Alps. Madagascar's biodiversity and endemism are among the most extraordinary and endangered in the world. This includes the island's freshwater biodiversity, although detailed knowledge of the diversity, endemism, and biogeographic origin of freshwater invertebrates is lacking. Many mayfly species are thought to be restricted to single river basins (microendemic species) in forested areas, making them particularly sensitive to habitat reduction and degradation. The Heptageniidae are practically unknown in Madagascar except for two described species, Afronurus matitensis and Compsoneuria josettae. Both genera have a disjunct distribution in Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia, and a complex taxonomic status still in flux. The standard approach to understanding their diversity, endemism, and origin would require extensive field sampling on several continents and years of taxonomic work. Here we circumvent this using museum collections and freshly collected individuals in a combined approach of DNA taxonomy and phylogeny. The cox/-based GMYC analysis revealed 14 putative species on Madagascar, 70% of which potentially microendemics. A phylogenetic analysis that included African and Asian species and data from two mitochondrial and four nuclear loci indicated the Malagasy Heptageniidae are monophyletic and sister to African Compsoneuria. The observed monophyly and high microendemism highlight their conservation importance. Our results also underline the important role that museum collections can play in molecular studies, especially in critically endangered biodiversity hotspots like Madagascar.

Assimilation des expériences problématiques: une étude de cas de psychothérapie psychodynamique limitée dans le temps [Assimilation of problematic experiences: a case study on short-term dynamic psychotherapy].

The assimilation model is a qualitative and integrative approach that enables to study change processes that occur in psychotherapy. According to Stiles, this model conceives the individual's personality as constituent of different voices; the concept of voice is used to describe traces left by past experiences. During the psychotherapy, we can observe the progressive integration of the problematic voices into the patient's personality. We applied the assimilation model to a 34-session-long case of an effective short-term dynamic psychotherapy. We've chosen eight sessions we transcribed and analyzed by establishing points of contact between the case and the theory. The results are presented and discussed in terms of the evolution of the main voices in the patient.

N-acetylcysteine normalizes neurochemical changes in the glutathione-deficient schizophrenia mouse model during development.

BACKGROUND: Glutathione (GSH) is the major cellular redox-regulator and antioxidant. Redox-imbalance due to genetically impaired GSH synthesis is among the risk factors for schizophrenia. Here we used a mouse model with chronic GSH deficit induced by knockout (KO) of the key GSH-synthesizing enzyme, glutamate-cysteine ligase modulatory subunit (GCLM).¦METHODS: With high-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 14.1 T, we determined the neurochemical profile of GCLM-KO, heterozygous, and wild-type mice in anterior cortex throughout development in a longitudinal study design.¦RESULTS: Chronic GSH deficit was accompanied by an elevation of glutamine (Gln), glutamate (Glu), Gln/Glu, N-acetylaspartate, myo-Inositol, lactate, and alanine. Changes were predominantly present at prepubertal ages (postnatal days 20 and 30). Treatment with N-acetylcysteine from gestation on normalized most neurochemical alterations to wild-type level.¦CONCLUSIONS: Changes observed in GCLM-KO anterior cortex, notably the increase in Gln, Glu, and Gln/Glu, were similar to those reported in early schizophrenia, emphasizing the link between redox imbalance and the disease and validating the model. The data also highlight the prepubertal period as a sensitive time for redox-related neurochemical changes and demonstrate beneficial effects of early N-acetylcysteine treatment. Moreover, the data demonstrate the translational value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study brain disease in preclinical models.

Collective symbolic coping with disease threat and othering: A case study of avian influenza

Much research studies how individuals cope with disease threat by blaming out-groups and protecting the in-group. The model of collective symbolic coping (CSC) describes four stages by which representations of a threatening event are elaborated in the mass media: awareness, divergence, convergence, and normalization. We used the CSC model to predict when symbolic in-group protection (othering) would occur in the case of the avian influenza (AI) outbreak. Two studies documented CSC stages and showed that othering occurred during the divergence stage, characterized by an uncertain symbolic environment. Study 1 analysed media coverage of AI over time, documenting CSC stages of awareness and divergence. In Study 2, a two-wave repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted just after the divergence stage and a year later. Othering was measured by the number of foreign countries erroneously ticked by participants as having human victims. Individual differences in germ aversion and social dominance orientation interacted to predict othering during the divergence stage but not a year later. Implications for research on CSC and symbolic in-group protection strategies resulting from disease threat are discussed.

Exploring the use of mobile communications in a sample of older people: Preliminary results of a case study in Los Angeles

This paper introduces a qualitative case study on mobile communication among the older population (60+ years old) conducted in Great Los Angeles (CA, USA) in autumn 2011. Methodology, fieldwork and preliminary results are discussed.Before, country-level data is presented to better understand the specific characteristics of the studied individuals. The section focus is on demographics and on acceptance and use of information and communication technologies (ICT).Preliminary results show that within the sample under study (20 individuals) there is a high number of mobile phone users (15) while among non-mobile users (5), three of them decide to stop using this technology. A majority of mobile phone adopters describe a very limited use of the device for everyday life communications. Finally,while Internet is really popular within the sample (14 users), just 3 individuals go online through their mobile telephone.

Performance measurement oforder-delivery chain in SMEs: Case study

Tutkimus pyrkii selvittämään, kuinka tehokas suorituskykymittaristo voidaan parhaiten suunnitella pk-yrityksessä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on luoda suorituskykymittaristo pienen kohdeyrityksen johtajien tarpeisiin. Päähuomion kohteena on yrityksen tilaus-toimitusketju ja arvoverkko. Työ on luonteeltaan kvalitatiivinen toimintatutkimus, joka noudattaa toiminta-analyyttista tutkimusotetta. Työn teoriaosassa selvitetään, kuinka suorituskyvyn mittaaminen sekä materiaali-, tieto- ja rahavirtojen hallinta on kehittynyt viime vuosina pk-yrityksen näkökulmasta. Mittariston suunnittelu aloitetaan kohdeyrityksen perusteellisella analyysilla. Tämän pohjalta määritellään yrityksen kriittiset menestystekijät, joista lopulta johdetaan suorituskykymittarit. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan todeta, että yleinen asenne mittaamista kohtaan, strategian huomioinnin puute sekä tietojärjestelmien rajoitteet ovat päähaasteita pk-yrityksen suorituskyvyn mittaamisessa. Mittareiden tuleekin olla melko yksinkertaisia ja helppoja käyttää, jotta mittaamisen ei koettaisi kuluttavan rajallisia resursseja liikaa. Mittariston tulee kuitenkin antaa kokonaisvaltainen kuva yrityksen suorituskyvystä, johon vaikuttavat kaikki arvoverkon osapuolet ja heidän yhteistyö toistensa kanssa.

Information System ProcessInnovation Adoption, Adaptation, Learning, and Unlearning: A Longitudinal Case Study

This thesis examines the history and evolution of information system process innovation (ISPI) processes (adoption, adaptation, and unlearning) within the information system development (ISD) work in an internal information system (IS) department and in two IS software house organisations in Finland over a 43-year time-period. The study offers insights into influential actors and their dependencies in deciding over ISPIs. The research usesa qualitative research approach, and the research methodology involves the description of the ISPI processes, how the actors searched for ISPIs, and how the relationships between the actors changed over time. The existing theories were evaluated using the conceptual models of the ISPI processes based on the innovationliterature in the IS area. The main focus of the study was to observe changes in the main ISPI processes over time. The main contribution of the thesis is a new theory. The term theory should be understood as 1) a new conceptual framework of the ISPI processes, 2) new ISPI concepts and categories, and the relationships between the ISPI concepts inside the ISPI processes. The study gives a comprehensive and systematic study on the history and evolution of the ISPI processes; reveals the factors that affected ISPI adoption; studies ISPI knowledge acquisition, information transfer, and adaptation mechanisms; and reveals the mechanismsaffecting ISPI unlearning; changes in the ISPI processes; and diverse actors involved in the processes. The results show that both the internal IS department and the two IS software houses sought opportunities to improve their technical skills and career paths and this created an innovative culture. When new technology generations come to the market the platform systems need to be renewed, and therefore the organisations invest in ISPIs in cycles. The extent of internal learning and experiments was higher than the external knowledge acquisition. Until the outsourcing event (1984) the decision-making was centralised and the internalIS department was very influential over ISPIs. After outsourcing, decision-making became distributed between the two IS software houses, the IS client, and itsinternal IT department. The IS client wanted to assure that information systemswould serve the business of the company and thus wanted to co-operate closely with the software organisations.

The effects of productivity on profitability: a case study at firm level using an activity-based costing approach

Productivity and profitability are important concepts and measures describing the performance and success of a firm. We know that increase in productivity decreases the costs per unit produced and leads to better profitability. This common knowledge is not, however, enough in the modern business environment. Productivity improvement is one means among others for increasing the profitability of actions. There are many means to increase productivity. The use of these means presupposes operative decisions and these decisions presuppose informationabout the effects of these means. Productivity improvement actions are in general made at floor level with machines, cells, activities and human beings. Profitability is most meaningful at the level of the whole firm. It has been very difficult or even impossible to analyze closely enough the economical aspects of thechanges at floor level with the traditional costing systems. New ideas in accounting have only recently brought in elements which make it possible to considerthese phenomena where they actually happen. The aim of this study is to supportthe selection of objects to productivity improvement, and to develop a method to analyze the effects of the productivity change in an activity on the profitability of a firm. A framework for systemizing the economical management of productivity improvement is developed in this study. This framework is a systematical way with two stages to analyze the effects of productivity improvement actions inan activity on the profitability of a firm. At the first stage of the framework, a simple selection method which is based on the worth, possibility and the necessity of the improvement actions in each activity is presented. This method is called Urgency Analysis. In the second stage it is analyzed how much a certain change of productivity in an activity affects the profitability of a firm. A theoretical calculation model with which it is possible to analyze the effects of a productivity improvement in monetary values is presented. On the basis of this theoretical model a tool is made for the analysis at the firm level. The usefulness of this framework was empirically tested with the data of the profit center of one medium size Finnish firm which operates in metal industry. It is expressedthat the framework provides valuable information about the economical effects of productivity improvement for supporting the management in their decision making.

Evaluation of an eLearning pilot course based on user experiences: corporate case study

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli arvioida sähköisen oppimisen soveltuvuutta kohdeyrityksessä ja selvittää, voidaanko luokkahuonekoulutusta korvata sähköisen oppimisen kursseilla. Tietojärjestelmän raportoinnista tehtiin sähköisen oppimisen kurssi, joka oli koekäytössä. Koekäytön jälkeen tehtiin käyttäjäkysely, kerättiin käyttötietoja kurssista ja tehtiin haastatteluja. Koekäyttäjien kokemuksista tehdyn arvioinnin perusteella sähköinen oppiminen soveltuu käytettäväksi selkeiden asioiden koulutukseen kohdeyrityksessä, mutta se ei voi kokonaan korvata luokkahuonekoulutusta. Luokkahuonekoulutuksessa tulisi keskittyä monimutkaisempiin asioihin ja ongelmanratkaisuun. Positiivisten tulosten perusteella sähköisen oppimisen kehittämistä päätettiin jatkaa yrityksessä. Sähköisen oppimisen kurssin avulla saadaan kustannussäästöjä kohdeyrityksessä, kun käyttäjämäärä on suurempi kuin 66. Jos koko koekäytössä olleen kurssin kohdeyleisö suorittaa kurssin sähköisesti, ovat kustannukset vain noin 15% vastaavista kustannuksista luokkahuoneessa järjestettynä. Lisäksi sähköisen oppimisen tehokkuutta tutkittiin ja koekäytössä olleen kurssin arvioitiin olevan positiivinen työssä kehitetyn Consensus-mallin mukaan.

Influence of heart motion on cardiac output estimation by means of electrical impedance tomography: a case study.

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that can measure cardiac-related intra-thoracic impedance changes. EIT-based cardiac output estimation relies on the assumption that the amplitude of the impedance change in the ventricular region is representative of stroke volume (SV). However, other factors such as heart motion can significantly affect this ventricular impedance change. In the present case study, a magnetic resonance imaging-based dynamic bio-impedance model fitting the morphology of a single male subject was built. Simulations were performed to evaluate the contribution of heart motion and its influence on EIT-based SV estimation. Myocardial deformation was found to be the main contributor to the ventricular impedance change (56%). However, motion-induced impedance changes showed a strong correlation (r = 0.978) with left ventricular volume. We explained this by the quasi-incompressibility of blood and myocardium. As a result, EIT achieved excellent accuracy in estimating a wide range of simulated SV values (error distribution of 0.57 ± 2.19 ml (1.02 ± 2.62%) and correlation of r = 0.996 after a two-point calibration was applied to convert impedance values to millilitres). As the model was based on one single subject, the strong correlation found between motion-induced changes and ventricular volume remains to be verified in larger datasets.

Association of car ownership and physical activity across the spectrum of human development : Modeling the Epidemiologic Transition Study (METS).

BACKGROUND: Variations in physical activity (PA) across nations may be driven by socioeconomic position. As national incomes increase, car ownership becomes within reach of more individuals. This report characterizes associations between car ownership and PA in African-origin populations across 5 sites at different levels of economic development and with different transportation infrastructures: US, Seychelles, Jamaica, South Africa, and Ghana. METHODS: Twenty-five hundred adults, ages 25-45, were enrolled in the study. A total of 2,101 subjects had valid accelerometer-based PA measures (reported as average daily duration of moderate to vigorous PA, MVPA) and complete socioeconomic information. Our primary exposure of interest was whether the household owned a car. We adjusted for socioeconomic position using household income and ownership of common goods. RESULTS: Overall, PA levels did not vary largely between sites, with highest levels in South Africa, lowest in the US. Across all sites, greater PA was consistently associated with male gender, fewer years of education, manual occupations, lower income, and owning fewer material goods. We found heterogeneity across sites in car ownership: after adjustment for confounders, car owners in the US had 24.3 fewer minutes of MVPA compared to non-car owners in the US (20.7 vs. 45.1 minutes/day of MVPA); in the non-US sites, car-owners had an average of 9.7 fewer minutes of MVPA than non-car owners (24.9 vs. 34.6 minutes/day of MVPA). CONCLUSIONS: PA levels are similar across all study sites except Jamaica, despite very different levels of socioeconomic development. Not owning a car in the US is associated with especially high levels of MVPA. As car ownership becomes prevalent in the developing world, strategies to promote alternative forms of active transit may become important.

Business Models of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers – Case Study

The goal of the study was to find a proper frame to understand business models and study business models of the chosen companies in packaging machinery manufacturing. Good practices and tips are searched from business models which have helped companies to success. Packaging industry’s future is also examined in front of different kinds of changes and the influence which they have on machinery manufacturer’s business models. In the theory part business models’ history and the best frame suitable for this study are presented. The chosen case companies have been discussed according to the frame, and they have been compared to each other to point out the differences. The good practices noticed in companies and according to information from other sources, new business model has been constructed including things that should be noticed while constructing a new business model. The information sources of this study where interviews, annual reports, companies presentations and web pages. The type of study was an interpretative case study.

Developing Launching Processes — A Case Study

New product launches are becoming more and more important to companies around the globe. Being first on the market is a good place to be, and it will mostly likely bring the best profits. Gaining that desired position requires a lot of work where cooperation inside as well as outside of the company need to be in line. This thesis discusses launching processes in a pharmaceutical firm. The topic is looked at from supply chain management's point of view where purchasing department's role is emphasized. Additionally, launching strategies related to launches are investigated and the idea of internal alignment is introduced. Moreover, the topic is examined in project and process management perspective; how with the tools of project and process management the launching processes could be improved. The main findings reveal that there are many improvement points in the current launching process. Problems in the areas of information exchange, leadership and internal alignment were discovered yet trust and confidence for the better future compound the interviewees. This study presents what are the most important factors for a successful product launch and how the current processes could be streamlined.

An interactive web-GIS tool for risk analysis: a case study in the Fella River basin, Italy

This paper presents a prototype of an interactive web-GIS tool for risk analysis of natural hazards, in particular for floods and landslides, based on open-source geospatial software and technologies. The aim of the presented tool is to assist the experts (risk managers) in analysing the impacts and consequences of a certain hazard event in a considered region, providing an essential input to the decision-making process in the selection of risk management strategies by responsible authorities and decision makers. This tool is based on the Boundless (OpenGeo Suite) framework and its client-side environment for prototype development, and it is one of the main modules of a web-based collaborative decision support platform in risk management. Within this platform, the users can import necessary maps and information to analyse areas at risk. Based on provided information and parameters, loss scenarios (amount of damages and number of fatalities) of a hazard event are generated on the fly and visualized interactively within the web-GIS interface of the platform. The annualized risk is calculated based on the combination of resultant loss scenarios with different return periods of the hazard event. The application of this developed prototype is demonstrated using a regional data set from one of the case study sites, Fella River of northeastern Italy, of the Marie Curie ITN CHANGES project.

Role of references in international industrial marketing : a theory-building case study about supplier’s processes of utilizing references

Scientific studies regarding specifically references do not seem to exist. However, the utilization of references is an important practice for many companies involved in industrial marketing. The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding about the utilization of references in international industrial marketing in order to contribute to the development of a theory of reference behavior. Specifically, the modes of reference usage in industry, the factors affecting a supplier's reference behavior, and the question how references are actually utilized, are explored in the study. Due to the explorative nature of the study, a research design was followed where theory and empirical studies alternated. An Exploratory Framework was developed to guide a pilot case study that resulted in Framework 1. Results of the pilot study guided an expanded literature review that was used to develop first a Structural Framework and a Process Framework which were combined in Framework 2. Then, the second empirical phase of the case study was conducted in the same (pilot) case company. In this phase, Decision Systems Analysis (DSA) was used as the analysis method. The DSA procedure consists of three interviewing waves: initial interviews, reinterviews, and validating interviews. Four reference decision processes were identified, described and analyzed in the form of flowchart descriptions. The flowchart descriptions were used to explore new constructs and to develop new propositions to develop Framework 2 further. The quality of the study was ascertained by many actions in both empirical parts of the study. The construct validity of the study was ascertained by using multiple sources of evidence and by asking the key informant to review the pilot case report. The DSA method itself includes procedures assuring validity. Because of the choice to conduct a single case study, external validity was not even pursued. High reliability was pursued through detailed documentation and thorough reporting of evidence. It was concluded that the core of the concept of reference is a customer relationship regardless of the concrete forms a reference might take in its utilization. Depending on various contingencies, references might have various tasks inside the four roles of increasing 1) efficiency of sales and sales management, 2) efficiency of the business, 3) effectiveness of marketing activities, and 4) effectiveness in establishing, maintaining and enhancing customer relationships. Thus, references have not only external but internal tasks as well. A supplier's reference behavior might be affected by many hierarchical conditions. Additionally, the empirical study showed that the supplier can utilize its references as a continuous, all pervasive decision making process through various practices. The process includes both individual and unstructured decision making subprocesses. The proposed concept of reference can be used to guide a reference policy recommendable for companies for which the utilization of references is important. The significance of the study is threefold: proposing the concept of reference, developing a framework of a supplier's reference behavior and its short term process of utilizing references, and conceptual structuring of an unstructured and in industrial marketing important phenomenon to four roles.