Saint Mary's University

About: Saint Mary's University is a education organization based out in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Stars. The organization has 1931 authors who have published 4993 publications receiving 143226 citations.

The Rival Wears Prada: Luxury Consumption as a Female Competition Strategy

Abstract: Previous studies on luxury consumption demonstrated that men spend large sums of money on luxury brands to signal their mate value to women and, thus, increase their reproductive success. Although women also spend copious amounts of money on luxuries, research focusing on women's motives for luxury consumption is rather scarce. Relying on costly signaling and intrasexual competition theory, the goal of the current study was to test whether female intrasexual competition in a mate attraction context triggers women's spending on luxuries. The results of the first experiment reveal that an intrasexual competition context enhances women's preferences for attractiveness enhancing, but not for non-attractiveness related luxuries such as a smartphone. This finding indicates that women may use luxury consumption as a self-promotion strategy during within-sex competitions, as these luxuries improve their advantages against same-sex rivals for mates. A follow-up study shows that compared to women who do not consume...

e-Business readiness : a customer-focused framework

Abstract: 1. Let's Get Ready: The Big Picture. Getting You Prepared. Defining the Horizon. Customer Focus. Customer Value. The Intermediate Value Web. Craig's Stakeholder Model of E-Business: Creating the New Value Web. The Stakeholders. The New Value Web. E-Business Models. Clearing Up Some Confusion: Creating a Common Lexicon. Application Service Provider. Enterprise Resource Planning. Providing Some Context: The E-Business Spectrum. The Need for the eBiz Readiness! Framework. Are You Ready? 2. Detailing Up: eBiz Readiness! Framework. Getting You Prepared. Defining the Horizon. The Customer-Focused Approach. Customer Value. The eBiz Readiness! Framework. eBiz Readiness! Stakeholders. eBiz Readiness! Components. eBiz Readiness! Enablers. Knowledge Management. Trust. Technology. Metrics in the eBiz Readiness! Framework. Benchmarking. Customer Metrics. Financial Metrics. eBiz Readiness! Internal Rating and Weighting Scales. How to Apply the eBiz Readiness! Framework. Macro View. The Feedback Loop. Are You Ready? eBiz Readiness! Framework Strengths. 3. Your Reason for Being: Your Customers. Getting You Prepared. Introducing the Customer Stakeholder. Defining the Horizon. Contact Points Integration. Contact Points. eBiz Readiness! Components for Customer Stakeholder. Engage. Order. Fulfill. Support. Questions You May Want to Ask. Overall. Leverage of Multiple Channels for Selling. Engage. Order. Support. Using the Evaluation Framework. Small-Business Perspective: Customer Stakeholder Assessment (SMEDistributor). Big-Business Perspective: Customer Stakeholder Assessment (BBFinance). Are You Ready? 4. Getting You Prepared. Defining the Horizon. Broad-and-Shallow versus Narrow-and-Deep Portals. Business-to-Consumer Communities. Business-to-Business Communities. eBiz Readiness! Components for the Community Stakeholder. Engage. Community Interaction. Community Services. Community Governance. Community Questions. Overall. Engagement. Interaction. Services. Governance. Small-Business Perspective: Community Stakeholder Assessment (SMEDistributor). Big-Business Perspective: Community Stakeholder Assessment (BBFoodCompany). Engage. Interaction. Services. Governance. Are You Ready? 5. Going Against the Flow: Operational Partnering. Getting You Prepared. Introducing the Operational Partner. Defining the Horizon. eBiz Readiness! Components for the Operational Partner Stakeholder. Partnering for Trust Services. Denial-of-Service Attacks. E-Commerce Security Technologies. Partnerships for Knowledge Management. Small-Business Perspective: Operational Stakeholder Assessment (SMEManufacturer). Big-Business Perspective: Operational Partner Assessment (BBGovernment). Are You Ready? 6. Hand-in-Hand into the Future: Strategic Partnering. Getting You Prepared. Introducing the Strategic Partner Stakeholder. Defining the Horizon. Strategic Partner Continuum. Partner Relationship Management. eBiz Readiness! Components for the Strategic Partner Stakeholder. New Alliances. Account Planning. New Market Research. Macro Resource Planning. Product or Service Development. Summary. Questions You May Want to Ask. Overall. Knowledge Sharing. New Alliance. Account Planning. New Market Research. Macro Resource Planning. Product Development. Using the Evaluation Framework. Small-Business Perspective: Strategic Partner Assessment (SMEGiftBaskets). Big-Business Perspective: Strategic Partner Assessment (BBTelco). Are You Ready? 7. eBiz Rules!: Governance. Getting You Prepared. Defining The Horizon. Globalization. Statelessness. Role of Government, Private Sector, and Self-Governing Bodies. Economics. eBiz Readiness! Components for the Governance Stakeholder. Socioeconomics. Marketplace Rules. Privacy and Trust. Technology. Questions You May Want to Ask. Overall. Socioeconomics. Marketplace. Privacy and Trust. Technology. Using the Evaluation Framework. Big-Business Perspective: Governance Components Assessment (BBMusicOnline). Socioeconomics. Marketplace Rules. Privacy and Trust. Technology. Weighting Assignment. Overall Assessment. Small-Business Perspective: Governance Components Assessment (SMEFood). Socioeconomics. Marketplace Rules. Privacy and Trust. Technology. Weighting Assignment. Overall Assessment. Are You Ready? 8. Working for YOU: Agents. Getting You Prepared. Defining the Horizon. eBiz Readiness! Components for Agents. Research and Analysis. Content Management. Sales, Marketing, and Service. Community. Education and Entertainment. Questions You May Want to Ask. Overall. Research and Analysis. Content Management. Sales, Marketing, and Service. Community. Entertainment. Small-Business Perspective: Agent Assessment (SMETailor). Big-Business Perspective: Agent Assessment (BBFinance). Are You Ready? 9. Get Your "Insides" Working: Employee and Internal Operations. Getting You Prepared. Introducing the E-Business "Insides": Operational Requirements. Defining the Horizon. E-Business and Enterprise Resource Planning. Customer Value Innovation. eBiz Readiness! Components for Internal Assessment. E-Culture. Productivity. Information Systems Infrastructure and Services. Questions You May Want to Ask. E-Culture. Productivity. Information Systems Infrastructure and Services. Small-Business Perspective: Internal Assessment (SMEHiTech). Overall Benchmark Score. Big-Business Perspective: Internal Assessment (BBEdu). Overall Benchmark Score. Are You Ready? 10. Strategic Planning: Attack and Defend. Getting You Prepared. Defining the Horizon. Strategies. E-Strategies. Core E-Business Competencies. Barriers to Successful E-Strategies: The Difficulty Index. Opportunities. What and Where. Risks. Extending the E-Business Stakeholder Model. Globalization. Industry-Level Modifications. The Challenge. Opportunity and Risk Assessment Questions. "Insides" Assessment Questions. Customer Stakeholder. Strategic Partner Stakeholder. Operational Partner Stakeholder. Community Stakeholder. Governance Stakeholder. Creating a Strategic Plan for Enabling E-Business: The E-Strategy. Small-Business Perspective: Planning (SMEVideoStore). Big-Business Perspective: Planning (BBTelco). Are You Ready? The Good Luck Story. 0201710064T04062001

Enhancement of the Cubic Cell Soil Thermal Conductivity Model

Abstract: An analysis of measured soil thermal conductivity (λ) data for temperatures (T) varying from 5 to 90°C, was conducted with respect to four soil moisture content domains, i.e. residual, transitory meniscus, micro/macro porous capillary, superfluous. It was shown that each domain has a specific behaviour of λ vs soil moisture content (θ). For example, λ varies insignificantly with θ and T at very low moisture contents (residual moisture domain). In the transitory meniscus and micro/macro porous capillary domains, the relation λ (θ) shows in general a nonlinear behaviour, which is difficult to model, particularly at high T. A sensitivity analysis applied to the Gori (1983) model for dry soil showed better predictions when the model was restricted to the use of the first term only (dependent on soil porosity and thermal conductivity of air). Two linear λ approximations have been tested, across the second domain (from a critical θ to the permanent wilting point) and across the second and third domains (from a critical θ to field capacity). The enhanced model has been tested against soil λ data measured at moderate and high T. The numerical results show considerably improved predictions in the first three soil moisture domains. The first linear λ interpolation shows better agreement with experimental data for T up to 65°C, while the second interpolation was much more beneficial at higher T. The original Gori model gives generally the best predictions in the superfluous domain. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acatlán Complex, southern Mexico: Record spanning the assembly and breakup of Pangea

Abstract: New structural, geochronological, and geochemical data from the Acatlan Complex of southern Mexico show that it preserves a complete history of Pangea, from assembly to breakup. Previously interpreted to be a vestige of the Iapetus suture, the Acatlan Complex records a history that can be sequentially linked to the Rheic Ocean, the paleo-Pacific, and the Gulf of Mexico. This record is interpreted to reflect: (1) the development of a rift-passive margin on the southern flank of the Rheic Ocean in the Cambrian–Ordovician; (2) the formation of an extensional regime along the formerly active northern margin of Gondwana throughout the Ordovician; (3) closure of the Rheic Ocean documented by subduction-related eclogite facies metamorphism and exhumation during the Late Devonian–Mississippian; (4) Permian–Triassic convergent tectonics on the paleo-Pacific margin of Pangea; and (5) interaction with a Jurassic mantle plume coeval with the opening of the Gulf of Mexico.

Exploring the Consequences of Workforce Reduction

Abstract: Although workforce reduction has remained popular among organizations throughout the 1990s, few largescale studies of the impact of employee cutbacks have been conducted in Canada at the establishment level. About 55% of establishments reported reducing their workforce over a 2-year period, with an average reduction of almost 16% of the workforce. When comparing establishments that had and had not engaged in permanent employee cutbacks, the results indicated that workplaces experiencing downsizing were more likely to have lower scores on the employer efficiency and employee satisfaction measures and report less favourable employer-employee relations. Further analysis limited only to establishments experiencing workforce reduction revealed that a high-involvement workplace strategy was associated with significantly better performance outcomes. Resume Bien que la reduction des effectifs soit restee courante dans les entreprises tout au long des annees 90, on a realise peu d'etudes i grande echelle traitant de l'impact de ces compressions sur les entreprises au Canada. A peu pres 55 % des entreprises ont signals une reduction moyenne de presque 16 % de leur personnel sur une periode de deux ans. En comparant ces etablissementsla a ceux qui n'ont pas effectue de compression de leur personnel permanent, les resultats indiquent que, par suite de compressions, les etablissements sont davantage susceptibles d'assister non seulement a une diminution de l'efficacite de l'employeur et de la satisfaction des employes, mais egalement de la qualite des relations employeur-employes. Une autre analyse, qui se limite a des etablissements ayant fait l'experience d'une reduction des effectifs, a revele qu'une strategie de grande participation en milieu de travail etait associee a une sensible amelioration des resultats. Although the 1990s may be characterized as the "downsizing decade," there is growing evidence from both the practitioner and academic literatures that many downsizing efforts have failed to meet organizational objectives (Cameron, 1994a; Cascio, 1993; Tomasko, 1990). Furthermore, many downsizing programs are not carefully thought out or linked with the strategic plans of the organization (American Management Association, 1994). An important question that is being debated in the academic literature and in boardrooms across the country is quite simply: Does downsizing work? There is a tendency for management to focus on financial issues during an organization's restructuring, and it is only recently that the literature has begun to provide guidance for managers who acknowledge the importance of effectively managing nonfinancial issues (Ford & Perrewe, 1993). This study, which is based on survey responses from almost 2,000 Canadian establishments, has two major objectives. First, it examines the relationship between permanent workforce reduction and three sets of outcomes (employer efficiency, employee satisfaction, and employer-employee relations). Although several studies have investigated the impact of downsizing on the survivors (e.g., Armstrong-Stassen, 1993; Brockner, Grover, O'Malley, Reed, & Glynn, 1993; Mone, 1994), little empirical work in Canada has focussed on the establishment level. Second, it explores whether the consequences of downsizing are mitigated by a highinvolvement workplace strategy. Background A Definition of Downsizing As a startingm point, it is important to clarify what is meant by downsizing. Academics and practitioners use the word to mean a variety of different activities; examples of words used as synonyms for downsizing include "building-down," "de-hiring," "de-recruitment," "reduction in force," "resizing," and "right-sizing." It is problematic to study downsizing if the meaning of the word is unclear (Littler, Bramble, & MacDonald, 1994). Cameron (1994b) defined downsizing as: a set of activities undertaken on the part of management and designed to improve organizational efficiency, productivity, and/or competitiveness. …