Showing papers by "Texas Christian University published in 2011"

Sdss-iii: massive spectroscopic surveys of the distant universe, the milky way, and extra-solar planetary systems

Abstract: Building on the legacy of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-I and II), SDSS-III is a program of four spectroscopic surveys on three scientific themes: dark energy and cosmological parameters, the history and structure of the Milky Way, and the population of giant planets around other stars. In keeping with SDSS tradition, SDSS-III will provide regular public releases of all its data, beginning with SDSS DR8 (which occurred in Jan 2011). This paper presents an overview of the four SDSS-III surveys. BOSS will measure redshifts of 1.5 million massive galaxies and Lya forest spectra of 150,000 quasars, using the BAO feature of large scale structure to obtain percent-level determinations of the distance scale and Hubble expansion rate at z 100 per resolution element), H-band (1.51-1.70 micron) spectra of 10^5 evolved, late-type stars, measuring separate abundances for ~15 elements per star and creating the first high-precision spectroscopic survey of all Galactic stellar populations (bulge, bar, disks, halo) with a uniform set of stellar tracers and spectral diagnostics. MARVELS will monitor radial velocities of more than 8000 FGK stars with the sensitivity and cadence (10-40 m/s, ~24 visits per star) needed to detect giant planets with periods up to two years, providing an unprecedented data set for understanding the formation and dynamical evolution of giant planet systems. (Abridged)

The Eighth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Data from SDSS-III

Abstract: The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) started a new phase in 2008 August, with new instrumentation and new surveys focused on Galactic structure and chemical evolution, measurements of the baryon oscillation feature in the clustering of galaxies and the quasar Lyα forest, and a radial velocity search for planets around ~8000 stars. This paper describes the first data release of SDSS-III (and the eighth counting from the beginning of the SDSS). The release includes five-band imaging of roughly 5200 deg2 in the southern Galactic cap, bringing the total footprint of the SDSS imaging to 14,555 deg2, or over a third of the Celestial Sphere. All the imaging data have been reprocessed with an improved sky-subtraction algorithm and a final, self-consistent photometric recalibration and flat-field determination. This release also includes all data from the second phase of the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE-2), consisting of spectroscopy of approximately 118,000 stars at both high and low Galactic latitudes. All the more than half a million stellar spectra obtained with the SDSS spectrograph have been reprocessed through an improved stellar parameter pipeline, which has better determination of metallicity for high-metallicity stars.

Is Market Orientation a Source of Sustainable Competitive Advantage or Simply the Cost of Competing

Abstract: The authors use panel data constructed from the responses of repeatedly surveyed top managers at 261 companies regarding their firm’s market orientation, along with objective performance measures, to investigate the influence of market orientation on performance for a nine-year period from 1997 to 2005. The authors measure market orientation in 1997, 2001, and 2005 and estimate it in the interval between these measurement periods. The analyses indicate that market orientation has a positive effect on business performance in both the short and the long run. However, the sustained advantage in business performance from having a market orientation is greater for the firms that are early to develop a market orientation. These firms also gain more in sales and profit than firms that are late in developing a market orientation. Firms that adopt a market orientation may also realize additional benefit in the form of a lift in sales and profit due to a carryover effect. Market orientation should have a more pronounced effect on a firm’s profit than sales because a market orientation focuses efforts on customer retention rather than on acquisition. Environmental turbulence and competitive intensity moderate the main effect of market orientation on business performance, but the moderating effects are greater in the 1990s than in the 2000s.

Why Can't a Family Business Be More Like a Nonfamily Business? Modes of Professionalization in Family Firms

Abstract: The authors survey arguments that family firms should behave more like nonfamily firms and “professionalize.” Despite the apparent advantages of this transition, many family firms fail to do so or do so only partially. The authors reflect on why this might be so, and the range of possible modes of professionalization. They derive six ideal types: (a) minimally professional family firms; (b) wealth dispensing, private family firms; (c) entrepreneurially operated family firms; (d) entrepreneurial family business groups; (e) pseudo-professional, public family firms; and (f) hybrid professional family firms. The authors conclude with suggestions for further research that is attentive to such variation.

Attitudes Toward Online Social Connection and Self-Disclosure as Predictors of Facebook Communication and Relational Closeness

Abstract: This investigation tested a theoretical model of communication behavior with specific Facebook friends, such that attitudes toward (a) online self-disclosure, and (b) online social connection, predict Facebook communication frequency and, in turn, relational closeness. Participants included both undergraduates and older adults. Results generally supported the model, with the interaction effect between self-disclosure and social connection directly predicting Facebook communication and indirectly predicting relational closeness. For both dependent variables, online social connection was a positive predictor at low and moderate levels of online self-disclosure, but high levels reduced the association to nonsignificance. One implication of these results was that high-warrant information may discourage those with social anxiety from social network site communication.

Ovulation, Female Competition, and Product Choice: Hormonal Influences on Consumer Behavior

Abstract: Recent research shows that women experience nonconscious shifts across different phases of the monthly ovulatory cycle. For example, women at peak fertility (near ovulation) are attracted to different kinds of men and show increased desire to attend social gatherings. Building on the evolutionary logic behind such effects, we examined how, why, and when hormonal fluctuations associated with ovulation influenced women's product choices. In three experiments, we show that at peak fertility women nonconsciously choose products that enhance appearance (e.g., choosing sexy rather than more conservative clothing). This hormonally regulated effect appears to be driven by a desire to outdo attractive rival women. Consequently, minimizing the salience of attractive women who are potential rivals suppresses the ovulatory effect on product choice. This research provides some of the first evidence of how, why, and when consumer behavior is influenced by hormonal factors.

HED Meteorites and Their Relationship to the Geology of Vesta and the Dawn Mission

Abstract: Howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) meteorites, thought to be derived from 4 Vesta, provide the best sampling available for any differentiated asteroid. However, deviations in oxygen isotopic composition from a common mass-fractionation line suggest that a few eucrite-like meteorites are from other bodies, or that Vesta was not completely homogenized during differentiation. The petrology and geochemistry of HEDs provide insights into igneous processes that produced a crust composed of basalts, gabbros, and ultramafic cumulate rocks. Although most HED magmas were fractionated, it is unresolved whether some eucrites may have been primary melts. The geochemistry of HEDs indicates that bulk Vesta is depleted in volatile elements and is relatively reduced, but has chondritic refractory element abundances. The compositions of HEDs may favor a magma ocean model, but inconsistencies remain. Geochronology indicates that Vesta accreted and differentiated within the first several million years of solar system history, that magmatism continued over a span of ∼10 Myr, and that its thermal history extended for perhaps 100 Myr. The protracted cooling history is probably responsible for thermal metamorphism of most HEDs. Impact chronology indicates that Vesta experienced many significant collisions, including during the late heavy bombardment. The age of the huge south pole crater is controversial, but it probably ejected Vestoids and many HEDs. Continued impacts produced a regolith composed of eucrite and diogenite fragments containing only minor exotic materials. HED meteorites serve as ground truth for orbital spectroscopic and chemical analyses by the Dawn spacecraft, and their properties are critical for instrument calibration and interpretation of Vesta’s geologic history.

The Emerging Role of the Third‐Party Logistics Provider (3PL) as an Orchestrator

Abstract: The connectivity and communication requirements of leading supply chains have created the emergence of a more advanced role for third-party logistics providers 3PLs. They have evolved from providing logistics capabilities to becoming orchestrators of supply chains that create and sustain a competitive advantage. This article uses a theoretical perspective based on resource-based theory, network theory and transaction cost economics, and a thorough literature review, to develop a model with seven propositions. Finally, using structured interviews of industry executives from a leading 3PL, we offer empirical support for the model and propositions that can be used to define the orchestrator role of a 3PL.

Microlending in emerging economies: Building a new line of inquiry from the ground up

Abstract: The world's poor may be the last great frontier in international business. International microlenders are increasingly tapping into this emerging opportunity by extending small business loans to millions of borrowers. However, to date, there is very limited understanding of this domain from an international business perspective. Using qualitative case studies developed in Guatemala and the Dominican Republic we probe the causes and consequences of high performance and business failure for microloan recipients. The analysis of these cases led to the development of six testable propositions focused on the behavior of borrowers whose loans populate the portfolios of international microlenders. Our research aims to lay a foundation in international business for future research on microlending.

Emotional Intelligence: Sine Qua Non of Leadership or Folderol?

Abstract: Executive Overview Emotional intelligence (EI) is a divisive topic for many individuals interested in the subject of leadership. Whereas practitioner-oriented publications have claimed that EI is the sine qua non of leadership, academics continue to discuss EI's relevance for understanding leadership emergence, behavior, and effectiveness. Here we critically review recent empirical evidence to constructively frame what has become a contentious debate about the relevance of EI. We also identify unresolved issues and highlight future research directions that may promote our understanding of EI's role for leadership. We close with a practical discussion of possible applications of EI in leadership education, training, and development.

Truly, Madly, Deeply: Consumers in the Throes of Material Possession Love

Abstract: Our treatment of material possession love expands an understanding of the role that discrete emotional attachment forms play in identifying commercial value for marketers and in enhancing consumer well-being. Employing a mixed-methods research design—relying on both qualitative and quantitative data—we develop and empirically test a three-factor, but seven-faceted, conceptualization of material possession love in four separate consumption contexts (automobiles, computers, bicycles, and firearms). We find love-smitten consumers nurturing their beloved possessions, in part, by buying complementary products and services. We also find that material possession love is empirically tied to loneliness and social affiliation deficits, which suggests a compensatory basis of consumer well-being. We distinguish possession love from the construct of attitude and empirically demonstrate the distinct functionality of each. Our concluding discussion considers our mixed-methods findings and their implications for consumer...

The Bulge Radial Velocity Assay (BRAVA): II. Complete Sample and Data Release

Abstract: We present new radial velocity measurements from the Bulge Radial Velocity Assay (BRAVA), a large scale spectroscopic survey of M-type giants in the Galactic bulge/bar region. The sample of ~4500 new radial velocities, mostly in the region -10 deg < l < +10 deg and b ~ -6 deg more than doubles the existent published data set. Our new data extend our rotation curve and velocity dispersion profile to +20 deg, which is ~2.8 kpc from the Galactic Center. The new data confirm the cylindrical rotation observed at -6 deg and -8 deg, and are an excellent fit to the Shen et al. (2010) N-body bar model. We measure the strength of the TiO molecular band as a first step towards a metallicity ranking of the stellar sample, from which we confirm the presence of a vertical abundance gradient. Our survey finds no strong evidence of previously unknown kinematic streams. We also publish our complete catalog of radial velocities, photometry, TiO band strengths, and spectra, which is available at the IRSA archive: this http URL as well as at UCLA: this http URL

Use of spectral/cepstral analyses for differentiating normal from hypofunctional voices in sustained vowel and continuous speech contexts.

Abstract: Purpose In this study, the authors evaluated the diagnostic value of spectral/cepstral measures to differentiate dysphonic from nondysphonic voices using sustained vowels and continuous speech samp...

A Measure of Variations in Internal Social Capital among Family Firms

Abstract: Drawing on the social capital literature, this study develops a new measure to assess the internal social capital using a sample of family firms and its effect on economic and noneconomic performan...

The Cognitive Consequences of Envy: Attention, Memory, and Self-Regulatory Depletion

Abstract: In a series of 4 experiments, we provide evidence that--in addition to having an affective component--envy may also have important consequences for cognitive processing. Our first experiment (N = 69) demonstrated that individuals primed with envy better attended to and more accurately recalled information about fictitious peers than did a control group. Studies 2 (N = 187) and 3 (N = 65) conceptually replicated these results, demonstrating that envy elicited by targets predicts attention and later memory for information about them. We demonstrate that these effects cannot be accounted for by admiration or changes in negative affect or arousal elicited by the targets. Study 4 (N = 152) provides evidence that greater memory for envied--but not neutral--targets leads to diminished perseverance on a difficult anagram task. Findings demonstrate that envy may play an important role in attention and memory systems and deplete limited self-regulatory resources available for acts of volition.

Modeling interactions between lignocellulose and ionic liquids using DFT-D

Abstract: Dissolution of lignocellulose in ionic liquids is a promising route to synthesizing fuels and chemical feedstocks from woody plant materials. While cellulose dissolution is well-understood, less is known about the differences between ionic liquids' interactions with cellulose vs.lignin. This work uses dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) to model the interactions of imidazolium chloride ionic liquid anions and cations with (1,4)-dimethoxy-β-D-glucopyranose and 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methoxyethanol as models for cellulose and the lignin polyphenol, respectively. The cellulose model preferentially interacts with Cl−, confirming previous experimental and theoretical studies. However, the lignin model has significant π-stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions with imidazolium cation. These results are robust to changes in the computational details, and suggest that the ionic liquid cations play important roles in tuning the relative solubilities of lignin and cellulose. Calculations predict that the extended π-systems of benzimidazolium ionic liquids yield stronger interactions with lignin, showing potential for improved lignocellulose solvents.

Dispersion-Composition Models in Multilevel Research: A Data-Analytic Framework

Abstract: Multilevel researchers have predominantly applied either direct consensus or referent-shift consensus composition models when aggregating individual-level data to a higher level of analysis. This p...

An empirical investigation of the relationship of IS strategy with firm performance

Abstract: Given the important impact that an IS strategy has on the potential value IS brings to an organization, we develop and test a model of IS Strategy and Firm Performance. Our survey-based study provides strong evidence that firms with defined IS strategies (either IS Innovator or IS Conservative) perform better than those without defined IS strategies. Organizations without a clearly defined IS strategy actually experienced a negative relationship with firm performance. These organizations should realize the potentially negative outcomes of such a lack of strategy and work to extricate themselves before a consistent pattern of investing in IS without clear organizational benefit develops. Furthermore, the study suggests that the IS Innovator strategy is, in particular, associated with more superior firm performance than the IS Conservative strategy under conditions of environmental dynamism. Organizational leaders need to consider the external environments under which their organizations are operating and evaluate the influence those environments may have on their IS strategy's ability to impact performance. Post hoc analysis results also reveal a fourth potential IS strategy, one that strives for ambidexterity. Ambidextrous firms were found to be associated with the most superior performance, leading to a potential extension of the existing IS strategy typology and a call for future research.

The downside of being ‘up’: entrepreneurs' dispositional positive affect and firm performance

Abstract: Previous research indicates that dispositional positive affect (DPA) is related to many beneficial outcomes (e.g., enhanced career success, development of high-quality social networks, improved performance on many tasks). Past research, however, has not directly investigated three crucial issues: (1) Are there limits to these beneficial effects? (2) Is dispositional positive affect related to firm performance as well as to individual entrepreneur performance? (3) Are the effects of entrepreneurs' DPA moderated by specific variables? The present study provides evidence relating to these issues. Findings indicate significant relationships between entrepreneurs' DPA and two measures of firm performance (product innovation and sales growth rate). However, there are indeed limits to these effects, such that beyond certain upper bounds, further increments in entrepreneurs' DPA are associated with declines in firm performance. These effects are moderated by firm size, such that the negative effects of entrepreneurs' DPA are stronger in small firms than in comparatively larger ones. Results contribute to the development of theory for understanding the role of entrepreneurs' affect in the entrepreneurial process. More generally, they contribute to ongoing efforts to understand how founding entrepreneurs influence the subsequent development and growth of their firms. Copyright © 2011 Strategic Management Society.

Building Stronger Ties With Alumni Through Facebook to Increase Volunteerism and Charitable Giving

Abstract: This research explores how strength of network ties, as fostered by the use of a social network site, Facebook, (a) influences alumni attitudes toward volunteering for and making charitable gifts to their alma mater, and (b) fortifies consistency between attitude and behavior. After exploratory interviews and participant observation, a survey of 3,085 alumni was conducted for hypothesis testing. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed: First, active participation in Facebook groups positively predicted strength of network ties along 2 dimensions: frequency of communication and emotional closeness. Second, both dimensions of tie strength influenced actual behavior, albeit via different routes. The paper also contributes to attitude change research in showing that strength of network ties can help ensure consistencies between attitude and behavior.

Erratum: The eighth data release of the sloan digital sky survey: First data from SDSS-III (The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (2011) 193 (29))

Abstract: Section 3.5 of Aihara et al. (2011) described various sources of systematic error in the astrometry of the imaging data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In addition to these sources of error, there is an additional and more serious error, which introduces a large systematic shift in the astrometry over a large area around the north celestial pole. The region has irregular boundaries but in places extends as far south as declination δ ≈ 41◦. The sense of the shift is that the positions of all sources in the affected area are offset by roughly 250 mas in a northwest direction. We have updated the SDSS online documentation to reflect these errors, and to provide detailed quality information for each SDSS field.