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Showing papers by "University of Mannheim published in 2005"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compare the role of smoothing/regularization processes that are required in local and global differential methods for optic flow computation, and propose a simple confidence measure that minimizes energy functionals.
Abstract: Differential methods belong to the most widely used techniques for optic flow computation in image sequences. They can be classified into local methods such as the Lucas-Kanade technique or Bigun's structure tensor method, and into global methods such as the Horn/Schunck approach and its extensions. Often local methods are more robust under noise, while global techniques yield dense flow fields. The goal of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding and the design of novel differential methods in four ways: (i) We juxtapose the role of smoothing/regularisation processes that are required in local and global differential methods for optic flow computation. (ii) This discussion motivates us to describe and evaluate a novel method that combines important advantages of local and global approaches: It yields dense flow fields that are robust against noise. (iii) Spatiotemporal and nonlinear extensions as well as multiresolution frameworks are presented for this hybrid method. (iv) We propose a simple confidence measure for optic flow methods that minimise energy functionals. It allows to sparsify a dense flow field gradually, depending on the reliability required for the resulting flow. Comparisons with experiments from the literature demonstrate the favourable performance of the proposed methods and the confidence measure.

1,256 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, two experimental studies reveal the existence of a strong, positive impact of customer satisfaction on willingness to pay, and they provide support for a nonlinear, functional structure based on disappointment theory (i.e., an inverse S-shaped form).
Abstract: Two experimental studies (a lab experiment and a study involving a real usage experience over time) reveal the existence of a strong, positive impact of customer satisfaction on willingness to pay, and they provide support for a nonlinear, functional structure based on disappointment theory (i.e., an inverse S-shaped form). In addition, the second study examines dynamic aspects of the relationship and provides evidence for the stronger impact of cumulative satisfaction rather than of transaction-specific satisfaction on willingness to pay.

1,044 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the factors that induce consumers to accept the mobile phone as a means of communicating promotional content and identified entertainment value as well as information value as the strongest drivers of the acceptance of mobile phones as an innovative medium for advertising content communication.
Abstract: With the emergence of high speed wireless network technologies and the increasing market penetration of mobile phones the global advertising industry’s interest in using this medium as a means of marketing communication is rising. However, in spite of the increasing number of companies investing in mobile marketing campaigns, there is, as yet, little academic research on this topic and the nature and implications of this channel are not yet understood fully. This research attempts to help in bridging this gap; it investigates the factors that induce consumers to accept the mobile phone as a means of communicating promotional content. Underlying the research are a set of hypotheses that have been formulated to include determinants referring to consumer personality as well as determinants referring to the form of advertising. These hypotheses form the basis for this research and are empirically tested by means of a linear structural equation model. The empirical results (n = 1,028) identify entertainment value as well as information value as the strongest drivers of the acceptance of the mobile phone as an innovative medium for advertising content communication.

860 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This short paper shows how position-based routing can be aplied to a city scenario without assuming that nodes have access to a static street map and without using source routing.
Abstract: Position-based routing, as it is used by protocols like Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR) [5], is very well suited for highly dynamic environments such as inter-vehicle communication on highways. However, it has been discussed that radio obstacles [4], as they are found in urban areas, have a significant negative impact on the performance of position-based routing. In prior work [6] we presented a position-based approach which alleviates this problem and is able to find robust routes within city environments. It is related to the idea of position-based source routing as proposed in [1] for terminode routing. The algorithm needs global knowledge of the city topology as it is provided by a static street map. Given this information the sender determines the junctions that have to be traversed by the packet using the Dijkstra shortest path algorithm. Forwarding between junctions is then done in a position-based fashion. In this short paper we show how position-based routing can be aplied to a city scenario without assuming that nodes have access to a static street map and without using source routing.

767 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors address how an organization's complaint management affects customer justice evaluations and, in turn, customer satisfaction and loyalty, and they draw a distinction between two fundamental approaches, the mechanistic approach (based on establishing guidelines) and the organic approach(based on creating a favorable internal environment).
Abstract: This article addresses how an organization's complaint management affects customer justice evaluations and, in turn, customer satisfaction and loyalty. In delineating an organization's complaint management, the authors draw a distinction between two fundamental approaches, the mechanistic approach (based on establishing guidelines) and the organic approach (based on creating a favorable internal environment). The empirical analysis is based on a dyadic data set that contains managerial assessments of companies' complaint management and complaining customers' assessments with respect to perceived justice, satisfaction, and loyalty. Findings indicate that though both the mechanistic and the organic approach significantly influence complaining customers' assessments, the mechanistic approach has a stronger total impact. Moreover, the study provides evidence of a primarily complementary relationship between the two approaches. Another key facet of the study is related to the moderating influences of ...

759 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results speak to the reliability and validity of the scale and show that essentialist beliefs are associated with basic social-cognitive motives and are also related to processes of stereotyping and prejudice.
Abstract: Three studies analyzed the biological component of psychological essentialism (laypeople's belief that social categories have an underlying nature/natural foundation) as it pertains to mechanisms of motivated social cognition. A new scale assessing the belief in genetic determinism is introduced as a measure of the biological component of essentialism. Results speak to the reliability and validity of the scale and show that essentialist beliefs are associated with basic social-cognitive motives and are also related to processes of stereotyping and prejudice. An experimental study found that rendering essentialist information salient elicits increased levels of prejudice and in-group bias, particularly in persons holding chronic essentialist beliefs.

493 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared different fit indexes with respect to a specific type of model misspecification, i.e., simple structure was violated with some secondary loadings that were present in the true models that were not specified in the estimated models.
Abstract: Fit indexes were compared with respect to a specific type of model misspecification. Simple structure was violated with some secondary loadings that were present in the true models that were not specified in the estimated models. The c2 test, Comparative Fit Index, Goodness-of-Fit Index, Incremental Fit Index, Nonnormed Fit Index, root mean squared error of approximation, standardized root mean square residual, and the c2/df values were investigated. Simulated data sets with 3 sample sizes (250, 500, and 1,000 cases), 4 levels of main loadings (.40,. 50,. 60, and. 80), 2 numbers of factors (4, 8), and 2 types of association matrix (covariance, correlation) were the basis for maximum likelihood estimation of orthogonal and oblique factor models. Some correlations between fit indexes were low. Moreover, small distortions from simple structure did not lead to misfit in the RMSEA and SRMR, but they often led to misfit in the incremental fit indexes. This result may be of interest for research on personality t...

468 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A high frequency of Fabry disease is shown in a cohort of patients with cryptogenic stroke, which corresponds to about 1.2% in young stroke patients, especially in those with the combination of infarction in the vertebrobasilar artery system and proteinuria.

422 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed credit file data from four major German banks and found evidence that the combined use of financial and non-financial factors leads to a more accurate prediction of future default events than the single use of each of these factors.
Abstract: Internal credit ratings are expected to gain in importance because of their potential use for determining regulatory capital adequacy and banks' increasing focus on the risk–return profile in commercial lending. Whereas the eligibility of financial factors as inputs for internal credit ratings is widely accepted, the role of non-financial factors remains ambiguous. Analyzing credit file data from four major German banks, we find evidence that the combined use of financial and non-financial factors leads to a more accurate prediction of future default events than the single use of each of these factors.

311 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effects of postmerger integration in marketing (extent and speed of marketing integration) on M&A performance, as mediated by integration outcomes (magnitude of cost savings and market-related performance).
Abstract: Previous research on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has neglected marketing issues by and large. In this article, the authors examine the effects of postmerger integration in marketing (extent and speed of marketing integration) on M&A performance, as mediated by integration outcomes (magnitude of cost savings and market-related performance). Results from a survey of 232 horizontal M&A show that market-related performance after the merger or acquisition has a much stronger impact on financial performance than does cost savings. In addition, the authors find that the extent of integration is beneficial in terms of cost savings but detrimental in terms of market-related performance. Finally, they identify variables that moderate the relationships being considered.

268 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the role of customer satisfaction in influencing the impact of these two variables on repurchase intentions after a price increase and found that as satisfaction increases, the negative impact of the price increase is weakened.
Abstract: Most of the previous research on price changes has focused on price decreases. This article investigates the effects of price increases at an individual level. The authors argue that customers’ reactions to price increases (i.e., repurchase intentions) are strongly driven by two factors: the magnitude of the price increase and the perceived fairness of the motive for the price increase. In this context, the authors examine the role of customer satisfaction in influencing the impact of these two variables on repurchase intentions after a price increase. Their findings reveal that as satisfaction increases, the negative impact of the magnitude of a price increase is weakened. Furthermore, the results suggest that satisfaction moderates the impact of perceived motive fairness. The authors also find that the level of satisfaction can influence the valence of the perceived motives in response to a price increase.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper introduces the ‘Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’ (SHARE) to researchers on ageing and presents highlights from the three main research areas covered by SHARE, namely economics, sociology, and health.
Abstract: This paper introduces the ‘Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’ (SHARE) to researchers on ageing. SHARE provides an infrastructure to help researchers better understand the individual and population ageing process: where we are, where we are heading to, and how we can influence the quality of life as we age, both as individuals and as societies. The baseline wave in 2004 provides data on the life circumstances of some 27,000 persons aged 50 and over in 11 European countries, ranging from Scandinavia across Western and Central Europe to the Mediterranean. SHARE has made great efforts to deliver truly comparable data, so we can reliably study how differences in cultures, living conditions and policy approaches shape the life of Europeans just before and after retirement. The paper first describes the SHARE data. In order to demonstrate its value, it then presents highlights from the three main research areas covered by SHARE, namely economics, sociology, and health.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Four novel continuous feature selection approaches directly minimising the classifier performance are presented, including linear and nonlinear Support Vector Machine classifiers.
Abstract: Feature selection is an important combinatorial optimisation problem in the context of supervised pattern classification. This paper presents four novel continuous feature selection approaches directly minimising the classifier performance. In particular, we include linear and nonlinear Support Vector Machine classifiers. The key ideas of our approaches are additional regularisation and embedded nonlinear feature selection. To solve our optimisation problems, we apply difference of convex functions programming which is a general framework for non-convex continuous optimisation. Experiments with artificial data and with various real-world problems including organ classification in computed tomography scans demonstrate that our methods accomplish the desired feature selection and classification performance simultaneously.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report the results of an experimental parameter-free elicitation and decomposition of decision weights under uncertainty, using observable choice instead of invoking other empirical primitives, as in previous experimental studies.
Abstract: This paper reports the results of an experimental parameter-free elicitation and decomposition of decision weights under uncertainty. Assuming cumulative prospect theory, utility functions were elicited for gains and losses at an individual level using the tradeoff method. Subsequently, decision weights were elicited through certainty equivalents of uncertain two-outcome prospects. Furthermore, decision weights were decomposed using observable choice instead of invoking other empirical primitives, as in previous experimental studies. The choice-based elicitation of decision weights allows for a quantitative study of their characteristics, and also allows, among other things, for the examination of the sign-dependence hypothesis for observed choice under uncertainty. Our results confirm concavity of the utility function in the gain domain and bounded subadditivity of decision weights and choice-based subjective probabilities. We also find evidence for sign dependence of decision weights.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the market implication of product differentiation when customers are concerned about environmental aspects of the good and use the spacial duopoly model to determine how environmental concern affects prices, product characteristics and market shares of the competing firms.
Abstract: Increasing environmental awareness may affect the pleasure of consuming a good for which an environmental friendly substitute is available. When deciding to buy differentiated products, a compromise is sometimes made between preferred characteristics of the good and its environmental properties. In this paper we investigate the market implication of product differentiation when customers are concerned about environmental aspects of the good. We use the spacial duopoly model to determine how environmental concern affects prices, product characteristics and market shares of the competing firms. Our analysis is based on a two-stage game where at the first stage each firm chooses the characteristic of its product. At the second stage each firm chooses its price. The unique equilibrium prices and market shares are affected by consumer awareness of the environment and by the higher costs for producing those goods. As for the Nash equilibria in the characteristics we find three equilibria depending on the parameter constellation. In order to find out whether the market functions in an optimal way we determined the choice of environmental characteristics by a welfare maximizing authority. The result of this analysis is that characteristics differ under private decision making and social one. It can be shown, however, that it is possible to choose environmental policy instruments in order to stimulate private firms to produce the social optimal qualities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors validate a measurement model for the construct of web portal quality based on the following dimensions: security and trust, basic services quality, cross-buying service quality, added value, transaction support and responsiveness.
Abstract: Purpose – In the internet economy, the business model of web portals has spread rapidly over the last few years. Despite this, there have been very few scholarly investigations into the services and characteristics that transform a web site into a portal as well as into the dimensions that determine the customer's evaluation of the portal's service quality.Design/methodology/approach – Based on an empirical study in the field of e‐banking, the authors validate a measurement model for the construct of web portal quality based on the following dimensions: security and trust, basic services quality, cross‐buying services quality, added value, transaction support and responsiveness.Findings – The identified dimensions can reasonably be classified into three service categories: core services, additional services, and problem‐solving services.Originality/value – The knowledge of these dimensions as major determinants of consumer's quality perception in the internet provides banks a promising starting point for ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that consumers are willing to pay more because the match between product characteristics and buyers' tastes are improved, and that this holds under sufficient taste heterogeneity and product diversity.
Abstract: Downloading digital products for free may harm creators and intermediaries because consumers may no longer buy the version for sale. However, as we show in this paper, this negative effect may be overcompensated by a positive effect due to sampling: consumers are willing to pay more because the match between product characteristics and buyers' tastes are improved. This indeed holds under sufficient taste heterogeneity and product diversity.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 2005-BJUI
TL;DR: To report the experience with over 300 patients treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), for although PNL was established as a treatment in the 1970s, its use diminished with the introduction of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL); clinical experience with ESWL showed its limitations.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE To report our experience with over 300 patients treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), for although PNL was established as a treatment in the 1970s, its use diminished with the introduction of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL); clinical experience with ESWL showed its limitations, and the role of PNL for treating urolithiasis was redefined, which with improvements in instruments and lithotripsy technology has expanded the capability of percutaneous stone disintegration. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included 315 patients (156 males, 159 females, aged 13-85 years) treated with PNL in our department between 1987 and 2002. The mean (range) stone diameter was 27 (7-52) mm. The kidney was punctured under ultrasonography guidance via a lower-pole calyx whenever possible. The working channel was dilated using an Alken dilator under X-ray control. If necessary, a flexible renoscope was used. Ultrasonic, pneumatic and laser probes were used for lithotripsy. RESULTS Four weeks after treatment the total stone-free rate was 96.5%; 45.7% of all patients were primarily stone-free, 21.3% had clinically insignificant residual stones that passed spontaneously within 4 weeks after PNL, and 33% of the patients needed auxiliary measures (a second PNL, ESWL, ureterorenoscopy). Overall, the early complication rate was 50.8%, the most common complications being transient fever (27.6%), clinically insignificant bleeding (7.6%) or both (3.2%); 3.5% of the patients developed urinary tract infections (with no signs of urosepsis), 3.2% had renal colic and 2.9% upper urinary tract obstruction. One patient (0.3%) developed acute pancreatitis after PNL; one died from urosepsis and one needed selective angiographic embolization of the punctured kidney due to bleeding. No patient required transfusions and there were no injuries to neighbouring organs. CONCLUSIONS These results show that PNL causes no significant blood loss or major complications in almost all patients. Two aspects may especially reduce the potential complications: ultrasonography-guided renal puncture and using PNL in an experienced centre. PNL is a highly efficient procedure that provides fast and safe stone removal.

Posted Content
TL;DR: The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) as discussed by the authors is a baseline study that collects data on individual life circumstances of about 27,000 persons aged 50 and over in 11 European countries, ranging from Scandinavia across Western and Central Europe to the Mediterranean.
Abstract: This paper introduces the 'Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe' (SHARE). The 2004 baseline study collects data on the individual life circumstances of about 27,000 persons aged 50 and over in 11 European countries, ranging from Scandinavia across Western and Central Europe to the Mediterranean. SHARE has made great efforts to deliver truly comparable data, so we can reliably study how differences in cultures, living conditions and policy approaches shape the life of Europeans just before and after retirement. We present first results from the three main research areas covered by SHARE, namely economics, sociology, and health. SHARE provides an infrastructure to help researchers better understand the individual and population ageing process: where we are, where we are heading to, and how we can influence the quality of life as we age – both as individuals and as societies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Investigation of transcriptional activity of representative members of 20 HERV families in 19 different normal human tissues revealed distinct HERV activity in the human tissues under investigation, suggesting that HERV elements are active in human cells in a tissue-specific manner.
Abstract: Retrovirus-like sequences account for 8 to 9% of the human genome. Among these sequences, about 8,000 pol-containing proviral elements have been identified to date. As part of our ongoing search for active and possibly disease-relevant human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), we have recently developed an oligonucleotide-based microarray. The assay allows for both the detection and the identification of most known retroviral reverse transcriptase (RT)-related nucleic acids in biological samples. In the present study, we have investigated the transcriptional activity of representative members of 20 HERV families in 19 different normal human tissues. Qualitative evaluation of chip hybridization signals and quantitative analysis by real-time RT-PCR revealed distinct HERV activity in the human tissues under investigation, suggesting that HERV elements are active in human cells in a tissue-specific manner. Most active members of HERV families were found in mRNA prepared from skin, thyroid gland, placenta, and tissues of reproductive organs. In contrast, only few active HERVs were detectable in muscle cells. Human tissues that lack HERV transcription could not be found, confirming that human endogenous retroviruses are permanent components of the human transcriptome. Distinct activity patterns may reflect the characteristics of the regulatory machinery in these cells, e.g., cell type-dependent occurrence of transcriptional regulatory factors.

Book ChapterDOI
04 Dec 2005
TL;DR: This paper reconsiders the established Merkle-Damgard design principle for iterated hash functions and shows that increasing w quantifiably improves security against certain attacks, even if the compression function fails to be collision resistant.
Abstract: This paper reconsiders the established Merkle-Damgard design principle for iterated hash functions. The internal state size w of an iterated n-bit hash function is treated as a security parameter of its own right. In a formal model, we show that increasing w quantifiably improves security against certain attacks, even if the compression function fails to be collision resistant. We propose the wide-pipe hash, internally using a w-bit compression function, and the double-pipe hash, with w=2n and an n-bit compression function used twice in parallel.

Posted Content
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that certain customer characteristics (such as customer trust, customer price consciousness, and the importance of product/service to the customer) and salesperson characteristics (e.g., empathy, expertise, and reliability) moderate the relationship between salesperson's work satisfaction and customer satisfaction.
Abstract: A number of recent research studies have demonstrated the presence of a positive link between customer-contact employees’ work satisfaction and customer satisfaction However, existing studies have largely neglected describing conditions under which the link between these two constructs is stronger or weaker The authors of this study argue that certain customer characteristics (such as customer trust, customer price consciousness, and the importance of product/service to the customer) and salesperson characteristics (such as empathy, expertise, and reliability) moderate the relationship between salespeople’s work satisfaction and customer satisfaction Balance theory is used to justify the hypotheses of the study Tests of the hypotheses are based on a dyadic data set collected across manufacturing and services industries in a business-to-business context Results reveal that the link between work satisfaction and customer satisfaction is systematically moderated by the salesperson and customer characteristics under consideration © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper presents various semantics in the branching-time spectrum of discrete-time and continuous-time Markov chains (DTMCs and CTMCs).
Abstract: This paper presents various semantics in the branching-time spectrum of discrete-time and continuous-time Markov chains (DTMCs and CTMCs). Strong and weak bisimulation equivalence and simulation preorders are covered and are logically characterized in terms of the temporal logics Probabilistic Computation Tree Logic (PCTL) and Continuous Stochastic Logic (CSL). Apart from presenting various existing branching-time relations in a uniform manner, this paper presents the following new results: (i) strong simulation for CTMCs, (ii) weak simulation for CTMCs and DTMCs, (iii) logical characterizations thereof (including weak bisimulation for DTMCs), (iv) a relation between weak bisimulation and weak simulation equivalence, and (v) various connections between equivalences and pre-orders in the continuous-and discrete-time setting. The results are summarized in a branching-time spectrum for DTMCs and CTMCs elucidating their semantics as well as their relationship.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An experiment examined how the type and presentation format of information about investment options affected investors' expectations about asset risk, returns, and volatility and how these expectations related to asset choice.
Abstract: An experiment examined how the type and presentation format of information about investment options affected investors' expectations about asset risk, returns, and volatility and how these expectations related to asset choice. Respondents were provided with the names of 16 domestic and foreign investment options, with 10-year historical return information for these options, or with both. Historical returns were presented either as a bar graph of returns per year or as a continuous density distribution. Provision of asset names allowed for the investigation of the mechanisms underlying the home bias in investment choice and other asset familiarity effects. Respondents provided their expectations of future returns, volatility, and expected risk, and indicated the options they would choose to invest in. Expected returns closely resembled historical expected values. Risk and volatility perceptions both varied significantly as a function of the type and format of information, but in different ways. Expected returns and perceived risk, not predicted volatility, predicted portfolio decisions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper presents a decoupled, as well as a coupled, version of the classical Gau/spl szlig/-Seidel solver, and develops several multigrid implementations based on a discretization coarse grid approximation that take advantage of intergrid transfer operators that allow for nondyadic grid hierarchies.
Abstract: This paper investigates the usefulness of bidirectional multigrid methods for variational optical flow computations. Although these numerical schemes are among the fastest methods for solving equation systems, they are rarely applied in the field of computer vision. We demonstrate how to employ those numerical methods for the treatment of variational optical flow formulations and show that the efficiency of this approach even allows for real-time performance on standard PCs. As a representative for variational optic flow methods, we consider the recently introduced combined local-global method. It can be considered as a noise-robust generalization of the Horn and Schunck technique. We present a decoupled, as well as a coupled, version of the classical Gau/spl szlig/-Seidel solver, and we develop several multigrid implementations based on a discretization coarse grid approximation. In contrast, with standard bidirectional multigrid algorithms, we take advantage of intergrid transfer operators that allow for nondyadic grid hierarchies. As a consequence, no restrictions concerning the image size or the number of traversed levels have to be imposed. In the experimental section, we juxtapose the developed multigrid schemes and demonstrate their superior performance when compared to unidirectional multigrid methods and nonhierachical solvers. For the well-known 316/spl times/252 Yosemite sequence, we succeeded in computing the complete set of dense flow fields in three quarters of a second on a 3.06-GHz Pentium4 PC. This corresponds to a frame rate of 18 flow fields per second which outperforms the widely-used Gau/spl szlig/-Seidel method by almost three orders of magnitude.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that certain customer characteristics (such as customer trust, customer price consciousness, and the importance of product/service to the customer) and salesperson characteristics (e.g., empathy, expertise, and reliability) moderate the relationship between salesperson's work satisfaction and customer satisfaction.
Abstract: A number of recent research studies have demonstrated the presence of a positive link between customer-contact employees’ work satisfaction and customer satisfaction. However, existing studies have largely neglected describing conditions under which the link between these two constructs is stronger or weaker. The authors of this study argue that certain customer characteristics (such as customer trust, customer price consciousness, and the importance of product/service to the customer) and salesperson characteristics (such as empathy, expertise, and reliability) moderate the relationship between salespeople’s work satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Balance theory is used to justify the hypotheses of the study. Tests of the hypotheses are based on a dyadic data set collected across manufacturing and services industries in a business-to-business context. Results reveal that the link between work satisfaction and customer satisfaction is systematically moderated by the salesperson and customer characteristics under consideration. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Book ChapterDOI
09 Nov 2005
TL;DR: It is shown that the global minimum of the relaxed convex problem can be interpreted as probability distribution over the original space of matching matrices, providing a basis for efficiently sampling all close-to-optimal combinatorial matchings within the original solution space.
Abstract: We present a novel approach to the matching of subgraphs for object recognition in computer vision. Feature similarities between object model and scene graph are complemented with a regularization term that measures differences of the relational structure. For the resulting quadratic integer program, a mathematically tight relaxation is derived by exploiting the degrees of freedom of the embedding space of positive semidefinite matrices. We show that the global minimum of the relaxed convex problem can be interpreted as probability distribution over the original space of matching matrices, providing a basis for efficiently sampling all close-to-optimal combinatorial matchings within the original solution space. As a result, the approach can even handle completely ambiguous situations, despite uniqueness of the relaxed convex problem. Exhaustive numerical experiments demonstrate the promising performance of the approach which – up to a single inevitable regularization parameter that weights feature similarity against structural similarity – is free of any further tuning parameters.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss methodological shortcomings and potential solutions in selecting cases in comparative cross-national research, and evaluate the epistemological and methodological problems of both comparative approaches.
Abstract: The problem of case selection is a crucial but often overlooked issue in comparative cross-national research. The article discusses methodological shortcomings and potential solutions in selecting cases. All comparative research of social entities, whether quantitative or qualitative, faces the problem of contingency, the fact that the potential pool of cases has been pre-selected by historical and political processes. In large-N cross-national studies the use of inference statistics is problematic since random selection is rarely given and the cases represent a highly stratified set. In small-N case studies, however, the selection of cases is a deliberate choice based on the theory-driven comparative method. The epistemological and methodological problems of both comparative approaches are discussed and evaluated.

OtherDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that the traditional path dependence theorem is deterministic and inflexible, whereas the second approach is sufficiently supple to analyze various forms of institutional change.
Abstract: Path dependence as a concept in institutional theories has become increasingly popular in economics and other social sciences. The key idea is that in a sequence of events, the latter events are not (completely) independent from those that occurred in the past. Yet, common usage of the concept often subsumes two markedly different models and approaches to understand historical sequencing. The two main processes of the past shaping the future – diffusion and developmental pathways – must be distinguished analytically. This paper juxtaposes (1) the unplanned "trodden path" that takes shape through the subsequent repeated use by other individuals of that spontaneously chosen path, and (2) the "branching pathways" or juncture at which one of the available alternative pathways must be chosen in order to continue a journey. Furthermore, the typical approaches and their explanatory purchase are discussed in reference to explanations of institutional change. The paper shows that the first path dependence theorem is too deterministic and inflexible, whereas the second approach is sufficiently supple to analyze various forms of institutional change. Pfadabhangigkeit wird in den Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften zunehmend als Konzept institutioneller Theorien angewendet. Der Grundgedanke ist, dass in einer Sequenz von Ereignissen (oder Entscheidungen) spatere nicht (vollkommen) unabhangig von vorangegangenen sind. Jedoch wird in gangigen Anwendungen des Konzepts oft versaumt, nach zwei auserst unterschiedlichen Verstandnissen historischer Sequenzen zu differenzieren. Die zwei Prozesse der Strukturierung der Zukunft durch die Vergangenheit – Diffusionspfade und Entwicklungspfade – sollen analytisch getrennt werden. Dieser Aufsatz unterscheidet (1) den zufalligen "Trampelpfad", welcher durch die vermehrte Benutzung eines Pfades spontan entsteht, von (2) dem "Scheideweg", an dem einer der moglichen Pfade gewahlt werden muss, um den Weg fortzusetzen. Im Weiteren wird der Erklarungsbeitrag der beiden Ansatze in Bezug auf die Erklarung institutionellen Wandels erortert. Es zeigt sich, dass das erste Pfadabhangigkeitstheorem zu deterministisch und inflexibel ist, der zweite Pfadabhangigkeitsansatz hingegen offen genug, unterschiedliche Formen institutionellen Wandels zu analysieren.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the importance of brand equity in the professional German soccer league Bundesliga was examined using online sampling with a total database of 1,594 usable questionnaires for analysis, and the adequacy of a parsimonious brand equity model in team sport (BETS) model was highlighted.
Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to refine existing customer‐based brand equity models for the team sport industry and examine the importance of brand equity in the professional German soccer league Bundesliga.Design/methodology/approach – After assessing brand equity on the basis of actual consumer responses, we relate the brand equity measure on an aggregate level to objective means of economic success. Online sampling with a total database of 1,594 usable questionnaires is utilized for analysis. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (including multi‐group analysis) as well as structural equation modeling and regression analysis are applied.Findings – Results highlight the adequacy of a parsimonious brand equity model in team sport (BETS) model and the importance of the brand in team sport for economic success.Research limitations/implications – The main limitations of this research are sample constraints; test persons are highly involved in and knowledgeable about the product category under research. Fu...