The Effect of Work and Non-Work Influences Upon the Relationships Between Role Stress and Selected Work Outcomes.

This study examined the importance of two constructs--work relationships and job/home conflict--as potential mediators/moderators of the linkage between role conflict and role ambiguity with a variety of work outcomes in a salesforce setting. These outcomes include: sales performance, job satisfaction, emotional burnout, and propensity to leave. Results indicate that the relationships between these outcomes and the role variables are often mediated rather than direct. Implications for both researchers and practitioners are developed as well as a future research agenda

Interfirm Structure and Buyer-Salesperson Behavior Impact on Relationship Outcomes

The individual level interaction between the buyer and salesperson can best be understood in the broader framework provided by the inter-firm relationship. Very little research has been conducted that examines both firm level and interpersonal level constructs in the context of business relationships. The primary purpose of this study is to design and test a theoretical model that examines the effect of inter-firm structure and buyer-salesperson behaviors on relationship outcomes. The results suggest that in established relationships, the external environment plays a role in determining the how buyer-seller firms structure their relationships. The way in which the relationship is structured plays an important role in determining how the buyer and salesperson interact. Both inter-firm structure and buyer-salesperson behaviors, in turn, influence buyer satisfaction

Time-Dependent Physicochemical Changes of Carbonate Surfaces from SmartWater (Diluted Seawater) Flooding Processes for Improved Oil Recovery.

Over the past few decades, field- and laboratory-scale studies have shown enhancements in oil recovery when reservoirs, which contain high-salinity formation water (FW), are waterflooded with modified-salinity salt water (widely referred to as the low-salinity, dilution, or SmartWater effect for improved oil recovery). In this study, we investigated the time dependence of the physicochemical processes that occur during diluted seawater (i.e., SmartWater) waterflooding processes of specific relevance to carbonate oil reservoirs. We measured the changes to oil/water/rock wettability, surface roughness, and surface chemical composition during SmartWater flooding using 10-fold-diluted seawater under mimicked oil reservoir conditions with calcite and carbonate reservoir rocks. Distinct effects due to SmartWater flooding were observed and found to occur on two different timescales: (1) a rapid (<15 min) increase in the colloidal electrostatic double-layer repulsion between the rock and oil across the SmartWater, leading to a decreased oil/water/rock adhesion energy and thus increased water wetness and (2) slower (>12 h to complete) physicochemical changes of the calcite and carbonate reservoir rock surfaces, including surface roughening via the dissolution of rock and the reprecipitation of dissolved carbonate species after exchanging key ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32-, and SO42- in carbonates) with those in the flooding SmartWater. Our experiments using crude oil from a carbonate reservoir reveal that these reservoir rock surfaces are covered with organic-ionic preadsorbed films (ad-layers), which the SmartWater removes (detaches) as flakes. Removal of the organic-ionic ad-layers by SmartWater flooding enhances oil release from the surfaces, which was found to be critical to increasing the water wetness and significantly improving oil removal from carbonates. Additionally, the increase in water wetness is further enhanced by roughening of the rock surfaces, which decreases the effective contact (interaction) area between the oil and rock interfaces. Furthermore, we found that the rate of these slower physicochemical changes to the carbonate rock surfaces increases with increasing temperature (at least up to an experimental temperature of 75 °C). Our results suggest that the effectiveness of improved oil recovery from SmartWater flooding depends strongly on the formation of the organic-ionic ad-layers. In oil reservoirs where the ad-layer is fully developed and robust, injecting SmartWater would lead to significant removal of the ad-layer and improved oil recovery

Geographic Scope Effects on Buyer Satisfaction and Defection

As organizations move away from their domestic borders and into international environments, selling firms should understand the role geographic scope plays for the buying organization in determining whether buyers want to continue purchasing a product or service.  This study addresses differences in geographic scope of buying firms as they relate to satisfaction and intention to remain in the relationship.  Our findings suggest firms that are international in scope place a stronger emphasis on being satisfied with the selling firm and the salesperson of that firm when considering continuing to stay in the relationship than firms that have only a national geographic scope.  Additionally, our findings indicate that organizations that are international in scope place a greater importance on satisfaction with their salesperson when deciding whether to stay in the relationship than firms with a regional scope.  As organizations move away from their domesticborders and into international environments, sellingfirms should understand the role geographic scope playsfor the buying organization in determining whether buyerswant to continue purchasing a product or service. This studyaddresses differences in geographic scope of buying firms asthey relate to satisfaction and intention to remain in therelationship. Our findings suggest firms that are internationalin scope place a stronger emphasis on being satisfied with theselling firm and the salesperson of that firm when consideringcontinuing to stay in the relationship than firms that have onlya national geographic scope. Additionally, our findings indicatethat organizations that are international in scope place agreater importance on satisfaction with their salespersonwhen deciding whether to stay in the relationship than firmswith a regional scope

The use of TeleMedicine in the Treatment of Pediatric Obesity: Feasibility and Acceptability

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Davis, A. M., James, R. L., Boles, R. E., Goetz, J. R., Belmont, J. and Malone, B. (2011), The use of TeleMedicine in the treatment of paediatric obesity: feasibility and acceptability. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 7: 71–79. doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2010.00248.x, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2010.00248.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of conducting empirically supported family based pediatric obesity group treatment via telemedicine. METHODS: Seventeen families were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (physician visit, TeleMedicine). Measures included feasibility, satisfaction, and intervention outcome measures such as BMI percentile, and nutrition and activity behaviors. Measures were completed at baseline, post-treatment, and at one-year follow-up. RESULTS: Analyses indicate that both feasibility and satisfaction data regarding the TeleMedicine intervention were positive. Intervention outcome indicates no change in BMI percentile or nutrition and activity behaviors for either treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: A behavioral family-based weight loss intervention delivered via TeleMedicine was well received by both parents and providers. Due to the small sample size, null findings regarding intervention outcome should be interpreted with caution. Future research should focus on methods to increase the impact of this intervention on key outcome variables

Observing groups as seen from both sides of the looking glass

This paper attempts to make a contribution to an area of the literature on group therapy about which very little has been published—the effects of the therapy group upon the observing group and the dynamics of the observing group as an entity in itself. Although work on which this paper is based took place in training institutions where education is the primary function, it is important to emphasize that education and personal change are interrelated. Psychotherapeutic activity takes place spontaneously with the observers and needs to be constructively utilized. This wealth of process and reaction is an untapped training opportunity for the observing group. The challenge of method, personal reactions, and group process responses are all opportunities for its members to both learn more as therapists and mature as individuals. At this juncture, we are trying to establish ways ofPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42824/1/10724_2006_Article_BF02383079.pd

Modeling DNA Structure, Elasticity and Deformations at the Base-pair Level

We present a generic model for DNA at the base-pair level. We use a variant of the Gay-Berne potential to represent the stacking energy between neighboring base-pairs. The sugar-phosphate backbones are taken into account by semi-rigid harmonic springs with a non-zero spring length. The competition of these two interactions and the introduction of a simple geometrical constraint leads to a stacked right-handed B-DNA-like conformation. The mapping of the presented model to the Marko-Siggia and the Stack-of-Plates model enables us to optimize the free model parameters so as to reproduce the experimentally known observables such as persistence lengths, mean and mean squared base-pair step parameters. For the optimized model parameters we measured the critical force where the transition from B- to S-DNA occurs to be approximately $140{pN}$. We observe an overstretched S-DNA conformation with highly inclined bases that partially preserves the stacking of successive base-pairs.Comment: 15 pages, 25 figures. submitted to PR

Mentoring Characteristics and Functions: Mentoring Influence on Salespeople

Purpose: This paper aims to examine a longitudinal study of mentoring functions and their effect on salesperson attitudes and intentions. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a multi-year study of salespeople beginning when the salesperson entered the industry being examined. Findings: The level of interaction between the mentor and protégé was found to be the only antecedent examined that related to the perceived quality of mentoring functions. Age, education and length of employment for both parties; the degree of age and education difference; and the length of the mentoring relationship were not significant. Successful mentoring appeared to be based heavily on a mentor’s willingness and ability to interact frequently with the protégé. Originality/value: This study adds to the literature on mentoring, looking at mentoring in a sales context. Research examining mentoring in a sales setting is much more limited than in many other professions, so the findings represent a valuable addition to the sales mentoring literature. Its influence on sales socialization may be very important

Key account buying team members' emotional responses awarding multi-million dollar sales contracts

Key account sales can have a profound impact on firm success. Our research investigates the decision process of members of key account buying teams during the buying decision process of awarding multi-million dollar sales contracts. Much extant key account literature examines what the salesperson and selling organization should do to win these major accounts, studied from the perspective of the selling organization. We examine the decision process of the members of the key account buying team as they determine which of the companies vying to be awarded these large sales proposals should be awarded the contract. We argue that key account buying team decisions are not simply straight-forward, objective, and rational judgements, but instead also incorporate a wide range of strong emotions elicited during the sales process that impact the decisions of the buying team and that therefore impact the decision of which company should be awarded these multi-million dollar contracts. We argue that members of these key account buying teams experience a broad range of emotions that have a definite role in key account proposal selection, that to-date have not been adequately acknowledged in the . These questions are investigated and a conceptual framework and research propositions are offered

Revitalizing Your National Account Program: The NAM Audit

The decision to establish or retain a national account marketing program is one faced by many firms whose product or service is sold through a business-to-business salesforce. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to determine whether the benefits obtained from establishing and/or maintaining a national account program outweigh the costs. This audit provides a structured approach to help firms decide if a NAM program is right for their particular company. Although, because of differences between firms, it is difficult to establish absolute decision rules, the audit can help a company decide whether to establish/maintain a national account marketing program