Children’s Influence on a Mother’s Purchase Decision: Shaped by TV Advertisements and Preferred Product Categories

As a potential market worldwide, children have a great influence on household purchase decisions, and therefore, are targeted by advertisers every day with numerous selling messages. A fair amount of research has been conducted internationally on the relationship between television advertisement aimed at children and its influence on their purchase behavior. Pakistan, however, vastly differs in terms of family dynamics, which shapes a child’s role in family buying decisions. It is also important to notice that a child’s inclination towards a certain product is often contingent on his/her interest towards the product category itself. The aim of this study is two-fold: to identify the elements of child-focused TV advertisements that are retained by children and their interest in selected product categories, both of which consequently shape their influence on a mother’s purchase decision. Eight mothers, with children aged from 3 to 7 years, belonging to SEC A were interviewed. Additionally, an observation was conducted at two superstores in Karachi to record the mother-child purchase behavior. Overall, it was found that children build a strong recall through television advertisements and actively influence the buying process for the product categories of interest, particularly eatables and toiletries category. Also, mothers are not always affirmative and exhibit a reluctant and skeptical behavior towards products requested by children. Keywords: Children’s infleunce, TV advertisement, product category, purchase decisio

Children’s Influence on a Mother’s Purchase Decision: Shaped by TV Advertisements and Preferred Product Categories

As a potential market worldwide, children have a great influence on household purchase decisions, and therefore, are targeted by advertisers every day with numerous selling messages. A fair amount of research has been conducted internationally on the relationship between television advertisement aimed at children and its influence on their purchase behavior. Pakistan, however, vastly differs in terms of family dynamics, which shapes a child’s role in family buying decisions. It is also important to notice that a child’s inclination towards a certain product is often contingent on his/her interest towards the product category itself. The aim of this study is two-fold: to identify the elements of child-focused TV advertisements that are retained by children and their interest in selected product categories, both of which consequently shape their influence on a mother’s purchase decision. Eight mothers, with children aged from 3 to 7 years, belonging to SEC A were interviewed. Additionally, an observation was conducted at two superstores in Karachi to record the mother-child purchase behavior. Overall, it was found that children build a strong recall through television advertisements and actively influence the buying process for the product categories of interest, particularly eatables and toiletries category. Also, mothers are not always affirmative and exhibit a reluctant and skeptical behavior towards products requested by children. Keywords: Children’s infleunce, TV advertisement, product category, purchase decision

Heave-pitch-roll analysis and testing of air cushion landing systems

The analytical tools (analysis and computer simulation) needed to explain and predict the dynamic operation of air cushion landing systems (ACLS) is described. The following tasks were performed: the development of improved analytical models for the fan and the trunk; formulation of a heave pitch roll analysis for the complete ACLS; development of a general purpose computer simulation to evaluate landing and taxi performance of an ACLS equipped aircraft; and the verification and refinement of the analysis by comparison with test data obtained through lab testing of a prototype cushion. Demonstration of simulation capabilities through typical landing and taxi simulation of an ACLS aircraft are given. Initial results show that fan dynamics have a major effect on system performance. Comparison with lab test data (zero forward speed) indicates that the analysis can predict most of the key static and dynamic parameters (pressure, deflection, acceleration, etc.) within a margin of a 10 to 25 percent

Dynamic heave-pitch analysis of air cushion landing systems

A program to develop analytical tools for evaluating the dynamic performance of Air Cushion Landing Systems (ACLS) is described. The heave (vertical) motion of the ACLS was analyzed, and the analysis was extended to cover coupled heave-pitch motions. The mathematical models developed are based on a fundamental analysis of the body dynamics and fluid mechanics of the aircraft-cushion-runway interaction. The air source characteristics, flow losses in the feeding ducts, trunk and cushion, the effects of fluid compressibility, and dynamic trunk deflections, including ground contact are considered. A computer program, based on the heave-pitch analysis, was developed to simulate the dynamic behavior of an ACLS during landing impact and taxi over an irregular runway. The program outputs include ACLS motions, loadings, pressures, and flows as a function of time. To illustrate program use, three basic types of simulations were carried out. The results provide an initial indication of ACLS performance during (1) a static drop, (2) landing impact, and (3) taxi over a runway irregularity

Experimental and analytical dynamic flow characteristics of an axial-flow fan from an air cushion landing system model

An investigation was conducted to compare the steady-state and dynamic flow characteristics of an axial-flow fan which had been used previously as the air supply fan for some model air cushion landing system studies. Steady-state flow characteristics were determined in the standard manner by using differential orifice pressures for the flow regime from free flow to zero flow. In this same regime, a correlative technique was established so that fan inlet and outlet pressures could be used to measure dynamic flow as created by a rotating damper. Dynamic tests at damper frequencies up to 5 Hz showed very different flow characteristics when compared with steady-state flow, particularly with respect to peak pressures and the pressure-flow relationship at fan stall and unstall. A generalized, rational mathematical fan model was developed based on physical fan parameters and a steady-state flow characteristic. The model showed good correlation with experimental tests at damper frequencies up to 5 Hz

A New Switch and Crossing Design: Introducing the Back to Back Bistable Switch

A new track swtich and crossing (S&C), the back to back bistable (B2B) switch, is proposed that has shown potential to significantly reduce the wheel/rail contact forces through the switch due to its more continuous wheel/rail contact interface and more uniform track stiffness arising from the elimination of the crossing nose. This offers a major reduction on maintenance cost of future S&Cs. The paper explains the concept and identifies the design guidelines for a current layout and uses vehicle/turnout dynamic modelling to predict wheel rail forces through a switch to identify performance improvements relative to a conventional S&C. Both multi-body simulation (MBS) and Finite Element (FE) model have been developed to account for dynamic and thermal analysis. The new design has shown improvements in lateral and vertical wheel-rail contact forces and less relative rail displacements due to thermal effect compared to the conventional S&C

Catalog of selected heavy duty transport energy management models

A catalog of energy management models for heavy duty transport systems powered by diesel engines is presented. The catalog results from a literature survey, supplemented by telephone interviews and mailed questionnaires to discover the major computer models currently used in the transportation industry in the following categories: heavy duty transport systems, which consist of highway (vehicle simulation), marine (ship simulation), rail (locomotive simulation), and pipeline (pumping station simulation); and heavy duty diesel engines, which involve models that match the intake/exhaust system to the engine, fuel efficiency, emissions, combustion chamber shape, fuel injection system, heat transfer, intake/exhaust system, operating performance, and waste heat utilization devices, i.e., turbocharger, bottoming cycle

Experimental and analytical studies of advanced air cushion landing systems

Several concepts are developed for air cushion landing systems (ACLS) which have the potential for improving performance characteristics (roll stiffness, heave damping, and trunk flutter), and reducing fabrication cost and complexity. After an initial screening, the following five concepts were evaluated in detail: damped trunk, filled trunk, compartmented trunk, segmented trunk, and roll feedback control. The evaluation was based on tests performed on scale models. An ACLS dynamic simulation developed earlier is updated so that it can be used to predict the performance of full-scale ACLS incorporating these refinements. The simulation was validated through scale-model tests. A full-scale ACLS based on the segmented trunk concept was fabricated and installed on the NASA ACLS test vehicle, where it is used to support advanced system development. A geometrically-scaled model (one third full scale) of the NASA test vehicle was fabricated and tested. This model, evaluated by means of a series of static and dynamic tests, is used to investigate scaling relationships between reduced and full-scale models. The analytical model developed earlier is applied to simulate both the one third scale and the full scale response