History as a Factor Creating the Value of a Luxury Brand

Theoretical background: The attributes of a luxury brand include both the physical characteristics of the product and the symbolic values that the brand provides to the consumers. Symbolism is interpreted as prestige, beauty, charisma, the creation of which requires larger and more time-consuming efforts than just producing a unique, expensive, high-quality product. An important aspect of a reliable, trustworthy image is the history of the brand and its creators. In the opinion of many authors, it is an important element of the brand’s value, not only shaping its luxurious image, but also providing psychological values. Although history is not always indicated directly among the attributes of luxury brands, it is the basis of other values ascribed to them. The luxurious nature of the brand is often defined in the literature through the prism of its symbolism, an important element of which is history, along with heritage and country of origin. A prestigious heritage is built and maintained in time and culture by brands that are embedded in historical notions of luxury. As a result of associations with the heritage, brand is perceived as the highest quality, unique and authentic one. Symbolism, heritage and the history of a luxury brand are related to emotional qualities of personal indulgence and self-expression.Purpose of the article: The aim of the article is to verify the importance of the history of the brand in the process of shaping the value of a luxury brand in the perception of consumers.Research methods: A total of 203 valid responses were collected from wealthy respondents declaring monthly income over PLN 20,000 gross. An analysis of the results of the study was carried out, as well as an analysis of the literature.Main findings: In the era of dynamic development of new technologies, unpredictable changes in consumer expectations towards companies and their offers, it turns out that history, heritage and attachment to tradition are highly valued by consumers of luxury goods. They shape a higher level of trust, both in the company’s brand and its products, and increase the consumers purchase willingness. Companies that can boast of long history should undoubtedly communicate it intensively and care about providing consumers not only with basic values related to the product itself, but also symbolic values, which are particularly important for consumer of luxury goods. History and the heritage of a luxury brand constitute one of the essential elements of the brand’s value and should also be treated as such by companies

Necessary condition for an Euler-Lagrange equation on time scales

We prove a necessary condition for a dynamic integrodifferential equation to be an Euler-Lagrange equation. New and interesting results for the discrete and quantum calculus are obtained as particular cases. An example of a second order dynamic equation, which is not an Euler-Lagrange equation on an arbitrary time scale, is given. © 2014 Monika Dryl and Delfim F. M. Torres

A general delta-nabla calculus of variations on time scales with application to economics

We consider a general problem of the calculus of variations on time scales with a cost functional that is the composition of a certain scalar function with delta and nabla integrals of a vector valued field. Euler-Lagrange delta-nabla differential equations are proved, which lead to important insights in the process of discretisation. Application of the obtained results to a firm that wants to program its production and investment policies to reach a given production rate and to maximise its future market competitiveness is discussed

Is There Selective Mating in Tetrahymena During Genomic Exclusion? 1

Genomic exclusion is characterized by 2 rounds of mating. If exconjugants from different pairs remated at random after the first mating, we would expect a 1:2:1 ratio for genes present in heterozygous condition in the normal parent. An excess of homozygotes is observed which is similar for 2 different genes, suggesting that 10% of the rematings occur between exconjugants from the same Round 1 pair. Some but not all of these homozygotes can be attributed to a lack of separation of mates after the first round of mating. The rest may result because of differential mortality, induced autogamy or preferential remating.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74657/1/j.1550-7408.1971.tb03365.x.pd

Cálculo das variações em escalas temporais e aplicações à economia

Doutoramento em MatemáticaWe consider some problems of the calculus of variations on time scales. On the beginning our attention is paid on two inverse extremal problems on arbitrary time scales. Firstly, using the Euler-Lagrange equation and the strengthened Legendre condition, we derive a general form for a variation functional that attains a local minimum at a given point of the vector space. Furthermore, we prove a necessary condition for a dynamic integro-differential equation to be an Euler-Lagrange equation. New and interesting results for the discrete and quantum calculus are obtained as particular cases. Afterwards, we prove Euler-Lagrange type equations and transversality conditions for generalized infinite horizon problems. Next we investigate the composition of a certain scalar function with delta and nabla integrals of a vector valued field. Euler-Lagrange equations in integral form, transversality conditions, and necessary optimality conditions for isoperimetric problems, on an arbitrary time scale, are proved. In the end, two main issues of application of time scales in economic, with interesting results, are presented. In the former case we consider a firm that wants to program its production and investment policies to reach a given production rate and to maximize its future market competitiveness. The model which describes firm activities is studied in two different ways: using classical discretizations; and applying discrete versions of our result on time scales. In the end we compare the cost functional values obtained from those two approaches. The latter problem is more complex and relates to rate of inflation, p, and rate of unemployment, u, which inflict a social loss. Using known relations between p, u, and the expected rate of inflation π, we rewrite the social loss function as a function of π. We present this model in the time scale framework and find an optimal path π that minimizes the total social loss over a given time interval.Consideramos alguns problemas do cálculo das variações em escalas temporais. Primeiramente, demonstramos equações do tipo de Euler-Lagrange e condições de transversalidade para problemas de horizonte infinito generalizados. De seguida, consideramos a composição de uma certa função escalar com os integrais delta e nabla de um campo vetorial. Presta-se atenção a problemas extremais inversos para funcionais variacionais em escalas de tempo arbitrárias. Começamos por demonstrar uma condição necessária para uma equação dinâmica integro-diferencial ser uma equação de Euler-Lagrange. Resultados novos e interessantes para o cálculo discreto e quantum são obtidos como casos particulares. Além disso, usando a equação de Euler-Lagrange e a condição de Legendre fortalecida, obtemos uma forma geral para uma funcional variacional atingir um mínimo local, num determinado ponto do espaço vetorial. No final, duas aplicações interessantes em termos económicos são apresentadas. No primeiro caso, consideramos uma empresa que quer programar as suas políticas de produção e de investimento para alcançar uma determinada taxa de produção e maximizar a sua competitividade no mercado futuro. O outro problema é mais complexo e relaciona a inflação e o desemprego, que inflige uma perda social. A perda social é escrita como uma função da taxa de inflação p e a taxa de desemprego u, com diferentes pesos. Em seguida, usando as relações conhecidas entre p, u, e a taxa de inflação esperada π, reescrevemos a função de perda social como uma função de π. A resposta é obtida através da aplicação do cálculo das variações, a fim de encontrar a curva ótima π que minimiza a perda social total ao longo de um determinado intervalo de tempo

Direct and Inverse Variational Problems on Time Scales: A Survey

We deal with direct and inverse problems of the calculus of variations on arbitrary time scales. Firstly, using the Euler-Lagrange equation and the strengthened Legendre condition, we give a general form for a variational functional to attain a local minimum at a given point of the vector space. Furthermore, we provide a necessary condition for a dynamic integro-differential equation to be an Euler-Lagrange equation (Helmholtz's problem of the calculus of variations on time scales). New and interesting results for the discrete and quantum settings are obtained as particular cases. Finally, we consider very general problems of the calculus of variations given by the composition of a certain scalar function with delta and nabla integrals of a vector valued field.Comment: This is a preprint of a paper whose final and definite form will be published in the Springer Volume 'Modeling, Dynamics, Optimization and Bioeconomics II', Edited by A. A. Pinto and D. Zilberman (Eds.), Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics. Submitted 03/Sept/2014; Accepted, after a revision, 19/Jan/201

Planowanie i finansowanie rozwoju infrastruktury stacji dializ w Polsce

An indispensable organisational precondition forthe provision of health services is that the entityproviding medical treatment possesses a specifictechnical infrastructure. Thus, the technicalinfrastructure constitutes an integral element ofhealth services, including haemodialysis. In caseof a dialysis centre, these are following elements:rooms, utility networks and internal distributionsystems, active medical devices and other technicalequipment.In order to determine indispensable amount of investmentto create, restore and exploit technicalinfrastructure of dialysis therapy in the scale ofa country in next five years, the theoretical model ofa dialysis centre has been developed.Using this model, and basing on statistical data fromnational registers, as well as their own data, the authorsattempt to outline the directions of planningand development of the technical infrastructure,which comply with demographic and epidemiologicalneeds of Polish population of patients with endstagerenal disease.One of the objectives of the work is also bringingmore transparency to discuss the technical infrastructurefinancing dialysis, the cost of being anintegral part of a medical procedure should be fullyincluded in the price of services. Example of dialysiscan be a starting point for discussion on the functionsof state health policy and its role as a regulatorof the health care system in Poland.One of the assumptions of the study is the introductionof greater transparency to the discussion concerningthe financing of the technical infrastructureof dialysis centres, which — as an integral part ofmedical procedure — should be taken into considerationin its valuation. The example of dialysistherapy might be a starting point for a discussionabout the state’s function in health policy and its roleas a regulator in healthcare system in Poland.Warunkiem organizacyjnym udzielania świadczeńzdrowotnych jest posiadanie określonej infrastrukturytechnicznej, która jest integralnym składnikiemświadczenia — hemodializy. W przypadku stacji dializskładają się na nią następujące elementy: pomieszczenia(infrastruktura budowlana), sieci doprowadzającemedia oraz wewnętrzne instalacje rozprowadzające,a także aparatura medyczna i inny sprzęt techniczny.W celu określenia niezbędnych nakładów inwestycyjnychna utworzenie, odtworzenie i eksploatacjęinfrastruktury technicznej dializoterapii w skali krajuw perspektywie najbliższych 5 lat został opracowanyteoretyczny model stacji dializ.Wykorzystując powyższy model oraz na podstawiedanych statystycznych pochodzącychz krajowych rejestrów, a także własnych, podjętopróbę nakreślenia kierunków planowania i rozwojuinfrastruktury technicznej stacji dializ zabezpieczającejpotrzeby demograficzne i epidemiologicznepolskiej populacji chorych ze schyłkowąniewydolnością nerek.Jednym z założeń pracy jest również wprowadzeniewiększej przejrzystości do dyskusji natemat finansowania infrastruktury technicznejstacji dializ, której koszt, będący integralną częściąprocedury medycznej, powinien być w całościuwzględniony w cenie świadczenia. Przykładdializoterapii może być punktem wyjściado dyskusji na temat funkcji polityki zdrowotnejpaństwa i jego roli jako regulatora w systemieochrony zdrowia w P olsce

The Purification of DNA from the Genomes of Paramecium aurelia and Tetrahymena pyriformis 1

Methods are described for the recovery of highly purified DNA from Paramecium aurelia and Tetrahymena pyriformis in high yields. Our DNA is only slightly contaminated with RNA and carbohydrate, and little or no protein can be detected. We could not reduce the RNA (orcinol-positive material) by further treatment (sephadex or hydroxyapatite chromatography and preparative CsCl gradients). At the extreme our DNA is contaminated with 15–20% RNA but the real value is most likely considerably lower than this. The DNA we have prepared from Paramecium and Tetrahymena shows all the properties of double-stranded, high molecular weight DNA when characterized by temperature melting, CsCl density gradient centrifugation and hydroxyapatite and sephadex chromatography. When denatured, it absorbs to nitrocellulose filters. The 2 major results of importance from our work reported here are: (1) There is similarity in base composition of DNA from different syngens of Paramecium (28% G+C for syngens 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9 and 29–30% G+C for syngen 8) while there is variation between the syngens of Tetrahymena (24–31% G+C for syngens 1, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 12); (2) the density of any Paramecium DNA varies depending upon whether the cells are grown in the presence of bacteria or in axenic medium. Our results are compatible with observations previously reported for Tetrahymena but contradict those made for Paramecium . The earlier reports of differences in base composition between syngens of Paramecium are probably due in large part to the use of stocks grown on bacteria.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72169/1/j.1550-7408.1971.tb03366.x.pd