Jane Eyre and Education

As the first female Bildungsroman in the English language, Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre focuses heavily on the theme of education. Throughout the course of the story, the character of Jane Eyre acquires a vast array of classical knowledge and ladylike accomplishments, facilitating her transition from a lowly student to a highly-respected teacher in true Bildungsroman fashion. Jane’s impressive scholarly abilities, however, contrast sharply with the deep struggles she undergoes as she pursues a much more difficult “education” in her personal beliefs. In the end, though, Jane masters both her mind and heart. Emboldened and liberated by her formal education, Jane finally balances her conflicting moral and spiritual desires to become a content and thoroughly self-confident young woman

Customer Interaction as a Key to New Product Success

Recent years have witnessed a resurgence of academic and practitioner interest in new product development and in the way companies interact with their customers. While there has been considerable scientific progress in both research areas, very limited attention has been given to customer interaction in the new product development process as a means to increase new product success. This paper reports on research assessing the performance impact of (1) the intensity of customer interaction in different stages of the new product development process and (2) the characteristics of the involved customers. The research is based on field interviews as well as statistical analyses of a sample in the machinery industry. Results indicate that customer interaction during certain stages (but not others) of the new product development process has a positive impact on new product success. The characteristics of the involved customers have a significant effect on new product success as well. As an example, collaborating with financially attractive customers or customers exhibiting lead user characteristics increases new product success. It is also demonstrated that there is a gap between the performance impact of customer interaction during new product development and the current business practice in this field

Spin fluctuations with two-dimensional XY behavior in a frustrated S = 1/2 square-lattice ferromagnet

The spin dynamics of the layered square-lattice vanadate Pb2VO(PO4)2 is investigated by electron spin resonance at various magnetic fields and at temperatures above magnetic ordering. The linewidth divergence towards low temperatures seems to agree with isotropic Heisenberg-type spin exchange suggesting that the spin relaxation in this quasi-two dimensional compound is governed by low-dimensional quantum fluctuations. However, a weak easy- plane anisotropy of the g factor points to the presence of a planar XY type of exchange. Indeed, we found that the linewidth divergence is described best by XY-like spin fluctuations which requires a single parameter only. Therefore, ESR-probed spin dynamics could establish Pb2VO(PO4)2 as the first frustrated square lattice system with XY-inherent spin topological fluctuations.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Entwicklungslinien der Marketingorganisation : eine empirische Untersuchung im produzierenden Gewerbe

• Die Marketingorganisation regelt die Beziehungen eines Unternehmens zu seinen Abnehmern und leistet so einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Wettbewerbsfähigkeit. • Der Beitrag befaßt sich mit der Frage nach dem derzeitigen Stand der Marketingorganisation hinsichtlich zentraler Parameter und mit den für die nächsten Jahre geplanten Veränderungen. • Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragestellungen wird eine empirische Analyse im produzierenden Gewerbe durchgeführt. • Aufgrund der empirischen Analyse können klare Entwicklungstendenzen identifiziert werden, die insbesondere im Bereich der Prozeßorientierung in Marketing und Vertrieb liegen

Neue Wege in Marketing und Vertrieb : Prozeßoptimierung, Organisationsgestaltung, Kundenorientierung

Die Forderung nach neuen Organisationsformen in Marketing und Vertrieb gehört zu den Allgemeinplätzen der heutigen Managementliteratur. Vor dem Hintergrund zunehmender Marktdynamik und steigender Wettbewerbsintensität werden Forderungen nach effizienteren Prozessen, Kundenorientierung sowie allgemein nach neuen Organisationsformen immer lauter. Solche Dinge sind leicht gesagt. In der Umsetzung erweisen sie sich zumeist allerdings als ausgesprochen problematisch. Die ernüchternden Erfahrungen, die mittlerweile zahlreiche Unternehmen bei dem Versuch, das Konzept des Business Process Reengineering anzuwenden, machen mußten, verdeutlichen die Umsetzungsproblematik. Vor diesem Hintergrund befaßt sich dievorliegende Studie mit der Frage, wo die Praxis tatsächlich bei der Reorganisation der Marketing- und Vertriebsbereiche ansetzt