Schmidt-hammer exposure ages from periglacial patterned ground (sorted circles) in Jotunheimen, Norway, and their interpretative problems

© 2016 Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography Periglacial patterned ground (sorted circles and polygons) along an altitudinal profile at Juvflya in central Jotunheimen, southern Norway, is investigated using Schmidt-hammer exposure-age dating (SHD). The patterned ground surfaces exhibit R-value distributions with platycurtic modes, broad plateaus, narrow tails, and a negative skew. Sample sites located between 1500 and 1925 m a.s.l. indicate a distinct altitudinal gradient of increasing mean R-values towards higher altitudes interpreted as a chronological function. An established regional SHD calibration curve for Jotunheimen yielded mean boulder exposure ages in the range 6910 ± 510 to 8240 ± 495 years ago. These SHD ages are indicative of the timing of patterned ground formation, representing minimum ages for active boulder upfreezing and maximum ages for the stabilization of boulders in the encircling gutters. Despite uncertainties associated with the calibration curve and the age distribution of the boulders, the early-Holocene age of the patterned ground surfaces, the apparent cessation of major activity during the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) and continuing lack of late-Holocene activity clarify existing understanding of the process dynamics and palaeoclimatic significance of large-scale sorted patterned ground as an indicator of a permafrost environment. The interpretation of SHD ages from patterned ground surfaces remains challenging, however, owing to their diachronous nature, the potential for a complex history of formation, and the influence of local, non-climatic factors

The effects of procedural and distributive fairness in supplier-buyer relationships

Fairness has until recently rarely been studied in supplier-buyer relationships. The purpose of this study is to enrich the well-established perceived value \u2013 satisfaction \u2013 behavioral intention framework by considering the direct and moderating effects of both procedural fairness and distributive fairness. The suggested extended model is tested in the social couponing industry through a survey on a sample of firms purchasing advertising services from a daily deal website. The findings highlight both a direct effect of procedural fairness on satisfaction and a direct effect of distributive fairness on behavioral intentions. Finally, the analysis shows a negative moderating effect of procedural fairness on the relationship linking market performance to satisfaction. High levels of procedural fairness may in part compensate for low market performance and thereby avoiding a reduction in satisfaction