986 research outputs found
Vacuum Geometry of the N=2 Wess-Zumino Model
We give a mathematically rigorous construction of the moduli space and vacuum
geometry of a class of quantum field theories which are N=2 supersymmetric
Wess-Zumino models on a cylinder. These theories have been proven to exist in
the sense of constructive quantum field theory, and they also satisfy the
assumptions used by Vafa and Cecotti in their study of the geometry of ground
states. Since its inception, the Vafa-Cecotti theory of
topological-antitopological fusion, or tt* geometry, has proven to be a
powerful tool for calculations of exact quantum string amplitudes. However, tt*
geometry postulates the existence of certain vector bundles and holomorphic
sections built from the ground states. Our purpose in the present article is to
give a mathematical proof that this postulate is valid within the context of
the two-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric Wess-Zumino models. We also give a
simpler proof in the case of holomorphic quantum mechanics.Comment: 38 page
Examining the motivations for social entrepreneurship using Max Weber's typology of rationality
PURPOSE: This paper aims to utilize a framework from classic sociology – Max Weber’s Typology of Rationality – to understand the motivations for social entrepreneurship in responsible tourism in India. The critical role of the social entrepreneur in effecting the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship has been largely under-recognized. The authors seek to explore, develop and enhance Weber’s theoretical arguments in the context of the tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a constructivism paradigm and Seidman’s (2006) Three Interview Series technique to obtain the narratives of two social entrepreneurs in India. Data were analyzed using a hybrid thematic coding procedure.
FINDINGS: Findings indicate that there exists a dynamic interplay between the formal and substantive rationalities that underlie the behavior of social entrepreneurs. The authors also discuss how entrepreneurs draw upon their formal and substantive repertoires to create their identities through the simultaneous processes of apposition (“Me”) and opposition (“Not Me”).
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings provide an important recognition of the impact of formal and substantive rationalities on the conceptualization, implementation and manifestation of social enterprise for a variety of stakeholders.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This paper makes a significant contribution to understanding the why and the how of social entrepreneurship in responsible tourism. It provides a framework that can be widely applied to develop and enhance Weberian theory and further the understanding of the fundamental nature of human behavioral phenomena in tourism and beyond
Making better places to visit: Using the product—country image framework to understand travelers’ loyalty towards responsible tourism operators
The present study examines the antecedents of travelers’ loyalty towards responsible tourism operators in India. A model of brand loyalty was developed by integrating two strands of literature: product—country Image (PCI) and extensive work concerning the concepts of destination image and destination loyalty. Results indicate tourists’ motivations to participate in responsible tourism and their perceptions of the destination and the operator’s brand constitute the determinants of their attitudinal and behavioral loyalty towards their operator.The study adds to our understanding of the demand side of responsible tourism while extending place image theory
The different shades of responsibility: examining domestic and international travelers' motivations for responsible tourism in India
To address the scarcity of research concerning the demand side of responsible tourism, the present study examines the motivations of domestic and international travelers in India. Data were collected using an Internet survey distributed via e-mail and Facebook to the clients of five responsible tourism operators in India. Using Dann's push–pull typology, factor analysis uncovered nine underlying motivations for responsible tourism, with significant differences between domestic and international travelers for these factors. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct segments of travelers – Responsibles, Novelty Seekers, and Socializers – that differ in their core underlying motivations for responsible tourism and in their socio-demographic characteristics. The study contributes one responsibility-specific push and one pull factor to the literature about travel motivation. Also the findings suggest that operators and destination marketers must develop their products and marketing communications to address the heterogeneity of motivations underlying responsible tourism.Accepted manuscrip
Solid Waste Disposal: Independent Food Service Practices
Solid waste disposal is a major concern today. This study seeks to identify the current practices and attitudes of managers of independent food services toward solid waste management and the characteristics of food services which were most likely to be involved with a solid waste management progra
Integrating country and brand images: Using the product-Country image framework to understand travelers' loyalty towards responsible tourism operators
While much research into loyalty has been conducted at the destination level, tourists' loyalty towards their intermediary has not been considered. To address this gap, the present study develops a model of tourists' loyalty towards responsible tourism operators by integrating two streams of literature. The first stream pertains to branding, consumer behavior, and international business, specifically Product-Country Image (PCI), while the second stream pertains to the extensive work concerning the concepts of destination image and destination loyalty in tourism. Data were collected using an Internet survey of domestic and international travelers to five responsible tourism operators in India. Results indicate that tourists' motivations to participate in responsible tourism and their perceptions of the destination and the operator's brand constitute the determinants of their attitudinal and behavioral loyalty towards their operator. The study advances the PCI framework in the context of tourism, thus contributing to the literature on image measurement and also extending place image theory. The findings have important product development and positioning implications for operators and destination marketers in India
Two Clusters with Radio-quiet Cooling Cores
Radio lobes inflated by active galactic nuclei at the centers of clusters are
a promising candidate for halting condensation in clusters with short central
cooling times because they are common in such clusters. In order to test the
AGN-heating hypothesis, we obtained Chandra observations of two clusters with
short central cooling times yet no evidence for AGN activity: Abell 1650 and
Abell 2244. The cores of these clusters indeed appear systematically different
from cores with more prominent radio emission. They do not have significant
central temperature gradients, and their central entropy levels are markedly
higher than in clusters with stronger radio emission, corresponding to central
cooling times ~ 1 Gigayear. Also, there is no evidence for fossil X-ray
cavities produced by an earlier episode of AGN heating. We suggest that either
(1) the central gas has not yet cooled to the point at which feedback is
necessary to prevent it from condensing, possibly because it is conductively
stabilized, or (2) the gas experienced a major heating event Gyr in
the past and has not required feedback since then. The fact that these clusters
with no evident feedback have higher central entropy and therefore longer
central cooling times than clusters with obvious AGN feedback strongly suggests
that AGNs supply the feedback necessary to suppress condensation in clusters
with short central cooling times.Comment: ApJ Letter, in pres
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