The failure of cosmological perturbation theory in the new ekpyrotic and cyclic ekpyrotic scenarios

Cosmological perturbation theory fails in the new ekpyrotic and cyclic ekpyrotic scenarios, before the scale factor of the Universe reaches zero. As a result, a recently-proposed recipe for evolving the curvature perturbation through the bounce in these scenarios cannot be justified.Comment: 10 pages. v2: Logic of the demonstration of non-linearity stated more explicitely. Remarks on non-singular bounces removed for inclusion in a later paper. v3: As accepted by Phys Lett B v4: Comment on the paper of Banks and Fischler removed following its withdrawal; more precise abstrac

BRAND LOYALTY & LOYALTY OF BRANDS: A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

Brand loyalty has become a truism in trademark discourse. Consumers tend to formulate their purchasing decisions by the power of consumption-momentum. That is to say they buy what they have already bought in the past and opt for the brands that they have already had a positive experience with. Experienced consumers manifest devotion to their preferred brands. This is the essence of Brand Loyalty. But should this Brand Loyalty be reciprocated by the brand owner? Is there such loyalty by the brand towards the consumer? Should the brand owner sustain the quality of products covered by his brand? Even more so, should he maintain any other defining attribute of the product (or service) marketed under his brand? And are such demands from the brand owner still of relevance in an age of expanding outsourcing? This paper explains why all of these questions should be answered in the affirmative. This paper argues that just as there is Brand Loyalty, there is (or, at least, there should be) Loyalty of the Brand. My assertion is that Loyalty of the Brand constitutes a morally sound concept which is inherently compatible with the general philosophy underlying trademarks and brands, and which rests firmly on numerous legally accepted disciplines and doctrines that form the backbone of commercial-contractual law. Loyalty of the Brand, thus, constitutes the counterbalance to Brand Loyalty, and should exist on par; not only as a legal phenomenon but as a practical one as well. It is, in the context of brand-consumer relationship, the other side of the same coin.&nbsp

“Measuring the Immeasurable”—the Effects of Trademark Regimes: a Case Study of Arab Countries

When the law sets out rules and standards it also sets in motion a complex set of mechanisms that determine how the law is implemented and how it functions. Thus, the “law in books” and the “law in action” are, in more ways than one, distinct creatures, separated at birth, leading separate lives. Trademark law is no exception.This research introduces, through data analysis, a method for measuring and assessing the effects of trademark law on countries. In constructing this model I have focused on four Arab countries. However, the model itself is applicable to all countries. Indeed, the comparative data that is presented in this research relates to various countries around the world