Effect of environmental CSR initiatives on potential stakeholders’ perception of non-environmentally friendly sporting events

The protection of the natural environment is increasingly being perceived as a pillar of CSR. Although most professional sport organizations in the United States participate in some form of philanthropic activity, little research has examined how non-environmentally friendly sport organizations can effectively communicate their environmental initiatives. Two different CSR approaches (Environmental and Nationalistic) by NASCAR were exposed to potential stakeholders to examine the changes in the perception (Attitude, Reputation, Identification, and Perceived CSR) of the organization. We analyzed the MIMIC model to compare the means on the latent constructs. Environmental approach showed positive changes in potential stakeholders’ perception toward NASCAR. Whereas, the Nationalistic CSR approach had no significant impact on potential stakeholders’ perception of the organization. The findings suggest CSR can be an opportunity for organizations like NASCAR to have a positive non-product message for potential stakeholders depending on how they communicate these programs

Observation of First-Order Metal-Insulator Transition without Structural Phase Transition in VO_2

An abrupt first-order metal-insulator transition (MIT) without structural phase transition is first observed by current-voltage measurements and micro-Raman scattering experiments, when a DC electric field is applied to a Mott insulator VO_2 based two-terminal device. An abrupt current jump is measured at a critical electric field. The Raman-shift frequency and the bandwidth of the most predominant Raman-active A_g mode, excited by the electric field, do not change through the abrupt MIT, while, they, excited by temperature, pronouncedly soften and damp (structural MIT), respectively. This structural MIT is found to occur secondarily.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Abrupt metal-insulator transition observed in VO2 thin films induced by a switching voltage pulse

An abrupt metal-insulator transition (MIT) was observed in VO2 thin films during the application of a switching voltage pulse to two-terminal devices. Any switching pulse over a threshold voltage for the MIT of 7.1 V enabled the device material to transform efficiently from an insulator to a metal. The characteristics of the transformation were analyzed by considering both the delay time and rise time of the measured current response. The extrapolated switching time of the MIT decreased down to 9 ns as the external load resistance decreased to zero. Observation of the intrinsic switching time of the MIT in the correlated oxide films is impossible because of the inhomogeneity of the material; both the metallic state and an insulating state co-exist in the measurement volume. This indicates that the intrinsic switching time is in the order of less than a nanosecond. The high switching speed might arise from a strong correlation effect (Coulomb repulsion) between the electrons in the material.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

How to Attract Your Students to Your Games: The Difference of Mediating Effect of Psychic Income on the Relationship between Points of Attachment and Behavioral Attributes

The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of the points of attachment with the mediating impact of college students’ psychic income on their attendance and word-of-mouth behavioral intentions. A total of 537 samples were collected from college students at a mid-sized southwest university in the United States. A CFA was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scales. The hypothesized model was tested using a SEM with AMOS 26 software. Additionally, a bootstrapping method was employed to determine the indirect effect of the mediating variable of psychic income on the relationship between points of attachment and behavioral intentions as well as points of attachment and word of mouth. The results reveal that psychic income mediated the proposed relationships

The Role of Customer Attitudes in Building the Reputation of a Company Sponsoring Sport Events

This study examines the relationship between sponsorship-fit and customer’s attitude toward the sponsorship, and explains the effect of customer’s attitude on the relationship between sponsorship-fit and firm reputation. Specifically, the effect of customer’s attitude is analyzed as mediator in the relationship between sponsorship-fit and customer-based firm reputation. Regression analysis and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLSSEM) are employed to test the research hypotheses. Empirical findings show the importance of sponsorship-fit affects change in customer attitude customer’s attitude mediates the relationship between sponsorship fit and firm reputation