The Effects of Cultural Familiarity and Value Similarity on Benevolence in the Export-Import Relationship

This study examines the effects of importers cultural familiarity and value similarity on the importers benevolence towards its foreign exporter in an export-import relationship. The results indicate that both the importers cultural familiarity and value similarity significantly affect the importers commitment to the relationship with the exporter partner. The results also indicate that affective commitment has a positive effect on altruistic benevolence and calculative commitment has a positive influence on mutualistic benevolence. In turn, the importers mutualistic benevolence is shown to have a positive impact on relationship performance. Managerial implications for international marketers are discussed

Continuous Tip Widening Technique for Roll-to-Roll Fabrication of Dry Adhesives

In this study, we reported continuous partial curing and tip-shaped modification methods for continuous production of dry adhesive with microscale mushroom-shaped structures. Typical fabrication methods of dry adhesive with mushroom-shaped structures are less productive due to the failure of large tips on pillar during demolding. To solve this problem, a typical pillar structure was fabricated through partial curing, and tip widening was realized through applying the proper pressure. Polyurethane acrylate was used in making the mushroom structure using two-step UV-assisted capillary force lithography (CFL). To make the mushroom structure, partial curing was performed on the micropillar, followed by tip widening. Dry adhesives with properties similar to those of typical mushroom-shaped dry adhesives were fabricated with reasonable adhesion force using the two-step UV-assisted CFL. This production technology was applied to the roll-to-roll process to improve productivity, thereby realizing continuous production without any defects. Such a technology is expected to be applied to various fields by achieving the productivity improvement of dry adhesives, which is essential for various applications

Category-based, piecemeal, and contrast processes underlying product evaluations: Their determinants and consequences

It has been suggested that when consumers make an evaluative judgment of a product, they sometimes categorize the product and make their judgment on the basis of the likability of the category (category-based processes); other times they integrate the likability of the individual attributes of the product to reach a judgment (piecemeal processes). As a third possibility, they also make their judgment by contrasting the description of product attributes with their category knowledge (contrast processes). This research investigated the conditions under which consumers engage in these different modes of information processing when evaluating a product, i.e., category-based, piecemeal, and contrast processing, which should result in different types of judgmental effects, i.e., assimilation, attribute, and contrast effects, respectively. It was hypothesized that the different types of processing and judgmental effects will be determined by (1) the degree of (in)consistency between the incoming information and category expectations and (2) the level of involvement with the judgment task.Two laboratory experiments were conducted where these two factors were manipulated. Results of Experiment 1 suggest that different types of judgmental effects are a function of information consistency and involvement: assimilation effects were found when the target information was consistent with category knowledge, or when it was moderately inconsistent and subjects were not highly involved with the evaluation task; attribute effects were obtained when the target information was extremely inconsistent and subjects were highly involved with the judgment task. Findings of Experiment 2 also indicate that the alternative modes of processing are determined by the two factors, consistency and involvement.Implications of the results for consumer information processing are discussed, along with practical implications for product positioning and promotion strategies.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio

Consumer Reliance On Intrinsic And Extrinsic Cues In Product Evaluations: A Conjoint Approach

Based on conjoint analysis technique, this study investigates how consumers utilize intrinsic and extrinsic cues in determining the quality of a product. The focus is on the effects of consumer individual difference variables on the relative importance of such product cues. The results show that product familiarity, enduring involvement, and price-reliance schema have a significant influence on consumer utilization of extrinsic cues. The implication of the results are discussed

Developing Customer-Based Measures of Overall Transportation Service Quality in Colorado: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

Measurement of customers\u27 perceptions of service quality is crucial to successful service management. This article focuses on the measurement of service quality in Colorado s transportation system, including all transportation modes, transportation infrastructure issues, and special emphasis on public transportation in metropolitan areas. It discusses quantitative and qualitative approaches to transportation service quality measurement. The study also contrasts the results of quantitative and qualitative measurements and methodologies for assessing transportation service quality. Finally, the paper offers recommendations for the use of these methodologies by transportation planners, especially those operating in the public transportation sphere

Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Service Quality and Risk in Air Transportation

This study compares US and Korean customers in terms of their perceptions of airline service quality based on SERVPERF and industry-based measures, as well as their perceptions of risks involved in the airline choice. SERVPERF is a set of multi-dimensional measures of customer evaluations of service quality. The results indicate that: (1) US passengers are generally more satisfied with their airline service than Korean customers on most of the SERVPERF dimensions; (2) Koreans are generally more satisfied with the bumping procedures whereas US participants feel more satisfied with the airline's baggage handling, operations/safety, and connections; and (3) US participants perceive higher levels of performance and financial risks whereas Koreans feel greater social risk in choosing an airline. This study also examines the SERVPERF, industry-based measure, and perceived risk in predicting customer satisfaction with, and intention to repatronize the airline. The results suggest that US customers consider service reliability, in-flight comfort, and connections as the key factors determining satisfaction with airline service whereas Korean passengers generally regard reliability, assurance, and risk factors as predictors of satisfaction. The determining factors of customer intention to repatronize the airline are reliability and empathy for US, and reliability and overall risk for Korean customers. The study demonstrates the applicability of SERVPERF as a cross-cultural tool and indicates the importance of perceived risk in cross-cultural studies