A model-based multithreshold method for subgroup identification

Thresholding variable plays a crucial role in subgroup identification for personalizedmedicine. Most existing partitioning methods split the sample basedon one predictor variable. In this paper, we consider setting the splitting rulefrom a combination of multivariate predictors, such as the latent factors, principlecomponents, and weighted sum of predictors. Such a subgrouping methodmay lead to more meaningful partitioning of the population than using a singlevariable. In addition, our method is based on a change point regression modeland thus yields straight forward model-based prediction results. After choosinga particular thresholding variable form, we apply a two-stage multiple changepoint detection method to determine the subgroups and estimate the regressionparameters. We show that our approach can produce two or more subgroupsfrom the multiple change points and identify the true grouping with high probability.In addition, our estimation results enjoy oracle properties. We design asimulation study to compare performances of our proposed and existing methodsand apply them to analyze data sets from a Scleroderma trial and a breastcancer study

Peers, parents, school, and neighborhood influences on adolescent substance use across ethnic groups: an application of peer cluster and primary socialization theories

The purposes of the study were to evaluate the applicability of the peer cluster model and the primary socialization model, developed based upon peer cluster theory and primary socialization theory respectively, to White, African American, Latino, Asian, and Southeast Asian adolescents, and to examine race/ethnic variations in associations between peer, parental, school, and neighborhood influences and adolescent substance use. The sample included 5,992 adolescents (5,185 White, 330 African American, 160 Latino, 179 Asian, and 138 Southeast Asian) from Dane county, Wisconsin, and all data were collected via adolescent-report surveys. Results from Structural Equation Modeling analyses indicated that the peer cluster model only demonstrated adequate fit in the Asian and Southeast Asian subsamples, whereas the primary socialization model fit well in each ethnic group. When compared, the primary socialization model demonstrated superior fit to the data in all groups than did the peer cluster model except for Southeast Asian adolescents. Results also revealed significant moderation effects of ethnicity in associations between contextual influences and adolescent substance use. Results contributed to previous research by considering multiple contextual influences simultaneously to understand processes related to substance use of adolescents from multiple ethnic groups

Exploring young consumers’ trust and purchase intention of organic cotton apparel

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputation, product price and organic label on consumers’ perceptions of quality, trust and purchase intentions of organic apparel products by surveying American young consumers.Design/methodology/approach: An intercept survey approach was used to administer a written questionnaire to a sample of college students. The experiment is a 2 (CSR reputation: poor vs good) × 2 (price: low vs high) × 2 (organic label: absent vs present) factorial design.Findings: The results of our study suggest that retailers’ CSR reputation had a significant positive effect on perceived quality, consumer trust and purchase intentions, and price had a negative impact on consumers’ purchase intentions. Results also revealed a significant three-way interaction among the three independent variables on perceived quality and consumer trust.Originality/value: This research is the first empirical effort to investigate the key factors that may influence young consumers’ perceptions of quality, trust and purchase intentions of organic products by considering joint use of CSR reputation, product price and an organic label, which represents a realistic buying condition. Consequently, the findings of this study represent an important step forward in better understanding consumers’ buying behavior toward green products

Strategic sourcing in the textile and apparel industry

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance outcomes of strategic sourcing, specifically examining how strategic sourcing affects buyer-supplier relationship, supplier evaluation, and sourcing performance from the buying firm's perspective in the context of the US textile and apparel industry.Design/methodology/approach– This study provides an empirical investigation of a theory-based model integrating the resource-based view and the relational view of strategic management. The model is tested using data from 180 US textile and apparel firms by structural equation modeling.Findings– The survey results indicate that strategic sourcing significantly impacts buyer-supplier relationships, supplier evaluation, and sourcing performance of buying companies. The study also shows that supplier evaluation significantly influences buyer-supplier relationship.Research limitations/implications– Given that the data are from a specific industry, the generalizability of current findings to other industries may require additional investigation.Practical implications– Sourcing becomes a key strategic consideration for textile and apparel firms to sustain or improve their competitiveness.Originality/value– The study contributes to the literature by developing a research model based on a multi-theoretical perspective and conducting a large-scale empirical survey in the textile and apparel industry and analyzing the model by structural equation modeling. The dynamic textile and apparel industry is a classical representation of global supply chain, characterized by the industry's significant contribution to the world economy and international trade, the extremely worldwide spread supply network, and the tremendous competition in global market. Examining strategic sourcing's influences in this important industry provides many valuable implications for industrial practitioners

Brand Personality, Consumer Satisfaction, and Loyalty: A Perspective from Denim Jeans Brands

This study employed Aaker's brand personality framework to empirically investigate the personality of denim jeans brands and to examine the impact of brand personality on consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty based on data collected from 474 college students. Results revealed that the personality of denim jeans brands can be described in six dimensions with 51 personality traits: attractiveness, practicality, ruggedness, flexibility, friendliness, and honesty. The results indicated that consumers associate particular brand personality dimensions with denim jeans brands. Also, the various dimensions of brand personality have different effects on consumer satisfaction and consumer brand loyalty

Brand personality and its impact on brand trust and brand commitment: An empirical study of luxury fashion brands

This study employed Aaker’s methodology to empirically investigate the personality of luxury fashion brands and explored the impact of brand personality on brand trust and brand commitment based on a sample of American consumers. Results of Study 1 revealed that American consumers perceive six distinct personality dimensions and 37 personality traits in luxury fashion brands. Study 2 validated the results from Study 1 and further clearly indicated that brand personality has a significant effect on both brand trust and brand commitment. The findings provide insights into the underlying values that consumers seek from luxury fashion consumption and lend a theoretical guidance to practitioners in the luxury fashion industry in their efforts to win customers’ brand commitment and loyalty

Predicting substance use trajectories from early adolescence to young adulthood: examination of gene-gene interaction, gene-environment interaction and gender differences

Substance use is a significant public health concern due to association with a host of negative psychosocial outcomes. Understanding etiology of substance use remains a key research priority. The current study aimed at contributing to the extant literature of etiology of substance use by examining gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction effects in predicting trajectories of substance use from early adolescence to young adulthood, as well as considering gender differences in substance use trajectories and genetic and gene-environment interaction effects. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,749), this study examined trajectories of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use from age 13 to age 32 and evaluated how genes (i.e., DRD4 and 5-HTTLPR) and parenting quality independently and interactively predicted individual's likelihood of following different trajectories of substance use over time. Growth mixture modeling analyses identified distinct trajectories of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use from early adolescence to young adulthood. Results from multinomial logistic regression analyses provided evidence for gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction effects as well as gender differences in these effects in predicting substance use trajectories. Results highlighted the importance of considering the heterogeneity of substance use, examining multiple genes (and environmental factors) in combination, and considering gender differences in understanding etiology of substance use

Exploring the Personality of Sportswear Brands

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the personalities that are associated with sportswear brands and tests the applicability of Aaker’s brand personality framework in the context of sportswear brands.Design/methodology/approach – This study employed Aaker’s brand personality framework to empirically investigate the personality of sportswear brands based on data collected from 420 college students.Findings – Results revealed that consumers perceive seven distinct personality dimensions and 53 personality traits in sportswear brands: Competence, Attractiveness, Sincerity, Innovation, Activity, Excitement, and Ruggedness.Originality/value – This research developed a valid and reliable scale that measures personality for sportswear products and confirms that consumers do associate particular brand personality dimensions with sportswear brands. The findings would help managers in the sportswear market better understand the image of their brand in the minds of consumers and better distinguish their brand from competing brands

TOWARD SYSTEMATIC DESIGN OF KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE SERVICE DELIVERY NETWORKS

Effective management of IT-enabled services is becoming increasingly important. These services are often delivered by networks of knowledge workers who constitute Knowledge Intensive Service Delivery Networks (KISDN). This dissertation contributes to the effective design and management of KISDN by presenting two mixed integer programming models which integrate disparate streams of research. The first model facilitates analysis and managerial benchmarking of KISDN. We focus on how the performance of such networks depends on the interaction between workflow decisions, information flow networks (IFNs) structure and knowledge management decisions. We propose that knowledge about IFNs and worker competencies can be effectively used to make workflow decisions. Our results, based on the study of different IFN archetypes, illustrate practices for effective management of KISDN. Recognizing existing IFNs, increasing randomness in IFNs, nurturing weak or performative ties depending on the archetype, assigning tasks based on effective worker competence, and selectively delaying assignment of tasks to workers can enhance business value. The second model focuses on the design of IFNs. Organizations are increasingly creating and using IFNs to transfer knowledge. However, there is limited understanding of the design of IFNs to maximize knowledge sharing. Our results demonstrate the impact of worker competency heterogeneity, number of skills supported by the firm, and time (cost) associated with knowledge sharing on the design of efficient IFNs

Factors affecting college students’ brand loyalty toward fast fashion: A consumer-based brand equity approach

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the factors affecting consumer’s fast fashion brand loyalty by examining US college students’ perceptions and loyalty toward fast fashion.Design/methodology/approach: Using consumer-based brand equity approach, a research model which examines the factors affecting consumer’s brand loyalty in the fast fashion context was proposed. It was hypothesized that consumer’s perceptions of fast fashion, including brand awareness, perceived quality, perceived value, brand personality, organizational associations, and brand uniqueness, affect consumer brand loyalty. Based on the valid data from 419 US college students, this study employed structural equation modeling to investigate the factors affecting US college students’ brand loyalty toward fast fashion.Findings: Results reveal that for the US college students, brand awareness, perceived value, organizational associations, and brand uniqueness are the contributing factors to generating consumer’s loyalty toward fast fashion brands.Originality/value: Due to the fact that fast fashion has become a key feature of the global fashion industry over the last decade, there is phenomenal growth in the availability of fast fashion brands in the US markets. This study provides valuable insights about young consumers’ perceptions of fast fashion brands and the factors’ contributions to their brand loyalty