Exploring the relationship between customer participation and online brand community and consumer loyalty

The popularity of online brand communities has maintained the close link between consumers and brands and it encourages consumers to actively participate in online platforms. From this emerges intentions to achieve social and functional goals, leading to the question: How is loyalty affected by online participation? Based on a constructivist perspective, empirical data were generated through in-depth interviews to explore millennial’s level of participation in online communities and the extent to which it affects their loyalty to the brand and the community in the fashion industry. The study provides a conceptual framework that links a set of online participation characteristics contingent to different participatory motives. The study proposed four main customer participatory behavioural traits (brand identification, interactivity, media valence and perceived community sentiment) linked to consumers’ perception towards a brand in the fashion sector. The main findings reveal how the four categories impact the level of customer loyalty. These key categories are explored to create a framework for future research in this area, and further contribute to the field of online brand engagement, particularly in the fashion industry

Determinants of the characteristics of online brand communities and millennials: Towards a re-conceptualisation

Key words: online brand community, millennials, qualitative research, social influence theory, fashion industry Description: This paper provides a conceptual framework that links a holistic set of online brand characteristics to millennial consumers’ perceptions in the fashion sector and how millennial consumers involvement and participation in online brand communities impacts the development of customer engagement strategies in the fashion industry

The E12 experience: Students’ perceptions of a widening participation scheme

Engaging students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in higher education is an ongoing issue in the tertiary education sector. Despite schemes to widen participation, low SES entry rates remain below 20% in Australia. Various factors have been posited for the low rates of success and strategies aimed at universities, high schools and individual students have been suggested. The literature on transition to university has informed a student-centred approach and the need to acknowledge dimensions of cultural capital. Resources to address difficulties in transition have been suggested. In this paper we report on qualitative research exploring the perspective of students who entered a Faculty of Health Sciences via a widening participation scheme. Our findings indicate that while transition strategies must be in place, the provision of ongoing material resources is also an integral factor in supporting student

An empirical investigation and conceptual model of perceptions, support, and barriers to marketing in social enterprises in Bangladesh

Existing studies on social enterprises offer conflicting and contrasting perspectives on the impact of social enterprises on developing countries. Although several studies focused on social enterprises in developing countries, an empirical study that examines how social enterprises develop marketing strategies in an increasingly interconnected digital marketing environment is lacking. The current study empirically investigated the effects of consumer perceptions on social enterprises’ marketing strategies in a developing country and, in particular, the perceptions of, and barriers to, social enterprises in Bangladesh. Drawing on the technology−organisation−environment framework and a social constructionist perspective, 22 in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals from social enterprises. The emergent data were analysed using thematic analysis. The current study proposed an enabler and impediment social enterprise conceptual framework. The present study suggests that social enterprise engenders self-reliance and community empowerment, however, technological imbalance and infrastructures are the key impediments to adoption of effective social enterprise. Our analysis contributes to the theory of social enterprises’ marketing strategies and barriers, and suggests practical lessons in managing social enterprises and the development of marketing strategie

Determinants of online brand communities’ and millennials’ characteristics: a social influence perspective

Online communities have evolved to allow larger numbers of individuals to interact with other users to form a collective virtual environment influenced by members within the community. Existing studies on online brand communities (OBCs) tied millennials’ participation and interactions to a unidimensional view. Specifically, OBCs scholars generally aggregate individual millennials’ participation and commitment, ignoring the variance among the demographic cohort. Our exploration challenges not only the existing ensemble interpretation within studies of OBC but also the characterisation of millennials’ burgeoning participation in OBCs. Unlike other competing epistemologies, the authors developed a conceptual framework that links a holistic set of OBCs’ characteristics (brand sentiment, identification with source, affirmative experience, conspicuous effect) to consumers’ perceptions in the fashion sector. Drawing on social influence theory along with a constructivist perspective, we conducted fine‐grained in‐depth interviews to explore millennials’ participation in online communities and brand perceptions in the fashion industry. The main findings reveal four categories of customer engagement in OBCs (bias situators, sugar‐coaters, rationalisers, judgmentalists). These key categories are explored to create a framework for future research in this area, and further contribute to the field of online brand engagement, particularly in the fashion industry

Genetic predisposition for atopy and allergic rhinitis in the Singapore Chinese population

The prevalence of allergic diseases is high globally, but especially in developed countries, with one in five to one in four individuals affected worldwide. The World Health Organization's "Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma 2008 Update" guidelines stated explicitly that over 600 million patients from all countries, all ethnic groups and all ages suffer from allergic rhinitis (AR). There are clear evidences to support the concept that allergic diseases are influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors. The genetic basis of AR has been evaluated more intensively in the recent 10-20 years. Advances in technology and statistical methods, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have enabled millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to be genotyped at rapid pace and for less cost. However these studies have not yet answered the entire heritability profile of the disease. Additionally, environmental influences on these genetic variants cannot be discounted. Hence these allergic diseases must be evaluated as a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. This review focuses on the genetic basis of AR, with special emphasis on studies performed in Singapore. Candidate gene based studies and GWAS performed in Singapore cohorts have been discussed to suggest how these diseases could be understood better in a Singapore context which is still applicable to research in AR globally

Proteinase-activated receptor 4 stimulation-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Proteinase-activated receptors (PARs; PAR(1–4)) that can be activated by serine proteinases such as thrombin and neutrophil catepsin G are known to contribute to the pathogenesis of various pulmonary diseases including fibrosis. Among these PARs, especially PAR(4), a newly identified subtype, is highly expressed in the lung. Here, we examined whether PAR(4 )stimulation plays a role in the formation of fibrotic response in the lung, through alveolar epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which contributes to the increase in myofibroblast population. METHODS: EMT was assessed by measuring the changes in each specific cell markers, E-cadherin for epithelial cell, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) for myofibroblast, using primary cultured mouse alveolar epithelial cells and human lung carcinoma-derived alveolar epithelial cell line (A549 cells). RESULTS: Stimulation of PAR with thrombin (1 U/ml) or a synthetic PAR(4 )agonist peptide (AYPGKF-NH(2), 100 μM) for 72 h induced morphological changes from cobblestone-like structure to elongated shape in primary cultured alveolar epithelial cells and A549 cells. In immunocytochemical analyses of these cells, such PAR(4 )stimulation decreased E-cadherin-like immunoreactivity and increased α-SMA-like immunoreactivity, as observed with a typical EMT-inducer, tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β). Western blot analyses of PAR(4)-stimulated A549 cells also showed similar changes in expression of these EMT-related marker proteins. Such PAR(4)-mediated changes were attenuated by inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase and Src. PAR(4)-mediated morphological changes in primary cultured alveolar epithelial cells were reduced in the presence of these inhibitors. PAR(4 )stimulation increased tyrosine phosphorylated EGFR or tyrosine phosphorylated Src level in A549 cells, and the former response being inhibited by Src inhibitor. CONCLUSION: PAR(4 )stimulation of alveolar epithelial cells induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as monitored by cell shapes, and epithelial or myofibroblast marker at least partly through EGFR transactivation via receptor-linked Src activation

Mesenchymal stromal cells facilitate neutrophil-trained immunity by reprogramming hematopoietic stem cells

Novel therapeutics are urgently needed to prevent opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals undergoing cancer treatments or other immune-suppressive therapies. Trained immunity is a promising strategy to reduce this burden of disease. We previously demonstrated that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) preconditioned with a class A CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN), a Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, can augment emergency granulopoiesis in a murine model of neutropenic sepsis. Here, we used a chimeric mouse model to demonstrate that MSCs secrete paracrine factors that act on lineage-negative c-kit+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), leaving them “poised” to enhance emergency granulopoiesis months after transplantation. Chimeric mice developed from HSCs exposed to conditioned media from MSCs and CpG-ODN-preconditioned MSCs showed significantly higher bacterial clearance and increased neutrophil granulopoiesis following lung infection than control mice. By Cleavage Under Targets and Release Using Nuclease (CUT&RUN) chromatin sequencing, we identified that MSC-conditioned media leaves H3K4me3 histone marks in HSCs at genes involved in myelopoiesis and in signaling persistence by the mTOR pathway. Both soluble factors and extracellular vesicles from MSCs mediated these effects on HSCs and proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry revealed soluble calreticulin as a potential mediator. In summary, this study demonstrates that trained immunity can be mediated by paracrine factors from MSCs to induce neutrophil-trained immunity by reprogramming HSCs for long-lasting functional changes in neutrophil-mediated antimicrobial immunity

PoGOLite - A High Sensitivity Balloon-Borne Soft Gamma-ray Polarimeter

We describe a new balloon-borne instrument (PoGOLite) capable of detecting 10% polarisation from 200mCrab point-like sources between 25 and 80keV in one 6 hour flight. Polarisation measurements in the soft gamma-ray band are expected to provide a powerful probe into high-energy emission mechanisms as well as the distribution of magnetic fields, radiation fields and interstellar matter. At present, only exploratory polarisation measurements have been carried out in the soft gamma-ray band. Reduction of the large background produced by cosmic-ray particles has been the biggest challenge. PoGOLite uses Compton scattering and photo-absorption in an array of 217 well-type phoswich detector cells made of plastic and BGO scintillators surrounded by a BGO anticoincidence shield and a thick polyethylene neutron shield. The narrow FOV (1.25msr) obtained with well-type phoswich detector technology and the use of thick background shields enhance the detected S/N ratio. Event selections based on recorded phototube waveforms and Compton kinematics reduce the background to that expected for a 40-100mCrab source between 25 and 50keV. A 6 hour observation on the Crab will differentiate between the Polar Cap/Slot Gap, Outer Gap, and Caustic models with greater than 5 sigma; and also cleanly identify the Compton reflection component in the Cygnus X-1 hard state. The first flight is planned for 2010 and long-duration flights from Sweden to Northern Canada are foreseen thereafter.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 2 table