Network Synthesis

Contains a report on a research project

The Church of Mac: An Initial Examination on the Loyalty of Apple Customers

The death of Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs left many in the business world wondering if Apple would also face a decline in health. However, the subsequent release and over-whelming demand of the new iPhone and iPad showed the world how much this product brand is loved by consumers. Yet what exactly makes Apple consumers loyal to Apple products with an array of similar, yet less expensive, products on the market? Understanding what makes Apple users loyal is important to all companies striving to replicate the kind of brand loyalty that Apple generates. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents of Apple’s brand loyalty including brand identification, brand personality congruence, and reputation using the theory base of social identity (Halliday and Kuenzel, 2010). Marketing literature has long recognized the importance of brand loyalty, yet what comprises loyalty is still debated (Chaudhuri & Holbrook, 2001). Gounaris and Stathakopoulos (2004) found that a consumer’s emotional attachment to the brand, the purchasing behavior, and the consumer’s normative influences are three factors on which brand loyalty is dependent. Research has also found that social identity can be a helpful tool in understanding a firm’s consumers as they may view goods as an extension of themselves (Ahearne et al., 2005; Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003; Halliday and Kuenzel, 2008, 2010). According to social identity theory, groups will often form into communities that congregate around brands that communicate who they are collectively (Carlson & Donavan, 2008). Data were collected using an online survey composed of questions regarding brand identification, brand personality, reputation, brand loyalty, and demographics. Respondents were strongly favorable to Apple’s attractiveness, favorability, and distinctiveness. Results also support the hypothesis that brand identity has a positive significant effect on reputation. It was also supported that brand identity is positively related to brand personality congruence, but there does not appear to be congruence between brand personality and an individual’s persona. These results agree with Ahearne, Battacharya, and Gruen (2005) who found consumers are more likely to identify with a company that has a good reputation. With regard to brand loyalty, nearly 78% of the respondents agreed that it is important for them to buy a brand with a good reputation and that Apple possesses a good reputation, a construct that previous literature has found to be important in gaining loyalty (Argenti & Drunkenmiller, 2004). Results also show Apple brand identity and brand personality congruence is positively related to Apple brand loyalty. Almost all of the respondents agree that they would continue to use the Apple brand because they are acquainted, and satisfied, with the brand. However, although respondents expressed price sensitivity to technology a strong majority indicated they would buy additional products from Apple. Overall, it can be said that it appears the Apple brand has a strong reputation and strong loyalty from users which will help promote repeat purchase patterns

Network Synthesis

Contains research objectives and reports on two research projects

Are the Tails of Percolation Thresholds Gaussians ?

The probability distribution of percolation thresholds in finite lattices were first believed to follow a normal Gaussian behaviour. With increasing computer power and more efficient simulational techniques, this belief turned to a stretched exponential behaviour, instead. Here, based on a further improvement of Monte Carlo data, we show evidences that this question is not yet answered at all.Comment: 7 pages including 3 figure

Subconcussive Head Impact Results in a Unique Circulating Exosomal MicroRNA Signature

Please see the pdf version of the abstract

Transistors

Contains reports on eight research projects.Lincoln Laboratory under Contract AF19(122)-45

Efficient Monte Carlo algorithm and high-precision results for percolation

We present a new Monte Carlo algorithm for studying site or bond percolation on any lattice. The algorithm allows us to calculate quantities such as the cluster size distribution or spanning probability over the entire range of site or bond occupation probabilities from zero to one in a single run which takes an amount of time scaling linearly with the number of sites on the lattice. We use our algorithm to determine that the percolation transition occurs at occupation probability 0.59274621(13) for site percolation on the square lattice and to provide clear numerical confirmation of the conjectured 4/3-power stretched-exponential tails in the spanning probability functions.Comment: 8 pages, including 3 postscript figures, minor corrections in this version, plus updated figures for the position of the percolation transitio

Universality of finite-size corrections to the number of critical percolation clusters

Monte-Carlo simulations on a variety of 2d percolating systems at criticality suggest that the excess number of clusters in finite systems over the bulk value of nc is a universal quantity, dependent upon the system shape but independent of the lattice and percolation type. Values of nc are found to high accuracy, and for bond percolation confirm the theoretical predictions of Temperley and Lieb, and Baxter, Temperley, and Ashley, which we have evaluated explicitly in terms of simple algebraic numbers. Predictions for the fluctuations are also verified for the first time.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figs., Latex, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Transistors

Contains reports on six research projects