Effective use of web-based homework in high school physics

High school physics tests and web-based homework grades were analyzed to determine if web-based homework improves test grades; if the number of web assignments before a test affects the test grade; and if the length of the web assignment affects the number of students that complete the homework assignment. The test grades of students who did their homework were compared to test grades of students who did not do their homework; the assumption was that doing web-based homework improved test grades at this school during the four years studied. The homework group scored seven points higher on average than the group that did not do homework. A two-tailed t-Test verified this difference. Analysis II involved students’ test grades arranged into four categories which corresponded to the number of web homework assignments per test: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. Mean test scores were analyzed. It was found that having three or four homework assignments before a test produced much higher test grades, whereas one or two assignments produced no significant increase. ANOVA confirmed the statistical significance among the four groups. Analysis III compared the length of the assignment to the number of students who did not do the assignment. Results showed that a greater number of students failed to complete the shorter assignments

The Effect of Negative Events and Firm Responses on Brand Associations, Organizational Associations, and Brand Evaluations.

This dissertation examines the impact of negative events and firm responses to such events on an associative network of brand knowledge; key consumer brand and organizational associations, risk perceptions, and brand response variables. To accomplish this objective the issue of how negative event information is integrated with an existing brand/organizational image was assessed within the framework of a consumer-brand relationship. Two between-subjects experiments were conducted using adult consumers as subjects. In Study One, negative events were found to affect associations linked to the brand and limit the brand\u27s ability to fulfill the consumer-brand relationship. Two types of events were identified, product-related events and organization-related events. Product-related events involve specific product attributes and call into question the ability of the brand to meet functional needs. Organization-related events do not involve product attributes, but rather are values-oriented events that might involve social or ethical issues. Product-related events were found to primarily impact associations (i.e., quality, corporate ability) linked to functional benefits and functional risk. Organization-related events were found to affect associations (i.e., corporate social responsibility, brand sincerity) linked more closely to symbolic and experiential benefits and social and psychological risk. While both types of events impacted brand response variables, a product-related event had a greater impact on important brand response variables. Study Two examined the effectiveness of three firm responses in restoring damaged associations and brand response. These image restoration strategies were assessed from the consumer\u27s perspective utilizing cognitive response, source credibility, and attribution theories. A denial strategy was found to be least effective due to source derogation and counterarguments of the firm being motivated by self-interest. A reduction of offensiveness strategy was found to be effective only for an organization-related event. A corrective action strategy was found to be the most effective response given a product-related event due to handling functional risk concerns associated with a product-related event. In general the results are consistent with the conceptualization of brand knowledge as an associative network of information and the predictions drawn from theory. The dissertation concludes by providing the key theoretical and managerial implications of the dissertation

O que podemos aprender com o pensamento mítico presente nas obras clássicas?

The classical works offer abundant material that helps us to understand mythical thinking and its influence to this day. Diametrically to reason, this thought offers man the confidence that his actions can be preponderant to the responses of the natural world, in addition to setting models for all human functions and activities. The myth, therefore, is an attribution of meaning to the world, supported by the psychological effect and human imagination, capable of inflict accommodation on man in his habitat, as part of a social group. Through the existence of others he asserts himself and this affirmation is not only through his reason, also through his beliefs. This work intends, in this way, to present what we can learn from mythical thinking present in classical works. Keywords: Classic. Myth. Thought.As obras clássicas oferecem farto material que nos ajuda a entender o pensamento mítico e sua influência até os nossos dias. Diametralmente à razão, esse pensamento oferece ao homem a confiança de que suas ações podem ser preponderantes às respostas do mundo natural, além de fixar modelos para todas as funções e atividades humanas. O mito, portanto, é uma atribuição de sentido ao mundo, apoiado no efeito psicológico e na imaginação humana, capaz de infligir ao homem acomodação em seu habitat, enquanto parte de um grupo social. Por meio da existência dos outros ele se afirma e essa afirmação se dá não somente por meio da sua razão, também, por meio das suas crenças. Este trabalho pretende, dessa forma, apresentar o que podemos aprender com pensamento mítico presente nas obras clássicas. Palavras-chaves: Clássico. Mito. Pensamento

Hepatocyte growth factor in human osteoarthritic cartilage

AbstractObjective Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor is a potent mitogen, morphogen and motogen for a variety of mainly epithelial cells. Hepatocyte growth factor is synthesized by mesenchymal cells and can be found in various tissues. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and distribution patterns of this pleiotropic growth factor and its receptor, the product of the proto-oncogene c-met in normal and osteoarthritic human knee cartilage.Methods Five normal and 14 osteoarthritic human cartilage samples graded histomorphologically by Mankin Score, were studied by radioactive in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for the expression of Hepatocyte growth factor and the c-met receptor.Results Hepatocyte growth factor could be found by immunohistochemistry in the territorial matrix surrounding the chondrocytes of calcified cartilage and within the deep zone of normal cartilage. Chondrocytes of these cartilage zones showed also positive c-met receptor-staining. Moreover, a small number of chondrocytes in the superficial and intermediate zone showed c-met staining. In accordance with the increased hepatocyte growth factor staining of osteoarthritic cartilage, an enhanced expression of hepatocyte growth factor-RNA by chondrocytes of the deep zone as well as the deeper mid zone was observed. Contrary to normal cartilage,c-met was identified immunohistochemically in osteoarthritic chondrocytes of all cartilage zones.Conclusion These results indicate that hepatocyte growth factor seems to be acting in an autocrine/paracrine manner in normal and osteoarthritic cartilage. The ubiquitous presence of the HGF/HGF-receptor complex in osteoarthritic chondrocytes suggests that hepatocyte growth factor may contribute to the altered metabolism in osteoarthritic cartilage.{copy

Special Session: Gazing into the shadows: Contemplating the research agenda for the dark side of brands and branding

Branding is one of the essential pillars of marketing, but not everything that brands represent is positive. Indeed, a considerable amount of brand-related activities takes place in the shadowy periphery of society. The purpose of this special session is to explore these darker sides of brands and branding and to spotlight a future research agenda related to two distinct yet interrelated trends—brands embracing the shadows and the shadows embracing branding. Brand researchers and managers recognize brands as complex, multifaceted entities that possess “good” and “ugly” qualities (Fitzsimons 2015). Some of the recently explored darker sides of brands and branding include links between brand attachment and community conflict manifested in oppositional “trash-talking” and “schadenfreude” feelings of pleasure for the opposition’s misfortune (e.g., Ewing et al. 2013; Hickman and Ward 2007; Japutra et al. 2014) and brands’ ability as cultural artifacts to invoke or exacerbate the vulnerability of individuals and communities who may feel ignored or misrepresented in brand communications (Kipnis et al. 2013; Schroeder and Borgerson 2005; Yang 2011). At the same time, revealing the darker side of a brand’s identity and then utilizing that revelation strategically to enhance perceptions of brand sincerity and authenticity is a growing trend in practitioner discourse (Silk 2015; Yakob 2015). Hence, there is a need for more research and critical reflection on brands in legitimate market contexts embracing their shadowy dimensions. On a related note, considerably less attention has been paid to the effects of legitimate branding techniques when utilized by “the darker side” of business, i.e., illegitimate market actors. However, a handful of pioneering studies demonstrate that branding strategies are being exploited by terrorist and drug trade groups (Breazeale et al. 2015; Kipnis et al. 2015; O’Sullivan 2014). Recently emerged findings explore the negative societal outcomes that result when branding strategies are applied in these contexts by organizations and individuals with more nefarious goals. The effects range from extremely harmful to the broader society (e.g., building awareness, reputation, and notoriety through brand identities that project power and strength—Breazeale et al. 2015; Kipnis et al. 2015) to mitigating potential risks to individual consumers (i.e., serving as means of differentiation, enabling consumers to generate and exchange information on degrees of risk associated with the consumption of particular brands—O’Sullivan 2014). In addition, practitioner research and media reports point to indirect risks that illegitimate actors embracing the power of branding pose to legitimate brands. Such risks encompass the ambush of established brand names for the marketing of illegitimate products. One such example received prominent media coverage when LeBron James heroin was introduced to the market in a twisted take on the power of celebrity brands (Palmer 2012). The session brings together branding, marketing strategy, and transformative consumer research scholars, to reflect upon recent theoretical and empirical advances and debate the future research agenda for the following two research streams: (1) the darker side of legitimate brands and (2) the darker side of branding as enacted by illegitimate market actors. The session is structured to present two studies contributing to each stream. Specifically, Japutra and Ekinci identify coping strategies deployed by consumers to deal with such negative consequences of legitimate branding as a perceived failure in self-brand relationship. Canhoto, Dibb, Nguyen, and Simkin shed light on how such failure perceptions can be triggered by dishonest and exploitative actions of legitimate firms and propose a framework that captures how the dark intentions and behaviors exhibited by organizations provoke and exacerbate consumer anguish and retaliation. Kipnis, Pullig, and Bebek offer insights into how wholesale drug trade actors effectively utilize visual brand identity signaling practices to build distinctiveness and credibility within their supply chains, posing a framework for these brands’ devalue. Breazeale and colleagues identify that the factors contributing to notoriety of violent extremist organizations are comparable to factors contributing to brand reputation of legitimate business organizations. The session highlights that exploitation of the dark side of brands is a growing concerning trend that poses significant threats to well-being of societies and demonstrates the need and the value of greater marketing research input in addressing this evolving problem

Administração Moderna – uma abordagem holística. “Implicações da Abordagem Holística na Administração: para além da produtividade”

O presente trabalho explora o modelo clássico de administração, originado na sua forma tradicional, sua trajetória e evolução para a abordagem holística e para além da produtividade, envolvendo uma averiguação sistemática, que analisa as contribuições das principais teorias a partir do século XVIII até as novas teorias. Abordará a seguinte problemática: o que caracteriza a administração holística em comparação com as abordagens tradicionais administrativas. O objetivo geral será discutir as implicações de uma abordagem holística na administração, a partir de uma comparação com as abordagens tradicionais nesse campo do conhecimento, com metodologia explicativa de natureza qualitativa. Será utilizada a pesquisa bibliográfica.The present work explores the classic model of administration, originated in its traditional form, its trajectory and evolution towards the holistic approach and beyond productivity, involving a systematic investigation, which analyzes the contributions of the main theories from the 18th century until the new ones. theories. It will address the following issue: what characterizes holistic management compared to traditional administrative approaches. The general objective will be to discuss the implications of a holistic approach to management, based on a comparison with traditional approaches in this field of knowledge, with qualitative explanatory methodology. Bibliographic research will be used

A linguagem sob o paradigma da complexidade

O que nos singulariza dentre os demais seres vivos é a necessidade imperiosa e a capacidade de nos comunicarmos. Este trabalho pretende lançar um olhar sobre a linguagem em consonância com a teoria da complexidade. Veremos que a associação entre sujeito (ser humano) e objeto (linguagem) é inexcludente. Dessa forma, colocaremos em evidência algumas circunstâncias que envolvem a relação dos falantes com a língua, dentre as quais o preconceito linguístico, a fim de lançarmos um olhar sobre os discursos reducionistas e discriminatórios, levados pelo desconhecimento do pensamento complexo que perpassa pela pós-modernidade. A metodologia utilizada para a construção deste artigo foi: pesquisa de natureza básica com abordagem qualitativa, de cunho exploratório-descritivo, com revisão bibliográfica e análise de conteúdo. O embasamento teórico foi assentado em obras de: ABBAGNANO; BAGNO; ETTO e CARLOS; FICHTE; GONÇALVES; MARRA e MILANI; MATURANA; MORIN; PINKER; PRADO; RODRIGUES; ROSENSTOCK-HUESSY; SACHET; SAUSSURE; TARALLO; e VYGOTSKY.What makes us unique among other living beings is the imperative need and ability to communicate. This work aims to take a look at language in line with complexity theory. We will see that the association between subject (human being) and object (language) is excluding. In this way, we will highlight some circumstances that involve the relationship between speakers and the language, among which linguistic prejudice, in order to take a look at reductionist and discriminatory discourses, driven by ignorance of the complex thinking that permeates postmodernity. The methodology used for the construction of this article was: research of a basic nature with a qualitative approach, with an exploratory-descriptive nature, with bibliographic review and content analysis. The theoretical basis was based on works by: ABBAGNANO; BAGNO; ETTO and CARLOS; FICHTE; GONÇALVES; MARRA and MILANI; MATURANA; MORIN; PINKER; MEADOW; RODRIGUES; ROSENSTOCK-HUESSY; SACHET; SAUSSURE; TARALLO; and VYGOTSKY