MODELING THE CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF RETAIL SERVICE ROBOTS

This study uses the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) and domestication theories as the underlying framework of an acceptance model of retail service robots (RSRs). The model illustrates the relationships among facilitators, attitudes toward Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), anxiety toward robots, anticipated service quality, and the acceptance of RSRs. Specifically, the researcher investigates the extent to which the facilitators of usefulness, social capability, the appearance of RSRs, and the attitudes toward HRI affect acceptance and increase the anticipation of service quality. The researcher also tests the inhibiting role of pre-existing anxiety toward robots on the relationship between these facilitators and attitudes toward HRI. The study uses four methodological strategies: (1) incorporating a focus group and personal interviews, (2) using a presentation method of video clip stimuli, (3) empirical data collection and multigroup SEM analyses, and (4) applying three key product categories for the model’s generalization— fashion, technology (mobile phone), and food service (restaurant). The researcher conducts two pretests to check the survey items and to select the video clips. The researcher conducts the main test using an online survey of US consumer panelists (n = 1424) at a marketing agency. The results show that usefulness, social capability, and the appearance of a RSR positively influence the attitudes toward HRI. The attitudes toward HRI predict greater anticipation of service quality and the acceptance of the RSRs. The expected quality of service tends to enhance the acceptance. The relationship between social capability and attitudes toward HRI is weaker when the anxiety toward robots is higher. However, when the anxiety is higher, the relationship between appearance and the attitudes toward HRI is stronger than those with low anxiety. This study contributes to the literature on the CASA and domestication theories and to the human-computer interaction that involves robots or artificial intelligence. By considering social capability, humanness, intelligence, and the appearance of robots, this model of RSR acceptance can provide new insights into the psychological, social, and behavioral principles that guide the commercialization of robots. Further, this acceptance model could help retailers and marketers formulate strategies for effective HRI and RSR adoption in their businesses

Standardizing the Term “Strategy” in Retail and Business Curriculum

Strategy is a key concept in retail and business education. Yet, this important term has evolved to include many definitions, which can create confusion in the classroom environment. This paper proposes a standardized use of the term “strategy” in retail and business classrooms. It suggests a focused definition of strategy as “the principle that guides and inspires an organization to achieve optimum and long-term business performance by obtaining and sustaining competitive advantages.” It also outlines the development and definitions of strategy and discusses issues and concerns regarding the various definitions of strategy in academia. The study supports the need for clarification and efforts to incorporate standardized language into retail and business classroom settings. Keywords: Business, Competitive advantage, Curriculum, Education, Pedagogy, Retail, Strategy, Tactics.

Law Enforcement Officers’ High-Visibility Safety Apparel: The Effect of Their Attitudes on Wearing Behavior

High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) is classified as personal protective clothing that provides visual conspicuity to reduce the risk of fatality or injury from traffic road crashes (ANSI/ISEA 107-2010). Traffic increases every year, which leads to more congestion and to greater risks to law enforcement personnel. Conditions at dawn, dusk, night and during inclement weather further increase the risks

Green Apparel Advertising: Does It Need to Move toward a Product-led Approach?

Using Banerjee et al.\u27s (1995) green advertising criteria as a framework, this study examines how Green Apparel Advertising Potency (GAAP) can be achieved. Possibilities emerge from extensive content analysis of leading marketing journals (1996 to 2016) and empirical analyses of four main attributes from various ad types: environment, product, lifestyle, and humanism. Environment attribute includes environmental benefit and nature harmony. Product attribute includes apparel quality, apparel uniqueness, and well-being benefit. Lifestyle attribute includes lifestyle compatibility, meaningfulness, and self-discovery. Finally, humanism attribute includes ethicality, humanitarian benefit, compassionate love, and connection to others. We propose a consumer response framework for Green Apparel Advertising Potency (GAAP) to outline essential elements of effective green ads. Using eight different types of green apparel ads, these elements are analyzed to develop a decision tree predictive model that determines optimum combinations of attributes. The findings indicate that the functional product attribute of apparel quality is the primary factor that can elevate Green Apparel Advertising Potency (GAAP)

Clothing Communication via Social Media: A Decision Tree Predictive Model

Consumers are increasingly using social media (SM) as an important source of information and as a way to communicate about clothing. SM platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have already been evaluated as successful business take-off tools by numerous clothing brands such as Burberry, Nordstrom, and ASOS (Kim & Ko, 2012). While personality differences have been examined in relation to SM use, one area that remains unexplored is the influence of personality traits on information exchange and dialogue about clothing (Hart et al., 2015). The current study addresses this issue by linking personality traits to clothing communication via social media (CCSM) measured by SM usage for the clothing product category

Angiopoietin-1 is an apoptosis survival factor for endothelial cells

AbstractWe examined the effect of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) on apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Ang1 (5–1000 ng/ml) dose-dependently inhibited apoptosis under a serum-deprived state. A significant apoptotic inhibition occurred with as low as 50 ng/ml. Two hundred ng/ml of Ang1 inhibited to approximately 50% of the control apoptotic rates for 96 h. Furthermore, an augmented antiapoptotic effect of Ang1 by the addition of 20 ng/ml vascular endothelial growth factor was observed. This Ang1-induced strong antiapoptotic effect in endothelial cells is a novel and intriguing finding and could be an additional description of Ang1-induced direct biological function

Central Venous Stenosis Caused by Traction of the Innominate Vein due to a Tuberculosis-Destroyed Lung

We report a case of central venous stenosis due to a structural deformity caused by a tuberculosis-destroyed lung in a 65-year-old woman. The patient presented with left facial edema. She had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, and the chest X-ray revealed a collapsed left lung. Angiography showed leftward deviation of the innominate vein leading to kinking and stenosis of the internal jugular vein. Stent insertion improved her facial edema