State-of-art on PLS Path Modeling through the available software

The purpose of this paper is to present PLS Path Modeling, to describe the various options of LVPLS 1.8 and PLS-Graph 3.0 for carrying out a path model, and to comment the output of both software. PLS-Graph 3.0 is actually based on LVPLS 1.8. As an added value, PLS-Graph has a very friendly graphical interface for drawing the model and a resampling module (jackknife and bootstrap). The presentation is illustrated by data which have been used to construct the European Consumer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) for a mobile phone provider.PLS Path Modeling; PLS Approach; Structural Equation Modeling; LVPLS 1.8; PLS-Graph

Capturing and Treating Unobserved Heterogeneity by Response Based Segmentation in PLS Path Modeling. A Comparison of Alternative Methods by Computational Experiments

Segmentation in PLS path modeling framework results is a critical issue in social sciences. The assumption that data is collected from a single homogeneous population is often unrealistic. Sequential clustering techniques on the manifest variables level are ineffective to account for heterogeneity in path model estimates. Three PLS path model related statistical approaches have been developed as solutions for this problem. The purpose of this paper is to present a study on sets of simulated data with different characteristics that allows a primary assessment of these methodologies.Partial Least Squares; Path Modeling; Unobserved Heterogeneity

Caratterizzazione idrologica della Stazione Dosso di santa Croce

Lo studio di caratterizzazione idrologica è stato condotto nella zona del Dosso di Santa Croce (Golfo di trieste) dove sono presenti strutture artificilai sommerse, utilizzate per l'analisi del popolamento macrofitobentonico. in questa zona la profondità del fondale è di 12 m. I dati relativi alle caratteristiche chimico fisiche dell'acqua sno stati acquisiti tramite una sonda multiparametrica (CTD Idronaut - Ocean seven 316 Probe), uno spettrofotometro, radiometri selettivi, radiometri PAR. La strumentazione ha permesso di rilevare dati di: temperatura, conducibilità (salinità), ossigeno disciolto, pH, torbidità, clorofilla, coefficiente di attenuazione lungo la colonna d'acqua, irradianza discendente, radianza ascendente, irradianza sferica. I dati sono stati acquisiti con cadenza mensile (seconda decade del mese) a partire dal dicembre 2004. L'analisi dei dati ha mostrato un'elevata variabilità dei parametri che sembra essere influenzata in maniera preponderante dalle condizioni di irraggiamento esterno. Nella zona del Dosso, vista la ridotta profondità del fondale, al fondo è sempre rilevabile un'elevata quantità di energia, disponibile per l'attecchimento e la crescita della componente vegetale

Is Investing in Social Media Really Worth It? How Brand Actions and User Actions on Social Media Influence Brand Value

Although previous studies have documented a positive link between traditional media and brand performance, how social media is related to brand value has not yet been comprehensively explored. We propose a conceptual model to address this research gap, collecting a unique data set that captures information on user and brand actions on three social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), word-of-mouth, and brand value for 87 brands in 17 industries. We empirically test our model with partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM). First, we test the direct effects and find that user actions on YouTube and brand actions on Facebook have a positive influence on brand value. Second, we enrich our model by including word-of-mouth as a mediator, finding that the effect of social media goes above and beyond pure word-of-mouth spread. We test for alternative models, by first accounting for sample heterogeneity and second by including brand strength as a control variable, finding that the main model results’ are indeed robust. Our study demonstrates that making use of social media positively relates to brand value, as well as validates a set of objective metrics to measure social media actions, thus advancing knowledge on social media marketing for both academics and practitioners

Is Investing in Social Media Really Worth It? How Brand Actions and User Actions on Social Media Influence Brand Value

Although previous studies have documented a positive link between traditional media and brand performance, how social media is related to brand value has not yet been comprehensively explored. We propose a conceptual model to address this research gap, collecting a unique data set that captures information on user and brand actions on three social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), word-of-mouth, and brand value for 87 brands in 17 industries. We empirically test our model with partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM). First, we test the direct effects and find that user actions on YouTube and brand actions on Facebook have a positive influence on brand value. Second, we enrich our model by including word-of-mouth as a mediator, finding that the effect of social media goes above and beyond pure word-of-mouth spread. We test for alternative models, by first accounting for sample heterogeneity and second by including brand strength as a control variable, finding that the main model results’ are indeed robust. Our study demonstrates that making use of social media positively relates to brand value, as well as validates a set of objective metrics to measure social media actions, thus advancing knowledge on social media marketing for both academics and practitioners

Régression linéaire généralisée PLS

Presentation of the PLS regressionPLS regression; general linear modeling; Cox model

Fish stock study on the Ridge of Santa Croce

Il presente studio è stato finalizzato alla caratterizzazione del Dosso di Santa Croce (Golfo di Trieste – Alto Adriatico) in termini di morfobatimetria e di distribuzione dei banchi di pesce presenti in questa zona. A tal fine è stato utilizzato un “echosounder” che permette, tramite riflessione degli impulsi acustici inviati, di individuare banchi di pecse o plankon, valutandone la relativa taglia, stimare abbondanza e densità dei medesimi organismi, studiarne il comportamento e le dinamiche migratorie e mappare il fondale. Lo strumento ha permesso, nel presente lavoro, di valutare in maniera semplice la densità e l’abbondanza relative dei banchi di pesce, ma la conversione in valori assoluti è stata resa difficoltosa dall’impossibilità di prelevare specie nell’area, sottoposta a protezione. Pertanto uno strumento utile da utilizzare in abbinamento all’echosounder sembrerebbe poter essere il “visual census” (campionamento visivo) per valutare le specie presenti nei banchi

Tourism destination competitiveness: second thoughts on the world economic forum reports

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports of the World Economic Forum elaborate the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) as an overall measure of destination competitiveness for 130 economies worldwide. From a tourism management point of view, a measure such as the TTCI is expected to be instrumental in explaining and predicting the tourism performance of receiving countries. This study explores several ways to transform the TTCI into a formative structural model. Partial least squares path modelling, PLS regression, mixture modelling and non-linear covariance-based structural equation modelling are applied to examine the TTCI's predictive power. The analysis probes possible measures for improvement. The destination countries may be subject to unobserved heterogeneity with regard to how the various constituents of competitiveness act on tourism performance. Interaction phenomena seem to prohibit a simple cause-effect pattern and non-linear relationships show encouraging results

Internal Marketing Orientation: an empirical research in hotel sector

The study has three aims. First, to measure internal market orientation second, to analyze the relation-ships between IMO and two organizational consequences: job satisfaction and commitment; and third,to incorporate a new sub-dimension work/family balance. Empirical research has been done in a sampleof Spanish hotels. Results show that IMO is a strategic determinant of both job satisfaction and employeecommitment