Building Stronger Channel Relationships Through Information Sharing

Does sharing market information help channel partners to buildstronger mutual relationships? Is low initial trust really animpediment for further relationship development by means ofinformation sharing? How do connections with other competingchannel partners affect the relationship building process? Toaddress these questions, we conducted an experimental study.Our findings show that retailer information sharing helps todevelop higher quality supplier relationships. Interestingly,even if the initial level of trust in the retailer is low, therelationship quality substantially improves. In a morecompetitive situation the suppliers respond more favorably tothe retailer?s information-sharing initiative.experimental design;information-sharing;interfirm collaboration;marketing channels

The origin of the 90 degree magneto-optical Kerr rotation in CeSb

We calculate the linear magneto-optical Kerr rotation for CeSb in the near-infrared spectral range. Using an exact formula for large Kerr rotation angles and a simplified electronic structure of CeSb we find at \hbar \omega = 0.46 eV a Kerr rotation of 90 degree which then for decreasing \omega jumps to -90 degree as recently observed. We identify the general origin of possible 180 degree polarization rotations as resulting from mainly nonmagnetic optical properties, in particular from the ratio of the dominant interband resonance frequency to the plasma frequency. The dependence of the Kerr rotation on moments and magnetization is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, REVTEX, 5 eps figure

Building Stronger Channel Relationships Through Information Sharing

Does sharing market information help channel partners to build stronger mutual relationships? Is low initial trust really an impediment for further relationship development by means of information sharing? How do connections with other competing channel partners affect the relationship building process? To address these questions, we conducted an experimental study. Our findings show that retailer information sharing helps to develop higher quality supplier relationships. Interestingly, even if the initial level of trust in the retailer is low, the relationship quality substantially improves. In a more competitive situation the suppliers respond more favorably to the retailer?s information-sharing initiative

Electronic Theory for the Nonlinear Magneto-Optical Response of Transition-Metals at Surfaces and Interfaces: Dependence of the Kerr-Rotation on Polarization and on the Magnetic Easy Axis

We extend our previous study of the polarization dependence of the nonlinear optical response to the case of magnetic surfaces and buried magnetic interfaces. We calculate for the longitudinal and polar configuration the nonlinear magneto-optical Kerr rotation angle. In particular, we show which tensor elements of the susceptibilities are involved in the enhancement of the Kerr rotation in nonlinear optics for different configurations and we demonstrate by a detailed analysis how the direction of the magnetization and thus the easy axis at surfaces and buried interfaces can be determined from the polarization dependence of the nonlinear magneto-optical response, since the nonlinear Kerr rotation is sensitive to the electromagnetic field components instead of merely the intensities. We also prove from the microscopic treatment of spin-orbit coupling that there is an intrinsic phase difference of 90$^{\circ }$ between tensor elements which are even or odd under magnetization reversal in contrast to linear magneto-optics. Finally, we compare our results with several experiments on Co/Cu films and on Co/Au and Fe/Cr multilayers. We conclude that the nonlinear magneto-optical Kerr-effect determines uniquely the magnetic structure and in particular the magnetic easy axis in films and at multilayer interfaces.Comment: 23 pages Revtex, preprintstyle, 2 uuencoded figure

The design of a real-time formative evaluation of the implementation process of lifestyle interventions at two worksites using a 7-step strategy (BRAVO@Work)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs) offer an attractive opportunity to improve the lifestyle of employees. Nevertheless, broad scale and successful implementation of WHPPs in daily practice often fails. In the present study, called BRAVO@Work, a 7-step implementation strategy was used to develop, implement and embed a WHPP in two different worksites with a focus on multiple lifestyle interventions.</p> <p>This article describes the design and framework for the formative evaluation of this 7-step strategy under real-time conditions by an embedded scientist with the purpose to gain insight into whether this this 7-step strategy is a useful and effective implementation strategy. Furthermore, we aim to gain insight into factors that either facilitate or hamper the implementation process, the quality of the implemented lifestyle interventions and the degree of adoption, implementation and continuation of these interventions.</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>This study is a formative evaluation within two different worksites with an embedded scientist on site to continuously monitor the implementation process. Each worksite (i.e. a University of Applied Sciences and an Academic Hospital) will assign a participating faculty or a department, to implement a WHPP focusing on lifestyle interventions using the 7-step strategy. The primary focus will be to describe the natural course of development, implementation and maintenance of a WHPP by studying [a] the use and adherence to the 7-step strategy, [b] barriers and facilitators that influence the natural course of adoption, implementation and maintenance, and [c] the implementation process of the lifestyle interventions. All data will be collected using qualitative (i.e. real-time monitoring and semi-structured interviews) and quantitative methods (i.e. process evaluation questionnaires) applying data triangulation. Except for the real-time monitoring, the data collection will take place at baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This is one of the few studies to extensively and continuously monitor the natural course of the implementation process of a WHPP by a formative evaluation using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods on different organizational levels (i.e. management, project group, employees) with an embedded scientist on site.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>NTR2861</p

Interactive effects of vascular risk burden and advanced age on cerebral blood flow.

Vascular risk factors and cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction have been linked to increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD); however the possible moderating effects of age and vascular risk burden on CBF in late life remain understudied. We examined the relationships among elevated vascular risk burden, age, CBF, and cognition. Seventy-one non-demented older adults completed an arterial spin labeling MR scan, neuropsychological assessment, and medical history interview. Relationships among vascular risk burden, age, and CBF were examined in a priori regions of interest (ROIs) previously implicated in aging and AD. Interaction effects indicated that, among older adults with elevated vascular risk burden (i.e., multiple vascular risk factors), advancing age was significantly associated with reduced cortical CBF whereas there was no such relationship for those with low vascular risk burden (i.e., no or one vascular risk factor). This pattern was observed in cortical ROIs including medial temporal (hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, uncus), inferior parietal (supramarginal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, angular gyrus), and frontal (anterior cingulate, middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus) cortices. Furthermore, among those with elevated vascular risk, reduced CBF was associated with poorer cognitive performance. Such findings suggest that older adults with elevated vascular risk burden may be particularly vulnerable to cognitive change as a function of CBF reductions. Findings support the use of CBF as a potential biomarker in preclinical AD and suggest that vascular risk burden and regionally-specific CBF changes may contribute to differential age-related cognitive declines

Nonlinear Magneto-Optical Response of ss- and dd-Wave Superconductors

The nonlinear magneto-optical response of $s$- and $d$-wave superconductors is discussed. We carry out the symmetry analysis of the nonlinear magneto-optical susceptibility in the superconducting state. Due to the surface sensitivity of the nonlinear optical response for systems with bulk inversion symmetry, we perform a group theoretical classification of the superconducting order parameter close to a surface. For the first time, the mixing of singlet and triplet pairing states induced by spin-orbit coupling is systematically taken into account. We show that the interference of singlet and triplet pairing states leads to an observable contribution of the nonlinear magneto-optical Kerr effect. This effect is not only sensitive to the anisotropy of the gap function but also to the symmetry itself. In view of the current discussion of the order parameter symmetry of High-T$_c$ superconductors, results for a tetragonal system with bulk singlet pairing for various pairing symmetries are discussed.Comment: 21 pages (REVTeX) with 8 figures (Postscript