Reputation and Certification in Online Shops

We investigate the impact of self-organized reputation versus certification by an independent institution on demand for online shops. Using data from a large Austrian price comparison site, we show that quality seals issued by a credible and independent institution increase demand more than feedback-based reputation. This result is important for markets where the market-maker must deal with issues of asymmetric information concerning the quality of goods and services in the market.Online markets, search engines, signaling, certification, reputation

Tuning an Online Shop: Consumer Reactions to E-tailers' Service Quality

This paper investigates the impact of service quality in e-tailing on site visits and consumer demand (approximated by the last-click- through concept). We use a large representative data set obtained from a price-comparison site which covers most of the national (Austrian) market on e-tailing. Customers' valuations for a broad range of 15 dif- ferent service characteristics are condensed by factor analysis. Negative binomial regressions analysis is used to measure the impact of princi- pal factors for service quality on referral requests to online shops and last-click-throughs for different product categories.e-commerce, price comparison, horizontal service differentiation

99 cent: Price points in e-commerce

Basu (2006) argues that the prevalence of 99 cent prices in shops can be explained with rational consumers who disregard the rightmost digits of the price. This bounded rational behaviour leads to a Bertrand equilibrium with positive markups. We use data from an Austrian price comparison site and find results highly compatible with Basu's theory. We can show that price points - in particular prices ending in 9 - are prevalent and have significant impact on consumer demand. Moreover, these price points are sticky; neither the price-setter itself wants to change them neither the rivals do underbid these prices, if they represent the cheapest price on the market. --Competitive Behaviour,Pricing Behaviour,E-Commerce,Pricing in the Nines,Focal Pricing

99 cent: Price Points in E-Commerce

Basu (2006) argues that the prevalence of 99 cent prices in shops can be explained with rational consumers who disregard the rightmost digits of the price. This bounded rational behaviour leads to a Bertrand equi- librium with positive markups. We use data from an Austrian price com- parison site and find results highly compatible with Basu's theory. We can show that price points - in particular prices ending in 9 - are preva- lent and have significant impact on consumer demand. Moreover, these price points are sticky; neither the price-setter itself wants to change them neither the rivals do underbid these prices, if they represent the cheapest price on the market.e-commerce, price comparison, price policy

Depression and identity : Are self-constructions negative or conflictual?

Negative self-views have proved to be a consistent marker of vulnerability for depression. However, recent research has shown that a particular kind of cognitive conflict, implicative dilemma, is highly prevalent in depression. In this study, the relevance of these conflicts is assessed as compared to the cognitive model of depression of a negative view of the self. In so doing, 161 patients with major depression and 110 controls were assessed to explore negative self-construing (self-ideal discrepancy) and conflicts (implicative dilemmas), as well as severity of symptoms. Results showed specificity for the clinical group indicating a pattern of mixed positive and negative self-descriptions with a high rate of conflict. Regression analysis lent support to the conflict hypothesis in relation to clinically relevant indicators such as symptom severity, global functioning. However, self-ideal discrepancy was a stronger predictor of group membership. The findings showed the relevance of cognitive conflicts to compliment the well-consolidated theory of negative self-views. Clinical implications for designing interventions are discussed.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Concepts of Emission Reduction in Fluidized Bed Combustion of Biomass

A status report on fluidized bed technology in Austria is under preparation, in response to the Fluidized Bed Conversion multi-lateral technology initiative of the International Energy Agency. This status report focuses on the current operation of fluidized bed combustors. Combustors have been installed in the following industrial sectors: pulp and paper, biomass heat and power plants, waste-to-energy plants, and communal sewage sludge treatment plants. There are also some small demonstration plants. These plants all have in common that they treat renewable fuel types. In many cases, only bio-fuels are treated. Besides the ability to burn a wide range of low-grade and difficult fuels, fluidized bed combustors have the advantages of low NOX emissions and the possibility of in-process capture of SO2. Various emission reduction concepts for fluidized bed combustors that are typical for their industrial sector are discussed. The discussion of these concepts focuses on NOX, SO2 and dust

PROPERTIES OF BIOMASS AND BIOMASS WASTE FUELS FOR FLUIDIZED BED CONVERSION

The energetic recovery of biomass and biomass waste has a long history in Austria. The available infrastructure consists of 17 fluidized bed combustors (FBC) with a total thermal capacity of 700 MW and three fluidized bed gasifiers with a total thermal capacity of 33 MW. Eight FBC plants have circulating beds while the other three have bubbling beds. In Austria, FBCs for biomass are employed in the heat and electricity producing industry, in the pulp and paper industry, and in the sewage sludge treatment. Additionally, the heat and electricity industry employs the three fluidized bed gasifiers. The applied fuel can be related to the respected industries: the heat and power industry usually utilizes biomass in form of wood chips, whereas the pulp and paper industry utilizes biomass waste like bark, waste wood and fibrous rejects. In this work the properties of biomass and biomass waste fuels of Austrian FBCs as well as the fuel impact on pre-processing and flue gas treatment are evaluated. In this context an overview of the utilized fuels is created and fuel properties like calorific value, content of impurities, availability, etc. are compared. The influences of the employed fuel on the flue gas treatment system are discussed. Thus, an additional overview of selected flue gas treatment system configurations is given. The main focus of this work is the comparison of fuels based on biomass and biomass waste and the investigation of their benefits and limitations. In order to do this, a prior characterization of selected biomass waste fuels based on literature is necessary

COMPARISON OF CHEMICAL KINETIC MECHANISMS FOR COMBUSTION SIMULATION OF TREATED BIOGAS

Living on a planet with limited resources, more efficient and cleaner combustion is highly desired. Moreover, focus is now on renewable energy. The development of internal combustion engines fuelled by biogas requires both CFD and chemical kinetic simulations. Several detailed chemical kinetic models dealing with the combustion of C1–C3 fuels have been published already. This work uses a selection of these models in COSILAB software assuming treated biogas as methane enriched with ethane and propane, under engine-relevant, lean conditions. The models are compared to each other regarding their performance in laminar flame speed obtained from a one-dimensional freely propagating flame model, and ignition delay time obtained from a zero-dimensional homogeneous ignition process in a batch reactor

Concepts of Emission Reduction in Fluidized Bed Combustion of Biomass

A status report on fluidized bed technology in Austria is under preparation, in response to the Fluidized Bed Conversion multi-lateral technology initiative of the International Energy Agency. This status report focuses on the current operation of fluidized bed combustors. Combustors have been installed in the following industrial sectors: pulp and paper, biomass heat and power plants, waste-to-energy plants, and communal sewage sludge treatment plants. There are also some small demonstration plants. These plants all have in common that they treat renewable fuel types. In many cases, only bio-fuels are treated. Besides the ability to burn a wide range of low-grade and difficult fuels, fluidized bed combustors have the advantages of low NOX emissions and the possibility of in-process capture of SO2. Various emission reduction concepts for fluidized bed combustors that are typical for their industrial sector are discussed. The discussion of these concepts focuses on NOX, SO2 and dust