Determinants of consumer attitude toward corporate sponsors: A comparison between a profit and non-profit sport event sponsorship

The purposes of the present study were to identify key attributes of sponsors that positively influence consumers’ attitude formation and to examine the moderator role of sport event types (nonprofit vs. profit). Based on the theories of range and selective attention, we hypothesized that consumers weigh differently on particular sponsorship attributes depending on event type (i.e., profit vs. nonprofit) in constructing their attitude. The study utilized multi-group structural equation modeling on data collected by questionnaire survey from a total of 505 spectators of college sport event (n = 303) and FIFA World Cup (n = 202). Results of structural equation modeling test indicate that prominence of sponsors is an important predictor of consumer attitude in both events, while sincerity of sponsors was found to be important in local and amateur college sport event sponsorship. From a theoretical perspective, the current study sheds light on sponsorship study, particularly the importance of examining sponsor characteristics in predicting consumer attitude and the event type as a moderating variable. A key practical implication is that sport managers should carefully examine consumers’ perceptions toward sponsor characteristics in making their event sponsorship decisions.IS

Phenyl-(4-Phenyl-Pyrimidin-2-YL)-amines for enhancing immunotolerance

M. Woisetschlager, E. Hauben, M. G. Roncarolo (assignee Novartis institute for Biomedical Research, Inc.). US 2008/0279829 A1 (PCT/EP2006/009406) filed Sep. 27, 2006; published Nov. 13, 2008.The use of a phenyl-(4-phenyl-pyrimidin-2-yl)-amine for the preparation of a medicament for enhancing immunotolerance in a mammal; and uses, methods, processes and pharmaceutical combinations and compositions comprising such phenyl-(4-phenyl-pyrimidin-2-yl)-amine.Invented by Maximilian Woisetschlaeger, Ehud Hauben, Maria Grazia Roncarolo; assigned to Novartis institute for Biomedical Research, Inc.http://www.patentlens.net/patentlens/patent/US_2008_0279829_A1/en

How habits, social ties, and economic switching barriers affect customer loyalty in contractual service settings

While existing literature acknowledges positive effects of satisfaction and economic switching barriers for building customer loyalty, studies analyzing interactions of these antecedents reveal mixed findings. Prior research does not consider, as antecedents of switching barriers, either habits or social ties that result from shared service-usage within a family or community. This paper contributes to the literature, first, by replicating the effects of satisfaction, economic switching barriers, and their interaction with customer loyalty and word-of-mouth of subscribers to a contractual service. Second, the study empirically tests the role of social ties as a social switching barrier. Third, the study introduces and tests the effects of habits as a precursor of economic and social switching barriers. Results reveal significant positive effects of satisfaction, economic switching barriers, and social ties on customer loyalty and word-of-mouth. Additionally, economic switching barriers and social ties interact significantly with satisfaction and habits act as a precursor of economic switching barriers and social ties

The bioscope system – testing and validating a novel sensor for aqueous solutions

A novel device called the Bioscope System is investigated for feasibility as sensor for chemicals in aqueous solutions. Thereby a sample is probed by a pulsed voltage and electrical properties of that sample are measured. These electrical properties can be considered as a sum parameter of the sample in terms of conductivity and permittivity. It is demonstrated that the Bioscope System can indeed measure differences between different substances in aqueous solution and between different concentrations of the same substance in aqueous solution. A qualitative explanation is provided. Possible improvements of the system are suggested.Изучено новое устройство Bioscope System для возможного использования в качестве сенсора химических веществ в водных растворах. Посредством сенсора образец зондируется пульсирующим напряжением и измеряются его электрические свойства, которые могут рассматриваться как суммарный параметр в выражении электропроводности и электрической емкости. Продемонстрировано, что Bioscope System может действительно измерять различия между разными веществами и разными концентрациями одних и тех же веществ в водном растворе. Предлагаются возможные усовершенствования системы.Вивчено нове облаштування Bioscope System для можливого використання як сенсора хімічних речовин у водних розчинах. За допомогою сенсора зразок зондується пульсуючою напругою і вимірюються його електричні властивості, які можуть розглядатися як сумарний параметр у вираженні електропровідності і електричної місткості. Продемонстровано, що Bioscope System може дійсно вимірювати відмінності між різними речовинами і різними концентраціями одних і тих же речовин у водному розчині. Пропонуються можливі удосконалення системи