Purpose Advertising And the Credibility Gap

One approach to purpose advertising is brand activism—taking a stand on a sociopolitical issue. This research compares divergent perspectives on whether and how brand activism influences brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Results from three studies, in which real-world brands and messages were used, identify a credibility gap between brands with a reputation for activism (established activist brands) and those without a reputation (emergent activist brands). Findings also reveal how personal issue knowledge moderates the credibility gap. Among other contributions, this research creates a new brand typology in the brand activism arena and empirically demonstrates a more favorable effect for established (versus emergent) activist brands when taking a stand.https://trace.tennessee.edu/utpurposeproject/1001/thumbnail.jp

Non-perturbative electron dynamics in crossed fields

Intense AC electric fields on semiconductor structures have been studied in photon-assisted tunneling experiments with magnetic field applied either parallel (B_par) or perpendicular (B_per) to the interfaces. We examine here the electron dynamics in a double quantum well when intense AC electric fields F, and tilted magnetic fields are applied simultaneously. The problem is treated non-perturbatively by a time-dependent Hamiltonian in the effective mass approximation, and using a Floquet-Fourier formalism. For B_par=0, the quasi-energy spectra show two types of crossings: those related to different Landau levels, and those associated to dynamic localization (DL), where the electron is confined to one of the wells, despite the non-negligible tunneling between wells. B_par couples parallel and in-plane motions producing anti-crossings in the spectrum. However, since our approach is non-perturbative, we are able to explore the entire frequency range. For high frequencies, we reproduce the well known results of perfect DL given by zeroes of a Bessel function. We find also that the system exhibits DL at the same values of the field F, even as B_par non-zero, suggesting a hidden dynamical symmetry in the system which we identify with different parity operations. The return times for the electron at various values of field exhibit interesting and complex behavior which is also studied in detail. We find that smaller frequencies shifts the DL points to lower field F, and more importantly, yields poorer localization by the field. We analyze the explicit time evolution of the system, monitoring the elapsed time to return to a given well for each Landau level, and find non-monotonic behavior for decreasing frequencies.Comment: REVTEX4 + 11 eps figs, submitted to Phys. Rev.

The Magnus expansion and some of its applications

Approximate resolution of linear systems of differential equations with varying coefficients is a recurrent problem shared by a number of scientific and engineering areas, ranging from Quantum Mechanics to Control Theory. When formulated in operator or matrix form, the Magnus expansion furnishes an elegant setting to built up approximate exponential representations of the solution of the system. It provides a power series expansion for the corresponding exponent and is sometimes referred to as Time-Dependent Exponential Perturbation Theory. Every Magnus approximant corresponds in Perturbation Theory to a partial re-summation of infinite terms with the important additional property of preserving at any order certain symmetries of the exact solution. The goal of this review is threefold. First, to collect a number of developments scattered through half a century of scientific literature on Magnus expansion. They concern the methods for the generation of terms in the expansion, estimates of the radius of convergence of the series, generalizations and related non-perturbative expansions. Second, to provide a bridge with its implementation as generator of especial purpose numerical integration methods, a field of intense activity during the last decade. Third, to illustrate with examples the kind of results one can expect from Magnus expansion in comparison with those from both perturbative schemes and standard numerical integrators. We buttress this issue with a revision of the wide range of physical applications found by Magnus expansion in the literature.Comment: Report on the Magnus expansion for differential equations and its applications to several physical problem

How and When CSR Advertising Positively and Negatively Impacts Brand Attitudes

An increasing number of consumers expect brands to take a stand on social issues. In response to this trend, brands such as Gillette, Microsoft, and Always have advertised their positions on salient issues in public discourse (e.g., gender equality, racial equality, and voting rights). But some CSR ads generate a positive consumer reception, and others create controversy and polarization. This dissertation examines how and when CSR advertising positively and negatively impacts brand attitudes. In the first essay, I apply the salience theory of competition to a brand advertising context. Through a series of four experiments, I find that the effectiveness of riding the wave (advertising about a highly salient issue in public discourse) depends on an issue’s consensus level. However, advertising a lower consensus (LC) issue does not necessarily lead to polarization – adopting a non-salient (versus salient) issue can lead to more (less) favorable brand attitudes. These effects also depend on individual issue importance. The first essay (a) opens a new theoretical corridor for CSR advertising, (b) demonstrates how the advertising context influences brand attitudes, (c) provides a holistic framework for issue selection, and (d) generates new insight on individual issue importance. In the second essay, I explore when CSR advertising becomes lecturing using a mixed-methods approach that proceeds through three phases. First, phenomenological interviews reveal five emergent themes underlying the experience of being lectured. Second, I apply these themes to 200 CSR Tweets from over 75 brands and identify the prevalent use of presupposition, an assumption a speaker makes about shared knowledge or beliefs. Finally, through a series of four experiments, I find that more (less) subtle presupposition leads to higher (lower) message agreement. The final study shows that the effectiveness of less subtle presupposition depends on the brand’s activism stage. The second essay (a) introduces a thematic framework for the experience of being lectured known as the Lecturing Experience Ascension Process (LEAP), (b) applies a new linguistic concept to advertising discourse, and (c) empirically demonstrates how brand activism stage differentially impacts consumer attitudes toward the brand when an ad uses less subtle presupposition

Ste. Genevive [sic], Missouri Porochial [sic] School

On front: "Cirkut picture by F. J. Milfeld, De Soto, Mo."Copyright deposit; F. J. Milfeld; May 16, 1913

Cirkut view of north part of De Soto, Mo., Iron Mountain car shops on right

On front: "Copyright 1913 by F. J. Milfeld - Laurella".Copyright deposit; F. J. Milfeld; May 10, 1913

Panoramic view of Perryville, Mo.

Copyright claimant's address: De Soto, Mo.Copyright deposit; F. J. Milfeld; May 10, 1913; DLC/PP-1913:44598

Cirkut view of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Copyright claimant's address: De Soto, Mo.Copyright deposit; F. J. Milfeld; May 16, 1913

Cirkut view of De Soto, Missouri, Iron Mountain car shops

On front: "Copyright 1913 by F. J. Milfeld, Laurella".Copyright deposit; F. J. Milfeld; May 10, 1913; DLC/PP-1913:44598