Intellectual capital and value co-creation: an empirical analysis from a marketing perspective

The aim of this study is to investigate intellectual capital (IC) drivers that may influence Italian consumers’ decision to participate in value co-creation (VCC) activities with firms. Given the exploratory nature of the research, after a review of the relevant literature, we conducted a survey among Italian consumers to see if IC principal sub-dimensions (i.e. Relational Capital, Human Capital and Structural Capital) played a role in triggering VCC processes. Using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we analyzed 270 usable questionnaires finding that, in order to decide to co-create value with firms, IC sub-dimensions actually play a critical role. Our findings showed that the motivations (i.e., IC components) that influence Italian consumers’ decision to participate in value co-creation activities with firms are quite homogeneous and similar both for those who already participated in past in these activities as well for those who never participated. The study has several managerial implications as well as limitations. In fact, the survey has been conducted only among Italian consumers and therefore the research should be extended by a geographically standpoint. Moreover, the research analyzed only the demand-side, while it would be certainly useful to know the point of view of companies also adopting other research methods (e.g., in-depth interviews). This study provides to practitioners important suggestions and warnings about the importance of the development of IC sub-dimensions to (co-)create value with external actors and consequently suggests the importance of adopting a “open” approach towards consumers to establish an effective and interactive relationship with them. The study fills a gap in the literature, since there are not so many references in literature for a deep understanding of the concrete relationship between IC and VCC. In addition, to our best knowledge this paper is the first that explore IC-related issues from a marketing perspective

Verso lo smart retailing. Uno studio esplorativo tra domanda e offerta nel contesto italiano

Il lavoro indaga, adottando una prospettiva esplorativa, il tema dello smart retailing con particolare riferimento al contesto italiano. Lo smart retailing rappresenta oggi per le aziende la modalità principale con cui è possibile rendere le strutture aziendali omnicanali, ossia giungere alla creazione di un sistema di canali e di punti di contatto con i consumatori che siano tra di essi perfettamente integrati. Lo smart retailing consente alle aziende di conseguire questo nuovo obiettivo strategico attraverso lo strumento delle cosiddette in-store technologies, ossia tecnologie “smart” applicate nei canali fisici (punti vendita) delle aziende che consentono a queste ultime di poter interagire in maniera costante (seamless) e “ubiqua” (online e offline) con i propri consumatori. Data la novità del tema e la scarsa applicazione, ad oggi, delle in-store technologies nei punti vendita dei retailer italiani, il lavoro è stato volto ad esplorare le opinioni sia della domanda che dell’offerta in merito agli effetti dell’applicazione di in-store technologies nei punti vendita dei retailer italiani. Nel primo caso, i consumatori intervistati sono stati 46 giovani millennials in merito all’applicazione delle in-store technologies nei punti vendita monomarca dei retailer di fast fashion. Lo studio, volto a chiarire l’impatto di questi medium tecnologici sulla in-store experience e sulla store loyalty dei millennials, dimostra che le in-store technologies possono conferire numerosi benefici alle esperienze in store dei millennials, sia da un punto di vista utilitaristico (es. aumentando la facilità di reperire informazioni sui prodotti), che emozionale (es. aumentando il brand engagement) e sociale (es. invogliando i consumatori a recarsi con accompagnatori nel punto vendita per condividere la nuova esperienza di shopping “smart”). Le in-store technologies possono altresì rafforzare la fedeltà verso le marche preferite dai millennials, mentre non si rileva un effetto altrettanto forte nel caso in cui ad adottare queste tecnologie fossero retailer di cui i millennials non apprezzino il sistema d’offerta. Infine, con riferimento al lato dell’offerta, sono stati intervistati 13 esperti e consulenti di in-store technologies per il fashion retailing al fine di chiarire: 1) l’atteggiamento complessivo dei retailer di fast fashion italiani verso le in-store technologies; 2) le modifiche che dovrà subire il punto vendita in futuro per poter diventare “fattivamente” uno smart store; 3) quale possono essere le modalità di creazione di maggiore brand engagement nei millennials qualora un retailer decidesse di adottare queste tecnologie. I risultati mostrano una tendenziale resistenza dei retailer a valutare, oggi, come di valore strategico l’investimento in in-store technologies, che viene invece visto dal management in ottica per lo più tattica, di breve periodo e finalizzato al mero aumento del fatturato. In secondo luogo, la struttura organizzativa, assieme alla sua cultura, necessita di profondi ripensamenti a partire dal top management, il quale dovrà ripensare alcune figure manageriali (in particolare quelle legate all’IT e alla relazione con il cliente), introdurne di nuove (es. CDO) che consentano all’intera organizzazione di comprendere l’importanza dell’orientamento allo smart retailing e l’investimento in nuove competenze, in particolare nell’assunzione di data scientist. Il punto vendita “del futuro” sarà sottoposto a significativi cambiamenti che riguarderanno tanto i suoi aspetti strutturali (es. ridimensionamento della superficie calpestabile) quanto strategici (es. rendendolo il principale canale per svolgere comunicazione integrata di marketing). Infine, gli esperti convengono che le tecnologie mostrino un forte potenziale di creazione di maggiore coinvolgimento verso la marca nei millennials grazie alle nuove opportunità di intrattenimento, di personalizzazione dell’esperienza e dell’accresciuto livello di integrazione online-offline tra i canali e i customer touchpoints

Extraction of Pion Transverse Momentum Distributions from Drell-Yan data

We map the distribution of unpolarized quarks inside a unpolarized pion as a function of the quark's transverse momentum, encoded in unpolarized Transverse Momentum Distributions (TMDs). We extract the pion TMDs from available data of unpolarized pion-nucleus Drell-Yan processes, where the cross section is differential in the lepton-pair transverse momentum. In the cross section, pion TMDs are convoluted with nucleon TMDs that we consistently take from our previous studies. We obtain a fairly good agreement with data. We present also predictions for pion-nucleus scattering that is being measured by the COMPASS Collaboration

Ferromagnetic contamination of Ultra-Low-Field-NMR sample containers. Quantification of the problem and possible solutions

The presence of a weak remanence in Ultra-Low-Field (ULF) NMR sample containers is investigated on the basis of proton precession. The high-sensitivity magnetometer used for the NMR detection, enables simultaneously the measurement of the static field produced in the sample proximity by ferromagnetic contaminants. The presence of the latter is studied by high resolution chemical analyses of the surface, based on X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and secondary ions mass spectroscopy. Methodologies to reduce the contamination are explored and characterized. This study is of relevance in any ULF-NMR experiment, as in the ULF regime spurious ferromagnetism becomes easily a dominant cause of artefacts.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures

Effects of irradiation on biology and mating behaviour of wild males of brown marmorated stink bug using a 6 MV medical linear accelerator

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is a pentatomid bug of Eastern Asian origin that became an economically relevant pest in the Eurasian and American continents. Management of this species is limited to use of chemical insecticides: an inefficient method due to the strong adaptability of the target pest. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is potentially a valid tactic in the search for nontoxic alternatives. In this work, we investigated the suitability of masstrapped overwintering males, collected during the aggregation phase before the winter diapause, for their release as competitive sterile males in an SIT programme. Differently from previous studies, irradiation was applied with a linear accelerator device that produced high-energy photons. Following a similar scientific protocol with newly emerged irradiated males, the effects of X-ray irradiation on physiological parameters (longevity, fecundity and fertility) were assessed. In addition, behavioural bioassays were carried out in no-choice conditions to evaluate if irradiation interferes with mating processes. The results are very encouraging; the effects of the irradiation at 32 Gy did not differ from the controls in the longevity or fecundity of the exposed overwintering adults. The hatching rate of the eggs laid by the fertile females that had mated with the irradiated males was less than 5%. The results of behavioural bioassays showed that the irradiation did not cause a significant impact on the quality of the sterile males. More research is warranted to evaluate the mating competitiveness of sterile males in semi-field and field condition

Match Load Physical Demands in U-19 Professional Soccer Players Assessed by a Wearable Inertial Sensor

Background: Wearable inertial sensors are poorly used in soccer to monitor external load (EL) indicators. However, these devices could be useful for improving sports performance and potentially reducing the risk of injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the EL indicators (i.e., cinematic, mechanical, and metabolic) differences between playing positions (i.e., central backs, external strikers, fullbacks, midfielders, and wide midfielder) during the first half time of four official matches (OMs). Methods: 13 young professional soccer players (Under-19; age: 18.5 ± 0.4 years; height: 177 ± 6 cm; weight: 67 ± 4.8 kg) were monitored through a wearable inertial sensor (TalentPlayers TPDev, firmware version 1.3) during the season 2021-2022. Participants' EL indicators were recorded during the first half time of four OMs. Results: significant differences were detected in all the EL indicators between playing positions except for two of them (i.e., distance traveled in the various metabolic power zones (<10 w) and the number of direction changes to the right >30° and with speed >2 m). Pairwise comparisons showed differences in EL indicators between playing positions. Conclusions: Young professional soccer players showed different loads and performances during OMs in relation to playing positions. Coaches should consider the different physical demands related to playing positions in order to design the most appropriate training program

Electrocardiographic and other noninvasive hemodynamic markers in decompensated CHF patients

cutely decompensated chronic heart failure (adCHF) is among the most important causes of in-hospital mortality. R-wave peak time (RpT) or delayed intrinsicoid deflection was proposed as a risk marker of sudden cardiac death and heart failure decompensation. Authors want to verify if QR interval or RpT, obtained from 12-lead standard ECG and during 5-min ECG recordings (II lead), could be useful to identify adCHF. At hospital admission, patients underwent 5-min ECG recordings, obtaining mean and standard deviation (SD) of the following ECG intervals: QR, QRS, QT, JT, and T peak–T end (Te). The RpT from a standard ECG was calculated. Patients were grouped by the age-stratified Januzzi NT-proBNP cut-off. A total of 140 patients with suspected adCHF were enrolled: 87 (mean age 83 ± 10, M/F 38/49) with and 53 (mean age: 83 ± 9, M/F: 23/30) without adCHF. V5-, V6- (p < 0.05) RpT, and QRSD, QRSSD, QTSD, JTSD, and TeSD p < 0.001 were significantly higher in the adCHF group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the mean of QT (p < 0.05) and Te (p < 0.05) were the most reliable markers of in-hospital mortality. V6 RpT was directly related to NT-proBNP (r: 0.26, p < 0.001) and inversely related to a left ventricular ejection fraction (r: 0.38, p < 0.001). The intrinsicoid deflection time (obtained from V5-6 and QRSD) could be used as a possible marker of adCHF

Direct tomography imaging for inelastic x-ray scattering experiments at high pressure

A method to separate the non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering signal of a micro-metric sample contained inside a diamond anvil cell (DAC) from the signal originating from the high-pressure sample environment is described. Especially for high-pressure experiments, the parasitic signal originating from the diamond anvils, the gasket and/or the pressure medium can easily obscure the sample signal or even render the experiment impossible. Another severe complication for high-pressure non-resonant inelastic X-ray measurements, such as X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy, can be the proximity of the desired sample edge energy to an absorption edge energy of elements constituting the DAC. It is shown that recording the scattered signal in a spatially resolved manner allows these problems to be overcome by separating the sample signal from the spurious scattering of the DAC without constraints on the solid angle of detection. Furthermore, simple machine learning algorithms facilitate finding the corresponding detector pixels that record the sample signal. The outlined experimental technique and data analysis approach are demonstrated by presenting spectra of the Si L-2,L-3-edge and O K-edge of compressed alpha-quartz. The spectra are of unprecedented quality and both the O K-edge and the Si L-2,L-3-edge clearly show the existence of a pressure-induced phase transition between 10 and 24 GPa.Peer reviewe

Two-Phase Stefan Problem as the Limit Case of Two-Phase Stefan Problem with Kinetic Condition

AbstractBoth one-dimensional two-phase Stefan problem with the thermodynamic equilibrium condition u(R(t),t)=0 and with the kinetic rule uε(Rε(t),t)=εRε′(t) at the moving boundary are considered. We prove, when ε approaches zero, Rε(t) converges to R(t) in C1+δ/2[0,T] for any finite T>0, 0<δ<1

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the presence of large nodal mass are independent predictors of early response: A subanalysis of the prospective phase II PET-2-adapted HD0607 trial

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) can reflect both the myeloid dysfunction and T-cell immune suppression and have prognostic significance