Impact of Status Consciousness on Consumer Purchase Intention and Brand Equity: the Mediating Role of Brand Associations

This paper studies the impact of status consciousness on consumer’s purchase intention and brand equity. It also examines the mediating role of brand associations between status consciousness, purchase intention and brand equity. A self-administered questionnaire was developed and data was collected from a sample of 500 female customers. The results support that status conscious consumers develop associations towards the brands and so they intend to purchase those brands, thus raising the brand equity. The results obtained will help the marketers by focusing on developing strong brand associations for luxurious brands for the status conscious consumers. It will also help in developing marketing strategies specifically designed to promote luxurious brands to increase consumer’s purchase intention and brand equity

A Framework for Assessing Impact of Brand Personality on Customer Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Gender and Age

This study develops an empirical examination of brand personalities in cellular phone sector of Pakistan as a predictor of customer satisfaction. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework that how brand personality of cell phone can increase the level of customer satisfaction. This study also aims to test the moderating role of demographic characteristics (Gender and Age) in the relationship between brand personalities and customer satisfaction. A sample of 300 cell phone users from 5 cities of Pakistan is selected .Based on the survey of consumers of cell phones; the authors checked the effect of brand personality on customer satisfaction. Moderation Analysis was used to check the moderation effect of demographic characteristics (Gender and Age) on the relationship between brand personality and customer satisfaction. Results indicated that due to different dimensions of brand personality of cell phones, customer observed massive satisfaction level. So, since customer faced more satisfaction, they signified more intention towards brand. Further, our research also confirmed the moderating role of Customer Age.  This study reveals that when cell phone manufacturing companies invest the human characteristics into their brand so that personality of their brand can develop, their customers can be more loyal towards organization and their level of satisfaction increased. Marketers and Brand Managers must develop marketing and advertisement activities in line with the personality of their cell phone brands. &nbsp

Morbidity of colostomy reversal

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine morbidity after colostomy reversal at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: The retrospective case series was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised records of patients aged 15 years or more who underwent colostomy reversal from January 2003 to December 2011. Data was collected regarding demographics, procedure dates, indication, as well as type and location of colostomy. Details of colostomy reversal, including pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative variables were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of the 96 patients was 40±16 years; 72(75%) of them being males. The most frequent indications for fashioning of colostomy were bowel perforation in 53 (55.2%) and malignancy in 9(9.3%) patients. Intra-operative complications occurred in 5(5.2%) with bowel perforation in 3(3.1%) and bleeding in 2(2%) patients. Overall, 40(41.6%) patients had post-operative local complications; the most common being wound infection in 19(19.8%) followed by incisional hernia 15(15.6%). Patients who experienced post-operative complications had significantly longer hospital stay compared to those without complications (9±2.8 vs. 7±2.4days; p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Colostomy reversal was associated with non-negligible morbidity. The most common complications were wound infection and incisional hernia

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a UK university identifies dynamics of transmission

AbstractUnderstanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission in higher education settings is important to limit spread between students, and into at-risk populations. In this study, we sequenced 482 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the University of Cambridge from 5 October to 6 December 2020. We perform a detailed phylogenetic comparison with 972 isolates from the surrounding community, complemented with epidemiological and contact tracing data, to determine transmission dynamics. We observe limited viral introductions into the university; the majority of student cases were linked to a single genetic cluster, likely following social gatherings at a venue outside the university. We identify considerable onward transmission associated with student accommodation and courses; this was effectively contained using local infection control measures and following a national lockdown. Transmission clusters were largely segregated within the university or the community. Our study highlights key determinants of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and effective interventions in a higher education setting that will inform public health policy during pandemics.</jats:p

Religiosity, Fashion Fanship and Fashion Consciousness among Fashion Consumers

Religiosity and materialism act as significant forces in the lives of Muslims consumers, but their roles in fashion consumption are still unclear. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of religiosity in the relationship between fashion fanship and fashion consciousness among female fashion consumers in Pakistan. Questionnaire survey of 500 female fashion consumers, aged between 18 to 35 years, residing in five big cities of Pakistan was conducted to examine the key factors concerning fashion oriented behavior. The findings demonstrate that female consumers are auxiliary fashion conscious, engaged in fashion related activities and willing to pay premium price for their desired brand. The results also suggest a moderating role of religiosity with fashion fanship, whereas individual’s fashion consciousness shows mediating relationship with fashion orientation. The findings are limited to Muslim female consumers in Pakistan and may not be generalizable to other cultures. The findings of this paper should be of interest to marketers, manufacturers and retailers within Pakistan, as well as other countries with Muslim female consumers. This study fills a gap in the existing literature by examining the role of religiosity in fashion fanship and fashion consciousness in a large and distinct consumer segment, i.e., Muslims women

Impact of Status Consumption on Buying of Fashion Products and its Behavioral Outcomes in Context of Young Female Consumers

Purpose: The purpose of doing this research study is to explore the three important research objectives which explore the impact of fashion related behavioral outcomes of female university students, residing in Pakistan. The concept of this research study arises due to lack of academic inquiry about the influence of materialism on FC and SC particularly among female university students of Pakistan. Methodology: Building framework on these bases frame work is developed which shows materialism shows positive relationship with SC and FC. Reason is that Islam is most modernized religion and allows its followers to adopt all the new trends (of fashion or from any field). Findings: The findings suggests that the sample under study have religious thoughts, they full fills all the orders of Allah, say their prayers daily, but they also seem fashionable not vulgar. Everything that seems vulgar or comes in the category of extravagance is not allowed in Islam. Finding of this paper support previous work and tell that status and materially driven female students need to attain social attention so they use fashionable products to enhance their self-image. In similar concern, the relationship between other variables like fashion consciousness and its effect on self-image. Implications: In Pakistan, fashion consciousness is increasing rapidly. This study will be helpful for brands and policy makers to better under consumer need and serve them accordingly

Criteria for the Selection of Suppliers: A Case of Motorcycle Industry of Pakistan

Purpose: Supplier selection is receiving considerable attention these days; firms are investing heavily in finding those suppliers who can give them better quality products in lowest possible cost. This paper reveals the appropriate supplier selection criteria in motorcycle industry of Pakistan and this paper also reveals whether this selection differ in different regions or it is uniform in its nature. Methodology: For this we have adopted a questionnaire from Supplier Selection Instrument and make it filled from Purchase managers of 24 different companies from different locations. Non probability sampling technique was used. Specifically quota sampling was used to make sure sample is equally represented across region then factor analysis was run to see which items were appropriate in Pakistani settings. Findings: Result shows that companies prefer those suppliers who are offering better service and quality features to the manufacturing companies. And supplier selection in Lahore and Karachi is similar but supplier selections in other regions of Punjab are different. Implications: Companies should consider those suppliers, having strategic importance to their firm so they should built consensus between the company and the supplier that every decision will be made through mutual collaboration. Companies should make relationship with their suppliers and try to make transparency in business transactions

Telephone validation of an urdu translated version of the extended disability severity scale in multiple sclerosis patients

Background: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is a commonly used tool to assess the extent of functional impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients for clinical and research purposes. EDSS is traditionally conducted in a face-to-face setting, however, routine in-person EDSS assessments are often difficult to perform in developing countries due to the various reasons patients are unable to access healthcare and maintain clinic visits. Hence validating a locally translated telephone-based EDSS (T-EDSS) could be potentially useful to both physicians and patients by removing the need to commute to healthcare centers for disability assessment and could lead to overall improved care for MS patients.Methods: Firstly, the EDSS scale was translated and culturally adapted into Urdu. On enrolment, EDSS was conducted during scheduled clinic visits and forty-seven subjects with MS were henceforth included in the study. Same patients were contacted via telephone following two weeks by a different neurologist to carry out the telephone-EDSS assessment. The patients\u27 baseline EDSS scores at enrolment were blinded to prevent interviewer bias.Results: Kappa value for agreement between the two assessments for EDSS scores of more than 6 was 0.73, whereas the kappa value for EDSS score of less than 4.5 was 0.35. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for T-EDSS score \u3c 4.5 was 1.7, and for a score \u3e 4.5 was 4.9, with the overall ICC being 0.64. Cronbach\u27s alpha value for T-EDSS score \u3c 4.5 was 0.59 and for the score \u3e 4.5 was 0.79.Conclusions: This study shows that there exists a positive correlation and substantial level of agreement between in-person EDSS and T-EDSS, especially in MS patients with higher baseline EDSS scores. Hence a locally translated T-EDSS can be used in Pakistani MS patients with reasonable confidence. T-EDSS may be more useful in MS patients with moderate to severe disability