La nueva modalidad de los compradores de lujo: centrándose en las experiencias personalizadas

This article examines the online luxury product purchasing behaviour of Asian consumers. The study consists of a quantitative analysis of data collected from Generation Y consumers in emerging markets in Asia. The results show that face-saving value is the most influential factor determining luxury goods purchase intention, while personal experience does not have a strong influence on purchase intention. This suggests that personalised experience, which has recently attracted researchers’ attention as a significant factor in Western contexts, does not yet have a direct influence on the behaviour of luxury shoppers in emerging markets, where they continue to pay premium prices to mantain their face. The results provide useful reference data for the development of marketing strategies in the luxury goods sector.Este artículo examina el comportamiento de compra online de los consumidores asiáticos respecto a los productos de lujo. El estudio consiste en un análisis cuantitativo de los datos recopilados de los consumidores de la Generación Y en los mercados emergentes de Asia. Los resultados muestran que el valor de “salvar las apariencias” es el factor más influyente en la determinación de la intención de compra de artículos de lujo, mientras que la experiencia personal no tiene una fuerte influencia en la intención de compra. Esto sugiere que la experiencia personalizada, que recientemente atrajo la atención de los investigadores como un factor importante en los contextos occidentales, aún no tiene una influencia directa en el comportamiento de los compradores de lujo en los mercados emergentes, en los que se sigue pagando precios superiores para “salvar la apariencia”. Los resultados proporcionan una referencia útil para el desarrollo de estrategias de marketing de bienes de lujo en los mercados emergentes de Asia

La nueva modalidad de los compradores de lujo: centrándose en las experiencias personalizadas

[Abstract] This article examines the online luxury product purchasing behaviour of Asian consumers. The study consists of a quantitative analysis of data collected from Generation Y consumers in emerging markets in Asia. The results show that face-saving value is the most influential factor determining luxury goods purchase intention, while personal experience does not have a strong influence on purchase intention. This suggests that personalised experience, which has recently attracted researchers’ attention as a significant factor in Western contexts, does not yet have a direct influence on the behaviour of luxury shoppers in emerging markets, where they continue to pay premium prices to mantain their face. The results provide useful reference data for the development of marketing strategies in the luxury goods sector.[Resumen] Este artículo examina el comportamiento de compra online de los consumidores asiáticos respecto a los productos de lujo. El estudio consiste en un análisis cuantitativo de los datos recopilados de los consumidores de la Generación Y en los mercados emergentes de Asia. Los resultados muestran que el valor de “salvar las apariencias” es el factor más influyente en la determinación de la intención de compra de artículos de lujo, mientras que la experiencia personal no tiene una fuerte influencia en la intención de compra. Esto sugiere que la experiencia personalizada, que recientemente atrajo la atención de los investigadores como un factor importante en los contextos occidentales, aún no tiene una influencia directa en el comportamiento de los compradores de lujo en los mercados emergentes, en los que se sigue pagando precios superiores para “salvar la apariencia”. Los resultados proporcionan una referencia útil para el desarrollo de estrategias de marketing de bienes de lujo en los mercados emergentes de Asia

<原著>肝右葉切除における短肝静脈, 右肝静脈処理のための前方アプローチ

A simple procedure of right hepatic lobectomy for bulky liver tumors is proposed. The procedure is named "Anterior approach", which is characterized by transection of hepatic parenchyma without mobilization and rotation of the right hepatic lobe. The transection directly reaches the ventral surface of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava first at the portion of caudate process. The hepatic parenchymal transection proceeds from ventral to dorsal and from caudal to cranial. Several dorsal short hepatic veins are severed on the ventral surface of the IVC and the right hepatic vein is finally severed from inside. This method enables the minimization of operative stress and is especially useful for cases with a huge tumor in the right hepatic lobe which invades the diaphragm or thoraco-abdominal wall.巨大肝腫瘍に対する合理的な肝右葉切除法としての前方アプローチを紹介する. 肝右葉切除の標準手技として, 右葉の授動と脱転がある. これは肝の右側から, 肝部下大静脈に注ぐ短肝静脈や右肝静脈の剥離と切離を行う方法であるが, 後区域や右葉全体を占める巨大肝腫瘍の場合には, それらの手技は困難なことが多く, また腫瘍の破裂をきたす恐れもあり危険を伴う. 前方アプローチは, 右葉の脱転を行わずに直接肝実質を切離して, 肝部下大静脈腹側面に到達し, 尾状葉突起から頭側に向かつて肝実質の離断を進める方法である. 肝部下大静脈腹側面に注ぐ短肝静脈を, 順次肝離断面側から剥離処理し, 最後に右肝静脈の離断も同様に行う. 横隔膜浸潤, 胸壁, 腹壁浸潤がある場合には, 肝切離が終了してから合併切除として最後に行う. また本法は, 脱転による残存肝の阻血, 門脈血液鬱滞を回避出来る利点があり, 肝ミトコンドリアの酸化還元状態を反映する動脈血中ケトン体比(AKBR)の術中低下も軽微であることが判明しており, 手術侵襲の点からみても有用である前方アプローチの良い適応は, 1)後区域, 又は右葉全体を占拠するような巨大肝腫瘍の場合, 2)腫蕩が右横隔膜, 胸壁, 腹壁に浸潤している場合, 3)右葉の腫瘍の下大静脈への浸潤が疑われ, 下大静脈合併切除の要否を判定する場合, 4)肝障害のために右葉切除を行うには機能的予備力の点で不安がある場合, などである

Exploring socioeconomic factors for the sustainability of electric guitar brands: focusing on traditional values and psychological attachment

The primary objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive quantitative analysis to investigate the factors influencing the purchase of electric guitars. Building upon prior research related to the decision-making process behind electric guitar purchases, our research took a quantitative approach to shed light on this intricate process. We designed and tested six hypotheses, utilizing structural equation modeling to analyze a dataset consisting of 433 responses collected within the electric guitar community. The results of our study have uncovered intriguing insights into the factors that drive purchase intention among electric guitar enthusiasts. Notably, two out of the six variables examined, namely 'Brand' and 'Heritage Value,' were found to exert a significant impact on consumers' intentions to purchase electric guitars. This discovery carries profound implications for the industry. It is worth highlighting that electric guitars possess inherent features that can enhance a player's skill and convenience through cutting-edge digital technology. However, our findings reveal that players place a higher emphasis on the perceived heritage value and brand identity of electric guitars, which take precedence over their functional attributes when making guitar selection decisions. This preference for cultural and emotional aspects over utilitarian features is a significant revelation. In light of the current state of the electric guitar industry, which is experiencing a decline, our research suggests that emphasizing and promoting the heritage and brand values of electric guitars could prove instrumental in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. This strategic shift could serve to revitalize the industry and counter the challenges posed by advancements in technology. In summary, our study reaffirms the importance of cultural and emotional elements in consumers' decisions regarding electric guitar purchases, underscoring the need for industry players to adapt and focus on these aspects to remain competitive in a changing market landscape

Gender-neutral perceptions and toy purchasing behaviour: a socio-cultural transition in UK Millennials’ attitudes

This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of gender-neutral parenting. The main purpose of the research is to investigate UK Millennial parents' perceptions of gender-neutral parenting and their toy buying behaviour. Systematization of the literary sources and approaches for solving the problem of confusion between gender-neutral and gender-oriented parenting with a focus on children’s toys’ labelling, indicates that even with the subjective norm and strong initiatives of UK government who has been launching campaigns against gender-oriented parenting, still there has not agreed on the best solution for implementing gender-neutral mindset. Investigation of the topic of the research in the paper is carried out in the following logical sequence: introduction with research gap, literature review, methodology, findings and analysis, and conclusion. Methodological tools of the research were quantitative approach with SPSS ver.26. The object of research is the survey dataset collected from 1127 UK Millennial parents. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis using Kruskal–Wallis test depending on children’s gender, parents’ birth years, and regression model. The result showed that, although there is recognition that gender-neutral parenting should be advocated as a social rule, the degree of final purchase behaviour towards gender-neutral toys is lower than these parents’ beliefs would suggest. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that at least UK Millennials believe in the gender-free theory, however, their real behaviour does not necessarily go abide by the perceived rule. In other words, while people may agree with the concept of gender-neutral parenting, they do not necessarily agree with gender-neutral parenting as a behavioural principle. The results of the research can be useful for developing further social recognition of gender-naturalness, and other relevant industrial marketing strategies

Personal and Emotional Values Embedded in Thai-Consumers’ Perceptions: Key Factors for the Sustainability of Traditional Confectionery Businesses

The confectionery market in Thailand is being overpowered by Western confectioneries. This study proposes and verifies a model of the factors that define consumer behaviour towards traditional Thai confectioneries and consumer willingness to support them. In recent years, there has been a boom in posting various aspects of Thai youth culture, including confectionery, on social networking services (SNS), especially Instagram. In major Thai cities, such as Bangkok, stores are being built with ‘Insta-image’ in mind, strengthening the younger generation’s inclination towards Western confectionery. Under these circumstances, the share of traditional confectioneries, which have long been familiar to Thai people, is declining. Based on survey data collected from 400 consumers in Bangkok, we designed a model to analyse the antecedent factors for consumers’ purchase intention and support behaviour for Thai traditional confectioneries, such as the word-of-mouth (WOM) approach and repeated purchase. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted on the dataset to examine the antecedent factors’ impact on purchase intention and supportive actions. The results revealed that four latent factors, as determining antecedents of purchase intentions, had a significant impact on purchase intentions, resulting in loyalty and word-of-mouth behaviour. Among the determining factors, personal feelings and attachment to traditional confectionery were found to have the greatest impact, surpassing subjective norms. To expand the fan base of Thai traditional confectioneries and to support their businesses, appealing to the value of traditional confectioneries, nostalgic value and long-held Thai personal feelings to support traditional confectionery was found to be an effective marketing strategy for corporates. Such efforts are also meaningful in terms of maintaining the diversity of food culture in the face of increasing Westernisation and a decrease in unique food ingredients and food culture. Furthermore, according to this analysis, willingness to purchase is strongly linked to purchasing behaviour, and the cultivation and securing of loyal customers and their WOM recommendations are important for developing a customer base in the market. WOM recommendations by consumers can activate communication among customers and companies in the market, strengthen the community and stimulate the dissemination of information about traditional confectioneries. This study is expected to be a useful and valuable resource for the development of marketing strategies to ensure the sustainability of traditional confectionery in the Thai sweets market

Сan citizen Internet banking in China become a champion in the digital transformation era?

This study aims to make theoretical and practical contributions by addressing stagnation in the context of digital transformation (DX) and proposing specific measures. Focusing on the banking industry’s skilled response to rapid changes to maintain and improve competitiveness, this study employs quantitative methods to investigate the expectations and assessments of Chinese financial service users regarding Internet banking. With a clear objective, this study seeks to contribute theoretically and practically by addressing stagnation in DX. Specifically, it focuses on the banking industry’s response to rapid changes, employing quantitative methods to assess and understand Chinese financial service users’ expectations of Internet banking. The results reveal that the prevalent use of payment services through mobile applications has significantly expanded the scope of financial services among citizens. Key factors driving innovation in the financial industry through fintech include close communication with consumers, service enhancement and sophistication and ensuring reliability. Privacy and the ethical use of personal information have been found to function as an indirect pathway that plays a vital role in socio-economic activities, acting as a critical element for the future development of the financial industry. These findings provide actionable insights for fostering innovation and development in the financial sector. The uniqueness of this study lies in its primary quantitative data analysis, which compares the prospects of financial services in China’s advanced DX market. It shows the path the banking industry should take, emphasising the simplicity of mobile applications and the high frequency with which vital components are used. Going beyond theoretical insights, this research is a practical guide for implementing specific actions in a real business environment. It provides valuable insights into the Chinese market and offers guidelines for the broader financial industry currently navigating the intense waves of DX, ultimately aiming for sustainable and effective DX

Transcriptional Repression of Cdc25B by IER5 Inhibits the Proliferation of Leukemic Progenitor Cells through NF-YB and p300 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The immediately-early response gene 5 (IER5) has been reported to be induced by γ-ray irradiation and to play a role in the induction of cell death caused by radiation. We previously identified IER5 as one of the 2,3,4-tribromo-3-methyl-1-phenylphospholane 1-oxide (TMPP)-induced transcriptional responses in AML cells, using microarrays that encompassed the entire human genome. However, the biochemical pathway and mechanisms of IER5 function in regulation of the cell cycle remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the involvement of IER5 in the cell cycle and in cell proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. We found that the over-expression of IER5 in AML cell lines and in AML-derived ALDHhi (High Aldehyde Dehydrogenase activity)/CD34+ cells inhibited their proliferation compared to control cells, through induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest and a decrease in Cdc25B expression. Moreover, the over-expression of IER5 reduced colony formation of AML-derived ALDHhi/CD34+ cells due to a decrease in Cdc25B expression. In addition, over-expression of Cdc25B restored TMPP inhibitory effects on colony formation in IER5-suppressed AML-derived ALDHhi/CD34+ cells. Furthermore, the IER5 reduced Cdc25B mRNA expression through direct binding to Cdc25B promoter and mediated its transcriptional attenuation through NF-YB and p300 transcriptinal factors. In summary, we found that transcriptional repression mediated by IER5 regulates Cdc25B expression levels via the release of NF-YB and p300 in AML-derived ALDHhi/CD34+ cells, resulting in inhibition of AML progenitor cell proliferation through modulation of cell cycle. Thus, the induction of IER5 expression represents an attractive target for AML therapy