Abstract: The OTOP Entrepreneurship that used to create
substantial source of income for local Thai communities are now in a
stage of exigent matters that required assistances from public sectors
due to over Entrepreneurship of duplicative ideas, unable to adjust
costs and prices, lack of innovation, and inadequate of quality
control. Moreover, there is a repetitive problem of middlemen who
constantly corner the OTOP market. Local OTOP producers become
easy preys since they do not know how to add more values, how to
create and maintain their own brand name, and how to create proper
packaging and labeling. The suggested solutions to local OTOP
producers are to adopt modern management techniques, to find
knowhow to add more values to products and to unravel other
marketing problems. The objectives of this research are to study the
prevalent OTOP products management and to discover direction to
manage OTOP products to enhance the effectiveness of OTOP
Entrepreneurship in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. There were 113
participants in this study. The research tools can be divided into two
parts: First part is done by questionnaire to find responses of the
prevalent OTOP Entrepreneurship management. Second part is the
use of focus group which is conducted to encapsulate ideas and local
wisdom. Data analysis is performed by using frequency, percentage,
mean, and standard deviation as well as the synthesis of several small
group discussions. The findings reveal that 1) Business Resources:
the quality of product is most important and the marketing of product
is least important. 2) Business Management: Leadership is most
important and raw material planning is least important. 3) Business
Readiness: Communication is most important and packaging is least
important. 4) Support from public sector: Certified from the
government is most important and source of raw material is the least
important.
Abstract: Literature review revealed the importance of the
adoption of marketing Relationship for loyalty and retaining
profitable customer (Customer Relationship Management). LPQ
satisfaction will reinforce the loyalty and customer brand
attachment. Customer will communicate the operator to others. The
focus of this study is to examine the relationship between the
LPPQ and the WOM recommendations through: customer
satisfaction, loyalty and attachment. The results show that LPQ
affect positively the satisfaction, negatively the loyalty. LPQ has an
indirectly effect on WOM recommendations but through the
satisfaction and attachment. The mediating effect of satisfaction in
the relationship between LPQ and Loyalty is rejected. This finding
can be explained by the nature of mobile sector in Tunisia.
Abstract: A vast array of biological materials, especially algae have received increasing attention for heavy metal removal. Algae have been proven to be cheaper, more effective for the removal of metallic elements in aqueous solutions. A fresh water algal strain was isolated from Zoo Lake, Johannesburg, South Africa and identified as Desmodesmus sp. This paper investigates the efficacy of Desmodesmus sp.in removing heavy metals contaminating the Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area (WCA) water bodies. The biosorption data fitted the pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm models. The Langmuir maximum uptakes gave the sequence: Mn2+>Ni2+>Fe2+. The best results for kinetic study was obtained in concentration 120 ppm for Fe3+ and Mn2+, whilst for Ni2+ was at 20 ppm, which is about the same concentrations found in contaminated water in the WCA (Fe3+115 ppm, Mn2+ 121 ppm and Ni2+ 26.5 ppm).
Abstract: University websites are considered as one of the brand primary touch points for multiple stakeholders, but most of them did not have great designs to create favorable impressions. Some of the elements that web designers should carefully consider are the appearance, the content, the functionality, usability and search engine optimization. However, priority should be placed on website simplicity and negative space. In terms of content, previous research suggests that universities should include reputation, learning environment, graduate career prospects, image destination, cultural integration, and virtual tour on their websites. The study examines how top 200 world ranking science and technology-based universities present their brands online and whether the websites capture the content dimensions. Content analysis of the websites revealed that the top ranking universities captured these dimensions at varying degree. Besides, the UK-based university had better priority on website simplicity and negative space compared to the Malaysian-based university.
Abstract: This paper is an overview of the structure of Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) systems and radio frequency bands
used by RFID technology. It also presents a solution based on the
application of RFID for brand authentication, traceability and
tracking, by implementing a production management system and
extending its use to traders.
Abstract: The purposes of this research were 1) to study
consumer-based equity of luxury brands, 2) to study consumers-
purchase intention for luxury brands, 3) to study direct factors
affecting purchase intention towards luxury brands, and 4) to study
indirect factors affecting purchase intention towards luxury brands
through brand consciousness and brand equity to analyze information
by descriptive statistic and hierarchical stepwise regression analysis.
The findings revealed that the eight variables of the framework which
were: need for uniqueness, normative susceptibility, status
consumption, brand consciousness, brand awareness, perceived
quality, brand association, and brand loyalty affected the purchase
intention of the luxury brands (at the significance of 0.05). Brand
Loyalty had the strongest direct effect while status consumption had
the strongest indirect effect affecting the purchase intention towards
luxury brands. Brand consciousness and brand equity had the
mediators through the purchase intention of the luxury brands (at the
significance of 0.05).
Abstract: This research assesses the value of the brand personality and its influence on consumer-s decision making, through relational variables, after receiving a text message ad. An empirical study, in which 380 participants have received an SMS ad, confirms that brand personality does actually influence the brand trust as well as the attachment and commitment. The levels of sensitivity and involvement have an impact on the brand personality and the related variables to it.
Abstract: The survival of publicly listed companies largely
depends on their stocks being liquidly traded. This goal can be
achieved when new investors are attracted to invest on companies-
stocks. Among different groups of investors, individual investors are
generally less able to objectively evaluate companies- risks and
returns, and tend to be emotionally biased in their investing
decisions. Therefore their decisions may be formed as a result of
perceived risks and returns, and influenced by companies- images.
This study finds that perceived risk, perceived returns and trust
directly affect individual investors- trading decisions while attitude
towards brand partially mediates the relationships. This finding
suggests that, in courting individual investors, companies still need to
perform financially while building a good image can result in their
stocks being accepted quicker than the stocks of good performing
companies with hidden images.
Abstract: Various formal and informal brand alliances are being formed in professional service firms. Professional service corporate brand is heavily dependent on brands of professional employees who comprise them, and professional employee brands are in turn dependent on the corporate brand. Prior work provides limited scientific evidence of brand alliance effects in professional service area – i.e., how professional service corporate-employee brand allies are affected by an alliance, what are brand attitude effects after alliance formation and how these effects vary with different strengths of an ally. Scientific literature analysis and theoretical modeling are the main methods of the current study. As a result, a theoretical model is constructed for estimating spillover effects of professional service corporate-employee brand alliances and for comparison among different professional service firm expertise practice models – from “brains" to “procedure" model. The resulting theoretical model lays basis for future experimental studies.
Abstract: In the package design industry, there are a lot of tacit knowledge resided within each designer. The objectives are to capture them and compile it to be used as a teaching resource and to create a video clip of package design process as well as to evaluate its quality and learning effectiveness. Interview were used as a technique for capturing knowledge in brand design concept, differentiation, recognition, rank of recognition factor, consumer survey, knowledge about marketing, research, graphic design, the effect of color, and law and regulation. Video clip about package design were created. The clip consisted of both the speech and clip of actual process. The quality of the video in term of media was ranked as good while the content was ranked as excellent. The students- score on post-test was significantly greater than that of pretest (p>0.001).
Abstract: Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) tablets are popular OTC products among patients as analgesics and antipyretics. Paracetamol is marketed by a lot of suppliers around the world. The aim of the present investigation was to compare between many types of paracetamol tablets obtained from different suppliers (six brands produced by different pharmaceutical companies in middle east countries, and Panadol® manufactured in Ireland), by different quality control tests according to USP pharmacopeia.Using Non official tests-hardness and friability; official tests- disintegration, dissolution, and drug content. Additionally, evaluate the influence of temperatures 4°C, 25°C and 40°C at 75% relative humidity on the stability of the same brands in their original packaging has been conducted for two months. The results revealed that all paracetamol tablet brands complied with the official USP specifications. In conclusion, paracetamol tablets preferred to be stored at 25°C. All the tested brands being biopharmaceutically and chemically equivalent.
Abstract: Several recent studies have shown that the
transparency of financial reporting have a significant influence on investor-s decisions. Thus, regulation authorities and professional
organizations (IFAC) have emphasized the role of XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) and interactive data as a means of
promoting transparency and monitoring corporate reporting. In this
context, this paper has as objective the analysis of interactive reporting through XBRL and its use as a support in the process of
taking decisions in corporate governance, namely the potential of interactive reports in XBRL to increase the transparency and
monitoring process of corporate governance.
Abstract: The most suitable Semiconductor detector, Cadmium
Zinc Teloraid , has unique properties because of high Atomic number
and wide Brand Gap . It has been tried in this project with different
processes such as Lead , Diffusion , Produce and Recombination ,
effect of Trapping and injection carrier of CdZnTe , to get hole and
then present a complete answer of it . Then we should investigate the
movement of carrier ( Electron – Hole ) by using above answer.
Abstract: Resource discovery is one of the chief services of a grid. A new approach to discover the provenances in grid through learning automata has been propounded in this article. The objective of the aforementioned resource-discovery service is to select the resource based upon the user-s applications and the mercantile yardsticks that is to say opting for an originator which can accomplish the user-s tasks in the most economic manner. This novel service is submitted in two phases. We proffered an applicationbased categorization by means of an intelligent nerve-prone plexus. The user in question sets his or her application as the input vector of the nerve-prone nexus. The output vector of the aforesaid network limns the appropriateness of any one of the resource for the presented executive procedure. The most scrimping option out of those put forward in the previous stage which can be coped with to fulfill the task in question is picked out. Te resource choice is carried out by means of the presented algorithm based upon the learning automata.
Abstract: With the beginning of the new century, man still faces
many challenges in how to form and develop his urban environment. To meet these challenges, many cities have tried to develop its visual
image. This is by transforming their urban environment into a branded visual image; this is at the level of squares, the main roads, the borders, and the landmarks.
In this realm, the paper aims at activating the role of branded urban spaces as an approach for the development of visual image of cities, especially in Egypt. It concludes the need to recognize the importance of developing the visual image in Egypt, through directing the urban planners to the important role of such spaces in achieving sustainability.
Abstract: This research adapts experimental design to investigate
the effect of conditioning or not and pre-exposure or not on brand
attitude, so it is a 2×2=4 factorial design. The results show that the
brand attitude of conditioning group is significantly higher than that of
unconditioning group. The brand attitude with pre-exposure is
significantly higher than that without pre-exposure. Conditioning or
not and pre-exposure or not have significant interaction. No matter the
celebrity is pre-exposure or not, the brand attitude is higher under
conditioning process.
Abstract: The private theme parks are gradually surpassing
public-owned scenic areas after many years of development and have
become a mainstream choice for domestic tourists. Previous studies
show that visitors from different backgrounds differ in consumer
behavior and satisfaction factors. An understanding of visitor
satisfaction is therefore of extreme importance to operators of
privately-owned theme parks. Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA)
is used to measure consumer's potential satisfaction with services and
has become a widely used management tool for strength and weakness
analysis for brands, products, services and point of sales. As IPA has
so far not been used to evaluate the visitor satisfaction with
privately-owned theme parks, in this study the IPA method is used to
analyze visitor satisfaction with Janfusun Fancyworld (one of the most
popular private theme parks in Taiwan) and to rank visitor focus and
satisfaction on/in theme park facilities and services. Results of the
analysis provide private theme park operators with an understanding
of user or consumer demands as well as an assessment of the quality of
services currently offered.
Abstract: Legionella pneumophila is involved in more than 95%
cases of severe atypical pneumonia. Infection is mainly by
inhalation the indoor aerosols through the water-coolant systems.
Because some Legionella strains may be viable but not culturable,
therefore, Taq polymerase, DNA amplification and semi-nested-PCR
were carried out to detect Legionella-specific 16S-rDNA sequence.
For this purpose, 1.5 litter of water samples from 77 water-coolant
system were collected from four different hospitals, two nursing
homes and one student hostel in Kerman city of Iran, each in a brand
new plastic bottle during summer season of 2006 (from April to
August). The samples were filtered in the sterile condition through
the Millipore Membrane Filter. DNA was extracted from membrane
and used for PCR to detect Legionella spp. The PCR product was
then subjected to semi-nested PCR for detection of L. pneumophila.
Out of 77 water samples that were tested by PCR, 30 (39%) were
positive for most species of Legionella. However, L. pneumophila
was detected from 14 (18.2%) water samples by semi-nested PCR.
From the above results it can be concluded that water coolant
systems of different hospitals and nursing homes in Kerman city of
Iran are highly contaminated with L. pneumophila spp. and pose
serious concern. So, we recommend avoiding such type of coolant
system in the hospitals and nursing homes.
Abstract: In the present investigation, H13 tool steel has been
deposited on copper alloy substrate using both CO2 and diode laser.
A detailed parametric analysis has been carried out in order to find
out optimum processing zone for coating defect free H13 tool steel
on copper alloy substrate. Followed by parametric optimization, the
microstructure and microhardness of the deposited clads have been
evaluated. SEM micrographs revealed dendritic microstructure in
both clads. However, the microhardness of CO2 laser deposited clad
was much higher compared to diode laser deposited clad.
Abstract: The customer satisfaction for textile sector carries
great importance like the customer satisfaction for other sectors
carry. Especially, if it is considered that gaining new customers
create four times more costs than protecting existing customers from
leaving, it can be seen that the customer satisfaction plays a great
role for the firms. In this study the affecting independent variables of
customer satisfaction are chosen as brand image, perceived service
quality and perceived product quality. By these independent
variables, it is investigated that if any differences exist in perception
of customer satisfaction according to the Turkish textile consumers in
the view of gender. In data analysis of this research the SPSS
program is used.