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This study investigates the impact of hotel service encounters on guests' behavioral outcomes in 5 and 4-star hotels. It also examines the mediating effect of perceived value and satisfaction on the relationship between service encounters and guests' loyalty. In addition, it investigates the moderating effect of hotel star ratings on the relationship between the study constructs. The study reveals that hotel service encounters significantly impact perceived value but not satisfaction. The hotel staff rather than the atmospherics is an antecedent of loyalty. At the same time, the perceived value of a hotel is an antecedent of satisfaction and loyalty. Meanwhile, it confirms the mediation of perceived value and satisfaction and a hotel's star rating as a moderator. It finds that the hotel star rating moderates the impact of hotel staff on perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty as it is more robust for 5-star hotels than for 4-star. The theoretical and managerial implications of these findings have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical store atmospherics make up an important dimension of retailing. They shape consumer perception, cognitive and affective reactions, and a variety of behaviors. The literature on exterior atmospherics is scant. However, recent trends suggest that exterior atmospherics can provide value-added services and play a role in providing phygital touchpoints that contribute to consumers' perceptions of safety, seamlessness, and entertainment. This article seeks to examine the strategic potential of exterior atmospherics in shopping experiences and their role in providing competitive advantage in physical retailing in the post-COVID era. This paper is the first to provide a systematic literature review of exterior brick-and-mortar atmospheric variables. The results show that the theoretical frameworks in the extant literature are insufficient in explaining the complex interrelationships that make up a shopping experience. In response to this shortcoming, this paper provides a managerially oriented research agenda through complexity theory and the 'customer journey' framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers how affects animate and uphold tourism and settler colonialism. Engaging a 'curious' postdisciplinary research methodology informed by the relational power of listening, I trace the emergence of two interrelated atmospheres in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, both of which exemplify how settler colonialism is built and maintained as a structure of feeling that supports larger processes of worldmaking via tourism. In detailing these two atmospheres and their effects, I illuminate the mechanisms and practices through which tourism-related atmospheric infrastructures overtly and covertly contribute to worldmaking; exemplify how settlers might learn to destabilize, disrupt, or diffuse such atmospherics in and through tourism as a practice of unsettling; and expand on the literature detailing how we might research affective, embodied, and atmospheric moments of tourism. I take inspiration from related critical, interventionist, and narrative work in tourism and build on it to suggest that unsettling tourism—or tourism worldmaking—must be oriented toward mediating agencies of worldmaking like light and sound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to unearth the influence of major factors of Indoor(Green Spaces and Green Ambient Atmospherics) and Outdoor Green Atmospherics on employee well-being in Indian 5-star hotels. Responses were obtained from 328 employees in the Indian tourism sector using a non-probabilistic purposive sampling method. A partial least-square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied for the analysis. The findings revealed that green indoor and outdoor atmospherics have a significant positive contribution toward the well-being and enhanced work environment among the workforce with work stress being a significantly negative mediator. The findings contribute to the existing studies as it empirically verify the hypothesized relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photographs are commonly used in store atmospherics research, although their ecological validity lacks conclusive support. To this end, we examine the effect of different representation media of a retail environment (i.e. one photograph, three photographs, or a real store visit) on customer experience, satisfaction, and behavioural and attitudinal loyalty. Two studies examine the robustness of our findings across low- and high-experience stores. The results show that only in the high-experience store environment, a real store visit results in a significantly higher average perceived customer experience. Moreover, the chosen representation medium affects satisfaction and behavioural loyalty in both store types. Again, a real store visit results in higher scores. Upon studying low-experience stores and/or focusing on attitudinal loyalty as the outcome variable, pictures, however, do seem to be ecologically valid. To conclude, whether it is safe to simulate a retail environment with photographs depends on the particular retail context and the outcome variables under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent concern for noise in African cities has placed the sonic environment at the center of questions of cityness. This article explores the broadcast of loud music as part of a vital atmospheric which makes the city and sustains everyday life in Gulu, Uganda. I consider everyday Acoli sound concepts wo (noise) and dwan matek (loud sound) with and against concepts of "noise" as it is enacted by environmental regulations concerned with the criminalization of loudness. In so doing, this work brings together sonically rich accounts of African cities and the social density of African sonic worlds with attention to a global South "politics of loudness" and Afrodiasporic sonic geographies. Building from a series of ethnographic encounters, and written in experimental form, this work challenges racialized assumptions embedded in efforts to regulate noise, exploring instead how loud sound generates possibilities for social connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionosphere is an integral element of the Earth and reflects the variations of the Earth's space weather and solar activity. Since extreme weather can cause ionospheric disturbances, changes in the ionosphere can indirectly enable early warning of extreme weather. The major intention of predicting the peak height of the ionospheric F2 layer (hmF2) in this paper is to acquire ionospheric variations over a period of time in a local area to facilitate future extreme weather warning research. In this paper, a dual element LSTM-CNN (long short term memory-convolutional neural network) prediction model is proposed to predict the hmF2. The performance of the proposed model is assessed by comparing it with other popular models such as SARIMA (seasonal differential autoregressive moving average), LSTM (long short term memory), BP (back propagation neural network) and IRI2016 (international reference ionospheric model) models. The outcome demonstrates that the prediction effect with the proposed model is remarkably excellent in comparison with the remaining four models. Furthermore, the proposed model has better sensitivity to rapid changes in parameters. The outcomes indicate that the forecasting model of this study has high prediction capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are some of the most destructive and recurrent natural hazards worldwide. Landslides are triggered by natural phenomena such as extreme rainfall and earthquakes, causing human and economic losses. A rapid response to landslide events is necessary to assess damage mitigation and save lives and property. This study developed a landslide detection model using differential spectral indices and amplitude ratio changes with a classification and regression tree (CART), aiming to detect landslide scars after the occurrence of these events in Asian regions for testing different environment condition. The multi-temporal SAR and optical stack images were pre-processed to reduce speckle noise, seasonal noise, and atmospheric noise. This study explored change detection approaches with a minimum threshold of amplitude ratio change (Aratio), using Sentinel−1 images and the relative difference in the normalized difference vegetation index (rdNDVI), differential bare soil index (dBSI), and differential brightness index (dBI) was obtained using Sentinel−2 images. The accuracy of the model was examined by F1-scores. The accuracy of the model for landslide detection was considered moderately good to excellent. As a result of the landslide detection model, amplitude ratio change detection improved the model as revealed by the F1-scores. Moreover, this study found that differential spectral indices could be used to classify the types of landslides (deep-seated and shallow landslides) according to the level of surface changes and texture of the collapsed material after landslide events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural tourism is a rapidly growing industry across the globe. This study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge of tourist experiences at cultural destinations. To this end, the study explores the factors that contribute to memorable cultural tourism experiences at cultural heritage sites, specifically museums. Using WebHarvy, a total of 502 online reviews were collected from a popular tourism website, namely TripAdvisor. The collected reviews concern 14 heritage museums in 10 Asian countries. Netnography was employed as a content analysis technique. The results revealed five contributing factors of memorable cultural tourism experiences: authenticity, engagement, culinary attraction, atmospherics, and quality of service. Theoretically, this study adds to our understanding of memorable cultural tourism experiences by identifying a novel dimension, namely atmospherics. In other words, this research highlights the importance of ambiance and environment in tourism experiences at cultural heritage sites. Thus, the study provides insights for heritage site managers on how to make the tourism experience memorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock glaciers are typical periglacial landforms with tongue or lobate morphological shapes and characterized by the distinct front, lateral margins, and often by ridge-and-furrow surface topography textures as well as kinematic characteristics, widely distributed in alpine environments. Multitemporal Synthetic aperture radar interferometry (MT-InSAR), is a remote sensing technique with demonstrated effectiveness for detecting landform kinematics. However, its application to rock glaciers is challenged by temporal decorrelation and atmospheric phase noises due to complex topography and snow cover. We designed a quadtree segmentation and parallel computing-based MT-InSAR method to improve the quality and efficiency of deformation measurement of rock glaciers. We applied the method to a rock glacier inventory of the Nyainqêntanglha Range, China, derived from high-resolution Gaofen-2 images, to quantify the activity rate of each rock glacier. Results showed that 32.1% (6,389) of the identified rock glaciers exhibited slope-parallel deformation rates exceeding 100 mm/y. The activities of the rock glaciers exhibited strong correlations with their distance to glaciers, precipitation, freeze–thaw magnitude, and permafrost occurrence probability. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed segmentation-parallel MT-InSAR method for monitoring rock glacier deformation over a large region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass Communication, Persuasion, Media Literacy, Political Communication, and Communication Theory. This activity introduces students to priming theory through atmospheric peripheral cues. Students learn about media priming and understand how priming effects may occur in real-world situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on the artistic use of fictional televisual style of detective diagramming, or 'serial pinboarding' (Ganzert 2020), in Room 22 of the group exhibition Art Weekend Belgrade (AWB '21). As a collaborative project that blended different artistic positionalities, the DIY installation in the Room 22 echoed styles of fictional detectives' pinboarding, bringing a televisual form into the physical environment of the exhibition venue – the defunct and hollowed Hotel Belgrade. The enigmatic space – the shell of a hotel room – was a site of potent present materiality that coalesced with ephemerality of its past life. To decode this space, the project used choreographic and mnemonic properties of detective diagramming to invite the visitors to partake in uncovering unknowable bits of history of the Hotel and its surrounding 'Štajga' (the socialist-era Belgrade's seedy neighbourhood). Through a feigned private-eye investigation dramaturgy, over the course of the exhibition, in Room 22 we found out several things. Firstly, a broad pop-cultural recognisability of the televisual diagrammatic genre facilitates trans-cultural and intergenerational contributions, akin to a by-chance social mudlarking. The newly uncovered historical treasure-specs from the visitors' first-hand knowledge and embodied memories amalgamated with some unverifiable gossip, and imaginaries about the life of the Hotel and its area. Secondly, the participatory pinboarding formed a kind of visual-sensorial 'investigative aesthetic' (Fuller and Weizman 2021) that bridged the history of the venue with its present-day tangible and spectral properties. It is argued that the mediated effect was similar to the 'atmospherics' (Hann 2020), an affective property that blended different realities and temporalities of the Room 22, the Hotel, the AWB '21 event at large, as situated in the present-day Belgrade. Finally, the detective-style of diagrammatic pinboarding, in this case as an artistic play-structure, also uncovered deeper epistemological questions about diagramming with weak signals and superimposed lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to use immersive technologies to examine how: (1) store design, (2) sensory pleasantness, and (3) store's perceived luxury influence brand and product evaluation for an FMCG food brand. A total of 668 participants were immersed in a 180-degree, dome-shaped virtual reality display that simulated an FMCG flagship store. A self-reported survey was administered after the exposure to the stimulus to measure store design pleasantness, sensory pleasantness, store's perceived luxury, product evaluation, brand evaluation, and purchase intent. The current research demonstrates the positive effects of store design and pleasantness and perceived luxury on consumer evaluations of food products and brands in the context of FMCG flagship stores. The present study indicates that flagship stores could serve as a potential alternative to traditional retail outlets for FMCG food brands. This is important for FMCG brands as they can negate their reliance on traditional retailers and stimulate positive perceptions towards brands and products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recording of raw or streamed airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data, as done by CGG during MEGATEM surveys, allows for the extraction of passive EM signals also present, but not normally processed. These include (1) powerline responses, (2) responses in the very low frequency (VLF) range due to radio transmissions and (3) natural-source audio-frequency magnetic (AFMAG) and VLF responses in the frequency range 25 Hz–25 kHz extracted from individual atmospheric electrical discharges (sferics). The latter approach manages to extract good signal in the audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) dead band (1–5 kHz) for one of the discussed data sets. The recording of the three-component AEM data allows for the vector processing of these passive EM responses, including the derivation and modelling of the vertical-to-horizontal magnetic field ratio (tipper) data. Conductivity information can be derived from the tipper data with an apparent conductivity transformation and, more rigorously, with 2D and 3D inversions that take into account the terrain's topography. The extraction and modelling of passive EM responses is demonstrated on two data sets. A powerline apparent-conductivity grid derived from a MEGATEM survey near Timmins, Canada indicates conductivity structures similar to those in the corresponding active-source EM data. VLF and AFMAG responses derived from South American MEGATEM data show a strong correlation to topography. These data were successfully modelled with 2D and 3D inversions, and the derived shallow conductivity structures confirm and complement the information extracted from the active-source EM data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclists constitute a population particularly exposed to atmospheric and noise pollution in urban environments; at the same time, they contribute to its reduction. For about ten years now, more and more studies have been completed to assess cyclists' exposure, comparing this mode of transportation with others, quantifying its impacts in term of individual and collective health, understanding cyclists' perceptions regarding their exposure, etc. Though some literature reviews have examined some of these specific issues, none have yet proposed a general overview of this field of study. Therefore, this mapping literature review fills this gap by jointly analysing 205 articles and identifying elements of consensus and disagreement, as well as existing gaps. Among others, our results indicate that the cities in the South and exposure to noise are under-studied and that cyclists' ventilation is still too rarely accounted for, regardless of the type of studies. Modelling studies regarding exposure are too heterogeneous methodologically to allow a generalisation of their results. Conversely, intermodal comparison studies clearly indicate overexposure for cyclists compared to other modes. Also, health studies conclude that, either individually or collectively, the benefits of cycling surpass the costs of exposure to atmospheric pollution. The knowledge produced by this research trend remains difficult to exploit by urban planners, but the recent work done seems to offer more practical perspectives to professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade shows continue to be second only to personal selling in business-to-business promotion. Exhibitors around the world seek to attract the proper attendees into their booths (stands), but design advice for accomplishing exhibitor goals is lacking. Designs intended to appeal to attendees indiscriminately only crowd booths with nonbuyers. Given the diversity of exhibitor goals, attendee motives and potential booth designs, exhibitors need to carefully weigh competing design elements. The theoretical underpinnings of retail atmospherics, service escapes and prior trade show research are juxtaposed with observations from a very large international industrial trade show. A variety of observations and interviews with marketing managers provide data from small to large exhibitors. A framework is proposed linking various design elements to specific exhibitor goals and attendee roles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Practice centers (dojos) in the Japanese new religion Mahikari are perceived to be spaces suffused with divine light. This article examines this understanding in terms of the enactment of a particular kind of atmosphere – a lightscape – which is deemed to be capable of automatically producing transformative effects. As a key ethnographic example of this idea of atmospheric effects, I consider the case of the primary training course, participation in which is the means of entry into Mahikari. Although the course itself appears to be didactic in design, I suggest that, as an event, a different dynamic is at work, in which the major aim is less about the transmission of information than it is about the elicitation of transformation, a change which is understood to be largely a consequence of the atmospheric conditions in the dojo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retail layouts and atmospherics have been widely investigated within the physical retail environment, Research suggests that there is limited understanding of these elements in the virtual environment despite the fact that they would appear to be the easiest and most effective combination to implement by online fashion retailers. Considering potential applications in the fashion industry, a review of current literature on layout and atmospherics has identified the freeform layout as a valuable format for online fashion retailing. The freeform layout has been found to increase consumers' hedonic motivations to purchase. Furthermore, design and visual cues have a significant influence on consumers, while aural cues despite being very important to the consumers' experience appear to be underexploited in the online fashion space. This paper contributes a review of established retail elements, and identifies those that adapt well from the offline to online retail environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies a systematic categorization of general interior variables (GIV) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the shopping sensory environment. A survey-based study focusing on the impact of the shopping mall GIV on shopper behavior while considering the mediating role of shoppers' emotional states is reported. Results indicate a direct impact of positive attitudes towards color schemes, mall lighting, scent and temperature on shopper satisfaction and/or the desire to stay at the mall. Regarding the effect of emotional states, pleasure and arousal mediate the relation between several variables and the studied outcomes. Implications for theory and retailers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of kiosks (e.g. pushcarts, stalls, etc.) to malls has changed the mall environment. However, no research to our knowledge has been conducted to determine if that change has been received positively or negatively by shoppers. Our study investigates how kiosks and kiosk salespeople affect consumers' emotional responses and shopping behaviours towards the mall. Using a between-subjects design, we found that the very presence of kiosks negatively affects shoppers' perceptions of the mall environment. Whether a kiosk salesperson was aggressive or passive had virtually the same effect upon shoppers. Similarly, passive kiosk salespeople and the absence of kiosks resulted in relatively the same level of arousal on shoppers, while aggressive salespeople caused a higher level of arousal than either of the other two conditions. This contributes to the extant literature on retail atmospherics and perceptions of retail salesperson behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although not usually recognized in the published work in retail atmospherics, the environment created by retail managers is an important strategic variable. Most of the work in atmospherics has focused on consumer reactions to environments while the strategic dimensions of this decision have largely been ignored. The present paper explores this gap by focusing on the managerial dimensions of store atmosphere by linking retail strategies and atmospheric design with consumer behaviours and issues. This discussion underscores the necessity for retail managers to have specific goals for the atmosphere in mind before creating a store design since the retail environment is capable of eliciting a wide range of behaviours from consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between green hotel service attributes and consumption experiences remains unclear in the extant research, especially in the context of emerging economies such as India. This work uses a multi-method approach that combines in-depth interviews, word association and two-stage empirical validation to propose a three-dimensional framework for measuring a hotel's green servicescape, composed of atmospherics, motifs and human encounters. Individual effects of each green servicescape sub-dimension on those of green experiential values, namely utilitarian, emotional, social and altruistic values, are examined. The results reveal interesting findings, some counterintuitive, which are expected to create new insights for academicians and practitioners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data sets to monitor the surface deformation of the Nasr Abad buried salt diapir in the Central Basin of Iran. The Nasr Abad salt diapir is one of the largest buried salt diapirs in Iran and could be ideal site for oil/gas storage and industrial waste disposal. In this study, we use 40 advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) images from Environmental Satellite (EnviSat) to analyse surface displacement rates of Nasr Abad diapir and its surrounding regions. A time series of line-of-sight (LOS) displacements on the residual cap above the buried diapir were obtained from both descending and ascending images between 2003 and 2010 by applying the Small-BAseline Subset (SBAS) technique. Tropospheric artefacts in the displacement interferograms were mitigated using the power-law correction method in Toolbox for Reducing Atmospheric InSAR Noise (TRAIN) software. Finally, the data for temperature, precipitation, and tidal forces were correlated with the time-series displacement results of four points that located on the residual cap. Our results indicate that surface above the diapir and an area of about 2 km2 subsided with maximum LOS velocity of about 7 mm year−1 for ascending images and 5 mm year−1 for descending images. The amount of vertical subsidence derived from LOS decomposition in reactive stage of Nasr Abad salt body is about 7 mm year−1. Comparing the temperature and precipitation data with the time series of displacement confirmed that the salt expands when temperatures increases and that salt flow accelerates when it is wet. The displacement pattern retrieved from InSAR analysis is in good agreement with intervals near maximum and minimum solid earth tides. Monitoring the activities of the Nasr Abad region over 7 years shows that the region of surface subsidence is confined to the area along the Khurabad and AbShirin-Shurab Fault zones in the southern Central Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A system of stochastic differential equations is formulated describing the heat and salt content of a two-box ocean. Variability in the heat and salt content and in the thermohaline circulation between the boxes is driven by fast Gaussian atmospheric forcing and by ocean-intrinsic, eddy-driven variability. The eddy forcing of the slow dynamics takes the form of a colored, non-Gaussian noise. The qualitative effects of this non-Gaussianity are investigated by comparing to two approximate models: one that includes only the mean eddy effects (the "averaged model"), and one that includes an additional Gaussian white-noise approximation of the eddy effects (the "Gaussian model"). Both of these approximate models are derived using the methods of fast averaging and homogenisation. In the parameter regime where the dynamics has a single stable equilibrium the averaged model has too little variability. The Gaussian model has accurate second-order statistics, but incorrect skew and rare-event probabilities. In the parameter regime where the dynamics has two stable equilibria the eddy noise is much smaller than the atmospheric noise. The averaged, Gaussian, and non-Gaussian models all have similar stationary distributions, but the jump rates between equilibria are too small for the averaged and Gaussian models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present three theorems due to Menelaus of Alexandria (1st–2nd century A.D.) that concern spherical triangles. The theorems are extracted from his Spherics, a treatise on spherical geometry which remains unknown to mathematicians. We also comment on these theorems and make relations with modern mathematical works. Menelaus' treatise contains 91 propositions, some of them of high degree of interest. A critical edition of this treatise from Arabic manuscripts (the Greek version does not survive) with the first English translation has been published recently. Our aim in this article is to make these results of Menelaus and his methods of proof more widely known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the cognition-affect-behavior response system, this study examines the effects of three dimensions of perceived quality (service quality, food quality and restaurant atmospherics) and emotions on overall customer service experience in ethnic restaurants. The study builds on the gap in the literature with respect to the evaluation of perceived quality as a higher-order construct consisting of three dimensions. The baseline and two competing models are proposed and tested on a sample of 665 diners to Brazilian restaurants in the United Kingdom (UK). The findings revealed that all hypothesized relationships were statistically significant, except for the relationship between restaurant atmospherics and negative emotions. Only positive emotions mediated the effect of perceived quality on customer service experience. The findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications for service providers and encouraging diners to experience Brazilian restaurants in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure to develop cost-effective retail design solutions has heightened the need to understand better the atmospherics-behaviour relationship. Drawing upon a review of salient literature, this paper develops a conceptual model highlighting the influence of response moderators, including expectations, familiarity with the environment and shopping motives. Using LISREL, the model is calibrated and tested through a survey of 1,000 shoppers within one of Europe's largest, city centre shopping malls. Consumers with strong shopping motives are found to experience more pleasure and arousal; expectations also moderate the atmospherics-mood states relationship. The shortcomings of measurement scales, developed in previous studies with student samples, when applied to real shoppers are also noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to demonstrate how both incidental moods and gender can moderate the relationship between the level of excitement triggered by a mall environment and shopping behaviour. Our method is based on a 4 × 2 between subjects experiment with a final sample of 377 Spanish undergraduates. The study analyses four incidental moods that differ in the dimensions of valence and arousal, and their interaction effects with two atmospheric scenarios in a mall (exciting versus non-exciting atmospheres). Our findings support mood regulation theory for positive low-arousal individuals, and reject this theory for the rest of mood conditions. Additionally, arousal reduces customers’ cognitive capabilities, confirming previous research. This means that high-arousal shoppers are not influenced by a mall environment. Finally, gender differences are only found within more frequent shoppers and for negative low-arousal (NLA) shoppers. Managerial implications are provided regarding the creation of relaxing areas or the stimulation of shoppers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fictive motion (e.g. ‘The highway runs along the coast’) is a pervasive phenomenon in language that can imply both a static and a moving observer. In a corpus of alpine narratives, it is used in three types of spatial descriptions: conveying the actual motion of the observer, describing a vista and communicating encyclopaedic spatial knowledge. This study takes a knowledge-based approach to develop rules for automated extraction and classification of these types based on an annotated corpus of fictive motion instances. In particular, we identify the differences in the set of concepts involved into the production of the three types of descriptions, followed by their linguistic operationalization. Based on that, we build a set of rules that classify fictive motion with an overall precision of 0.87 and recall of 0.71. The article highlights the importance of examining spatially rich, naturally occurring corpora for the lines of work dealing with the automated interpretation of spatial information in texts, as well as, more broadly, investigation of spatial language involved into various types of spatial discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six stories in Ulrike Almut Sandig's Buch gegen das Verschwinden, each multi-layered in itself, are linked by leitmotifs so making a cycle that invites repeated reading, rather as a symphony invites repeated listening. The later stories, especially the last sci-fi adventure, cast retrospective light back over the collection, so highlighting ecological issues in stories which juxtapose threatened disappearances (of species, of wilderness) on a geological time scale, with disappearances (a lost child, declining bodily health, death of loved ones, memory loss) on the time scale of individual human life. Sandig's vividly atmospheric writing has affinities with poetic realism, notably Storm's ‘Der Schimmelreiter’, and stands more broadly in a long post-Enlightenment tradition of fascination with scientific enquiry, yet tension between instrumental reason that seeks mastery over nature and anguished feeling for the natural world under threat from human activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article aims to present the follow-up of the article published in the Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science entitled: Effects of atmospherics on emotions and intention with respect to involvement in different shopping environments. The article develops the inter-connection between the mentioned article and other articles published in the field. Finally, the current article provides new insights about the new research published employing the S-O-R framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology has moved the focus of students and instructors from blackboards to online learning platforms. In the emerging e-learning revolution, the success of quality education depends on the right use of information and communication technology, including the creation of participants’ flow experience while using learning systems, which are rightly considered a backbone of contemporary education. There is a gap in the e-learning literature, reflecting a lack of understanding of students’ flow experience while using online interactive systems. This paper presents a study investigating the key factors (interpersonal factors and atmospheric cues) affecting flow experience and highlights its massive role in the use of any learning management system (LMS). Moreover, the study examines the moderating role of perceived institutional support (PIS) on student adoption of LMS. Using a survey, data were collected from university students in Pakistan and the data were analysed through structural equation modelling. We found that interpersonal factors and LMS atmospherics have significant effects on the flow experience. It was also found that PIS moderates the relationship between flow experience and the use of LMS. This study contributes to the literature by helping institutions and policy-makers know key factors of effective learning systems that students value and enjoy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose:Marketing scholars have joined managers in recognizing the significance of design in many domains. Superior design can enhance products, communications, packaging, and retail settings. However, no scholarly research has investigated design effects in a business-to-business (B-to-B) context. This research will explore the impact of design decisions in trade shows, a key component of the B-to-BB-to-B marketing mix. Trade show success depends on attracting attendees to an exhibitor’s booth because buyer preferences and business relationships are formed and nurtured in that space. The design of a booth plays an important role in attracting visitors and providing a positive business atmosphere. Methodology/approach:The present study draws upon several streams of literature to examine this neglected aspect of B-to-B research. We offer a conceptual framework, followed by an empirical study of trade show attendees. Respondents evaluated various booth prototypes representing different combinations of key design elements via a conjoint-based method. Findings:Findings suggest that design matters in a B-to-B trade show setting. Our results indicate that specific design elements affect an attendee’s willingness to enter different booths. Our sample displayed a coherent set of preferences for exhibit design features. Finally, we found that some attendee characteristics moderated the effect of design on preferences—notably the theory-driven characteristics of product agenda breadth and CVPA, rather than simple demographics produced these moderating effects. Research implications:We have shown that the topic of design is relevant for B-to-B researchers. This research has identified meaningful and managerially relevant design preferences. In addition, we constructed a research framework for investigating behavioral responses to trade show booths, including four key design attributes. We empirically examined this framework with an easily reproducible conjoint methodology that may be useful for future research. Practical implications:Our results provide actionable managerial guidance on the aesthetics of booth design. There is a general preference for closed designs i.e., attendees prefer having an intercept point in the booth where they may gain information. In addition, the closed design signals a higher density of things to see in the booth, while offering a private, safe environment as well as more spatial comfort. Attendees preferred higher amounts of surface decoration. Booths with low decoration tend to be perceived as less complex, and therefore less stimulating. Originality/value/contribution:We examined long neglected implications of design to B-to-B marketing and investigated a key determinant of trade show performance. We believe this study has relevance to both scholars and practitioners while setting a roadmap for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equivalent static wind loads (ESWLs) on cooling towers derived even by the refined multiple-mode dynamic algorithm such as the complete quadratic combination theory usually shows quite different types for various design targets. So, it is evitable to bring complex and burdensome calculation for structural design. To this problem, the improved multi-objectives ESWLs method was proposed by combining the wind vibration characteristics of large cooling towers itself. Through several numerical examples, the multi-objective ESWLs distribution characteristics were discussed, and its rationality of application in the cooling towers was also validated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper sets out to explore the role of gender as a moderator of the relationship between web atmospheric cues and virtual visitor's attitudes. In a laboratory experiment, the web atmospherics of a museum website – conceived as high and low task relevant cues – are manipulated so as to assess their impact on attitude toward the website and attitude toward the brand. The findings indicate that low task relevant cues are associated not only with higher attitude toward the website but with more positive evaluations of the brand as well. Gender has a moderating effect on both relationships of interest: In the absence of low task relevant cues, males develop less favorable attitudes toward the site and the brand, while females' attitude remains consistent across both experimental conditions. The findings are interpreted from a Selectivity Hypothesis viewpoint, which attributes gender differences in cognitive evaluations, to differences in information processing style. The study underscores the value of web atmospherics for service branding, elucidating the benefits for webpage design. It also supports the relevance of the Selectivity Model in the Internet context and highlights its significance in the sphere of online attitude development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanitation is one of the most important factors for consumers when they consider where to eat. Little research has been conducted on the emotional responses that consumers have to sanitation conditions. This study determined that five sanitation dimensions (food handling, dining room experience, exterior, restrooms, andemployees) and five positive and negative emotions are relevant to consumers’ sanitation reactions. Results identified the most important sanitation dimension in full-service restaurants and showed that consumers use tangible sanitation conditions (restroomsandemployees) in their perceptions of sanitation in full-service restaurants. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current high obesity rates in developed countries have many negative consequences both at individual and societal levels. Drawing upon streams of research from diverse disciplines, this conceptual article offers a number of strategies for nudging consumers toward healthier menu selections once they are in a restaurant servicescape. A series of theory-based recommendations are outlined pertaining to the use of atmospheric cues to induce healthy choices. Further, a series of theoretically anchored menu design strategies are also presented. This conceptual research advances our existing knowledge by cross-pollinating findings from outside the hospitality and business bodies of literature to address healthy eating nudging in restaurants. Moreover, this research has strong practical implications because all of the strategies brought forward can be implemented by restaurateurs at little to no cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are the atmospheric variables equally relevant for supermarket and hypermarket customers? As a contribution to the customers' choice of the store format, firstly this work aims to determine the perception of differences between hypermarkets and supermarkets in terms of store attributes. Second, it sheds light on the role played by atmospherics in the customers' decision process. This study uses alogitapproach to model the probabilistic choice of the customers' store format using atmospheric and other marketing variables as important attributes of the grocery store. The model's estimation is based on personal interviews conducted during the shopping process in urban supermarkets and hypermarkets belonging to the same retail chain. The findings show that although the atmospheric variables are significantly important for both store formats, the customers perceive differently the importance of each retail atmospheric cue and other marketing variables, when buying in a hypermarket or in a supermarket: the choice of buying in hypermarket is explained by the significant importance given to the latent variables namedpleasant atmosphereandaccessibility and responsiveness; in contrast, the choice of buying in supermarkets is explained by the significant importance given to the latent variablenice decorationandempathywith the staff. The other latent variable designated byother marketing variablesis only significantly important in the decision of choosing supermarkets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study empirically tests a stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) structural model that proposes that an online casino's atmospheric cues and functional qualities influence individuals' affective and cognitive responses, which in turn impact consumer behavioural intentions. Using self-reported data from a primarily US-based sample, analysed elements of the online gambling site stimulus included high and low task-relevant cues, financial trust, and gambling value. Demographic characteristics were found to moderate the relationship between the stimulus and internal satisfaction, with demographic group differences found among all stimulus constructs. Results emphasise the significant role that atmospherics and functional qualities play in generating positive behaviours from online gamblers, with additional implications in marketplace competitiveness and in responsible gambling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies festival-specific discrete emotions and examines how these emotions are evoked and affect postconsumption satisfaction. Data were collected from 228 festival visitors through the two-phased self-administered surveys. The results demonstrated that ambience made the greatest direct contribution to eliciting all emotions and had the greatest influence on overall satisfaction. To a lesser extent, quality service encounter was another love-evoking atmospheric attribute, thereby indirectly influencing overall satisfaction. The adverse effect of sadness was also observed as a result from negatively perceived festival layout and design on visitor satisfaction. Based on the present observations, practical and theoretical insights are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article argues that well-established principles of urban design are highly relevant for retail management and applicable in regards to a much needed customer-centric turn in space management within retailing management. In particular, supermarkets, hypermarkets and larger retail chains are governed by a space management tradition that heavily draws on principles of utilitarianism and instrumental rationality. Yet, any physical retail space accommodates a separate and distinctive, but not independent, social space which must equally be addressed if attractive retail spaces are to be grasped, created and maintained. In fact, the standardized and repetitive design of many larger retail environments such as supermarkets appears to build on uncontested traditions of space management and tenacious myths about consumer behaviour and preferences that are challenged as urban design studies are consulted. In reference to current urban design research, the article concludes by suggesting five propositions and measurements for the customer-centric quality of retail spaces that take as a starting point the appreciation of the social space that any retail space management presupposes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study investigates the relationship between the three components of perceived quality (service quality, food quality, and restaurant atmospherics), positive emotions, and behavioral intentions. By testing competing structural models on a sample of international tourists to casual dining restaurants on the French Riviera, we found that positive emotions have a strong influence on behavioral intentions. Competing paths between service quality, food quality, and restaurant atmospherics with positive emotions were found. The results hold important theoretical and managerial implications for service providers and encouraging international visitors to revisit and recommend restaurants on the French Riviera. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study examined the potential of two unmixing approaches for deriving crop-specific normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) profiles so that upon availability of Project for On-Board Autonomy – Vegetation (PROBA-V) imagery in winter 2013, this new data set can be combined with existing Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terre – VEGETATION (SPOT-VGT) data despite the differences in spatial resolution (300 m of PROBA-Vversus1 km of SPOT-VGT). To study the problem, two data sets were analysed: (1) a set of 10 temporal NDVI images, with 300 and 1000 m spatial resolution, from the state of São Paulo (Brazil) synthesized from 30 m Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images, and (2) a corresponding set of 10 observed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images (250 m spatial resolution). To mimic the influence of noise on the retrieval accuracy, different sensor/atmospheric noise levels were applied to the first data set. For the unmixing analysis, a high-resolution land-cover (LC) map was used. The LC map was derived beforehand using a different set of Landsat TM images. The map distinguishes nine classes, with four different sugarcane stages, two agricultural sub-classes, plus forest, pasture, and urban/water. Unmixing aiming at the retrieval of crop-specific NDVI profiles was done at administrative level. For the synthesized data set it was demonstrated that the ‘true’ NDVI temporal profiles of different land-cover classes (from 30 m TM data) can generally be retrieved with high accuracy. The two simulated sensors (PROBA-V and SPOT-VGT) and the two unmixing algorithms gave similar results. Analysing the MODIS data set, we also found a good correspondence between the modelled NDVI profiles (both approaches) and the (true) Landsat temporal endmembers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fully compressible semi-geostrophic system is widely used in the modelling of large-scale atmospheric flows. In this paper, we prove rigorously the existence of weak Lagrangian solutions of this system, formulated in the original physical coordinates. In addition, we provide an alternative proof of the earlier result on the existence of weak solutions of this system expressed in the so-called geostrophic, or dual, coordinates. The proofs are based on the optimal transport formulation of the problem and on recent general results concerning transport problems posed in the Wasserstein space of probability measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the white-noise paraxial wave model is considered. This model describes for instance the propagation of laser beams in the atmosphere in some typical scaling regimes. The closed-form equations for the second- and fourth-order moments of the field are solved in two particular situations. The first situation corresponds to a random medium with a transverse correlation radius smaller than the beam radius. This is the spot-dancing regime: the beam shape spreads out as in a homogeneous medium and its center is randomly shifted according to a Gaussian process whose variance grows like the third power of the propagation distance. The second situation corresponds to a plane-wave initial condition, a small amplitude for the medium fluctuations, and a large propagation distance. This is the scintillation regime: the normalized variance of the intensity converges to one exponentially with the propagation distance, corresponding to strong intensity fluctuations and in agreement with the conjecture that the statistics of the field becomes complex Gaussian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have shown that ambient scents influence human behavior including customers' behavior in real retail environments. However, the effects of scents in a closed-in plant and flower shop have not yet been examined. This study proceeded to measure customer behavior in two different situations taking place in a French flower shop: when lavender aroma was diffused and when it was not. The results showed that lavender aroma increased both the number of customers who bought plants and/or flowers and the amount of purchasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationships among atmospherics, service quality, customer satisfaction and their impact on behavioural intentions in a retail setting in an emerging economy. Based on a comprehensive literature review, an integrative framework including the relationships among the determinants of customers' behavioural intentions has been proposed and examined on a sample of grocery retail customers in Serbia. Structural equation modelling, with maximum likelihood as the method of parameter estimation, has been applied to test hypothesised relationships. The results of the study point to the indirect relatedness of service quality to customers' behavioural intentions, mediated via satisfaction. Although the dimensions of atmospherics do not impact behavioural intentions directly, perceptions of atmospherics significantly shape customers' evaluation of service quality. Implications of the study have been discussed and limitations and suggestions for future research have been highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although management scholars have devoted considerable effort to researching the effects of servicescapes [Bitner, M.J. (1992). Servicescapes: The impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees. Journal of Marketing, 56(2), 57–71] on customer behavior, we still lack an up-to-date systematization of both theoretical and empirical findings. This paper aims at filling the gap with a systematic literature review based on rigorous criteria. In reviewing the 188 selected papers, attention has been devoted to an in-depth analysis of new research paths on the topic. Our research findings contribute to a deep understanding of the link between customer behaviors and new ways of interpreting specific features of the servicescape. We believe these implications are valuable for both managers and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examines the comparative effects of physical and social atmospherics in a hedonic service context. This article focuses on other customers as the social factors in the service environment and distinguishes three dimensions: density, appearance, and behaviour. The main purpose of this article is to highlight the relevance of other customers as the atmospheric factors of the servicescape. The findings of our empirical study suggest that in addition to the perceived physical properties, favourable perceptions of other customers – particularly, their behavioural patterns – exert a strong positive influence on favourable overall affective responses. These responses, in turn, have a positive impact on customers' on-site spending and positive word-of-mouth behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although there has been extensive research on retail environments and the effects of atmospherics on consumer behaviour, research of this nature in developing countries such as Malaysia is still scant in spite of the proliferation of shopping malls. In this study, the role of atmospherics and locational convenience was examined. The mediating effects of brand trust and brand affect were also tested on the relationship between the dependent variables: atmospherics and locational convenience on flow and the dependent variable using structural equations analysis. Data for the present study were collected from shoppers exiting shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur/Petaling Jaya. A total of 698 responses from 11 malls were analysed. Results show an absence of the direct effect of atmospherics and locational convenience on flow, contrary to findings of past research which show a direct effect on approach/avoidance behaviour. The present study supports findings of more recent studies that suggest the presence of intervening variables, i.e. the hypothesised mediating role of brand trust and brand affect on the relationship between atmospherics and flow, and between locational convenience and flow. Findings suggest that the pleasant environment and locational convenience together evoked brand affect and brand trust, which in turn affects flow. Gender effect on the hypothesised relationships was tested. Results show that male and female shoppers tended to respond differently to the exogenous variables of atmospherics and locational convenience. Limitations and directions for future research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]