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Participants were 130 undergraduate students at a large university, who made product evaluation ratings (i.e., attitude toward a brand) and rated their perceptions of scarcity claims as a sales tactic, after we had manipulated their mood. Results showed that when individuals were in a negative mood, their preference for mood repair led them to rely on the heuristic of scarcity = value inference to improve their mood. Therefore, scarcity had a positive effect on consumers' product evaluation when they were in a negative mood. In contrast, when individuals were in a positive mood, they were motivated to retain their mood by avoiding negative events. Thus, consumers in a positive mood were more sensitive to the possibility of a scarcity claim being a sales tactic used by marketers to artificially increase demand. Further, their increased inference of scarcity claims being a sales tactic attenuated the positive effect of scarcity on their product evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric Care Online is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ point-of-care tool designed for health care providers. Pediatric Care Online builds on content from Red Book Online and Pediatric Patient Education and features Quick Reference topic pages for more than 250 pediatric health care topics. The multitude of resources available within Pediatric Care Online will be reviewed in this column, and a sample search will be used to illustrate the type of information available within this point-of-care pediatric resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a unified conceptual framework for deliberate counterfeit purchase behavior by combining its diverse economic, ethical and socio-psychological perspectives using cognitive dissonance theory. Specific hypotheses are put forth about the interrelationships among counterfeit proneness (CFP), ethical judgments, subjective norms, counterfeit product evaluation (CPE) and purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach – A field-survey with 380 shoppers (who had ever purchased a counterfeit product) in Hong Kong across four frequently counterfeited product categories (backpack, luxury watch, software and movie DVD) with varying levels of involvement, usage context and purchase motivation. Findings – As hypothesized, CFP positively influences ethical judgments and subjective norms about buying a counterfeit product, which in turn positively affect CPE and CPI. All these effects are fairly stable across the four product categories, which suggests robustness of the proposed unified model. Research limitations/implications – Using Hong Kong as the research setting and a relatively younger sample of ethnic Chinese consumers helps ensure high internal validity but it may also restrict the generalizability of the findings. Future research with a more diverse sample of consumers would help replicate the results reported in this paper. The conceptual framework may also be extended by including variables such as consumer innovativeness, risk-taking and change-seeking as antecedents of counterfeit purchase behavior and usage. Practical implications – Findings show that consumers are influenced by a combination of individual and sociological factors when they decide whether to buy and use counterfeit products. Hence, marketers and authorities need a multi-pronged strategy to curb the growing demand and usage of counterfeit products, especially among ethnic Chinese consumers. These results may also help identify consumer segments more prone to counterfeit purchase behavior and to develop special communication to target them more effectively. Originality/value – Past studies mostly explore the “direct” and “independent” effects of consumer attitudes, ethical judgments and subjective norms on their counterfeit purchase behavior, ignoring their impact on each other and the roles of “CFP” and “product evaluation.” This paper addresses all these gaps with a unified conceptual framework that incorporates all these constructs using cognitive dissonance theory and provides useful insights about their direct and indirect effects on each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable attention has been devoted to research on animosity and ethnocentrism and their influence on foreign product evaluation. However, little attention has been paid to research in Saudi Arabia, a country that wields significant global political and economic influence as the cradle of Islam and where the perceived anti-American sentiment runs high. Drawing upon relevant extant literature, the article proposes a research model examining the relationship between animosity and ethnocentrism factors and product evaluation. The study also extends the line of inquiry to explore the moderating effects of domestic availability and foreign travel. By employing a survey, this study further examines how consumers in Saudi Arabia harbor varying degrees of animosity and ethnocentrism and their influence on product evaluation. This study found that economic animosity does not have a negative influence on US product evaluation. However, the study found a significant moderating effect of foreign travel on war animosity and evaluation of foreign products. The overall results show that war animosity and ethnocentrism significantly affect the evaluation of US products. Detailed discussions of the research, managerial, and contextual implications are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field campaign was carried out to evaluate the Soil Moisture (SM) MIR_SMUDP2 product (v5.51) generated from the data of the Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS) aboard the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. The study area was the Pampean Region of Argentina, which was selected because it is a vast area of flatlands containing quite homogeneous rain-fed croplands, which are considered SMOS nominal land uses and hardly affected by radio-frequency interference contamination. Transects of ground handheld SM measurements were performed using ThetaProbe ML2x probes within four Icosahedral Snyder Equal Area Earth (ISEA) grid nodes, where permanent SM stations are located. The campaign results showed a negative bias of -0.02\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3 between concurrent SMOS data and ground SM measurements, which means a slight SMOS underestimation, and a standard deviation of \pm 0.06\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3. Additionally, a good correlation was obtained between the handheld SM measurements taken during the campaign and the permanent SM station data within a node, which pointed out that the station data could be used as reference data to evaluate the SMOS product over a longer temporal period. SMOS-retrieved data were also compared with station mean SM values from 2012 to 2014. A general SMOS underestimation of -0.05\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3 was observed, with a standard deviation of \pm 0.04\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3, which yields an uncertainty of \pm 0.07\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3 for the SMOS product. Although the random error meets the SMOS mission's goal of \pm 0.04\ \mboxm^3\mboxm^-3, the product overall uncertainty is higher than that due to the significant dry bias, which is also found in other regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the moderating roles of emotional arousal levels (elevated vs mild) and emotional valence (positive vs negative) stemming from outcomes of self-regulatory goal pursuit in understanding effectiveness of the product attribute type on product evaluation. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the literature on goals, emotions and behaviors, this research advances and tests hypotheses with two studies and an ANOVA. Findings – This study shows that when consumers experience positive emotions stemming from the success of self-regulatory goals (approach vs avoidance), the impact of product attribute type on product evaluations is primarily driven by the emotional arousal levels and that the type of regulatory goals does not matter. In contrast, when consumers experience negative emotions stemming from the failure of goal pursuit, the impact of product attribute type is determined not only by the emotional arousal levels but also by the type of goals. Practical implications – Marketing managers should use appropriate product attributes in advertisements that match with the consumers’ emotional arousal levels, emotional valence and regulatory goals by identifying customers’ specific emotional state and its source. Originality/value – This study shows that emotional valence moderates the impact of emotional arousal levels on the effectiveness of product attribute types in advertisements, and that the regulatory goals as the source of such emotions matter only under the elevated negative emotions. The major contribution of this research is that to understand the impact of emotions stemming from regulatory goal pursuit on product evaluations, not only emotional valence but also emotional arousal levels and regulatory goals should be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Safety & Fire Technology / Bezpieczeństwo i Technika Pożarnicza is the property of Centrum Naukowo-Badawcze Ochrony Przeciwpozarowej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research investigates consumer responses to simple promotional phrases styled (i.e., framed) as questions versus statements and the moderating role of arousal. Study results indicate that under low arousal, questions have a more favorable influence on product evaluation than statements do; this influence is mediated by the perceived interestingness of the phrase. Under high arousal, the influence is reversed, and it is mediated by perceived clarity. The differential influence of phrase style (framing as question vs. statement) also extends to purchase behavior among consumers in a supermarket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this post-CE-mark evaluation of 74 patients with wounds of various aetiologies thirty-eight (71.6%) wounds closed or showed a reduction in surface area compared with baseline. Seventy-seven per cent of patients and clinicians stated that the dressing was considered to be either 'good' or 'very good' in terms of exudate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and development (R&D) projects face significant organizational challenges, especially when the different units who run these projects compete among each other for resources. In such cases, information sharing among the different units is critical, but it cannot be taken for granted. Instead, individual units need to be incentivized to not only exert effort in evaluating their projects, but also to truthfully reveal their findings. The former requires an emphasis on individual performance, whereas the latter relies on the existence of a common goal across the organization. Motivated by this commonly observed tension, we address the following question: How should a firm balance individual and shared incentives, so that vital information is both acquired, and equally importantly, disseminated to the entire organization? Our model captures two key characteristics of R&D experimentation: information is imperfect and it is also costly. Our analysis yields several important implications for the design of such incentive schemes and the management of R&D portfolios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregator products available to libraries are both praised and criticized by those that use them. The value of these products depends on perceived attributes and their relevance to the information needs of a library. Disconnects arise when aggregated products are either misunderstood or the structure and design of the products are not appropriately matched to end-user needs. More evaluation of these products is needed to ensure that they are serving end users as intended and are affordable into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim To introduce dental hygienists ( DHs) in the UK to the principles of research through a practice-based product evaluation programme. Methods The programme consisted of an initial training and orientation day with presentations on evidence-based practice, research methods and the structure of research papers. The programme and its aims were explained in detail, and participants were briefed on the methods to be used. Participants then recruited seven to ten patients from their practices (offices), carried out a baseline assessment of: plaque, gingival health, calculus and staining at anterior teeth, and gave the patients a questionnaire asking about their teeth and then provided a 3-month supply of a test toothpaste. About 10 weeks later, a follow-up assessment of the same variables was performed and the questionnaire was repeated. A second training day followed during which the DHs provided feedback of their experiences and received training in literature searching and critical appraisal of literature including interpretation of results. Results Sixty-five DHs attended the first training day; 31 were able to recruit sufficient patients and attend the second training day. The DHs recruited 168 patients who received baseline and follow-up assessments. All the variables improved overall. Feedback from the DHs was very positive, and patients expressed delight with the care they had received. Conclusions Qualitative feedback for participating DHs suggests the programme met its aim and could be used in the future as a mechanism for helping DHs who want to increase their understanding of research methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ClinicalKey 2.0, launched September 23, 2014, offers a mobile-friendly design with a search history feature for targeting point-of-care resources for health care professionals. Browsing is improved with searchable, filterable listings of sources highlighting new resources. ClinicalKey 2.0 improvements include more than 1,400 new Topic Pages for quick access to point-of-care content. A sample search details some of the upgrades and content options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online reviews on mobile app marketplaces help consumers evaluate whether a mobile app fits their needs before upgrading or purchasing it. This study explores how online reviews influence trial attitude formation, a process that naturally bears on cognitive structure as much as on users’ emotional responses to online experience. We experimentally manipulate the valence (positive vs. negative) and consistency (one-sided vs. two-sided) of online reviews exposed to participants in a laboratory-controlled app trial scenario considering two different aspects of use (hedonic and functional). We find that review valence and consistency alter the emotional process during trial attitude formation but do not affect the cognitive process. In particular, negative reviews compared to positive reviews and two-sided reviews compared to one-sided reviews are more influential in trial attitude formation. Interestingly, two-sided reviews weaken the emotional process during the use of functional apps, but strengthen it during the use of hedonic apps. The study contributes to the literature by identifying the moderating role of online reviews on product trial experience, which in turn influences the formation of product attitudes. The findings help app developers and marketers understand how to elicit positive evaluations during app trials by highlighting the importance of online reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown that stocking products on a display stand (vs. on a shelf) favors purchasing. However, little is known about whether the spatial layout of the display stand (i.e., its shape) may influence consumers' evaluation of the product and their purchase intention. The present research aims to investigate the role of the shape of an in-store display as a contextual cue potentially able to influence consumers' evaluation of the exposed product and their subsequent purchasing intention. Two experiments were carried out in which we manipulated the shape of the product holder and the brand name as a function of brand awareness. We found that a meaningful shape representing the product induced a more positive product evaluation and indirectly, a greater intention to purchase in respect to shelf, when the product was a little-known brand (Study 1). Furthermore, the strongest effect occurred when the display stand facilitated product affordance in consumers' minds (Study 2). These results confirmed that the ability of the immediate context (i.e., the display stand) to evoke an action with an object (the product) influences the perceiver evaluation and behavioral intention towards the object itself. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negotiating the pursuit of multiple goals often requires making difficult trade-offs between goals. In these situations, consumers can benefit from using products that help them pursue several goals at the same time. But do consumers always prefer these multipurpose products? We propose that consumers' incidental mood state alters perceptions of products in a multiple-goal context. Four studies demonstrate that being in a positive mood amplifies perceptions of differences between multiple conflicting goals. As a consequence, consumers are less likely to evaluate multipurpose products as being able to serve multiple distinct goals simultaneously. We conclude by discussing implications of these findings for marketers of multipurpose products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ClinicalAccess is a new clinical decision support tool that uses a question-and-answer format to mirror clinical decision-making strategies. The unique format of ClinicalAccess delivers concise, authoritative answers to more than 120,000 clinical questions. This column presents a review of the product, a sample search, and a comparison with other point-of-care search engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, implementation of pressure management measures has reduced the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. There is now a focus on those pressure ulcers still occurring despite these measures, particularly grade 2 ulcers on the heel, which are often attributed to friction and shear. During 2012 and 2013 low friction fabric bootees (Parafricta®) were used on at-risk patients (where possible) to attempt to address this issue. The bootees were first introduced in 2012. There was a decline in heel ulcers of 78% in the 2 years, which accounted for a sizeable portion of the overall decline in all grade 2 pressure ulcers. There was also a substantial change in the ratio of heel to all other grade 2 pressure ulcers, which fell from 0.67 to 0.24. On the basis of heel pressure ulcers avoided, there is an implied net saving to the NHS. The trust concluded that routine use of low-friction fabric bootees made a significant further contribution towards achieving zero harm targets and had done so while providing substantial cost benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the increasing importance of packaging design for product and brand management, this study tests effects of movement visuals and location of imagery on sensorial product impressions. Participants were exposed to a packaging variant for a fictitious brand of washing powder. Subsequently, they smelled packaging contents, estimated package weight, and evaluated product and brand. Findings show that movement visuals connoting upward (versus downward) movement resulted in the experience of a less concentrated smell, but only when presented in the top-left region of the package. Furthermore, imagery located in the top-left (versus bottom-right) region induced lower estimates of package weight. Additionally, findings show that location and movement visuals impact brand image formation and consumer preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study empirically examined the influences of dishware on consumers’ product evaluation and foodservice perceptions. The results indicate that consumers have the tendency to associate food served in dishware of different materials with different types of restaurants. Most importantly, dishware materials could have an impact on consumers’ product evaluation. Product evaluation was higher when the food was served in a ceramic plate than in a paper plate. Dishware materials were also found to affect willingness to pay and such effect was mediated by product evaluation. Implications for restaurants are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Australasian Marketing Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of the country-of-origin on product evaluation and purchase intention among young adults (students), using an experimental approach. The study explored the effects of two sub-components of COO with three countries (homeland - Poland; foreign: Italy and Romania), for two products: highly involving (washing machine) and low involving (chocolate). Findings suggest that the COO (sub-components) is a factor differentiating the respondents' choices and confirm the legitimacy of the study of the impact of COO in the case of the differentiated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to attempt to address the effect of country of origin (COO) from three different dimensions, namely, country image (CI) effect, COO image effect and awareness level about the COO of the brand and its resultant effect on product evaluation (PrEva). Further, the brand awareness, level of involvement and the COO interaction effect on consumer PrEva has also been studied to indicate the intensity of COO impact. Due to rapid globalization and reduction in trade barriers, major emerging economics from Asia witnessed entry of cross-border brands into their markets. India, as an emerging economy, has also followed the trend. In this backdrop, the present study is proposed for a better understanding of the effect of COO on PrEva. Design/methodology/approach – The study has been conducted in India, and the mobile phone market has been taken as the hub of the study because of the presence of maximum cross-border companies in India. The study is built on existing literature on influence of COO, brand image (BI), awareness about brands, CI and product image on consumer’s evaluation of mobile phones. Seven theoretical constructs have been used to test the relationship between the COO and consumer PrEva for the selected product with the help of structural equation modeling technique. Findings – The study shows that brand awareness for the class of mobile phones selected does not affect PrEva whereas CI, which is a general perception about the country from where the product originates, significantly affects consumers’ PrEva. Results also show that COO does not act as a mediator between CI and PrEva even though COO has a significant negative direct effect on PrEva. Thus, from this study, the learning for marketers in this price segment for mobile phones in emerging markets is that consumers are more sensitive to features per price than any other influencers. So, BI and/or COO are not sufficient conditions for product success in emerging market like India. Research limitations/implications – The findings are outcomes of an empirical study conducted in mobile handset industry of India based on the sample set of urban consumers in the city of Kolkata, India. It is quite possible that there may be other issues relevant to other parts of the country. This may influence the degree of association studied herein. Hence, the results may be treated with caution in terms of the generalizations of the same to other regions and countries. The study may, in future, be done by including questions related to price sensitivity and perception about features of the mobile phone hand-sets. This may give a clearer picture about the influences of these factors on PrEva of mobile phones in emerging markets. Finally, this study should be repeated in other major emerging markets to test the general applicability of the theoretical model and the empirical results introduced in this paper. Practical implications – For the low-end mobile handset market, general country characteristics from where the product originates reduce the importance of specific product attributes in evaluating the product. We may further conclude from the present study that the country’s overall image can be an effective tool to influence the consumer PrEva process. To be competitive in an emerging country like India, multinational firms should promote the overall country’s image to cement relationship with target consumers. Originality/value – Moreover, Ahmed and d’Astous (1996) viewed that several empirical research have independently focused on the impact of COO on the country, product or brand level, but there is lack of an integrated approach in this regard to capture different propensity of effects of COO at different levels. To our knowledge, it is one of the first attempts to analyze consumers’ PrEva of mobile phones in an emerging market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers form their expectations (usually regarding the quality) based on the perceived image of a certain country. The original country of origin scale was developed in 1994 by Parameswaran and Pisharodi and had 40 items measuring general country attributes, general product attributes, and specific product attributes (automobile product category). This paper aims to highlight the role of the country of origin in shaping perceptions of the country and the manufactured products.The goal of the present research is to validate the COI scale for the Romanian market, in order to find out if it can be used as it was initially built by its authors or if it requires modifications. The research results led to the decision of keeping 37 items out of 40 and removing 3 items given that they were highly intercorrelated or insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large portfolio of chemicals and products is needed to meet the wide range of performance requirements of the oil and gas industry. The oil and gas industry is under increased scrutiny from regulators, environmental groups, the public, and other stakeholders for use of their chemicals. In response, industry is increasingly incorporating "greener" products and practices but is struggling to define and quantify what exactly constitutes "green" in the absence of a universally accepted definition. We recently developed the Chemistry Scoring Index (CSI) which is ultimately intended to be a globally implementable tool that comprehensively scores and ranks hazards to human health, safety, and the environment for products used in oil and gas operations. CSI scores are assigned to products designed for the same use (e.g., surfactants, catalysts) on the basis of product composition as well as intrinsic hazard properties and data availability for each product component. As such, products with a lower CSI score within a product use group are considered to have a lower intrinsic hazard compared to other products within the same use group. The CSI provides a powerful tool to evaluate relative product hazards; to review and assess product portfolios; and to aid in the formulation of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed that when consumers considered that scarcity claims signal a product is valuable, such claims would have a positive effect on product evaluation. However, when consumers interpreted scarcity claims as a sales tactic, the positive effect of scarcity claims on product evaluation would be diluted. Our participants were 100 undergraduate students at a large university in Canada. We found that when consumers had sufficient cognitive resources available to draw inferences about persuasion motives underlying marketers' behavior, they were more likely to perceive scarcity as a sales tactic. Further, our results showed that company reputation could influence consumers' inference of scarcity as a sales tactic, and, hence, moderate the effect of scarcity on product evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamonds are generally evaluated on the basis of sensory characteristics, such as carat (weight), colour, clarity and cut. However, given the experience goods nature of diamonds, few consumers grasp how the sensory characteristics of these stones are evaluated by the gemological grading laboratories that independently issue diamond reports. This study extends prior research by determining whether diamonds graded by certain gemological laboratories are subject to pricing premiums or discounts in online retail markets. Regression models employing a sample of 169 483 real-time diamond offerings from online diamond retailers (e.g. Blue Nile, James Allen and Adiamor) find significant price discounts attributable to diamonds graded by the European Gemological Laboratory USA in relation to diamonds graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and significant price premiums attributable to diamonds graded by the American Gem Society in relation to diamonds graded by the GIA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Intelligent and technology-rich systems, such as assistive robots, or whole smart homes have a great potential to improve lives of the elderly. Cutting-edge knowledge from variety of fields has to be combined to develop and manufacture such a product, which escalates the relevant costs. Even subtle psychological or sociological aspects, likely unexpected or underestimated, play significant role in how consumers perceive and either accept, or refuse products. Under such conditions it is a serious challenge for managers, designers, engineers, and others involved to prevent a business failure. Our ongoing interdisciplinary research, based primarily on cognitive science, rational choice theory, and applied technology, has concluded in a proposal of an engineering approach, which elevates innermost feelings of potential consumers to a centre of design gravity, for all stages of design, development and subsequent marketing. On top of the findings, we have constructed a chain of models providing structured view on consumer reasoning and behaviour starting from a moment when a potential consumer is about to buy or accept a product, and then in the stages which follow. The models demonstrate, how consumer's feelings act as reinforcers during the process, eventually leading to either refusal or final appropriation. Both rational assessment and common cognitive biases causing irrationality in consumer's judgement have been involved in the models. The research has brought up implications applicable in design, development, and marketing communication, such as about the role of enthusiasm in the process of evaluation. Though the research aims primarily the elderly, proposed principles are not limited for this specific target group. The paper summarizes our previous work, provides a quick overview of available methods and techniques aiming to understand needs of consumers, and identifies intersections with other works on consumer behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]