Visual complexity = hedonic? Effects of visually complex packages on consumer perceptions and evaluations of products

This study investigates the effect of visual complexity in package design on consumer perceptions and evaluations of a product, with a particular emphasis on how product type (vice or virtue) interacts with this effect. Drawing on the cue utilization theory and Berlyne's optimal stimulation theory, the findings of five empirical studies across various product categories consistently indicate that visually complex packaging enhances evaluations of virtue (vs. vice) products by increasing hedonic utility. This research contributes to the existing literature on marketing and visual communication and provides practical insights for practitioners.     

A systematic mapping study of process mining

This study systematically assesses the process mining scenario from 2005 to 2014. The analysis of 705 papers evidenced ‘discovery’ (71%) as the main type of process mining addressed and ‘categorical prediction’ (25%) as the main mining task solved. The most applied traditional technique is the ‘graph structure-based’ ones (38%). Specifically concerning computational intelligence and machine learning techniques, we concluded that little relevance has been given to them. The most applied are ‘evolutionary computation’ (9%) and ‘decision tree’ (6%), respectively. Process mining challenges, such as balancing among robustness, simplicity, accuracy and generalization, could benefit from a larger use of such techniques.     

一种低复杂度的CPM信号最大似然块检测算法

为了降低连续相位调制(Continuous Phase Modulation,CPM)信号多符号非相干检测的运算复杂度，提出了一种低复杂度的最大似然块检测算法。该算法充分利用已判决输出的符号对检测过程中的符号向量取值进行约束，有效减少判决统计量计算时的运算量，进而降低算法复杂度。另外，该算法引入判决长度变量，通过调整单次检测时判决符号数使算法能够在检测性能与运算量之间灵活折中。仿真结果表明，提出的低复杂度检测算法能够适用于全响应和部分响应CPM信号，相比原最大似然块检测算法能够在不损失检测性能的前提下降低算法运算量至少50〖WT《Times New Roman》〗%〖WTBZ〗，并且能够通过选择不同的判决长度提高算法应用的灵活性。     

农民组织化经营会降低农村劳动力转移的选择性吗？——基于技能—岗位匹配模型的理论分析与中国经验

在农村劳动力数量和质量“双重剩余”的情况下，非农部门的高质量发展可能引发农村劳动力非农转移产生对高技能劳动力的选择性，不利于农业部门的人力资本积累。基于技能—岗位匹配模型的分析表明，在技能—岗位正向排序匹配条件下，农民组织化经营可以通过提高农业部门的岗位复杂度为原本“技能剩余”的农村劳动提供有效的技能—岗位匹配，进而缓解高技能农村劳动力的过度流失，降低农村劳动力非农转移的选择性。采用2012、2014和2016年“中国劳动力动态调查”数据的分析显示，目前中国农村劳动力非农转移确实存在对高技能劳动力的选择性，而农民合作社的组建也确实能通过提升高技能劳动力在农业部门内部的技能—岗位匹配效率抑制其非农转移行为，进而降低农村劳动力非农转移的选择性。因此，在非农部门向高质量发展转型的同时，农业部门也应通过组织化经营等途径实现高质量发展。在促进农民合作社发展过程中，应注意适度提高岗位复杂度，并保障技能—岗位的正向排序匹配和匹配效率报酬的实现，以有效降低农村劳动力非农转移的选择性，促进农村人力资本的积累和结构优化。     

Is marketing agility important for emerging market firms in advanced markets?

Marketing agility has recently gained the attention of international marketing managers and scholars. However, scholars have not examined how this capability directly and indirectly influences firm performance and how the effects change under the complex market conditions facing emerging market (EM) firms in advanced economy (AE) markets. Hence, underpinned by the dynamic capability and complexity theories, this study investigates the direct effect of marketing agility—a dynamic meta-capability involving market sensing, speed, flexibility and responsiveness—on firm performance and its indirect effect via marketing program adaptation. Moreover, it explores changes in these direct and indirect relationships under varying market complexity levels. EM firms are often disadvantaged owing to AE market complexity, such as the presence of low-cost advantage of local AE firms. Hence, investigating this framework in this context is valuable. Using data on Pakistani firms exporting to AE markets, the study finds that marketing agility influences firm performance, and the influence is stronger under high market complexity. When market complexity is low, the influence is mediated by the firms’ ability to adapt their marketing program to meet AE market requirements. Supporting theoretical and managerial implications are offered.     

What's in a logo? The impact of complex visual cues in equity crowdfunding

Visual cues are pervasive on crowdfunding platforms. However, whether and how low validity visual cues can impact the behavior of backers remains largely unknown. In this article, we propose a disfluency-based heuristic framework for understanding the influence of low validity visual cues on equity crowdfunding platforms. Drawing on processing fluency theory and visual heuristics, we propose that backers often automatically process visual cues, and that the subjective experience of ease/difficulty with which backers perceptually process low validity visual cues serves as a heuristic and informs their perceptions of early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. We test our propositions focusing on logos (low validity visual cues that are particularly salient and ubiquitous on equity crowdfunding platforms) and logo complexity (a fundamental characteristic of logo design and established antecedent of processing disfluency). We contend that logo complexity can be interpreted by backers as a signal of venture innovativeness because more (vs. less) complex logos are more difficult to process, and thus, feel less familiar and more unique, original, and novel to backers. Since backers often value innovativeness, we further contend that logo complexity can positively impact backers' funding decisions. We find support for our framework and propositions using a multimethod approach comprising three studies: one survey, one field study, and one experiment. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are also discussed.     

Statistical Inference,Learning and Models in Big Data

The need for new methods to deal with big data is a common theme in most scientific fields, although its definition tends to vary with the context. Statistical ideas are an essential part of this, and as a partial response, a thematic program on statistical inference, learning and models in big data was held in 2015 in Canada, under the general direction of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute, with major funding from, and most activities located at, the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. This paper gives an overview of the topics covered, describing challenges and strategies that seem common to many different areas of application and including some examples of applications to make these challenges and strategies more concrete.     

Coordination Costs and the Geography of Production

In a model à la Venables of 1996 Venables, A. J. (1996) Equilibrium locations of vertically linked industries, International Economic review, 37, 341–359. doi: 10.2307/2527327[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], we distinguish two kinds of intermediate goods: complex goods that entail endogenous coordination costs, and simple goods that do not. Coordination costs depend on geographical distance and the number of intermediate goods used in the production process. In the final stage of integration, there are two possible spatial configurations: (1) a symmetric configuration and (2) a partial core–periphery equilibrium, comprised of a core region that produces the final and complex intermediate goods, and a periphery that produces simple intermediate goods. We discuss some policy implications of this multiple-equilibria outcome.

Les coûts de coordination et la géographie de la production     

Airport traffic complexity and environment efficiency metrics for evaluation of ATM measures

For a given (current or planned) traffic demand, different air traffic management measures could result in different airport traffic complexity and efficiency. This paper presents the research on the relationship between airport traffic complexity and time and environmental efficiency for different air traffic control (ATC) tactics applied to the given or planned airport layout. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of airport traffic complexity, aircraft fuel consumption, gas emissions and time efficiency for different ATC tactics and/or airport airfield layouts. For busy airports during peak hours, arrival queuing delays, taxi-in, taxi-out times and departure queuing delays increase, which induces additional unnecessary fuel consumption, gas emission and time inefficiency. In order to find a tool which could indicate potential delay generators, a measure of airport traffic complexity – called Dynamic Complexity is proposed. Experiments were performed for airports with different airfield layouts, for different traffic demands and ATC applied tactics using SIMMOD simulation model. Traffic situations were analyzed and delays were measured. The values of airport traffic complexity, fuel consumption and gas emissions were also determined. A comparative analysis of the results show: first, the proposed airport traffic complexity metric quite satisfactorily reflects the influence of traffic characteristics upon the environmental state of the system, and second, different ATM strategic and tactical measures (airport airfield infrastructure development and applied ATC tactics) could significantly reduce traffic complexity and increase time and environmental efficiency at the airport.     

Is Beauty in the Aisles of the Retailer? Package Processing in Visually Complex Contexts

Visual appeal is an important consideration in the design of brand packages because attractiveness guides behavior. The visual complexity of a context (i.e., the quantity, irregularity, detail, and dissimilarity of objects) in which a retailer displays a package may impact its attractiveness by influencing attention and processing fluency. Employing consumer samples, and stimuli ranging from the abstract to the realistic, three studies provide evidence that people process a package more fluently, thus increasing its attractiveness, when it is presented in a low rather than high complexity context. This effect is more pronounced with inherently appealing packages, and with people who are more field-dependent or pursuing utilitarian shopping goals. Study 1 establishes effects by employing psychometric measures and abstract stimuli; study 2 corroborates findings with another product category and realistic stimuli; and study 3 complements psychometric measures with eye tracking data to demonstrate that visually more complex contexts divert viewer attention, hereby lowering processing fluency and target attractiveness. The authors discuss the theoretical contribution and strategic insights the research provides for retailers, brand managers, and designers.