Understanding how technology paradoxes affect customer satisfaction with self‐service technology: The role of performance ambiguity and trust in technology

This study examines the role of consumer technology paradoxes within the context of self‐service technology and the routes by which these paradoxes influence customer satisfaction evaluation. Analysis of survey data from online banking customers indicates that three paradoxes operate in this context: control/chaos, fulfill needs/create needs, and freedom/enslavement. The study reveals further that the effects of these paradoxes on customer satisfaction are mediated by consumer performance ambiguity and consumer trust in technology. Theoretical and managerial implications of consumer paradoxical experiences for technology‐based services are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

TAX POLICIES TO INCREASE FARM PRICES AND INCOME: A QUANTITATIVE SIMULATION

In previous periods when agricultural production was large relative to demand in North America, supply control through limitations in production and markets has been used. Large cropfalls and mammoth international purchases by the USSR during the early 1970s depleted North American grain stocks and caused major supply control programs to vanish. With more favorable worldwide weather, however, grain production and carryover have increased to levels where farmers may demand supply and market controls to improve prices and income. In contrast to conventional models, we make a quantitative analysis for the United States to three tax policies which might be used to restrain production and improve prices and farm income. All tax alternatives do so if the taxes collected by the government are returned to farmers. The tax alternatives examined include a tax on inputs, a gross sales tax, and a tax-in-kind similar to a share rent. The tax policies are applied through an econometric simulation model. Certain limitations of the tax policies are explained. Aux époques antérieures, lorsque la production agricole était grande compareée à la demande dans l'Amérique du Nord, on a contrôlé les stocks de réserve par moyen de limitations de production et de vente. Les récoltes inférieures et les énormes achats par l'URSS pendant la premiére partie des années 70 ont diminué les réserves des céréales de l'Amérique du Nord, ce qui a rendu superflus les programmes majeurs de contrôle. Toutefois, un climat global favorable a augmenté la production et l'accumulation jusqu'au point oú les agriculteurs peuvent considérer nécessaires des contrôles sur la production et la vente afin d'améliorer les prix et leurs revenus. Faisant contraste avec les modéles conventionnels, nous présentons une analyse quantitative pour les Etats-Unis de trois systémes d'impôts qui pourraient etre appliqués pour diminuer la production et pour améliorer les prix et les revenus agricoles. Tous les trois systémes sont effectifs à ce but, pourvu que les impôts perçus par le gouvernement soient rendus aux producteurs. Les alternatifs examinés comprennent un impôt sur les frais de production, un impôt en gros sur les ventes et un systéme d'impôts payables par une quantité des céréales produites, semblable au métayage. Les systémes sont appliqués par moyen d'un modéle de simulation économétrique. Certaines limitations des systémes sont presentées.     

企业文化从以修理为中心转变到以可靠性为中心

本文将讨论5个关键要素，它们是从传统的以修理为中心的企业文化成功地转变为以主动的、可靠性为中心的企业文化所需要的，并讨论提高设备性能和人员素质两方面所取得的回报。这5个要素是：（1）保证有一个长期的战略目标；（2）奖励制度与战略目标相结合；（3）生产与维修之间建立密切的合作；（4）创建团队合作和企业学习的机会；（5）坚强且有献身精神的领导。根据我们的经验，大多数企业丈化改革初创者的失败原因是由于没有具备上述所有这些要素。     

Do disclosure attempts influence claim believability and perceived advertiser credibility?

Comparative messages, two-sided messages, and messages containing product performance test results represent several methods by which advertisers may attempt to provide greater amounts of information to buyers. The use of one or more of these methods may have positive or negative influence on several dimensions of advertisement effectiveness. The purpose of the factorial-designed laboratory study reported here was to explore the effects on these information disclosure attempts in print advertisements on a reader's confidence in product claims and on his or her perceived credibility of the advertiser.     

The purchase of components: Functional areas of influence

The Webster and Wind model of organizational buyer behavior enjoys considerable popularity. However, not all of its constructs and relationships among constructs have been validated by empirical research. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical evidence concerning the relationships between three of the model's critical constructs: buying center membership, purchase situation, and purchase phase. The relationships studied were variations in the perceived relative influence of different functional areas (e.g., production, marketing, purchasing, etc.) across three purchase situations and four purchase phases. The results of the study clearly indicate that the functional areas are generally perceived to have varying amounts of influence across both the purchase situation and purchase phase. These results have specific implications for developing effective industrial marketing strategies.     

The Intervention Principle

This paper investigates efficient policy interventions in market economies, establishing a general policy intervention result and explaining why more general results are not possible. The paper shows the applicability of the methodology to a number of new results in the theory of international trade, including policy intervention in the presence of increasing returns to scale. The analytical tools are not based on calculus, but set theory, agent optimization, and market clearing. They apply to discrete comparisons as well as for small changes.     

RESOURCE PRODUCTIVITY,RETURNS TO SCALE AND FARM SIZE IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE: SOME RECENT EVIDENCE*

A perceptible technological transformation has been under way in India during the last few years. The output of total foodgrains increased sharply between 1967-68 and 1970-71 over previous years. There is enough evidence to show that the technological change has resulted in an upward shift in production functions for major crops, especially for wheat.