Assessing cross-cultural marketing theory and research

A content analysis of 99 articles focuses on the comparative cross-cultural marketing research in 14 leading marketing and business journals from 1990 to 2008. The content analysis indicates strong growth in cross-cultural studies, especially in terms of studies on consumer attitudes and behavior and on promotion-related topics. This study classifies articles according to a series of conceptual (e.g., cultural dimensions employed in the study) and methodological (e.g., use of analytical technique) criteria. Although researchers have advanced in both conceptual and methodological respects, the studies still focus strongly on the dimensions from Hofstede (2001); methodologically, the dominance of two-country studies is problematic. Further, survey data from North America and Europe and researchers based and trained in North America and Europe are still dominant in the research field.     

Ökonomische Folgen eines Atomausstiegs in Deutschland

Nach der Atomkatastrophe in Fukushima hat die Bundesregierung beschlossen, bis Mitte Juni die Zukunft der Atomenergie in Deutschland zu überdenken. Dabei k?nnen unterschiedlich weitgehende Szenarien betrachtet werden. Sie reichen von einer Rücknahme der im letzten Herbst beschlossenen Laufzeitverl?ngerung bis hin zum vollkommenen Ausstieg aus der Kernkraft. Die Autoren vertreten grunds?tzlich die Auffassung, dass die wirtschaftlichen Folgen eines Atomausstiegs zu bew?ltigen sind. Mit einer Steigerung der Energiepreise muss allerdings gerechnet werden — wie deutlich diese ausf?llt, und welche Referenzwerte herangezogen werden müssen, h?ngt von vielen Faktoren ab.     

智慧BIM乔木模型：从设计图纸到施工 现场

现有的BIM应用软件提供的乔木模型多为RPC或高 精度3D模型等3D CAD类型。这些模型着重于表达美感或进 行展示,无法反映根系情况。虽然可能包含一定附加属性,但 表达乔木生长和空间需求的功能有限。因而,冲突检查、工序 调度等BIM的优势功能无从应用。风景园林实践领域已就此问 题开始构建自己的模型库,但能够准确反映现状树木真实尺寸 体量,以及现状树木和规划树木未来空间需求的模型仍未广泛 出现。提出一种基于树冠、树干和根系构型与生长功能的实体/ 网面封装建模方法构建BIM乔木模型。模型形态通过一组参数 调整,并根据树龄和反映环境限制因子的值来反映其变化。所 包含的数据和参数数量随后期设计阶段所需的LoD(详细层级) 及专业实践的具体要求而增加。该模型可以与提供本地区内外 苗木商品信息的植物数据库连接使用。     

Taking agricultural technologies to scale: experiences from a vegetable technology dissemination initiative in Tanzania

One of the widely suggested approaches to meet the increasing food demand of a substantially growing world population is sustainable intensification. We present a unique agricultural research and scaling programme in Tanzania, focusing on the key elements necessary for results related to: gender analysis; private sector engagement; social capital; improvement and adaptation; and programme performance monitoring and evaluation. Since 2014, more than 6000 farmers have benefited from either the adaptive research or the scaling component of the programme. Preliminary impact analysis results from six pilot locations indicate that programme participants realized significantly higher yields compared to non-participants. In addition to productivity improvements, introducing resistant and drought-tolerant elite vegetable varieties improved the resilience of the existing farming systems. Finally, considering the needs of both male and female participants had a positive impact on technology adoption rates and reach.     

Setting prices in mixed logit model designs

We investigate different procedures to set prices in designs for choice-based conjoint analysis using the mixed logit model which captures latent consumer heterogeneity. Besides discrete attributes, we include a linear price term in the deterministic utility function thereby treating price as continuous variable. We consider two different price intervals and several price sets which contain either two or three prices. We compare these alternatives to set prices by simulating choices for different constellations on the basis of the mixed logit model. Furthermore, we generate ten designs simultaneously instead of just one. Using these simulated choices, we estimate the parameters of the mixed logit model in the next step. To reduce the needed sample size and computation time caused by accounting for latent consumer heterogeneity, we apply Halton draws and set a minimum potential design for prior draws. ANOVA with root mean squared error between estimated and true price coefficient values of individual consumers as dependent variable shows that using more extreme prices as interval bounds and one intermediate price positioned to the right of the interval performs best.     

The relationship between national culture and the use of professional services: Evidence from two cross-country studies

Each year, clients spend large sums on professional services, such as accounting services, legal services and consulting services. While research has found significant cross-country differences in organizations’ spending on professional services, we do not know why they occur. Inspired by the organizational buying behavior literature, this paper investigates the influence of national culture on the use of professional services, particularly management consulting services. As the use of professional services involves considerable uncertainties—particularly for the buyer—it can be assumed to be influenced by cultural differences regarding the level of Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism and Masculinity. By drawing on two independent cross-country studies, we show that organizations in high uncertainty avoidance and individualistic cultures use professional services less than organizations in low uncertainty avoidance and collectivist cultures. We found no relationship between Hofstede's dimension of Masculinity and the use of professional services. The findings contribute to the theorizing on how the cultural context influences organizational buying behavior and the purchasing of professional services.     

Portfolio optimization based on GARCH-EVT-Copula forecasting models

This study uses GARCH-EVT-copula and ARMA-GARCH-EVT-copula models to perform out-of-sample forecasts and simulate one-day-ahead returns for ten stock indexes. We construct optimal portfolios based on the global minimum variance (GMV), minimum conditional value-at-risk (Min-CVaR) and certainty equivalence tangency (CET) criteria, and model the dependence structure between stock market returns by employing elliptical (Student-$t$ and Gaussian) and Archimedean (Clayton, Frank and Gumbel) copulas. We analyze the performances of 288 risk modeling portfolio strategies using out-of-sample back-testing. Our main finding is that the CET portfolio, based on ARMA-GARCH-EVT-copula forecasts, outperforms the benchmark portfolio based on historical returns. The regression analyses show that GARCH-EVT forecasting models, which use Gaussian or Student-$t$ copulas, are best at reducing the portfolio risk.     

Smart Meter-Angebote: Eine empirische Untersuchung von Kundenpräferenzen

The implementation of smart meters in German households by 2032 is a major step in the transition towards an intelligent and connected energy system. Despite of federal legislation providing a structured plan for the nationwide smart meter rollout including basic product requirements, actors within the energy market have the opportunity to take an active part in shaping the market through appealing product offers and hence to create competitive advantage. This study identifies relevant features of smart meters from literature und business practice, and measures customer’s preferences for these features. Results indicate predominantly positive customer evaluations of smart meter features, amongst which the availability of consumption data, the installation price and rental charges as well as time variable tariffs contribute most to overall utility of smart meters. Finally, findings suggest targeting customers by defining strategies to address privacy concerns, to educate about saving potentials as well as to create differentiated pricing schemes.     

On commodification: volunteer experiences in festivals†

This paper is about the creation of non-commodified volunteer experiences, for tourists and local volunteers participating in festivals. How is the tourist experience created when most of the traditional tourism demands are not fulfilled? And what are the experiences and how do they relate to different ‘regimes of value’? The experience context includes tourists who work together with locals voluntarily in a festival, where the volunteers pay for their own travel, food, overnight stay, and work for free. To gain more knowledge on the volunteers is important because local cultural life becomes more festivalized, most festivals are reliant on the involvement of volunteers, and the festivals gain an important role in an economy where even small places are engaged in branding [Löfgren, O. 2003. The new economy: A cultural history. Global Networks, 3, 239–254]. This paper uses a qualitative approach. Interviews were conducted (n?=?23) and participants were observed during four festivals in Finnmark, Norway. Nothing in the experiences was facilitated, and the experience creation occurred in the work tasks together with volunteer colleagues. It was like a holiday experience, without a stream of commodified moments. It was a value creation that could be seen as authentic and real, created in the interaction between the local and visiting volunteers.