Examining children's preference for phonetically manipulated brand names across two English accent groups

Replicating Shrum et al. (2012), we demonstrate that individuals display a preference for brand names that contain vowel sounds that connote product attributes. We also illustrate the impact of accent and phonological development on the nature and presence of phonetic symbolism respectively. With no known studies examining the role of accent, it is suggested that this research makes a unique contribution, offering an alternative perspective on current global phonetic symbolism research.     

Mehr Durchblick durch Ausbildungspläne

Rahmenpl?ne für die Altenpflege - Seit der Einführung des bundeseinheitlichen Altenpflegegesetzes 2003 sind Pflegeeinrichtungen verpflichtet, die Ausbildung ihrer Auszubildenden in der Altenpflege auf der Grundlage eines Ausbildungsplanes sicherzustellen. Was sollte er beinhalten und wie wird er erstellt?     

Financial Opacity and Firm Performance: The Readability of REIT Annual Reports

We examine the capital market pricing implications of firm disclosure opacity as measured by the linguistic readability of REIT annual reports. The SEC has expressed concern that firms selectively manage the transparency of disclosures in order to hide adverse information. After controlling for other non-experimental factors that influence the readability of REIT financial statements, we find (1) financial opacity is negatively related to reported firm performance, and (2) the residual opacity that remains after controlling for other determinants of annual report readability has incremental explanatory power for returns beyond the Fama and French (1992, 1993) risk factors. The opacity risk-return premium persists after controlling for a (heretofore undocumented) stark monotonic decrease in annual report readability following the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.     

Analyzing the Analysts: Career Concerns and Biased Earnings Forecasts

We examine security analysts' career concerns by relating their earnings forecasts to job separations. Relatively accurate forecasters are more likely to experience favorable career outcomes like moving up to a high-status brokerage house. Controlling for accuracy, analysts who are optimistic relative to the consensus are more likely to experience favorable job separations. For analysts who cover stocks underwritten by their houses, job separations depend less on accuracy and more on optimism. Job separations were less sensitive to accuracy and more sensitive to optimism during the recent stock market mania. Brokerage houses apparently reward optimistic analysts who promote stocks.     

The role of e-Health in the changng health care environment

In 2005 health care organizations spent 2.3% of total operating expenses on information technology and are slowly developing the infrastructure necessary to expand e-Health capabilities. E-Health is being recognized as a method to improve the overall health status of the population. It is important to build partnerships among health care providers, local community organizations, and national health care associations to ensure the continued development of e-Health initiatives. This study has managerial implications associated with the strategic application of e-Health systems and policy implications on future resource allocation.