Suchergebnisse

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the scandals and distrust over the past years in brand love regarding a classic and well-known financial brand. The authors consider the antecedents of brand love contemplating the role of negative emotions, engagement and authenticity. The authors study the brand of a Portuguese bank, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, which was associated with harmful management and had to be intervened with monetary aid from the government.


Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was used to collect data. The authors applied a confirmatory factor analysis and the hypotheses were tested by the structural equation modelling.


Findings
The results show that negative emotions toward the brand have a direct and indirect impact on brand engagement and the consumer-based brand authenticity, brand engagement and consumer-based brand authenticity positively impact brand love and negative emotions toward the brand positively and indirectly impact brand love.


Research limitations/implications
The results should be analyzed with appropriate caution, given the limitations of the sample. The authors used a sample of Portuguese consumers connected with a commercial bank brand. These limitations could be overcome in future research.


Practical implications
The findings are important for the definition of branding strategies in a competitive and vulnerable context.


Originality/value
The model presented in this paper aims at filing a gap in the literature. The negative emotions toward brands have been little studied as an antecedent. It is also the first time that the constructs of engagement and authenticity and their relational outcome in brand love are applied to a financial brand.

Purpose
– This study aims to explore the relationship between the consumer perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the buying behaviour in the brand clothing Salsa. This paper intends to analyse if the consumer knows about the meaning of social responsibility in the economic, social and environmental contexts.


Design/methodology/approach
– This paper used a survey to assess the perception of the consumer of the social responsibility practices of the Salsa brand. The questionnaires were administered to consumers in the north of Portugal. The survey questions were tested through an exploratory factor analysis. A least squares estimation was performed to test the hypotheses.


Findings
– The consumers revealed that they have four dimensions of perceptions of CSR: ecological reasons, no discrimination reasons, recycling reasons and communication reasons. The results suggest that the consumers consider that there are four aspects of CSR: economic, social, ecological and recycling. When it was verified that the personal concerns, regarding environment and recycling, play an important role in consumer decision, the seven stages of the consumer decision process developed by Blackwell et al. (2006) were evaluated. In this sense, it was observed that the knowledge of social responsibility practices and the dimensions of perceptions of CSR revealed by the consumers influence the purchase of the company's products.


Originality/value
– This paper obtained an interesting result in the sense that the consumers distinguish the environmental aspects on ecological and recycling. It is also observed that this distinction, allied to the knowledge of social responsibility practices carried out by the company, leads to the affirmation that the final disinvestment stage of the consumer decision process plays an important role in consumer decision.

Given the lack of research into the link between the individual cultural values of the millennial generation mediated by religious commitment (RC) and brand love (BL), this research intends to the following: (a) identify the individual cultural values of the millennial generation and (b) explain how these values influence BL when mediated by RC. A quantitative methodology with structural equation modelling is used. Data were collected from members of the millennial generation in Portugal by survey questionnaire. The main findings of the data analysis showed that independence, power and tradition are the predominant individual cultural values of Portuguese millennials. The results showed that the independence individual cultural value negatively influences intrapersonal and interpersonal RC; power and tradition positively influence intrapersonal and interpersonal RC; only interpersonal RC positively influences BL. The study concludes with some insights that managers might use to address consumer-brand communications. Guidelines for further research are presented.

Introduction: Human posture goes through a series of changes in the course of body growth and development, i.e., in childhood and adolescence. Moreover, during these phases, individuals are subject to risk behaviors for spinal problems, especially those related to the use of backpacks and to poor sitting posture. Objective: This study aimed to detect the prevalence of postural alterations in school children enrolled in the UMEF Vila Olímpica, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. Methods: We evaluated 513 schoolchildren in the orthostatic position and in the anterior, posterior and side view. The following structures were analyzed: head, shoulder, the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, pelvis and lower limbs. Results: There was a high prevalence of postural deviations: rotated or tilted head, elevated shoulder and pelvis, valgus or varus knee, head protraction, alterations of the thoracic spine, anteriorized shoulders, pelvis in anteversion, knees semiflexion or hyperextension and cavus or planus feet. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is a high prevalence of postural alterations in students in the school network of Vila Velha (ES). This could be detected through public health policies, such as the federal government´s Health at School Program (PSE).prevalência de desvios posturais: cabeça rodada ou inclinada, elevação do ombro e da pelve, joelho valgo ou varo, além de cabeça em protração, alterações da coluna torácica, ombros anteriorizados, pelve em anteroversão, joelhos em semiflexão ou hiperextensão, e pés cavos ou planos. Apesar de não poderem ser extrapolados ao município, a divulgação dos resultados, servirá de subsídios para novos estudos de prevalência de alterações posturais em escolares do ensino fundamental, os quais poderão proporcionar uma análise mais precisa, além de permitir o planejamento de estratégias de intervenção.

Introduction: Aflatoxins are among the most carcinogenic natural compounds known, and have been frequently detected in numerous agricultural commodities, nut fruits being among the most contaminated ones. These toxins are a result of the secondary metabolism of fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus Section Flavi, namelly Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticusand A. nomius. The early detection of aflatoxigenic fungal contamination and the preventive control of aflatoxin production seems to be the only viable way to respond to the rigorous limits imposed by EU legislation. In Portugal, knowledge on mycoflora and mycotoxigenic profiles of almonds is scarce. Our objective was to characterise portuguese almonds in respect to mycoflora, with strong emphasis on aflatoxigenic fungi, from production to ...

Aflatoxins are among the most carcinogenic natural compounds known, and have been frequently detected in numerous agricultural commodities, nut fruits being among the most contaminated ones. These toxins are a result of the secondary metabolism of fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus Section Flavi, namelly Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. The early detection of aflatoxigenic fungal contamination and the preventive control of aflatoxin production seems to be the only viable way to respond to the rigorous limits imposed by EU legislation. In Portugal, knowledge on mycoflora and mycotoxigenic profiles of almonds is scarce. Our objective was to characterise portuguese almonds in respect to mycoflora, with strong emphasis on aflatoxigenic fungi, from production to commercialization. Various samples of almonds were collected from the field, as well as during storage and processing. Environmental data have also been recorded. Samples were plated directly on MEA+10% NaCl and all fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus isolated and identified to the group or species level. All Aspergillus belonging to Section Flavi were further characterised based on their mycotoxigenic profile, with the aim of identifying aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic strains. Fungal diversity and relative frequencies of Aspergillus spp. were determined for the various samples and correlated with environmental conditions. We have observed a progressive reduction on fungal diversity of almonds from the field to the end of processing, as well as an increase of the frequency of more xerophilic fungi, including Aspergillus Section Flavi. Concerning the latter, we report that Aspergillus parasiticus are predominantly aflatoxigenic and Aspergillus flavus are predominantly non-aflatoxigenic. Other less common species have also been identified.

Aflatoxins are among the most carcinogenic natural compounds known, and have been frequently detected in numerous agricultural commodities, nut fruits being among the most contaminated ones. These toxins are a result of the secondary metabolism of fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus Section Flavi, namelly Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. The early detection of aflatoxigenic fungal contamination and the preventive control of aflatoxin production seems to be the only viable way to respond to the rigorous limits imposed by EU legislation. In Portugal, knowledge on mycoflora and mycotoxigenic profiles of almonds is scarce. Our objective was to characterise portuguese almonds in respect to mycoflora, with strong emphasis on aflatoxigenic fungi, from production to commercialization. Various samples of almonds were collected from the field, as well as during storage and processing. Environmental data have also been recorded. Samples were plated directly on MEA+10% NaCl and all fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus isolated and identified to the group or species level. All Aspergillus belonging to Section Flavi were further characterised based on their mycotoxigenic profile, with the aim of identifying aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic strains. Fungal diversity and relative frequencies of Aspergillus spp. were determined for the various samples and correlated with environmental conditions. We have observed a progressive reduction on fungal diversity of almonds from the field to the end of processing, as well as an increase of the frequency of more xerophilic fungi, including Aspergillus Section Flavi. Concerning the latter, we report that Aspergillus parasiticus are predominantly aflatoxigenic and Aspergillus flavus are predominantly non-aflatoxigenic. Other less common species have also been identified.

"This book explores the diffusion of new marketing knowledge, tendencies, and qualitative and quantitative methods for brand management in the private, public, and social health sectors and examines the movement from healthcare as a priceless commodity to one that can be, and is, commodified"--

This study examined the influence of brand personality on consumer–brand relationships, specifically brand love (BL) and brand hate (BH), and their subsequent impact on purchase intention, drawing from the balance theory of attitude change. It also investigated whether negative communication associated with a low-cost airline brand moderates these relationships, potentially increasing or decreasing purchase intention. Structural equation modelling and Hayes's PROCESS macro were employed for analysis based on data from a survey of 200 Portuguese consumers. Results indicate that the selected dimensions of brand personality positively influence BL and negatively influence BH, while both BL and BH impact purchase intention. Additionally, 'Bad' communication was found to moderate the relationship between BL/BH and purchase intention. This research contributes to the branding literature by exploring these relationships within the airline service sector and underscores the significance of considering the impact of negative brand information on emotional consumer–brand relationships in this context.

Plants frequently suffer contaminations by toxigenic fungi, and their mycotoxins can be produced throughout growth, harvest, drying and storage periods. The objective of this work was to validate a method for detection of toxins in medicinal and aromatic plants, through a fast and highly sensitive method, optimizing the joint co-extraction of aflatoxins (AF: AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) by using Aloysia citrodora P. (lemon verbena) as a case study. For optimization purposes, samples were spiked (n=3) with standard solutions of a mix of the four AFs and OTA at 10 ng/g for AFB1, AFG1 and OTA, and at 6 ng/g of AFB2 and AFG2. Several extraction procedures were tested: i) ultrasound-assisted extraction in sodium chloride and methanol/water (80:20, v/v) [(OTA+AFs)1]; ii) maceration in methanol/1% NaHCO3 (70:30, v/v) [(OTA+AFs)2]; iii) maceration in methanol/1% NaHCO3 (70:30, v/v) (OTA1); and iv) maceration in sodium chloride and methanol/water (80:20, v/v) (AF1). AF and OTA were purified using the mycotoxin-specific immunoaffinity columns AflaTest WB and OchraTest WB (VICAM), respectively. Separation was performed with a Merck Chromolith Performance C18 column (100 x 4.6 mm) by reverse-phase HPLC coupled to a fluorescence detector (FLD) and a photochemical derivatization system (for AF). The recoveries obtained from the spiked samples showed that the single-extraction methods (OTA1 and AF1) performed better than co-extraction methods. For in-house validation of the selected methods OTA1 and AF1, recovery and precision were determined (n=6). The recovery of OTA for method OTA1 was 81%, and intermediate precision (RSDint) was 1.1%. The recoveries of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 ranged from 64% to 110% for method AF1, with RSDint lower than 5%. Methods OTA1 and AF1 showed precision and recoveries within the legislated values and were found to be suitable for the extraction of OTA and AF for the matrix under study.

Plants frequently suffer contaminations by toxigenic fungi, and their mycotoxins can be produced throughout growth, harvest, drying and storage periods. The objective of this work was to validate a method for detection of toxins in medicinal and aromatic plants, through a fast and highly sensitive method, optimizing the joint eo-extraction of aflatoxins (AF: AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) by using Aloysia citrodora P. (lemon verbena) as a case study. For optimization purposes, samples were spiked (n=3) with standard solutions of a mix of the four AFs and OTA at 10 ng/g for AFB1, AFG1 and OTA, and at 6 ng/g of AFB2 and AFG2. Several extraction procedures were tested: i) ultrasound-assisted extraction in sodium chloride and methanol/water (80:20, v/v) [(OTA+AFs)1]; ii) maceration in methanol/1% NaHC03 (70:30, v/v) [(OTA+AFs)2]; iii) maceration in methanol/1% NaHC03 (70:30, v/v) (OTA1); and iv) maceration in sodium chloride and methanol/water {80:20, v/v) (AF1). AF and OTA were purified using the mycotoxin-specific immunoaffinity columns AflaTest WB and OchraTest WB (VICAM), respectively. Separation was performed with a Merck Chromolith Performance C18 column (100 x 4.6 mm) by reverse-phase HPLC coupled to a fluorescence detector (FLD) and a photochemical derivatization system (for AF). The recoveries obtained from the spiked samples showed that the single-extraction methods (OTA1 and AF1) performed better than eoextraction methods. For in-house validation of the selected methods OTA1 and AF1, recovery and precision were determined (n=6). The recovery of OTA for metl:lod OTA1 was 81%, and intermediate precision (RSDint) was 1.1%. The recoveries of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 ranged from 64% to 110% for method AF1, with RSDint lower than 5%. Methods OTA1 and AF1 showed precision and recoveries within the legislated values and were found to be suitable for the extraction of OTA and AF for the matrix under study.

The aim of this research was to determine the sustainability of a given ten-week motor skills training program for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Children with DCD in four kindergartens in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan were selected to take part in the study. Participants were 24 children between 4 and 6 years old (5.25 ± 0.13 years), assigned to an intervention group (IG: 17 children; 10 boys) and a control group (CG: 7 children; 4 boys). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) was used to assess motor competence pre-intervention, post-intervention, and retention test measurement after 18 months. The retention test results for the IG indicated a decline in all three motor domains of MABC-2. Despite this, the results that were acquired during the retention test came out to be better than the results that were achieved during the pre-test. At the same time, children who were allocated to the CG maintained their performance. The findings suggest that a preschool-based motor skill training program has the potential to increase motor skills in children with DCD. However, the positive benefits produced by the intervention may decrease over the course of time if the intervention is not continued.