HARNESSING THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN ONLINE LUXURY BRAND COMMUNICATION

Xiaoming Lu,Raffaele Filieri,Mizan Rahman 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2019 Global Fashion Management Conference Vol.2019 No.07

WHY DO WE LIKE COMMENTING AND SHARING IN SOCIAL MEDIA? AN ONLINE APPROCH OF LUXURY BRAND COMMUNICATION

Xiaoming Lu,Mizan Rahman 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2018 Global Marketing Conference Vol.2018 No.07

Using the framework of social support, we aim to examine factors influencing social Word-of-Mouth (WOM) adoption. The proposed research model will be tested among customers who are active in the existing active social media platforms and have had experience in engaging with the activities of luxury brand communications. Introduction Today the most promising communication environment for reaching and interacting with stakeholders is the social media ecosystem (Hanna, Rohm and Crittenden, 2011). The social media has grown so rapidly in the past years that now impact the business processes and models (Henning-Thurau, Hofacker and Bloching, 2103). Many Brands begin to take advantage of the fluidity between social media and WOM for creating brand experiences that merge real and digital conversations, cutting through in incredibly powerful ways. However, the recent research (Godey, Manthiou, Pederzopli, Rokka, Aiello, Donvito and Sigh, 2016) suggest that luxury brands performing well in social media engagement. However, they are often lagged behind in WOM performance. Despite growing interest in examining the influence of social media marketing on consumer’s responses through brand equity creation (Godey et al., 2016; Jim and Ko, 2012), studies about social media in luxury brand communications remain to be scarce. An investigation of customer’s motivation behind participation in social media is timely and relevant which can help luxury brands unleash its potential. Moreover, development of an effective social WOM adoption model can help to provide a better picture of consumer interactions in online luxury brands communities, thus strengthen customerfirm relationship in longer term. Specifically, this research intends to answer the following two questions: 1) What are the major determinants of social WOM adoption in luxury brands communications? 2) Whether social support affects a. perceived source credibility; b. perceived information quality; c. user experience? Literature review Social media interactivity The concepts of social exchange (Blau, 1964) and the norm of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960) have long been used by Marketing researchers to describe the motivational basis behind customer behaviours and the formation of positive relational attitudes (e.g., Wulf; Gaby; Iacobucci, Dawn, 2001; Rafiq; Fulford and Lu 2013). More recently these concepts have been used to explain why customers enjoy interacting with each other in social media (Liang, Ho, Li and Turban 2012; Godey et al., 2016). Social media interactivity is social interaction of people in social networking sites by Web 2.0 technologies such as Facebook, Instagram (Hajli, 2016). For instance, Facebook has more than two billion monthly active users which is a great example of a platform. In fact, people love to interact with each other. When they favourite and like each other’s posts that would reinforce the closeness. Online social support Recent research has found that social interaction can bring social value to their users and that the social media is a powerful vehicle for an individual to build close relationships with others and to enhance the individual’s well-being (Liang et al., 2012; Eastin and LaRose, 2005; Obst and Stafurik, 2010; Shaw and Grant, 2002; Xie, 2008). Social support has been found to be a major social value that social media users can obtain from an online interactions (Eastin and LaRose, 2005; Obst and Stafurik, 2010; Huang, Nambisan and Uzuner, 2010). Social support is a multidimensional construct which refers to an individual’s experience of being cared for, being responded to, and being helped by people in that individuals’ social network (Cobb, 1976). Schaefer, Liang et al.(2012) claim that , online social support consists both tangible (e.g. instrumental and appraisal support) and intangible elements (e.g. informational and emotional support). Given the specific context, this study mainly focuses on the latter. Informational support refers to providing messages, in the form of recommendations, advice, or knowledge that could be helpful for solving problems. By contrast, emotional support refers to providing messages that involve emotional concerns such as caring, understanding or empathy. These two types of messages are the major support mechanisms for social interactions (Hajli, 2016). Antecedents of social WOM adoption Information adoption can be defined as the process of engaging purposefully in consuming information (Cheng and Thadani, 2012). Informational support provided through social interaction of individuals in social media can be in the form of ratings, review, recommendations or referrals. Therefore, when consumers search for information provided by other users to make a better decision for their purchasing, they are adopting information. From a marketer’s perspective, this process also helps to build long-term advocacy. This research argues that social media provides more opportunities to the individual to adopt WOM. The existing literature has identified several antecedents of social WOM adoption and most of these studies focused on travelling websites (Filieri; Alguezaui and McLeay,2015; Hajli, 2016). Beldad, De Jong, Steehouder (2010) have categorized the major antecedents of social WOM adoption in the literature into three categories namely customer-based antecedents (e.g. user’s experience during the social interactions); website based antecedents (e.g. perceived information quality) and company based antecedents(e.g. perceived source of credibility). Source of credibility is considered as fundamental predictors of consumers’ acceptance of a message in traditional WOM adoption (McGinnies and Ward, 1980). To facilitate the evaluation of credibility of a source, more and more social platforms require contributors to create a web profile upon their registration. Customers need to provide personal information (e.g. profile picture, personal preference). Furthermore, many social media website utilise reviewer reputation systems to enable customers to assess the credibility of reviewers. Zhang and Watt (2008) argue that the higher source credibility of message perceived in online social media, the higher level of information adoption would be. Moreover, the quality of information in online reviews is perceived as a very important cue for consumers to assess the website (Filierri, et al., 2015). Krishnan; Biswas and Netemeyer (2006) point out that concrete information provided by the website such as detailed features of the product/service is likely to be perceived as more credible than those from abstract information like peripheral description of the product/service. Finally, in marketing literature user experience is strongly related with trust (Yoon, 2002). In an online context customers’ negative experience is likely to affect their trust about the company. As a consequence, they are likely to engage in negative WOM. Research shows that user experience has a strong impact on the social WOM adoption (Liang et al., 2012). Method Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) will be employed for examining the research objectives of this research. The questionnaire for this study will be created through a professional online-based survey tool. As this research focuses on the factors influencing social WOM adoption in relation with luxury brands communications, the proposed research model will be tested among customers who is active in the existing active social media platforms and has had experience in engaging with the activities of luxury brand communications such as posting review or comment other’s post). Result and conclusion This research has adopted the electronic WOM theory and the social media support theory along with a social media perspective to investigate how customer’s interaction in social media affects their behaviour in relation to luxury brands consumption. The results show that social WOM facilitates the evaluation by customers about the luxury products using social media. Moreover, WOM has emerged with broad accessibility and the capability to be evaluated and measured easily by other consumers. This study gives practical implications on how to use social media to develop online communities for luxury brands. In conclusion, when going online, luxury brand should consider the importance of converting the online brand strategy into an interactive and engaging experience for their users and online communities.

Preliminary study on the effect of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to control Spodoptera frugiperda

Lu Hui,Li Fen,Zhu Xiaoming,Tang Jihong,Lyu Baoqian,Wu Shaoying 한국곤충학회 2021 Entomological Research Vol.51 No.9

Spraying insecticides by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an effective method to prevent and control Spodoptera frugiperda. This study investigated the influences of different UAV types, spray adjuvants, spray times, maize growth periods, and insecticides on S. frugiperda in three cities, Hainan Province, China. The results showed that at least two times are needed to spray insecticides using UAVs when controlling the S. frugiperda. Both UAVs had a substantially higher control effect and lower cost than artificial spray methods. Oil spray adjuvant Refei was more suitable for both UAVs than Tiancheng to control pests. Chlorantraniliprole had the best control effect of up to 90%. The control effects at the seedling stage and small bell stage of S. frugiperda were 94.3% and 91.3%, respectively. Spraying at 7:00 am and 7:00 pm by UAVof T20 had good control effect on S. frugiperda in three cities.

Electrochemical properties of stacked-nanoflake Li4Ti5O12 spinel synthesized by a polymer-pyrolysis method

Xiaoming Zhu,Xiaoyu Jiang,Haiyan Lu,Xinping Ai,Hanxi Yang,Yuliang Cao 한국물리학회 2014 Current Applied Physics Vol.14 No.4

Stacked-nanoflake Li4Ti5O12 spinel was synthesized via the pyrolysis of a LieTi copolymeric precursor formed by in situ polymerization of LiOH and [Ti(OC4H9)4] and acrylic acid. XRD and SEM characterization shows that the powders calcined at 700 C for 3 h was well-crystallized particles with submicron diameter. Chargeedischarge measurement showed the Li4Ti5O12 electrode had displayed excellent rate capability and delivered reversible capacity of 171, 158, 148, 138 and 99 mAh g1 at rates of 0.1C, 0.5C, 1C, 2C and 4C, respectively. The test electrode also showed excellent cyclability as the capacity retains 96.1% after 60 cycles between 0.5 and 2.5 V.

Zeolite-templated nanoporous carbon for high-performance supercapacitors

Lu, Hao,Kim, Kyoungsoo,Kwon, Yonghyun,Sun, Xiaoming,Ryoo, Ryong,Zhao, X. S. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 Journal of Materials Chemistry A Vol.6 No.22

<P>Hierarchical porous carbon prepared with calcium-containing nanocrystalline beta zeolite as the template and ethylene as the carbon source at a relatively low carbonization temperature (600 °C) displayed excellent electrocapacitive properties. The presence of both micro/mesopores and surface oxygen-containing groups on the ordered porous structure, along with a high specific surface area (2280 m<SUP>2</SUP> g<SUP>−1</SUP>) and pore volume (1.95 cm<SUP>3</SUP> g<SUP>−1</SUP>) coupled with good wettability towards the electrolyte enabled the carbon to perform well as a supercapacitor electrode. This carbon electrode achieved a specific capacitance of 250 F g<SUP>−1</SUP> at a current density of 1 A g<SUP>−1</SUP> with 1 M H2SO4 as the aqueous electrolyte measured in a three-electrode system. A symmetric capacitor fabricated with the carbon as both electrodes exhibited a specific capacitance of 161 F g<SUP>−1</SUP> at a current density of 1 A g<SUP>−1</SUP>, and an excellent cycling stability. After being cycled 17 000 times and shelved for another two months, the electrode exhibited a specific capacitance of 246 F g<SUP>−1</SUP> at 1 A g<SUP>−1</SUP>, 153% of the initial capacitance, and still maintained an excellent cycle stability. Besides, an all-solid-state supercapacitor cell fabricated with this carbon as both electrodes and polyvinyl alcohol/H2SO4 gel as the electrolyte displayed an areal specific capacitance of 413 mF cm<SUP>−2</SUP> at a current density of 0.25 mA cm<SUP>−2</SUP>.</P>

Lack of Association Between the Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 -1306C>T Polymorphism and Breast Cancer Susceptibility: a Meta-analysis

Yang, Lu,Li, Ning,Wang, Siyu,Kong, Yanan,Tang, Hailin,Xie, Xinhua,Xie, Xiaoming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.12

Background: Since inconsistent results have been reported regarding the relation between the matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) -1306C>T polymorphism and susceptibility for breast cancer, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the issue. Materials and Methods: An internet search of PubMed and EMBASE was performed to identify eligible studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate any association between MMP-2 -1306C>T polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility. Results: Nine case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 9,858 cases and 10,871 controls. Overall, there was no evidence of any association between the MMP-2 -1306C>T polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility in different genetic models (T-allele vs C-allele: OR=0.95, 95%CI, 0.82-1.10, p=0.49; TT vs CC: OR=1.03, 95%CI, 0.90-1.19, p=0.66; TT+TC vs CC: OR=0.93, 95%CI, 0.78-1.10, p=0.38; TT vs TC+CC: OR=1.02, 95%CI, 0.89-1.17, p=0.77). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, CC was associated with a significant increase in breast susceptibility among Latin-Americans in the dominant model (OR=0.61, 95%CI, 0.40-0.93, p=0.02), but the association disappeared in other models. No significant association was observed among Europeans, East Asians and others in different genetic models. In the subgroup analysis by their source of controls, no significant association between MMP-2 -1306C>T polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility was noted among population-based studies and hospital-based studies in different genetic models. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that MMP-2 -1306C>T polymorphism is not associated with breast cancer susceptibility, although the association among Latin-Americans in the dominant model was significant.

Modeling and Analysis of an Avionic Battery Discharge Regulator

Qian Chen,Haihong Yu,Xiaoming Huang,Yi Lu,Peng Qiu,Kai Tong,Jiazhuo Xuan,Feng Xu,Xiaohua Xuan,Weibo Huang,Yajing Zhang 전력전자학회 2016 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.16 No.3

The avionic battery discharge regulator (BDR) plays an important role in a power-conditioning unit. With its merits of high efficiency, stable transfer function, and continuous input and output currents, the non-isolated Weinberg converter (NIWC) is suitable for avionic BDR. An improved peak current control strategy is proposed to achieve high current-sharing accuracy. Current and voltage regulators are designed based on a small signal model of a three-module NIWC system. The system with the designed regulators operates stably under any condition and achieves excellent transient response and current-sharing accuracy.

Reproduction Strategies for Maire Yew

Jiangfan Yu,Xiaojin Wan,Xiaoming Wu,Bixia Xie,Zhi Ke Lu 한국원예학회 2006 한국원예학회 기타간행물 Vol.- No.-

Effect of Temperature and Strain Rate on the Hot Deformation Behaviour of Ferritic Stainless Steel

Guoqing Zu,Yukuan Lu,Yi Yan,Xiaoming Zhang,Jingwei Zhao,Wei Du,Xu Ran,Zhengyi Jiang 대한금속·재료학회 2020 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.26 No.2

The fow behaviour and microstructure characteristics of a ferritic stainless steel were investigated using plain strain compression test on a Gleeble 3500 thermo-mechanical test simulator with a hydrawedge system in the temperature range of850–1100 °C and strain rate range of 0.1–50 s−1. The phenomenological constitutive model and the relationship betweenthe Zener–Hollomon (Z) parameter and fow stress were established. The results reveal that the fow softening phenomenonoccurs at high strain rate, which is caused by the coupling efect of the adiabatic heating and dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). New grains nucleate preferentially at the original grain boundaries by strain-induced grain boundary migration. With anincrease of temperature or strain rate, a part of new grains form in the interior of deformed grains. The DRX grain size andfraction increase with the increase of temperature, however, exhibit a non-linear relationship with strain rate.

Use of Magnetic Resonance Neurography for Evaluating the Distribution and Patterns of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

Xiaoyun Su,Xiangquan Kong,Zuneng Lu,Min Zhou,Jing Wang,Xiaoming Liu,Xiangchuang Kong,Huiting Zhang,Chuansheng Zheng 대한영상의학회 2020 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.21 No.4

Objective: To evaluate the distribution and characteristics of peripheral nerve abnormalities in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) using magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) and to examine the diagnostic efficiency. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one CIDP patients and 21 controls underwent MR scans. Three-dimensional sampling perfections with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions and T1-/T2- weighted turbo spinecho sequences were performed for neurography of the brachial and lumbosacral (LS) plexus and cauda equina, respectively. Clinical data and scores of the inflammatory Rasch-built overall disability scale (I-RODS) in CIDP were obtained. Results: The bilateral extracranial vagus (n = 11), trigeminal (n = 12), and intercostal nerves (n = 10) were hypertrophic. Plexus hypertrophies were observed in the brachial plexus of 19 patients (61.3%) and in the LS plexus of 25 patients (80.6%). Patterns of hypertrophy included uniform hypertrophy (17 [54.8%] brachial plexuses and 21 [67.7%] LS plexuses), and multifocal fusiform hypertrophy (2 [6.5%] brachial plexuses and 4 [12.9%] LS plexuses) was present. Enlarged and/or contrast-enhanced cauda equina was found in 3 (9.7%) and 13 (41.9%) patients, respectively. Diameters of the brachial and LS nerve roots were significantly larger in CIDP than in controls (p < 0.001). The largest AUC was obtained for the L5 nerve. There were no significant differences in the course duration, I-RODS score, or diameter between patients with and without hypertrophy. Conclusion: MRN is useful for the assessment of distribution and characteristics of the peripheral nerves in CIDP. Compared to other regions, LS plexus neurography is more sensitive for CIDP.