Benefits Of Experience Research Articles

Does user-generated content influence value co-creation in the context of luxury fashion brand communities? Matching inclusivity and exclusivity

AbstractGiven the rise of digital technologies, brands must retain complete control and accountability for user content creation and diffusion. This paper investigates the influence of user-generated content on multiple luxury consumers’ value perceptions that arise within brand communities. A type of non-participatory netnography is performed on three fashion brand communities to analyze the content published by community members non-intrusively. Findings show that brand-related content allows users to share their perceived experiential benefits with their networks, ultimately reinforcing the brand’s experiential and symbolic dimensions. Moreover, user content influences one’s perception of value and attitude. However, if the sense of social homophily and membership is evident, diminishing a brand’s perceived value through brand dilution is unlikely. While previous studies revising the outcomes of online exposure for luxury firms have primarily focused on firm-controlled messages, this investigation acknowledges the importance of brand communities in creating and spreading brand-related content and their effect on luxury appeals. This study appears timely as the digital era empowers consumers to be proactive in Value Co-Creation dynamics and freely define the meaning of inclusivity in exclusive luxury.

We Will, We Will Shock You: Adaptive Versus Conventional Functional Electrical Stimulation in Individuals Post-Stroke.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is often used in poststroke gait rehabilitation to address decreased walking speed, foot drop, and decreased forward propulsion. However, not all individuals experience clinically meaningful improvements in gait function with stimulation. Previous research has developed adaptive functional electrical stimulation (AFES) systems that adjust stimulation timing and amplitude at every stride to deliver optimal stimulation. The purpose of this work was to determine the effects of a novel AFES system on functional gait outcomes and compare them to the effects of the existing FES system. Twenty-four individuals with chronic poststroke hemiparesis completed 64-min walking trials on an adaptive and fixed-speed treadmill with no stimulation, stimulation from the existing FES system, and stimulation from the AFES system. There was no significant effect of stimulation condition on walking speed, peak dorsiflexion angle, or peak propulsive force. Walking speed was significantly faster and peak propulsive force was significantly larger on the adaptive treadmill (ATM) than the fixed-speed treadmill (both p < 0.0001). Dorsiflexor stimulation timing was similar between stimulation conditions, but plantarflexor stimulation timing was significantly improved with the AFES system compared to the FES system (p = 0.0059). Variability between and within subjects was substantial, and some subjects experienced clinically meaningful improvements in walking speed, peak dorsiflexion angle, and peak propulsive force. However, not all subjects experienced benefits, suggesting that further research to characterize which subjects exhibit the best instantaneous response to FES is needed to optimize poststroke gait rehabilitation using FES.

Computational Modeling of the Coffee Consumer Experience and Its Impact on the Sustainability of the Regional Industry in Peru

This study addresses the significant social value of understanding consumer experiences in the coffee market, which is crucial for enhancing local economic sustainability and consumer satisfaction in the cities of Piura, Trujillo, and Chiclayo in Peru. The objective of this research was to evaluate the coffee consumption experience of 1190 consumers using structural equation modeling. Methodologically, a detailed survey was employed to capture various dimensions of consumer experience. The results revealed a strong positive effect of perceived quality on hedonic value (β = 0.776; p &lt; 0.001), underscoring the importance of high sensory standards. Brand experiences significantly influenced quality beliefs (β = 0.399; p &lt; 0.001) and perceived utility (β = 0.733; p &lt; 0.001), though there was no direct connection with hedonic valuation, indicating the need for further analysis. The findings highlighted that hedonic value, associated with emotional satisfaction, predominates over utilitarian value in driving brand loyalty (β = 0.908 vs. β = 0.076; p &lt; 0.001). This provides strategic insights into incorporating symbolic and experiential benefits in marketing. In conclusion, the study offers quantitative evidence on shaping consumer experiences in the coffee market by focusing on sensory quality and affective brand identity.

명품 화장품에 대한 관계혜택이 전환장벽과 브랜드 충성도에 미치는 영향 - 온라인 및 오프라인 소매업태의 조절효과를 중심으로

This research explores the impact of relational benefits, which are the advantages gained from a sustained relationship with a specific brand, on switching barriers and brand loyalty among female consumers aged 20 to 50 residing in China when purchasing luxury cosmetics. The research analyzes the influence difference between different retail formats online and offline, aiming to reveal the shifting psychological dynamics of consumers amid the latest changes in China's consumer market. Using SPSS and AMOS programs, data from 500 participants were analyzed, with a focus on seven types of relational benefits: experiential benefits, confidence benefits, special treatment benefits, convenience benefits, economic benefits, information benefits and risk reduction benefits. The results indicate that relational benefits significantly enhance switching barriers and brand loyalty, and these effects vary distinctly between online and offline retail channels. The findings offer valuable insights for luxury cosmetic brands to formulate effective strategies in the Chinese market.

Creative consumers and experiential benefits and outcomes of upcycling end-of-life products

ABSTRACT This study investigates the influence of creative self-efficacy on experiential benefits and outcomes of upcycling and upcyclers’ intentions to promote the practice to others. An online survey of 424 upcyclers was conducted. PLS-SEM was used to test mediating effects of experiential benefits on the relationship between creative self-efficacy and upcycling outcomes. The findings support mediating influences of benefits on upcycling outcomes, including public and private accomplishment and creative identity, and the relationship between outcomes and intentions to promote upcycling. This study advances knowledge of the role of consumer creativity on upcycling, both of which are understudied topics in consumer behavior.

Memorable Cooking Class Experience in Third-Generation Gastronomy Forms

ABSTRACT Cooking classes offer a wide range of experiential benefits for individuals as a third-generation gastronomy form. However, despite some research on the cooking class experience, no study has covered the overall memorable cooking class experience. To bridge this gap, this paper aims to explore the components that represent memorable cooking class experiences in a leisure gastronomy context. To address the objective of this study, we adopted a qualitative research approach and interviewed 16 participants. We content-analyzed the gathered data. Our analysis identified five main themes that contribute to memorable cooking class experiences: cooking-companionship, socializing, cooking knowledge, involvement, and sense of taste (tastescape). Moreover, these components were found to contribute to overall participation satisfaction, affective and behavioral outcomes. The research outputs provide a theoretical understanding of a holistic picture of memorable cooking class experiences and meaningful implications for practitioners. This paper is the first to examine the cooking class from the perspective of the memorable experience concept. Therefore, the outputs of this article are believed to contribute to the literature on food-related experiences.

Feasibility Assessment of Stakeholder Benefits in Community-Based Agritourism through University Social Responsibility Practices

This study selected the TaiAn rural community in Taiwan as the study site. TaiAn collaborated with local universities to implement the University Social Responsibility (USR) practice through community-based agritourism (CBA). The social exchange theory (SET) was adopted as a theoretical framework to weigh the costs and benefits perceived among different stakeholders (residents, tourists, students, and lecturers) regarding CBA development. The research purpose was to explore the determinants of support for sustainable CBA using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach based on the SET. The empirical results from 117 completed surveys indicated that Agricultural Experiential Benefits, Perceived Environmental Impacts, and Mental Health Benefits positively influenced tourists’ support for CBA. The qualitative interview results also supported the notion that agriculture students, faculty, and community members could derive various benefits from participating in USR practices within local communities. Theoretical and managerial implications were proposed for marketers and policymakers to gain a deep understanding of CBA practices.

Cancer survivors' experiences of a physical activity program in primary care: a qualitative study.

This study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of, and reasons for, cancer survivors participating in a primary care PA program. We interviewed 17 patients from 11 Dutch GP practices. Patients were selected by purposive sampling based on their general practice, gender, educational level, motivation for PA, and change in PA. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and pseudonymized for inductive thematic analysis. Three domains were identified with five themes: institutional domain: GP practice; program-specific domain: content sessions and PA, and activity tracker and goal setting; individual domain: experienced benefits, and personalized care needs. Participants valued the PA program because it was offered close to home, without additional costs, and by a trusted practice nurse familiar with the patients' medical background. Activity tracker use and goal setting motivated many participants but also led to demotivation and feelings of failure in others. Reported benefits included behavior change and favorable health outcomes. Many patients expressed the need to personalize psychological support and the program's timing. Access to a PA program in a primary care setting is valued for its accessibility and experienced health benefits, but also seems to meet an unmet need for support in picking up life during cancer recovery. Primary care is important for continued care of cancer survivors. An accessible PA program in this setting may fulfil a need for not only lifestyle support but also continuing life after cancer treatment.

Toward a theoretical framework of diaspora festivals: concepts and typologies

ABSTRACT This research aims to conceptualize and categorize diaspora festivals. The study defines diaspora festivals as events organized by diaspora or transnational associations, public organizations, or event organizers with the aim of providing unique experiential benefits to diasporas while offering opportunities for locals and tourists to participate. These festivals depend on support from various stakeholders and the cooperation of the locals for successful execution. The study introduces seven types of diaspora festivals, classified into primary types including transnational, ethnic-migrant, multicultural, and homecoming festivals; and secondary types including host, homeland, and tourist festivals. These typologies have practical implications for various stakeholders, such as migrant sending and receiving countries, event organizers, diasporic individuals, and international organizations. Furthermore, understanding the concept and characteristics of different types of diaspora festivals can contribute to sustainable development goals and the preservation of intangible heritages while providing researchers with a clear framework for further exploration of these festivals.

The management of pemphigus vulgaris and mucous membrane pemphigoid in a joint oral medicine and dermatology clinic: a five-year narrative review

Pemphigus disease and mucous membrane pemphigoid are autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBDs) which may involve both oral and extra-oral tissues. The Bristol Joint Oral Medicine and Dermatology Combined Clinic was set up in 2014, with the primary aim of improving the standard of care for patients with AIBDs. This interdisciplinary approach aimed to address the medical management challenges due to the multisite nature of these AIBDs.We present a narrative report of the clinical work undertaken within this clinic, focused on the management of this patient cohort within a five-year span (2017-2022). This report outlines the multisite nature of AIBDs and the range of topical and systemic treatments that were employed to achieve adequate disease control and optimise outcomes for patients. We reflect on the experiential benefits of this multidisciplinary clinic extended beyond immediate patient benefits to areas such as specialist training, both from a dermatologist's and oral physician's perspective.

Uncovering Backers’ Intention to Participate in Reward-Based Crowdfunding: The Role of Value Cocreation

The ongoing dynamic market evolution has reshaped the way companies can create value, thanks to new funding models and new market opportunities, especially in the early business stages. In particular, with the growing development of crowdfunding models, scholars and practitioners are questioning how backers can cocreate value by funding new entrepreneurial initiatives through digital platforms dedicated to this new form of financial support. Therefore, positioning this article in the knowledge and engineering management literature, the current research explores whether two subdimensions of value cocreation (VCC), knowledge sharing and interaction, may help to understand backers’ intention to participate in a reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF) campaign. In particular, using the partial least square structural equation modeling approach on an original sample of 3574 backers, in this article, we find that knowledge sharing, understood as backers’ expertise as well as the preparedness of the proponent team, and the interaction between the campaign actors contribute to explaining backers’ participation in an RBCF initiative. The research supports the relevance of backers’ engagement in terms of VCC as an experiential benefit for the success of an RBCF initiative. From this perspective, our study suggests that both entrepreneurs and platforms should consider VCC in the design and setting of RBCF campaigns.

Implementing and evaluating care and support planning: a qualitative study of health professionals’ experiences in public polyclinics in Singapore

BackgroundTwo polyclinics in Singapore modified systems and trained health professionals to provide person-centred Care and Support Planning (CSP) for people with diabetes within a clinical trial. We aimed to investigate health professionals’ perspectives on CSP to inform future developments.MethodsQualitative research including 23 semi-structured interviews with 13 health professionals and 3 co-ordinators. Interpretive analysis, including considerations of how different understandings, enactments, experiences and evaluative judgements of CSP clustered across health professionals, and potential causal links between them.ResultsBoth polyclinic teams introduced CSP and sustained it through COVID-19 disruptions. The first examples health professionals gave of CSP ‘going well’ all involved patients who came prepared, motivated and able to modify behaviours to improve their biomedical markers, but health professionals also said that they only occasionally saw such patients in practice. Health professionals’ accounts of how they conducted CSP conversations varied: some interpretations and reported enactments were less clearly aligned with the developers’ person-centred aspirations than others. Health professionals brought different communication skill repertoires to their encounters and responded variably to challenges to CSP that arose from: the linguistic and educational diversity of patients in this polyclinic context; the cultural shift that CSP involved; workload pressures; organisational factors that limited relational and informational continuity of care; and policies promoting biomedical measures as key indicators of healthcare quality. While all participants saw potential in CSP, they differed in the extent to which they recognised relational and experiential benefits of CSP (beyond biomedical benefits), and their recommendations for continuing its use beyond the clinical trial were contingent on several considerations. Our analysis shows how narrower and broader interpretive emphases and initial skill repertoires can interact with situational challenges and respectively constrain or extend health professionals’ ability to refine their skills with experiential learning, reduce or enhance the potential benefits of CSP, and erode or strengthen motivation to use CSP.ConclusionHealth professionals’ interpretations of CSP, along with their communication skills, interact in complex ways with other features of healthcare systems and diverse patient-circumstance scenarios. They warrant careful attention in efforts to implement and evaluate person-centred support for people with long-term conditions.

Online consumer reviews of a sport product: an alternative path to understanding brand associations

PurposeThis study aims to explore the use of consumer-generated online product reviews as a source of brand associations in a sport setting.Design/methodology/approachA total of 800 reviews were collected and categorized into 13 brand association dimensions derived from previous literature. Reviews were further categorized into three valence types (i.e. positive, negative and neutral) via a correspondence analysis.FindingsA correspondence analysis revealed that positive product reviews were highly linked to performance and product-related attributes, while negative reviews were related to conformance associations. Additionally, the results showed that product-related (90.8%) attributes, experiential benefits (89.1%) and functional benefits (86.6%) were the most frequently communicated brand associations. The findings of this study underline the credibility of assessing brand associations from the consumers’ experience, through online consumer reviews.Originality/valueThe findings of the current investigation contribute to existing knowledge by examining consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) in an online setting. Previous, CBBE literature suggests that brand associations are held in the minds of the brand's consumers. To date, however, few studies have examined brand associations generated by consumers and instead have relied upon brand association dimensions developed by the researcher as opposed to the consumer (Ross et al., 2006). This, study however, utilized online sport product reviews as a source of consumer derived brand associations, and, therefore, will further the knowledge as to how brand associations are identified and measured.

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF BUYERS’ RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER ON THEIR OPINIONS ON THE BENEFITS OF SMARTPHONES BY UCINET SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

This study aims to test the effect of buyers' relationships with each other according to demographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status, and monthly income) on their views on the benefits of smartphones. It also investigates which benefit the buyers' relations with each other are grouped around. Data were collected by online survey method from 239 buyers who had purchased smartphones before. The obtained data were analyzed by running social network analysis on UCINET 6.0 program. The results of the analysis show that the relations of smartphone buyers with each other are mostly grouped in terms of multiple benefits. The results of the regression analysis show that buyers' relationships with each other by age, marital status, and monthly income, not by gender, have a significant effect on their opinions on both the functional benefits and multiple benefits of smartphones. In addition, the relationship of buyers to each other only by age, not by gender, marital status and monthly income, has a significant effect on their opinions on the experiential benefits of smartphones. However, buyers' relationships with each other by all demographic characteristics do not have a significant effect on their opinions on the symbolic benefit of smartphones. The results of the study were discussed.

Receiving acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A nested qualitative study

Therapies such as acupuncture are being increasingly used as an integrative treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study aimed to explore the experience of participating in a clinical study of acupuncture for CIPN. This qualitative study was nested within a trial (n = 120) with participants randomised to 10 sessions of acupuncture or the control group wait list for acupuncture posttrial. Participants (n = 23) volunteered to be interviewed either by telephone (n = 20) or face-to-face (3). The audiotapes were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach. Analysis of qualitative data identified 4 key themes: 1. Information, motivation, and allocation – participants expressed positive expectations and hoped that acupuncture would improve symptoms of CIPN. 2. Acupuncture experiences – participants reported beneficial effects of acupuncture on their CIPN symptoms and quality of life. 3. Trial experience and procedures – some participants disclosed some difficulty in completing the trial but also felt their CIPN was being taken seriously. 4. Suggestions for improving the study – recommendations were made for future studies about recruitment and the questionnaires. Participants in the treatment arm were largely delighted and many experienced benefits, including effects on other symptoms. There were some non-responders in those interviewed, but most valued the experience of taking part. The findings from this nested study would be useful to refine procedures and protocols in any future large multisite trial. Trial No. NCT02275403 on Clinicaltrials.gov

Technostress and hotel guests: A mere hurdle or a major friction point?

The implementation of hospitality service technology is rapidly growing. Although there are practical, economic, and experiential benefits of these technologies, the increased adoption of service technologies such as mobile keys, and check-in kiosks can introduce friction points for the hotel guests. Technostress is stress induced by the usage of technology and this study is among the first to apply this notion to consumer behavior. Based on the transactional model of stress and coping, and social cognitive theory, this study examined the effects of technostress on hotel guests by using a mixed-method approach comprised of three sequential phases. A qualitative examination of guest experiences with hotel technology indicated Wi-Fi, hotel apps, and smart TVs to be the most prominent stress-inducing technologies. These technologies were also associated with four technostressors: techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, and techno-uncertainty. Quantitative examination showed significant relationships between technology self-efficacy, one's locus of control, and technostress; additionally, technostress was shown to significantly impact guest satisfaction. The findings of this study extend technostress literature beyond workplace applications and into consumer behavior.

Abstract P5-02-28: p27Kip1 V109G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): pinpointing the hormone-receptor positive breast cancer subpopulation that requires CDK4/6 inhibitors in addition to endocrine therapy

Abstract Background: CDK4/6 inhibitors benefit a limited percentage of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HRPBC) patients in the adjuvant setting: according to the MonarchE study, from all patients treated with the endocrine plus CDK4/6 inhibitor combination, 84% were adequately treated with endocrine therapy alone, ~5% experienced benefit from the combination, and 11% were not rescued from relapse by abemaciclib. Given the side effects and the cost, biomarkers to guide treatment decisions in this setting are appealing. We found that the p27Kip1 V109G SNP was enriched in HRPBC patients experiencing relapse despite endocrine treatment. p27Kip1 binds to cyclins and CDKs, restraining cells from cycling by inhibiting the formation of CDK/cyclin complexes and their kinase activity, resulting in less phosphorylation of Rb. A functionally impaired p27Kip1 could render tumor cells insensitive to endocrine therapy, while being rescued by CDK4/6 inhibitors. Thus, this SNP could narrow down the patient population that requires adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors. Methods: Isogenic HRPBC cell lines, wild-type or polymorphic homozygous for the p27Kip1 V109G SNP were generated with CRISPR-Cas9. Cell cycle and cell viability were assessed with BRDU incorporation and colony assays. Immunoprecipitation coupled with western blot (WB) was used to measure the formation of CDK/Cyclin complexes; Rb phosphorylation was assessed by WB. An in vitro kinase assay was set up to measure the CDK4 activity of p27Kip1/CDK/Cyclin complexes. Patients (n=115) with metastatic, HRPBC receiving endocrine monotherapy or in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors were genotyped for the p27Kip1 V109G SNP, and PFS by genotype and therapy compared with the Kaplan-Meier method. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: three isogenic polymorphic clones were generated from the wild-type T47-D hormone-positive cell line. The three clones were resistant to hormonal deprivation compared to wild-type cells. The relative plating efficiency (RPE) in the colony assays of the polymorphic clones exposed to hormonal deprivation compared to that of deprived T47-D cells was 550% (clone C1), 165% (clone E1) and 100% (Clone F5); P&amp;lt; 0.005. The three clones were also resistant to fulvestrant (Fulv) (300%, 170% and 180%, respectively); P&amp;lt; 0.005. Cell cycle (positive BRDU cells) decreased ~3 fold in wild type cells (18% to 6.5%) when exposed to hormonal deprivation or Fulv, but remained unaltered in the polymorphic clones. However, when palbociclib was added to hormonal deprivation or Fulv, the effects in RPE increased and were similar in polymorphic clones and parental cells (&amp;gt;5% RPE compared to vehicle, both in polymorphic and wild-type cells). The p27Kip1 V109G SNP was found in homozygosity in ~15% of metastatic HRPBC patients. When patients received endocrine monotherapy in the first-line setting, polymorphic patients experience rapid failure (N=51) compared to wild-type/heterozygous patients (4.3 vs. 21.1 months; P &amp;lt; 0.0001). However, when patients received hormonal plus CDK4/6 inhibitors, the differences disappeared (18.3 vs. 24.3 months; P=0.85). Mechanistically, we observed that the formation of CDK2/CyclinA, CDK2/CyclinE and CDK4/Cyclin D1 complexes was &amp;gt;200% higher in polymorphic than in wild-type cells (P&amp;lt; 0.05). Regarding CDK4 kinase activity of p27Kip1/CDK/Cyclin complexes, as opposed to wild-type p27Kip1, p27Kip1 V109G was unable to suppress the kinase activity of CDK4 in presence of Fulv or hormonal deprivation. However, palbociclib was able to fully suppress CDK4 kinase activity regardless of the p27Kip1 genotype. Conclusion: Germline p27Kip1 genotyping can constitute a tool for treatment selection: whereas wild-type patients are adequately treated with endocrine monotherapy, polymorphic patients are inherently resistant, but are rescued with CDK4/6 inhibitors. Thus, hormonal+CDK4/6 inhibitor combos could be reserved for the polymorphic patients. Citation Format: Miguel Quintela-Fandino, Silvana Mouron, Maria J. Bueno, Manuel Muñoz, Raul Torres, Sandra Rodriguez, Rodrigo Sánchez-Bayona, Luis Manso, Jorge Silva, Marcos Malumbres. p27Kip1 V109G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): pinpointing the hormone-receptor positive breast cancer subpopulation that requires CDK4/6 inhibitors in addition to endocrine therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-02-28.

Abstract P3-03-25: An Automated Risk Stratification System for Breast Cancer Screening using Thermalytix

Abstract Background: As opposed to conventional age-based population-level breast screening strategies, risk-stratified breast screening programs are emerging as a new approach to balanced population screening methodology where the screening frequency and choice of modality (mammography/tomosynthesis or magnetic resonance imaging) is determined based on accurate personalized estimation of an individual’s risk score. A woman identified with low risk can now be screened less frequently, avoiding repeated mammography screening where radiation risk outweighs the benefits in that particular individual. The standard questionnaire based risk stratification is found to be less reliable and imaging based risk stratification mechanisms are being explored in recent years. In this study, we evaluate the performance of a new computer-aided image analysis technique called Thermalytix that automatically generates a personalized risk score using a combination of imaging and questionnaire information for risk stratification of women. Methodology: Thermalytix is an artificial intelligence system that uses thermal imaging and questionnaire data for predicting the risk of breast cancer. Thermalytix analyzes spatio-thermal signatures and vascular patterns in the breast region along with patients’ complaints and age to generate a score called B-Score (or BHARATI Score) which ranges from 1 to 5. B-Score of 1 indicates low risk of malignancy and a B-Score of 5 indicates the highest risk of malignancy. To evaluate the effectiveness of risk stratification using B-Scores, we performed retrospective analysis of thermal and participants’ data acquired from two registered clinical studies. One study (CTRI/2017/10/0 10 115) is a multi-site study conducted in Bangalore, India, and the other study (NCT04688086) is a single site study conducted in Delhi, India. Both these study sites are geographically distant with 2000 KM apart from each other and comprise a diversified population from India. Results: In total, 717 eligible women were considered in this study with age varying from 18 years to 80 years. Reports from standard of care procedures involving mammography, ultrasound and biopsy (as needed), were collectively considered by a radiologist to determine the ground truth for malignancy. Out of 717 women, 85 women were thus concluded as malignant. When used in a blinded fashion, Thermalytix graded 275 women as B-Score 1 (lowest risk), 225 women as B-Score 2, 44 women as B-Score 3, 137 women as B-Score 4 and 36 women as B-Score 5 (highest risk). The fraction of malignancies in the cohorts corresponding to B-Score categories from 1 to 5 were found to be progressively higher (0.36%, 1.33%, 29.55%, 33.58% and 61.11%, respectively) - showing the correctness of the proposed personalized risk scoring methodology. Conclusion: Thermalytix test, a low-cost, radiation-free, contactless and privacy aware test was used as a technique to determine the breast cancer risk of a woman.. The results obtained in the study show that a high B-score of 5 indicates a high risk for malignancy with 61.11% chance of breast cancer. Likewise the lowest B-Score of 1 indicates low risk for malignancy with just 0.36% percentage of women in the cohort found with malignancy. These results combined with other experiential benefits of Thermalytix test makes it a promising risk stratification mechanism enabling differential frequency of screening while balancing the cost and risk versus benefit. Large scale studies, however, need to be conducted to see the ground benefits of the proposed approach in a screening program implementation. Distribution of study population in different risk cohorts Higher risk correlates with higher malignancy rate Citation Format: Siva Teja Kakileti, Himanshu Madhu, Richa Bansal, Akshita Singh, Sudhakar Sampangi, Bharat Aggarwal, Geetha Manjunath. An Automated Risk Stratification System for Breast Cancer Screening using Thermalytix [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-03-25.

Online Customer Engagement in the Hospitality Industry: A Mixed Method Research

Focusing on accommodation establishments, such as hotels, this study examines the factors that lead customers to engage in social media platforms and determines whether the importance of these factors differs according to the customers’ demography. We used exploratory sequential mixed method research (MMR) design. Customer reviews on the Facebook page of a 5-star hotel in Alanya, Turkey analyzed for the qualitative part of the study. Subsequently, in the quantitative part, a questionnaire was created based on the results of the qualitative study and the relevant literature. The quantitative part employed the convenience sampling method using an online survey filled out by 602 social media users. Based on the factor analysis we identified seven customer engagement dimensions: experiential benefit; identity; appreciation; information; advocacy; recommendation; and satisfaction. The appreciation dimension was introduced to the literature as a new dimension that had not been used in previous empirical studies. One of the most striking results obtained from the study was that there were significant differences between all demographic variables (gender, marital status, education, and age) and customers’ perceptions of the information dimension.Â

Fruit Vending Machines as a Means of Contactless Purchase: Exploring Factors Determining US Consumers’ Willingness to Try, Buy and Pay a Price Premium for Fruit from a Vending Machine during the Coronavirus Pandemic

During the coronavirus pandemic, buying and consumption patterns of US consumers shifted towards contactless buying. While the topic of online buying is well explored within the existing literature on this topic, purchasing fruit from a vending machine is still yet to be investigated. This exploratory study used quantitative data to examine the factors driving US consumers’ willingness to try, buy and pay a premium for fruit from vending machines. An online survey of 391 US consumers was conducted to fill this research gap between 7 July and 10 July 2022. This survey was distributed via Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing platform which is widely used for consumer research. Smart PLS 4 facilitated the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis, as this method well suited for testing exploratory models with complex relations between the latent variables. Results indicated that COVID-19 pandemic-related benefits, quality benefits, value-related benefits and experiential benefits were the most important predictors that determined willingness to try, buy and pay a price premium when purchasing fruit from a vending machine.