Unique Customer Research Articles

Concrete Luminaires, Aesthetic Demands and Technological Challenges

Among the newly emerging design solutions in the field of interior and exterior is one that is both unusual and provocative, as well as extremely creative and artistic, namely, the use of concrete in the design of lighting fixtures. This became possible thanks to a better understanding of the potentials of this material. Concrete lighting fixtures have gained popularity due to their unique aesthetic appeal, durability, and customization options. They have a distinct industrial and minimalist design that adds a modern and contemporary touch to any space.

Consistency Verification Method of Chinese and Russian Traditional Culture Translation Text Corpus Based on CNN-BiGRU

China and Russia have completely different cultural backgrounds, historical traditions and ways of thinking, which makes it difficult to directly correspond or accurately convey many culturally unique concepts, customs and expressions during the translation process. For example, some idioms, sayings or cultural symbols may have completely different meanings or no equivalents in the two cultures. Therefore, there are problems such as poor verification resulting in the consistency verification of Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus. In order to solve this problem, this paper designs a consistency verification method for Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus based on CNN-BiGRU. Through the part-of-speech correspondence of the Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus, it is represented by vectors, the feature weights of the Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus are calculated, the collocation information between the feature items is determined, and the maximum likelihood of the features is calculated using data smoothing technology. The rules are adjusted to extract the characteristics of the Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus. Preprocess the key feature source documents of each Chinese and Russian traditional culture external publicity translation text corpus, determine the source documents and their corresponding key features of the traditional culture external publicity translation text corpus, and use TF-IDF and IDF to calculate the key feature sources of the corpus. Based on the rarity of document data, the BERT model is introduced as an encoder to determine the key features of the Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus, integrating the CNN-BiGRU algorithm to design a consistency verification algorithm for Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus. Set up the convolution layer, weight sharing layer, pooling layer, and BiGRU verification layer to build a CNN-BiGRU model to achieve consistency verification of the Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus. Experimental results show that this method can improve the consistency verification effect of Chinese and Russian traditional cultural external publicity translation text corpus.

Chakki Peesing: Crushing the Roadblocks, Marching Ahead

The case is highlighting the journey of Mr Rajiv Khera from a seasoned corporate professional to be an Entrepreneur in Gurgaon Region. Rajeev started Chakki Peesing, an urban floor and spices mill in 2020 during the covid 19 Lockdown. Within 6 months of operations, Chakki Peesing has served over 8000 orders with 2000 unique customers, which according to Rajeev is a significant achievement as he is close to his business projections. Rajeev firmly believed that his business model would work in the B2C segment only as the B2B market is very much price sensitive. However, he was open to the idea of getting into strategic collaborations with gymnasiums and health clubs to promote and sell products. One of the competitive advantages of Chakki Peesing was the access to good quality wheat from Madhya Pradesh along with Rajeev’s on experience in sales and distribution. The initial success of Chakki Peesing can also be attributed to the strong network, which Rajeev and his family had with the upper middle class society of Gurgaon, and to the increased awareness among people for having a healthy lifestyle. The case talks about the business development strategy adopted by Rajeev and his son Dhruv who is also the co-founder of the company and proposed various alternative solutions for future course of action pertaining to business expansion.

Learning to use trade agreements

Meeting Rules of Origin (ROOs) in order to obtain lower tariffs in a Preferential Trading Area (PTA) is costly both in terms of production costs and fixed documentation costs. Using a model-based approach that corrects for endogeneity and a unique exporter-importer matched transaction-level customs dataset from Latin American countries, we show that preference usage patterns suggest that these fixed costs fall with exporters’ experience in preference utilization, particularly that in the same product and with the same partner, indicating both the existence and channel of learning. Exploiting a natural experiment, we also show that newly covered products have much more learning as might be expected.

The Language Art and Tragic Beauty of Shen Congwen’s Border Town

As Shen Congwen’s representative work, Border Town was published in the 1930s. This work has a beautiful writing style, showcases unique local customs and ideal human beauty, and occupies a unique position in the history of Chinese literature. After nearly a century, it still receives high attention from the academic community and support from readers. Its literary value can withstand the test of time. The work Border Town has rich exploratory value. This article mainly analyzes the literary value of Border Town from two aspects. On the one hand, the language art of Border Town, which is the concentrated embodiment of the author Shen Congwen’s talent and the key to touching people’s hearts in this work. This article will deeply analyze how the work constructs poetic words that touch people’s hearts from the shaping of the environment and the psychological details of the characters. On the other hand, the tragic beauty of Border Town is reflected in the tragic love story between Cuicui and Nuosong, the tragic life story of her grandfather, and the tragedy of the author’s creation not being accepted by the times. This article will explore how the work creates a lingering and tragic atmosphere from these perspectives. The research ultimately proves that Border Town is a work that transcends the times and has research and aesthetic value, worthy of repeated reading and exploration.

A customer-driven quality function deployment approach for intelligent product design: A case of automatic-dishwasher

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is one of the very effective customer-driven product development tools. With automatic dishwashers entering the Chinese market, manufacturers can use QFD to develop products that meet the unique Chinese customer requirements and explore the Chinese market. To help manufacturers maximize profits by developing automatic dishwashers to China’s market situation and competitive environment, this paper proposes an improved QFD model considering competitive learning and cost analysis based on market information analysis with Product Life Cycle (PLC) theory. On the one hand, the improved QFD model determines the life cycle stage of the product by analyzing the characteristics of the market. The improvement rate of customer requirements (CRs) determined by competitive learning in different stages has different influence on the importance weights of CRs, so that the new products developed based on design requirements (DRs) converted from CRs can better adapt to the current market environment. On the other hand, the cost strategy will also change according to different PLC stages. In cost analysis, different cost criteria weights will be determined in different life cycle stages to deal with product development risks in different market environments and help enterprises achieve better sustainable development. Finally, we take Chinese HE company’s automatic-dishwasher design as an example to show the specific application of the proposed model. The proposed model identifies the important DRs and their relative importance ranking for the product development. Comparison with existing QFD models shows the ranking obtained through the model is better integrated with market information, enabling the development of products that are better suited to the market, and helping companies to achieve sustainable development.

Improved decision-making through life event prediction: A case study in the financial services industry

Life event prediction is an important tool for customer relationship management (CRM), because life events shift customers’ preferences towards different products and services. Existing life event research mainly uses cross-sectional data, whereas in the CRM field, incorporating longitudinal data is increasingly common. Because longitudinal data can capture the dynamics of customer behavior, opportunities arise to benchmark the power of longitudinal customer data for predictions of cross-sectional versus longitudinal life events. Therefore, this study compares statistical and machine learning (SaML) classifiers, such as logistic regression, random forest, and XGBoost, with long- and short-term memory networks (LSTM), using data represented in both cross-sectional and longitudinal setups for life event prediction. Through a real-life longitudinal customer data set from a European bank, the authors represent the longitudinal data in a cross-sectional data format, using featurization in the form of aggregation. The available data cover 42 end-of-month snapshots for 760,438 unique customers. For marketing decision-making literature, this article (1) introduces three novel life events (i.e., primary, secondary, and rental residence purchases) to life event predictions; (2) offers guidance for how to leverage longitudinal customer data, according to the comparison of various featurization approaches and benchmarking SaML classifiers against LSTM; and (3) clarifies the importance of features and timing for improving marketing decision-making dynamically. The results show that aggregating features over time is preferable as a featurization approach for cross-sectional modeling using SaML classifiers. Furthermore, LSTM can capture behavioral changes over time, unlike SaML classifiers. It also performs significantly better than SaML classifiers on the area under curve and F1 metrics. Insights into the uses of integrated gradients reveal that feature importance changes over time. An integrated gradients method can assist decision-makers in their efforts to plan effective communication with customers in advance, such as by allocating more resources to customers who exhibit high probabilities of a particular life event occurrence.

Exploring Customer Segmentation in E-Commerce using RFM Analysis with Clustering Techniques

The proliferation of big data and the growth of e-commerce have intensified the challenges associated with extracting actionable data for personalised recommendations and decision-making. With data-driven marketing strategies, understanding and predicting customer behaviour has become paramount for maintaining competitive advantage. This study leverages business analytics tools, focusing on Recency, Frequency, and Monetary (RFM) Analysis, alongside K-Means and Hierarchical (Agglomerative) Clustering algorithms, to segment customer transactional data. Data normalisation, a critical step for accurate clustering, was performed using log transformation and the Power Transformer technique with the Yeo-Johnson parameter, the latter proving more effective for handling both positively and negatively skewed data, enhancing data normalisation and suitability for analysis. This study reveals that RFM Analysis with Hierarchical Clustering outperforms K-Means Clustering, achieving a Silhouette Score of 0.47 and a Calinski–Harabasz Index of 3787.1, indicating a more accurate identification of customer segments. RFM Analysis alone generated eight clusters, while integrating RFM Analysis with both Hierarchical Clustering and K-Means generated three similar-sized clusters with interchanged labels. These metrics highlight the proficiency of Hierarchical Clustering in identifying unique customer segments and customising marketing strategies. The findings indicate that the RFM-Hierarchical Clustering approach enhances segmentation precision and facilitates more refined and effective marketing strategies.

Research and Reflection on the Current Situation of the Translation and Dissemination of Shaanxi Folk Culture

Folk culture is the unique customs and practices that have developed in a region over the course of history, representing the traditional culture and spiritual pursuits of that area or even the nation. It serves as the cornerstone of culture. The translation and dissemination of folk culture can enhance a country's cultural soft power. This article studies the translation and dissemination of Shaanxi folk culture in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, proposing some thoughts on how to promote and optimize the current situation of translation and dissemination.

Global Integration vs. Local Responsiveness: Managing Strategic Dilemmas in Multinational Corporations

In the dynamic landscape of multinational corporations (MNCs), achieving a balance between global integration and local responsiveness poses a significant strategic dilemma. This study investigates how MNCs navigate this dual challenge to maintain competitive advantage and operational efficiency in diverse global markets. theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence to understand the strategic choices made by MNCs in integrating global operations while responding to local market demands. the tensions between standardized global strategies aimed at achieving economies of scale and localized strategies tailored to meet unique customer preferences, regulatory requirements, and cultural nuances. Key aspects analyzed include the strategic decision-making processes, organizational structures, and management practices that facilitate or hinder effective global-local integration. The study reviews case studies and comparative analyses of MNCs across different industries to illustrate successful strategies and best practices in managing these strategic dilemmas.

Otonomi Kerajaan Denpasar dalam Perspektif Sejarah: Diplomasi, Perjuangan dan Kontribusinya Bagi Bangunan Negara-Bangsa

Bali has unique and distinctive cultural customs that have a societal and cultural character that has been dominantly influenced by Hinduism. One proof of the influence of Hindu culture originating from India was the concept of a kingdom where the king was the ruler in regulating people's lives. Even though in the modern era, Bali has become a part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, this does not mean that the traditional system that existed before has disappeared but rather that it can become part of the formation of social and cultural capital in the context of the nation-state building in Indonesia. The kingdom of Denpasar, previously called the kingdom of Badung as well was a cultural entity which played an significant role not only in the past, but also still be seen in the modern Bali era. It is not surprising to see that the existence of this kingdom cannot be separated from the understanding of the existence of autonomy, diplomacy and the struggles and its contribution that has been carried out from the past until now. There are some significant questions that will be addresed in this paper firstly: What and how did the kingdom or Puri Denpasar exist in the dynamics of society and culture in Bali in particular and in Indonesia in general? Secondly: how did collective memory develop so that Puri Denpasar had its authority as the diplomacy and struggle carried out to contribute to the nation-state building? Thirdly: what the meaning of kingdom in the modern Bali era particularly in the context of socio and cultural aspects so that these social and cultural values can be maintained regarding its existence from the past until now within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia? These are some significant questions that will be discussed in this study in an effort to have a better understanding about the role of the kingdom or Puri Denpasar in socio-cultural, economic and political aspects so that Puri Denpasar can maintain its existence until now in the context of nation-state building in the modern Indonesian state.

REGIONAL FEATURES OF THE INTERSECTION OF ECO- AND RURAL TOURISM IN VINNYCHCHYNA DURING MARITAL STATE

The article examines the tourist potential of the Vinnytsia region and determines that the region has significant natural and recreational potential for the development of ecological and rural tourism. It has been established that the development of these types of tourism is due to the increase in demand for domestic tourism as a result of the war in Ukraine. Therefore, the main consumers of eco- and rural tourism services in Vinnytsia region are internally displaced persons, as well as connoisseurs of Ukrainian folk traditions due to the attractiveness of the nature, its environmental friendliness and rural lifestyle. Regulatory and legal documents regulating rural tourism, namely the Regional Development Strategy of the Vinnytsia Region until 2027, as well as the main directions of activity of the public organization «Vinnytsia Regional Branch of the Association for the Promotion of the Development of Rural Green Tourism in Ukraine» were studied. The tourist route Camino Podoliсo or St. Jacob’s Way, which covers two regions of Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia, was studied. It was found that this project is a unique opportunity to gain impressions from getting to know the unique sights, customs and traditions and natural features of Podillia. The significant areas of Vinnytsia region, the village of Busha of the Yampil district, on the territory of which there are outstanding monuments of the archaeology and architecture of the famous Bushan relief (carved out of stone in the Rock Temple by the hands of our glorious ancestors) and the remains of the Bushan fortress – a stone tower, the Haydamatskyi ravine, the remains of multi-layered settlements of Trypillia, Chernyakhiv, Penkiv and Scythian cultures, a medieval cemetery. The possibilities of Mogilev-Podilskyi, Barskyi and Vinnytsia districts regarding the development and intersection of eco- and rural tourism in wartime are also described. In the article, with the help of a SWOT analysis, the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the development of eco- and rural tourism in Vinnytsia are given. It was found that the combination of eco- and rural tourism is a necessary condition for the economic development of rural areas, and rural recreation should strengthen the ecological awareness of tourists in order to preserve the environment.

Indonesian Literature and Sasak Culture of Lombok: An Intertextual Study and Its Impact on National Culture

This study explores the intertextual relationship between Indonesian literature and the Sasak culture of Lombok, analyzing its influence on the broader cultural landscape of Indonesia. Utilizing qualitative methods, including literature review and library research, this paper examines how the rich traditions and narratives of the Sasak people have been reflected, adapted, and integrated into Indonesian literature. The study emphasizes the cultural exchange between regional and national identities, highlighting the role of Sasak cultural elements in shaping Indonesian literary works. By exploring key literary texts and their connections to Sasak traditions, the research reveals the dynamic interplay between local culture and national identity, offering insights into how regional cultural expressions contribute to the diversity of Indonesian literature. The findings suggest that Sasak culture, with its unique customs, beliefs, and artistic expressions, not only enriches Indonesian literature but also strengthens the cultural fabric of the nation. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the importance of regional cultures in shaping national identity and highlights the significance of intertextuality in understanding the complex relationship between literature and culture.

CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION USING MACHINE LEARNING

Businesses need to identify and segment their consumer base in order to effectively customize their strategies and improve customer satisfaction in the highly competitive market landscape of today. The goal of this study is to employ machine learning techniques to create a strong consumer segmentation model that will classify customers according to their demographics, behaviors, and purchase histories. Through the use of multiple clustering methods, including K-means, DBSCAN, and Hierarchical Clustering, the model seeks to find unique customer segments with shared attributes. To accomplish optimal segmentation, the segmentation process entails three steps: feature selection to identify the most significant features, model training, and data preprocessing to manage missing values and outliers. In-depth segment analysis is also included in the report to offer practical insights for better client retention tactics, tailored recommendations, and focused marketing efforts. The results of the study illustrate how machine learning may be used to find hidden patterns in consumer data, giving organizations the ability to make data- driven decisions. Organizations may improve their marketing efforts, allocate resources more efficiently, and eventually increase customer engagement and profitability by putting this customer segmentation strategy into practice. Key Words: K-Means Clustering, Hierarchical Clustering, Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN), Cluster Plotting, Heatmaps, customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Festival of flowers (Fulaich): Unique traditional culture and custom of Kinnaura tribes in Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India

Festival of flowers (Fulaich): Unique traditional culture and custom of Kinnaura tribes in Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India

Unwrapping the Native Plant Black Box: Consumer Perceptions and Segments for Target Marketing Strategies

The increasing demand for sustainable products has helped spur demand for native plants. This study used an online survey of 2066 US consumers, a factor analysis, and Ward’s linkage cluster analysis to identify unique customer segments in the native plant marketplace. The following three clusters were identified: native averse (31.6%), native curious (35.7%), and native enthusiast (32.7%). The native enthusiast cluster agreed strongly with positive statements related to native plant perceptions and attributes. The native averse cluster exhibited the lowest level of agreement with these items and the greatest level of agreement with negative or neutral statements about native plants. The native curious cluster was intermediate between the other clusters but generally agreed with positive attributes. Demographic characteristics impacted cluster membership. The marketing implications are discussed.

Executive Function and Spatial Skills in Children’s Block Play: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

ABSTRACT Research Findings: There are sparse data on children’s use of executive function (EF) and spatial skills in block play. However, there are important implications for studying EF and spatial skills with blocks across cultures, especially regarding best practices for supporting social-cognitive development in under-resourced populations and consideration of culturally unique customs and practices. Therefore, the current study compared EF-based skills and spatial block building behaviors in Canadian and Tzotzil Maya children. Participants included 82 preschoolers (55% Canadian) ages 48–59 months (M age = 54.37 months, SD = 3.37) observed and coded during a group block play session with peers. Controlling for demographic covariates, a composite EF-based variable including six behaviors (intentional selection of blocks, taking time, response inhibition, replacing/moving blocks, stabilizing, aligning) was significantly and positively associated with spatial configurations in block structures (symmetry, β = .34; tiered orientation, β = .37) The associations did not vary by culture. Practice or Policy: Results provide new knowledge about use of EF-based skills and spatial skills in an ecologically valid context and implications for cross-cultural measurement and practice.

Assessment of determinant factors responsible for divorce among divorcees in rural areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study assessed factors responsible for divorce among divorcees in rural areas of Ibadan by specifically focusing on sexual satisfaction, ethnicity/culture, and educational disparities. Divorce is related to marriage and family, and it has been used as an instrument to expose failure through marriage. In Nigeria, the high rate of divorce is mostly associated with urbanization and industrialization. The study employed a multi-stage sampling procedure using a well-structured and closed-ended questionnaire. Three out of six rural local government areas were randomly selected, representing 50%. 354 divorcees were randomly selected out of 3,064 divorce cases heard in the last 4 years using the Taro Yamane formula. The collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (chi square). The study revealed that more than half of the respondents admitted that sexual intercourse brings peace to their family, while 52% disagreed that ethnicity has to do with divorce. Therefore, sexual activities between the couple must be set as a priority, with respect for one another's as well as unique cultural beliefs, customs, and communication preferences.

The impact of CBDC on a deposit-dependent banking system

We examine implications of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) for banks using business models particularly dependent on customer deposits. Employing unique customer data hand-collected from German savings and cooperative banks, we generate conversion rates for deposits into a CBDC. Even at moderate conversion rates, most banks would have experienced funding problems and lost profits if a CBDC had been introduced in most years from 2000 onward. Our results are relevant for commercial banks, contributing to better assessments of the impact of CBDCs on liquidity and profitability and help central banks to identify implementation costs for banks within historical and hypothetical interest rate environments.

A backlash against the high‐speed modernity of gastronomy tourism: An analysis of the evolution of Macanese cuisine

In structuration theory, Giddens emphasises the importance of social practices in shaping and reproducing social structures, believing that the constitution of agents and structures represents a duality and advocating that structure is both a medium and outcome of the reproduction of practices. The traditional culture and customs embodied in Macanese cuisine can be considered as a structured process. Macanese cuisine reflects the unique food culture and customs of Macao society, presenting an irreplaceable way of life and cultural value. Macanese cuisine has developed based on the traditional customs and practices of the Macanese. It is recognised as an important intangible cultural heritage, receiving protection and promotion from the government. However, high‐speed modernity challenges the guarantee for continuity of Macanese traditional customs. Debates continue regarding how to promote the sustainability of Macanese cuisine. This study adopts Giddens' structuration theory to understand the evolutionary process of Macanese cuisine. It reveals the significance of individual agents' initiatives in promoting the rebirth of Macanese cuisine, and preserving the distinctiveness and self‐assertion of the Macanese community. Furthermore, the fusion culture that underlies Macanese cuisine can moderate the high‐speed modernity of gastronomy tourism and promote this cuisine's sustainability.