Salvador Ruiz

EFFECTS OF INTERACTIVITY IN A WEB SITE: The Moderating Effect of Need for Cognition

This paper examines how consumers process the information available, and what their experiences are, when exposed to an interactive Web site as compared with a noninteractive Web site. The experiment developed analyzes two versions of a Web site in which the capacity to interact with the message has been manipulated. The results show that the interactive Web site leads to more information processing, higher favorability toward the product and the Web site, and greater flow state intensity. In addition, the findings confirm the hypothesized moderating effect of need for cognition on information processing. Implications for new media researchers and practitioners are discussed.

The impact of cognitive and/or affective processing styles on consumer response to advertising appeals

Abstract As advertisers increasingly seek greater communication effectiveness and new forms of media emerge, psychological differences amongst individuals are becoming essential criteria in the design of advertising appeals. The present study considers whether individuals differ in their propensity to rely on affective, cognitive or both systems to process information. This research suggests that persuasive appeals tend to be more effective when the nature of the appeal matches, rather than mismatches, the individual personality-type preferences for processing information. Results show that informational and informational-emotional advertising appeals, which match consumers processing style (thinking and thinking-feeling processors, respectively), can generate more positive attitudes toward the brand, purchase intention (PI) and brand choice.

Trade Fairs as Services: A Look at Visitors’ Objectives in Spain

Abstract Trade fairs are an important element of the promotion strategy for industrial products. They are also a source of information about market trends for managers of those companies that attend these events. In this study, we consider trade fairs as services offered by trade fair organizations (TFOs), with visitors as clients. We present an empirical study developed in Spain to analyze the objectives of small and medium-sized companies who visit trade fairs.

The effects of sales training on sales force activity

This study examines the effects of sales training on sales force performance and customer orientation in the context of small and medium‐sized companies (SMEs). The results give empirical evidence of the importance of sales training investment as a means of increasing sales performance. However, more training investment does not imply higher levels of customer‐oriented selling. Yet, higher levels of salespeople performance and customer‐oriented selling are observed when specific training methods and content are implemented. Additionally, customer‐oriented selling positively influences sales force performance, and sales training seems to moderate the relationship between sales force performance and effectiveness. Managerial implications and applications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented.

Production of transgenic piglets using ICSI–sperm-mediated gene transfer in combination with recombinase RecA

Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) is a method for the production of transgenic animals based on the intrinsic ability of sperm cells to bind and internalize exogenous DNA molecules and to transfer them into the oocyte at fertilization. Recombinase-A (RecA) protein-coated exogenous DNA has been used previously in pronuclear injection systems increasing integration into goat and pig genomes. However, there are no data regarding transgene expression after ICSI. Here, we set out to investigate whether the expression of transgenic DNA in porcine embryos is improved by recombinase-mediated DNA transfer and if it is possible to generate transgenic animals using this methodology. Different factors which could affect the performance of this transgenic methodology were analyzed by studying 1) the effect of the presence of exogenous DNA and RecA protein on boar sperm functionality; 2) the effect of recombinase RecA on in vitro enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-expressing embryos produced by ICSI or IVF; and 3) the efficiency of generation of transgenic piglets by RecA-mediated ICSI. Our results suggested that 1) the presence of exogenous DNA and RecA-DNA complexes at 5 microg/ml did not affect sperm functionality in terms of motility, viability, membrane lipid disorder, or reactive oxygen species generation; 2) EGFP-expressing embryos were obtained with a high efficiency using the SMGT-ICSI technique in combination with recombinase; however, the use of IVF system did not result in any fluorescent embryos; and 3) transgenic piglets were produced by this methodology. To our knowledge, this is the first time that transgenic pigs have been produced by ICSI-SGMT and a recombinase.

Explaining website effectiveness: The hedonic-utilitarian dual mediation hypothesis

In this study, we propose and test a conceptual model, representing the hedonic-utilitarian dual mediation hypothesis, in which both cognition and emotions are combined to help understand individual behavior in an online environment. Beyond what cognitive models offer, our results show that both cognitive and emotional responses play a key role in communication through websites and that the hedonic-utilitarian dual mediation hypothesis is the best fitting model in comparison with the four alternatives tested. Moreover, attitude is treated as a bi-dimensional construct made up of a hedonic and a utilitarian component. Based on this, an additional contribution concerns the correspondence that exists between consumer cognition and the utilitarian dimension of attitude, as well as the emotions expressed by subjects and the hedonic dimension of attitude. The relative importance of each dimension of attitudes can provide marketers in e-commerce settings with insights about whether to introduce more emotional appeals or more cognitive stimuli when communicating through their websites.

Consideration sets in online shopping environments: the effects of search tool and information load

This study examines the effects of two main characteristics of online shopping environments - search tool and information load - on the descriptive characteristics of consideration sets: size, dynamism, variety and preference dispersion. A controlled experiment using a simulated online store was conducted to test the hypotheses, manipulating the two factors, search tool (yes, no) and information load (high, low). The main task consisted of shopping for and purchasing a product in an online store. Results show that both information load and search tools transform the way in which consumers form their consideration sets, resulting in smaller, more stable, and more homogenous sets, integrated by more equally preferred alternatives. Interaction effects show that search tools enhance their effectiveness in high information load settings.

Maturation, fertilization and complete development of porcine oocytes matured under different systems

This study was designed 1) to determine the effectiveness of 2 in vitro maturation systems commonly employed to produce nuclear and cytoplasmically mature pig oocytes, 2) to assess the effects of boar, sperm concentration and maturation system on oocyte penetrability and male pronucleus formation and 3) to determine the ability of the in vitro matured oocytes to be fertilized in vivo by artificial insemination (AI) of sows. The differences examined between the 2 maturation systems included the culture medium (Waymouth vs TCM199), hormones, additives, culture conditions (static vs gentle agitation) presence or absence of porcine follicular fluid (PFF) and presence or absence of follicular shells. The results showed that nuclear maturation rate was similar in both systems (83.3 +/- 3.5 vs 86.4 +/- 2.5%), and intracellular content of glutathione was 5.21 +/- 0.73 vs 3.5 +/- 0.39 pmol/oocyte, although no correlation between these parameters was observed. The penetration rate and number of sperm cells per oocyte were dependent on the boar, maturation system and sperm concentration, but the rate of male pronuclear formation seemed to be influenced only by the boar and the maturation system but not by sperm concentration. In vivo fertilization of in vitro matured oocytes showed that both maturation systems could yield viable oocytes since 3 of 4 gilts and 2 of 4 gilts, respectively, became pregnant. Failure to become pregnant was not associated with inadequate oocyte maturation since control gilts, which received their own ovulated oocytes rather than in vitro matured oocytes at transfer, also did not become pregnant. We conclude that polyspermy may be an inherent problem in the IVF but not in the IVM systems.

Seasonal variations of semen quality in male goats: study of sperm abnormalities.

The type, frequency and seasonal variation of sperm abnormalities in male goats inhabiting in Mediterranean region were evaluated. Semen was collected twice a week with an artificial vagina from 9 10-month-old Murciano-Granadina male goats weighing 41 to 48 kg. Distal cytoplasmic droplets and acrosomal damage were the predominant abnormalities. Increase in age (10 to 27 months) did not reveal itself as a main effect on the occurrence of sperm abnormalities. All types of sperm abnormalities studied showed significant (P<0.01) seasonal variation. The poorest quality semen was collected during winter and spring. In spite of a seasonal variation in sperm quality, semen of Murciano-Granadina goats in the Mediterranean area is good all year long, since the proportion of abnormal spermatozoa was well within the accepted range for normal fertility.

The Role of Flow in Web Site Effectiveness

ABSTRACT Web sites are based on information and communication technologies that enable easy, rapid interactions between consumers and advertisers and thus represent more durable and common communication activity. In this context, the flow experience can provide a better explanation of consumer behavior in the context of Web sites as company communication activities. By adding the flow state to traditional advertising models, this study demonstrates the impact of flow state on Web site effectiveness. The results show that the flow state influences attitude toward the Web site, both directly and indirectly through Web site cognitions.