Search Results (8)

Smart security devices, such as smart locks, smart cameras, and smart intruder alarms are increasingly popular with users due to the enhanced convenience and new features that they offer. A significant part of this convenience is provided by the device’s companion smartphone app. Information on whether secure and ethical development practices have been used in the creation of these applications is unavailable to the end user. As this work shows, this means that users are impacted both by potential third-party attackers that aim to compromise their device, and more subtle threats introduced by developers, who may track their use of their devices and illegally collect data that violate users’ privacy. Our results suggest that users of every application tested are susceptible to at least one potential commonly found vulnerability regardless of whether their device is offered by a known brand name or a lesser-known manufacturer. We present an overview of the most common vulnerabilities found in the scanned code and discuss the shortcomings of state-of-the-art automated scanners when looking at less structured programming languages such as C and C++. Finally, we also discuss potential methods for mitigation, and provide recommendations for developers to follow with respect to secure coding practices. Full article

As people’s mobility increases, the places they inhabit are also changing, resulting, among other things, in the creation of commuter zones. The existence of such areas has contributed to the development of the concept of functional urban areas (FUAs). Such units quickly began to gain relevance on a global scale, triggering the issue of differentiating themselves from other such areas in pursuit of residents, tourists, and investors. This issue is intertwined with branding and, since FUAs are territorial units, the issue of place branding. The aim of this study was to identify the degree of involvement of Polish FUAs in marketing and place-branding activities. In this way, the following research problem has been formulated: what is FUAs’ approach to territorial marketing and place branding? A qualitative method was chosen to achieve the stated objective. Given that the adaptation of the concept of place branding in relation to FUAs is at an early stage, the exploratory nature of qualitative research was utilized in the form of in-depth interviews. The interviews were conducted between April and June 2021 among employees representing 15 FUAs in Poland. The results suggest that there is a diverse understanding of the issue of place branding but also a noticeable need to conduct extensive marketing activities. All areas pointed to the basic principle of introducing a place branding policy that is applicable in their areas, namely, responding and reacting efficiently to emerging social and economic challenges. Full article

Universities play a significant role in the economic development of society as they provide knowledge and skills that are essential for social sustainability. In recent years, universities shifted their focus towards student-centered education and need to reconsider their sustainable strategies to become more competitive by encouraging student co-creation behaviors. To create a unique experience, universities aim to involve students in creating and delivering their educational experiences. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the perceived quality of educational service and the institutional image of a university influence students’ value co-creation behavior, and the role of loyalty in this process. The study is based on two complementary studies conducted in an Italian public university. The first study involved 720 undergraduate students with one business management bachelor’s degree who completed a questionnaire to collect primary data. The second study used six focus groups to identify which specific students’ experiences and university activities stimulated co-creation behaviors. The results show that student loyalty plays an important mediating role between university image, students’ quality perception, and co-creation behavior. Additionally, only three dimensions of quality, namely quality non-academy aspects, quality reputation, and quality access have an impact on students’ loyalty. Therefore, only two dimensions of brand image, university brand knowledge (UK), and university brand prestige (UPR) have a direct effect on value co-creation behavior. These findings have important implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) to develop managerial strategies that increase students’ co-creation behavior. The co-creation process should be considered as part of HEIs’ image-building and quality policy-enhancing strategy. Despite the value co-creation approach being overlooked in studies on HEIs governance, this study highlights its potential as a strategic approach for improving service quality and university image. Full article

In an effort to protect intellectual property beyond patent and plant breeders’ rights and as a marketing tool to increase and maintain sales, the creation and trademarking of brand names for fruit is growing and gaining importance in the fruit industry. New fruit varietals, especially from long-lived tree fruits and vines, take many years of research to develop and bring to market. Differentiating what is essentially a commodity product is difficult, especially given bulk sales and packaging limitations. A distinctive brand name can be a powerful method of differentiating a new fruit from its competitors. To the best of our knowledge there has not been any study examining the process of brand name creation for fruits. This English language literature review examines the brand name creation process overall. A step-by-step process is discussed and situated in the context of fruits. Research on the overall process is dated: We propose a new preliminary research step to improve the process and discuss the need for future research on the role of the Internet and social media in the naming process. An overview of trademark considerations is provided. Knowledge of this process will assist breeders and marketers with brand name creation whether achieved internally or through an external agency or combination thereof. Full article

The digitalization of cultural routes and virtual storytelling has emerged as a way of showcasing to individuals the heritage of different cultural universes. Regarding this fractional environment, and as a by-product of the international EU funded iHERITAGE project, (B_A.2.1_0056), the goal is to create, through an innovation-driven growth process and technological transfer, brand strategies for the affirmation and better knowledge of intangible realities in the Mediterranean region. The Sicilian Tourism Department in Italy is the project’s lead beneficiary, with representative partners throughout six Mediterranean countries (Italy, Egypt, Spain, Jordan, Lebanon, Portugal). The case study in Portugal is being developed in Tavira, through the intangible cultural heritage of the Mediterranean diet. The research based on the cultural experience, the history of the landscape and the sense of identity and continuity of knowledge is reassigned into a digital platform—the creation of apps and, within this, the design of a virtual route that navigates key geographical places. These apps will later revolve around one of the cultural elements of the Mediterranean, namely, the olive oil activity, with a detailed presentation of the manufacturing process, as well as its didactic interpretation and dissemination about the protection and conservation of Mediterranean research. The methodological approach is developed through the analysis and interpretation of a detailed list of references, fieldwork in a plurality of sites, contextual inquiries and interviews. As a powerful tool for internet marketing and research, these apps will reinforce identity, hospitality and tourism enterprises connected through the virtual itinerary, allowing a closer interaction between tourists and locals, endorsing the rise of technological development, as well as to drastically reduce environmental and ecological risks. Full article

Gamification, commonly defined as the use of game elements in non-game contexts, is a relatively novel term, yet it has been gaining popularity across a wide range of academic and industrial disciplines. In the marketing field, companies are increasingly gamifying their mobile apps and online platforms to enrich their customers’ digital experiences. Whilst there has been a number of systematic studies examining the influence of gamification on user engagement across different fields, none has reviewed its role in brand value co-creation. Following a systematic literature review procedure via the online research platform EBSCOhost, this paper is the first to survey a set of empirical studies examining the role and impact of gamification on brand value co-creation. A final pool of 32 empirical studies implies the existence of four types of activities that are co-created by online users and positively influenced by gamification, namely: customer service, insights sharing, word-of-mouth, and random task. Moreover, this paper highlights the major game dynamics driving these activities, the key findings of each of the covered studies and their main theoretical underpinnings. Lastly, a set of noteworthy research directions for future related studies are suggested, comprising the exploration of novel game elements, and new co-creation activities related to corporate social responsibilities and physical commercial operations. Full article

Italy is one of the main producers and processors of tomato and it is considered a secondary center of diversity. In some areas, such as the Campania region (Southern Italy), a range of traditional tomato landraces is still cultivated. The distinction of this heritage germplasm is often based only on folk taxonomy and a more comprehensive definition and understanding of its genetic identity is needed. In this work, we compared a set of 15 local landraces (representative of traditional fruit types) to 15 widely used contemporary varieties, using 14 fluorescent Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Each of the accessions possessed a unique molecular profile and overall landraces had a genetic diversity comparable to that of the contemporary varieties. The genetic diversity, multivariate, and population structure analysis separated all the genotypes according to the pre-defined groups, indicating a very reduced admixture and the presence of a differentiated (regional) population of landraces. Our work provides solid evidence for implementing conservation actions and paves the way for the creation of a premium regional brand that goes beyond the individual landrace names of the Campania region known throughout the world. Full article

Throughout the history of languages, poets and writers have used linguistic tools to enhance euphony in their creations. One of the widely used tools to convey melody in any written (or spoken) creative art form is the use of long vowels. This paper examines the linkages between long (vs. short) vowel sounds and taste expectations of sweetness. Across four studies, we demonstrate that people expect products with brand names containing long vowels to taste sweeter than those including short vowel sounds. In studies 1 and 2, we demonstrate this association with the use of self-reported measures, and in studies 3 and 4, we employ indirect measures (implicit taste–shape correspondence and Single Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) paradigm) to show the effect holds at a subconscious level of processing. Previous research in this field has typically linked vowel position (high vs. low or front vs. back) with product or brand attribute expectations. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature in this field by demonstrating the importance of vowel length in sound symbolism, and more precisely, how it pertains to the taste continuum. Full article