The effect of internet use on well-being: Meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis study was to investigate the effect of internet use on the components of well-being. Life satisfaction, well-being and self-esteem were evaluated as markers of well-being and their interaction with internet use was assessed. Publications in the literature were collated (N = 281) by investigating articles related to the topic. In light of criteria determined by the researcher, 23 studies were included in the analysis. This study comprised a sample group of 21,054 individuals. The mean age of the sample group was calculated as 20.32 years. According to the results of the analysis using the random effect model, internet use has a significant effect on well-being at low levels (k = 28, r = −0.18, p < 0.001). The components of well-being were used as moderator variables. Results of moderator analysis showed that the well-being components were not significant moderator variables of the effect of internet use on well-being (Qb = 1.34, df = 2, p > 0.05). According to the results of the research, internet use is an effective variable on well-being. The results are discussed in light of the literature.     

Investigating factors affecting social presence and user satisfaction with Mobile Instant Messaging

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence social presence and user satisfaction with Mobile Instant Messaging (mIM). The proposed research model integrates channel expansion, social influence, social presence and media richness theories, to explain how user experience, social influence, and medium richness influence social presence and user satisfaction with mIM. A total of 239 students from a state university in the US participated in this study. Data was collected via a web-based survey. The results suggest that user experience, social influence, and perceived richness are important drivers for social presence and user satisfaction in mIM. The implications of the study findings are discussed in the paper.     

A systematic approach for coupling user satisfaction with product design

A fundamental assumption in this paper is that user satisfaction depends on product design. The approach consists of 5 steps: (1) define user satisfaction, (2) decompose product design elements, (3) conduct experiments, (4) develop relationship models, and (5) analyse critical design features. In order to demonstrate the practicability of this approach, relationship models were developed based on experimental data using a total of 60 subjects (30 American and 30 Korean subjects). In addition, critical design features and their common properties were identified for audio/visual consumer products. Similarities and differences between American and Korean consumers were discussed. The resulting relationship models can be used to predict user satisfaction and provide significant remedies for design change.     

The role of relationship promoter in new product development collaboration

Since new product development (NPD) collaborations with external partners have become the next generation in NPD practices, relationship promoters have become especially relevant as key contributors to the success of this type of inter-organisational collaboration. To realise successful outcomes in NPD collaborations, partners face the challenge of effectively integrating the role of relationship promoter into their existing and essential relationships of trust. It is within this context that this paper examines the role of the relationship promoter, by analysing its moderating effect on the relationship between trust and the outcomes of NPD collaboration – including new product competitiveness and partner satisfaction. We test our hypotheses against survey data from 107 innovative firms involved in NPD collaboration with the help of relationship promoters. The results show that, while a non-significant influence can be reported about the presence of a relationship promoter in terms of partner satisfaction, the relationship promotor weakens the influence of trust on new product competitiveness, making trust less important when it comes to creating a competitive new product.     

Benchmarking thermoception in virtual environments to physical environments for understanding human-building interactions

Thermal comfort influences occupant satisfaction, well-being and productivity in built environments. Several decisions during the design stage (e.g., heating, ventilation, air conditioning design, color and placement of furniture, etc.) impact the building occupants’ thermoception (i.e., the sense by which animals perceive the temperature of the environment and their body). However, understanding the influence of design decisions on occupant behavior is not always feasible due to the resources needed for creating physical testbeds and the need for controlling several contributing factors to comfort and satisfaction. Virtual environments (environments created with virtual reality technology) are novel venues for studying human behavior. However, in order to use virtual environments in the thermoception domain, validation of these environments as adequate representations of physical environments (built environments) is imperative. As the first step towards this goal, we benchmarked virtual environments to physical environments under different thermal stimuli (i.e., hot and cold indoor air temperature). We identified perceived thermal comfort and satisfaction, perceived indoor air temperature, number and type of interactions as markers for the thermoceptive comparison of virtual and physical offices. We conducted an experiment with 56 participants and pursued a systematic statistical analysis. The results show that virtual environments are adequate representations of physical environments in the thermoception domain, especially for subjective perceived thermal comfort and satisfaction assessment. We also found that the type of first adaptive interactions could be used as the markers of thermoception in virtual environments.     

制造业新生代产业工人满意度分析

以制造业中的新生代产业工人为研究对象，以激励理论中的赫茨伯格双因素理论为支撑，分析影响制造业中新生代产业工人满意度的影响因素。总结出影响度较大的因素，并从企业角度出发，探讨企业对这些因素的可控性，提出一些合理化建议，以期对制造业中新生代产业工人的有效管理提供帮助。     

以内部营销提升企业服务质量

内部营销把员工看作是企业最初的内部市场,在把服务通过营销活动推向外部市场之前,先对内部员工进行营销。内部营销是企业提高服务质量的前提。为了有效开展内部营销,服务企业应进行内部市场调研,细分企业内部员工市场;加强培训,使员工树立顾客导向的服务观念;针对员工的需求,切实激励与认同;尊重员工,赋予员工适当的权利;加强信息交流与沟通,统一思想和行动。     

Microblogging,friendship maintenance,and life satisfaction among university students: The mediatory role of online self-disclosure

Despite a substantial literature suggests that computer-mediated communication impact individuals’ various psychosocial factors, relatively few studies have elucidated the underlying mechanism behind these associations. Building upon self-disclosure theory and previous studies, the principal purpose of this present research is to systematically explore the relationships among microblog utilization, online self-disclosure, friendship maintenance, and perceived life satisfaction. A web-based survey was implemented using a total of 426 university students in Northwestern China. Structural equation modeling reveals that intensity of microblog use is positively associated with these students’ friendship maintenance and life satisfaction. Additionally, online self-disclosure plays the crucial mediatory role in the relationships between microblog use, quality of relationships, and gratification with life. The results imply that as microbloggers disclosure their inner thoughts or emotional states with other users online, they could foster their friendship maintenance and obtain greater life satisfaction. However, contrary to the expectation, students’ friendship maintenance is not discovered to be a significant predictor of the sense of life satisfaction in the online environment. Overall, these obtained outcomes of the empirical work could offer new insights into the deep comprehending of the social psychological process of microblogging among younger generation in the new media context.     

Domestic demand-side response with heat pumps: controls and tariffs

ABSTRACT

Electric heat pumps feature prominently in projected energy transitions in the UK and elsewhere. Owing to their high electricity consumption, heat pumps are viewed as important targets for demand-side response (DSR). Findings are presented from a field trial of a new control system that aims to optimize heat pump performance, including under time-varying tariff conditions. The trial involved monitoring 76 properties with heat pumps, but without dedicated heat storage; 31 of these received the control system. Interviews were conducted with a subsample of 12 participants. The controller successfully evened out electricity demand over the day (reducing the evening peak), but this was associated with increased late night and daytime temperatures. Interview participants reported some disturbance owing to overnight heating and noise, as well as usability issues with the controller interface and hardware. These issues present risks to the future acceptability of such systems. While the system delivered short-term demand reductions successfully, longer-term demand shifting risked causing unacceptable disturbance to occupants. Future control systems could overcome some of the issues identified in this pioneering trial through more effective zoning, using temperature caps or installing dedicated heat storage, but these may either limit the available flexibility or be challenging to achieve.     

Food satisfaction: Integrating feelings before,during and after food intake

Consumers’ satisfaction is important for the food industry to ensure product success. Determinants to food satisfaction are multifactorial and a method approaching the multiple determinants would provide a detailed picture of determinant behind consumers’ hedonic food appreciation.The aims of this study were (1) to develop a method that could give detailed information about sensory- and food satisfaction (2) to study differences in sensory satisfaction in a case study, and (3) to study the factors related to food satisfaction. Focus group interviews and a literature study provided an overview of factors with potential to affect food satisfaction. A total of four questionnaires, covering factors before-, during- and after intake as well as demographics, were developed to measure factors related to satisfaction. The questionnaires were utilised in a cross-over consumer study with 79 subjects consuming two sensory different variants of chicken soup. Soups were sensory evaluated utilising expert statements. The consumer study showed that sensory satisfaction was highly influenced by liking of taste and appearance, whereas liking of odour and texture influenced sensory satisfaction moderately. Food satisfaction was influenced by factors measured during- and post intake; sensory satisfaction, fulfilment of expectations, reason for ending intake, product performance relative to expectations, hunger and fullness after intake were found highly influential in food satisfaction. Pre-intake factors did not substantially influence food satisfaction. Though the use of multiple variables gave a detailed picture of factors involved in food satisfaction, there was still variation in food satisfaction that remained unaccounted.