• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.5-14
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• 2015

Purpose - Loyalty programs enable retailers to maintain longer and better customer relationships. In successful services, customers actively use and value these programs. As the proximity to the goal (goal gradient) might signal active participation, this study empirically examines customer's goal gradient behavior in a multi-vendor loyalty program. We also consider the effect of customer's accrual diversity on goal gradients, which is a differentiating feature in a multi-vendor loyalty program, and is further examined. Research Design, Data, and Methodology - The data consists of6,646 OK Cashbag members' individual transaction records from 2006 to 2009. The goal gradient hypothesis was tested as an increase in both the speed and the amount of accumulated award points. Result - The findings suggest that the goal gradient is also observed in a multi-vendor loyalty program, occurring more strongly among members with high accrual diversity. Conclusions - The results indicate that customers with high accrual diversity attend strongly to goal gradients in multi-vendor loyalty programs; hence, it is important for such program managers to better inform members about affiliated partners.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.202-208
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• 2005

The genetic algorithm (GA) which is one of the popular optimum algorithm has been used to solve a variety of optimum problems. Because it need not require the gradient of objective function and is easier to find global solution than gradient-based optimum algorithm using the gradient of objective function. However optimum method using the GA and the finite element method (FEM) takes many computational time to solve the optimum structural design problem which has a great number of design variables, constraints, and system with many degrees of freedom. In order to overcome the drawback of the optimum structural design using the GA and the FEM, the author developed a computer program which can optimize frame structures by using the GA and the generalized transfer stiffness coefficient method. In order to confirm the effectiveness of the developed program, it is applied to optimum design of plane frame structures. The computational results by the developed program were compared with those of iterative design.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

The goal-gradient hypothesis states that the tendency to approach a goal increases with the increasing proximity of the goal (Hull 1932). It was initially supported with an evidence of animal experiments and since then, several papers have investigated the goal-gradient hypothesis in humans. Although there are some evidences related to the goal-gradient hypothesis in human behaviors, none of previous studies can properly explain its underlying mechanism, and what's more, they were not able to suggest useful managerial applications in human behaviors. From these perspectives, this work points out that there are some theoretical weaknesses to apply the goal-gradient hypothesis into the complicated human decision-making behaviors and proposes an alternative theoretical mechanismthat underlies the goal-gradient hypothesis in human. Finally, it offers insights into managerial implications of the goal-gradient hypothesis in the marketing field. This study focuses on the changes in motivations for achieving goals, in terms of how approaches to goals vary according to temporal distance from those goals. Specifically, the temporal construal theory (Liberman and Trope 1998) is considered as the underlying mechanism of the goal-gradient in that the temporal construal theory argues how the temporal distance from a goal makes people change their associated values regarding to that goal. According to the temporal construal theory, the value of distant future outcomes (near future outcomes) is construed on the basis of abstract and central features (concrete and peripheral features), and it argues that distant future situations are construed on a higher level than near future situations. This means that the value associated with the high-level construal is enhanced over delay, whereas the value associated with the low-level construal is discounted over delay. Our propositions suggest that the goal-gradient behavior in human can be motivated by the different aspects or characteristics of the goal as time changes based on the temporal construal theory. Thus, the following propositions are proposed. P 1-1: If the goal is far away, consumers put more value on the central features that are more associated with the desirability of the goal. P 1-2: If the goal is far away, consumers put more effort into accomplishing the goal that has more central features, regardless of its peripheral features. P 2-1: If a goal is near, consumers put more value on the peripheral features that are more associated with the feasibility of the goal. P 2-2: If a goal is near, consumers put more effort into accomplishing the goal that has more peripheral features, regardless of its central features. We hope to provide sufficient managerial implications for the companies as our research aims to show how consumers react differently as they progress toward the goal. Proposed propositions may provide guidance for companies developing a loyalty program, enabling them to understand what kinds of benefits or services they should provide or emphasize to consumers in loyalty programs on the basis of the time-dependent changes in outcome values (such as gifts, reward coupons). The effects of temporal distance from a goal should inform companies' marketing activities and help themto determine where emphasis should be placed in designing the benefits of their loyalty program.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.22
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• pp.30.1-30.1
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• 1997

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2003

In this reseach, a seepage test is carried out for three kinds of soil using a upward seepage equipment. Reliability about the existing method of pipining investigation were verified making an estimate of the critical velocity, the critical hydraulic gradient, and hydraulic conductivity and so on. Also, sensitive analyses were carried out using Plaxis that is FEM Program about design factors of scour. The height of core had a big infulence on the hydraulic gradient of the embankment's lower part in the result of sensitive anaylsis. Also, second only to the height of core, and the slope of embankment, the width of crest had influence on scour. However, the change of hydraulic gradient in the effluent gateway had a little influence on the crest width of core. Using these results of sensitive analysis on designing, hydraulic gradient in the effluence gateway turned out to be reducing by altering design factors that change of sensitiveness is big, in case of the hydraulic gradient bigger than the standard hydraulic gradient.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.953-957
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• 1994

Pseudospectral Hartree-Fock(PSHF) gradient calculations with $6-31G^{**}$ basis set have been carried out to determine the structure of D-Asparagine molecule $(C_4N_2O_3H_8)$ with improved grids and with the BFGS method. The modified PSHF method, despite partial optimization of the gradient code, turned out to be still faster than the conventional ab initio method, GAUSSIAN 90 program by more than twice. The optimum geometry of D-Asparagine obtained by the PSHF method is in good agreement with those calculated by the GAUSSIAN 90 program (within 0.0036 ${\AA}$ for bond lengths, 0.8 degrees for bond angles, and 1.6 degrees for torsional angles) except for three torsional angles. Here, rather large discrepancy of these three torsional angles (5-6 degrees) is attributed to the small differences in the optimum bond lengths and angles between the PSHF and GAUSSIAN 90 calculations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.4 s.76
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• pp.95-101
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• 2006

It is well known that the thermal load in PSC(prestressed concrete) box-girder bridge is the principal cause of detrimental crack. The longitudinal stress caused by the lateral stress from the temperature gradient in slab of PSC box-girder bridge has a considerable influence on the durability and economy of bridge structures. As the basic study for the rational consideration of thermal load and the derivation of design guide, the inverse thermal analysis program for PSC box-girder bridges using field measurement data is developed. In this paper, thermal analyses are performed using field monitoring data for the sample PSC box-girder bridge. It is proposed that the link between monitoring program and the inverse analysis program is available.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.66.2-66.2
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• 2005

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.149-151
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• 2005

We have studied the environmental effect on optical-NIR color gradients of 273 nearby elliptical galaxies. Color gradient is a good tool to study the evolutionary history of elliptical galaxies, since the steepness of the color gradient reflects merging history of early types. When an elliptical galaxy goes through many merging events, the color gradient can be get less steep or reversed due to mixing of stars. One simple way to measure color gradient is to compare half-light radii in different bands. We have compared the optical and near infrared half-light radii of 273 early-type galaxies from Pahre (1999). Not surprisingly, we find that $r_e(V)s$ (half-light radii measured in V-band) are in general larger than $r_e(K)s$ (half-light radii measured in K-band). However, when divided into different environments, we find that elliptical galaxies in the denser environment have gentler color gradients than those in the less dense environment. Our finding suggests that elliptical galaxies in the dense environment have undergone many merging events and the mixing of stars through the merging have created the gentle color gradients.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.468-473
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• 2005

The energetics of nitrate uptake by intact cells of the halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica were investigated. Nitrate uptake was inhibited by various protonophores suggesting the coupling of nitrate uptake to the proton motive force. An artificially-generated pH gradient across the membrane (${\Delta}pH$) caused an increase of nitrate uptake. In contrast, the suppression of ${\Delta}pH$ resulted in a decrease of nitrate uptake. The increase of external pH also resulted in an enhancement of nitrate uptake. The generation of the electrical potential across the membrane ($\Delta\psi$) resulted in no elevation of the rate of nitrate uptake. On the other hand, the valinomycin-mediated dissipation of $\Delta\psi$ caused no depression of the rate of nitrate uptake. Thus, it is unlikely that $\Delta\psi$ participated in the energization of the uptake of nitrate. However, $Na^+$-gradient across the membrane was suggested to play a role in nitrate uptake since monensin which collapses $Na^+$-gradient strongly inhibited nitrate uptake. Exogenously added glucose and lactate stimulated nitrate uptake in the starved cells. N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of ATPase, could also inhibit nitrate uptake suggesting that ATP hydrolysis was required for nitrate uptake. All these results indicate that nitrate uptake in A. halophytica is ATP-dependent, driven by ${\Delta}pH$ and $Na^+$-gradient.