The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects that a man's attitudes towards fathering have on the level of involvement with his children. Of particular interest was whether fathering attitudes moderated some of the more consistent predictors of involvement, such as relationship quality, maternal gatekeeping, mother's and father's employment hours, a man's history with his own father, family structure, and child characteristics. A sample of 2300 men was used to evaluate the effects of fathering attitudes on engagement and warmth among children ages 2 to 8 and 9 to 11. Results indicate an inconsistent main effect between fathering attitudes and the types of involvement among the two age groups. However, moderated multiple regression analysis revealed that, in many instances, fathering attitudes completely mitigated the effect of several of the traditional predictors of involvement. Among the younger group, men with high fathering attitudes maintained high levels of engagement despite poor history with their own father and high levels of work hours, and engagement increased as maternal employment hours increased. Warmth among these men also remained unchanged at high levels of maternal gatekeeping and low levels of relationship quality. In the older group, high father attitudes mitigated the effects of relationship quality and fathers' work hours on warmth. Attitudes did not moderate engagement among the older group.

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the associations among social support, gender, relationship quality, and self-care behaviors in patients with heart failure (HF). Specific aims were to: 1) compare the psychometric properties of the 12-item and the 9-item European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS) when used to measure self-care behaviors in patients with HF in the United States; 2) determine whether gender moderated the association between perceived social support and daily sodium intake in patients with HF; and 3) determine whether a patient’s gender and relationship with the primary family caregiver (spousal or non-spousal) moderated the association between relationship quality and HF self-care. For the first specific aim, reliability and validity of the 12-item and the 9-item EHFScBS were compared by measures of internal consistency of reliability, item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and hypothesis testing. The 12-item and the 9-item EHFScBS were valid and reliable when used to measure self-care behaviors in the United States. The 9-item EHFScBS was more homogenous with dimensions closer to the originally proposed dimensions when compared to the 12-item EHFScBS. The second specific aim was addressed by secondary analysis of data from The RICH Heart Program HF Registry. A hierarchical multiple regression model was used to determine whether gender moderated the association between social support and daily sodium intake. In our study, gender did not moderate the association between social support and daily sodium intake. The third specific aim was addressed using hierarchical multiple regression analyses to determine whether gender or relationship type moderated the association between relationship quality and HF self-care. Baseline data from an ongoing longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of a patient-caregiver dyadic intervention program were used in the analysis. Relationship quality was measured using the patient version of the Dyadic Relationship Scale, which consists of two subscales: positive dyadic interaction and negative dyadic strain. Heart failure self-care was measured using the 9-item EHFScBS. Positive dyadic interaction was associated with better HF self-care in female patients or patients with a non-spousal relationship with their family caregiver. This dissertation has fulfilled important gaps in the evidence base for the self-care of patients with HF. The findings from this dissertation provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the 9-item EHFScBS when used to measure HF self-care behaviors. It also provided recommendations for future research to measure directed social support to adopt a specific behavior, such as eating low sodium diet, instead of measuring the social support in general. It also emphasized the importance of examining the quality of the relationship between patients and their family caregivers. The findings also pointed to the need for interventions targeting the relationship quality to be tailored according to the patients’ gender or their relationship type with their family caregiver (spousal or non-spousal). A better understanding of how social factors can impact self-care behaviors in patients with HF is essential, as it gives researchers and healthcare providers the prospect of developing effective interventions to improve HF self-care.

Research has shown that being in a romantic relationship has related negatively with work-family conflict. Using social exchange theory, the investment model, and role theory, this study examined the relationships among the dimensions of perceived partner support, romantic relationship interdependence, and work-family conflict. A sample of 192 adults in paid employment, currently involved in a romantic relationship, were recruited from SurveyMonkey Contribute. Study participants completed online a demographic survey, the revised Support in Intimate Relationships Rating Scale (SIRRS), the Investment Model Scale, and work-family conflict scales. Correlation analyses showed that work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict correlated negatively with commitment and positively with quality of alternatives as hypothesized. As hypothesized, regression analyses showed that quality of alternatives and informational support explained unique variance in work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict and that commitment explained unique variance in family-to-work conflict. PROCESS mediation analyses showed partial support for the hypothesis of mediation. Quality of alternatives and commitment mediated the relationships between esteem/emotional support and family-to-work conflict and instrumental/tangible support and family-to-work conflict. Quality of alternatives mediated the relationships between informational support and work-to-family conflict, informational support and family-to-work conflict, and instrumental/tangible support and work-to-family conflict. The findings contribute to positive social change by offering added knowledge about the occurrence of work-family issues in the lives of employees representing a large percentage of the workforce.

Den här studien demonstrerar vilka effekter en säljares kompetens, serviceprestation och etiska beteende har på relationskvaliteten till kunder inom fastighetsmäklarbranschen, samt vilka effekter ett företagets rykte och prestation har på relationskvaliteten till kunder i fastighetsmäklarbranschen. Undersökningen genomförs för att få en förståelse för hur relationerna fördelar sig på företagen och försäljarna. Med en kvalitativ metod har undersökningen gjorts i form av intervjuer, med tio stycken kunder som har sålt deras bostäder inom de senaste två åren. Resultatet visade att kunderna har starkare relation till fastighetsmäklarna än till företagen. De flesta kunderna har inte upplevt någon relation alls till företagen, när kunderna står inför att sälja sin bostad, väljer de oftast fastighetsmäklaren oberoende av vilket företag dessa arbetar för. Den starkaste komponenten för att stärka relationskvaliteten till kunderna har visat sig vara säljarens serviceprestation. / This study demonstrates the effects of salesperson expertise, service performance and ethical behavior on relationship quality to customers in the real estate brokerage industry, and the impact corporate reputation and corporate performance have on relationship quality to customers in the real estate brokerage industry. The survey was conducted to gain an understanding of how relationships are divided into companies and salespersons. With a qualitative approach, the examination has been made by interviewing ten customers who have sold their properties within the last two years. The results showed that customers have stronger relationship with the real estate agents than with the companies. Most customers have not experienced any relation at all to the company, when the customers face to sell their properties, they usually choose the real estate agent regardless of which company they work for. The strongest component to enhance the relationship quality to customers has proven to be the seller's service performance.

Abstract In this research we focus on MLM companies in Taiwan area, interrelationship between each direct sales and how their own characteristics affect business. Our goal is to understand the uplink and downlink interrelationship in order to improve the their relationship in direct sales companies. This will promote the uplink to help downlink into fast development state and improve the business. As for MLM system, every direct sale does not have legal contract with MLM Company and every marketing unit act as an independent unit. On the other hand, every direct sales requires other units for support and makeup the whole MLM system. Therefore, the relationship between uplink and downlink is the base and strength element of MLM system. Researchers discover that direct sales joins in the MLM system is based on product requirement market more than open market or potential market. Therefore, all those direct sales need to take product requirement market into concern. If the product has large requirement market then it will be easier for the direct sales to expend their MLM system. For those people who did not join into direct sale their direct downlink will be their classmates and friends. In long term direct sales marketing, classmates and friends market are not enough, we need to walk out and open stranger market. In order to gain new market we need to continuously build up new relationship with all kind of people and only this will continuously expend the direct sales market. After direct sales join the MLM system, during the interaction with uplink it will go through initial state, enhance state, stable state and independent state four different states. Every single state will affect the relationship between uplink and downlink on how they build up, maintain and expend. During the direct sales time period we need to think of different tactics base on each state in order to achieve successful direct sales marketing. During each state when we are the uplink then we need to think how to lead the downlink into the whole system and make them become one of the whole system. In order to build up the long term relationship between direct sales and direct sales system is based on trust and mutually beneficial. In direct sales market the relationship between uplink and downlink makeup the base strength of the whole direct sales system. Therefore, enhance the relationship between the uplink and downlink is the key element in successful direct sales market. When direct sales are leading all the downlink they need to use admiration and inspirer as enhance elements. Let downlink learn, grow and independent and lead into road of success. Direct sales market mainly focus on ¡§duplicate¡¨. Therefore, uplinks pass all kind of successful ideas into downlinks and build up the strength base on the interaction between uplinks and downlinks. This is the truth strength behind the MLM.

Ownership-based consumption mode has been perceived as the normative ideal in how consumer-brand relationships are created. Today, Access-based consumption mode allows consumers to access brands among other consumers without needing to sole- or joint own them. Even though its popularity, there is a limited and quite unclear understanding of how Access-based consumption affects the consumer-brand relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent an Access-based consumption mode creates a consumer-brand relationship, compared to an Ownership- based consumption mode in the context of car brands. In order to fulfill our purpose, both a quantitative and qualitative research method was conducted on members of carpools representing Access-based consumption mode, and car owners representing Ownership-based consumption. A theoretical framework Brand Relationship Quality, composed of six dimensions was used to understand the consumer-brand relationship. Our research shows consistently that Access-based consumption creates a weaker relationship between consumers and car brands in all dimensions of BRQ-model compared to Ownership-based consumption. One group of dimensions identified to relate to emotional attachment; Intimacy, Brand-Self Connection and Love/Passion, have relatively higher difference between the two consumption modes. Another group of dimensions related to values of functionality and practicality; Commitment, Brand Partner Quality and Interdependence, have less difference.

Submitted by Luís Fernando Varotto (lvarotto@ig.com.br) on 2015-03-30T14:56:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Luís F Varotto - Franchisor- franchisee relationship and performance.pdf: 5577752 bytes, checksum: c2c0a5c8e14cab676f16eb65bfeaa9b3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by PAMELA BELTRAN TONSA (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2015-03-30T14:56:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Luís F Varotto - Franchisor- franchisee relationship and performance.pdf: 5577752 bytes, checksum: c2c0a5c8e14cab676f16eb65bfeaa9b3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-30T14:57:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Luís F Varotto - Franchisor- franchisee relationship and performance.pdf: 5577752 bytes, checksum: c2c0a5c8e14cab676f16eb65bfeaa9b3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-27 / Literature in franchise has virtually ignored the role of psychological aspects on firm interorganizational results, despite its influence on firm level results and relationship quality. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the influence of franchisees’ personality and entrepreneurial drive on franchisor-franchisee relationship quality and financial performance over time. The study also investigated the role of the time of relationship on the relationship quality and financial performance. This study used a self-report survey conducted by mail to collect data from a sample of 342 franchisees selected from 3 franchise networks. Personality was represented by the Big-Five personality traits (IPIP-B5 scales): extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and imagination. Entrepreneur drive was represented by the Carland Entrepreneurship Index (CEI). Relationship quality was conceptualized through a 23-item second-order construct (incorporating trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction), while financial performance was represented by using a scale measuring sales growth and profitability. Time of relationship was measured by the months of relationship between franchisee and franchisor. A Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation model, mean analysis, and regression analysis were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. Three of the five personality dimensions produced the predicted effect on the outcome variables of relationship quality – agreeableness (positively), emotional stability (positively), and imagination (positively). Financial performance was affected as predicted by conscientiousness (positively), emotional stability (positively), and imagination (positively). As expected, relationship quality presented a positive and significant effect on financial performance. Entrepreneurial drive showed the predicted positive effect only on performance. Time of relationship presented the positive predicted effect on the franchisor-franchisee relationship as regards relationship quality and financial performance; however, the hypothesized shape of the relationship phases could only partially be confirmed, since only between two phases (routine and stabilization) mean analysis showed significant differences. Results indicate that personality does in fact influence relationship quality and performance, but the manner in which this occurs differs from the Brazilian context where this research was conducted to the findings of research conducted in Australia, suggesting that factors such as culture and market stability may have influence on the relationship between personality traits and both relationship quality and financial performance. Entrepreneurial drive appears to positively influence franchisee performance, but its influence proved not to produce a significant impact on relationship quality. The present study’s results also indicate the importance of the time of relationship needed to foster relationship quality and performance. Moreover, long-term relationships are related to better franchisee relationship quality and financial performance assessments. Limitations of this work and suggestions for future studies are also discussed. / A literatura em franchising tem virtualmente ignorado o papel de aspectos psicologicos nos resultados interorganizacionais das empresas, a despeito de sua influencia nos resultados das organizações e da qualidade de relacionamento. Este estudo, portanto, tem por objetivo analisar a influência da personalidade e do potencial empreendedor na qualidade de relacionamento e desempenho financeiro na relação franqueador-franqueado, ao longo do tempo, sob a perspectiva dos franqueados. Este estudo analisa também o papel do tempo de relacionamento sobre a qualidade de relacionamento e o desempenho financeiro. Foi utilizado neste estudo um questionário de auto-preenchimento, enviado por e-mail, com o objetivo de recolher dados de uma amostra de 342 franqueados de 3 redes de franquias. A personalidade foi mensurada por meio dos “Cinco Grandes” traços de personalidade (escalas IPIP-B5): extroversão, agradabilidade, consciencia, estabilidade emocional e imaginação. O potencial empreendedor foi mensurado por meio do índice CEI (Carland Entrepreneurship Index). A qualidade do relacionamento foi estruturada como um constructo de segunda ordem, composto por 23 itens (incorporando confiança, comprometimento e satisfação com o relacionamento), e o desempenho financeiro foi representado por meio de uma escala de mensuração de crescimento de vendas e de rentabilidade. O tempo de relacionamento foi medido por meio dos meses de relacionamento entre franqueado e franqueador. As hipoteses foram testadas por meio de modelagem por equações estruturais, com a utilização do método de mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS), análise de regressão e análise de médias. Três das cinco dimensões da personalidade apresentaram o efeito previsto sobre as variáveis qualidade do relacionamento – agradabilidade (positivamente), estabilidade emocional (positivamente), e imaginação (positivamente). O desempenho financeiro foi influenciado, como previsto por consciência (positivamente), estabilidade emocional (positivamente), e imaginação (positivamente). Como esperado, a qualidade do relacionamento apresentou efeito positivo e significativo em relação ao desempenho financeiro. O potencial empreendedor apresentou o efeito positivo previsto apenas sobre desempenho. O tempo de relacionamento teve o efeito positivo esperado sobre o relacionamento franqueador-franqueado, em relação à qualidade do relacionamento e o desempenho financeiro, mas as diferenças entre as fases de relacionamento propostas foram apenas parcialmente confirmadas, uma vez que em somente duas fases (rotina e estabilização) a análise de médias mostrou diferenças significativas. Os resultados indicam que a personalidade influencia a qualidade de relacionamento e o desempenho, mas a meneira pela qual isso ocorre é diferente no contexto brasileiro, onde esta pesquisa foi realizada, dos achados da pesquisa conduzida na Austrália, sugerindo que fatores como cultura e estabilidade de mercado podem ter influencia sobre a relação entre traços de personalidade e qualidade de relacionamento, e traços de personalidade e desempenho financeiro. O potencial empreendedor parece influenciar positivamente o desempenho do franqueado, mas a sua influência não foi significativa em relação à qualidade do relacionamento. Os resultados também indicam a importância do tempo no desenvolvimento da qualidade de relacionamento e desempenho. Além disso, os relacionamentos de longo prazo estão relacionados a melhores avaliações de qualidade de relacionamento e desempenho financeiros por parte dos franqueados. As limitações do trabalho e sugestões para estudos futuros também são discutidos.

La qualité de la relation établie entre le visiteur médical et le médecin prescripteur influence la fidélité du médecin prescripteur envers le visiteur médical et son intention de prescrire un nouveau produit. Le choix de faire référence exclusivement au contenu de la relation par le concept de la relation, est une démarche originale dans le champ de la prescription, il est validé par les résultats de l’enquête. Si pour prescrire le médecin généraliste n’a pas besoin d’éléments autres que son expérience personnelle de ce médicament, l’influence de la fidélité envers le visiteur médical aura une faible importance. A l’inverse, pour une nouveauté médicamenteuse le médecin basera son intention de prescrire sur la qualité de la relation mise en place, mais également sur sa fidélité envers le visiteur médical, représentant d’un laboratoire. En isolant la variable sensibilité à l’innovation du médecin généraliste, nous pouvons démontrer son influence sur l’intention de prescrire un nouveau médicament. Or l’innovation est un enjeu majeur pour l’industrie pharmaceutique mais également pour le médecin, elle concerne à la fois la connaissance et la prescription des médicaments. L’information est complexe par la multiplicité des sources et le médecin devra appuyer sa décision de prescrire un nouveau médicament sur une caractéristique individuelle, sa propre sensibilité à l’innovation. Nos résultats montrent qu’en 2013 en France il est difficile d’élaborer des stratégies de lancement de médicament, en ignorant l’orientation relationnelle des médecins. Nos résultats mettent en évidence l’influence de la qualité de la relation sur l’intention de prescrire. Notre approche permettra, non seulement de mieux comprendre les mécanismes de création et de développement de la qualité de la relation entre le visiteur médical et le médecin généraliste, mais également de mesurer ce concept par l’intermédiaire de ses composants (confiance, satisfaction et engagement dans la relation). De même, la sensibilité à l’innovation est une caractéristique individuelle du médecin généraliste, que les responsables marketing lors des stratégies de ciblage des médecins, doivent prendre en compte avant un lancement. / The quality of the relationship between the pharmaceutical sales representative and the physician, influence the prescribing physician loyalty to the pharmaceutical sales representative, the relationship quality also influences the physician to prescribe a new product. The decision to refer exclusively to the contents of the relationship with the concept of the relationship, is a novel approach in the field of prescription, it is validated by the results of the investigation. If the general practitioner, to prescribe, does not need items other than his personal experience of this drug, the influence of loyalty to the health visitor will have little importance. Conversely, for a new drug the doctor will base its intention to prescribe on the quality of the established relationship, but also on his loyalty to the pharmaceutical representative, Isolating the variable sensitivity to innovation, of the general practitioner, we can demonstrate its influence on his intention to prescribe a new drug. But innovation is a major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry and also for the physician; it involves both knowledge and prescription of drugs. The information appears complex due to the multiplicity of sources and the doctor will base its decision to prescribe a new drug on personal characteristic, its own vision of the novelty, his own sensitivity to innovation. Our results show that in 2013 in France it is difficult to develop strategies to launch drug while ignoring the relational orientation of physicians. Our results highlight the influence of the quality of the relationship on the intention to prescribe. Our approach will not only allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of creation and development of the quality of the relationship between the pharmaceutical sales representative and the general practitioner, but also to measure this concept through its components (trust, satisfaction and commitment in the relationship). Similarly, sensitivity to innovation is an individual characteristic of the general practitioner, as marketers in targeting strategies physicians should consider before launch. Similarly, sensitivity to innovation is an individual characteristic of the general practitioner, as such; it must be taken in account when marketers are targeting strategies to them.

In order for firms to be able to compete on the market, it is of importance for them to create value for their customers. Value is not only the outcome from providing the customer with a product of high quality, since value co-creation can occur when firms interact with their customers and create strong relationships with them. Therefore, relationship quality is of interest for any firm that want to succeed with their sales proposals. However, although firms work with value creation for their customers, there is always a risk for the defection of customers. Firms need to gain knowledge about the reasons why customers decide to switch to another supplier. The aim of this study is to investigate why Swedish firms that operate in the industrial business-to-business (B2B) sector’s customers switch to another supplier, despite the supplying firms’ efforts in working with value creation. This is a qualitative study, where in-depth interviews have been conducted with employees at two different industrial, manufacturing companies. It was found that the aspects that have been stated as valuable for customers in business relationships; product quality, delivery, service, price, communication and distance, are also reasons why customers decide to leave a cooperation. Meaning that these aspects can create value for customers, however, when it is not managed properly there is a high risk that customers will switch suppliers since the value the firm created for the customer is not enough. In addition to this, factors that can be hard for firms to control, such as distance, time differences and language can have a great impact on customer value and retention.

Utvecklingen av digitaliseringen har resulterat i att pappersbaserade kontanter har effektiviserats till bankkort och internetbetalningar, vilket har möjliggjort att utförandet av bankärende kan göras dygnet runt och varsomhelst. Till följd av utvecklingen har den traditionella fysiska bankrelationen begränsats och övergått till en mer digital relation. Dessutom har den pågående pandemin påskyndat digitaliseringen och skapat ett nytt normalläge för bankverksamheten där en digital relation har blivit allt mer centrerad. Det har resulterat i att digitaliseringen idag inte längre är frivilligt utan ett mer framtvingat beteende. Därav är det viktigt att kvalitén i den digitala relationen tillgodoses för att bankerna ska bibehålla långvariga relationer. För att undersöka kvalitén i den digitala relationen utgår studien från relationskvalitet tillsammans med tre påverkande faktorer såsom engagemang, förtroende och tillfredsställelse. Till skillnad från tidigare forskning kommer studien att tillämpa relationskvalitet i en digital kontext, vilket gör att studien använder en annan form av empiri. Studien har valt att undersöka SME-bankrelationer eftersom de är en stor och viktig kundkrets och det är därför intressant att undersöka hur SME upplever kvalitén i den digitala relationen med banken idag.   Studiens metod baseras på en positivistisk filosofi med en deduktiv forskningsansats där befintliga teorier utgör studiens teoretiska referensram. En kvantitativ forskningsmetod har tillämpats för att samla in studiens empiriska data genom en internetenkät. Därefter utfördes en analys av studiens resultat som är baserat på svar från 176 respondenter, där resultatet påvisar att förtroende och tillfredsställelse påverkar kvalitén i den digitala SME-bankrelationen. / The development of the digitalization has resulted in a change from paper-based cash to card and internet payments. This change has made it possible to execute bank related activates all hours of the day and can be performed anywhere. As a result, the physical bank relations are limited and replaced by digital solutions. The on-going pandemic has accelerated the digitalization further, where the digital environment is the new normal. As a result, digitalization today is no longer voluntary but instead a more forced behavior. In order for the banks to retain long term customer relationships, it is critical that the quality is fulfilled despite the digital interactions. To investigate the quality of digital relations within banking, this study examines the quality of the relations together with three influential factors: engagement, trust and satisfaction. Unlike earlier research within this field, this study will apply the quality of the relations in a digital context, which results in an alternative empirical focus. The study investigates SME- bank relations since that is a large and important customer group. Therefore, it is of great interest to examine how SME experience the quality of digital solutions within banks. The method of this study is based on a positivistic philosophy with a deductive approach where the theoretical framework is based on previous research. A quantitative research method is applied to collect the empirical data through internet-based surveys. The result of the study was analyzed based on the answer from 176 respondents. The result shows that trust and satisfaction effects the quality of digital relations between banks and SME.