In this paper, we present the result of investigations pertaining to the elastic buckling of simply supported columns with various cross-sectional dimensions but the same length and volume. In the investigations the accuracy of the analysis methods is studied and it was found that the result obtained by the successive approximations technique is the most accurate. In addition, the elastic buckling loads of columns with variable cross-section dimensions are obtained by the theoretical and numerical methods. From the results, it was found that the buckling loads obtained by the numerical methods are close to the buckling loads obtained by the successive approximations technique for the practical standpoints. Moreover, the buckling load of column with convexity in its middle is the highest while the buckling load of the tapered column is the lowest as expected.

In recent decades, there has been an increasing interest in the use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in aerospace, renewable energy and other industries, due to its low weight and relatively good mechanical properties compared with traditional metals. However, due to the high cost of petroleum-based precursors and their associated processing costs, CF remains a specialty product and as such has been limited to use in high-end aerospace, sporting goods, automotive, and specialist industrial applications. The high cost of CF is a problem in various applications and the use of CFRP has been impeded by the high cost of CF in various applications. This paper presents an overview of research related to the fabrication of low cost CF using polyethylene (PE) control technology, and identifies areas requiring additional research and development. It critically reviews the results of cross-linked PE control technology studies, and the development of promising control technologies, including acid, peroxide, radiation and silane cross-linking methods.

하워드 스나이더(Howard A. Snyder)는 신학교 시절에 배운 “우리가 이미 믿고 있는 것을 확인하기 위해서가 아니라 성경이 실제로가르치고 있는 것을 찾기 위해, 그것이 우리의 가정을 단단하게 하기도하고 부수기도 하는” 귀납적 성경연구를 오랫동안 계속해서 추구해왔다고 한다. 이 글은 필자가 나름대로 변혁적 효과를 탐구하며 그 동안 꾸준히 해온 귀납적 성경연구라는 여행의 발견물의 일부이다. 타문화권선교는 무엇보다도 어떤 마음과 태도로 선교하느냐, 즉 선교 자세가 꾸준히 해온 귀납적 성경연구라는 여행의 발견물의 일부이다. 타문화권선교는 무엇보다도 어떤 마음과 태도로 선교하느냐, 즉 선교 자세가 가장 중요하다는 필자의 그동안의 지론의 연장선상에 놓인 글이다. 창세기 12장부터 하나님은 인류를 복 주시려는 새롭고도 적극적인전략을 펼치면서 한 가계를 선택하고 그들에게 집중한다. 창세기 12장 부터는 아브라함과 그의 후손들이 거룩한 역사의 거의 유일한 주제인양 다뤄진다. 아서 글라서(Arthur F. Glasser)는 아브라함이 결과적으로‘선교의 선구자’가 되었다고 정리한다. 필자는 이스라엘의 족장 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱은 타문화권 선교사의 롤 모델, 즉 본보기로서 손색이 없다고 본다. 이 글에서 모델이라는 개념은 스코트 모로(A. Scott Moreau)가 분류한 물질적, 은유적, 이론적이라는 세 가지 범주 가운데두 번째인 은유적인 용도로 사용한다. 족장들은 타문화권 선교사가 열망하는 하나의 이상이라는 의미에서 모델이 될 수 있다. 고로 족장들 의 삶에서 타문화권 선교사의 본보기를 추출하고자 한다. 그들이 타문화권 선교사의 전형(典型) 즉 기준이나 규범이 될 수 있다고 보기 때문이다. 이 연구를 통해 필자는 타문화권 선교사의 기준이 될 만한 이론적틀을 찾아본다. 아브라함에게서는 관계 성공하는 선교사, 이삭에게서는 우물을 넘겨주는 선교사, 야곱에게서는 우물 아귀의 돌을 옮기는 선교사라는 틀을 찾아낸다. 하나님과는 믿음과 순종의 관계를, 현지인들과는 사랑의 관계를 맺은 아브라함은 가히 타문화권 선교사의 선구자 라 할 만하다. 순종과 양보의 대명사인 이삭의 삶은 이양과 출구전략이라는 측면에서 타문화권 선교사의 훌륭한 교과서로서 손색이 없다. 전략적 계획의 대가로서 타이밍과 목표와 단계적 접근의 중요성을 포괄적으로 잘 활용한 야곱은 타문화권 선교사의 좋은 본보기가 된다.많은 일을 겪으면서 사는 것에 더해 하나님의 일을 해야 하는 타문화권선교사가, 삼대에 걸쳐 창세기를 아름답게 수놓은 족장들인 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱이 밟아 마침내 길이 된 타문화권 선교라는 지난한 길을 잘 걸어가는 모습을 그려본다.

Expensive handbags, in particular, luxury designer handbags are incredibly popular among fashionable women. This is why many fashion houses such as Chanel and Hermes offer handbags as another product line as part of their accessories category (Juggessur, 2011). Some retailers claim that owning a luxury designer handbag worth more than £1,000 can make financial sense to middle-class women, who may not spend as much on clothing, but view an expensive luxury designer handbag as an investment piece which can be used every day, adding a touch of glamour (Juggessur, 2011). The global handbag market encompasses exceedingly dynamic players and an expanding consumer base, which is expected to flourish due to increasing demand from emerging markets and strong performances by the international luxury brands (Digital Luxury Group, 2013). The top 10 markets for luxury handbags, collectively gathered over 120 million online searches, demonstrating substantial global demand for the world’s most covetable luxury items (Digital Luxury Group, 2013) (see Figure 1) . Figure 1: demand of luxury handbag globally (Digital Luxury Group, 2013) The country subjects are UK and Indonesia. Despite the fact that both of Indonesia and UK are reflected as positive luxury market (Digital Luxury Group, 2013; Euromonitor, 2014), both of the countries have differences which may lead to different motivation of luxury purchase. Indonesia is emerging market, while UK is a mature market. The rise of emerging market makes difference. Back then, individualist country is more refer to western developed countries, while collectivistic country is refer to eastern developing countries (Hofstede, 2011; Shukla, 2012). Nowadays, emerging countries are catching up with developed countries (Nielsen, 2013). Increasing exposure to global media and the depiction of western lifestyles in local media seem to have increased the desire for high-quality goods and services among consumers in emerging markets (Belk, 1999). With regards to luxury products and services, studying the consumption patterns in emerging markets is particularly important due to the phenomenal growth of luxury consumption among consumers in these markets (Shukla, 2012). For example, according to Bain and Company (2012), 85 per cent of all luxury stores will be opening in emerging markets over the coming decade. Moreover, recent studies highlight the significantly strong influence of the materialism trait with luxury consumption in emerging markets (Lertwannawit and Mandhachitara, 2011; Podoshen et al., 2011). As predicted by BCG (2010), in 2015, emerging-market cities will account for around 20 per cent which is $2.6 trillion of the total global consumption of clothing and house as a priority of future expenditures. The key consumer base for luxury goods has long since left Europe, moving West to the United States, but also East to the Gulf States and Asia, and South to Latin America, particularly Brazil (Business of Fashion, 2014). Luxury companies are no longer focusing for mature market. However, luxury goods enable consumers to satisfy their material as well as socio-psychological needs to a greater degree than regular goods (Vigneron and Johnson, 2004; Wiedmann et al., 2009). Luxury brands are one of the most profitable and fastest-growing brand segments, yet at the same time, the social influences associated with luxury brands are poorly understood and under investigated (Shukla, 2010; Wiedmann et al., 2009; Tynan et al., 2010). Increasing exposure to global media and the depiction of western lifestyles in local media seem to have increased the desire for high-quality goods and services among consumers in emerging markets (Belk, 1999). With regards to luxury products and services, studying the consumption patterns in emerging markets is particularly important due to the phenomenal growth of luxury consumption among consumers in these markets (Shukla, 2012). From those passages, it can be inferred that emerging market countries are the targets of luxury brand companies to invest in the market. Culture is changing: The rise of Emerging Market As previously discussed in the second chapter, when the political, societal, and economic environments change, people's cultural values also change. Thus, many cultural theories should be updated and re-evaluated periodically. Hence, Wu (2006) said that Individualistic vs. Collectivistic Dimension theory is no longer applicable. Additionally Saiq et al. (2014) said that Hofstede’s Individualistic Dimension work is too old and can’t be effectively implemented in the era of rapidly changing environment, convergence and globalization. The arguments by Wu (2006) and Saiq et al. (2013) is supporting Bian and Forsythe (2012) which argue that culture is changing as a consequence of the increasingly global economy especially in emerging market, converging in the direction of greater individualism. As a result, collectivist societies might adopt some individualistic elements, but this would not change their societal identity or their social label as a collective society (Bian and Forsythe, 2012). The contrasts between few contemporary studies of luxury value perception in Individualistic vs. Collectivistic Country (Bian Forsythe; 2012, Li et al, 2012; Shukla and Purani, 2012) (see Table 1) are leading to confusion in understanding value perception on luxury purchase between individualistic country vs. collectivistic country. For an instance, according to Li et al. (2012), a collectivistic country (China) has high consideration of functional value dimension for luxury purchase, but according to Shukla and Purani (2012), a collectivistic country (India) has low consideration of functional value perception for luxury purchase. Another example, according to Bian and Forsythe (2012), an individualistic county (US) consider high personal and social value dimension for luxury purchase, but according to Shukla and Purani (2012), individualistic country (UK) consider low personal and social value dimension on the luxury purchase. The study results were supporting a statement of Shukla (2012) that culture is not static and it keeps changing Table 1: The contrast between study results about value perception across culture Impact on the Future Brand Strategy Consumer value plays as critical role at the heart of all marketing movement and hence undoubtedly deserves attention of every consumer scholars (Holbrook, 1999) especially, in the next decade, customer is predicted as the key orientation of luxury business (BCG Report, 2014) (see Figure 2). The current crisis in luxury marketing area is encouraging companies to look more deeply into the links between consumers and luxury brands (Godey et al., 2013). Consumption of luxury products is based on two main reasons: the purchase for one’s self, for pleasure and purchase as a symbol of success (Godey et al., 2013). Nevertheless, whatever the perspective chosen, the brand remains the main vehicle for connecting with the consumer (Godey et al., 2013).To understand the right brand strategy, the purpose of this study is to identify the constructs of perceived peer communication in social media activities of luxury fashion brands, and to evaluate the influence of those activities on purchase intention in the UK and Indonesia. This research will propose a strategy to enhance brands' performance by defining specific factors relating to purchase intention. Moreover, the findings will enable luxury brands to forecast customer purchasing behaviour. The full conceptual model of this study can be found on Figure 2. Figure 2: The conceptual model of the study Methodology Steenkamp and Baumgartner (1998) suggest using a structural equation modelling approach for cross-culture study. SEM analysis has been successfully applied by many scholars to measure luxury value perception (Bian & Forysthe, 2012; Shukla, 2012; Casidy, 2012; Monkhouse et al., 2013; Hennigs et al., 2013). The structural equation design of this study is illustrated on Figure 3. The method of self-completion questionnaire allows for a greater geographical coverage than face-to-face interviews without incurring the additional costs of time and travel and they are particularly useful when carrying out research with geographically dispersed populations (Seale, 2012). Self-completed questionnaires were distributed to thirty students with snowball sampling by online survey to each country (UK and Indonesia) and twenty valid samples were utilised from each country. Criterion sampling strategy reviews all cases that meet predetermined criteria (Patton, 2002). Both criterion and snowball sampling techniques were components of a purposeful sampling strategy designed to identify participants with this criteria: A. Originally from and live in Indonesia or originally from and live in the UK. B. Having experience in purchasing at least one of luxury handbag. Figure 3: The structural equation design of the study Result There are significant differences of value perception on luxury handbag between Indonesian consumers and UK consumers. Indonesian consumers are highly influenced by Social Value Perception while British consumers are less influenced by Social Value Perception when buying luxury handbags. British luxury handbag consumers are more focusing on the Functional Value Perception which is not much considered by Indonesian consumers. However, consumers from both countries are highly influenced by Personal Value Perception.

Generation X and baby boomers represent a significant group that are willing to spend. According to the American Express Open Forum (2013), baby boomers in America between the age 49 and 65 are more in favor of spending than any other consumer group. The Hyundai Research Institute (2015) stated that the market size for baby boomers will increase over 18% annually in Korea. Equally important is generation X, because this group is also reaching a high-earning stage of their lives (Luxury Daily, 2011). Further, they are predicted to take the place of baby boomers as a cash cow for marketers (American Express Open Forum, 2014).This lucrative demographic of baby boomers and generation X is a potential gold mine. Despite the fact that these groups are showing such interest in spending, brands and retailers are not giving them the same amount of attention. While more middle-aged women want to dress more youthfully, retailers and brands are not evolving their products at the same pace (USA Today, 2008). They are finding it difficult to find a solution to meet the needs of this aging but youthful group (USA Today, 2008). Brands such as Chico’s and Ann Taylor are not providing the styles that the women want, so boomers turn to younger brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, and Forever 21 (Forbes, 2008). But the younger brands are not satiating their needs, either (Forbes, 2008). While the boomers and generation X are harnessing fashion economic control, the players in the market are lagging behind. To understand what the market must do to meet the apparel needs of baby boomers and generation X, it is pivotal to delve into how they feel about their age and how it affects the factors that influence their purchasing. According to Schiffman and Sherman (1991), aging is more of a state of mind than a physical state. Understanding older consumers through cognitive age (self-perceived age) has been done by many researchers (Sudbury & Simcock, 2009; Szmigin & Carrigan, 2012). Cognitive age indicates how older people view themselves in the context of aging. Barak and Schiffman (1981) stated that elderly respondents identified themselves as a younger age group when they were asked about their age-related feelings and actions. Equally important is understanding how cognitive age affects the physical self, which in this study, is body cathexis. Body cathexis, according to Labat and DeLong (1990), is “the evaluative dimension of body image and is defined as a positive and negative feeling towards one’s body.” While women may feel younger than they actually are, the body is inevitably aging. As Jang and Yoo (2011) reported after studying Korean women in their 40s and 50s, the correlation between cognitive ages and ideal body images were significant, and the younger they feel, the younger body images they desired. In addition, the physical self highly influences a person’s choice of clothing and how they perceive clothing in general (Kwon & Parham, 1994). When clothing is used in a positive manner, it can boost one’s self-confidence (Alexander, Connell, & Presly, 2005). It is also thought to be an extension of the physical self (Horn & Gurel, 1981). By understanding what middle-aged women seek when buying clothes, we can assume how satisfied they are about their body. Thus, the clothing benefits items and purchasing behavior of middle-aged women would most likely reflect the function of their clothing and how they perceive themselves.

The global luxury market is relentlessly growing over the last few decades, defying the global economic crisis. It is estimated that the luxury market is made up by a continuously enlarging heterogeneous group of 330 to 380 million consumers worldwide. The consumption of luxuries goes beyond the riches and wealth of countries, as the highest luxury spenders are to be found in places like the Middle East, Japan, and China. Luxury goods’ penetration relatively to GDP is low in countries like Germany and the U.S. and high in Italy, France, and South Korea. Wealth and economics alone cannot explain the economics underlying luxury consumption; culture is an important driver of growth in this sector. Culture gives meaning to luxuries, affects the perceived value and motivations to buy luxury goods, and determines luxuries’ signaling power and potency as differentiators and identity signifiers. Today, despite the size, growth and geographical spread of the luxury goods market, cross-cultural research is limited and rather scattered in different fields. Much of the research undertaken draws from Hofstede’s typology of culture and focuses on a narrow range of conceptual issues. The purpose of this presentation is to review and summarize existing cross-cultural research on luxury products and to identify fruitful future research directions that will expand our understanding of luxury goods marketing. In addition, attention will be given to examining current trends and behaviors in the field

Reviewing survey research published in the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management during the years 2010 – 2014, we highlight two areas where theory testing in global and cross-cultural fashion marketing would benefit from improvement. In particular, cross-sectional, single-source research designs and alternative explanations threaten the internal validity of the literature. Our aim is to discuss how a series of well-established survey preparation techniques and post hoc tests can overcome these threats and strengthen the findings stemming from global and cross-cultural fashion marketing research. At the core of our recommendations are recent advances in common method variance testing and covariate analysis. We discuss how these prescriptions can be used to advance theories related to large-scale global and cross-cultural fashion marketing research efforts.

The purpose of this paper is to explore underlying motivations relating to the purchase of counterfeit luxury brands. Due to an increased demand for counterfeit goods in the luxury sector, understanding the motivations and determinants of counterfeit purchasing behaviour is becoming increasingly important for both academics and managers (Wee et al 1995; Perez et al 2010; Bian and Moutinho 2011). Counterfeit products rely on original brand features and leverage the brand’s evocative power and symbolic values, even if they don’t possess its intrinsic attributes and original materials. Therefore, consumers might choose a specific brand (and the associated brand values) and in the meantime compromise on the functional values of the product itself, because they are attracted more towards the symbolic features of recreating a brand experience (Gentry et al. 2001). This “brand importance” in counterfeit consumption represents for Grossman and Shapiro (1988) the possibility for consumers to “unbundle the quality and prestige attributes of branded products”, so that counterfeit consumers can “enjoy the status of displaying a prestigious label without paying for a high-quality product” (Grossman and Shapiro, 1988, p.98). Wiedmann et al (2012, p. 554) highlight the need to “examine the reasons why consumers choose the counterfeit over the authentic product,” arguing that an understanding of counterfeit purchase behaviour has to be informed by an understanding of the motivational value dimensions related to genuine luxury brands and goods. This paper uses their luxury value framework to explain the values related to counterfeit consumption. This study focuses on European consumers of luxury products, specifically Italians and Germans. Using a qualitative research approach we were able to evaluate consumers’ multidimensional luxury and counterfeit consumption decision making patterns. Since counterfeit is ultimately an illegal trend, there was a risk that consumers might not want to discuss their perspectives in front of other peers (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Hence, in order to avoid the appearance of potential bias linked to social desirability issues, this research has been structured around in-depth interviews. These semi-structured interviews were informed by existing literature (Saunders et al., 2009). Overall, the sampling frame had to exhibit different socio-demographic psychographic characteristics, so to give a more widespread overview on the response type. Therefore, the sample consisted of consumers with a differentiated educational and employment background and different lifestyles. All respondents were domiciled in larger cities, which increased the possibility for previous interaction with the counterfeit market. Analysis focused on the key themes and patterns that that emerged throughout the interview process (Yin, 2011). Findings have shown how there are major differences in how German and Italian respondents value and engage with counterfeit consumption. Indeed, the research has underlined the presence of varied counterfeit value dimensions that are linked to a consumer’s own luxury values (Wiedmann et al., 2012). Moreover, while luxury consumption is motivated by a consumer’s intrinsically and extrinsically driven desires, counterfeit consumption has been assessed to be motivated more by the values attached to the financial or functional dimensions of a counterfeit product, which complies with past researches on consumer’s value consciousness and on the possibility to engage with short-term trends without the economic investment of purchasing a genuine product (Geiger-Oneto et al., 2012). The research outcome emphasises how consumers from both countries are stimulated to engage with counterfeit goods according to the values they attach to. Since the evaluated consumers are mainly also active luxury goods purchasers, who therefore are aware of and can recognise the difference between a genuine and non-genuine good, it appears as restrictive and ineffective to highlight differences between luxury and counterfeit goods. Additionally, as highlighted by Hieke (2010) and Hart et al. (2004), the more consumers grow familiar with purchasing counterfeit goods, the more they reduce dramatically the consideration they have for the illicitness of this purchase behaviour. The contribution of this study is twofold; theoretical and managerial. Using Wiedmann et al’s (2012) framework we develop theory by delineating motivations of counterfeit buying behaviour. We present practical suggestions to managers for mitigating against the negative impact of counterfeiting on legitimate luxury brands.

A survey of 570 adolescents reveal that attitudes toward luxury fashion brands rely on a balance between desires for assimilation (i.e., susceptibility to peers’ influence) and individuation (i.e., need for uniqueness); innovativeness mediates these relationships and culture plays a moderated mediation effect.

Background & Research Objectives The ever-changing nature of fashion and multicultural consumption motives shape and challenge the contemporary global fashion world. To some extent, it has been experienced that individuals across countries engage in similar fashion movements simultaneously. Therefore, it may be assumed that there partially exists a homogenized, transnational global consumer segment when it comes to the purchase of clothing items. Nevertheless, on the other hand, there still remain several divergences in the consumption behavior of fashion products around diverse parts of the world (Yurchisin & Johnson, 2010). It is universally agreed that consumers engage in shopping with specific decision-making modes and styles which make the search for a common instrument that is able to describe the purchase orientation of fashion consumers across cultures quite problematic and challenging. Indeed, according to the buyer´s cultural backgrounds, fashion consumption motives and the benefits searched for when buying an apparel product could be very different (Tahmid, 2012).Today´s fashion consumer is characterized by a continuously evolving set of complex wants and needs that can be satisfied by a wide variety of competing alternatives (Pandey & Dixit, 2011). The different aspirations and motivations which consumers express are generally shaped by various shopping outcomes which they are prone to achieve (Yurchisin & Johnson, 2010).Motivation is described as an internal state that activates goal-oriented behaviour. It refers to the processes that lead people to behave as they do. It occurs when a need is aroused that the consumer wishes to satisfy. The need creates a state of tension that drives the consumer to attempt to reduce or eliminate it. This need may be utilitarian (i.e., a desire to achieve some functional or practical benefit) or it may be hedonic (i.e., an experiential need, involving emotional responses or fantasies). Marketers try to create products and services to provide the desired benefits and help the consumer to diminish this tension (Solomon, 2013).It is advocated that fashion consumption is made up of two major categories of drivers, namely social consumption motives and individual consumption motives which both represent psychological determinants. Those psychological factors influencing apparel purchase behavior can be separated into rational, emotional (perceptional) and patronage motives (Diamond, 2005). Rational motives replicate a pragmatic orientation, such as quality- or price consciousness in purchase behavior. In contrast, emotional drivers include, amongst others, motivations linked to physical vanity and fashion consciousness, adventure-, gratification- and pleasure seeking, materialism, status and conspicuousness, impulsive and compulsive consumption. Patronage motives, on the other hand, reflect habitual buying and for instance are connected to brand-consciousness and store loyalty (Diamond, 2005). By profiling international apparel consumers based on their individual decision-making styles and modes, more meaningful ways to identify and understand different cross-cultural customer segments are offered. As a result, fashion industries are able to target each customer segment with more focused marketing-strategies, based on their motives and aimed-for benefits linked to purchasing clothing products.This topic raises a number of important questions for researchers and practitioners. To the authors´ knowledge no empirical contributions to compare and contrast prevalent motives of apparel consumption in Western nations exist. Hence, in order to fill this research gap and broaden this important research area, this explorative study focuses on the identification and discussion of similarities and differences in buying characteristics between the USA, France, Germany and Austria by analyzing valuable motives that have not yet been empirically examined in a cross-cultural fashion context. Methodology Starting with a review of existing literature regarding generic consumer decision making motives, like e.g. Sproles & Kendall (1986), Mokhlis (2009) and Hiu, Siu, Wang & Chang (2001), an initial classification into rational, emotional and patronage motiveswas undertaken for the field of fashion, which later on was expanded using the results of a qualitative pre-study conducted with 50 interviewees in New York to gain first insights as a basis for the proximate, main empirical research. In compliance with triangulation theory in social science (see e.g. Cohen & Manion, 2000), which advocates data collection from manifold sources, a combination of quantitative and qualitative research was carried out in the core study, consisting of expert interviews and an online consumer survey. Due to a lack of existing literature foundation, the main research is explorative and not based on specific hypotheses. In the first section, a qualitative analysis of the mentioned motives was done using NVivo on the grounds of 16 expert interviews with fashion marketing communication and design experts in the four research countries. The second part of the empirical study was conducted via a quantitative consumer survey, to enable a Web based questioning through Lime Survey. To minimize possible language barriers, the questionnaire was delineated in three languages, translated from English into French and German by bilingual professionals in order to ensure best possible quality, precision, accuracy, reliability and validity of the empirical study. For this specific type of quantitative research, a stratified random sampling procedure was applied. Altogether, 693 individuals (482 female and 211 male subjects) participated in the online survey, 174 in USA, Germany and Austria respectively, and 171 in France. The total non-student sample included participants with a mean age of 28.4 years. Subjects were asked to evaluate 22 rational, emotional and patronage motives derived from literature and the pretest on a 7 point Likert scale. Cross-cultural similarities and differences were revealed throughout the examination process. An analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) on the mean values and a subsequent Post-Hoc Tukey Test disclosed significant variations between the four nations for 15 out of the 22 tested motivational determinants influencing fashion consumption behavior. In a first step, the authors refrained from using a factor analysis, in order to retain more detailed information. Findings demonstrate that American consumers pay the most attention towards price-value relations and cheap deals, compared to the remaining countries. They additionally consider quality attributes the least when deciding upon which fashion products to buy. In contrast to the other nations, American consumers are most pragmatically oriented when deciding upon which apparel items to purchase. Furthermore, they engage the least in spontaneous clothes shopping in the spur of the moment. An investigation of the preferred brand segments per country supported these outputs by highlighting the statistic that American consumers buy significantly less apparel from the upper-middle price segment than Austrian, German or French consumers. Accordingly, in comparison to the other nations, American consumers purchase the most value/discount fashion. Moreover, outcomes illustrate that French consumers have a higher tendency of buying garments from the same stores and boutiques than Austrian and German consumers. Correspondingly, Austrian and German consumers feel significantly less confused by over-choice of apparel offerings than French consumers. To that effect, in terms of country of origin being a characteristic that impacts fashion consumption, findings prove that French consumers value national heritage of clothing more than Austrian and German consumers. Indeed, they tend to also pay more attention to buying apparel that originates from the home country. Outcomes further pinpoint that compared to Austrian and German consumers, Americans and French utilize fashion significantly more to make a positive impression on others, feel socially belonging and accepted as well as to be part of a reference group. In contrast to Austrians and Germans, Americans are more likely to adjust their wardrobe to the specific expectations and norms of their working environments. In addition, results indicate that French consumers devote more consideration towards dressing in accordance to their job conventions than Austrian and German consumers. Interestingly, Austrian and German consumers value physical vanity significantly more than American and French consumers. French consumers, however, employ fashion the most as a means of boosting satisfaction with one´s self-image, compared to the other research nations. Detailed results of the empirical study will be thoroughly discussed in the presentation in order to explicitly highlight specific common and divergent archetypes and patterns between the research countries. Additionally, final key outcomes, in-depth implications as well as limitations and directions for future research will be addressed in the conference.

This study intends to propose a non-oriented DEA based game cross-efficiency approach for supplier selection. With a discussion on the choice of DEA models and approaches that are most appropriate for supplier selection, we propose a game cross efficiency model based upon the non-oriented variable returns-to-scale RAM DEA by adapting the existing game cross efficiency model based upon the oriented constant returns-to-scale CCR DEA. We develop the RAM game cross efficiency model and a convergent iterative solution procedure to find the best game cross efficiency scores that constitute a Nash equilibrium. We illustrate the proposed model with two data sets of supplier selection, and demonstrate that significantly different results are obtained when compared with the existing approaches.

Prestressed concrete (PSC) is a method in which prestressed tendon is placed inside and/or outside the reinforced concrete member and the compressive force applied to the concrete in advance to enhance the engineering properties of concrete member which is weak under tension. In this paper we suggested the precast PSC girder assembled with segments of portable size and weight at the factory. The segments of precast PSC girder will be delivered and assembled as a unit of PSC girder at the site. Consequently, we suggested new-type of precast segmented PSC girder with different shapes of segment cross-section (i.e., I-shape, Box-shape). To mitigate the problems associated with the field splice between the segments of precast PSC girder anchor system is attached near the neutral axis of the girder and relatively uniform compression throughout the girder cross-section is applied. Prior to the experimental investigation, analytical investigation on the structural behavior of precast PSC girder was performed and the serviceability (deflection) and safety (strength) of the girder were confirmed. In addition, 4-point bending test on the girder was conducted to investigate the structural performance under bending. From the experimental investigation, it was found that the precast PSC girder spliced with 3 and 5 segments has sufficient in serviceability and safety conditions and it was also observed that the point where the segments spliced has no defects and the girder behaves as a unit.

국가차원의 슈퍼컴퓨팅 성능수요 예측은 슈퍼컴퓨터를 활용하는 계산과학분야 의 연구자나 연구개발 인프라를 구축⋅운영하고 있는 전문기관, 과학기술 인프라구축을 주도 할 정부기관에 있어서 매우 중요한 정보이다. 본 연구는 그동안 진행되었던 슈퍼컴퓨터 성능관련 예측활동 분석을 통해 과학기술 역량 에 영향을 미치는 요인들을 도출하고 이를 슈퍼컴퓨터 기술진보 추세에 적용한 복합 예측모 형을 제안하였다. 횡단면분석에서는 슈퍼컴퓨팅 성능에 영향을 미칠 것으로 판단되는 GDP, GERD, 연구원수, SCI논문수를 고려한 다중회귀분석을 수행하였다. 그리고 횡단면분석 결과 에 Top500 자료의 성능(Rmax)값을 이용한 시계열분석을 통해 도출된 기간별 기술진보율을 곱하여 슈퍼컴퓨터의 성능을 예측하였다. 제안된 예측모형을 바탕으로 세계 슈퍼컴퓨터 500위의 시계열자료를 이용하여 한국이 2016년에 보유해야 할 슈퍼컴퓨터 성능규모를 예측하였다. 횡단면분석과 기술진보율을 적 용하여 2016년 한국의 슈퍼컴퓨팅 성능수요를 예측해본 결과 현재의 추세를 이용할 경우 15～30PF 정도, 목표 국가수준의 추세를 이용할 때 20～40PF 정도의 컴퓨팅 역량이 필요할 것으로 예측되었다. 이 결과는 단순 회귀분석을 적용한 결과인 9.6PF와 횡단면분석을 적용 한 결과인 2.5PF와 큰 차이를 나타내었다.

The aim of this study was to use a 3D human body scanner to analyze the cross section of different body parts when a girdle is worn. Two types of girdles were selected as experimental garments: a standard type girdle (Garment A) and a high-waist type girdle (Garment B). Their sizes were 88 (S) and 94 (M). Ten female subjects in their twenties who wear girdles sizes 88 (S) and 94 (M) participated the experiment. Their bodies were scanned three times with the 3D human body scanner, before and after wearing experimental girdles. The data were collected by overlapping the cross sections of the 3D scanned body shape data. The space length was measured from the overlapped cross sections. The results show that human body silhouette are changed after wearing the compression type garments and the amount and place of the body change is different by style of garments. First, the waist girth shape became rounder. Second, there was a definite difference in space amount at abdomen girth between two types of girdle. The abdomen area was pushed toward the front after wearing the standard type girdle (A). The high-waist type girdle (B) pushed abdomen area toward the back. Third, there was clear difference at the hip area after wearing two types of girdle. The hip area pushed toward the front with the standard type girdle (A) and pushed toward the back with the high-waist type girdle (B).

기체분리막의 성능을 향상시키기 위한 여러 개질 방법 중 가교는 사슬 간격과 사슬 내 외부의 유동성을 감소시켜 분리막의 선택도, 내화학성, 내가소성등을 증가시키는 장점을 지닌다. 본 연구에서는 선형의 지방족 가교제를 사용하여 폴리이미드 분리막의 기체 분리 성능을 향상시키고자 하였으며, 가교제의 알킬길이에 따른 영향 또한 알아보았다. 가교 여부는 이미드 그룹의 특성피크 증가와 이미드 그룹의 특성피크 감소를 통해 확인하였다. 기체분리특성은 CH4, N2, O2, CO2 단일 기체에 대해 측정하였으며 가교제 및 가교도에 관계없이 가교 후 기체의 확산 감소로 인해 네 기체 모두 투과도가 감소하였다. 반면 CO2/CH4, O2/N2 기체상의 선택도는 가교 전보다 향상된 결과를 나타내었다.

In curved I-girder systems, stability is mainly provided by interconnecting cross-frames or diaphragms. These members act as primary load carrying component thus proper design and analysis must be made. This study proposes improvement on the existing cross-frame spacing limit for horizontally curved girder systems utilizing buckling capacities. Eigenvalue analysis was conducted using the finite element program, ABAQUS. Maximum cross-frames spacing (Smax) was computed with varying degree of curvature, flange width-to-depth ratio ( ) and span length-to-depth ratio (L/d). Models were then generated and their buckling modes and critical buckling capacity ratios were obtained. Lastly, a suggestion was developed based on the results of the finite element analysis to provide a better guide on the design of cross-frame spacing limit. The suggested limit was then compared to the existing cross-frame limit to verify the improvement on the cross-frame spacing.