Cellulose has experienced a renaissance as a precursor for carbon fibers (CFs). However, cellulose possesses intrinsic challenges as precursor substrate such as typically low carbon yield. This study examines the interplay of strategies to increase the carbonization yield of (ligno-) cellulosic fibers manufactured via a coagulation process. Using Design of Experiments, this article assesses the individual and combined effects of diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP), lignin, and CO2 activation on the carbonization yield and properties of cellulose-based carbon fibers. Synergistic effects are identified using the response surface methodology. This paper evidences that DAP and lignin could affect cellulose pyrolysis positively in terms of carbonization yield. Nevertheless, DAP and lignin do not have an additive effect on increasing the yield. In fact, combined DAP and lignin can affect negatively the carbonization yield within a certain composition range. Further, the thermogravimetric CO2 adsorption of the respective CFs was measured, showing relatively high values (ca. 2 mmol/g) at unsaturated pressure conditions. The CFs were microporous materials with potential applications in gas separation membranes and CO2 storage systems.

What kind of reasons or bases could lead to strong and positive brand attitudes? This study aims to identify the factors that have strong relationships with positive brand attitudes and to test whether the findings can be generalized and applied across cultural contexts. Historically, attitude research has assumed that attitudes are based on cognition (i.e. beliefs) and affect (Bodur, Brinberg, & Coupey, 2000; Crano & Prislin, 2006). This study suggests a new schema comprised of ‘self-based’ and ‘public-based’ evaluations as the foundation of brand attitudes. ‘Self-based’ evaluations refer to brand evaluations based on consumers’ personal judgments and feelings. These evaluations mainly derive from consumers’ experiences with products. In contrast, ‘public-based’ evaluations are influenced by others’ opinions and brands’ public reputations. Consumers are frequently exposed to word-of-mouth messages about brands and related products, and they can assess them even when they have not personally used the product. Based on previous brand management literature, two hypotheses below were developed. Hypothesis 1: Self-based evaluations predict positive brand attitudes, but public-based evaluations do not predict positive brand attitudes. Hypothesis 2: Self-based evaluations predict the purchase intentions of consumers with independent self-construal, but public-based evaluations predict the purchase intentions of consumers with interdependent self-construal. The data were collected in a Western and an East Asian country and analysed for authenticity as well as by country, which should be important to global brand building. The results supported the hypotheses and this study made three important discoveries. First, it demonstrated that self-based evaluation was a broadly important factor to building positive brand attitudes. Second, public-based evaluation was marginally effective for branding and is important only in the East Asian context. Third, it was found that authenticity had ‘double-edged’ effects on branding. Finally, the contributions and implications of this study were discussed.

Increasing attention has been paid to marketing and consumer behavior of luxury industry but research into value creation network and operational mechanisms is very limited. This study focuses on two aspects of the luxury industry: luxury brand and value chain, to inform a comprehensive understanding of the value creation process for high value added brands. In luxury industry, the key elements that create and deliver value are brand, design and research, production, distribution, and retail. A clear brand identity is found as the first step of this value chain, which influences the choices of all other activities. Luxury goods companies will align all the activities in line with brand identity to deliver consistent tangible and intangible values to end users. Furthermore, a luxury value chain is a holistic network with strong coordination among its elements. A combined approach of case study and secondary data collection is pursued. A sample of 9 luxury companies within 6 selected industries is investigated. Data is qualitatively collected via semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observations as a triangulation approach for the purpose of ensuring the reliability of the research data. Multiple interviews of the general manager, industrial manager, brand/communication manager, creative director, and store manager are conducted in each company to achieve a broader perspective and also make data triangulation procedures possible. This research contributes to the luxury brands management as well as value chain concept. It discusses the value creation network and operational mechanism from a less explored corporate perspective. It unveils a secretive existence of brand in value generation process and further establishes a model to amplify the relationship between each activity in the value chain. Also, it expands the research of value chain into luxury industry. It argues that a supply leading value chain can also command a premium rather than the customer-centric value chain discussed by most researchers recently. It also provides valuable insights for companies who want to have a high-end market position. It shows that the widely adopted luxury strategy invented mainly by French and Italian companies employs fundamentally different rules from those of fast-moving consumer goods in mass market. In short, a luxury strategy is different in nature, not in level.