Traditional Media and Their Internet Spin-Offs: An Explorative Study on Key Levers for Online Success and the Impact of Offline Reach

This study examines factors that account for the success of traditional media's Internet spin-offs in terms of attracted users and the page impressions they generate. Based on empirical data pertaining to the German market, we derive a model explaining online success through the reach of the parent offline medium regarded as given, and the varying degrees to which 5 key levers are employed by the Web site management. The analysis demonstrates that differences in offline reach, considered as one of the main assets of traditional media to leverage online, account for only about a third of the differences in the number of users and for about a tenth of the differences in page impressions. Although the argument for the importance of offline reach (i.e., the brand equity to be leveraged online) is theoretically convincing, this analysis illustrates that the large differences in page impressions and the number of users still are predominantly due to the considerable disparities in manageable levers, inherently independent of offline reach. By benchmarking these levers, the analysis elucidates that managers of online spin-offs are far from maximizing online success.     

Find Your Niches: A Guide for Managing Intermedia Effects Among Content Distribution Channels

Abstract

This empirical study examines potential size effects in the US media and communications industry. Motivated by investors’ demand for continuous profit growth, media and communications executives attempt to leverage size effects, be it by growing the core business or by diversifying into other media segments, thereby exploiting cross‐media synergies. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, the authors could not find a general correlation between size and diversification on the one hand and performance on the other hand. The authors’ reason that exploiting size effects in the media and communications industry is far from simplistic and cross‐media synergies may take more time and effort to leverage than assumed. Therefore, research is recommended to focus on the operational level of size effects and their development over time. For media managers, the findings imply that more emphasis should be placed on strategy implementation and operational effectiveness, rather than on sophisticated M&A and growth initiatives.     

Preparing Students for Middle School Through After-School STEM Activities

Journal of Science Education and Technology - The middle school years are a crucial time for cultivating students’ interest in and preparedness for future STEM careers. However, not all...     

Erratum to: Preparing Students for Middle School Through After-School STEM Activities

Journal of Science Education and Technology -     

The automation of curriculum development using the Authoring Instructional Materials (AIM) system

The Authoring Instructional Materials (AIM) program is a set of software tools for curriculum design and maintenance for use in the Navy. Several Navy test sites are conducting cooperative development and testing of the AIM software. This paper describes the rationale for the AIM system, the development process and products, and some possibilities for further development.     

Feedback multilevel control for continuous dynamic systems

An iterative technique for the derivation of a nearly optimal feedback control law for continuous dynamic systems with separable cost functions is developed based on the fundamental concepts of multilevel control. The developed technique comprises two major and subsequent stages. In the first stage, a two-level optimization structure is devised using the coordination by control method. An identification processthen follows in order to determine the constant gains of the dynamic controller utilizing the discrete quasilinearization algorithm. A three-level control structure is thus provided for the overall technique which can adaptively compute the unknown gains of the dynamic controller.     

Is remote stretching based on myofascial chains as effective as local exercise? A randomised-controlled trial

Lower limb stretching based on myofascial chains has been demonstrated to increase cervical range of motion (ROM) in the sagittal plane. It is, however, unknown whether such remote exercise is as effective as local stretching. To resolve this research deficit, 63 healthy participants (36 ± 13 years, ♂32) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: remote stretching of the lower limb (LLS), local stretching of the cervical spine (CSS) or inactive control (CON). Prior (M1), immediately post (M2) and 5 min following intervention (M3), maximal cervical ROM was assessed. Non-parametric data analysis (Kruskal–Wallis tests and adjusted post hoc Dunn tests) revealed significant differences between the disposed conditions. With one exception (cervical spine rotation after CSS at M2, P > .05), both LLS and CSS increased cervical ROM compared to the control group in all movement planes and at all measurements (P < .05). Between LLS and CSS, no statistical differences were found (P > .05). Lower limb stretching based on myofascial chains induces similar acute improvements in cervical ROM as local exercise. Therapists might consequently consider its use in programme design. However, as the attained effects do not seem to be direction-specific, further research is warranted in order to provide evidence-based recommendations.     

The spiral of scientific culture and cultural well-being: Brazil and Ibero-America

The set of factors, events and actions of mankind in the social processes dedicated to the production the dissemination, the teaching and the publication of scientific knowledge constitutes the conditions for the development of a particular type of culture, quite commonplace in the contemporary world, which may be called scientific culture. In this article, we intend to present the representation of the dynamics of this area of knowledge in the form of a spiral: The Spiral of Scientific Culture. Also, we introduce the term cultural well-being--the kind of comfort, other than the social well-being, which has to do with society's relationships with the technosciences, involving values and attitudes, habits and information, and presupposing an actively critical participation on the part of that society in the totality of these relationships.     

Developing Adaptive Teaching Competency through coaching

The research project Adaptive Teaching Competency seeks to conceptualise the processes of tuning teaching to individual students' learning needs and to empirically test, within the field of science teaching, to what extent Adaptive Teaching Competency can be fostered through teacher education. 32 primary and secondary teachers took part in an intervention to foster their Adaptive Teaching Competency based on content-focused coaching whilst 18 teachers formed the control group. Teachers receiving the coaching increased their Adaptive Teaching Competency with regard to planning and their students showed a higher learning outcome compared to the control group.