No abstract

We provide a review of psychological contract research, beginning with past conceptualizations and empirical evidence. We tailor this retrospective look by reviewing the antecedents and outcomes associated with psychological contract breach and discussing the dominant theoretical explanations for the breach-outcome relationship. This synthesis of past evidence provides the foundation for reviewing the present emerging and developing themes in psychological contract research. This discussion is organized around the expansion of resources exchanged and the antecedents of contract breach and outcomes, moving beyond reciprocity as an underpinning explanation. We highlight the practical implications of research to date on psychological contracts and end with directions for future research to include the need for greater attention given to ideological currency, employee health, polycontextual approaches, the role of psychological needs, and post-breach/violation.

We report a systematic study of carrier dynamics in Al(x)Ga(1-x)As-passivated GaAs nanowires. With passivation, the minority carrier diffusion length (L(diff)) increases from 30 to 180 nm, as measured by electron beam induced current (EBIC) mapping, and the photoluminescence (PL) lifetime increases from sub-60 ps to 1.3 ns. A 48-fold enhancement in the continuous-wave PL intensity is observed on the same individual nanowire with and without the Al(x)Ga(1-x)As passivation layer, indicating a significant reduction in surface recombination. These results indicate that, in passivated nanowires, the minority carrier lifetime is not limited by twin stacking faults. From the PL lifetime and minority carrier diffusion length, we estimate the surface recombination velocity (SRV) to range from 1.7 × 10(3) to 1.1 × 10(4) cm·s(-1), and the minority carrier mobility μ is estimated to lie in the range from 10.3 to 67.5 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for the passivated nanowires.

Highly perfect, twin-free GaAs nanosheets grown on (111)B surfaces by selective area growth (SAG) are demonstrated. In contrast to GaAs nanowires grown by (SAG) in which rotational twins and stacking faults are almost universally observed, twin formation is either suppressed or eliminated within properly oriented nanosheets are grown under a range of growth conditions. A morphology transition in the nanosheets due to twinning results in surface energy reduction, which may also explain the high twin-defect density that occurs within some III−V semiconductor nanostructures, such as GaAs nanowires. Calculations suggest that the surface energy is significantly reduced by the formation of {111}-plane bounded tetrahedra after the morphology transition of nanowire structures. By contrast, owing to the formation of two vertical {11̅ 0} planes which comprise the majority of the total surface energy of nanosheet structures, the energy reduction effect due to the morphology transition is not as dramatic as that for nanowire structures. Furthermore, the surface energy reduction effect is mitigated in longer nanosheets which, in turn, suppresses twinning.

No abstract

Ferromagnetic cobalt nanowires with high‐crystalline quality are synthesized using a low‐voltage electrodeposition method. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results show that the nanowires are uniform in size, and consist of predominantly hexagonal close‐packed (hcp) structure with the magnetocrystalline easy axis (c‐axis) perpendicular to the wire axis. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements illustrate the dominance of shape anisotropy, manifested by the weak temperature dependence of the enhanced coercive field along the wire axis. Furthermore, the magnetic structures of individual, segmented, or intersected nanowires are studied using magnetic force microscopy. This reveals a strong dipole at the two ends of the wire, together with a spatial magnetization modulation along the wire. Based on theoretical modeling, such intrinsic modulation is attributed to magnetization frustration due to the competition between the magnetocrystalline polarization along the easy axis and the shape anisotropy along the wire axis.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between service recovery and relational selling behavior on trust and satisfaction in the banking industry. Specifically, the mediating role of trust and satisfaction on the relationship between service recovery, relational selling behavior and loyalty is empirically examined. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are developed based on the literature review. The conceptual model is tested using SEM on survey data collected from 560 customers of 12 banks in Taiwan, including local banks and foreign banks. Findings The model test results indicate that the influences of service recovery and relational selling behavior on trust and satisfaction are both significant. In addition, the influences of trust and satisfaction on loyalty are significant. Practical implications For bank managers, it is crucial to have well programs to identify service failures and handle recoveries efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, bank managers should place a high value on increasing salesperson’s customer-oriented behaviors to discern potential problems that customer concerns and provide suitable solutions that customer needs. By creating these better customer experiences, greater trust, satisfaction and loyalty can be yielded. Originality/value This study aims to provide a superior understanding of the relationship between service recovery, relational selling behavior, trust, satisfaction and loyalty in the banking industry. The research findings can contribute to forming targeted strategies and gaining competitive advantages for bank managers.

Service failures and consequent recoveries have been identified as a critical determinant of customer retention. Hence, effective service recovery programs warrant further exploration. In particular, with the current emphasis on relationship selling, salespeople should learn how to improvise to serve their customers effectively, including solving problems when service failure occurs. Therefore, alternatives to current common practices in industry should be investigated. The results of the present study suggest that by providing customers a choice of service recovery options, salespeople can augment customers' sense of control and ultimately their satisfaction with the service recovery and the overall service transaction. The investigation also proposed that customer satisfaction would be contingent upon the importance of the service. However, study findings revealed that this was not the case. Implications of the findings are also discussed.