We model the diffusion of innovations in markets with two segments: who are more in touch with new developments and who affect another segment of whose own adoptions do not affect the influentials. This two-segment structure with asymmetric influence is consistent with several theories in sociology and diffusion research, as well as many “viral” or “network” marketing strategies. We have four main results. (1) Diffusion in a mixture of influentials and imitators can exhibit a dip or “chasm” between the early and later parts of the diffusion curve. (2) The proportion of adoptions stemming from influentials need not decrease monotonically, but may first decrease and then increase. (3) Erroneously specifying a mixed-influence model to a mixture process where influentials act independently from each other can generate systematic changes in the parameter values reported in earlier research. (4) Empirical analysis of 33 different data series indicates that the two-segment model fits better than the standard mixed-influence, the Gamma/Shifted Gompertz, and the Weibull-Gamma models, especially in cases where a two-segment structure is likely to exist. Also, the two-segment model fits about as well as the Karmeshu-Goswami mixed-influence model, in which the coefficients of innovation and imitation vary across potential adopters in a continuous fashion.asymmetric influence, diffusion of innovations, innovation, market segments, social contagion, social structure

The tailoring of a firm's marketing mix to the individual customer is the essence of one-to-one marketing. In this paper, we distinguish between two forms of one-to-one marketing: personalization and customization. Personalization occurs when the firm decides what marketing mix is suitable for the individual. It is usually based on previously collected customer data. Customization occurs when the customer proactively specifies one or more elements of his or her marketing mix. We summarize key challenges and knowledge gaps in understanding both firm and customer choices in one-to-one markets. We conclude with a summary of research opportunities.

We present a density functional theory (DFT) study of propene, 1-hexene, and 3-hexene protonation over representative H-ZSM-5 clusters to give covalent alkoxide intermediates. The influence of cluster size, olefin carbon number, olefin conformation, proton siting, aluminum siting, and bonding configuration (primary vs secondary) of the alkoxide intermediate was analyzed. We found the formation of a physisorbed π-complex involving the olefin double bond and the acidic proton to be relatively independent of olefin structure and site geometry. However, we show that the proton-transfer process for formation of the covalent alkoxide intermediate involves a carbenium-ion-like transition state, with an activation energy that is (1) dependent on the protonation site of the olefin and (2) relatively independent of the carbon number and double bond location of the olefin. Accessibility of the alkoxide oxygen site in the cavity was observed to play a significant role in the stability of the alkoxy species. We find that the overall energy of adsorption for alkoxides depends strongly on the crystallographic Al site and the specific host oxygen for the Brønsted proton. For larger alkenes we find a dependence on alkoxide conformations and report a 5 kcal/mol difference in energies of formation for different rotational orientations of 3-hexene alkoxide intermediates. Finally, we report a novel reaction path for propene chemisorption, whereby the primary alkoxide is bonded to the Brønsted host oxygen rather than a neighboring oxygen.

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