Sport-Tracking-Apps helfen dabei, das eigene Sportverhalten zu überwachen und mit anderen zu vergleichen. Vergleiche können jedoch sowohl positiv als auch negativ auf die Sportmotivation wirken. Während einige Nutzende von der Vernetzung profitieren und motiviert sind, empfinden andere sozialen Druck. Diese ambivalente Wirkung ist bedeutsam für die Sportmotivation und wird in einer Online-Befragung unter erwachsenen Nutzenden digitaler Sport-Tracking-Apps unersucht.  

Printing of polymer parts via digital light processing (DLP) is an established technology to produce functional complex parts within a short period of time. Within recent years this technology has advanced in even higher geometrical accuracy of the parts since printers and materials were constantly improved. Nowadays, it is possible to print parts with features in micro- (µm) or even nanoscale (nm), opening new fields of application and further improvement to already existing parts. Similar to stereolithography (SLA), DLP applies UV light to harden a photopolymer resin in a layer-by-layer process. This enables printing parts with complex geometries such as cavities, implying the resin can later exit the part. However, DLP has an advantage over other 3D-printing technologies when it comes to creating cavities or the printing of overhang structures in general. Since in DLP the entire layer is hardened at once, less support structure is needed to achieve a uniform, stable layer. In consequence, this opens the design option to print micro cavities without any support structures needed. This paper highlights the process of micro DLP printing of polymer parts, focusing on the influence of the most relevant parameters on the successful print of overhang structures. Therefore, the paper presents an experimental analysis, investigating the effects of relevant printing parameters of an overhang on the dimensional accuracy of the resulting parts. The results show a significant dependence of the bridges (overhangs) on gaps size and curing time, and the deformation of the bridges are in the opposite sides of the parts.

Startups often fail not because of weak technology, but because they overlook what truly drives customer decisions: perceived benefits and values. This study introduces a new tool that combines the Value Proposition Canvas and the Jobs-to-be-Done Concept with Bain & Company's Elements of Value Pyramid, creating a structured Value Integration Guide. The outcome is the Value Integration Map, which helps startups move beyond technical features to uncover customer values and translate them into compelling value propositions. Tested in workshops with two B2B technology startups, the tool proved effective in fostering customer orientation while also revealing areas requiring additional guidance. By making hidden customer values explicit, the Value Integration Map bridges product development and marketing. For engineers, it highlights opportunities for improvement; for marketers, it provides a strong foundation for positioning, messaging, and communication strategies. Ultimately, it enables startups to define not just what their product does-but why it matters.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether and to what extent competitiveness influences the overall outcome of a firm. With in this context resource based view and Porter's diamond model were revisited and examined more closely. Based on a review of the longstanding research on competitiveness, the results highlight that there are several internal and external factors that have an impact on the competitiveness of a firm. While the overall aim was to provide a review of the existing literature on the topic from the historical perspective, the study proposes a conceptual framework including the key determinants for achieving greater international competitiveness for the firms. This study emphasizes the transformative potential of firm's competitiveness, not only for success but also for competing in international markets. In addition, this study aims to stimulate further research into the new and emerging trends that can impact firms' competitiveness.

Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) ist längst zu einem festen Bestandteil in Marketing und Vertrieb geworden.  KI-basierte Lösungen wie personalisierte Empfehlungssysteme, automatisierte Kundeninteraktionen und prädiktive Analysen definieren die Landschaft von Marketing und Vertrieb neu. Dieses Buch geht zentralen Fragen auf den Grund: Wie beeinflusst KI das Konsumentenverhalten? Welche Auswirkungen hat sie auf die Effektivität von Marketingstrategien und Vertriebsprozessen? Und vor allem, wie können Unternehmen KI nutzen, um eine harmonische Symbiose von Mensch und Technologie zu schaffen und den Kunden ein einzigartiges Einkaufserlebnis über sämtliche Interaktionspunkte zu bieten? Das Thema wird sowohl aus der Kunden- als auch aus der Vertriebs- bzw. Marketingperspektive beleuchtet.

KI-Sprachmodelle wie ChatGPT gewinnen an Bedeutung. Zwar liefern sie noch weniger Traffic als Suchmaschinen, doch ihr Einfluss auf die frühen Phasen der Customer Journey steigt. Auch die Abdeckung transaktionaler Journey-Elemente ist nur eine Frage der Zeit.

This study explores a resource-based perspective on subjective wellbeing in educational contexts by introducing the concept of happiness capital. Building on the educational and learning capital approach, we adapted existing measures to assess how personal and environmental resources contribute to students’ wellbeing. In a sample of 1,528 Egyptian secondary school students, perceived happiness capital significantly predicted life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions across all age groups. These findings suggest that the same resource structures supporting learning can foster emotional flourishing. We briefly discuss implications for resource-based models of wellbeing in education and propose directions for future research.

 

• Vor dem Hintergrund sinkender Studierendenzahlen und des Fachkräftemangels in den technischen Berufen in Deutschland, rekrutieren die Hochschulen in Bayern zunehmend Studierende aus dem Ausland. Dabei stoßen die angebotenen internationalen Studiengänge besonders bei Studierenden aus Indien auf großes Interesse. Andersartige Kompetenzprofile aus dem außereuropäischen Bachelorstudium in Kombination mit sehr hohen Erwartungen der Studierenden an ein Masterstudium in Deutschland führen zu enormen Herausforderungen bei allen Beteiligten. Förderlich für den erfolgreichen Studienverlauf ist es, Maßnahmen zur Gruppendurchmischung zwischen ausländischen und deutschen Studierenden wie internationale Postersessions und gemeinsame Studienangebote zu implementieren. Darüber hinaus ist es erforderlich, Regeln der guten wissenschaftlichen Praxis klar zu kommunizieren und deren Befolgung einzufordern. Nicht zuletzt ist die Stärkung der Sprachkompetenz ein Schlüssel für ein erfolgreiches Studium.

Sport-tracking applications can enhance physical activity but may also induce stress through social comparison. This study examines how social comparison features influence user experience (UX), focusing on motivation, stress, and mental well-being. A survey of 101 German sport-tracking app users assessed intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, perceived stress, self-efficacy, enjoyment, social comparison orientation, and UX. Results reveal that higher social comparison consistently lowers intrinsic motivation, raises extrinsic motivation, and increases stress levels, while positive UX boosts intrinsic motivation and enjoyment and indirectly buffers stress. Notably, app designs prioritizing mastery and personal progress over competitive rankings foster autonomy, competence, and relatedness, supporting mental health and long-term adherence. These findings highlight the ambivalent effects of social features and underscore the need for sport-tracking apps to minimize harmful comparisons and promote self-determined motivation through supportive, user-friendly features. Practical implications include designing for sustainable engagement and well-being rather than exclusive competition.

Emotion AI is transforming how emotional dynamics are integrated into consumer research and product design. By detecting and interpreting emotional cues from facial expressions, voice, and behaviour, it enables emotionally intelligent systems that move beyond conventional user interaction models. This chapter examines Emotion AI as both a methodological tool and a design principle, offering deeper insights into user sentiment and supporting the creation of hedonic experiences – what we term digital empathy. Grounded in established emotion theories and recent technological advances, the chapter explores cross-sector applications and reflects on the ethical implications surrounding the use of emotional data.

Background

The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) in its short form is one of the most frequently used instruments in research to measure self-attributed mindfulness levels. Despite the widespread use, there is no calibration sample available until now. Thus, we decided to calibrate it in a representative German sample as norm values are of relevance for clinicians and researchers alike. In addition, we tried to replicate the instruments’ psychometric properties.

Methods

A sample of 1,012 respondents was recruited from a commercial online panel, approximating a representative sample of the German population. Participants filled in the FMI-14 (short from). We performed psychometric analyses and calculated a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). We also computed a measurement invariance analysis and a LASSO regression to identify population variables that predict FMI scores. To gauge external validity of the instrument, we also presented the FMI together with four items of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4).

Results

We obtained the best psychometric properties with a revised version of the FMI-13R, where the only negatively coded item was removed due to lack of fit. McDonald’s Omega was found to be 0.88 and the mean item-scale intercorrelation was 0.36. The construct is unidimensional, with two highly correlated subconstructs, Presence and Acceptance (r = 0.93), which can be separated for conceptual reasons if desired. The CFA supported these models. Age and gender stratified norm scores were calculated and reported. Regression analyses and partial correlation analyses showed negative correlation of FMI-13R scores with measures of anxiety and depression, as expected, and thereby support our previous findings that the instrument is valid and that the Acceptance component of mindfulness is the one that is associated with positive effects on health-related parameters.

Conclusion

The FMI-13R is a psychometrically sound and valid instrument for the assessment of mindfulness. Norm scores can now be used by clinicians and researchers to classify individuals or samples into a range of values compared to the German population.