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No scholar or researcher is able to provide robust evidence that counters the scant reflection on metatheory – mostly ontology and epistemology – underlying management studies in general, and industrial marketing and purchasing research in particular. This paper is a contribution to the indispensable discussion of metatheoretical alternatives in research, and most importantly, the strengths and shortcomings thereof, and respective implications on research questions, objectives, and findings.

This chapter explores a descriptive theory of multidimensional travel behaviour, estimation of quantitative models, and demonstration in an agent-based microsimulation.

A descriptive theory on multidimensional travel behaviour is conceptualised. It theorizes multidimensional knowledge updating, search start/stopping criteria, and search/decision heuristics. These components are formulated or empirically modelled and integrated in a unified and coherent approach.

The theory is supported by empirical observations and the derived quantitative models are tested by an agent-based simulation on a demonstration network.

Based on artificially intelligent agents, learning and search theory, and bounded rationality, this chapter makes an effort to embed a sound theoretical foundation for the computational process approach and agent-based microsimulations. A pertinent new theory is proposed with experimental observations and estimations to demonstrate agents with systematic deviations from the rationality paradigm. Procedural and multidimensional decision-making are modelled. The numerical experiment highlights the capabilities of the proposed theory in estimating rich behavioural dynamics.

Chapter 6 synthesizes the psychophysics of sensation into a plausible model for the design and configuration of the learning engagement dimension of a learning system. In sensation, the task is to collect and review stochastic information collected from an external stimulus. In learning systems design, the task is the opposite: to design learning objects and activities that communicate the intended learning to the learner effectively and efficiently. The sensation systems focus their attention on the structure of the stimulus. Likewise, a psychophysical learning system emphasizes the interconnections within categories of content to configure the learning experiences. The curriculum embeds this information into a learning plan.

Television critics play a central role in the interpretation of cultural forms, objects, and productions. In contrast to critics in elite art worlds, the role and status of television critics are less institutionalized and less well understood. One indicator of the degree and status of the institutionalization of critics’ roles is the codification of evaluative criteria and critical practices. Our research examines whether critics in television draw upon a recognizable set of evaluation criteria, and if so, whether that repertoire of aesthetic concepts increasingly parallels criteria employed by critics in elite art worlds. Using multidimensional scaling to delineate television criticism over the last two decades, a period of considerable transformation in the industry, we find that television criticism attends to a core set of conventional criteria. These include appraisal of formal aesthetic elements, signaling increased attention to television as an art form, while retaining consideration of factors such as entertainment value that are of interest to audiences and business constituencies alike.

Preparing forces and their allies to operate in a world where asymmetry appears to be the only logical option for adversaries will require some significant and innovative adaptations to training and education methods. New models in leadership, selection, training, and education of leaders and troops are necessary to cope with complexity, non-predictability in conflict solving, and peace support operations. Multidimensional thinking and acting in military decision-making and applying new learning models to build up a climate of change and innovation on all levels of the armed forces is necessary. Organizational learning models, already applied in reshaping civil enterprises, are also useful in restructuring military forces and prepare them for the new challenges. T. Edmunds argues that the emerging new roles of the military cannot only be derived from an “objective functional reassessment” of the nature of new threats but are emerging, rather, as “a consequence of domestic and international socio-political influences that shape state’ perception of what their Armed Forces should look like and the purposes they should serve.” There is a higher priority for intercultural competences for leaders of all levels of responsibility, especially regarding the operational regions of the future and the globalized outcomes of conflicts in general. Research in this domain shows that methods of “face work” are best accomplished by Ting-Toomey's “identity negotiation.” Reshaping, restructuring, and preparing for new core rolls of the military and civil task forces are only to master when the responsible leaders manage to overcome the so-called “blind spot in leadership theories” (C.O. Scharmer), so leadership seems to be more and more a collective method of finding the “self.”

Consider now the set of all possible events that can occur in a given context. There is a distinction between an elementary event and a compound event. The set of elementary events is exhaustive, exclusive and elementary: the elementary events cover all the possible events; no two of them can occur at the same time; and all other events are constituted by compounds of these. Denoting the set of all elementary events by E, the set of all (possibly compound) events is the power set of E, S ^E. The set of events, S ^E, consists of pairs of events: for each event e there is its complementary event not-e; and for the event not-e there is its complementary event not-(not-e)=e. In any given world only one event of any complementary pair can occur.

Ranging from the romanticism era to the postmodern paradigm and the experiential approach, this chapter reexamines the fundamental roots of the consumption experience concept while addressing the conceptualizations and nature of customer experience. In this context, the concept of customer experience in the tourism field is outlined. We set out to readdress the essence of the customer experience in the light of the consumer value (CV) as a relevant empirical ground to study it. Hence, this chapter revisits the intricate epistemological and methodological connection of the customer experience to CV. This leads to a rediscussion of the key role of customer introspection approach while outlining the narration side in studying this intimate connection of both concepts in the tourism field.

The concept of integrating curriculum is being advocated in many institutions of higher education to solve problems that present-day curriculum development is facing. Several models of integrating curriculum can be found in the world of academia. However, there is little consensus among academics as to how we can define the concept and what would be the correct approach to implement integrative curricula. The concept ranges from traditional lecturer-driven discipline-based content to object-driven interest-based student exploration of the pedagogy. In the global context, curriculum needs to be sustainable in nature that would replace the rote method of learning and enhance the problem-solving and critical thinking skills of the students. There is a need to differentiate between reliable and relevant information and suggest alternative facts to create innovative thinkers in a world that offers open access to knowledge. Education in the present century is profoundly impacted by technology and globalization and students need all the skills to navigate through a challenging and ever-changing environment. Yet, concerns remain as to how to implement teaching–learning methods that address the multidimensional needs of the students and at the same time maintain a quality standard. Educators are now determined to impart knowledge that is exploratory, relevant, integrative and meaningful, and are anchoring content across disciplines. The approach is more focused on integrating students’ experiences across teaching and learning activities of academic programs, construction of knowledge, and a range of competencies and capabilities in a meaningful and student-centered manner. This book volume will speak about interventions and case studies that are transforming learning from simple classroom learning to learning that can impact the sustainable development of society with a human dimension and creating a caring culture.