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1 – 6 of 6Technology foresight or technology futures analysis is increasingly being recognised as a tool for planning sustainable development. Similarly, as argued by many, biotechnology…
Abstract
Purpose
Technology foresight or technology futures analysis is increasingly being recognised as a tool for planning sustainable development. Similarly, as argued by many, biotechnology could be harnessed for sustainable development. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to map out foresight activities in the Indian biotechnology innovation system.
Design/methodology/approach
The present paper has adopted a systemic approach to analyse the foresight activities in the Indian biotechnology sector. An online Delphi survey, including interviews, was conducted for 750 biotech units.
Findings
The greatest need of foresight is felt in the biopharma sector, especially in the small- and medium-sized firms. The methodologies used are only pre-foresight in nature and for short-term time horizons. The output preferred is “setting the R&D planning and priorities”. “Assessing socioeconomic and environment impact” is not accorded a high priority. Most of the regulatory agencies do not carry out foresight exercises.
Originality/value
The research holds significance for evolving sustainable development policy.
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Qihui Chen, Gaoshuai Liu and Yumei Liu
The purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese consumers’ level of perception of genetically modified (GM) foods and the determinants of their willingness to pay (WTP) for Fad-3…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese consumers’ level of perception of genetically modified (GM) foods and the determinants of their willingness to pay (WTP) for Fad-3 GM lamb, a newly developed GM product.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a randomized choice experiment involving 576 consumers in Beijing, the authors adopt a double-bounded contingent valuation method to estimate consumers’ WTP for Fad-3 GM lamb, as well as the causal impact of (randomized) product-information disclosure on it.
Findings
The econometric result indicates that the randomly disclosed product information describing details about Fad-3 GM lamb, the potential risks associated with the consumption of it, and the related governmental regulation policies raised consumers’ WTP by 6.2 yuan per Jin (or US$2/kilogram).
Originality/value
This paper provides new experimental evidence of the effect of product-information disclosure on consumers’ WTP for a newly developed GM food product.
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Rajasekhara Mouly Potluri, Rizwana Ansari, Saqib Rasool Khan and Srinivasa Rao Dasaraju
This study aims to investigate the attitude and consciousness of Indian Muslims toward halal and also to indicate the alertness of Muslim students about halal in their daily life.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the attitude and consciousness of Indian Muslims toward halal and also to indicate the alertness of Muslim students about halal in their daily life.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 500 respondents were selected for the study from the State of Andhra Pradesh in India, by stratified random sampling method; of which 300 were general Muslims and 200 were Muslim students. Self-administrated questionnaire and personal interviews were administered to garner the data, which were analyzed with SPSS (version 21.0) and GRETL, and the research hypotheses were tested with Z-test for proportion and Pearson’s chi-square test.
Findings
A total of 92 and 98 per cent of respondents from the general Muslim community and Muslim students, respectively, agreed that they do not have proper exposure to halal. In addition, 89 per cent of general Muslims believe that the halal concept is very significant to Muslim consumers as against 95 per cent students. A total of 98 and 96 per cent of the selected two classes of respondents, respectively, are intended to know more about halal.
Research limitations/implications
The respondents in this research were general Muslims and Muslim students from Andhra Pradesh. The results of this research are, therefore, only applicable to the sampled community. Hence, generalization of the findings to the whole Indian Muslim population or to other areas of Muslim communities should be avoided.
Practical implications
This research results proffer most precious and ingenious information to the corporate sector, Islamic religious organizations and educational institutions specially involved in formal Islamic education. Based on the snowballing trend of Muslim population from the present 250 million to the whopping 340 million by the end of this century, it is an inspired decision to target this lucrative segment which provide alluring profitability particularly food, cosmetics, medicines, etc., with Halal certified products. Specially, Islamic religious organizations also have an enormous onus to enhance the ken of this community on the matters comprehensively germane to Islam in general and about halal and haram in particular.
Originality/value
This is the first ingenious effort aimed to investigate the attitude and awareness toward halal among general Muslims and Muslim students. This is a pioneering attempt on halal of Indian Muslims which is lucrative for both corporate sector and to the academia.
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An Nee Lau, Mohd Hafiz Jamaludin and Jan Mei Soon
The purpose of this paper is to determine the understanding of halal concept among food production workers and to develop a generic Halal Control Point (HCP) Plan for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the understanding of halal concept among food production workers and to develop a generic Halal Control Point (HCP) Plan for the manufacturing of processed foods.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method (interviews, surveys and microbiological analyses) approach was used to analyze the hygiene and halal practices of four food processing plants in Penang, Malaysia. In total, 200 food production workers were surveyed (and quality assurance staff were interviewed) to determine their understanding of halal concepts and attitude towards halal food products. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) swabbing tests were conducted to determine the hygiene of workers and food contact surfaces. End products were sampled and enumerated for total bacterial count.
Findings
The swabbing tests of food contact surfaces (i.e. tabletops) showed that only Company C (oat) and Company D (coffee powder) passed the ATP hygiene test (= 10 reflective light units [RLU]). The results obtained from all workers’ hands and aprons indicated a 100 per cent failure rate (>30 RLU). No ATP was detected on the packaging materials from all companies. The microbiological findings indicated that the end products are satisfactory and were below detection limits as verified by the enumeration done on the food samples. Besides, from the interview sessions conducted with the quality assurance staff, one generic Halal Control Points (HCPs) plan and four specific HCP plan tables were developed for the manufacturing process of halal food products for each company.
Originality/value
The HCP plans will be of value for food industry seeking to identify potential point sources of haram contamination and halal control points for their food production processes.
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Ozcan Saritas and Ilya Kuzminov
This paper aims to analyse the mainstream and emerging global challenges and trends in the global agriculture sector. The analysis leads to a discussion on the present state of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the mainstream and emerging global challenges and trends in the global agriculture sector. The analysis leads to a discussion on the present state of the Russian agroindustry and possible future strategies for adaptation in the context of the rapidly changing global environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The design of this study is based on the application of the core methods of Foresight. First, a trend analysis is undertaken using reviews and expert methods. Trends identified are mapped using a social, technological, economic, environmental, political and value (STEEPV) framework to ensure that a broad range of trends are covered, which may be stemming from various factors affecting the agriculture sector. The analysis of the big picture of global trends and challenges, interacting with country-specific structural factors, translates are translated into the opportunities and threats, which will in turn help to develop possible strategies for adaptation.
Findings
This study develops two adaptive strategies for the development of the Russian agroindustry that are feasible in different short- and long–term time horizons. The first strategy is considered to be the most likely choice for the period before 2020. It includes radical imports’ substitution (of commodities as well as machinery and high-tech components) for ensuring national food security with inevitable temporary setbacks in efficiency and labour productivity. The second strategy, which becomes feasible after 2020, considers re-integrating Russia into global supply chains and expanding commodities exports (volumes and nomenclature) based on full-scale technological modernization with the use of international capital.
Research limitations/implications
The study design is based on the assumption that Russia’s position as a country, which is highly self-sufficient on basic agricultural products and large exporter of crop commodities and fertilizers, will remain unchanged in the horizon of at least 20 years. However, long-term forecasts should also scrutinize the possibility of radical structural changes. Therefore, future research should concentrate on wild cards that can completely disrupt and transform the Russian agriculture industry and as well as the whole economy.
Practical implications
This paper suggests a number of recommendations on national science and technology policy for the three main industries of the Russian agricultural sector: crop husbandry, animal breeding and food processing (the fisheries sector is excluded from the scope of this paper). In addition, this paper proposes a number of measures towards alleviating the institutional barriers to raise the investment attractiveness of the sector.
Originality/value
The novelty of this paper lies in the originality of the research topic and methodology. The Russian agricultural sector has rarely been studied in the context of global agricultural challenges and threats taken on the highest level of aggregation beyond commodity market analysis or agro-climatic and logistics factors. There are few or no studies that lay out a map of possible long-term strategies of Russian agroindustry adaptive development. The Foresight methodology applied in this study is customized to better fit the practical purposes of the study.
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Ishfaq Ahmed and Muhammad Musarrat Nawaz
The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of understanding of Muslim students about Istihalah. It compares the understanding of students of various departments about…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of understanding of Muslim students about Istihalah. It compares the understanding of students of various departments about Istihalah and changes in their knowledge after a workshop.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a comparison is made between students of three departments: Islamic studies, business studies and food sciences. These departments were selected using purposive sampling. In the second phase, students with a lack of awareness about Istihalah were given a one-day training workshop on the concept of Istihalah. Data were collected through a personally administrated questionnaire.
Findings
The results of the first phase revealed that students from business studies and food sciences were not familiar with the concept and application of Istihalah, whereas students from Islamic studies were well-aware of it. The findings of the second phase revealed that after the provision of training (workshop), students were at par with the students of Islamic studies. All the students were further willing to know about Istihalah and its implications in their personal and professional lives.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this study is to highlight the area where information about Islamic concepts should be disseminated and applied.
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