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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 June 2024

Aditya R. Khanal, Ram Hari Timilsina and Purushottam Dhungana

Unsafe food consumption results in adverse health conditions, foodborne illness and undernutrition among households and communities. The consumption of food contaminated with…

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Abstract

Purpose

Unsafe food consumption results in adverse health conditions, foodborne illness and undernutrition among households and communities. The consumption of food contaminated with harmful microorganisms or with harmful pesticide residuals results in adverse health conditions and undernutrition. However, there are a number of challenges to maintaining food safety in the food systems of developing countries, like Nepal, where awareness of food safety is low and research on these issues is lacking.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted an experiment among youth aged between 20 and 26 years in Nepal to assess their food safety awareness and affinity to safer fresh produce choices. In the classroom setting experimentations with and without information nudges conducted among 224 youth participants, participants chose one fresh produce packet among the four. We analyzed results using multinomial and mixed logit models appropriate for discrete choice modeling.

Findings

We found that the youth’s perceived higher importance of sustainable food systems and their knowledge levels on microbial contamination and foodborne illnesses play significantly positive roles. The likelihood of choosing microbial safety-labeled fresh produce or both microbial- and chemical safety-labeled fresh produce increased with nudging among those who have some knowledge of microbial contamination and foodborne illnesses – we found that the interaction of nudging and level of knowledge is significantly positive. Youth belonging to higher income classes do not necessarily have a higher affinity to safer fresh produce but with nudging, the higher income class youth have a higher likelihood of choosing safer fresh produce choices.

Research limitations/implications

Youth engagement and their awareness of food safety could be one of the important strategies to potentially develop them as effective promoters, adopters and educators in enhancing food safety in food systems in Nepal. Our predicted premium for food safety attributes points to the potential scope for the emerging market segment or business opportunities augmenting food safety in Nepal.

Originality/value

We examined the factors influencing the safer fresh produce choices among youth in Nepal. We tested whether awareness levels of microbial contamination and foodborne illness and information nudging affect the likelihood of safer fresh produce choice. Then we predicted the willingness to pay (premium) for safety attributes. To the best of our knowledge, none of the previous studies have examined this aspect in Nepal.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2024

Maneesha Singh and Tanuj Nandan

This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis on “intertemporal choice” behavior of individuals from journals in the Scopus database between 1957 and 2023. The research…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis on “intertemporal choice” behavior of individuals from journals in the Scopus database between 1957 and 2023. The research covered the data on the said topic since it first originated in the Scopus database and carried out performance analysis and content analysis of papers in the business management and finance disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliometric analysis, including science mapping and performance analysis, followed by content analysis of the papers of identified clusters, was conducted. Three clusters based on cocitation analysis and six themes (three major and three minor) were identified using the bibliometrix package in R studio. The content analysis of the papers in these clusters and themes have been discussed in this study, along with the thematic evolution of intertemporal choice research over the period of time, paving a way for future research studies.

Findings

The review unpacks publication and citation trends of intertemporal choice behavior, the most significant authors, journals and papers along with the major clusters and themes of research based on cocitation and degree of centrality and relevance, respectively, i.e. discounting experiments and intertemporal choice, impulsivity, risk preference, time-inconsistent preference, etc.

Originality/value

Over the past years, the research on “intertemporal choice” has flourished because of the increasing interest of researchers and scholars from different fields and the dynamic and pervasive nature of this topic. The well-developed and scattered body of knowledge on intertemporal choice has led to the need of applying a bibliometric analysis in the intertemporal choice literature.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 June 2024

Wei Liu, Xiyan Han, Xiuwei Cao and Zhifeng Gao

Due to ginger holds a special and indispensable place in Chinese cuisine, understanding consumers’ preferences for organic ginger is of significance, especially given the growing…

Abstract

Purpose

Due to ginger holds a special and indispensable place in Chinese cuisine, understanding consumers’ preferences for organic ginger is of significance, especially given the growing interest in organic food products and sustainable agriculture. This study thus examines Chinese consumers’ preference for fresh ginger and the sources of their preferences heterogeneity for organic ginger consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is using choice experiment (CE) method and mixed logit (MXL) modeling with 1,312 valid samples. The participants are regular consumers who are 18 years old or above and had bought fresh ginger within the past 12 months.

Findings

The results show that consumers prefer organic product certification labeling ginger to conventional ginger, preferred to purchase ginger at wet markets to at supermarkets or online, and preferred either ginger with regional public brand or private brand to unbranded ginger. Results also indicate that age, education level, income, purchasing experience of organic and branded ginger, and cognition of ginger health benefits are the sources of heterogeneity in consumer preferences for organic ginger.

Originality/value

This study contributes to ginger growers, marketers and policy makers. This study tracks how consumers' preferences change under different attribute combinations, capture the complex preference structure of consumers, and help reveal the motivations behind consumers' preferences for organic ginger. These findings will be crucial for developing marketing strategies, promoting organic products, and meeting consumer needs.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 April 2023

Neeraj Singh and Sanjeev Kapoor

Although growing Internet penetration in the hinterlands has attracted agribusinesses to promote digital platforms, farmers are sceptical about using them. The literature…

Abstract

Purpose

Although growing Internet penetration in the hinterlands has attracted agribusinesses to promote digital platforms, farmers are sceptical about using them. The literature discusses agricultural platforms from the theoretical perspective of technological determinism, where the platforms are developed and promoted by firms in a top-down manner to be accepted by farmers. However, this approach results in poorly configured platforms with limited utility for farmers. It is evident from the existing literature that the mere creation of a platform business is not sufficient to guarantee adoption by users. Hence, this study explores how to make the agricultural platform more attractive for farmers.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study is based on a discrete choice experiment performed on 126 Indian farmers using agricultural platforms. The data were analysed using the conditional logistic regression method.

Findings

The study suggests that farmers expect government and cooperative entities to be also embedded with the platforms. Complementary features such as prompt service, competitive pricing and farm credit were identified as essential attributes. Further, the platforms should enable smallholders to trade farm produce by providing a mechanism for real-time online nudging and bargaining with buyers.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on the applications of random utility theory. The research has utility for Agtech managers, cooperative institutions and agricultural policymakers.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies focussing on agricultural platform design from the farmers' perspective. The study implies that incorporating preferred attributes can help practitioners configure platforms to benefit farmers with prospects concerning farm management decisions.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2024

Steve Charters and Lara Agnoli

This paper reports on a project looking at consumer perceptions of terroir in the UK, using cheese as a stimulus for the data collection.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper reports on a project looking at consumer perceptions of terroir in the UK, using cheese as a stimulus for the data collection.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection was based on a consumer survey using a discrete choice experiment which included a number of cues to, and stories about, terroir. Analysis of preferences produced three latent classes with varying attitudes towards terroir cues for cheese. There was also an open-ended question giving rise to a qualitative analysis of respondents understanding of the work “terroir”.

Findings

When faced with the terroir cues most used some positively to make their choices. A PDO label and stories about the production region and method and business structure all generally offered positive utility.

Originality/value

Terroir is a widely used term in the marketing of (especially) wine, particularly in Europe, offering a form of authenticity and has been very important in policies to sustain the economies of otherwise declining rural areas. It has been adopted by producers in the English-speaking world but is less widely recognised, by consumers. The significance of this study is that it is the first large-scale survey of British consumer perceptions around a key tool for rural businesses – terroir – and one of the first around a non-wine product, and it explores the stories which resonate most effectively with consumers.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Ghausia Taj Begum

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between work-life balance and the mental health of Indian managers and to explore the moderating role of emotional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between work-life balance and the mental health of Indian managers and to explore the moderating role of emotional intelligence (EI) and gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Work-life balance scale (Hayman 2005), Mental Health Inventory (Viet and Ware, 1983) and EI scale (Wong and Law, 2002) were administered to 202 (102 males and 100 females) Indian managers. Based on the Conservation of Resource theory, a theoretical model has been designed and hypotheses were tested by descriptive, correlation and moderation analysis.

Findings

The results of this study indicated that work-life balance is positively correlated with psychological well-being and mental health, while negatively correlated with the psychological distress of managers. EI has emerged as a potential moderator that positively influences the relationship between work-life balance and the mental health of managers. At the same time, gender did not show any moderating effect.

Research limitations/implications

This research has theoretical, practical as well as social implications.

Practical implications

This study is aligned with SDG 3 and SDG 5 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2023. This paper provides valuable inputs in promoting mental health at the workplace and formulating gender-neutral work-life balance policies and programs in Indian organizations.

Social implications

This study is aligned with SDG 3 (Health and well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender equality) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2023.

Originality/value

This study is an empirical research paper backed by a sound theoretical framework, which addresses the work-life balance and mental health issues of managers and highlights the positive role of EI in managing their personal and professional lives in a low gender-egalitarian Indian work–family culture.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 August 2024

Kevin Z. Chen, Luyun Yu, Wen Lin and David L. Ortega

The purpose is to understand the factors affecting Chinese diet selections and propose strategies for revolutionizing Chinese diets toward healthy ones.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose is to understand the factors affecting Chinese diet selections and propose strategies for revolutionizing Chinese diets toward healthy ones.

Design/methodology/approach

This study implemented an online discrete choice experiment to identify the factors affecting diet selections among urban Chinese consumers. Four different diet patterns were used to label each of the product alternatives in the experiment, which varied in taste and cost. Specifically, implying the healthiness and sustainability of a diet, the diet alternatives included the average diet, the Chinese Food Guide Pagoda diet, the EAT-Lancet diet and the Flexitarian diet. Using consumer data from six provincial capital cities, we used random parameter logit models to estimate their preferences.

Findings

Diet type and diet cost were found to be more important in urban Chinese consumers' diet selections than the ability to customize taste. The average diet, although not healthy and sustainable, was preferred most by respondents, signaling the challenges of shifting the consumer diet in China. Increasing the cost of the average diet can significantly promote sustainable healthy diet choices among urban Chinese residents. In other words, improving the affordability of sustainable healthy diets would have the potential to fuel the diet revolution in China.

Originality/value

Instead of choices of a single food item, this paper focused on the individual selection of a diet, where different food products can act as substitutes or as complements for one another. We also proposed a way to assess individual preferences and valuations for several different diets.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2023

Poonam Mulchandani, Rajan Pandey, Byomakesh Debata and Jayashree Renganathan

The regulatory design of Indian stock market provides us with the opportunity to disaggregate initial returns into two categories, i.e. voluntary premarket underpricing and post…

Abstract

Purpose

The regulatory design of Indian stock market provides us with the opportunity to disaggregate initial returns into two categories, i.e. voluntary premarket underpricing and post market mispricing. This study explores the impact of investor attention on the disaggregated short-run returns and long-run performance of initial public offerings (IPOs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs regression techniques on the sample of IPOs listed from 2005 to 2019. It measures investor attention with the help of the Google Search Volume Index (GSVI) extracted from Google Trends. Along with GSVI, the subscription rate is used as a proxy to measure investor attention.

Findings

The empirical results suggest a positive and significant relationship between initial returns and investor attention, thus validating the attention theory for Indian IPOs. Furthermore, when the returns are analysed for a more extended period using buy-and-hold abnormal returns (BHARs), it was found that price reversal holds in the long run.

Research limitations/implications

This study highlights the importance of information diffusion in the market. It emphasizes the behavioural tendency of the investors in the pre-market, which reduces the market efficiency. Hence, along with fundamentals, investor attention also plays an essential role in deciding the returns for an IPO.

Originality/value

According to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies that has attempted to explore the influence of investor attention and its interplay with underpricing and long-run performance for IPOs of Indian markets.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2054-6238

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2024

Tatiana Drugova and Kynda Curtis

This study explores the viability of incorporating more expensive organic wheat flour into speciality bakery products, which are of superior quality, thus justifying the higher…

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the viability of incorporating more expensive organic wheat flour into speciality bakery products, which are of superior quality, thus justifying the higher cost. As consumers may be reluctant to purchase organic speciality baked goods due to unfavorable taste associations with organic foods, particularly those consumed as a treat or for pleasure, this study investigates the impact of providing taste assurances and origin information on consumer acceptance and WTP for organic speciality bakery products.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from an online survey of US consumers, random parameter logit models were estimated and willingness-to-pay (WTP) values were calculated.

Findings

Study results show that the use of more expensive organic flour is justified for speciality bakery products when favorable taste assurances are provided or for consumers who value organic foods. Freshness indictors were only important in the case of speciality breads, but not for other products. Finally, improving consumer awareness of organic labeling standards does not significantly impact their organic product preferences or taste perceptions.

Practical implications

This analysis aims to identify the product information likely to increase the consumption of organic speciality bakery/pastry products and thus support the incorporation of organic wheat flour into these higher-value products.

Originality/value

While previous choice experiment studies have extensively examined consumer preferences for organic products, few have evaluated the impact of providing taste and freshness indicators, particularly in the context of vice goods. This study examines the impact of providing taste and freshness indicators on consumer acceptance and WTP for various organic speciality bakery/pastry products in stated choice experiments, where consumers to not have the option to taste the product. Specifically, we examine if taste and freshness assurances reduce potential negative organic product taste biases.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Qinyuan Shen, Zhifeng Gao and Zhanguo Zhu

A meat quality grading system is essential to meet consumers' increasingly diversified demand for food quality in the global market. This study aims to determine the effectiveness…

Abstract

Purpose

A meat quality grading system is essential to meet consumers' increasingly diversified demand for food quality in the global market. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the upcoming Chinese quality grading labels and examine the information effect of labeling standards on pork consumption choices.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an online survey with choice experiments, this study estimates consumer valuation for the fat thickness of different pork primal cuts by simulating three scenarios. Generalized mixed logit models in WTP space are used to analyze the choice experiment data.

Findings

Chinese consumers prefer lean pork to fatty pork and this preference does not vary significantly between primal cuts. Consumer valuation for ungraded high-quality (lean) pork increases after the implementation of the quality grading. Meanwhile, they are willing to pay high premiums for labeled pork (including level 1, 2, 3), and there are higher premiums for pork with higher levels. Besides, incomplete information on labeling standards could achieve more premiums for pork than relatively complete information.

Originality/value

This study pays attention to essential but few-noticed pork quality grading. The findings provide references for pork industry practices and policy-making of the meat quality grading system in China and globally by examining incomplete and relatively complete information effects on consumer choices.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

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