Search results
1 – 10 of over 7000Atmadeep Mukherjee, Amaradri Mukherjee and Pramod Iyer
Food waste is a big problem where millions of pounds of produce are discarded every year because they are imperfect or unattractive. Despite the societal implications of selling…
Abstract
Purpose
Food waste is a big problem where millions of pounds of produce are discarded every year because they are imperfect or unattractive. Despite the societal implications of selling unattractive produce, limited research has been directed toward understanding the effect of imperfect produce on consumers’ evaluations of the produce and retailer outcomes. This paper aims to investigate why consumers tend to discard imperfect produce and how retailer interventions (i.e. anthropomorphized signage and packaging) can alleviate these negative effects.
Design/methodology/approach
Three experiments were conducted to examine the postulations. Study 1 highlights the role of consumers’ embarrassment in the purchase decision of imperfect produce and retailer patronage intention. Studies 2 and 3 provide managerially relevant boundary conditions of anthropomorphic signage and opaque packaging.
Findings
Convergent results across three studies (n = 882) indicate that imperfect produce increases purchase embarrassment and reduces purchase intention and retailer patronage intention. Retailer interventions (i.e. anthropomorphic signage and opaque packaging) can allay this feeling of embarrassment and lead to an increased retailer patronage intention and higher service satisfaction.
Practical implications
This research provides guidance to retailers for effectively promoting imperfect produce.
Social implications
Retailers’ actions can benefit the well-being of farmers, suppliers, customers and the overall environment.
Originality/value
This research adds to the literature on unattractive produce by identifying new moderators, namely, anthropomorphic signages and opaque packaging. The research also shows that purchase embarrassment is a key process mechanism.
Details
Keywords
Ata Allah Taleizadeh, Mahshid Yadegari and Shib Sankar Sana
The purpose of this study is to formulate two multi-product single-machine economic production quantity (EPQ) models by considering imperfect products. Two policies are assumed to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to formulate two multi-product single-machine economic production quantity (EPQ) models by considering imperfect products. Two policies are assumed to deal with imperfect products: selling them at discount and applying a reworking process.
Design/methodology/approach
A screening process is used to identify imperfect items during and after production. Selling the imperfect items at a discount is examined in the first model and the reworking policy in the second model. In both models, demand during the production process is satisfied only by perfect items. Data collected from a case company are used to illustrate the performance of the two models. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is carried out by varying the most important parameters of the models.
Findings
The case study in this research is used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed models, i.e. the EPQ model with salvaging and reworking imperfect items. The models are applied to a high-tech un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) doors and windows manufacturer that produces different types of doors and windows. ROGAWIN Co. is a privately owned company that started in 2001 with fully automatic production lines. Finally, the results of applying the different ways of handling the imperfect items are discussed, along with managerial insights.
Originality/value
In real-world production systems, manufacturing imperfect products is unavoidable. That is why, it is important to make a proper decision about imperfect products to reduce overall production costs. Recently, applying a reworking strategy has gained the most interest when it comes to handling this problem. The principal idea of this research is to maximize the total profit of manufacturing systems by optimizing the period length under some capacity constraints. The proposed models were applied to a company of manufacturing UPVC doors and windows.
Details
Keywords
Tobias Winkler, Manuel Ostermeier and Alexander Hübner
Regarding the retail internal supply chain (SC), both retailers and research are currently focused on reactive food waste reduction options in stores (e.g. discounting or…
Abstract
Purpose
Regarding the retail internal supply chain (SC), both retailers and research are currently focused on reactive food waste reduction options in stores (e.g. discounting or donations). These options reduce waste after a surplus has emerged but do not prevent an emerging surplus in the first place. This paper aims to reveal how retailers can proactively prevent waste along the SC and why the options identified are impactful but, at the same time, often complex to implement.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors follow an exploratory approach for a nascent topic to obtain insights into measures taken in practice. Interviews with experts from retail build the main data source.
Findings
The authors identify and analyze 21 inbound, warehousing, distribution and store-related options applied in grocery retail. Despite the expected high overall impact on waste, prevention measures in inbound logistics and distribution and warehousing have not been intensively applied to date.
Practical implications
The authors provide a structured approach to mitigate waste within retailers' operations and categorize the types of barriers that need to be addressed.
Originality/value
This research provides a better understanding of prevention options in retail operations, which has not yet been empirically explored. Furthermore, this study conceptualizes prevention and reduction options and reveals implementation patterns.
Details
Keywords
The fragmentation of knowledge poses serious threats to a survival when scientific and technological know‐how constantly outrun understanding of societies and individuals. A…
Abstract
The fragmentation of knowledge poses serious threats to a survival when scientific and technological know‐how constantly outrun understanding of societies and individuals. A significant problem associated with this state of affairs is the unquestioned separation of facts and values. This paper has two immediate aims. The first is to argue that there is knowledge of values. The second is to look at some issues in the social sciences and to show this conclusion bears on the possibilities for the reunification of knowledge. Issues in economics, sociology, and anthropology are examined kin terms of detailed examples.
Jingxue Jessica Yuan, Sungpo Yi, Helena A. Williams and Oak-Hee Park
Despite the perfect nutritional value of imperfect “ugly” produce, they are either never harvested or discarded, resulting in escalating farm-to-fork food waste problems in the…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the perfect nutritional value of imperfect “ugly” produce, they are either never harvested or discarded, resulting in escalating farm-to-fork food waste problems in the USA. The purpose of this paper is to investigate US consumers’ perceptions of imperfect “ugly” produce and their willingness to purchase and consume these foods in their households.
Design/methodology/approach
Four focus group sessions with at least five voluntary participants per session were conducted. Each session used structured interview questions and the discussions were led by the same moderator. All sessions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed based on published focus group guidelines and recommendations.
Findings
The research study has revealed two categories of potential consumers, Influencers and Learners, when it comes to an initial understanding of “ugly” produce consumption. The study also identified nine themes (i.e. food safety, price sensitivity, location of sale, product display, name/label, purpose of use, fun, targeted education and food waste) that consumers hold regarding imperfect “ugly” produce.
Research limitations/implications
Insights from this study provide strategies for sustainable food management that could help stakeholders along all points of the food chain save money, reduce hunger and diminish food waste in our communities.
Originality/value
This study serves to provide preliminary insights in approaching the issue of consumers’ perception of imperfect “ugly” fruits and vegetables from a research perspective. Although a limited number of real consumers from the local community participated, their rich and in-depth qualitative responses defined the scope and the defining questions that need further exploration.
Details
Keywords
Yong Liu, Xiaoying Wang and Wenwen Ren
This paper attempts to analyze the relationship between the complementarity degrees of imperfect complementary products and sales strategies and give appropriate sales strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper attempts to analyze the relationship between the complementarity degrees of imperfect complementary products and sales strategies and give appropriate sales strategies for a two-stage supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
With respect to two-stage supply chain consisting of two manufacturers who produce imperfect complementary products and one retailer who sells the products, aiming at bundling sales strategy, the authors define complementarity elasticity of products and use it to measure the degree of complementary between two products. Based on Stackelberg game and cooperation, the authors analyze the relationship between the complementarity degrees of imperfect complementary products and appropriate sales strategies.
Findings
As the impact of complementarity degree on sales strategy decision-making is better, the authors can pinpoint out which sales decision-making is optimal and which bundling sales strategy is the best for a two-stage supply chain. Considering that the degree of complementarity has a significant impact on the product sales strategy, the authors can point out which sales decision-making is optimal, that is, which bundled sales strategy is the optimal in the secondary supply chain of selling complementary products.
Practical implications
An innovative bundling can expand the sales of existing products and new products. It helps a retailer transcend and defeat competitors by reducing marketing expenses while increasing profits. Proper use of bundling can improve consumers utility and create an overall positive effect for both the enterprises and consumer.
Originality/value
The research can help some retailers to make many appropriate bundling sales strategies.
Details
Keywords
Madeleine Pullman and Kristen Rainey
This chapter examines the role of stakeholders, cocreation, and pro-environmental behaviors in Google’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their food waste. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter examines the role of stakeholders, cocreation, and pro-environmental behaviors in Google’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their food waste. It describes several different strategies that the company undertook and the outcomes of those efforts. These efforts ranged from working with suppliers and employees to use food that was normally wasted to implementing a waste measuring and feedback system. The case highlights the challenges, current impact, and risks of the different strategies.
Methodology/approach
The chapter covers the theories and models of stakeholder influence on sustainability, new product development through cocreation, and pro-environmental behaviors; it applies these concepts to Google’s food waste program.
Findings
The results of the study contribute to the frameworks on cocreation and stakeholder management to include ideas for encouraging pro-environmental behavior through various social practices (measuring and monitoring waste, building supply chain partnerships, and cocreating new products with stakeholders).
Originality/value
The findings of this chapter will help other companies with ideas for successfully reducing food waste and its environmental impact by illustrating new ideas for engaging stakeholders in the supply chain.
Details
Keywords
Demonstrates the implications of imperfect substitutability betweendomestic and imported final goods for the determination of second‐bestnominal and effective tariffs in a general…
Abstract
Demonstrates the implications of imperfect substitutability between domestic and imported final goods for the determination of second‐best nominal and effective tariffs in a general equilibrium setting. The analysis of second‐best interventions for given policy distortions extends that by Ruffin and Casas on homogeneous goods to the case where there is product heterogeneity. The second‐best optimal effective rate of protection for given policy distortions is shown to depend upon the nature of the policy distortion and the degree of substitutability between imported and domestic varieties. Although imperfect substitution reduces the extent to which effective protection can be determined from the structure of protection, it increases the extent to which second best tariffs can be determined in a qualitative sense at least when compared with the traditional, perfect substitution case.
Details
Keywords
Ritu Arora, Anand Chauhan, Anubhav Pratap Singh and Renu Sharma
Good management strives to align and corporate processes for more attention being paid to supply chain management. Firms realize that greater co-operation and improved…
Abstract
Purpose
Good management strives to align and corporate processes for more attention being paid to supply chain management. Firms realize that greater co-operation and improved coordination can help to manage the entire supply chain more efficiently. The imperfect quality item is one of the most important issues that affect the expected profit of green supply chain. The imprecise cost with screening process of poor quality items posed in supply chain is the subject of this study.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study explores production model for imperfect items having uncertain cost parameters with three-layer supply chain encompassing supplier, manufacturer and retailer. The model is considering the impact of business tactics such as order size, production rate, production cost and appropriate times in various sectors on collaborative marketing systems. Due to imprecise cost parameters, the pentagonal fuzzy numbers are set to fuzzify the total cost and defuzzifition by using graded mean integration.
Findings
This study offers an explicit condition in uncertain environment to manage the imperfect quality item to increase the potential profit of the supply chain. The influence of changes in parameter values on the optimal inventory policy under fuzziness is provided managerial insights.
Originality/value
This model makes a significant contribution to fuzzy inference. The results of the study provide a trading strategy for the industry to avoid losses. The prescribed study can be suitable for the industries like sculpture, jewelry, pottery, etc.
Details
Keywords
Ana Carolina Campos, Fernando De Oliveira Santini, Marcelo G. Perin and Wagner Junior Ladeira
The purpose of this meta-analytic study is to investigate the possible influence of food shape abnormality on consumer’s willingness to buy fruits and vegetables. This research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this meta-analytic study is to investigate the possible influence of food shape abnormality on consumer’s willingness to buy fruits and vegetables. This research also investigates some possible moderators (methodological, cultural, socio-economic and contextual) that could influence the direct effects.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied the meta-analysis approach to understand the effect of food shape abnormality on willingness to buy fruits and vegetables. In this research, 16 empirical articles were examined, with a total of 54 effect sizes.
Findings
The results showed consistent negative effects between food shape abnormality and consumers’ willingness to buy fruits and vegetables. This study also found significant effects related to culture (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions) and to socio-economic (Human Development Index) moderators. The findings demonstrated that cultures with higher power distance levels promoted stronger effects in the relationship between abnormally shaped food and willingness to buy. Additionally, related to social–economy aspects of a nation, the negative effects between abnormally shaped food and willingness to buy are stronger in countries with low human development rates.
Practical implications
Public policymakers can benefit from the main findings by implementing interventions strategies and education campaigns based on different cultural dimensions. In cultures characterized by high levels of aversion to uncertainty, social communication campaigns can build trust and provide the consumer more knowledge about abnormally shaped fruits and vegetables, whereas in cultures characterized by low levels of masculinity, related to higher levels of sustainability, local producers can benefit from the “local food” positioning to sell abnormally shaped fruits and vegetables.
Originality/value
This research advances studies about consumer behaviour in relation to food waste, highlighting factors beyond aesthetic issues, such as a nation’s culture and its economic context. These results open the way for new work in this area.
Details