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Article
Publication date: 16 March 2012

Meike Janssen and Ulrich Hamm

In July 2010, a mandatory European Union (EU) logo for organic food was introduced to strengthen the organic sector by making the identification of organic products easier for…

3522

Abstract

Purpose

In July 2010, a mandatory European Union (EU) logo for organic food was introduced to strengthen the organic sector by making the identification of organic products easier for consumers. The present study aims to analyse how consumers in five EU countries view a mandatory EU logo for organic food and to give recommendations for agrarian decision makers and market actors in the organic sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to provide a comprehensive picture of consumer views. Focus group discussions were conducted with consumers in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the UK. A subsequent survey with 2,042 participants was carried out to quantify consumer views on key issues and analyse country differences. Finally, the results of the qualitative and quantitative study were brought together.

Findings

While the introduction of a mandatory EU logo for organic food was generally welcomed in all countries, trust in the underlying production standards and the inspection system was not very pronounced (except in Italy). The authors conclude that the introduction of the new EU logo should be supported by communication campaigns to make clear what the new logo stands for and remove unfounded consumer concerns regarding the downscaling of standards and the trustworthiness of the inspection system.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, no previous studies exist on consumer views on a mandatory EU logo for organic food. The recommendations drawn from their findings can help to reach the objectives connected with the introduction of the mandatory EU logo.

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2013

Catherine Gerrard, Meike Janssen, Laurence Smith, Ulrich Hamm and Susanne Padel

The purpose of this paper is to consider whether UK consumers recognise and trust organic certification logos and whether the presence of these logos on a product increases…

3773

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider whether UK consumers recognise and trust organic certification logos and whether the presence of these logos on a product increases consumer willingness to pay for that product.

Design/methodology/approach

To ascertain the reaction of UK consumers to organic certification logos commonly used in the UK, this study makes use of three methods: focus groups, a consumer survey and a willingness to pay experiment (choice experiment).

Findings

These three approaches reveal that UK consumers associate certain benefits with organic foods but are generally unaware of how the industry is regulated. With regards to trust of the logo, the standards they think underlie the logo and the inspection system that they think is associated with the logo, UK consumers rate the Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers logos more highly than the EU logo or products labelled with just the word “organic”. They appear willing to pay a premium for the additional assurance that these two logos provide, suggesting that where they are recognised, certification logos are valued.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, no previous studies exist on whether UK consumers recognise and trust different organic certification logos. These findings show that where such logos are recognised they can help to give some assurance to the UK consumer and this is reflected in a willingness to pay a premium for foods labelled with the Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers certification logos, as opposed to no logo or the (less well known) EU logo.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 115 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2023

Daphne Lisanne Van Helden, Laura Den Dulk, Bram Steijn and Meike Willemijn Vernooij

The purpose of this explorative study is to investigate through the lens of gender the role of career shocks in career advancement experiences in academia. By taking a contextual…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this explorative study is to investigate through the lens of gender the role of career shocks in career advancement experiences in academia. By taking a contextual approach, this study increases understanding of the role of the academic career script as a potential boundary for career shock implications.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors studied career advancement experiences of a cohort of 75 men and women associate professors in the Netherlands via biographical interviews and conducted theoretically informed inductive analysis.

Findings

The analysis revealed the ambiguities and contradictions in the role of most career shocks in career advancement experiences. Failure to fit the majority of career shocks into the “rigid” academic career script generates discretionary latitude in handling shocks. These shocks pose unique barriers – and to a lesser extent unique benefits – to women's perceived opportunities for career advancement.

Practical implications

Academic organizations should focus on cultivating more inclusive work environments with respect to career shocks. The 75 diverse biographies offer leverage to challenge traditional notions of academic career advancement.

Originality/value

This paper extends “structure and agency” literature on career building by showing how career shock implications are inherently contextual in the academic setting. Gendered support provisions for handling career shocks offer a novel explanation for the numerical minority of women in academic leadership.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 June 2010

Julia Oberschmidt, Jutta Geldermann, Jens Ludwig and Meike Schmehl

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate a multi‐criteria methodology for the performance assessment of energy supply technologies, which also takes into account the dynamics of…

2213

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate a multi‐criteria methodology for the performance assessment of energy supply technologies, which also takes into account the dynamics of technological change.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach chosen is based on the multi‐criteria outranking methodology Preference Ranking Organisation METHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), which is linked to the concept of technology's life cycle by assigning criteria weights depending on the actual development phase of a certain technology. The modifications to the PROMETHEE algorithm are described and the modified methodology is demonstrated by evaluating heat and power supply alternatives for a municipal area in Germany.

Findings

The methodology is suitable for the evaluation of energy technologies taking into account varying preferences depending on their stage of maturity. It is a feasible alternative to other methodologies which allow for interconnections like the analytic network process. The results show that, based on a multi‐criteria life cycle approach, renewable energy technologies are competitive with conventional alternatives for supplying heat and power.

Practical implications

Appropriate methods are required to elicit life cycle‐dependent preferences. Decision support should help decision makers (DMs) to articulate preferences according to different development phases and illustrate the results in the most meaningful way.

Originality/value

The methodology provides the basis for a comprehensive analysis of energy technologies at different life cycle stages. It can be used to support decision making in different situations and by various actors.

Details

International Journal of Energy Sector Management, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6220

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Waripas Jiumpanyarach

The purpose of this paper is to investigate teenagers’ preferences, attitudes, and purchasing power towards organic foods in markets and to explain influences of teenagers’…

1761

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate teenagers’ preferences, attitudes, and purchasing power towards organic foods in markets and to explain influences of teenagers’ choices and purchasing intentions on organic foods.

Design/methodology/approach

A paper-based and a web-based survey were conducted among 557 teenagers in Thailand. A choice experiment logit model was used to identify factors influencing decision in purchasing.

Findings

The study found that teen consumers were likely to buy ready-to-cook organic food items instead of conventional food items because of health and food safety concerned under their budget constraints. The willingness to pay found organic food items (eggs, pork, chicken) had negative impact but organic opinion had positive impact. The attitudes on high price of organic food items were positive impact because of production process, quality, and quantity of products.

Research limitations/implications

Teenagers’ consumption impacted on food demands in supermarkets and convenient stores because of their attitudes and behaviours in purchasing. The desired food characteristics should be good quality, safety for consumers, and available in the market nationwide. The supported policies for expanding organic markets were benefits for organic farmers to be sustainable farming.

Originality/value

This study examined the impacts of economic conditions and the premium quality healthy food products on teenagers’ food motivation.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 45 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2012

Jaffar Ahmad Alalwan and Heinz Roland Weistroffer

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive literature review of enterprise content management (ECM) research, a conceptual framework of areas of concern regarding…

3848

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive literature review of enterprise content management (ECM) research, a conceptual framework of areas of concern regarding ECM, and an agenda for future ECM research, based on the review and conceptual framework.

Design/methodology/approach

To gain an understanding of the ECM literature, a structured research approach is adopted, consisting of two phases. The first phase consists of identifying the relevant ECM research papers. In the second phase, the analysis phase, the current ECM research is categorized based on three structural pillars: system component dimensions, system lifecycle, and strategic managerial aspects.

Findings

After a review and classification of 91 ECM publications, it is found that ECM involves several sophisticated and interacting technical, social, organizational, and business aspects. The current ECM literature can be grouped around three main pillars: the first pillar consists of the four ECM component dimensions (tools, strategy, process, and people). The second pillar is the enterprise system lifecycle (adoption, acquisition, evolution, and evaluation). The final pillar is the strategic managerial aspect (change management, and management commitment). Based on the review and a proposed conceptual framework, an agenda for future research around the aforementioned three pillars is suggested.

Originality/value

There is a lack of ECM meta‐analysis research that explains the current state of the field. This paper contributes to information systems research by describing and classifying the published literature in ECM and by pointing out the gaps where further research is most needed. Furthermore, the paper provides a framework that may provide a conceptual structure for future studies.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 25 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

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