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1 – 10 of over 2000
Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 December 2023

N. Nurmala, Jelle de Vries and Sander de Leeuw

This study aims to help understand individual donors’ preferences over different designs of humanitarian–business partnerships in managing humanitarian operations and to help…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to help understand individual donors’ preferences over different designs of humanitarian–business partnerships in managing humanitarian operations and to help understand if donors’ preferences align with their actual donation behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Choice-based conjoint analysis was used to understand donation preferences for partnership designs, and a donation experiment was performed using real money to understand the alignment of donors’ preferences with actual donation behavior.

Findings

The results show that partnering with the business sector can be a valuable asset for humanitarian organizations in attracting individual donors if these partnerships are managed well in terms of partnership strategy, partnership history and partnership report and disclosure. In particular, the study finds that the donation of services and products from businesses corporations to humanitarian organizations are preferable to individual donors, rather than cash. Furthermore, donors’ preferences are not necessarily aligned with actual donation behavior.

Practical implications

The results highlight the importance of presenting objective data on projects to individual donors. The results also show that donors value the provision of services and products by business corporations to humanitarian operations.

Originality/value

Partnerships between humanitarian organizations and business corporations are important for the success of humanitarian operations. However, little is known about which partnership designs are most preferable to individual donors and have the biggest chance of being supported financially.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2023

Tatiana Kossova and Maria Sheluntcova

This article aims to investigate the role of socioeconomic factors and individual time preferences in the demand for fast-food in Russia. An individual discount rate shows the…

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to investigate the role of socioeconomic factors and individual time preferences in the demand for fast-food in Russia. An individual discount rate shows the ability of a person to postpone utility from consumption to future periods.

Design/methodology/approach

An individual discount rate is measured through a hypothetical money experiment. The database is the special survey of the Levada analytical center conducted in 2017. Multivariate probit model enables the authors to consider the possible endogeneity of individual discount rate and reveal the relationship between socioeconomic factors and frequent fast-food consumption.

Findings

Results show that a higher individual discount rate is related to frequent consumption of fast-food. At the same time, there are factors that provoke both a higher individual discount rate and the refusal of frequent consumption of fast-food. Findings advise the prioritization of measures highlighting the short-term benefits of healthy eating and the short-term costs of avoiding it.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this article is the first one which presents comprehensive investigation of microeconomic factors of fast-food consumption in Russia including individual time preferences of consumers.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 51 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

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: 18 June 2024

Nozomi Toyota and Caroline S.L. Tan

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence Japanese consumer purchase intention toward products bearing animal welfare (AW) certification labels.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence Japanese consumer purchase intention toward products bearing animal welfare (AW) certification labels.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed with the constructs of informativeness, trust, consumer perception, health consciousness, moral norms and purchase intention and tested using a sample of 513 Japanese consumers. Data were collected using an online panel with the direct effects analyzed using regression while the mediation analysis was performed using Hayes PROCESS macro.

Findings

The findings have confirmed that informativeness, consumer perception and trust contribute to consumer purchase intention of products with AW certification labels. Moral norm has a significant indirect effect on the relationship between consumer perception and intention to purchase. However, health consciousness did not demonstrate any indirect effect on the relationship between consumer perception and intention to purchase.

Originality/value

This study contributes significantly to our understanding of Japanese consumers' perception toward AW certification labels, especially considering the limited discussion surrounding this topic in Japan. By highlighting the importance of informativeness, it sheds light on how enhancing consumer knowledge can potentially boost the demand for AW foods. Moreover, it challenges the conventional belief in the impact of health consciousness and consumer behavioral intention, thereby expanding the discourse on the role of health consciousness in consumer choices. Through this exploration, the study not only enhances consistency in discussing consumer behavior but also strengthens the coherence and argumentation of the research findings.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 July 2024

Opeyemi Femi-Oladunni, Pablo Ruiz-Palomino and Israel Roberto Pérez Jiménez

This study aims to identify how Spanish consumers’ extrinsic preferences for food have evolved by examining the extant literature on food preferences in Spain, focusing on…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify how Spanish consumers’ extrinsic preferences for food have evolved by examining the extant literature on food preferences in Spain, focusing on food-related attributes and food-related values.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a synthetic review of the extant academic literature on Spanish consumer preferences for food-related attributes and food-related values from the mid-20th to the 21st century. This study uses key economic and social milestones that are most likely to influence food value chain actors to show how consumer preferences have evolved over the study period.

Findings

Spanish consumer food attribute preferences expanded as the food sector of the nation continued to grow, and value preferences showed a similar pattern from the mid-20th to the 21st century. The drivers of these preferences were trust, lifestyle, education (campaigns), sociodemographic factors and purchasing power.

Originality/value

Evaluating the extant literature’s contribution to consumer preferences for food-related attributes and values is important because it can aid in understanding the hierarchy and variety of consumers’ food preferences as well as the factors that drive these preferences. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore how Spanish consumer preferences evolved between the mid-20th and 21st centuries.

Details

Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-750X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2024

Dang Thuan An Nguyen and Liwei Hsu

As humans are influenced by their environment, this study explores how different construal levels of ambient scent temperature affect consumers’ food choices.

Abstract

Purpose

As humans are influenced by their environment, this study explores how different construal levels of ambient scent temperature affect consumers’ food choices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a series of experimental methods from three studies, totalling five experiments. The experiments involved both laboratory and field settings, as well as neuroscientific techniques, thus generating empirical evidence.

Findings

Three studies were conducted to investigate how construal levels of both ambient scent temperature and tasks influenced food choice. Study 1 found that the construal level of ambient scent temperature significantly affected the type of food consumed. Study 2 included the task’s construal level as another factor to examine whether it interacted with the ambient scent temperature construal level. Both factors were significant, but only when perceived by the participants simultaneously. If the task’s construal level was manipulated before exposure to the ambient scent temperature, the latter did not have a significant effect. Study 3 employed a neuroscientific method to explore the mechanism behind the match between ambient scent temperature and food choices based on construal levels. The congruence of ambient scent temperature and food choice based on construal level enhanced positive emotions.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size, although in line with other neuroscientific studies, was not sufficiently large for robust generalizability. This limitation can encourage future research to increase the number of participants and thus enhance the accountability of the findings. Another limitation is the participants’ cultural background.

Practical implications

This study’s practical implications are twofold. First, odour intensity was perceived to be the strongest in hot samples (Kähkönen et al., 1995), and we confirmed how ambient scent temperature can influence one’s food choice. Thus, food business operators can use warm ambient scent temperatures to promote hedonic food or snacks. Second, participants’ positive emotions were enhanced by the congruence of ambient scent temperature and food choice.

Social implications

The association between ambient scent temperature and food choice has been extensively researched. However, this study provides an empirical explanation for the application of CLT. Accordingly, we performed a series of laboratory and field experiments using behavioural and neuroscientific approaches. The results confirmed that the construal level of ambient scent temperature significantly affected food choice. Moreover, the FAA revealed that one’s positive emotions would be prompted if there was congruence in the construal levels of ambient scent temperature and food choice.

Originality/value

This study has theoretical and managerial value because people’s poor understanding of food selection is affected by ambient scent temperature. Moreover, its novelty lies in the application of a neuroscientific approach to one experiment.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 126 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 September 2024

Thomas De Lombaert, Kris Braekers, René De Koster and Katrien Ramaekers

Warehouses are under pressure to operate as efficiently as possible. In pursuit of attaining high efficiency in the order picking process, the warehouse manager must take several…

Abstract

Purpose

Warehouses are under pressure to operate as efficiently as possible. In pursuit of attaining high efficiency in the order picking process, the warehouse manager must take several planning decisions, typically supported by a central planning system. However, highly centralised work erodes the autonomy of warehouse workers, interfering with worker well-being and productivity. This study holistically explores the impact of a work system with more decision autonomy for order pickers.

Design/methodology/approach

We conduct a unique field experiment in a real-world warehouse and use a within-subjects design to compare two work systems, one with worker autonomy and one without. 18 permanent employees participate in our study, in which we measure both psychosocial and physical well-being as well as productivity. Post-experimental interviews are conducted to delve deeper into the observed effects.

Findings

Our study illustrates that involving order pickers in operational decisions can benefit their job satisfaction and motivation without compromising productivity. Although we fail to find significance at the conventional level (α = 0.05), we do find marginally significant effects of our treatment on physical well-being aspects. Furthermore, our intervention invoked a highly positive user experience.

Practical implications

We show that slightly loosening tight process control results in organisational and individual benefits without endangering smooth operational flows. The warehouse in this paper acknowledged this and decided to permanently work according to this philosophy.

Originality/value

This study is the first to holistically explore the effects of a participatory work setting in a real-world warehouse.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

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

Book part
Publication date: 4 June 2024

Shelly Etzioni, Mor Collins, Eran Ben-Elia and Yoram Shiftan

Serious games (SGs) are virtual systems that allow the reconstruction of the laws governing the behavior of complex adaptive systems such as urban transportation and social…

Abstract

Serious games (SGs) are virtual systems that allow the reconstruction of the laws governing the behavior of complex adaptive systems such as urban transportation and social interaction. Unlike stated preference-based studies, improved visualization, feedback, and scores mediate players’ learning through experience. SG’s potential to understand users’ preferences regarding shared automated vehicles (SAVs) is developed. The investigation focused on three innovative, entirely automated commuting options: shared rides, shared cars, and automated transit. The research involved 10 participants actively involved in a competitive mode selection exercise, which emulated 50 workdays and was conducted in 10 separate sessions. The players aimed to maximize their overall score influenced by their mode choice, punctuality, and the other players’ choices. SG-obtained data was used to estimate a game-based discrete choice model. The sustainability policy implications of game-based methods on the future adoption of SAVs and impacts on other modes are further discussed.

Details

Sustainable Automated and Connected Transport
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-350-8

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2024

Alison S. Gajadhar and Melissa K. Hippolyte

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the proposed CARICOM Octagon “High In” Warning Label (OWL), against four alternative Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels (FOPNLs): US…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the proposed CARICOM Octagon “High In” Warning Label (OWL), against four alternative Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels (FOPNLs): US “Facts Up Front” (FUF), UK Multi-Traffic Light (MTL), Mexican OWL and the Brazilian Magnifying Glass “High In” Warning Label, on respondents’ purchase intentions, perception of healthiness and understanding of nutritional information across and within food products.

Design/methodology/approach

In an online randomized control experiment, adults from eight CARICOM countries (n = 948) were randomly assigned to a control and four treatment FOPNL groups. Respondents were tasked to choose between four categories of mock products with three variations in healthfulness across and within products.

Findings

No statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found across FOPNL groups compared to the OWL on outcomes of purchase intentions and perception of healthfulness. Regarding the understanding of nutritional information, FUF performed the best, as participants were 1.76 times (p = 0.03) and 3.23 times (p = 0.00) more likely to correctly identify the products with the highest and lowest amount of sugar, respectively. Results were similar for products with the lowest sodium (odds ratio [OR] = 2.25, p = 0.00) and highest saturated fats (OR = 2.11, p = 0.00).

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations of this study include the use of an online platform to conduct the experiment. Though this was the most cost-effective method of execution and presented many benefits, there were limitations to using this approach. Firstly, this approach may not entirely replicate the real world in store purchasing settings. Although online grocery shopping is becoming increasingly popular, in the Caribbean, most grocery purchases are made in stores. Furthermore, online surveys are more likely to lead to samples with higher educational and income levels than the average population (Bethlehem, 2010). The skewedness observed was not unique to this study and was common with similar published studies (Franco-Arellano et al., 2020; Packer et al., 2021; Talati et al., 2018). Nevertheless, all respondents were randomly assigned to groups, and it was confirmed that there were no systematic differences in the education and income levels of participants across the FOPNL groups.

Practical implications

Some CARICOM policy makers advocate for the use of “High In” warning labels to limit the intake of nutrients of concern (NOCs) and to encourage healthier eating habits among consumers. However, regional private sector stakeholders have expressed concern about the lack of sufficient research undertaken at a regional level, to inform the effectiveness of this model within CARICOM, and some have also expressed a preference for the use of other interpretative and reductive FOPNLs, already in use in the Region. The results of this study reveal that while interpretative FOPNLs like the Draft CARICOM Regional Standard, DCRS5 (OWL) can assist consumers in making healthier purchase decisions, it was outperformed by the MTL on perception of healthiness and by the FUF on the understanding of nutrient information. It was also noted that the DCRS5 (OWL) was more effective when choosing across products with distinct nutritional differences but performed poorly in assisting respondents with making healthy purchasing decisions when all the products contained NOCs above the relevant thresholds. This study’s findings highlight that the existing FOPNL schemes can be further enhanced for improved outcomes. This can be achieved by using a hybrid approach which includes both reductive and interpretative elements to allow for comparison across and within food products. The literature also suggests the use of colour and combining positive as well as negative elements to encourage ease of interpretation, improved understanding and healthier food choices.

Social implications

A properly designed FOPNL can support consumers in making healthier food choices; however, it must be accompanied by measures to raise consumer awareness and increase the health literacy of the population to cause shifts in preferences and behavioural patterns over time. This must also be coupled with policies to make healthy food choices more affordable to the general population.

Originality/value

The results of this study revealed that FUF and MTL performed the best in assisting participants to correctly identify between products with the highest or lowest NOCs at the 5% significant level, and that the OWL performed poorly in assisting participants with making healthy purchasing decisions when all the products contained NOCs above the relevant thresholds.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science , vol. 54 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

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