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Food choice is influenced by a range of factors, including sensory attributes and beliefs about the nutritional value of the foods. It is difficult to determine the relative importance of beliefs about nutritional and sensory attributes to foods. It is necessary to examine these within an overall framework. The attitudes model developed by Fishbein and Ajzen is presented as a framework within which such comparisons can be made. It has been shown to be useful in a variety of studies of food choice. The relative importance of different types of beliefs can be assessed within this approach by examining the relationship between individual beliefs (or groups of beliefs) and either attitude or behaviour. In a number of studies sensory attributes have been found to be more important for table salt use, snack food consumption and consumption of foods contributing highly to fat in the diet. In the case of low‐fat milk consumption, however, nutritional beliefs were found to be more important than beliefs about the sensory attributes of the milks or their suitability for different uses.

At the Institute of Food Research in Reading a new Department of Food Acceptability was formed in April 1989. This includes sections investigating sensory responses to foods, food appearance and flavour chemistry. There is also a section devoted to investigating the reasons for people's choice of foods, that is, the psychology of food choice.

William Baumol is best-known as an academic. He was a prodigious researcher and publisher of texts on microeconomic theory, and a highly regarded educator with roles as head of the Department of Economics at Princeton University, director of the C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics and director of the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at New York University. Less well-known were his engagements as a corporate consultant, notably for the telecommunications monopoly AT&T. Baumol’s work as an advisor, expert witness and theorist for AT&T spanned three decades from 1966. His relationship with AT&T arguably forms the context within which we can better understand his work on contestability theory, which he developed with a team of economists working for AT&T’s Bell Telephone Laboratories in the 1970s. Contestability theory was later deployed as a policy tool to justify industry deregulation and even advocate for monopolies and oligopolies on the ground that they were optimally efficient industry structures if potential competitors faced low barriers of entry. Baumol’s intellectual contribution to contestability theory was arguably influenced by the Chicago school and by AT&T’s drive toward the technological integration of telecommunications. Contestability was a rebellion against economic orthodoxies concerning competition and government regulation, and the status quo within AT&T which opposed market competition on the ground that it threatened the technological integration of the Bell system. The outcome was a revolution in industrial organization that would pave the way for the emergence of platform business models incorporating multi-sided and two-sided markets as exemplified by Amazon and Uber.

A New Centre for Food Research was created in September 1993 at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh. Its main purpose is to promote research into food choice, particularly factors influencing choice such as sensory, socio‐cultural and nutritional aspects. Research undertaken involves a multi‐disciplinary approach by bringing together expertise from various disciplines including consumer sciences, dietetics and nutrition, food science, social sciences and hospitality studies. A one‐day symposium “Food research in Europe” was held in 1994 to mark the Centre′s official launch. The symposium was well attended, with delegates representing a wide range of organizations in the UK and other EU countries. Presentations were given by eminent speakers and researchers – Dr David Lindsay, MAFF; Dr Ronan Gormley, The National Food Centre in Dublin; Dr David Kilcast, Leatherhead Food Research Association; Dr Wendy Brown and Dr Richard Shepherd, both from the Institute of Food Research, Reading. The centre′s major research interests and activities are related to fruit and vegetable consumption (sensory qualities of apples; barriers to consumption); the relationship between snacking, body weight and physical activity; healthy eating award schemes in the UK.

The Government has recently made public its response to the Food Advisory Committee′s review of food labelling practices. Among the accepted recommendations, the presentation of labelling information is recognized to be of key importance. Presents a review of the ergonomic factors which affect the clarity of pack information and discusses the relevance of these findings for the design of effective food labelling.

Discusses the importance of effective risk‐benefit communication about genetic engineering in food production. The consumer, industry and science are all likely to benefit from the creation of an “informed consumer”. There is a need to develop strategies to maximize the effectiveness of such communication, in order to reach target audiences. Risk‐benefit communication is likely to require a different approach to that which has evolved from the communication of risk information alone. Investigates future research needs and concludes that risk‐benefit communication will usefully invoke public debate about future directions for technological evolution and development.

Presents experimental work which attempts to understand what psychological mechanisms are likely to influence consumer acceptance of genetically engineered food, and the relationship between consumer attitudes towards the technology and consumer acceptance of its products. Discusses the relationship between consumer risk perceptions and consumer reactions; the influence of public knowledge and understanding of the technology on attitudes; media impact; ethical concern; and the importance of perceived need for the technology. Concludes that the most important determinant of consumer acceptance of genetic engineering in food technology is likely to be perceptions of benefit resulting from application of the technology. Suggests that the success of communication strategies is likely to depend on effective provision of information regarding the tangible benefits of the technology, although it is important that a dialogue be established between communicators and the lay public, so that issues addressed reflect the real concerns of the public.

Outlines research on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food‐funded project Communication strategies for the Promotion of Dietary Change. With a view to general dietary recommendations and to Health of the Nation targets, the focus of this three‐year project is the promotion of dietary change through information provision. A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the Institute of Food Research, Reading, is conducting the research, drawing on a number of different theoretical perspectives and methodological procedures. Pays special emphasis to the issue of fat consumption, summarizes the practical role of the theory of planned behaviour, the elaboration‐likelihood model and unrealistic optimism research, and outlines the development of a novel food and drink diary. Advocates a multidisciplinary, integrative approach to information‐based health promotion efforts.

Describes work carried out on a two‐year Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF)‐funded project of the constraints on freedom of dietary choice and their implications for the adoption and maintenance of healthy diets. Looks at whether there are differences in diet knowledge and preferences between people on different income levels.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between psychological contract and knowledge sharing behavior in the enterprise system (ES) post-implementation stage. The fulfillment and obligation of psychological contract are proposed as antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior performed by client firms. Additionally, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is considered a moderator in the relationship between psychological contract and knowledge sharing.

This study adopted the questionnaire survey to collect data from 132 client firms of a focal ES provider in the garment industry of China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used for data analysis.

Psychological contract fulfillment is negatively related to knowledge sharing, whereas the positive role of psychological contract obligation is supported. EOstrengthens the role of both psychological contract fulfillment and obligation in shaping knowledge sharing behavior of client firms.

This study adopts forward- and backward-looking approaches in decision making as a theoretical lens to investigate how to improve client firms’ knowledge sharing behavior through psychological contract. By figuring out the roles of psychological contract and EO in influencing knowledge sharing, this research benefits both vendor and client firms in maintaining sustainable collaboration and continuous improvement of ES projects.