Search results
1 – 10 of 37Emma Lea, Anthony Worsley and David Crawford
The aims of this study were to examine farmers' and food processors' alignment with consumers' views about plant foods and their intentions to produce plant foods.
Abstract
Purpose
The aims of this study were to examine farmers' and food processors' alignment with consumers' views about plant foods and their intentions to produce plant foods.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on plant food beliefs were collected from mail surveys of farmers, food processing businesses and random population samples of adults in Victoria, Australia.
Findings
There were strong differences between consumers' beliefs and farmers' and food processors' perceptions of consumers' beliefs. For example, a higher proportion of farmers and processors believed that consumers would eat more plant foods if more convenience‐oriented plant‐based meals were available than consumers themselves agreed. Farmers appeared to be more aware of or aligned with consumers' beliefs than were processors. One‐ and two‐thirds of farmers and processors respectively were planning to grow or process more plant foods, which bodes well for the availability of plant and plant‐based foods.
Research limitations/implications
Study limitations include the small food industry sample sizes and possible response bias, although analysis suggests the latter was low. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives, including those from other sectors (e.g. retailers).
Practical implications
Education of consumers and industry groups on plant foods and better lines of communication from consumer to processor to farmer, are required.
Originality/value
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine farmers' and food processors' awareness of consumers' beliefs about plant foods. This issue is important for those involved with the production and marketing of plant foods or with food, farming and health policy.
Details
Keywords
The aim of this exploratory study was to examine and compare a range of business values held by farmers and food processors.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this exploratory study was to examine and compare a range of business values held by farmers and food processors.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires with a section on business values were posted to 200 farmers and 200 food processing businesses in Victoria, Australia, with response rates of 44 per cent (n=69) and 31 per cent (n=48), respectively, achieved.
Findings
The most important of the 28 value items for farmers were high quality produce, honesty, and caring for employees. For processors, the most important values were quality products, customer value, and caring for employees. Between group differences reached statistical significance for one‐third of the items. In particular, processor businesses valued innovation and convenience products more highly and had a stronger process orientation than did farming businesses. Environmental sustainability, caring for the community, and providing healthy products were more integral to farming than processing businesses.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation was the small sample sizes, although it is likely that response bias was not high. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives and examine the values held by other food industry sectors.
Practical implications
This information could increase the effectiveness of communications with industry groups on a range of issues and in the formulation of appropriate health and environmental policies.
Originality/value
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to compare the values of farmers and food processors. This information is particularly important for those in the food industry and health and environmental policy makers.
Details
Keywords
Aims to investigate the relationships between consumers' food concerns and their personal values and demographic characteristics.
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to investigate the relationships between consumers' food concerns and their personal values and demographic characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was administered in a cross sectional random population survey conducted among a sample of 1,000 adults in South Australia. The questionnaire elicited information about respondents' concerns about 20 food and health issues, the perceived importance of 23 values items derived from the Schwartz values inventory, and their demographic characteristics.
Findings
Principal components analyses derived four food concerns factors and six personal values factors. Respondents' safety concerns scores were positively associated with devout‐tradition, order‐discipline, and moderate‐independent values. Their disease concerns score was positively linked to beauty‐nature, devout‐tradition, and order‐discipline. Multiple regression and chi‐square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analyses showed that individual values items were strong predictors of consumers; specific concerns such as food and heart disease, and, genetic modification of foods.
Research limitations/implications
The research was based on a cross sectional study. More refined indices of food concerns and personal values should be used in replications of this preliminary study.
Practical implications
The findings support the use of psychographic market segmentation approaches in communication programs about food and health issues.
Originality/value
The findings suggest that personal values, may be stronger predictors of consumers' concerns about food and health issues than demographics. They also show that measurement level of values and concerns influence the observed strength of their relationships.
Details
Keywords
Emma Lea and Tony Worsley
To examine consumers' beliefs about organic foods and their relationship with socio‐demographics and self‐transcendence (universal, benevolence) personal values.
Abstract
Purpose
To examine consumers' beliefs about organic foods and their relationship with socio‐demographics and self‐transcendence (universal, benevolence) personal values.
Design/methodology/approach
A random questionnaire‐based mail survey of 500 Australian (Victorian) adults (58 per cent response) was used. The questionnaire included items on organic food beliefs, the importance of self‐transcendence values as guiding principles in life, and socio‐demographics. Statistical analyses included cross‐tabulations of organic food beliefs by socio‐demographics and multiple regression analyses of positive organic food beliefs with personal value and socio‐demographic items as the independent variables.
Findings
The majority of participants believed organic food to be healthier, tastier and better for the environment than conventional food. However, expense and lack of availability were strong barriers to the purchasing of organic foods. Generally, women were more positive about organic food than men (e.g. women were more likely to agree that organic food has more vitamins/minerals than conventional food). The personal value factor related to nature, environment and equality was the dominant predictor of positive organic food beliefs, followed by sex. These predictors accounted for 11 per cent of the variance.
Research limitations/implications
A survey response bias needs to be taken into account. However, the response rate was adequate for reporting and differences in age and education between participants and the Victorian population were taken into account in data presentation. Future understanding of consumers' use of organic foods will require the inclusion of a fairly extensive set of potential influences.
Practical implications
Communication appeals based on psychographics may be a more effective way to alter consumers' beliefs about organic foods than those based on demographic segmentation.
Originality/value
To the best of one's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between personal values, socio‐demographics and organic food beliefs in a random population sample. This study is relevant to producers, processors and retailers of organic food and those involved with food and agricultural policy.
Details
Keywords
Laura Anne Bassette, Maddie Kujawski and Emma Donges
Previous research found that when exercise partners provided social support to each other, both participants engaged in higher levels of activity (Gellert et al., 2011). These…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research found that when exercise partners provided social support to each other, both participants engaged in higher levels of activity (Gellert et al., 2011). These results suggest that there may be benefits to providing inclusive physical activity (PA) programming to individuals with autism; however, little research has explored specific strategies. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of a behavioral intervention consisting of visual social stories and additional intervention components (i.e. prompting, checklists) to teach adolescents/young adults with autism and their workout partners without disabilities to provide social support to one another during partnered PA.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple probe across dyads was used to explore the effects of the intervention on social support (i.e. verbal encouragement and feedback).
Findings
The results indicate the treatment was effective during the intervention phase. When partners and settings changed during generalization, results were maintained in all but one participant.
Originality/value
Areas for future research and implications for practice to support inclusive PA for autistics are discussed.
Details
Keywords
Emma Wallis, Lizel Nacua and Jonathan Winterton
This paper reviews changing government policy on adult education in England over the past 20 years and the funding regimes affecting adult and community learning and union-led…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reviews changing government policy on adult education in England over the past 20 years and the funding regimes affecting adult and community learning and union-led learning, which play a major role in learning opportunities for socially excluded adults.
Design/methodology/approach
A review and analysis of extant literature, informed by previous involvement in the sector and ongoing collaborations.
Findings
Two decades ago, adult education in England provided a variety of learning opportunities for people who either had limited qualifications or who needed to reskill for whatever reason. Access to those opportunities has been reduced just when it is most needed.
Research limitations/implications
This is a review and viewpoint paper based on experience in England, the limitations of which are discussed in the concluding section. Notwithstanding the institutional specificities of adult education in England, many of the implications are generic and have wider relevance beyond this country context.
Practical implications
Economic recovery post-coronavirus (COVID) and Brexit will require more access to adult education so people can prepare for labour market re-integration. The practical implication of extending provision in adult education to support labour market integration of vulnerable workers is relevant to most countries.
Originality/value
This paper takes a holistic view of adult education, with particular attention to adult and community learning and union-led learning.
Details
Keywords
Brian Euesden, Colin Gough and Jean Whittaker
The Education Reform Act and, in particular, the Local Managementof Schools will demand different skills, understanding and differingroles of senior management in educational…
Abstract
The Education Reform Act and, in particular, the Local Management of Schools will demand different skills, understanding and differing roles of senior management in educational establishments. This text draws on written assignments and experience of teachers and headteachers who piloted an MBA programme, designed specifically for senior teachers. Topics such as customers, product, price, promotion and the notion of teachers as a salesforce are unfamiliar to educators. They draw attention to the kind of strategic planning which will take place in schools as they take over responsibility for delegated budgets. All of this is new territory for the majority of state schools and this collection hopefully provides a useful resource.
Details
Keywords
Emma Tonkin, Annabelle M Wilson, John Coveney, Trevor Webb and Samantha B Meyer
Distrust of conventional food supply systems impacts consumer food choice. This in turn has implications for consumer nutrition outcomes and acceptance of expert advice regarding…
Abstract
Purpose
Distrust of conventional food supply systems impacts consumer food choice. This in turn has implications for consumer nutrition outcomes and acceptance of expert advice regarding food and health. The research exploring consumer trust is found across a broad range of research streams, and is not cohesive in topic or approach. The purpose of this paper is to synthesise the disparate literature exploring the interaction between food labelling and consumer trust to determine what is known, and gaps in knowledge regarding food labelling and consumer trust.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic search of trust and food labelling literature was conducted, with study results synthesised and integrated. Studies were then critically analysed for the conceptualisation of the consumer, the label, and their interaction with a framework developed using social theories of trust.
Findings
In total, 27 studies were identified. It was found that not only is the current literature predominantly atheoretical, but the conceptualisation of labelling has been limited.
Research limitations/implications
Further empirical research is needed to enable a more comprehensive understanding of the role food labelling plays in influencing consumer trust in food systems.
Originality/value
This research develops a conceptualisation of the dual roles food labelling may play in influencing consumer trust in food systems. It distinguishes between trust in food labelling itself, and the trust consumers develop in the food supply system through food labelling. The novel theoretical model and synthesis provide a foundation upon which future research may be conducted.
Details
Keywords
Antonio Iazzi, Lorenzo Ligorio and Lea Iaia
A model on the cognitive elements of engagement is adopted and content analysis, along with sentiment analysis, has been used to explore the post characteristics and the levels of…
Abstract
Purpose
A model on the cognitive elements of engagement is adopted and content analysis, along with sentiment analysis, has been used to explore the post characteristics and the levels of stakeholders' interactions in controversial and non-controversial European industries through three Poisson regressions. At last, an ANOVA test has been used to check the level of interaction regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related aspects.
Design/methodology/approach
The intrinsic characteristics of controversial industries cause the stakeholders’ skepticism about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. This results in the need to elaborate proper involvement strategies to approach industries' stakeholders. Such need has assumed relevance during the COVID-19 crisis and has traced a certain border between the companies that are more sensitive to the social side of the surrounding environment and the ones that are less involved in risky sectors. The present paper aims to understand the role of social media in stakeholder engagement, and social media's characteristics, and tries to elaborate on companies' CSR communication readiness to the challenges shown by the pandemic.
Findings
The study reveals how the success of stakeholder engagement in CSR communication is affected by both controversial sector membership and the characteristics of the posts such as the inclusion of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). In addition, the study emerges how the European companies have focused on social aspects in companies' communication, revealing a certain readiness for the COVID-19 challenges.
Practical implications
Building on a model of cognitive elements of engagement, the present study provides useful insights for companies' next engagement strategies on social media. Moreover, the thematic analysis provides a benchmark for the improvement of current corporations' communication strategies in light of the pandemic effects.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by investigating the role of Twitter as a stakeholder engagement tool and identifies the drivers for an effective Twitter content strategy. Moreover, the paper provides a useful proxy for current and future research on the COVID-19-related CSR communication.
Details
Keywords
Dean J. Connolly, Gail Gilchrist, Jason Ferris, Cheneal Puljević, Larissa Maier, Monica J. Barratt, Adam Winstock and Emma L. Davies
Using data from 36,981 respondents to the Global Drug Survey (GDS) COVID-19 Special Edition, this study aims to compare changes, following the first “lockdown,” in alcohol…
Abstract
Purpose
Using data from 36,981 respondents to the Global Drug Survey (GDS) COVID-19 Special Edition, this study aims to compare changes, following the first “lockdown,” in alcohol consumption between lesbian, gay, bisexual and other sexual minority (LGB+) and heterosexual respondents with and without lifetime mental health and neurodevelopmental (MHND) conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
Characteristics and drinking behavior of respondents to GDS who disclosed their sexual orientation and past 30-day alcohol use were described and compared. LGB+ participants with and without MHND conditions were compared, and logistic regression models identified correlates of increased drinking among LGB+ people. The impact of changed drinking on the lives of LGB+ participants with and without MHND conditions was assessed.
Findings
LGB+ participants who reported that they were “not coping well at all” with the pandemic had twofold greater odds of reporting increased binge drinking. LGB+ participants with MHND conditions were significantly more likely than those without to report increased drinking frequency (18.7% vs 12.4%), quantity (13.8% vs 8.8%) and that changed drinking had impacted their lives.
Originality/value
This study, which has a uniquely large and international sample, explores aspects of alcohol use not considered in other COVID-19 alcohol use research with LGB+ people; and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore alcohol use among LGB+ people with MHND conditions.
Details