Search results

The Health Star Rating (HSR) is a front-of-pack labeling system that helps consumers understand the nutritional values of foods. In this study, we examined the effects of the presence (vs. absence) of an HSR label on consumer choice behavior and perception of healthiness.

In an experimental study, we tested if the presence (vs. absence) of an HSR label provides a competitive advantage over a rival product that lacks the label, influencing purchase intentions. Participants were asked to choose among two competing products, with and without the labels, in a full factorial design.

Results showed that products with an HSR label had a competitive advantage over the rival products that did not have the label. Moreover, this effect emerged more strongly for some products than others. Thus, while front-of-pack (FOP) labels can enhance sales, their impact may vary based on the specific product or brand.

This paper offers novel insights into the implications of HSR labels for consumer behavior and marketing strategies, particularly in the context of their potential use as a marketing tool by companies to boost sales in the food industry.

This paper offers an empirical overview of European emergency managers' institutional arrangements and guidelines for using social media in risk and crisis communication.

The authors collected and analysed material including publicly accessible relevant legal acts, policy documents, official guidelines, and press reports in eight European countries – Germany, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary, Finland, Norway, and Estonia. Additionally, the authors carried out 95 interviews with emergency managers in the eight countries between September 2019 and February 2020.

The authors found that emergency management institutions' social media usage is rarely centrally controlled and social media crisis communication was regulated with the same guidelines as crisis communication on traditional media. Considering this study's findings against the backdrop of existing research and practice, the authors find support for a “mixed arrangement” model by which centralised policies work in tandem with decentralised practices on an ad hoc basis.

Comparative insights about institutional arrangements and procedural guidelines on social media crisis communication in the studied countries could inform the future policies concerning social media use in other emergency management systems.

This study includes novel, cross-national comparative data on the institutional arrangements and guidelines for using social media in emergency management in the context of Europe.

The purpose of this paper is a presentation of the guiding ideas underlining the master degree course in social foresight recently launched by the University of Trento (Italy).

This paper is a reconstruction of the guiding ideas that have been used for designing the social foresight master degree.

Students are exposed to a mix of contributions from futures studies, the human and social sciences (including psychology of decisions, social change, values and secondary analysis techniques) and mathematics (not only statistics, but also system theory and simulation).

A unique look at the ideas behind the master degree course in social foresight at the University of Trento (Italy).

The purpose of this paper is to explore leadership and information dissemination during a crisis like COVID-19. The article reviews the information produced and published during the crisis. The author proposes a typology of information and categorizes messages based on their contextualization within the Caribbean environment.

The research method is developed around three main stages: a review of literature on leadership and information dissemination; synthesis of information to inform the typology; and discussion of the information reflecting the interplay between leadership and information dissemination.

The literature shows a legacy of deceit that dominates the history of healthcare for Blacks and Caribbean people. This heritage has helped to fashion individual attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic in the Caribbean. The research also highlights that in addressing the several typologies of information, varying leadership styles came to bare. The democratic leadership style was the most dominant among the Caribbean countries, while some illustrations of autocratic leadership were visible. Other leadership facets and traits fashion responses by the leaders in managing information dissemination during the crisis. The paper also observes a triangular system of information which highlights where influences exist between relationships (governments, media/NGOs and society) and how such relationships lend to shaping the behavior of others.

Limitations on the research are based on the author's philosophy and interpretation. In addition, much of the information surrounding COVID-19 is novel and hence difficult to fact-check because of the unique nature of COVID-19.

This paper provides a better understanding of the typology of information during a crisis like COVID-19. The discussion on leveraging leadership strategy and competencies for dissemination of information during a crisis provides an optimistic perspective to guide leaders in managing information dissemination during a crisis.

The typology is helpful in delineating the way society interprets information based on other crisis. It also helps with assessing the leadership styles and understanding potential tailor-made strategies.

The development of an information typology that provides insight into the influence that historical perspectives give to interpreting information in a health crisis in a Caribbean context. The research also looks at the strategies pursued by Caribbean leaders as they adopt novel and promising techniques to communicate during a crisis.