R. Blancquaert, Bob Turnbull, G. Forster, Lorna Cullen, Boguslaw Herod, Steve Muckett and James Lawson
ISHM‐Benelux held its 1987 Autumn Conference on 29 October, at the Antwerp Crest Hotel. This one‐day meeting focused on applications of hybrid circuit technology in various fields…
Abstract
ISHM‐Benelux held its 1987 Autumn Conference on 29 October, at the Antwerp Crest Hotel. This one‐day meeting focused on applications of hybrid circuit technology in various fields of electronic and related industries.
Robert Blancquaert, Miloš Somora, M.S. Vijayaraghavan and D.J. Lowrie
ISHM‐Benelux has recently set up a permanent secretariat at the following address:
Jacques Bellavance, Morin Diane and Catherine Mello
The behavioral phenotype of fragile X syndrome (FXS) and intellectual disability (ID) proposed by Hagerman et al. (2009) was primarily based on data from male children and teens…
Abstract
Purpose
The behavioral phenotype of fragile X syndrome (FXS) and intellectual disability (ID) proposed by Hagerman et al. (2009) was primarily based on data from male children and teens. The purpose of this study was to promote a better understanding of how this condition manifests in adults.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 18 men of FXS were paired with men with Down syndrome on the basis of age and level of ID. A screening checklist was created on the basis of existing scales and the Hagerman et al. (2009) behavioral phenotype and completed by care providers.
Findings
Five of the 12 features of the phenotype were significantly more present among men with FXS than in men with Down syndrome.
Originality/value
This study provides partial confirmation for Hagerman et al.’s (2009) behavioral phenotype of FXS among men with moderate ID and identified some traits that warrant further investigation.
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Hans De Steur, Filiep Vanhonacker, Shuyi Feng, Xiaoping Shi, Wim Verbeke and Xavier Gellynck
Experimental auctions are widely used as a non-hypothetical value elicitation method to examine consumer preferences for novel, controversial foods. However, despite its…
Abstract
Purpose
Experimental auctions are widely used as a non-hypothetical value elicitation method to examine consumer preferences for novel, controversial foods. However, despite its advantages over hypothetical methods, its practice might lead to a wide variety of biases. The purpose of this paper is to provide a list of key cognitive biases and design effects in food auction research and to deliver scientifically underpinned procedures in order to assess, control and reduce them. Its applicability and relevance is examined in auctions on willingness-to-pay for folate (GM) biofortified rice.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on auction literature, a list of 18 biases has been developed. Experimental auctions were conducted with 252 women from Shanxi Province, China to test the occurrence of eight biases, while demonstrating measures to reduce the risk of ten biases.
Findings
The results lend support for three information-related effects, i.e. confirmation bias, conflicting product information effects and a primacy bias, but not for a multiple-good valuation effect, a panel size effect, a trial winner effect and time-related sampling biases. Furthermore, there are no clear indications of social desirability bias, auction fever and a false consensus effect.
Research limitations/implications
This study emphasizes the need to take into account, and measure the risk of various biases when developing, organizing and interpreting experimental auctions. Future research should further extend the list of biases and validate the study findings.
Originality/value
By using a highly topical subject, this study is one of the first to address the potential risk of cognitive biases and design effects in experimental (food) auctions.
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Claudia Meier, Nadja El Benni, Srinivasaiah Sakamma, Simon Moakes, Christian Grovermann, Sylvain Quiédeville, Hanna Stolz, Matthias Stolze and K. Basegowda Umesh
Biofortification of staple crops is a promising strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in rural populations of the developing world. The possibility to sell biofortified…
Abstract
Purpose
Biofortification of staple crops is a promising strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in rural populations of the developing world. The possibility to sell biofortified crops at “a good market price” plays a vital role for the acceptance by smallholder farmers. This study is therefore focused on non-farming consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for biofortified crops.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically, we elicited non-farming consumers' WTP a premium for the improved iron content (+30% iron) in a 1kg finger millet bag using a 2nd price Vickrey auction with six auction rounds and one health- and one process-related information treatment. Due to multiple bids per subject, premiums were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model, controlling for market feedback and auction round.
Findings
Despite more than half of the respondents being skeptical toward new crop varieties, the acceptance rate was very high (98% with a WTP above zero). The average premium amounted to 27% and could be significantly increased with the provision of health-related information. In contrast, information about the breeding method was ineffective. The WTP was significantly higher for higher income and lower for higher age, education and skepticism toward new crop varieties and increased with increasing rounds.
Research limitations/implications
Our results suggest that non-farming consumers are willing to pay “a good market price” for iron-biofortified finger millet. Our analysis also confirms the importance of health-related information for raising consumers' WTP. This information supports the further development and introduction of biofortified crops to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition.
Originality/value
This study adds to the still limited literature on consumers' WTP for iron-biofortified crops in India, focusing on non-farming consumers to assess the price such crops can achieve on the market.
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Linda Ferrari, Chad M. Baum, Alessandro Banterle and Hans De Steur
This study jointly examines consumer attitudes towards gene-edited (GE) food and their preferences for labelling such products. Thus, it contributes to understanding the role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study jointly examines consumer attitudes towards gene-edited (GE) food and their preferences for labelling such products. Thus, it contributes to understanding the role of educational background, objective/subjective knowledge, environmental concern and socio-demographics in the context of GE food.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was administered to two generations of young individuals (millennials and Generation Z; n = 234) from two neighbouring European Union (EU) regions (Belgium and The Netherlands), which have a stringent policy on (labelling) genetically modified (GM) food. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and ordered logit models (OLMs) were employed to identify key determinants of attitudes towards GE food and GE labelling preferences, respectively.
Findings
Attitudes towards GE food were determined by environmental concern (negative) and objective knowledge (positive). Key factors influencing preferences for GE labelling were a non-hard-scientific background, knowledge about relevant policies and a negative attitude towards GE food. Preference for applying a similar labelling policy to both GM and GE was itself linked to having low, objective EU policy-related GM food knowledge and one's nationality.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to examine consumer attitudes towards GE food products, while also addressing a lack of research on GE food labelling preferences. By highlighting the preferences of young generations for a revised policy approach, this study sheds new light on the current GE debate, notably, by promoting a deeper understanding of a group which has so far received limited attention in the discourse on the acceptance of novel plant-breeding technologies.
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Marie Claire Custodio, Jhoanne Ynion, Matty Demont and Hans De Steur
This paper aims to analyze and compare consumers’ acceptance and valuation of brown, colored and low glycemic index rice and identify the factors that influence their willingness…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze and compare consumers’ acceptance and valuation of brown, colored and low glycemic index rice and identify the factors that influence their willingness to pay (WTP).
Design/methodology/approach
A stated-preference survey was conducted among 600 middle-class urban consumers in the Philippines, using a contingent valuation approach with a between-subjects design. The data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple linear regression.
Findings
Consumers accepted healthier rice types, but they discounted them relative to premium white rice, despite receiving product-specific information on health benefits. Consumers’ household income, attitude toward healthy eating and their diet quality had significant effects on WTP. Snack occasions could serve as entry points for healthier rice rather than targeting the substitution of white rice during main eating occasions. Generic information on nutritional benefits of healthier rice products was insufficient to nudge consumers’ intentions toward integrating these products into their diets.
Practical implications
The empirical contribution provides insights for breeding programs on the design of rice target product profiles that incorporate nutritional attributes.
Originality/value
The current study addresses the gap in consumer preference studies by evaluating nutrition-related attributes of rice. Measures of attitude toward food-based dietary guidelines and indicators of diet quality were included in the set of predictors that may influence WTP. The results provide insights for designing nutrition education programs to promote healthier rice in the context of healthy eating habits and to enhance the health benefits of consumers’ current diets. Future studies should further explore different types of nutrition nudges that encourage consumers to eat healthier rice-based dishes and test nutrition communication strategies that move from a narrow product focus to a broader emphasis on dietary diversity by promoting healthier dishes based on healthier rice products.
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This paper reviews and analyses some specific conditions for innovation in the European space sector. Innovation has enabled the first steps of humans into space and remained a…
Abstract
This paper reviews and analyses some specific conditions for innovation in the European space sector. Innovation has enabled the first steps of humans into space and remained a key central parameter ever since. On the other hand, the space sector lacks key parameters encouraging innovation. While governments have put in place instruments to overcome these deficiencies, the current mechanisms seem to address mainly incremental/sustaining innovation. It is argued that this situation might be leaving the space sector prone to changes coming from radical and disruptive innovation. Applying mechanisms developed for understanding disruptive innovation processes in the private sector, two specific current developments in the space sector are analyzed.
The purpose of this review paper is to outline the parachute materials and its behavior. To enhance parachute life, it is highly desirable to consider the commercial angle for any…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this review paper is to outline the parachute materials and its behavior. To enhance parachute life, it is highly desirable to consider the commercial angle for any parachute manufacturing industry and its components under varying operational conditions. Hence, the knowledge of various textile materials and operational conditions which contributes the parachute strength and durability will be helpful for industries/researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
This section is not applicable for a review paper.
Findings
Parachute is a material used in numerous real-time applications such as man-drop, cargo delivery, aircraft recovery and aircraft decelerator which drastically reduces human efforts and time. However, each application requires a unique design and fabric selection to achieve the area of drag needed and the terminal velocity of the parachute material while in flight. For designing a man-drop parachute, the most critical parameters are weight and strength which must be considered during manufacturing. The army person uses the man-drop parachute, which must be as light as possible.
Originality/value
This paper is an original review work and will be helpful for parachute manufacturers/researchers to enhance the life of parachutes with improved functionality.
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José Luis Cruz, Alba Barrutieta, Andrés García-Díaz and Jose Pablo Zamorano Rodríguez
To address the challenges of the agricultural sector, innovation is necessary. This study aims to focus on knowledge circulation as a basis to facilitate innovation in viticulture…
Abstract
Purpose
To address the challenges of the agricultural sector, innovation is necessary. This study aims to focus on knowledge circulation as a basis to facilitate innovation in viticulture in the context of climate change.
Design/methodology/approach
We have conducted interviews with viticulture stakeholders in Central Spain (Madrid region) on their perceptions and concerns about climate change, knowledge on practices to mitigate its effects on this crop and their relationship with each other for knowledge exchange. A map showing the knowledge nodes and their relationships with other stakeholders has been drawn based on the answers obtained.
Findings
Winegrowers have already noticed the effects of climate change, and they are changing some agricultural practices. Drip irrigation was the most frequently mentioned option to minimize these effects. The map of knowledge identifies the main nodes in the information flow. Results also highlight different approaches to climate change and interesting nuances in the maps of knowledge among winegrowers with and without winery.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is focused on the Madrid region, a territory that is still consolidating its wine sector at the economic and marketing levels. We understand that regions with more consolidated or stronger sectors involve maps of knowledge more complex than that obtained in this study.
Practical implications
Showing the nodes of knowledge, as well as the weaknesses and strengths of the information circuit in the wine sector in the Madrid region, is very relevant to developing strategies aimed at supporting innovation in this sector. From a practical point of view, strategies for knowledge generation and circulation are only one part of the innovation process – policies for financial and technical support are key complementary measures.
Social implications
Identification of key agents in the innovation process in the wine sector is essential to foster innovation processes. Ultimately, this will lead to more efficient adaptation to new challenges in the sector.
Originality/value
The Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) approach has a consolidated theoretical framework that pays great attention to knowledge flows, but specific studies are needed to capture the reality of AKIS by sector and by region.