Hu Xue, Shanshan Jin, Qianrong Wu and Xianhui Geng
Platform certification constitutes an effective mechanism for managing the lemon problem concerning food e-commerce. This work aims to evaluate the market effect of platform…
Abstract
Purpose
Platform certification constitutes an effective mechanism for managing the lemon problem concerning food e-commerce. This work aims to evaluate the market effect of platform certification and analyzes its correction mechanism for lemon problem combined with reputation mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing the Gold Seller certification of Taobao.com to serve as an illustration, the authors conducted an empirical study based on the sales data of hairy crabs among 2,239 sample sites over six points in time from October to December 2019, systematically examining the market effect of food e-commerce platform certification along with the interaction between food e-commerce platform certification and reputation mechanisms, followed by a heterogeneity test by product price.
Findings
This study finds that sellers with platform certification can significantly increase their sales. The market effect of platform certification is more easily observed in the low-price product market. In addition, platform certification and reputation mechanisms have complementary effects. In a low-price product market, the complementary effect of platform certification and product reputation diminishes, while the complementary effect of platform certification and seller reputation disappears.
Originality/value
This study explores the market effect of food e-commerce platform certification, reveals the market effect of certification mechanism when multiple signaling mechanisms exist simultaneously and conducts an empirical test based on real market data. It provides a better comprehension of how platform certifications work in food e-commerce.
Details
Keywords
Emmanuel Kiprotich Kiprop, Cedric Okinda, Asma Akter and Xianhui Geng
Improved indigenous chicken is considered a sustainable agricultural practice with social, economic and environmental indicators. Therefore, the analysis of the choice of market…
Abstract
Purpose
Improved indigenous chicken is considered a sustainable agricultural practice with social, economic and environmental indicators. Therefore, the analysis of the choice of market channels is of considerable importance to farmers with reference to improved livelihoods and poverty alleviation in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence market channel choices among improved indigenous chicken farmers in Baringo County and to rank the determinants according to their level of importance in influencing farmer's choice of marketing channels.
Design/methodology/approach
A multistage sampling technique was employed to collect data from 209 households for the study conducted between April and July 2019, out of which, 198 useful responses were obtained. Multinomial logit regression and neural network models were used to analyze the factors influencing market channel choice based on socioeconomic, demographic and farm characteristics.
Findings
It was established that group membership, education, market distance, transport costs, farm size, cost of information and bargain costs were statistically significant in the choice of market channels (wholesaler, brokers, processors and supermarkets). With the direct consumer as the base market choice. The cost of transport had the highest normalized importance in the prediction of a farmer's selection of market channels for both radial basis function (RBF) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks. However, flock attributes and age of household head had the least normalized importance in MLP and RBF, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the insufficiency of resources and time, this study only focused on a small part of the country (Baringo County). However, improved indigenous chicken farming is widely practiced in Kenya. Further studies can be carried out in other counties to validate the results of this study.
Practical implications
The outcome can be used in policy implementation involving improved indigenous chicken production in Kenya.
Originality/value
This study suggests the methods aimed at enhancing poultry sector in other counties in Kenya as well as other developing countries.
Details
Keywords
The study uses survey data obtained in Jiangsu province, China, in June and August of 2012 to analyse the causal relations between aquatic farmers' relationship networks and…
Abstract
Purpose
The study uses survey data obtained in Jiangsu province, China, in June and August of 2012 to analyse the causal relations between aquatic farmers' relationship networks and trust, specific asset investments, joining in cooperatives and modern marketing channels participation.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used the structural equation mode to analyze the variables' causal relationships.
Findings
The research results show that Chinese aquatic farmers' relationship networks can positively impact their participation in modern channels through the mediators of trust, specific assets investments and joining in cooperatives.
Research limitations/implications
Two constructs are measured by a single item. Further study to incorporate multi-item constructs would be valuable.
Practical implications
The policy implication is that the government should pay attention to farmers' relationship networks and can provide them with more public goods, especially channel and price information, to assist their evaluations and decision-making, which can help them to access modern marketing channels.
Originality/value
The authors gave the answers that whether farmers' relationship networks affect their marketing channel selection decision and the function mechanism.