Why U.S. Consumers Support Country of Origin Labeling: Examining the Impact of Ethnocentrism and Food Safety

ABSTRACT

The legality of U.S. country of origin labeling (COOL) laws for agricultural products has been challenged by foreign countries. Isolating the reasons why consumers support COOL can help determine the efficiency of COOL as a policy. Therefore, this study investigated why consumers have a desire for COOL. Data were collected through an online survey with 566 U.S. participants. Results of a bivariate ordered probit model indicate that as consumers are more ethnocentric and more pessimistic about the safety of their food, they are more likely to support COOL for sugar and for sugar in soft drinks. Thus, policies designed to inform the public about the safety of foreign commodities could reduce their desire for COOL. Evidence is also provided that highly ethnocentric individuals support COOL in an effort to “buy American” products.     

开放条件下中国糖业安全状况评估及国际比较

糖业是农产品国际贸易中最为敏感的产业之一,在国民经济中有着重要地位。随着我国食糖市场开放程度日益提高,食糖市场所面临的不确定性增加,尤其是近年来我国糖业安全出现的问题已引起社会的广泛关注。本文尝试构建一套评价糖业安全的指标体系以评估我国与世界主要国家的糖业安全状况。研究结果表明我国糖业安全水平较低且呈下降趋势。本文的贡献在于试图提出一个国家层面的糖业安全研究框架。     

Technology Support for Small-scale Industry in Developing Countries: A Review of Concepts and Project Practices

The paper is a review of approaches towards institutional technology support for small-scale manufacturing enterprises in developing countries since the early 1970s. Early programmes tended to suffer from a number of weaknesses, stemming from a limited conceptualization of technology and an inadequate understanding of the role of the small-scale sector in industrial development more broadly. There was also a lack of practical experience with project implementation. However, in recent years important advances have been made on all these fronts. Four features of recent technology assistance programmes that have tended to be associated with success are discussed, and illustrated with evidence from different projects. Broadly, successful projects: (a) embrace the notion that durable competitiveness of small producers in a competitive economic environment requires that they develop internal capabilities to effectively assimilate, use and adapt product and process technologies; (b) are demand-driven; (c) target the assistance to groups of producers with common interests and problems, and help them to organize themselves in collective bodies that can evolve into self-help institutions; and (d) include appropriate incentive structures based on market principles.     

Catching up in new wave technologies

In the last quarter of the 20th Century, new technologies and competitive practices challenged earlier opportunities for entry from a low skill base and the pursuit of an incremental process of catching up. In traditional manufacturing industries, these changes pose few problems at the entry level, though they render catch-up processes more difficult to sustain. In "new wave technologies", such as those growing out of biotechnology, the science base, patent intensity and systems' embeddedness have raised the barriers to entry and narrowed opportunities for incremental catching up from a low skill base. This paper explores these changes and their implications for traditional entry and catch-up strategies in developing countries.     

Effect of Sugar Price Policy on U.S. Imports of Processed Sugar-containing Foods

The relationship between U.S. and world sugar prices, and U.S. import demand for four categories of sugar-containing products is examined. Results from econometric estimation indicate that U.S. intervention in the sugar market has helped to increase U.S. imports of some sugar-containing products, but that increased disposable income has played a more important role. Although some developing countries have benefitted from U.S. sugar policy by increasing their exports of sugar-containing products to the United States, U.S. sugar policy has helped imports from developed countries proportionately more than those from developing countries as a whole.     

Is a Futures Market Viable in Turkey? The Case of a Cotton Futures Market

Abstract

Many countries as they reduce price controls develop an interest in futures markets as a way to manage risk. This article explores the potential of using existing futures markets to hedge cotton in Turkey. Futures prices in New York and Liverpool are not cointegrated and only weakly correlated with cash prices in Izmir. Thus, existing futures markets have limited ability to reduce the risk faced by the cotton industry in Turkey. While there are obstacles to overcome, there does appear to be a potential demand for a cotton futures market in Turkey.     

The Evolution of Wood-based Industries in Brazil and their Means of Securing Wood

This paper analyses the evolution of wood-based industries in Brazil and evaluates the methods they use to secure wood. Only industries that consume roundwood are analysed. These industries are grouped into three categories: charcoal-based industries; paper and pulp industries; and lumber and panels industries. The structure-conduct-performance paradigm together with transaction cost theory and game theory are used in the analysis. Special attention is paid to historic changes in the wood-based industries' structures, technologies, locations and market orientations brought on by changing wood availability. This paper also analyses the different ways that a predicted wood scarcity will affect each wood-based industry. The paper ends by suggesting an alternative policy to increase the supply of roundwood in the market and, consequently, support the continued viability and expansion of wood-based industries in Brazil.     

Technical and Organizational Change and Economies of Scale and Scope in Developing Countries

This article examines the impact of flexible automation (FA) and associated organizational techniques on scale and scope economies and optimal scale. It is based on an in-depth survey of 62 engineering firms in Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey and Venezuela. The paper finds that the replacement of old, mainly conventional, machine tools and transfer lines by new computer-numerically-controlled machine tools and related FA has resulted in lower economical batch sizes and the manufacturing of growing variety, making it possible to reap economies of scope. Scale and scope economies at product level have, however, reinforced scale economies at plant level, resulting in higher levels of optimal output. The main factors accounting for such impact are the reduction in the number of operations required, the improved efficiency and accuracy of the new technologies and the much higher capital fixed costs vis-a ¤ -vis the technologies that were replaced. Higher plant scales could limit the potential for industrialization in developing countries.     

Impacts of trade liberalizations under the Uruguay Round on the world sugar market

The impacts of the Uruguay Round policy provisions on the world sugar market show that these policies will stabilize the world sugar price at slightly higher levels than in the baseline. Global sugar consumption will increase as a result of the income growth caused by the Uruguay Round. Economic resources will be allocated more efficiently among the sugar industries of the various countries. However, the impacts on the sugar industries in countries with strong producer supports will be rather small because the negotiation process of the Uruguay Round has accommodated the changes in sugar policies already implemented by individual countries in the past few years. Low-cost sugar producing countries will benefit from the higher world sugar price, and consumers in countries with protected markets will benefit from lower domestic prices.     

Do IMF Programmes Have a Catalytic Effect on Other International Capital Flows?

It has frequently been assumed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) plays an important catalysing role in mobilizing international capital for developing countries and countries in transition. The Fund has conventionally been depicted as a "gatekeeper" that unlocks financial flows from other sources, particularly private international capital markets. However, more recently, international financial crises have highlighted the problem of capital volatility and have led to calls for reform of the international financial architecture and, as part of this, the IMF. Unfortunately, basic questions about the interaction between current institutional arrangements and international capital markets have yet to be answered. How do international capital markets react to the activities of the IMF? Do the reactions of private and public lenders differ? Have their reactions changed over time? Do market responses depend on country characteristics and on the type of IMF involvement and, if so, how? This paper addresses these questions and goes on to discuss the policy implications that arise.     

PDO Olive Oil Products: A Powerful Tool for Farmers and Rural Areas

Abstract

Nowadays, consumers’ quality awareness and health consciousness drive the agri-food market towards a consumer-response food market. As a result, many producers and firms in the Euro-Mediterranean countries have opted for several quality and origin assurance schemes. Among them, a prevalent role is played by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification that constitutes a successful differentiation tool for agricultural products, and it is also widely used by Euro-Mediterranean olive oil producers due to effective contribution in promoting high-quality olive oil. After going through previous studies of PDO olive oil, this review paper investigates the general aspects and prospects of PDO olive oil products and EU relevant regulations, highlighting the socio-economic dimensions and impacts upon producers, consumers, and rural areas, and determining the gap between literature and practice with regards to PDO’s implementation and the expected benefits. Finally, the paper concludes with the main points and recommendations for further research.     

The Stability of Global Market Segmented by Usage Rates of Agricultural Products

Abstract

An important question for international marketing managers is whether the international market segments, identified through usage rates of some agricultural products, remain similar over a short time period. The results of this study have revealed that the size of the usage-rate segments usually remains similar over a short time period, but some members (countries) of the segments (light users and heavy users) could shift cluster, which may relatively change the size of the segments. Also the characteristics of each segment remain almost similar over a short time period.     

The office development cycle in London

Summary

The paper examines the main features of the office market and the office development process in London, which is not only the largest office centre in the UK, but also in Europe as a whole. The discussion starts with the main factors which have contributed to the growth of London as a national and international office centre, concentrating in particular upon the main sources of demand for new office building. The cyclical nature of post‐war office development in London is described, illustrated by an examination of the relative trends in investment and development returns from new offices. The impact of the supply cycle upon the organization and funding of development, and upon its scale and location are then discussed, followed by a brief review of the impact of planning policy upon the office market. Finally, there is a review of the current situation at the end of the third post‐war cycle, and an assessment of the likely impact of new office technologies upon the demand for office space in the next development cycle during the late 1980s.     

Market Integration in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Selected Vegetables in Indonesian Markets

Abstract

Market integration has retained and increased in importance in the recent years, particularly in developing countries, where it has potential application to policy questions regarding government intervention in markets. Specifically, it provides evidence of competitiveness of the market, effectiveness of arbitrage and efficiency of pricing. In this study, selected vegetables in Indonesian markets are used as a case study. Indonesia, consisting of 17,000 islands and 182 million people, provides an interesting case study because of the importance of vegetable production and marketing in the rapidly growing economy. The results suggest that none of the markets are segmented. Short- and long-run market integration tests suggest that transportation and product perishability are important in explaining the speed of price transmission. Another important result is that market integration is directional.     

Solar-powered cold-storage and agrifood market modernization in Nigeria

Modern cooling technologies that utilize renewable energy sources have been increasingly recognized as promising tools to address various challenges emerging in progressively complex agrifood systems in developing countries. Knowledge gaps about the actual impacts of these technologies in developing countries remain, especially in Africa south of the Sahara (SSA). This study fills this knowledge gap by providing evidence from the evaluation of recent interventions in northeast Nigeria in which seven small solar-powered cold storages were installed across seven horticulture markets. Combinations of difference-in-difference (DID) and variants of propensity-score-based methods suggest that cold storage significantly increased horticulture sales volumes and revenues of market agents. Back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that increased net revenues for market agents may be sufficiently large to recoup cold storage investments and operating costs within a reasonable time frame. Using cold storage also reduced the share of food loss. It lengthened the products' shelf-life while raising prices received by market agents and farmers, which were associated with improved product quality, expanded value-adding activities by market agents, and increased use of advance payments.     

Planning Viable Wholesale Markets for Fruit and Vegetables in Eastern European Cities

Abstract

The paper provides an overview on the present status of wholesale market (wm) development in Eastern European countries. Wms are providing essential facilities for the development of a private wholesale trade for fruit and vegetables. The study addresses major issues in planning viable wholesale markets, particularly those which are affecting the economic viability of market to be newly built. The issues addressed include: the need of identifying accurately major shortcomings of the present marketing systems and their causes, the need for active participation of beneficiaries in the planning and implementation process, deciding on size, type of buildings, on institutional and management aspects and viability of assembly markets. All these issues affect the viability of wholesale markets and their capacity of repayment loans.     

Effect of Consumers’ Personality on Store Brand Choice in Grocery Stores: Insights from France and Germany

Abstract

Consumers’ personality can influence choice behavior. Considering disparities between food store brand market shares across countries, we investigate the impact of personality on food store brand decision making. We carried out two non-hypothetical choice experiments for milk, ice-cream, and cereal, one in France and one in Germany for a total of N?=?505 participants. Results show that in France neurotic and in Germany conscientious consumers purchase significantly less store brands for the food items in question. This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence that both, personality and country-effects, influence consumer food choice behavior and serve as a motivating factor for multi-category purchases of grocery store brands.     

Multilateral Trade and Agricultural Policy Reforms in Sugar Markets

We analyse the impact of trade liberalisation, removal of production subsidies and elimination of consumption distortions in world sugar markets using a partial‐equilibrium international sugar model calibrated on 2002 market data and current policies. The removal of trade distortions alone induces a 27% price increase while the removal of all trade and production distortions induces a 48% increase in 2011/2012 relative to the baseline. Aggregate trade expands moderately, but location of production and trade patterns change substantially. Protectionist Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries (the EU, Japan, the US) experience an import expansion or export reduction and a significant contraction of production in unfettered markets. Competitive producers in both OECD countries (Australia) and non‐OECD countries (Brazil, Cuba), and even some protected producers (Indonesia, Turkey), expand production when all distortions are removed. Consumption distortions have marginal impacts on world markets and the location of production. We discuss the significance of these results in the context of mounting pressures to increase market access in highly protected OECD countries and the impact on non‐OECD countries.     

The changing United Kingdom residential real estate market

Summary

The residential property market is dependent upon the overall well‐being of the economy, with movements of the residential property prices following a cyclical movement over time. The macro‐economic factors that influence prices are studied for the United Kingdom and compared with results from other countries. In the United Kingdom's case interest rates, building costs, the number of new housing starts, disposable income, investment in other assets, inflation and expectations play important roles in the determination of residential price movements.

In addition, the numbers of new housing developments that are started are determined by interest rates, disposable income, building costs and expectations of property price rises. The building costs are also determined by wage rates, interest rates and the rate of inflation.     

Innovation in Agro-Foods: A Comparative Analysis of Value Chains

ABSTRACT

The innovative activity of firms has been linked to the introduction of a new product or process associated with the development or application of new technological knowledge. New products generally contain innovative techniques that increase the quality of goods. New processes are based on the use of new technologies to increase the efficiency of production. However, the exclusive link between technology and innovation has been criticized for various reasons. It provides a restrictive vision considering innovation as part of the manufacturing and services sectors. Innovation in firms affects not only the development and application of new technologies but also the adoption and the reorganization of business processes, internal organization, external relations, and marketing. The literature in the field of management emphasizes the importance of integrating product, process, and organization to translate new ideas into market success. Thus, to obtain a complete picture of the innovative efforts of firms in the agro-food industry, the concept of innovation has been extended to both technological and nontechnological innovations. This analysis provided evidence of innovations used by agro-food firms. It also identified latent demand for future innovation.