The Fight Against Obesity: Influences of Self-Efficacy on Exercise Regularity

Given the current social problem of obesity, past and current research efforts have examined consumer choice and decisionmaking regarding food consumption. However, preventative health behaviors such as exercise are also instrumental in combating the obesity epidemic. Limited studies in the marketing literature have explored how internal and psychological characteristics influence physical activity and exercise regularity. Thus, this study seeks to examine how individual self-efficacy impacts exercise behavior. Findings indicate that in order to fully explain the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and exercise regularity, significant mediating factors such as health consciousness, goal progress, attitude toward exercise, and satisfaction with current weight must be included in the decision-making process. Implications for consumers, social marketers, and public policy makers are discussed.     

Hope across the seas: the role of emotions and risk propensity in medical tourism advertising

Rising US medical costs as well as more competition in the health care industry have led many Americans to pursue health care in foreign destinations. As a result, leading countries in medical tourism have begun launching international advertising campaigns. A growing trend in much of this advertising is the use of emotional appeals. The purpose of this research is to examine whether the use of emotional appeals by non-domestic health care providers contributes to more favourable evaluations of the target health care provider than rational appeals. Specifically, two experimental studies investigate the efficacy of advertisements that induce the emotion of hope to determine whether these advertisements increase trust perceptions and reduce perceived risk, given an individual's level of risk propensity. Implications for public policy makers and marketing managers who work in health care are discussed.     

Van Kasboekhouding

Vervolg van bl. 637. In de voorgaande aflevering besprak ik de Millioenenstudiën van de heeren Van Iterson en Van Dorsser in het algemeen, zoomede de diep ingrijpende wijzigingen, die de Comptabiliteitswet onderging. Wat nu volgt, handelt uitsluitend over de kasboekhouding der algemeene ontvangers in Indië.     

A Simple Model of Privately Profitable But Socially Useless Speculation

The paper presents a general equilibrium model of a pure exchange economy with stochastic endowments, in which speculation in the forward market is profitable and stabilizes prices but is useless from a welfare point of view. Reconciling the Siegel paradox with the theory of incomplete markets, we show that banning speculation by closing the forward market may increase social welfare. We also show that the addition of a market might reduce the gains from international trade for all participating countries.
JEL Classification Numbers: F10, F11, F19.     

A note on steady-state price:Output relationships

Two sufficient conditions for non-perverse steady-state price: net output relationships are derived: (i) weak substitutability of each produced input, both with respect to other produced inputs and with respect to primary factor inputs, and (ii) constancy of the produced-input: output coefficients.     

Paying the piper: Performing rights organizations and their role in the retail function

Music has become a central element in consumer marketing for its ability to influence consumers' attitudes and behaviors. Research has shown that music adds value to the retail and service environments. In most instances, however, the cost to use music extends beyond the expenses incurred from purchasing CDs, stereo equipment or engaging musicians to perform. Most industrialized nations have statutes that protect music under copyright. The present research presents a review and comparative analysis of the licensing efforts of performing rights organizations in two industrialized nations—the United States and India. The licensing efforts of these organizations have been a source of criticism for their impact on small businesses and retailers. Recommendations for improving the current situation are offered.