Service quality of airports' food and beverage retailers. A fuzzy approach

Nowadays the profitability of airports is largely based on non-aeronautical or commercial activities, and particularly on retail and food and beverage services. Further, researchers concur that shopping, eating and drinking in airports have to be considered an important part of tourists' experience and activities that can significantly enhance or damage the tourist destination image. Despite this, there is still little research that analyses how service quality (SQ) is perceived by passengers consuming food and beverages (F&B) in airport areas. This study aims to deepen the scientific debate on this topic. Specifically, this study applies fuzzy numbers with a sample of 551 passengers flying from Olbia-Costa Smeralda Airport (Sardinia Region, Italy) with the aim of determining how they perceive the SQ delivered by F&B retailers and whether age plays a determinant role in segmentation. Findings reveal which F&B features outperform others; furthermore, they show that age is a moderating factor in consumer satisfaction, with older passengers being less satisfied than their counterparts. This study adds knowledge to the literature devoted to SQ, applying a fuzzy number approach to the under-investigated research area related to F&B consumption in airport areas. Further, it provides information useful to airport managers on the features of F&B services that are most important in shaping consumer satisfaction, based also on their age. Limitations of the study are also discussed and suggestions for future research are given.     

Does peer monitoring influence choices between cash and food? Findings from a field experiment

To explore whether choices for transfers are influenced by peer monitoring, we examine private versus public choices among monetarily equivalent values of cash and food in northern Kenya. Many northern Kenyan communities face high-levels of chronic food insecurity and are tightly-knit, often sharing food aid transfers. Yet, humanitarian cash transfers are relatively new to the area. Whether cash will be subject to the same sharing norms is not well understood. Utilizing a randomized block experiment, we find that assigning a respondent to choose in front of peers decreases the likelihood of choosing a cash transfer relative to at least some food. We argue that peer monitoring decreases the value of cash relative to food in two inter-related ways. Choosing food in public, first, provides an opportunity for respondents to publicly demonstrate a commitment to local food aid sharing norms. Second, choosing cash in public may be riskier since cash does not yet have established sharing norms. A critical implication is that transfer choices and retargeting of resources within the community can be influenced by use of public or private discussions when eliciting community views, especially in communities where sharing is a salient social norm.     

The Role of Local and Regional Food in Destination Marketing

Summary

An analysis of the relevant tourism literature and the promotional material of various destinations indicate that the role of food in the marketing of destinations has until recently received very little attention globally and locally. All indications, however, are that local food holds much potential to enhance sustainability in tourism; contribute to the authenticity of the destination; strengthen the local economy; and provide for the environmentally friendly infrastructure. This paper will highlight the key findings of the preliminary study regarding the utilization of food as a key or supportive attraction by destination-marketing organizations in South Africa. Guidelines for the future development, packaging and marketing of local and regional foods will be postulated and proposals for future research will be outlined.     

Understanding the role of situational factors on online grocery shopping among older adults

This paper seeks to identify the situational factors that drive the adoption of online grocery shopping among older adults. A two-step research process is employed. First, exploratory qualitative research is carried out to identify situational factors that older adults take into account when deciding whether to buy groceries online. This is followed by a conjoint experiment to determine which situational factors are considered most important when making such a decision. The sample consisted of 9 participants in the in-depth individual interviews and 206 respondents in the conjoint experiment. The findings indicate that health, mobility issues, and distance to a store are the most important situational factors driving older adults to buy groceries online. Moreover, the findings confirm that the adoption of online grocery shopping among older adults is a result of a complex trade-off of situational variables. The findings contribute to managerial practice by providing online grocery retailers with insight that can be applied when designing promotional programs targeted at older adults.     

中国城乡社会救助项目绩效评价研究——基于筹资水平的横向公平性分析

近30年来,我国社会经济体制逐步转型,新贫困群体出现。我国政府在20世纪90年代后对原有社会安全网框架进行了修补,建立起一套常规性社会救助项目,其绩效备受关注。横向公平性指标集中体现了社会救助的公平价值取向,超越了以往的经验型研究,是社会政策评估的新范式。文章以横向公平性为标准,以2003～2005年民政及各省统计年鉴数据为经验材料,对我国城乡社会安全网项目筹资水平的绩效做出评估,并为我国社会安全网项目的进一步发展提供经验证据。     

财政支农的市场一体化效应及其政策

以增加农民收入从而支撑具有产业、区域特征的市场一体化为视角,对财政政策不同的支农方式和支农工具所产生的不同的农业市场一体化效应进行了分析,认为直接收入补贴明显好于价格支持;间接支农优于直接支农;而且不同的支农项目对市场一体化的促进作用差异显著。为此,提出了逐步减少价格支持,增加直接收入补贴,增加财政间接支农力度,引导农业生产要素多渠道利用,促进农业系统内外部合作,重视三农无形资产,建立适当监督机制等政策建议。     

食品中邻苯基苯酚残留检测技术进展

综述了邻苯基苯酚残留检测的气相色谱、液相色谱、气相色谱-质谱、液相色谱-质谱及毛细管电泳等方法,比较了各种方法的优缺点,并展望了其发展前景,以期为分析人员选择邻苯基苯酚残留的检测方法提供帮助。     

出口食品农产品检验检疫风险评价体系的建立

利用美国M IL-STD-822B标准的原理和方法构建了出口食品农产品检验检疫风险评价矩阵,首次定义了检验检疫风险事故是不合格产品引起的国内外不良反应,并制定了风险事故后果的严重等级划分标准,确立了以一年内发生风险事故的频次作为风险事故发生概率的原则;同时依据欧盟2002/63/EC指令对风险评价结果制定了以连续459批为一个监控周期的抽样方案。根据风险评价体系,将出口食品农产品检验检疫风险设置为5个风险等级：HHH、HH、H、M和L,依据监控抽样的检测结果可以对具体出口企业和产品进行风险等级加严或放宽的动态调节。     

2010年欧盟RASFF通报中国食品接触金属制品安全问题分析

根据2010年度欧盟食品和饲料快速预警系统（RASFF）向公众通报进口中国食品及饲料的安全问题的情况,本文针对其中的食品接触金属制品,总结通报国家的分布、产品涉及的风险因素,并分析问题产生的原因,探讨应对的措施,充分发挥风险预警作用,从而减少或避免类似情况发生。     

婴幼儿食品微生物及微生物毒素调查分析

对婴幼儿食品（配方乳粉、补充谷物、饼干和罐头）分别进行微生物污染以及微生物毒素调查。调查结果表明：357份婴幼儿食品均未检出沙门氏菌和单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌;11份婴幼儿配方乳粉、1份补充谷物和1份饼干食品中检出坂崎肠杆菌,检出率分别为4.2%,2.4%和2.5%;检出1份补充谷物菌落总数超过国家标准最高安全限量值。13份婴幼儿配方乳粉和3份补充谷物检出肠杆菌科细菌,检出率分别为32.5%和7.1%;14份（婴幼儿）配方乳粉、2份婴幼儿罐头检出蜡样芽孢杆菌,检出率分别为35%和20%;1份婴幼儿配方乳粉检出黄曲霉毒素M1超标。婴幼儿食品存在微生物及其微生物毒素污染的风险,应加强对婴幼儿食品的致病微生物及其毒素的监测和监管。