Older consumers’ perceptions of functional foods and non‐edible health‐enhancing innovations

Increasing interest in health and well‐being is likely to drive a growth in demand for products that have positive effects on health. Consumers’ acceptance of and willingness to buy functional foods has been widely studied, but there has not been research on consumers’ attitudes towards innovative non‐edible products with health effects. This study examines how older consumers perceive functional foods and novel non‐edible health‐enhancing products, how willing they are to purchase such products, and how health orientation influences their views. As an example of a ‘radical’ innovation, consumers’ acceptance of rubbing their hands in a specific soil‐based mixture to modulate the immune system is explored. The research material, 13 thematic interviews, was collected in Lahti region, Finland, in 2015. The study indicates that the older consumers’ market is not homogeneous. Based on a qualitative, in‐depth approach, the study distinguishes four consumer segments with different lay understandings of health and attitudes towards health‐enhancing products, which influence people's willingness to purchase such products. The segments are health‐seeking consumers, cautious consumers, critical consumers and natural health consumers. Various motives and barriers for using products with health claims are also identified. The case of rubbing hands in organic soil‐based mixture indicates the difficulty of predicting which consumer segment will first adopt this kind of ‘radical’ innovation. The results highlight that the credence qualities of a novel product must be communicated and advertised before entering the market while also taking into account the sensory properties of the product. ‘Radical innovations’ must be in a form that consumers can easily accept.     

甜菊糖苷的功能特性及其在饮料工业中的应用

甜菊糖苷作为天然的高甜度、低热量甜味剂,已被广泛应用于食品、饮料中。本文阐述了甜菊糖苷的化学结构、理化功能特性,综述了甜菊糖苷的研究现状以及在饮料工业中的应用,指出其发展前景广阔,为甜菊糖苷的深入研究提供参考。     

从土地资源优势区配置到主体功能区管理：一个国土空间治理的逻辑框架

研究目的:以土地资源配置方式遵从优势区开发原则到服从主体功能区分工协作规则演进规律,解释现行中国治理模式下国土空间管理逻辑。研究方法:文献分析法和理论分析法。研究结果:传统优势区开发理念为早期区域发展带来了集聚与规模经济效益,但其内部仍存在生产、生活、生态空间结构失衡等问题,降低了土地资源空间配置效率。主体功能区战略是传统优势区土地资源空间配置理念转型,是中国特定时期具有国家特色的经济发展模式,关键在于明确地方土地资源空间配置核心定位,应以法律规范"央地"土地关系、差别化实施政策制度安排、引导公众参与规划决策、创新生态(经济)补偿机制。研究结论:不同分区土地资源空间配置关系协调是世界性问题,转型时期中国国土空间优化和规制治理重点在于厘清中央与地方事权关系,精准落地县域主体功能区建设,健全主体功能配套政策体系。     

The use–make framework and the derivation of functional forms in production theory

The use–make framework is employed to explain functional forms in production theory, including Cobb–Douglas and Leontief. Productivity and efficiency are interrelated by augmenting the framework with a linear program that determines the frontier output.     

沈阳城市周边耕地多功能评价

[目的]为探索城市化影响下城市周边耕地多功能的现状,分析其空间差异,为耕地保护及城市周边耕地发展提供参考。[方法]从耕地的生产、生态、社会和景观4个功能出发构建评价指标体系,利用熵权法确定指标权重,加权求和法计算单一功能和多功能值,并用ArcGIS进行空间分析,对沈阳城市周边50个乡镇(街道)的耕地多功能性进行综合评价。[结果](1)沈阳城市周边耕地的多功能性空间差异较为明显。生产功能远郊平原区最强,远郊山区和近郊区较弱;生态功能总体偏弱,个别乡镇较好;距离城市越远,社会功能越强;景观功能近郊区较强,远郊区较弱。(2)耕地的生态、社会和景观功能主要受距市中心距离的影响,生产功能受地形和距市中心距离的双重影响,而多功能则受地形、距市中心距离及各乡镇(街道)耕地主导功能等的综合影响。(3)沈阳城市周边的大多数耕地以农业生产为主导,景观文化功能整体相对较弱。近郊区耕地生态功能所占比重较大,但社会功能比重较小,远郊区则与之相反。[结论]沈阳城市周边耕地多功能性空间差异较为明显且不均衡,应科学规划城市周边耕地功能,优化空间布局,协调耕地各功能的关系,促进耕地多功能综合发展。     

The role of top management team diversity in shaping the performance of business model innovation: a threshold effect

Business model innovation is one of the firm’s most important strategic decisions. Top management team (TMT), as the critical decision-makers, has essential influence upon such decisions. However, the role of TMT diversity in shaping the performance of business model innovation is less explored in the literature. Based on a sample dataset of 906 observations of small and medium enterprises from China Startups Stock Market during the period of 2009–2011, we find that TMT diversity exhibits a significant threshold effect on the relationship between business model innovation (in terms of novelty-centred and efficiency-centred business model) and firm performance. More specifically, when TMT functional diversity arrives at a certain level, the positive relationship between novelty-centred business model and firm performance becomes more pronounced. On the other hand, the positive relationship between efficiency-centred business model innovation and firm performance will be more significant when TMT tenure diversity increases to a certain level.     

我国水稻产业供给侧结构性改革的思考

[目的]文章在供给侧改革视角下对水稻供需的结构性矛盾等方面进行梳理,分析基于供给侧改革战略的关键环节、实施路径和未来发展趋势,以期为制定我国水稻供给侧改革战略提供参考。[方法]采用文献分析法和调查研究法,从我国水稻生产供求结构、价格"天花板"和成本"地板"双重挤压、水稻生产的资源环境、市场调节等方面分析了我国水稻产业供给侧的现状和存在的问题;通过日本、泰国、中国五常大米政策特点和经验教训的启示,提出了我国水稻产业供给侧结构性改革的策略。[结果]在分析我国水稻产业供给侧现状的基础上,总结得出水稻产业供给侧改革措施:优化水稻产业空间和功能布局,以项目带动水稻产业结构调整,提高和优化稻米品种品质结构、审定标准向抗性优质专用水稻品种倾斜,因地制宜调减水稻生产面积,调整国家收储稻米标准,延长水稻全产业链等。[结论]加速我国水稻产业供给侧改革,能促进稻米产业结构快速升级,有效破解稻米产业的结构性矛盾,增强我国稻米产业可持续发展能力和国际竞争力。     

Tests of Normality of Functional Data

The paper is concerned with testing normality in samples of curves and error curves estimated from functional regression models. We propose a general paradigm based on the application of multivariate normality tests to vectors of functional principal components scores. We examine finite sample performance of a number of such tests and select the best performing tests. We apply them to several extensively used functional data sets and determine which can be treated as normal, possibly after a suitable transformation. We also offer practical guidance on software implementations of all tests we study and develop large sample justification for tests based on sample skewness and kurtosis of functional principal component scores.     

Fiscal space on the eurozone periphery and the use of the (partially) balanced-budget multiplier: The case of Spain

This article adopts the “functional finance” approach to consider the utilization of expansive fiscal policies in the members of the European Monetary Union most affected by high unemployment. As they do not have their own monetary policy, fiscal deficits require the issuing of public debt without the support of the central bank. The authors consequently incorporate the notion of a (partially) balanced-budget expansion to achieve the desired stimulus in gross domestic product (GDP) with the least possible effect on public debt. Their proposal is only a sort of “imperfect” balanced-budget expansion: It is based on the idea that simultaneous increases in public revenue and expenditure can boost GDP, but without any pretension of keeping public deficit unchanged. Specifically, the authors use the case of Spain to show that a more expansive fiscal policy is desirable on economic grounds, and that only institutional constraints prevent it. They do it presenting two alternative scenarios for the coming years and analyzing their different impact on unemployment and fiscal sustainability. The first represents a firm commitment to budget consolidation, whereas the second is based on this “imperfect” application of the balanced budget multiplier. The main conclusion is that a more expansive fiscal policy is perfectly compatible with finance sustainability.     

Consumer Trends and Attitudes to Functional Foods

Abstract

Consumers' needs have grown to such an extent that they are sought out of nutritious and pleasant organoleptic foods, as well as functional foods. This study explores consumer attitudes towards health nutrition products and particularly functional foods, using data from a survey to 325 consumers. The results designate that consumers recognize different kinds of functional foods, willing to pay a premium for their purchase. They perceive that functional foods may contribute to easily follow a healthy and balanced diet and reduce the risk of health problems but appeared anxious about the health benefits these foods communicate in their labelling.