Leaving home: Food choice behavior of young German adults

Like other western countries, Germany too reports record numbers of overweight and obese individuals with young German adults in a particularly high-risk position. As such, this study sought to investigate if food choice varied by the place of residence (dependent or independent) of these young adults. Using a self-administered questionnaire, analyses of quantitative data from 305 German students between the ages of 18 to 24 years indicate that students living in the family home consume more serves of both fruit and vegetables each day in comparison to young adults living independently. Further, higher proportions of dependent students eat more serves of every food group each day in comparison to their independent counterparts. The study finds a significant difference in mood, weight concern, and attitudes towards healthy eating between students under 21 years old and those above 21 years old. This study demonstrates clear implications for a number of stakeholders. The individuals themselves must better develop skills in both food choice and food management, including budgeting. Parents can facilitate this development whilst the children are in the family home and then encouraging empowerment once the student makes the transition to college or university. The article includes implications for marketers and social marketers; the former must offer more information and guidance on food choice, for example, through better food labelling, the latter must address these message issues for future attitude and behavioural change campaigns.     

Projections Onto Efficient Frontiers: Theoretical and Computational Extensions to DEA

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) has been widely studied in the literature since its inception in 1978. The methodology behind the classical DEA, the oriented method, is to hold inputs (outputs) constant and to determine how much of an improvement in the output (input) dimensions is necessary in order to become efficient. This paper extends this methodology in two substantive ways. First, a method is developed that determines the least-norm projection from an inefficient DMU to the efficient frontier in both the input and output space simultaneously, and second, introduces the notion of the observable frontier and its subsequent projection. The observable frontier is the portion of the frontier that has been experienced by other DMUs (or convex combinations of such) and thus, the projection onto this portion of the frontier guarantees a recommendation that has already been demonstrated by an existing DMU or a convex combination of existing DMUs. A numerical example is used to illustrate the importance of these two methodological extensions.     

Towards effective advertising self‐regulation in Australia: the seven components

Despite claims of social and economic benefits, advertising has always had its critics. However, when dealing with unacceptable advertising, advertisers in developed countries usually choose a self‐regulatory approach in order to stave off government intervention. The recent breakdown of one of the world's longest established advertising self‐regulatory programmes in Australia has reopened the 20‐year‐old debate concerned with enhancing understanding of such regulatory systems. This article presents a framework for assisting in improving the effectiveness of advertising self‐regulation that is informed by both the literature and the key findings of an Australian study. The study used a mixed approach to data collection, including in‐depth interviews with regulators, advertisers and public participants and historical analysis of more than 10 000 complaints over a period of 10 years. From this research three key concepts are developed for assisting industry and regulators concerned with regulating advertising in eliminating undesirable features of such systems in the future. The empirical work succeeds in making both a practical and theoretical contribution to advertising self‐regulation specifically and industry regulation in general.     

The Only Way Is Up? Ordinary Topologies of Ramallah

This article seeks to conceptualize and value some of the quotidian geographies responsible for contemporary forms of urban change. The starting point for the argument is an attempt to account for recent urban change in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, particularly the proliferation of apartment buildings, using emerging work on verticality. It is argued that work on verticality focuses empirically on prominent cities and spaces of violent conflict, invokes the vertical as politically suspect and offers a theorization of space that is topographical in nature. Consequently, accounts of verticality have produced narratives that obscure topological spatial relations. This article seeks to make space for such topologies, which it is argued are crucial to producing urban and political life itself in many contexts. The concept of ordinary topologies is proposed as a means of attending to the complex and undervalued practices that are thought to be normal (but not static) and common within and across intensive or qualitative spatio‐temporal relations. This approach is fleshed out through a discussion of changing topographic–topological landscapes in Ramallah. In particular, it is argued that the increasingly verticalized landscape of the city, embodied in rapidly proliferating apartment buildings, must be understood in relation to frequent journeys to other places and changing family relations.     

Opinions about advertising in Australia: a study of complainants

Advertising expenditure has risen globally and in Australia there has been a 2.7-fold rise in the last 10 years. It is suggested that some advertisements may be ‘unacceptable’, that is unfair, misleading, deceptive, offensive, false or socially irresponsible. Industry and regulatory responses to consumer complaints about these problems must be addressed. This research is concerned with consumer behaviour and consumer complaint behaviour specifically in the area of advertising in Australia. The general findings from the reviewed literature indicated that complainants tend to be older, have attained higher levels of educational qualifications, earn a higher gross weekly income, possess greater degrees of wealth, have higher participant levels of local community involvement and, in general terms, have more resources to avail themselves of in order to allow them to take action when dissatisfied. The results from this research engender a better understanding of the complaining public. Empirical analyses were used for determining the characteristics of people who complain to the Advertising Standards Board and inferred that their opinions regarding advertising differ from members of the general population in four key areas. This research will afford regulatory bodies a better understanding of the complaining public as well as educating marketing communications strategists in effectively reaching their target markets.     

UK Utility Regulation: Licences, Commitment and Judicial Review

Abstract ** :  This paper analyses critically the claim made by Levy and Spiller that, in the context of UK utility regulation, licences operate as a 'technology of commitment'. The functional logic of delegation which underpins much principal–agent analyses is discussed, together with the credibility problem emerging from a divergence between a principal's long‐term and short‐term policies. Levy and Spiller contend that the UK has a successful model of utility regulation in part because of the use of licences which restrict the regulator from deviating from the broad substantive principles settled at the time of vesting. This contention is examined through the detailed consideration of five judicial review cases which have cast light on how, and to what extent, the licences restrict regulatory discretion .     

A social cognitive approach to tackle inactivity and obesity in young Australians

In 2004/5, 62% of men, 45% of women and 19%-23% of children and adolescents in Australia were overweight or obese [Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4364.0 — 2004/5 National Health Survey Summary of Results. Viewed March 2007, <abs.gov.au>, 2006a]. The worldwide societal changes particularly in the adoption of more sedentary lifestyles have been marked as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Surprisingly little is known about what the underlying cognitions that are associated with increasing levels of sedentary behavior among adults are, specifically those aged 18-24 years. With this understanding, social marketing campaigns and government policies can enlist a change in consumers' behaviors towards a reduction in sedentary behavior, reducing their risk of obesity and all-cause mortality.A self-administered survey was completed by a sample of 310 young respondents. Major findings from this study indicate that: this group of 18-24 year olds engages in sedentary activities for almost eight hours per day and their cognitive behaviors are independent of personal characteristics such as age, gender and weight.