Environmental purchasing: a framework for theory development

This paper examines environmental research in the supply chain management literature in order to establish a framework for current and future development of environmental purchasing theory. As the purchasing function takes on a more strategic role in forming trading partnerships with others in their supply chains, it is in a critical position to influence responses to concerns about the natural environment. Definitions of environmental supply chain management and environmental purchasing are offered and the literature is reviewed. Linkages of environmental purchasing with transaction cost analysis are established and future research is described to enhance the study of purchasing's ability to effect the natural environment.     

Consumer demand for potatoes: at home and away from home

Total U.S. consumption of potatoes has increased steadily over the past several decades, but significant changes have occurred in the way in which potatoes are consumed. This study identifies how socio-demographic and economic factors affect potato consumption at home and away from home, using data from the spring quarter of the 1977–1978 USDA Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. Tobit estimates indicate that the impact of income and value of time as well as factors such as race, location of residence and household size and composition on consumption differed for potatoes consumed at home versus away from home and by specific potato product. These results suggest the importance of segmenting the market in analysing consumption behaviour and developing marketing programmes.     

Implementing dietary guidelines: a task for all involved in food supply

The diet typical of countries such as Britain has been identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Dietary guidelines have been published setting out changes to the nutritional content of the diet. Foods reach the consumer as a result of a complex system involving primary production, basic processing, manufacture, retailing and catering. Achievement of the guidelines can be facilitated or hampered by action taken at each of these stages. The author illustrates this by examples taken from each stage citing instances of good practice and areas with potential for improvement. However, the paper points out that the best efforts of those supplying foods can be undermined by inappropriate action by consumers and concludes that a concerted effort to implement dietary guidelines must involve everyone concerned with the supply and consumption of food with the support of various government agencies.     

Environmental factors of food literacy in Australian high schools: views of home economics teachers

This study set out to examine environmental factors impacting on the food literacy of adolescents. It utilized data from a nation‐wide survey of home economics teachers regarding their experience of food literacy education in Australian high schools. Content analysis and the ANGELO framework were applied to analyse free‐text comments from 78 of the respondents that were collected as part of a more extensive data set. The analysis of environmental factors revealed three enablers and ten barriers that could influence food literacy education delivered by high schools in Australia. High schools are well positioned to improve adolescents’ food literacy through a comprehensive, hands‐on approach in home economics. However, many environmental barriers were reported that could influence food literacy education in Australian high schools such as: lack of teaching materials and facilities, and human resources; the perceived inadequacy of the Australian school curriculum; non‐supportive school canteens; and negative role modelling. This study points to the need to eliminate or reduce these environmental barriers impacting on the capacity for effective food literacy education in high schools to help adolescents increase their food literacy and thereby support them in making informed food choices.     

Shopping for a home vs. a loan: the role of cognitive resource depletion

The authors suggest that the process of shopping for a home and choosing between alternative property features depletes individuals’ cognitive resources, which in turn results in sub‐optimal home financing decisions. Thus, in the span of time that follows the shopping experience, consumers will devote less attention to choosing a mortgage, resulting in a higher propensity to select higher‐risk, adjustable‐rate mortgage products. The results of two controlled experiments demonstrate that participants in an online house shopping simulation were more likely to select one of the high‐risk mortgage offers, and spent less time selecting a mortgage than participants in the control condition. In addition, contrary to expectations, warning participants about cognitive resource depletion exacerbated these effects. These findings imply that consumer decisions could be improved by imposing a temporal separation between shopping for a home and shopping for financing.     

Knowledge engineering for modelling reasoning in a diagnosis task: application to search and rescue

This paper pertains to the application of knowledge engineering methods to aeronautical search and rescue in Canada. We modelled at the knowledge level the reasoning process of a search mission coordinator when conducting a diagnosis task to determine the routes likely followed by an aircraft missing overland. Knowledge engineering allowed us to develop a reasoning model based on documents and on interviews with domain experts. Our study was conducted in the CommonKADS knowledge modelling framework. The proposed model was validated by domain experts and implemented in a rule‐based prototype. Copyright © 2007 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reviewing Proposals for a World Environmental Organisation

Since the Earth Summit in Rio 1992, several calls have been made for a world environmental organisation (WEO), and only during the last year, in the run‐up to Rio+10, five more have been added. In total, we have found 17 proposals for a WEO. We review, compare, and briefly discuss rationales, models, tasks, organisational set‐up, relations to multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and organisations such as UNEP and the WTO, as well as the role of principles, compliance and the interest of developing countries. We conclude that a majority of proposers is in favour of an autonomous coordinating agency, that is, a medium level of integration. Frequently the WTO is mentioned as a precursor agency on which a WEO should be based. We question the effectiveness of a ‘WTO for the environment’ and suggest that other models ought to be considered.     

Purchasing materials in the supply chain: managing a multi-objective task

Purchasing materials that has long been recognized as a multi-objective problem gained in importance in the present “Lean Supply” management environment. The authors discuss one of the “user-friendly” alternative multiple criteria decision support systems—visual interactive goal programming (VIG). The personal computer-based technique is applied to an original equipment manufacturer's multiple-replenishment purchasing problem and assists in selecting suppliers and allocating orders among them. The authors conclude with the benefits of VIG and contributions of the analysts.     

宝钢大手笔捐赠再尽环境责任

“这是中国国内企业环保捐赠意识觉醒的一个明确信号。”中华环保基金会对我国企业环保捐赠的未来充满信心。2007年5月14日,北京人民大会堂,中华环保基金会接受了成立以来最大数额的一笔捐赠——宝山钢铁股份有限公司向中华环境保护基金会捐赠5000万元,这笔款项将专门用于开展“中华环境奖”的相关环保公益事业,以表彰为中国环境保护事业做出重大贡献或取得优异成绩的集体或个人。     

How to create tools to empower the consumer – the challenges of home economics/FCS and home economics teacher education

The aim of this presentation is to introduce some new frameworks that have been under discussion in developing university studies in the field of home economics or family and consumer sciences in Finland. The empirical data is derived from students’ contributions during their university studies in the degree program for home economics teachers at the Master's level. The main data is based on students’ opinions and conceptions about strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O) and threats (T) of their university discipline and field to meet the future challenges. All students are at the level of advanced studies (mainly 4th year), and the number of students is 34. All have some school experience as a home economics teacher and most also have some other work experience in the field of home economics, family and consumer sciences. The research questions were: (1) How do the students see their field according to the SWOT analysis? and (2) What type of developments do they pose for the future? There was also an implementation section. Students were asked to produce their own ‘action plan’ for the next few years. The preliminary data analysis reveals that inside the discipline and the field there are several empowerment elements, but also that they are not used as efficiently as they could be. In conclusion, most students have a very realistic view of their studies. They can analyse them in diverse ways, and reveal important qualifications. They are aware of the various challenges that face us in both the present and future societies. Students also see that home economics not only gives them tools that are relevant in present school situations, but the subject includes such future potentials that can be used in directing the school towards the more open learning environments. Home economics has its place inside the education system. Both the idea of ‘home economics teacher as a researcher’ and ‘home economics teacher as an educator’ were seen as important aims to maintain in the university degree.     

Facilitating computer-supported meetings: A cumulative analysis in a multiple-criteria task environment

There have been many instances of the ineffective applications of new information technology. This article describes a program of enhancing the effectiveness of a new technology, Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS), through a series of studies which resulted in improvements in the technology itself as well as in how the technology is supported. Our approach emphasizes human facilitation and facilitative features embedded in the GDSS software.     

Systems in New Zealand for teaching home economics at a distance

This paper outlines distance education systems in New Zealand with particular reference to the teaching of home economics to school students and to home economics teachers. Explanatory tables regarding organizational levels in New Zealand's schools are given.     

Getting what we wish for: The realities of business education for a global economy

Business schools around the world have embraced globalization and, as a result, attempted to attract international students to their programs. Teaching diverse student groups has many advantages, but is not without its challenges, including cultural differences in educational expectations and student self-efficacy. The goal of this article is to suggest that we can create plans and activities capable of helping Asian students adapt more quickly to the expectations of Western education. We herein describe Rotterdam Business School's experiences in working with a diverse—mainly Asian—population of students, focusing on strategies that may assist them in adapting to the expectations of the global business school classroom.     

Pro-environmental Behavior in Egypt: Is there a Role for Islamic Environmental Ethics?

Egypt, a less affluent, predominantly Muslim country, suffers from numerous forms of environmental pollution, some severe. This study investigates pro-environmental behaviors of citizens in Cairo, Egypt’s largest metropolis, and studies the relationship between pro-environmental behavior and demographic variables, beliefs, values, and religiosity. Analysis shows that three types of pro-environmental behavior are present: Public Sphere, Private Sphere, and Activist Behavior, with the latter occurring less frequently. Importantly, the study identifies an ecocentric value among respondents which is correlated with Public Sphere Behavior. It also confirms earlier research that characterized Egyptians’ perceptions of the environment as being set in the context of health and cleanliness. Religious teachings and religiosity are shown to be associated with pro-environmental behavior, thus lending support to the presence of an Islamic environmental ethic.