Consumer Preferences for ‘Localness’ and Organic Food Production

While organic food is based on well-defined production criteria, the criteria for ‘local’ food are less clear. This study investigates the preferences and trade-offs of distinct consumer segments relative to organic production and several dimensions of local food (sales channel, size of company, and geographical location of animals used in the production). The analysis is based on a quantitative survey of 505 Danish consumers and a choice experiment involving beef salami. Data were analyzed in a principal component and a latent class analysis. We identify five consumer segments whose preferences for organic and local product attributes differed substantially. Most respondents considered geographical proximity in the raising of cattle to be the most important attribute and a third of the consumers were willing to pay a premium for organic salami. The segmentation provides more detailed information about stated consumer behavior than what is typically elicited when considering only average consumer behavior.     

对当代大学生成长的思考

大学是人生的一个新起点,是大学生成长、成才的摇篮。如何度过这黄金般的宝贵年华,如何对待和规划自己的大学生活,将影响到毕业后大相经庭的人生之路。要正确认识大学生活对人生发展的意义,明确大学生活的特点和成长规律,并对大学生的成长教育提出建议,如明确学习目标,努力锻炼自己,学会与人相处,关注心理健康,树立健康的恋爱观和恰当的人生目标等。     

Computer users’ ergonomics and quality of life – evidence from a developing country

This study is aimed at investigating the quality of workplace ergonomics at various Pakistani organizations and quality of life of computer users working in these organizations. Two hundred and thirty-five computer users (only those employees who have to do most of their job tasks on computer or laptop, and at their office) responded by filling the questionnaire covering questions on workplace ergonomics and quality of life. Findings of the study revealed the ergonomics at those organizations was poor and unfavourable. The quality of life (both physical and mental health of the employees) of respondents was poor for employees who had unfavourable ergonomic environment. The findings thus highlight an important issue prevalent at Pakistani work settings.     

Children’s Food Choice: Advertised Food Type,Health Knowledge and Entertainment

The purpose of this research is to examine how the moderating effects of health knowledge (inactive vs. active) and advertising’s entertainment level (high vs. low) affect children’s response to advertising’s food content (unhealthy vs. healthy). First, a primary study using the qualitative method was conducted with the purpose of identifying healthy and unhealthy food options based on culture, eating habits, nutritional value and the access of Iranian children to each option so that they could be displayed in TV advertising, advergames and questionnaires. Then, a 2 × 2 × 2 full-factorial, randomized, mixed-effects experimental design was used to test the research framework. 330 students (aged 6–11) participated in the study. The findings revealed that children tended to choose more unhealthy foods after exposure to unhealthy food advertising. This effect was greater for a higher level of entertainment, and was successfully moderated by the activation of health knowledge. It was concluded that embedding health messages in advertising (included TV advertising and advergames) help retrieving children’s health knowledge and therefore, choosing less unhealthy food by them.     

Structural adjustment programmes and human well‐being

This paper provides a primer on structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) anticipating that a deeper understanding of these policies enables home economists to influence the global trend for SAPs that is profoundly impacting human well‐being. It addresses the issue of what SAPs are (their intended and actual impact on family well‐being), provides five reasons why home economists should care about SAPs and tenders seven ideas for what we can do, as professionals, to mitigate the negative impact of SAPs on familial well‐being and human security.