Do environmental attitudes and food technology neophobia affect perceptions of the benefits of nanotechnology?

In recent years, a significant amount of research has focussed on the analysis of consumers' aversion to new technologies in food production and processing. At the same time, research has shown that environmental attitudes may be related to purchasing behaviour of consumers. This paper presents the result of an investigation into Canadian attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and in applications in the food industry. The relationship between the food technology neophobia scale, environmental attitudes and nanotechnology is examined. The results suggest that food technology neophobia is significant in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and for food packaging and foods. Environmental attitudes are important in explaining respondents' attitudes towards nanotechnology in general but not in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology in food packaging or food applications. Survey respondents' views of the role of science and technology in society (makes society worse or better off) are a more important determinant of attitudes towards nanotechnology than whether they had heard of nanotechnology prior to the survey.     

Food Retailing and Supply Chain Linkages in the Russian Federation

Abstract

This paper focuses on the evolution of Russian food retailing and linkages between and among firms in the food supply chain. Intermediation theory is used to develop a conceptual framework. Intermediaries have played an important role throughout the Russian food supply chain fulfilling the function of matching sellers and buyers. Tighter vertical linkages between firms in the Russian food industry are becoming more prevalent, and the roles of intermediaries may be performed by agents acting on behalf of a vertically integrated principal. The food retailing sector in the Russian Federation is evolving to be a source of information from the consumer to upstream firms.     

Trust during retail encounters: A touchy proposition

Adopting an interpersonal communication perspective, this study examines the propositions that a salesperson's touch increases trust, which increases product evaluations and purchase intention. These relationships are evaluated in a contact and non-contact culture, with need for touch (NFT) examined as an additional moderator. An exploratory series of in-depth interviews provides an initial understanding of these relationships, followed by a 2 (touch/no touch condition) × 2 (consumers in France/Germany) experiment with wine serving as the example category. The findings indicate that touch does not uniformly instill trust in customers. Instead a salesperson's touch relates to greater trust only when consumers have an inherent NFT or when they are from a culture where personal touching behavior is less prevalent. Trust, in turn, relates positively to evaluations of product attractiveness, quality, and to purchase intention.     

Why do people buy organic food? The moderating role of environmental concerns and trust

Although consumer interest in organic food has risen over time, resulting in a generally positive attitude toward these organic food products, scholarly research suggests a comparatively low volume of its consumption in the market. This has resulted in an urgent need to study the motivations which enhance consumers’ proclivity to purchase food items produced organically. The current research attempts to understand potential associations between motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic), attitude, and buying behaviour towards organic food. Self-determination theory (SDT) was applied to develop a theoretically grounded framework which was evaluated with 378 organic food consumers. The hypotheses were tested by analyzing the data through structural equation modelling (SEM), wherein environmental concerns and trust were the moderating variables. The study results demonstrate the significant influence of intrinsic motivation, integrated and external regulation on consumer attitude, and buying behaviour. But, attitude had no significant association with buying behaviour. The findings indicate consumers’ motivation may be stimulated to encourage higher frequencies of purchasing organic food by emphasizing values that reflect motivations arising from ethical or green consumerism, health, and social benefits. Furthermore, policymakers should focus on avenues to integrate organic food as permanent parts of individual lives and a socially exalting behavioral action.     

土家族饮食文化功能主义分析

土家族饮食文化是一种以物质文化——饮食生产为基础,包括饮食习俗、禁忌、信仰、饮食制度在内的综合文化体系。土家族饮食文化作为传统文化的重要组成部分,发挥着自身独特的功能,既是一种可供开发的优质旅游资源,又在土家族日常生活中起到良好的文化控制功能作用。     

电子商务信任功能模型

电子商务信任主要涉及三个方面——环境、交易双方和第三方。环境主要提供法律支撑、征信和评信、建立社会信用体系、建立电子商务标准和监督电子商务运行;交易双方,努力增强综合素质,提高信用等级;第三方主要提供电子商务交易平台、escrow服务、反馈系统、信用卡保证和trust seals等服务。通过三方面共同努力,保障电子商务稳定有序的发展。     

对在俄华商生存境况的最新调查

在后苏联时代,俄罗斯有关学术力量通常借助问卷调查跟踪研究在俄华人的生存境况。2007年下半年,以俄罗斯科学院远东所研究员亚历山大.拉林为主导的学术团队,在蒋经国学术交流基金的支持下,借助全俄社会舆论调查中心对在俄华商组织了一次社会调查。结果已由亚历山大.拉林整理并公开发表,本文将对其加以详细介绍。     

基于信托制度规范企业内部职工集资问题研究

企业内部集资是民营企业特别是中小民营企业重要的融资途径之一。如何通过适当的制度安排和创新性的金融产品设计，使企业内部集资摆脱非法的嫌疑，免受可能的法律制裁，从而成为一条合法的企业融资渠道，已成为一个亟需解决的现实课题。本文试图以信托制度为理论基础，分析了信托的法律机制和制度功能，进而提出了引入信托制度规范现行的企业内部集资活动的设想，并就企业内部集资加以信托化改造的运作模式进行了探索。