Even beyond humanity – a comment on ‘Change and commitment: beyond risk and responsibility’ by Silvio Funtowicz and Roger Strand

Due to past major food scares, food-safety perceptions have become a widely investigated topic. The aim of the present study was to examine food-safety perceptions separately for every step of the total meat supply chain, as such a detailed approach yields more promising strategies to ensure food safety in the future. Using a large-scale survey, we examined people’s risk perceptions of 18 steps describing the total meat supply chain. The results revealed a clear distinction between risk perception at the production stage and risk perception at home in the total meat supply chain, in that people perceived significantly less risk at home. However, people’s risk perceptions of the single stages in the total meat supply chain were overall slightly above average. Additionally, there were individual differences, as risk perception at the production stage was highly correlated with risk perception at home, meaning that some people perceived more risk than others overall. Using a multiple regression analysis, we found food-safety perceptions to be barely significant next to other important variables affecting people’s meat-consumption decisions. For those analyses, we asked participants to assess several constructs previously found to be associated with meat consumption. The goal was to determine how food-safety perceptions influence people’s meat consumption next to other important constructs in situations in which no major food scandal is present. The present paper concludes by discussing possible marketing and policy strategies to overcome people’s inaccurate safety perceptions of the stages of the total food chain.     

Opportunist dealing in the UK pig meat supply chain: Trader mentalities and alternatives

The scandal surrounding the presence of horsemeat in UK supermarket meat products has focused public attention on the problems of complex, fragmented food supply chains. Through a study of the UK's pig meat supply chain, this paper proposes a new framing of the problem in terms of opportunistic dealing adopted by the supermarkets in vertically disintegrated supply chains, where all actors attempt to pass the risks and costs onto somebody else. This outcome is the result of cultural practices and competences in buyer-led supermarket organizations where strong supermarket chains have the power to capture processor and producer margins. One consequence is that mass-market meat production and processing is close to unviable, as evidenced here by the analysis of the VION Food Group. However, there are mainstream alternatives to the retail-led dysfunctional supply chain. This paper presents an alternative integrated supply chain model using the case of Morrisons, the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain. If fragmented supply chains are not inevitable, the important issue explored in the conclusion is how the inadequacies of government policy, which understands the problem of the sector but is stuck with a competition-based mindset, obstruct the creation of a more sustainable supply chain.     

Consumers’ Perceptions of African Wildlife Meat: A Laddering Study

African wildlife meat offers South Africans' a healthy and novel red meat alternative, yet consumption is far less than that of beef and lamb. Laddering interviews with 40 respondents were employed to identify the consequences and values associated with the product's perceived attributes. Important attributes included low levels of fat, dryness, novelty, and special preparation requirements. Significant values included security, self-esteem, hedonism, tradition, and stimulation. Promoters of the product are advised to capitalize on consumers' interest in health and the health benefits of the meat in their advertising strategy. They can also address current barriers to consumption as indicated by negative, undesirable consequences (difficult and time-consuming to prepare) by promoting quick and easy ways of preparation, provision of ready-to-eat dishes and training.     

Value Chain Analysis Across Borders: The Case of Australian Red Lentils to Sri Lanka

This research examines the creation and distribution of consumer value in the most important supply chain of lentils between Australia and Sri Lanka. This adopts a value chain analysis approach applied to a case study, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Intercept surveys of consumers in Sri Lanka revealed that quality, size, and price as the most important value-creating factors. A very strong communication and relationships triad exists among the trader, indenting agent, and processor, but the flow of information from consumer to producer is weak. Opportunities lie in improved genetics, better-informed growers, and continued production efficiencies.     

浅议两岸畜禽肉类产品流通的物流特征差异比较

在市场经济体制下,随着科技和经济发展,两岸畜禽肉类产业也越来越得到重视．其相应的物流业也迅速崛起。大大提高的畜产品产量．迅速增加的人均消费产品量．人们对畜产品的营养和风味的偏好,尤其是质量安全越来越重视的压力．这些都使得两岸畜禽肉物流体系不断改善和提高。但不容忽视的是,虽然台湾地区和大陆有着一脉相传的物质文明与精神文明．但由于资金、技术、劳动力等方面的差异,两岸在畜禽肉类产品流通上也呈现出了各自不同的物流特征．     

Consumer Valuation of Alternative Meat Origin Labels

Results from a split‐sample survey of the US population reveal consumers prefer meat products carrying origin information to unlabelled alternatives. Consumers are largely unaware of origin labelling laws and are indifferent to an important aspect of the implementation of current mandatory country of origin information rules in the US. In particular, consumers value meat products labelled ‘Product of North America’ approximately the same as ‘Product of United States’. Despite the similarity of these two labels, they have vastly different implications in terms of trade and segregation costs. Our results suggest that a transition from one label to the other is equally satisfying for the consumer while being less costly for processors and more acceptable to trade partners.     

Understanding the Relationship Between Perceived Quality Cues and Quality Attributes in the Purchase of Meat in Malaysia

This study utilizes the Total Food Quality Model to gain a better understanding of how Malaysian consumers make their decision to purchase fresh/chilled meat. We examine the association between quality cues and desired values (quality attributes) with regard to food that is guaranteed Halal, safe to eat, healthy and nutritious, has a good taste, represents good value for money, and is produced in a way that protects the environment and worker welfare. The findings reveal that different quality cues assume different levels of importance when pursuing different desired values.     

基于红色旅游价值链的理论分析

将价值链管理理念引入红色旅游产品开发,识别基本价值贡献要素并综合辅助要素进行系统分析,指出提升旅游综合效益的关键问题,引导实施科学的流程管理．以期延长产品生命周期,走出一条使红色旅游多效收益、有序升级的科学发展道路。     

红色旅游城市定位初探

红色旅游城市的定位,可以促进城市与红色旅游的协调发展,也是发展红色旅游的保证,准确的城市定位是有效解决城市化带来的问题的前提。红色旅游城市的定位须遵循整体协调、可持续发展、弹性、“红色”、创新的原则,红色旅游城市发展的战略重点是加大基础设施建设力度、提高居民素质、强化政府功能作用。     

基于时间Petri网的生鲜肉冷链物流流程建模研究

以生鲜肉冷链物流为例,应用时间Petri网理论对冷链物流流程建模,研究冷链物流运作效率。用CPN tools对建立的模型运行后得到各环节的性能指标,发现流程中所存在的不足。最后提出对流程的改进建议。建模方法对复杂的冷链物流流程的建模和仿真有一定的参考价值,并为冷链物流以后的优化研究提供了新的思路。