Nikos Kalogeras

A central collective action issue in agricultural cooperatives is the free-rider problem, a prevalent form of which arises when members systematically side-sell to competing chain actors. Despite the plethora of studies on side-selling's antecedents, little is known about side-selling's actual consequences, particularly from the standpoint of cooperative members. In two studies, we aim to deliver a member-based assessment of side-selling's influence on critical cooperative benefits and explore… Meer weergeven

A central collective action issue in agricultural cooperatives is the free-rider problem, a prevalent form of which arises when members systematically side-sell to competing chain actors. Despite the plethora of studies on side-selling's antecedents, little is known about side-selling's actual consequences, particularly from the standpoint of cooperative members. In two studies, we aim to deliver a member-based assessment of side-selling's influence on critical cooperative benefits and explore possible solutions. In the first study, with survey data from 128 members of four fruit cooperatives in Greece, we show that side-selling has a negative effect on perceived cooperative benefits, even in the presence of other collective action issues (e.g., the influence costs problem). In the same study, we posit and demonstrate that side-selling's aversive impact on cooperative benefits can be appeased when members think that their cooperative's transparency regarding cooperative activities is high. In the second study, with interview data from 20 members, we find that different punitive (e.g., expelling members) and collaborative (e.g., fostering trust) solutions are considered effective. Accordingly, our article advances extant knowledge of an issue that strikes at the heart of cooperative activity and offers valuable insights to cooperative decision-makers seeking to confront it. Minder weergeven

Cooperatives are member-oriented organizations, and their sustainable performance is highly influenced by the level of commitment of their members. Commitment is driven by member preferences (i.e., utility) for the intra-organizational and strategic attributes of a cooperative. The main objective of this chapter is to study empirically the relative importance that members attach to selected cooperative attributes (i.e., economic benefits; additional services; market access; corporate… Meer weergeven

Cooperatives are member-oriented organizations, and their sustainable performance is highly influenced by the level of commitment of their members. Commitment is driven by member preferences (i.e., utility) for the intra-organizational and strategic attributes of a cooperative. The main objective of this chapter is to study empirically the relative importance that members attach to selected cooperative attributes (i.e., economic benefits; additional services; market access; corporate governance; communication, control, ideology). To address this objective, a questionnaire-based survey was carried out in Zagora, Magnesia, Greece, in the “ZAGORIN” multi-purpose agricultural cooperative in the fall of 2021. The best-worst scale method was applied to analyze the data (n = 106) and a latent class analysis (LCA) was further employed in order to identify the diversity in members’ preferences. The findings indicate that the economic benefits are the most important attribute. Furthermore, the results of the LCA revealed two distinct sub-groups among the total sample of participants: the “business-oriented” (larger in size segment, n = 74) and the “ideology seekers” sub-group (much smaller in size segment, n = 32). Knowledge of the existence of member segments and an understanding of their preferences may be useful for cooperative policy makers and managers to better evaluate the extent of member commitment, and make more informed decisions of how a cooperative can service its membership needs. Minder weergeven

In the European agri-food sector, operators with substantial bargaining power often engage in unfair trading practices (UTPs). Our paper aims to empirically examine the occurrence of UTPs and their influence on the performance of cooperatives. To fulfill the goal of our paper, we collected responses from 109 cooperatives in Greece after the transposition of a specialized EU Directive (i.e., Directive (EU) 2019/633). We found that, on average, the sampled cooperatives encountered three… Meer weergeven

In the European agri-food sector, operators with substantial bargaining power often engage in unfair trading practices (UTPs). Our paper aims to empirically examine the occurrence of UTPs and their influence on the performance of cooperatives. To fulfill the goal of our paper, we collected responses from 109 cooperatives in Greece after the transposition of a specialized EU Directive (i.e., Directive (EU) 2019/633). We found that, on average, the sampled cooperatives encountered three prohibited (“black”) UTPs, while all reported at least one prohibited UTP. Moreover, the two most commonly reported practices (i.e., “unduly late payments” and “buyers’ demand that suppliers pay for the deterioration or loss of products that occurred after ownership transfer”) exerted a significant negative influence on cooperative performance, even in the presence of a proficient Board of Directors. Consequently, policymakers may need to pay more attention to UTPs and ensure that the national enforcement authorities are well-equipped to act rapidly and effectively against offenders. Minder weergeven

For strong sustainability to exist, there should be a balance between the sustainability triptych covering environment, social and economic dimensions which is often overlooked in many circular and sustainability projects with an overemphasis on one dimension and disregard for another. Selected indicators for the three dimensions included those found in environmental impact and life cycle assessments for environmental criteria, social impact assessments for social criteria and economic… Meer weergeven

For strong sustainability to exist, there should be a balance between the sustainability triptych covering environment, social and economic dimensions which is often overlooked in many circular and sustainability projects with an overemphasis on one dimension and disregard for another. Selected indicators for the three dimensions included those found in environmental impact and life cycle assessments for environmental criteria, social impact assessments for social criteria and economic feasibility, and project appraisal and evaluation reports for economic criteria. In weighting criteria, several methods exist comprising subjective, objective, and integrated techniques. The robustness of objective vs. subjective weights is rather debatable. The objective of the research is to test different weighting techniques using subjective and objective methods to determine if differences in project rankings exist in terms of sustainability balance. The ranking of projects and conclusions about best practices in the CDI circular economy could be influenced by the weighting techniques used. As the weighting of criteria could influence project outcomes, objectivity in weighting is often advised. However, in this study, computational comparisons indicated that subjective methods do not significantly differ from objective ones that use mathematical and statistical rigor. As such, subjective weighting methods still conveniently capture credible and consistent results. Nonetheless, this should not detract from efforts to objectify weighting methods that lend more credence and justification to scoring and ranking results. Minder weergeven

Within the globalized tourism market, tourism destinations have the option to turn to sustainability as a conceptual and management framework for their unique branding and identity proposition. This research highlights the importance and utility of sustainability branding that stems from clustering tourism destinations based on the similarities of their tourism performance attributes. The study builds on secondary data from 11 coastal destinations in 8 Mediterranean countries. The analysis… Meer weergeven

Within the globalized tourism market, tourism destinations have the option to turn to sustainability as a conceptual and management framework for their unique branding and identity proposition. This research highlights the importance and utility of sustainability branding that stems from clustering tourism destinations based on the similarities of their tourism performance attributes. The study builds on secondary data from 11 coastal destinations in 8 Mediterranean countries. The analysis leads to the formulation of three main sets of evaluation indicators: (a) environmental footprint; (b) destination dependency on tourism; and (c) locals’ prosperity, incorporating elements of social and psychological carrying capacity. Findings identify three to four distinct destination clusters based mainly on the attributes of destinations’ cultural and natural attributes, seasonality of supply, typology of prevailing accommodation and tourist profile. From a theoretical perspective, the research identifies key clustering attributes of sustainable destinations that could inform management interventions around destination branding and competitive sustainability performance positioning. Minder weergeven

The main topic of our paper is consumer preferences towards local food products of women’s cooperatives. Using the best-worst scale technique, we elicit the relative importance consumers attach to attributes of local food products from women’s cooperatives. Recognizing that consumers are not homogeneous, a latent class mixture model is employed to allow preferences to vary across different consumer segments. With data from 300 consumers, we find that the most important attributes of local… Meer weergeven

The main topic of our paper is consumer preferences towards local food products of women’s cooperatives. Using the best-worst scale technique, we elicit the relative importance consumers attach to attributes of local food products from women’s cooperatives. Recognizing that consumers are not homogeneous, a latent class mixture model is employed to allow preferences to vary across different consumer segments. With data from 300 consumers, we find that the most important attributes of local agricultural products are quality, the handmade process and support for women’s cooperatives. Yet, our mixture model results indicate a four-cluster solution. Quality is the most critical attribute for approximately 80% of the respondents, indicating the significance of the quality attribute for both homogeneous and heterogeneous consumer preferences. Minder weergeven

A main advantage of web advertising over other advertising mediums is its efficiency in driving
purchase intentions, enabling consumers to jump from advertisement to purchase in a single click.
This paper aims to explore the optimal advertisement placement for Arabic web pages by
considering how advertising placement and page context affects advertising outcomes. This study
is one of the first to examine the physiological and cognitive processes involved in the
understanding of… Meer weergeven

A main advantage of web advertising over other advertising mediums is its efficiency in driving
purchase intentions, enabling consumers to jump from advertisement to purchase in a single click.
This paper aims to explore the optimal advertisement placement for Arabic web pages by
considering how advertising placement and page context affects advertising outcomes. This study
is one of the first to examine the physiological and cognitive processes involved in the
understanding of the effectiveness of ad placement in Arabic languages. The theoretical model
suggests that advertising outcomes can be affected significantly by hemispheric context (how the
two hemispheres of the brain process information on an image or text-oriented page) as well as
hemispheric ad placement, pertaining to optimal left-right placement of image/text ads. Demographic
and advertisement data was collected from participants during the study upon ensuring ethical
approval for this. The data sample involved online testing of 320 Arabic readers who were shown
one of eight different web page layouts, with each layout shown to 40 respondents. Results indicate
that Arabic readers perform differently to English readers, since the former process text using both
brain hemispheres, in comparison to other languages. The implications of this research are that
placement and optimal banner advertisement design are highly dependent on the objectives of
advertising. Minder weergeven

The construction and demolition industry (CDI) became a priority area for the EU circular economy as
the industry has the largest waste stream by volume contributing 374 million tons based on 2016 EUwide data. This study focuses on the application of circularity in the CDI. We recognize that the
construction industry provides a prominent decision context for studying circularity since many scrap
materials resulting from demolished buildings and houses could be recycled, reused and… Meer weergeven

The construction and demolition industry (CDI) became a priority area for the EU circular economy as
the industry has the largest waste stream by volume contributing 374 million tons based on 2016 EUwide data. This study focuses on the application of circularity in the CDI. We recognize that the
construction industry provides a prominent decision context for studying circularity since many scrap
materials resulting from demolished buildings and houses could be recycled, reused and refurbished in
newly constructed edifices from foundation to rooftops. The objective of the study is to investigate how
CDI-specific determinants affect project success in attaining sustainability by comparing selected EU
countries (projects) in attaining and balancing environmental, economic and social sustainability
performance in CDI. These determinants are: (1) circularity policy at the national, municipality or
regional levels; (2) stages of circularity as described in the waste hierarchy or circularity ladder
framework; (3) building design principles; and (4) the life cycle phases of the construction industry. In
the end, the study intends to identify best practice and draw lessons for balancing the three sustainability
dimensions and the different business models evolving from the different projects using these
determinants. Minder weergeven

Reciprocity is a powerful determinant of human behaviour in social exchange situations
where mutual reinforcement exists between two parties. Consequently, it is supposed to be one of the
fundamental resources of cooperatives. Mandatory Cooperatives is a special category of cooperatives that is
characterized by a higher degree of reciprocal behaviour among members than traditional cooperatives. This
paper examines the differences in financial level of these two categories (mandatory… Meer weergeven

Reciprocity is a powerful determinant of human behaviour in social exchange situations
where mutual reinforcement exists between two parties. Consequently, it is supposed to be one of the
fundamental resources of cooperatives. Mandatory Cooperatives is a special category of cooperatives that is
characterized by a higher degree of reciprocal behaviour among members than traditional cooperatives. This
paper examines the differences in financial level of these two categories (mandatory cooperatives versus
traditional agricultural cooperatives) with the help of a financial approach, which is based on panel data
analysis techniques. Several notions and concepts forming the financial engineering methodological
framework are adopted for the design of this approach. The results reveal that reciprocity is a very important element that leads cooperatives to higher performance levels. Minder weergeven

The cooperative organizational form is by nature a sustainable one, which has proved to be resilient in the face of crises and a solid lever in addressing present-day societal challenges. Still, little is known about its socio-economic impact. Also, despite the plethora of studies on cooperative performance, research remains inconclusive about how to best measure it. In fact, scholarly work has largely favored the use of appraisal tools reflecting those of investor-owned firms (IOFs), having… Meer weergeven

The cooperative organizational form is by nature a sustainable one, which has proved to be resilient in the face of crises and a solid lever in addressing present-day societal challenges. Still, little is known about its socio-economic impact. Also, despite the plethora of studies on cooperative performance, research remains inconclusive about how to best measure it. In fact, scholarly work has largely favored the use of appraisal tools reflecting those of investor-owned firms (IOFs), having undermined the dual idiosyncratic nature of the cooperative organizational form, which is manifest in the business and social-membership objectives. The goal of this article is to fill these gaps by delivering a comprehensive dashboard for cooperative performance assessment that harmonizes business–social aspects and catalogs the basic components for future attempts. To reach this goal, we used an extensive review of empirical research in cooperative performance (phase 1) and a Delphi study with 14 experts (phase 2). In addition, we reviewed comparable research efforts for a business form (social enterprises) that combines business with social goals and faces similar challenges (phase 3). This inquiry was particularly insightful for the social perspective and the overlooked role of cooperatives as a socially-embedded organizational form that hardly documents its societal impact and outreach. Minder weergeven

The “Euro-leaf” organic certification logo was adopted and made compulsory by the European Union (EU) a few years ago; the level of consumers’ recognition of this logo has been explored. This paper provides important insights into the effectiveness of the logo in the Greek market. The “Euro-leaf” logo was compared with the two previous EU organic logos; i.e., the voluntary “Organic Farming” and the withdrawn “Bio”. In total, 472 face-to-face interviews were conducted using actual presentations… Meer weergeven

The “Euro-leaf” organic certification logo was adopted and made compulsory by the European Union (EU) a few years ago; the level of consumers’ recognition of this logo has been explored. This paper provides important insights into the effectiveness of the logo in the Greek market. The “Euro-leaf” logo was compared with the two previous EU organic logos; i.e., the voluntary “Organic Farming” and the withdrawn “Bio”. In total, 472 face-to-face interviews were conducted using actual presentations of five officially certified food products. The aim of this research was to investigate the consumers’ willingness-to-buy (WTB), willingness-to-pay (WTP), and their preference towards each of the three logos used for the certification of organic products. Our analysis concludes that for the time being the new logo has failed to develop into a powerful instrument for affecting consumers’ WTB and WTP. Furthermore, it was found to have been the least influential factor that determined their preferences. Design changes and improvements might be necessary in order to better communicate the organic food message. Minder weergeven

ABSTRACT: We develop a classification of traditional vs. restructured cooperative organizational attributes based on an inductive approach. Using this classification and integrating concepts from the business literature (i.e., market and brand orientation), we hypothesize three types of relationships: a) the influence of organizational attributes, i.e., ownership, control and cost/benefit allocation, on organizational performance; b) the influence of strategic, i.e., market and brand… Meer weergeven

ABSTRACT: We develop a classification of traditional vs. restructured cooperative organizational attributes based on an inductive approach. Using this classification and integrating concepts from the business literature (i.e., market and brand orientation), we hypothesize three types of relationships: a) the influence of organizational attributes, i.e., ownership, control and cost/benefit allocation, on organizational performance; b) the influence of strategic, i.e., market and brand orientation, attributes on organizational performance and c) the influence of organizational attributes on market orientation. We examine these relationships empirically in two studies. In study 1, using data from 114 agribusiness cooperatives, we demonstrate that strategic attributes have a greater influence on organizational performance than organizational attributes. In study 2, we replicate the design from study 1, i.e., tracking attribute scores over time, with a sub-sample of 25 cooperatives 4 years later. This second study generally confirms the findings of study 1. Taken together, the results suggest that greater emphasis should be placed on strategic attributes both in the literature and in practice. Minder weergeven

This book focuses on the use of farm level, micro- and macro-data of cooperative systems and networks in developing new robust, reliable and coherent modeling tools for agricultural and environmental policy analysis. The efficacy of public intervention on agriculture is largely determined by the existence of reliable information on the effects of policy options and market developments on farmers' production decisions, and in particular, on key issues such as levels of agricultural and… Meer weergeven

This book focuses on the use of farm level, micro- and macro-data of cooperative systems and networks in developing new robust, reliable and coherent modeling tools for agricultural and environmental policy analysis. The efficacy of public intervention on agriculture is largely determined by the existence of reliable information on the effects of policy options and market developments on farmers' production decisions, and in particular, on key issues such as levels of agricultural and non-agricultural output, land use and incomes, use of natural resources, sustainable-centric management, structural change and the viability of family farms. Over the last years, several methods and analytical tools have been developed for policy analysis using various sets of data. Such methods have been based on integrated approaches in an effort to investigate the above key issues, and have thus attempted to offer a powerful environment for decision making, particularly in an era of radical change for both agriculture and the wider economy. Minder weergeven

This chapter examines pension fund structural attributes from a customer’s perspective. By increasing the knowledge about the utility that individual customers derive from the various attributes of their pension funds, we aim to enhance our insights into the drivers of customers’ commitment to their pension provider as well as loyalty to their pension fund programs. To address this objective, we carried out a combination of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and an empirical conjoint… Meer weergeven

This chapter examines pension fund structural attributes from a customer’s perspective. By increasing the knowledge about the utility that individual customers derive from the various attributes of their pension funds, we aim to enhance our insights into the drivers of customers’ commitment to their pension provider as well as loyalty to their pension fund programs. To address this objective, we carried out a combination of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and an empirical conjoint study with a large sample of customers from a major pension fund provider in The Netherlands. In so doing, we elicited the utility (i.e., importance) that individual customers of pension fund programs attach to both the financial and the non-financial attributes of a pension fund. Results obtained from a sample of 912 individual customers show that the selected financial and non-financial attributes are significant drivers of the overall utility that customers derive from their pension fund program. Moreover, the results demonstrate that customers prefer more financial attributes rather than non-financial attributes for the make-up of their pension fund structure. Individual customers attach especially high importance to attributes such as the fund’s coverage ratio and the average investment returns of a pension fund. Minder weergeven

Insufficient attention to the specific nature of healthy food experiences might limit the success of related innovations. The purpose of this article is to adopt a value-in-use perspective to conceptualize healthy food consumption as experiential and emotional, rather than the mere intake of nutrition, and to examine the development of healthy food communication with a service science approach.

Design/methodology/approach - With a service science approach, this study proposes a virtual… Meer weergeven

Insufficient attention to the specific nature of healthy food experiences might limit the success of related innovations. The purpose of this article is to adopt a value-in-use perspective to conceptualize healthy food consumption as experiential and emotional, rather than the mere intake of nutrition, and to examine the development of healthy food communication with a service science approach.

Design/methodology/approach - With a service science approach, this study proposes a virtual healthy food platform for children. The key data come from internal project documents, workshops with children and other stakeholders (e.g. parents, teachers), and interviews with project team members.

Findings -The simultaneity of functional and hedonic benefits, implications for multiple stakeholders, social norms, and need for expertise characterize healthy food experiences. The proposed framework accounts for enablers, principles, outcomes, and challenges affecting the development of communication integral to healthy food experiences, using project data and tools as illustrations.

Research limitations/implications – This study contributes to growing literature on service science by introducing key principles and contingency factors that influence the success of experience-centric service innovations. Quantitative research should validate the established framework and investigate the elements' relative usefulness for developing healthy food communication.

Practical implications – The service science approach involves multiple stakeholders, empathic data collection, and visual tools to develop an entertaining platform to help children learn about healthy food.

Originality/value – This research conceptualizes and validates healthy food experiences as value-in-use offerings. The proposed service science approach accounts for the interactions among stakeholders, the holistic nature, and specificities of a real-life decision context for improving healthy food experiences.
Minder weergeven

We study the drivers of the market exchange of special investment shares among member-investors within New Generation Cooperatives (NGCs). Specifically, we examine the influence that the economic behavior and several other characteristics of member-investors have on the supply and demand of delivery rights equity shares within a NGC engaged in the potato starch sector (AVEBE). Using empirical observations from various sources and a two-stage least-squares computational method, we show that the… Meer weergeven

We study the drivers of the market exchange of special investment shares among member-investors within New Generation Cooperatives (NGCs). Specifically, we examine the influence that the economic behavior and several other characteristics of member-investors have on the supply and demand of delivery rights equity shares within a NGC engaged in the potato starch sector (AVEBE). Using empirical observations from various sources and a two-stage least-squares computational method, we show that the member-investors of AVEBE trade shares on a bilateral basis through personal contact. The findings indicate that the demand for delivery rights shares is determined by the member-investors’ strategy at the farm level and differences in farm income among members, while the pricing of shares is driven by the return on member-investors’ own equity. Minder weergeven

In this article the financial/ownership structures of agribusiness cooperatives are analyzed to examine whether new cooperative models perform better than the more traditional ones. The assessment procedure introduces a new financial decision-aid approach, which is based on data-analysis techniques in combination with a preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE II). The application of this multicriteria decision-aid approach allows the rank ordering of… Meer weergeven

In this article the financial/ownership structures of agribusiness cooperatives are analyzed to examine whether new cooperative models perform better than the more traditional ones. The assessment procedure introduces a new financial decision-aid approach, which is based on data-analysis techniques in combination with a preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE II). The application of this multicriteria decision-aid approach allows the rank ordering of cooperatives based on the most prominent financial ratios. The financial ratios were selected using principal component analysis. This analytical procedure reduces the dimensionality of large numbers of interrelated financial performance measures. We assess the financial success of Dutch agribusiness cooperatives for the period 1999–2010. Results show that there is no clear-cut evidence that cooperative models used to attract extra members’ investments and/or outside equity perform better than the more traditional models. This suggests that ownership structure of cooperatives is not always a decisive factor for their financial success. [EconLit citations: Q130, G320, C440]. Minder weergeven

This paper examines the importance of aspirations as reference points in
a multi-period decision-making context. After stating their personal aspiration level,
172 individuals made six sequential decisions among risky prospects as part of a
choice experiment. The results show that individuals make different risky-choices in a
multi-period compared to a single-period setting. In particular, individuals’ aspiration
level is their main reference point during the early stages of… Meer weergeven

This paper examines the importance of aspirations as reference points in
a multi-period decision-making context. After stating their personal aspiration level,
172 individuals made six sequential decisions among risky prospects as part of a
choice experiment. The results show that individuals make different risky-choices in a
multi-period compared to a single-period setting. In particular, individuals’ aspiration
level is their main reference point during the early stages of decision-making, while
their starting status (wealth level at the start of the experiment) becomes the central
reference point during the later stages of their multi-period decision-making. Minder weergeven

Abstract

All market participants (e.g., investors, producers, consumers) accept a certain level of risk as necessary to achieve certain benefits. There are many types of risk including price, production, financial, institutional, and individual human risks. All these risks should be effectively managed in order to derive the utmost of benefits and avoid disruption and/or catastrophic economic consequences for the food industry. The identification, analysis, determination, and… Meer weergeven

Abstract

All market participants (e.g., investors, producers, consumers) accept a certain level of risk as necessary to achieve certain benefits. There are many types of risk including price, production, financial, institutional, and individual human risks. All these risks should be effectively managed in order to derive the utmost of benefits and avoid disruption and/or catastrophic economic consequences for the food industry. The identification, analysis, determination, and understanding of the benefit–risk trade-offs of market participants in the food markets may help policy makers, financial analysts and marketers to make well-informed and effective corporate investment strategies in order to deal with highly uncertain and risky situations.

In this paper, we discuss the role that benefits and risks play in the formation of the decision-making process of market-participants, who are engaged in the upstream and downstream stages of the food supply chain. In addition, we review the most common approaches (expected utility model and psychometrics) for measuring benefit–risk trade-offs in the economics and marketing-finance literature, and different factors that may affect the economic behaviour in the light of benefit–risk analyses.

Building on the findings of our review, we introduce a conceptual framework to study the benefit–risk behaviour of market participants. Specifically, we suggest the decoupling of benefits and risks into the separate components of utilitarian benefits, hedonic benefits, and risk attitude and risk perception, respectively. Predicting and explaining how market participants in the food industry form their overall attitude in light of benefit–risk trade-offs may be critical for policy-makers and managers who need to understand the drivers of the economic behaviour of market participants with respect to production, marketing and consumption of food products. Minder weergeven

We analyze whether investors misunderstand the relation between customer satisfaction and future earnings using data on analysts’ earnings forecasts, and stock price reactions around firms' earnings announcements. We find that analysts anticipate the future earnings associated with customer satisfaction. More generally, the methods we propose lay new foundations for studies that describe how marketing translates into financial outcomes that are relevant to both companies and investors.

This study focuses on the identification of Dutch consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for organic olive oil. The analysis and results of a large-scale consumer survey carried out in The Netherlands are presented. The survey was carried out in grocery malls in the 5 largest Dutch cities. From the collected data an ordered logit regression analysis was constructed to assess the impacts of selected explanatory variables that drive 290 Dutch consumers' stated WTP for different price premiums of… Meer weergeven

This study focuses on the identification of Dutch consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for organic olive oil. The analysis and results of a large-scale consumer survey carried out in The Netherlands are presented. The survey was carried out in grocery malls in the 5 largest Dutch cities. From the collected data an ordered logit regression analysis was constructed to assess the impacts of selected explanatory variables that drive 290 Dutch consumers' stated WTP for different price premiums of organic olive oil. The results suggest that WTP is influenced by consumers' experience, awareness, perceptions regarding better quality and high price, and preference for the retail distribution of organic olive oil. Minder weergeven

We study the heterogeneity in the preference structure of cooperative members. Using conjoint analysis the utility that members attach to intra-organizational and strategic attributes of their cooperative is elicited. Recognizing that members are not homogenous, a concomitant finite-mixture regression model is employed to allow preferences to vary across different member segments. With data from 120 cooperative members, we find that most members demonstrate rather similar preferences for… Meer weergeven

We study the heterogeneity in the preference structure of cooperative members. Using conjoint analysis the utility that members attach to intra-organizational and strategic attributes of their cooperative is elicited. Recognizing that members are not homogenous, a concomitant finite-mixture regression model is employed to allow preferences to vary across different member segments. With data from 120 cooperative members, we find that most members demonstrate rather similar preferences for strategic attributes but differ with respect to the intra-organizational attributes of control and management. Members' preference structures are affected by business size and attitudes towards risk. [EconLit Citations: Q130; M000, C400]. Minder weergeven

Greece is a major international olive oil producer. Olive oil varieties constitute the major crops for Greek farmers growing certain oriental olive oil varieties. Currently, the olive oil sector in Greece is undergoing substantial changes and the response of farmers and consumers to this will be a vital factor in its success. Throughout the application of the common agriculture policy (CAP), mechanisms, such as production aid, subsidies and marketing orders, were employed to support both… Meer weergeven

Greece is a major international olive oil producer. Olive oil varieties constitute the major crops for Greek farmers growing certain oriental olive oil varieties. Currently, the olive oil sector in Greece is undergoing substantial changes and the response of farmers and consumers to this will be a vital factor in its success. Throughout the application of the common agriculture policy (CAP), mechanisms, such as production aid, subsidies and marketing orders, were employed to support both producers and consumers. A possible reform of CAP aimed at eliminating or reducing production aid or any kind of subsidies could have a considerable effect on producer and consumer marketing behaviour. In this study a formulated mathematical problem for the olive oil sector on the island of Crete based on the welfare concept and the simulation of the olive oil market equilibrium, subject to specified policy interventions and circumstances was adopted. According to the results obtained, it was concluded that future olive oil policies should not impinge on mechanisms that influence olive oil farmers and consumer behaviour but should emphasize the greater cost effectiveness of production and marketing policies. Minder weergeven

Purpose
This paper aims to examine a core member-customer threat in co-operatives (co-ops) by drawing from ostracism research, assessing co-op ostracism’s impact on critical membership and relational exchange outcomes and discussing why relationship marketing research needs to pay more attention to the overlooked role of implicit mistreatment forms in customer harm-doing.

Design/methodology/approach
Three studies were conducted. In Study 1, ostracism in co-ops was explored, and a… Meer weergeven

Purpose
This paper aims to examine a core member-customer threat in co-operatives (co-ops) by drawing from ostracism research, assessing co-op ostracism’s impact on critical membership and relational exchange outcomes and discussing why relationship marketing research needs to pay more attention to the overlooked role of implicit mistreatment forms in customer harm-doing.

Design/methodology/approach
Three studies were conducted. In Study 1, ostracism in co-ops was explored, and a measurement scale for co-op ostracism was developed. In Study 2, the core conceptual model was empirically tested with data from members of three different co-ops. In Study 3, a coping strategy was integrated into an extended model and empirically tested with a new sample of co-op members.

Findings
Ostracism is present in co-ops and “poisons” crucial relational (and membership) outcomes, despite the presence of other relationship-building or relationship-destroying accounts. Coupling entitativity with cognitive capital attenuates ostracism’s impact.

Research limitations/implications
Inspired by co-ops’ membership model and inherent relational advantage, this research is the first to adopt a co-op member-customer perspective and shed light on an implicit relationship-destroying factor.

Practical implications
Co-op decision makers might use the diagnostic tool developed in the paper to detect ostracism and fight it. Moreover, a novel coping strategy for how co-ops (or other firms) might fend off ostracism threats is offered in the article.

Originality/value
The present study illuminates a dark side of a relationally profuse customer context, painting a more complete picture of relationship marketing determinants. Little attention has been given to ostracism as a distinct and important social behaviour in marketing research and to co-ops as a research context. Minder weergeven

This study was focused on investigating the factors that affect consumers and their shopping attitudes in the turbulent economic period which characterizes the recent years. In particular, the main aim of this study was to investigate and contribute towards understanding consumer behavior and to explore the factors that affect consumers during their food shopping in adverse economic conditions. To address our research objective, the study is focused on identifying consumers’ current spending… Meer weergeven

This study was focused on investigating the factors that affect consumers and their shopping attitudes in the turbulent economic period which characterizes the recent years. In particular, the main aim of this study was to investigate and contribute towards understanding consumer behavior and to explore the factors that affect consumers during their food shopping in adverse economic conditions. To address our research objective, the study is focused on identifying consumers’ current spending habits and investigating consumers’ food purchasing behavior. Data were obtained from an intercept survey conducted in a random selected sample consisting of 553 consumers between January and May 2016 in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki. In the data which were collected,
initially, reliability and validation testing was performed with Factor Analysis (EFA) followed by a second checking of
validity with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using the statistical program LISREL 8.80. The results were used to
formulate a conceptual model in order to investigate consumers’ behavior towards food. The empirical examination of this theoretical model was carried out by forming a model of structural equations. Results demonstrate that “objective resources” have been found to influence behavior both indirectly through the “attitudes” towards diet, but also directly. Income was found to affect the model directly and significantly. Also, consumption of food is affected by the number of adults in the household. At the same time, there is a rejection of the “quality” factor due to its higher price. Minder weergeven