How safe is eating chicken? A study on the impact of trust and food risk communication on consumer behaviour in the European Union

Consumers trust is a key factor in dealing with rising concerns about food safety and food quality, but only few studies have dealt with consumer attitudes and none of them has tried to model the process of consumer response. This book reports the main findings of an european project aimed at analysing trust along the food chain and its relationship with food risk communication. The papers collected investigate the mechanisms that determine the social diffusion of trust, examining the interplay of the psychological, sociological and economic factors; and analyze the impact of the food risk communication policies on consumers and producers and on the society as a whole

How safe is eating chicken?

Consumers trust is a key factor in dealing with rising concerns about food safety and food quality, but only few studies have dealt with consumer attitudes and none of them has tried to model the process of consumer response. This book reports the main findings of an european project aimed at analysing trust along the food chain and its relationship with food risk communication. The papers collected investigate the mechanisms that determine the social diffusion of trust, examining the interplay of the psychological, sociological and economic factors; and analyze the impact of the food risk communication policies on consumers and producers and on the society as a whole

Meeting the Challenge of Interdependent Critical Networks under Threat : The Paris Initiative

NARisques à grande échelle;Gestion des crises internationale;Interdépendances;Infrastructures critiques;Anthrax;Initiative collective;Stratégie;Préparation des Etats-majors

Examining the policy diffusion of organic food and agriculture legislation in the U.S. - the role of the states in developing organic standards

2014 Spring.From 1976-2010, 38 states created and passed legislation regarding the regulation of organic food and agriculture. Most legislation was passed during the time period of 1985-1990, a period that ended with Congress passing the Organic Food Production Act [OFPA] in 1990. OFPA was passed to eliminate the patchwork of state and private third-party organic standards regulating the market and to maintain access to international markets by assuring U.S. standards were harmonized with key markets. Subsequently, it may have been expected that state adoption of organic policies would cease after federal action in 1990. However, many states continued to adopt and modify existing policies after the passage of OFPA. This research examines the diffusion of organic food and agriculture legislation and dynamics of legislative refinement in the United States both prior to and after federal adoption of organic legislation. With both theoretical and applied implications to be derived, this research uses the policy diffusion literature to examine the diffusion of organic legislation. A mixed-methods approach is utilized to answer the central research question of why do some states adopt organic food and agriculture legislation while others do not? The quantitative portion of this research uses time-series logistical regressions to test an enhanced unified model of policy diffusion. Time controls were used to evaluate the nationwide dynamics across several time periods. In addition, regional models were constructed for four statistically significant regions to further examine regional variations in diffusion factors. The qualitative portion of this research consists of a comparative case study between a leader and laggard state adopters. California and Georgia were the state cases selected for analysis. The results of this analysis suggest that wealth, political culture, partisan control of state government, state vegetable production, third-party certification organizations, horizontal pressures, national-scale pressures, and salience are key explanatory factors for state adoption of organic food and agriculture legislature from 1976-2010. Per capita wealth, issue salience, and regional effects are the most robust explanatory power over the 35-year time period and for each adoption-type. Pre-1990 state adoptions were also strongly influenced by the presence of third-party certifiers and the policy type design. Post-1990 state adoptions were additionally influenced by federal adoption and implementation, partisan control of state government, and state vegetable production. Action at the federal level, including federal adoption and implementation, did not dramatically deter state adoption or cause the repeal of state organic food and agriculture statutes. Across all time periods, certain regions remain distinctive in terms of diffusion dynamics including the Far West, North Central, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions. Two case studies, California and Georgia, shed some light on how adoption of organic food and agriculture legislation occurred in the Far West and Southeast regions

Agent-based modelling for investigating consumer behaviour in risky markets : the case of food scares

Consumer behaviour in risky markets is a research field which was investigated and which is still investigated from different perspectives. Agent-based modelling is a relatively new research method which offers rich possibilities for consumer research. In this thesis a multi agent simulation was implemented for investigating consumer behaviour in case of food scares. The influence of information regarding the safety of food released by the media is in the centre of the investigations. An artificial consumer population receives this information and discusses about it within their networks. Based on internal learning mechanisms in the sense of Bayesian updating each consumer agent revises its trust with respect to the safety of the food item under investigation. Different information scenarios are tested where the outcomes served as measures of effectiveness. In this way it was possible to test the influence of different information strategies regarding the trust recovery concerning the safety of the food item under investigation.Konsumenten befinden sich in Märkten, die durch Unsicherheit gekennzeichnet sind. In den meisten Fällen herrscht keine vollkommene Information und viele Produkte weisen Vertrauenseigenschaften auf, die nicht im Vorwege geprüft werden können. Informationen über Lebensmittelskandale die von den Medien veröffentlicht und verbreitet werden sind von besonderer Bedeutung für das Vertrauen in die Lebensmittelproduktion und in den Lebensmittelhandel. Die Medien beeinflussen die Konsumenten bei ihrer Meinungsbildung, in ihrem Verhalten und bei ihren Entscheidungen. Die Meinungsbildung entsteht dezentral auf der Ebene des Individuums welches Teil der gesamten Gesellschaft ist. Erst im Aggregat entsteht die öffentliche Meinung, die wiederum auf die individuelle Meinungsbildung zurückwirkt und so ein reziprokes dynamisches System bildet. Die Meinungsbildung findet aber nicht nur über die exogenen Medien statt, sondern auch über soziale Kontakte und Netzwerke. Der entscheidende Aspekt dieser endogenen Form der Informationsverarbeitung ist die Kommunikation. Durch Kommunikation werden Informationen aufgenommen und Entscheidungssituationen neu bewertet. Dadurch findet eine Beeinflussung der Meinungsbildung statt, entweder wird die vorherrschende Meinung bestätigt und verfestigt oder es kommt zu einer Revidierung der Meinung. Agentenbasierte Modellierung ist eine Simulationsmethode, um Abläufe, die in der Realität beobachtet werden, nachzubilden und zu untersuchen. Soziale Prozesse können auf diese Weise in einem dynamischen sich über die Zeit entwickelnden System von einzelnen Agenten, die als Platzhalter für reale Objekte angesehen werden und in Netzwerkstrukturen miteinander verbunden sind, analysiert werden. Die Arbeit gliedert sich in sieben Teile. Nach der allgemeinen Einführung in das Thema wird im zweiten Teil eine Einordnung der agentenbasierten Modellierung in den allgemeinen wissenschaftlichen Kontext vorgenommen. Der dritte Teil widmet sich der Simulationstheorie, die der agentenbasierten Modellierung in dieser Arbeit zugrunde liegt. Im vierten Teil werden die allgemeinen Zusammenhänge der Informationsverarbeitung der Individuen und Konsumenten unter besonderer Betrachtung des Medieneinflusses analysiert. Dieser Teil schafft die Voraussetzungen für die Modellierung einer Multiagentensimulation zur Analyse von Konsumentenverhalten bei Lebensmittelskandalen im fünften Teil. Mit Hilfe dieser Multiagentensimulation werden im sechsten Teil verschiedene Informationsstrategien, die als Risikokommunikationsstrategien definiert sind, auf ihre Effizienz hinsichtlich der Rückgewinnung des Vertrauens in das unter Verdacht geratene Lebensmittel untersucht. Daraus ergeben sich Implikationen für die Ausgestaltung der Risikokommunikation auf Unternehmensebene und gesamtwirtschaftlicher Ebene. Die Arbeit schließt mit einer Zusammenfassung

A state of emergency in crisis communication: An intercultural crisis communication research agenda

This article seeks to provide an evidence-based set of recommendations for the development of an intercultural crisis communication research agenda with three goals. First, to provide an advancement in our understanding of the state of crisis communication research in general. Second, to offer a grounded introduction to crisis communication for intercultural scholars who may not be as familiar with the field. Finally to identify three broad evidence-based areas for developing intercultural crisis communication research -- (1) representing different cultural perspectives in crisis communication research, (2) placing American crisis research in a global context, and (3) developing cross-cultural comparisons

Agri-food business: Global challenges â Innovative solutions

The rise of a western-style middle class in many successful emerging economies like China currently is inducing deep structural changes on agricultural world markets and within the global agri-food business. As a result of both higher incomes and concerns over product safety and quality the global demand for high-quality and safe food products is increasing significantly. In order to meet the new required quality, globally minimum quality standards are rising and private standards emerging. All over the world these developments cause adjustments at the enterprise, chain and market levels. At the same time, the tremendously increasing demand for renewable energy has led to the emergence of a highly promising market for biomass production. This has far-reaching consequences for resource allocation in the agri-food business, for the environment, for the poor in developing countries and for agricultural policy reforms. The challenges increase with ongoing liberalisation, globalisation and standardisation, all of which change trade patterns for agricultural and food commodities, and influence production costs and commodity prices. The objective of the IAMO Forum is to show opportunities as well as risks for all participants of the food economy in the ongoing globalisation process: for small peasants in developing countries, farmers in Europe and globally active food enterprises and retailers. The success of enterprises depends on the ability to find innovative solutions with regard to the organisation of enterprises, chains, and markets, as well as future policy design. Concerning bio-energy strategies has to be identified to combat global warming most efficiently and concurrently attenuate the competition between "tank and table" on farmland. IAMO Forum 2008, as well as this book, would not have been possible without the engagement of many people and institutions. We thank the authors of the papers, as well as the referees. Furthermore we are highly indebted to MARLIES LOHR, NADINE GIEMSA and RONNY RECKE who in an outstanding way contributed to the organisation of the Forum. This is true as well for the IAMO administration, whose work we gratefully acknowledge. Many sponsors has funded the IAMO Forum 2008. We are very grateful to the German Research Foundation (DFG), The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Production in Germany, The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Federal State Saxony-Anhalt, Germany and last but not least the City of Halle. Further Conference sponsors are the BIONADE Corporation, Gaensefurther Mineral Water, The Wine Growers Association of the Region Saale-Unstrut, Germany, Obsthof am SüÃen See GmbH, Monsanto Company, KWS Saat AG, Sachsen-Anhalt-Tours, Baumkuchen Salzwedel and the Hallesches Brauhaus.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Industrial Organization, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Development, Marketing, Political Economy,

Agri-food business: global challenges - innovative solutions

The rise of a western-style middle class in many successful emerging economies like China currently is inducing deep structural changes on agricultural world markets and within the global agri-food business. As a result of both higher incomes and concerns over product safety and quality the global demand for high-quality and safe food products is increasing significantly. In order to meet the new required quality, globally minimum quality standards are rising and private standards emerging. All over the world these developments cause adjustments at the enterprise, chain and market levels. At the same time, the tremendously increasing demand for renewable energy has led to the emergence of a highly promising market for biomass production. This has far-reaching consequences for resource allocation in the agri-food business, for the environment, for the poor in developing countries and for agricultural policy reforms. The challenges increase with ongoing liberalisation, globalisation and standardisation, all of which change trade patterns for agricultural and food commodities, and influence production costs and commodity prices. CONTENTS: Preface... i; On the political economy of food standards ... 1, Johan F. M. Swinnen, Thijs Vandemoortele; An analytical framework for the study of deviant behaviour in production... 11, Norbert Hirschauer, Gaetano Martino; Netchain innovations for sustainable pork supply chains in an EU Context... 22, Rannia Nijhoff-Savvaki, Jacques Trienekens, Onno Omta; Inclusion of dairy farms in supply chain in Bulgaria - Modes, efficiency, perspectives... 35, Hrabrin Bachev; The effective traceability on the example of Polish supply chain ... 47, Agnieszka Bezat, Sebastian Jarzebowski; Geographical indications in transition countries: Governance, vertical integration and territorial impact. Illustration with case studies from Serbia... 58, Marguerite Paus; Processing and marketing feasibility of underutilized fruit species of Rajasthan, India ... 70, Dheeraj Singh, Lobsang Wangshu, V. C. Prahalad; Future impact of new technologies upon food quality and health in Central Eastern European countries... 82, Lajos Zoltán Bakucs, Imre Ferto, Attila Havas; Are food industry companies interested in co-financing collective agricultural marketing?... 95, Anikó Tóth, Csaba Forgács; Farmers' reasons for engaging in bioenergy utilisation and their institutional context: A case study from Germany ... 106, Melf-Hinrich Ehlers; Degree and pattern of agro-food trade integration of South-Eastern European countries with the European Union ... 118, Štefan Bojnec, Imre Ferto; Competitiveness of cotton and wheat production and processing in Central Asia ... 133, Inna Levkovych --

Improving online food safety communication: The role of media

Food safety is important as foodborne illness outbreaks cause great economic and societal losses. Efforts to protect public health and reduce foodborne illness outbreaks will not be fully effective unless the resulting information is communicated to consumers. However, food safety communications have not been particularly satisfactory (Worsfold, 2006). If food safety information were more accessible, consumers would be more likely to use it (Worsfold, 2006). In this regard, the Internet presents great possibilities for communicating food safety information to the public. But media’s role has been largely overlooked in existing literature. When the lack of research is combined with consumers’ increasing interest in food safety (Food Safety News, 2016), the need to understand media’s effect is pressing. To further the understanding of media’s role in influencing food safety communication outcome, three progressive studies were conducted. The first study explored consumers’ preferences, motivations, information needs, and information usage. The second study examined consumers’ experience interacting with websites used for food safety communication and mapped website characteristics to users’ perceptions. The third study investigated the relationships among website characteristics, perceptions, efficacies, and behavioral intention, and tested the impact of media on communication outcomes. Results of Study 1 revealed that the Internet was consumers’ preferred media choice for food safety communication. Among Internet-based platforms, websites were most preferred. Media, information, and source characteristics interact in influencing consumers’ experience with the websites and later communication outcome. Thus, it is important to maintain or improve information quality while offering media functionalities that reduces users’ efforts in information seeking. Study 2 showed that consumers go through a two-stage process in food safety communication. First, consumers are informed (usually passively) about an outbreak. Then, after the risks and threat are evaluated, consumers become motivated and actively seek out additional information to make decisions and protect themselves. Additionally, in Study 2, the link between website characteristics and consumers’ efficacy perceptions was established. It was also discovered that the relationships among efficacy components were complex and probably nonlinear. In Study 3, relationships among website characteristics, perceptions towards such characteristics, efficacy perceptions, and behavioral intention were evaluated and tested statistically. It was discovered that website characteristics, through efficacy perceptions, influence consumers’ intention to use the communicated information. The results offered support that media is indeed important and influential and that it works together with information quality to shape consumers’ behavioral intention. More specifically, features on websites that directly related to searchability (e.g. search box and site map) and saliency (specific information about foods and locations involved) were perceived to be most influential and should be specially considered in website design and maintenance