Consumers perception of traditional sustainable food: an exploratory study on pasta made from native ancient durum wheat varieties

Governments and policy play an important role in prompting the public and private interest for local and traditional food, in order to increase the variety of food choice for consumers (Guerrero et al., 2012) and to foster local economies and rural regions development (Feldmann et al., 2015). Our study may provide useful indication to food companies and producers to invest in innovative products based on traditional regional raw materials tailoring marketing actions and investments. But how consumers perceive the quality of products made from native crops varieties? Recent review on consumers perception and preferences for local and traditional food emphasizes that, unlike organic food, local ones are not perceived as expensive but consumers would be willing to pay a premium price to access them (Feldmann et al., 2015). Does this conclusion still hold in case of durum wheat pasta obtained from traditional wheat varieties? Answer to the latter question is one of the aims of the paper. Moreover in order to maintain and even increase the traditional food products’ market share they need to be improved by introducing innovations that fulfil the European consumers’ demand for better traditional food product from different perspectives, including for example health, safety, taste and convenience characteristics (Cayot, 2007). Indeed, other studies investigating how consumers perceive the meaning of terms such as ‘traditional’ and ‘Innovation’, found a noticeable incompatibility between the two concepts (Guerrero et al., 2012). However, assuming a positive feeling and attitude of consumers towards those products, the main aim of the article is to address consumers preferences towards different attributes of pasta. Conjoint analysis will be developed to assess consumer perception towards pasta made from native durum wheat varieties. On purpose more then 258 habitual consumers of pasta from Apulia region were interviewed using internet based tools

A development model for the internationalization of SME agro-food of Puglia: the ISCI project

The project targets the Axis 1 of the European territorial cooperation INTERREG program Greece-Italy 2007-2013. The project was born with the aim of strengthen the presence of the local agri-food SMEs on the foreign markets, enhancing innovation processes through an economic and coordinated cooperation so to ease the internationalization processes of the two targeted areas. After a literature review, we analyzed the economic context of Apulia Region; then we proceed to the definition of a model for the internationalization of SMEs Agro-food of Puglia through the constitution of scientific and technological incubators that will network to deliver innovative services for the internationalization of the agri-food system. The final aim is to develop innovative services of marketing intelligence (MI) to spread knowledge and information about the international markets and the creation and implementation of databases for the search and classification of informative sources

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p < .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p < .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come

Strategie di internazionalizzazione commerciale e sue determinanti: il caso dell'industria agroalimentare europea

Abstract L’obiettivo del lavoro di tesi è quello di studiare le modalità di internazionalizzazione commerciale attraverso le quali le imprese agroalimentari europee si affacciano sui mercati internazionali. In particolare si studieranno i fattori che determinano la scelta tra modalità organizzative di tipo control-based, o di esportazione diretta, e modalità outsource based, o di esportazione indiretta. Tali fattori determinanti verranno osservati e studiati attraverso l’approccio teorico di un classico problema di scelta ‘make or buy’ e verranno inquadrati in tre blocchi teorici di riferimento: la Teoria dei Costi di transazione (TCE), la Teoria delle Risorse e la Teoria di Strategic Management. La strategia empirica del lavoro prevede lo sviluppo di un modello econometrico di tipo probit multivariato (bivariato) per lo studio delle relazioni causa effetto tra queste determinati e le scelte in merito alle strategie di esportazione. I risultati indicano che le dimensioni e l'esperienza delle imprese sui mercati globali non rappresentano driver importanti nella scelta tra esportazioni dirette ed indirette. Sebbene venga evidenziata una relazione positiva tra la commercializzazione di prodotti con certificazione di qualità e scelte di esportazione diretta, una significativa relazione tra spesa in R&S, innovazione, certificazioni di processo e strategie di esportazione diretta non è stata rilevata. Il lavoro si conclude con la discussione dei risultati, relative implicazioni e prospettive di ricerca nel campo dell’organizzazione delle strategie di internazionalizzazione per l’industria agroalimentare europea. Abstract This work aims at analysing how food and beverage (F&B) companies choose between different modes to organize strategies to enter foreign markets. In particular, it focuses on firms’ choice to internalize foreign marketing and distribution operations, thus directly controlling export activities, rather than outsourcing them to independent organizations, according to the “make” or “buy” dilemma. Through the theoretical lenses of Transaction Cost Economics (TCE), Resource-Based View (RBV) and Strategic Management. Using a bivariate probit model as econometric strategy, I investigate the role of key determinants affecting company decisions between indirect or direct exports I derive hypotheses which have been used as foundation for the empirical work. Results indicate that size and the experience of the companies on global markets do not represent significant drivers for direct but rather for indirect export decisions. Although positive relationship is highlighted between use of product quality certifications and direct export choices, a significant relationship between R&D expenditure, innovation, process certifications and direct export choice was not found. I conclude the work by discussing implication of my findings and briefly highlighting further research development in the domain of the organization of internationalization strategies within European F&B industry

Consumers perception of traditional sustainable food: an exploratory study on pasta made from native ancient durum wheat varieties

Governments and policy play an important role in prompting the public and private interest for local and traditional food, in order to increase the variety of food choice for consumers (Guerrero et al., 2012) and to foster local economies and rural regions development (Feldmann et al., 2015). Our study may provide useful indication to food companies and producers to invest in innovative products based on traditional regional raw materials tailoring marketing actions and investments. But how consumers perceive the quality of products made from native crops varieties? Recent review on consumers perception and preferences for local and traditional food emphasizes that, unlike organic food, local ones are not perceived as expensive but consumers would be willing to pay a premium price to access them (Feldmann et al., 2015). Does this conclusion still hold in case of durum wheat pasta obtained from traditional wheat varieties? Answer to the latter question is one of the aims of the paper. Moreover in order to maintain and even increase the traditional food products’ market share they need to be improved by introducing innovations that fulfil the European consumers’ demand for better traditional food product from different perspectives, including for example health, safety, taste and convenience characteristics (Cayot, 2007). Indeed, other studies investigating how consumers perceive the meaning of terms such as ‘traditional’ and ‘Innovation’, found a noticeable incompatibility between the two concepts (Guerrero et al., 2012). However, assuming a positive feeling and attitude of consumers towards those products, the main aim of the article is to address consumers preferences towards different attributes of pasta. Conjoint analysis will be developed to assess consumer perception towards pasta made from native durum wheat varieties. On purpose more then 258 habitual consumers of pasta from Apulia region were interviewed using internet based tools

Projektas „Inovatyvios bendradarbiavimo ir internacionalizavimo tarp mažų ir vidutinio dydžio įmonių žemės ūkio ir maisto pramonės srityje stiprinimo paslaugos (Graikija – Italija)“ ir internacionalizavimo tendencijos mažose ir vidutinio dydžio įmonėse vietinėje žemės ūkio ir maisto pramonėje: Apulijos regiono atvejis

The I.S.C.I. project “Innovative Services to Strengthen Cooperation and Internationalisation between SMEs in the field of agro-food industry (Greece-Italy)” targets the Axis 1 of the European territorial cooperation INTERREG program Greece-Italy 2007-2013: “Strengthening competitiveness and innovation”. The project was born with the aim of strengthen the presence of the local agro-food SMEs (in Apulia Region, Italy, and in Corfu, Greece) on the foreign markets, enhancing innovation processes and coordinated cooperation in order to foster the internationalisation processes of the agro food industry. The ISCI project objective and purpose is the definition of a model aiming at the constitution of technological incubators that will network to deliver innovative services for the internationalisation of the agro-food SMEs system. In progress within the ISCI project, the paper aims to determine different patterns of internationalisation that characterise the local field of agro-food industry, in particular those that seem to be predominant within the most strategic sectors of the local agro-food industry.Projektas „Inovatyvios bendradarbiavimo ir internacionalizavimo tarp mažų ir vidutinio dydžio įmonių žemės ūkio ir maisto pramonės srityje stiprinimo paslaugos (Graikija – Italija)“ yra nukreiptas į Europos teritorinio bendradarbiavimo programą INTERREG (Tarpregioninio bendradarbiavimo programa) Graikija – Italija 2007–2013: „Stiprinti konkurencingumą ir inovacijas“. Projektas pradėtas siekiant stiprinti mažų ir vidutinio dydžio įmonių, užsiimančių vietine žemės ūkio ir maisto pramone (Apulijos regione Italijoje ir Korfu Graikijoje), įsitvirtinimą užsienio rinkose, didinti naujovių diegimo procesus ir koordinuotą bendradarbiavimą, siekiant palengvinti žemės ūkio ir maisto pramonės internacionalizacijos procesus. Projekto tikslas ir objektas yra apibrėžti technologinių inkubatorių modelį, kuriuo siekiama teikti novatoriškas paslaugas internacionalizacijos sistemai žemės ūkio ir maisto produktų mažose ir vidutinio dydžio įmonėse. Straipsnio tikslas kartu su ISCI projektu nustatyti skirtingas internacionalizacijos tendencijas vietinėje žemės ūkio ir maisto produktų gamybos srityje, ypatingai tas, kurios vyrauja strateginiuose žemės ūkio ir maisto pramonės sektoriuose

A Neural Network Model for Classifying Olive Farms

AbstractThe application of web marketing and definition of corporate strategies has become common practice in all companies, together with the use of mathematical models as a tool for planning and studying the dynamics of communication within the market. We apply an unsupervised artificial neural network for the classification of a series of olive farms to try to determine which features are most rewarding from the point of view of the communication strategies and market (including the identification of new situations and decision making). The objective is to identify and group companies that have similar characteristics through a set of common indicators and create a rating for defining which companies are the best performing and how companies in the sector are related. This work is made possible by the use of a computer software designed specifically for the olive oil sector, which examines many aspects of business life and also implements the platform among businesses, each other and the market

Figurazioni sociali e trasfigurazioni testuali: il potere della scrittura-lettura sulla rifigurazione delle identità

La scrittura e la lettura influenzano e significano l'identità delle culture, in quanto le trasfigurazioni testuali, poetiche e, in particolare, narrative, arricchiscono le figurazioni sociali e co-modellano l'io analogo, metaforico, co-presente nell'ipseità del soggetto, la cui identità viene suggerita dalla personografia narrativa. Nel contributo vengono messi in relazione critica C. Lévi-Strauss, H.R. Jauss, N. Holland Norman, R. Girard e G. Flaubert