THE ENTREPRENEURS’ PROPENSITY TO ADOPT ELECTRIC MOBILITY IN THE SHORT FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

In the last years, Short Food Supply Chain (SFSC) has gained relevant attention among the consumers, for its characteristics of environmental, economic and social sustainability. At the same time, recently some doubts has been raised about the environmental negative impacts that also SFSC is causing, despite the intrinsic “local” label. In particular, the reference is on the transport system and related CO2 emissions of SFSC that undermines the full achievement of environmental concerns. To deal with this challenge, electric vehicles (EVs) are seen as a viable and very promising alternative. Starting from these considerations, this study investigates the propensity of entrepreneurs operating in the SFSC to introduce EVs inside their business. In particular, in order to understand which factors affect this behaviour, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and New Ecological Paradigm have been used. Results show that farmers with high attitudes towards the shift from carbon transport systems to electrical ones, and which are more sensitive to ecological and environmental sustainability issues, are more willing to adopt EVs in their business. This is the first work that investigates the intention of local producers, operating in the SFSC, to introduce an EV for the freight transports, providing interesting theoretical, managerial and political implication, and addressing scholars towards future researches

THE MEDITERRANEAN'S GOLD: WHICH COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS FOR THE THUNNUS THYNNUS IN ITALY?

By taking into consideration the relevant role, in the international trade of Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), played by Italy, aim of this work is assess the change in the Italian competitive advantage in the international market over the last decade (2008/2017), as a consequence of the Total Allowable Catch system together with size limits set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Investigating the main changes occurred in the Italian international trade balance, by focusing the attention on the relations with the main commercial partners operating in this industry, is of relevant importance to make available updated data to policy makers, managers and scholars in order to reflect on alternative solutions to increase profits in the international trade. By applying the Relative Trade Advantage Index, results show that Italy in the last decade, although maintained an overall profitable position in the international market, has been affected by drastic changes at system level, mainly caused by the ICCAT regulations aimed at reducing the Thunnus thynnus stock overfishing. Measures that led the country to modify commercial partners relations and also internal production business patterns, such as a fragmentation of the Thunnus thynnus supply chain related to the export line. Results suggest to both policy makers and stakeholders to activate alternative solutions to improve the trade volume (in money terms) of this sector, in so doing better exploiting the great potential of product, respecting at the same time the Bluefin Tuna sustainability programs

Electric mobility in the Sicilian short food supply chain

This paper is the first study to explore the intention of entrepreneurs operating in the Short Food Supply Chain to adopt electric mobility inside their business. For this purpose, a case study approach was chosen, employing a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the New Ecological Paradigm to investigate the determinants affecting this intentional behaviour. The empirical analysis has been carried out in the city of Palermo (Italy), involving 42 entrepreneurs who participate in farmer’s markets. Results show that entrepreneurs with higher levels of intention to introduce sustainable means of transport, such as electric vehicles, are the most concerned about the environment and the delicate balance of natural ecosystems. Moreover, the more frequently local farmers participate in local markets, the higher is their intention to adopt electric vehicles for their business. The preliminary results here discussed enrich the existing literature and provide interesting insights for Short Food Supply Chain entrepreneurs and policy makers, paving the way for future research into this topic

Consumers perception of food safety related risk in the italian market

The aim of this paper is to define the factors affecting the consumers' perception on food risk associated to the consumption of products (i) containing food additives, (ii) obtained with the use of pesticides, and (iii) processed through novel food technologies, in relation to different socio-economic and demographic characteristics, the source of acquisition of information on food safety issues, and the place of purchase of food. The study is based on a sample of 392 consumers, living in Italy, and it uses three ordered probit estimation models to process data collected. Findings show that food risk perception is greater among youngsters, mainly for the additives and residual pesticides in foods, and among respondents which do not pose attention to the advice of friends or family members and acquire information by them. In overall, variables affecting the foods risk perception are different in relation to the three typologies of food issues. Our study provides some theoretical, managerial, and political implications

Label Style and Color Contribution to Explain Market Price Difference in Italian Red Wines Sold in the Chinese Wine Market

This study employs a hedonic price methodology to investigate the implicit price of individual labelling characteristics of Italian red wines sold in the Chinese market. Our results highlight the most important quality attributes (extrinsic and intrinsic) given in the label capable to explain price difference. In particular, reveal significant premium price for wine origin, identified in particular through the DOC/DOCG appellation given in the label, and for clean labels or labels with particular designs. On the contrary, a price discount has been revealed for Italian wines produced with local grape varieties and with a label characterised by warm colors. These results, partly in disagreement with other empirical evidence, contribute to enrich the existing literature in this field by providing useful suggestions both to the producers and other stakeholders operating in the wine industry

IL progetto Enernetmob per una maggiore sostenibilità dei trasporti nella filiera corta

Il progetto EnerNETMob “MeditErraNEan inteRregional electromobility NETworks for interMOdal and interurBan low carbon transport systems”, co-finanziato dal programma europeo InterregMed, si propone di progettare, testare e migliorare piani di elettromobilità sostenibili che collegano città e regioni nell’area del Mediterraneo seguendo standard comuni e misure politiche, finalizzate alla riduzione delle emissioni di gas serra nell’atmosfera. EnerNETMob promuove, infatti, la condivisione e la promozione della mobilità sostenibile e l’intermodalità terra-mare, attraverso l’implementazione di reti pilota interurbane e interregionali di veicoli elettrici anche co-alimentati da fonti di energia rinnovabile. In linea con quanto descritto, le attività del progetto EnerNETMob prevedono (i) la disamina del quadro normativo a supporto della diffusione della mobilità sostenibile nei diversi contesti territoriali della Sicilia, (ii) l’analisi della propensione degli operatori della filiera corta a convertirsi alla mobilità sostenibile attraverso l’introduzione di veicoli elettrici, (iii) la progettazione, realizzazione di un sistema pilota per la mobilità elettrica che prevede l’istallazione delle colonnine di ricarica e l’utilizzo di un veicolo elettrico per il trasporto dei prodotti agro-alimentari, (iv) la valutazione dell’impatto dell’introduzione della mobilità elettrica nella filiera corta sia in termini economici (ad esempio, riduzione dei costi del trasporto) sia dal punto di vista ambientale (ad esempio, riduzione delle emissioni di CO2 nell’atmosfera)

Farmers’ Proactive Behaviour An Overview about Theoretical Bases and Factors Affecting Sustainability

This chapter shows a review on the extant literature on the most used socio-psychological theories employed by scholars to investigate this topic. Second, through applying an exploratory case study, carried out on a sample of wineries working in the Canton of Ticino (Switzerland), the present work intends to gather more knowledge about which factors affect wine managers’ behaviour towards the adoption of more sustainable practices into their business. The case study has been preceded by a theoretical contribution based on the two most widespread theories used in research field: Stakeholders Theory (SHT) (Freeman, 1984) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991). The decision to integrate the SHT to a more socio-psychological one is due to the need to investigate the topic from a double perspective. On the one hand, the SHT allows us to gather knowledge on the effect stakeholder’s pressure has on the adoption of sustainable practices by farmers; on the other hand, the TPB ensures to understand the individual factors affecting the decision-making process towards sustainable practices

The dynamics of Italian competitive positioning in the Mediterranean Bluefin tuna industry

The bluefin tuna or Thunnus thynnus is one of the widely recognised fish species since ancient times. Italy is the most important players in the international arena, however, the introduction of a system of total allowable catches and other measures established by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, has deeply changed the competitive positioning of Italy. The aim of this study is to perform an analysis of the comparative advantage of Italy by using the relative trade advantage index. Findings reveal that Italy has gained a competitive advantage in the Maltese market and has suffered a loss of the historical competitive advantage in the Japanese one. Results suggest to policymakers, managers, and stakeholders should put in place strategies addressed to retain a major part of the added value of the bluefin tuna, without setting aside all the aspect related to the sustainability of the fishing catch

FEASIBILITY OF EGFR EVALUATION IN BLADDER WASHINGS OF PATIENTS AFFECTED BY NON MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) overexpression has been recognized as a marker of biological aggressiveness in several malignant neoplasms. EGFR studies on non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are lacking. Urothelial EGFR status after TUR could provide useful information about the risk of recurrence and progression. The aim of our study was to investigate the feasibility of EGFR evaluation in bladder washings of patients affected by NMIBC correlating its expression to European Association of Urology (EAU) risk classes. METHODS: A prospective double-blinded study included patients undergoing adjuvant intravesical therapy for NMIBC and age-matched healthy controls. Acellular pelletwas obtained and stored at -80C. Isolation of cellular RNA was performed using a miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen) and DNA derived from reverse transcription was used to perform gene expression analysis by a Real Time PCR according to ??Ct method. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients and 21 controls entered the study. One hundred fifty-three samples were collected. A useful pellet was obtained in 50 patients (86.2%) and 18 controls (85.7%). The mean EGFR expression in 50 NMIBC was 1.94 folds (range: 0.10-8.00). Compared with healthy controls (EGFR¼1), 40 patients (80%) were positive for EGFR. Particularly, in 18 patients (36%) EGFR was overexpressed (EGFR>1.94) with a mean value of 3.61 folds (range: 2.00- 8.00). According to EAU risk groups, EGFR expression was evaluated in low, intermediate and high risk patients respectively. In 20 high risk NMIBC the mean EGFR expression resulted 2.45 folds and 10 of them (50%) presented significant up-regulation with a mean value of 4.10 folds (range: 2.30-8.00). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of EGFR determination in bladder washings of patients affected by NMIBC after TUR, during adjuvant treatment and subsequent follow-up. A useful pellet was available in more than 85% of patients, with evidence of up-regulation in 36% of them. Within the high risk category, a significant overexpression of EGFR, mean value of 4.16 folds, was detected. EGFR overexpression might identify a subgroup of high risk tumors inclined to progression despite of intravesical therapy and could represent an additional prognostic factor to select candidates for early radical cystectomy