Consumer Preferences for U.S. Pork in Urban China

China’s transition into a developed economy is driving changes in consumer preferences and demand for foods. To evaluate consumer preferences for U.S. pork in urban China, primary data were collected in two metropolitan areas- Beijing and Shanghai. Estimated logit models revealed that an individual’s age, shopping location and food safety concerns significantly influenced their willingness-to-pay for U.S. pork. A proportional linear model was developed to evaluate factors affecting purchasing behavior of western-style pork cuts vs. traditional Chinese cuts. Food safety concerns were linked to a previous lean-meat additive scare and a lack of consumer confidence on the Chinese food inspection system.China, U.S. Pork, Willingness-to-pay, Ordered Logit, food safety, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing, D120, D190, M390, Q130, Q180,

Food Safety and Demand: Consumer Preferences for Imported Pork in Urban China

China’s transition into a developed economy is driving changes in consumer preferences and demand for foods. The objective of this study is to assess and measure consumers’ preferences for and attitudes toward imported pork in urban China. Estimated logit models based on a consumer survey conducted in 2008 reveal that individuals’ age, shopping location, and food safety concerns significantly influence their willingness to pay for U.S. pork. Factors affecting purchasing behavior of Western-style pork cuts versus traditional Chinese cuts are also evaluated. Consumers’ food safety concerns were linked to a previous lean-meat additive scare and a lack of confidence in the Chinese food inspection system.Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries,

Modeling Heterogeneity in Consumer Preferences for Select Food Safety Attributes in China

Food safety issues often arise from problems of asymmetric information between consumers and suppliers with regards to product-specific attributes. Severe food safety scandals were observed recently in China that not only caused direct economic and life loss but also created distrust in the Chinese food system domestically as well as internationally. While much attention has focused on the problems plaguing the Chinese government’s food inspection system, little research has been dedicated to analyze consumers’ concerns over food safety. In this paper we measure consumer preferences for select food safety attributes in pork and take their food safety risk perceptions into account. Several choice experiment models, including latent class and random parameters logit, are constructed to capture heterogeneity in consumer preferences. A statistical sample of 6,720 observations is obtained from a choice experiment administered in seven major Chinese metropolitan cities. Our results suggest that Chinese consumers have the highest willingness-to-pay for a government certification program, followed by a traceability system, third party certification and a product-specific information label. The results of this study call upon the direct involvement of the Chinese government in the food safety system. A more strict monitoring system will not only improve consumer welfare in the short-run but also restore consumers’ trust leading to a social welfare increase in the long run.Food safety, choice experiment, willingness-to-pay, risk perceptions, random parameters logit, latent class logit, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Q13, Q17, Q18,

Got (Safe) Milk? Chinese Consumers’ Valuation for Select Food Safety Attributes

Food safety issues often arise from problems of asymmetric information between consumers and suppliers of food with regards to product-specific attributes or characteristics. Food safety concerns in China are having a drastic impact on consumer behavior, commodity markets, international trade and food security. An additional challenge to the problem of asymmetric information lies in the inherent structure of the governing bodies which oversee food safety and quality. Unlike the United States and other developed countries, China’s food safety is regulated by several government entities with different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities. As a result consumers don’t have a comprehensive food safety and quality system on which to base their economic decisions. In an effort to maintain the food supply of the world’s largest economy safe, China’s government has approved a series of tougher food safety laws and regulations. Although publicized as a tough approach to food safety, it is unclear whether this latest effort will make China’s food safer to eat and improve the country’s image to its agricultural trading partners. While much attention has focused on the problems plaguing China’s food inspection system, little research has been dedicated to analyze consumers’ concerns over food safety. In this paper we measure consumer preferences for select food safety attributes in milk. More specifically we estimate consumer’s willingness to pay for government certification, an independent (third party) certification program, national brand, and a product’s shelf-life using a choice experiment approach. We compare and contrast several modeling strategies to capture heterogeneity of consumer preferences. The data used in this study was collected from a choice experiment administered in seven major metropolitan cities in China, yielding a statistical sample of 6,720 observations. Our results suggest that Chinese consumers have the highest willingness-to-pay for a government certification program, followed by national brand, private certification, and longer shelf-life products. We find that Chinese consumers are very concerned about the safety of the milk they purchase and are willing to pay a high premium to assure that their food is safe. The high level of concern regarding milk safety is linked to recent food safety incidents involving dairy products, most notably the Melamine-adulterated milk products. Heterogeneity of consumer preferences and willingness to pay for the select food safety attributes was found by implementing a latent class logit model based on attitudinal responses as well as a mixed logit model. Although it might appear that Chinese consumers’ confidence on the government is eroding, as reported in the wake of recent food safety scandals, our research found that consumers were less confident on non-government food safety control measures. This result indicates that there is a strong need for the Chinese government to provide adequate food safety and quality control. Our findings call upon the direct involvement of the Chinese government in the food safety system. A more strict monitoring system via certification is necessary. If realized, such government efforts will provide higher welfare to consumers in the short-run and will restore consumers’ trust increasing social welfare in the long run. Policy implications of our results are discussed with particular attention given to food safety and security issues.China, Choice experiment, Mixed logit, Latent class logit, Food safety, Preference heterogeneity, Willingness-to-pay, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Q11, Q18,

อิทธิพลของความสุขในการทำงานต่อความทุ่มเทมีใจในงาน ของพนักงานต้อนรับบนเครื่องบินรุ่น THAI Quality and Value (TQV)

งานวิจัยเรื่องนี้ มีวัตถุประสงค์ เพื่อศึกษาอิทธิพลของความสุขในการทำงานที่มีต่อความทุ่มเทมีใจในงานของพนักงาน งานวิจัยครั้งนี้เป็นการวิจัยเชิงปริมาณ (Quantitative research) โดยมีวิธีการรวบรวมข้อมูลคือ การใช้แบบสอบถาม (Questionnaire) ซึ่งทำการเก็บข้อมูลจากพนักงานต้อนรับบนเครื่องบิน โดยใช้แบบสอบถาม จำนวน 260 คน เครื่องมือในการวิจัยสถิติเชิงพรรณนาประกอบด้วย สถิติความถี่ จำนวนร้อยละ ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน ทดสอบสมมติฐานด้วยการวิเคราะห์สถิติสหสัมพันธ์และวิเคราะห์ความถดถอยพหุคูณ ซึ่งผลการศึกษาพบว่า ความสุขในการทำงานโดยรวมมีความสัมพันธ์เชิงบวกกับความทุ่มเทมีใจของพนักงานโดยรวมอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ และความสุขในการทำงานมีอิทธิพลทางบวกกับความทุ่มเทมีใจ อีกทั้งมีอำนาจร่วมกันทำนายความทุ่มเทมีใจของพนักงานได้ร้อยละ 34.3 ผลการศึกษาวิจัยครั้งนี้เป็นประโยชน์ต่อองค์การในการพัฒนาคุณภาพของพนักงานเพื่อให้ผู้โดยสารซึ่งเป็นลูกค้าประทับใจและกลับมาใช้บริการซ้ำ โดยเสนอแนะได้ว่าองค์การควรส่งเสริมความสุขในการทำงานของพนักงานต้อนรับบนเครื่องบินในทุกมิติ โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งด้านของ Happy Family ครอบครัวดี และ Happy heart น้ำใจดี ซึ่งมีอิทธิพลต่อความทุ่มเทมีใจของพนักงาน ผ่านกระบวนการสร้างสวัสดิการด้านครอบครัวของพนักงาน และส่งเสริมบรรยากาศการทำงานที่ด

Markers Associated with Sex Differences in Methamphetamine-Induced Striatal Dopamine Neurotoxicity

Three different approaches were employed to assess various markers associated with sex differences in responses to methamphetamine (MA). Bioassay measures reveal that MA treatment results in significantly greater reductions in body weight and increases in body temperature in male mice. Protein and mRNA determinations show significant increases in Bcl-2 and PAI-1 in male mice, while females show significant increases in GFAP and decreases in IGF-1R following treatment with MA. In mice with a heterozygous mutation of their dopamine transporter (+/- DAT), only female mice show significant differences in dopamine transporter binding and mRNA and associated reductions in striatal dopamine content along with increases in MA-evoked striatal dopamine output. The identification of these sex-dependent differences in markers provides a foundation for more exhaustive evaluation of their impact upon, and treatment of, disorders/neurotoxicity of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and the bases for the differences that exist between females and males