Crystallisation of Collective Action in the Emergence of a Geographical Indication System

Replaced with revised version of paper 09/20/11.collective action, geographical indications, clusters, translation cycles, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Labor and Human Capital,

Consumer Willingness to Pay for Swiss Chicken Meat: An In-store Survey to Link Stated and Revealed Buying Behaviour

In a global economy food origin is gaining increasing attention as determining purchase criterion in food consumption. Consequently, for many consumers a product’s country-of-origin (COO) is an important cue in evaluating both domestic and foreign products. A double-bounded dichotomous choice approach in an in-store setting was used to assess consumers’ preference and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the product attribute “Swiss origin” relative to “European origin” for chicken meat. Data collection took place in the poultry section of six grocery stores in Francophone Switzerland. Sample selection was based on the consumer’s purchase decision, that is only actual chicken buyers were questioned. During the survey product data of participants’ actual purchase were recorded. Thus, both hypothetical stated and revealed consumer behaviour data were collected. Based on 450 records we highlight four different consumer segments, notably “Loyal Swiss”, “Low Price Swiss Zappers”, “Price Orientated”, and „The Gourmets”. At an equal price, 90% of the entire sample prefers Swiss chicken meat. To elicit mean WTP for “Swiss origin” we used logit analysis. The results indicate that mean WTP differs significantly between the highlighted consumer segments. “Loyal Swiss” – medium to high priced Swiss chicken meat consumers – are willing to pay a premium of about 7.40 Euros per kilo chicken breast of Swiss origin. This premium corresponds with actual price differences of at most 7.50 €/kg for Swiss chicken breast relative to European found in the researched grocery stores. “Low Price Swiss Zappers” are willing to pay a premium of 2.10 €/kg chicken breast of Swiss origin. In contrast, the “Price Orientated” and „The Gourmets” are not willing to pay any premium for Swiss origin. This corresponds with their revealed purchase behaviour as they bought imported European chicken. Considering mean WTP for the entire sample of 3.00 €/kg for Swiss origin, we conclude that this is not a good predictor for specific consumer segments. It over-, or underestimates mean WTP of the highlighted consumer segments. Using both stated and revealed consumer behaviour data, we are able to calculate consumer group specific mean WTP which leads to more appropriate results for agribusiness and marketing purposes.contingent valuation method, country-of-origin, willingness-to-pay, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

LA DIVERSITE DES SYSTEMES DE MARCHE PROPOSITION D'UNE REPRESENTATION DU CADRE DES NEGOCIATIONS COMMERCIALES POUR LES MARCHES DE BIENS ; LE CAS DES MARCHES AGRO-ALIMENTAIRES

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Crystallisation of Collective Action in the Emergence of a Geographical Indication System

Collective action cannot develop without the commitment of partners to a common project. Building a new Geographical Indication (GI) implies crucial strategic decisions regarding the norms of the production process, the limits of the geographical area and the choice of the protected GI name. Who is going to make these decisions? What is the best path to kick-off with success the initiative? Two approaches have recently been tested in practice: the cluster approach and the working group approach. This paper presents the scientific background of these two approaches. A state of the art is proposed on the concept of cluster, developed in Industrial Economics. The translation theory, developed in Economic Sociology, is mobilised to analyse the “translation cycles” followed by most working groups. Based on case studies, this paper highlights and explains the benefits and risks of both approaches. It proposes an approach that combines face to face negotiations between the facilitator and potential partners, large information campaigns, and a representative working group in order to guarantee access to information to all and avoid further oppositions

Consumer Willingness to Pay for Swiss Chicken Meat: An In-store Survey to Link Stated and Revealed Buying Behaviour

In a global economy food origin is gaining increasing attention as determining purchase criterion in food consumption. Consequently, for many consumers a product’s country-of-origin (COO) is an important cue in evaluating both domestic and foreign products. A double-bounded dichotomous choice approach in an in-store setting was used to assess consumers’ preference and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the product attribute “Swiss origin” relative to “European origin” for chicken meat. Data collection took place in the poultry section of six grocery stores in Francophone Switzerland. Sample selection was based on the consumer’s purchase decision, that is only actual chicken buyers were questioned. During the survey product data of participants’ actual purchase were recorded. Thus, both hypothetical stated and revealed consumer behaviour data were collected. Based on 450 records we highlight four different consumer segments, notably “Loyal Swiss”, “Low Price Swiss Zappers”, “Price Orientated”, and „The Gourmets”. At an equal price, 90% of the entire sample prefers Swiss chicken meat. To elicit mean WTP for “Swiss origin” we used logit analysis. The results indicate that mean WTP differs significantly between the highlighted consumer segments. “Loyal Swiss” – medium to high priced Swiss chicken meat consumers – are willing to pay a premium of about 7.40 Euros per kilo chicken breast of Swiss origin. This premium corresponds with actual price differences of at most 7.50 €/kg for Swiss chicken breast relative to European found in the researched grocery stores. “Low Price Swiss Zappers” are willing to pay a premium of 2.10 €/kg chicken breast of Swiss origin. In contrast, the “Price Orientated” and „The Gourmets” are not willing to pay any premium for Swiss origin. This corresponds with their revealed purchase behaviour as they bought imported European chicken. Considering mean WTP for the entire sample of 3.00 €/kg for Swiss origin, we conclude that this is not a good predictor for specific consumer segments. It over-, or underestimates mean WTP of the highlighted consumer segments. Using both stated and revealed consumer behaviour data, we are able to calculate consumer group specific mean WTP which leads to more appropriate results for agribusiness and marketing purposes

Human NK cell education by inhibitory receptors for MHC class I.

Natural killer (NK) cells recognize the absence of self MHC class I as a way to discriminate normal cells from cells in distress. In humans, this "missing self" recognition is ensured by inhibitory receptors such as KIR, which dampen NK cell activation upon interaction with their MHC class I ligands. We show here that NK cells lacking inhibitory KIR for self MHC class I molecules are present in human peripheral blood. These cells harbor a mature NK cell phenotype but are hyporesponsive to various stimuli, including MHC class I-deficient target cells. This response is in contrast to NK cells that express a single inhibitory KIR specific for self MHC class I, which are functionally competent when exposed to the same stimuli. These results show the involvement of KIR-MHC class I interactions in the calibration of NK cell effector capacities, suggesting its role in the subsequent "missing self" recognition

Virginia Woolf. Le pur et l'impur

Le rôle majeur joué par Virginia Woolf dans la littérature anglaise des années vingt et trente n'est plus à démontrer. On sait combien Mrs Dalloway, La Promenade au phare, Les Vagues, contribuèrent à faire émerger une écriture de la modernité, une langue mouvante, habile, suspendue à la frontière de la prose et de la poésie, lovée au plus intime de la conscience. Dans l'ombre de ces romans, le reste de son œuvre foisonnante reste encore mal connu. Les écrits politiques de Woolf, ses nouvelles, ses essais, sa correspondance permettent cependant de voir un imaginaire littéraire et politique à l'œuvre. De même, alors que la critique tendit précédemment à privilégier les enjeux formels et phénoménologiques de l'écriture poétique de Woolf, des études récentes ont exploré ses liens avec son contexte épistémologique et politique, les échos intertextuels ou inter-esthétiques qui s'y font entendre. Le volume d'articles réunis ici se propose de faire le point sur ces perspectives formelles et théoriques. Il est le fruit des travaux du Colloque de Cerisy qui se tint en 2001 sur l'œuvre de la romancière. En choisissant d'interroger les notions de « pur » et d'« impur » – notions qui font souvent retour sous la plume de la romancière – les auteurs proposent d'ouvrir un dialogue entre les textes les plus canoniques et le reste de l'œuvre jugé longtemps mineur ou « impur » mais aussi entre des approches critiques multiples (génétique, psychanalyse, épistémologie... ), toutes mises au défi par un univers littéraire paradoxal qui résiste à la synthèse et à la clôture