• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.645-673
• /
• 2019

The hypothetical nature of stated preferences can lead to a hypothetical bias that might work as a normative pressure, influencing survey responses. This paper aims to test the impact of social desirability bias by comparing economic estimates based on both subjective and objective valuation questions. The case study is about an urban riverine restoration project in Deajeon, South Korea. As valuation methods both contingent valuation and choice experiments were comparatively applied. Based on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 respondents, the test results offered contrasting conclusions between two test approaches. Accroding to the estimation results based on the conventional valuation, the marginal willingness to pay estimates are 10,500 KRW from CV; and 18,600 KRW for improving water quality, 2,200 KRW for the inside view, 8,900 KRW for the outside view, and 5,800 KRW for biodiversity from CE. A segmentation-based approach is a conventionally used method, which showed a limited impact of social desirability on willingness to pay estimates. The alternative parameterization-based approach measures a model-wide impact of social desirability, proving a significant bias. Although the study positioned a cheap-talk statement before the valuation section of the survey questionnaires, which might have pre-screened the bias, the overall implications of the results suggest a caution in reducing and observing hypothetical bias. There might remain a significant and substantial hypothetical bias even after cheap-talk, particularly in situations with strong social desirability, so that the potential role of objective valuation questions is guaranteed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.451-458
• /
• 2018

The coast of Incheon reaches Incheon itself, Gimpo, Siheung, and Ansan of Gyunggi-do. Because this area has been seriously polluted, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has established the Incheon Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) to preserve sea water quality as a marine environment asset. However, there is concern that actions taken in this area may change the surrounding marine ecology, being effected by farms, via a river that flows from waste lands, abandoned fishing activities and fishing nets, etc. Given this background, this study estimates the value of SAMP sea water quality using a choice experiment (CE). A CE survey of 1,000 households was undertaken, investigating trade-offs involving price and four attributes for selecting a preferred alternative to obtain a marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) estimate for each attribute. The estimation results showed that MWTP for a 1 %p improvement in sea water quality, the diversity of fauna species, the diversity of flora species, and a 1 %p reduction in marine litter as a result of conserving Incheon coastal sea water quality are estimated to be KRW 75, 135, 309 and 72 per household per year, respectively. All estimation results were statistically significant at the 1 % level. These findings can provide policy makers with useful information for evaluating and planning marine environmental management policies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.275-287
• /
• 2008

Noise externalities are a ubiquitous problem in modern societies. Research to estimate damages and potential efficient solutions therefore is important for addressing such problems. The results of a hedonic property model show that noise has a statistically significant and quantitatively important negative effect on property values. The key results for the best model show that damages (in year 2000 dollars) are - $5000 ${\ast}$ (ln dB), where dB is noise measured in decibels, allowing for the influence of other factors. Because ln(dB) is a strictly concave funaion, the "noise damage function"exhibits diminishing marginal effects with noise.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.115-129
• /
• 2023

Purpose - This study empirically analyzes the consumer value of risk management associated with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing of fishery products imported to Korea. The global regulatory paradigm for IUU fishing has shifted from production-centered to market-centered. As a result, changes in the international fisheries trade environment emphasizing "transparency" and "legality" of the production process are accelerating. Therefore, changes in the management systems of fishery products entering the country are also needed. Accordingly, this study estimated the consumer value for risk management of IUU fishing, targeting major fish species imported to Korea, and derived the feasibility of introducing related policies. Design/methodology - This study used the choice experiment as an analysis model to estimate consumers' willingness to pay for the "possibility to check for IUU fishing." The choice experiment assumes that the value of a good or service is composed of separable attributes and that the sum of the part-worth of these individual attributes becomes the total value. In this study, respondents were presented with profiles comprising three attributes (country of origin, price, and possibility of checking IUU fishing) and the levels of frozen poulp squid, the subject of the analysis. The participants were asked to select their preferred profile. The marginal willingness to pay for each attribute was derived from the results of the respondents' choices using conditional logit model estimates. Findings - There is a marked difference in utility based on the preference of the country of origin of fishery products among consumers. In addition, the utility of fishery products that have undergone IUU fishing verification was observed to be higher, with the utility marked to be higher for lower prices. Originality/value - Estimating the policy value of the risk management in IUU fishing of imported fisheries products in this study is a novel attempt that has never been conducted before. Several studies have been conducted to assess the risk of IUU fishing associated with the import of fishery products internationally. However, such studies are yet to be conducted in Korea. Instead, policies and studies have focused on issues related to complying with trading partners' legal and transparent standards for exporting fishery products. This study should be the beginning of more in-depth empirical and theoretical explorations to establish order in the domestic seafood market and respond to changes in international regulations on IUU fishing.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.233-260
• /
• 2018

The West Coast is known as one of the world's three largest intertidal mudflats but the mudflat ecosystems have been constantly destroyed by various reclamation projects and industrial complexes. This study intends to estimate the economic values of major ecosystem services provided by the Seocheon intertidal flats using a choice modeling method. The benefits of the intertidal flats are categorized as four different attributes: number of migratory birds (related to biodiversity and cultural services), production of fish and shellfish (regulating services and habitats), tourism activities (cultural services), and number of fishing households in local communities (cultural services). Study results show that the general public enjoys the economic benefits of 1.777 trillion won (900 million won/hectare) as of 2015 in order to preserve 1,200ha of Seocheon mudflat. Assuming that future generations continue to enjoy these economic benefits of mudflat conservation, the annual value converted is about 64.7 billion won/year, corresponding to 53.9 million won/hectare per year. Individuals are willing to pay are expected to maintain their entire life in the 1,000 households living in the Seocheon tidal-flat fishing village, with an average of 11,000 won per person and an additional 50,000 tourist activities per year. It was estimated to have the amount of payment of 9,000 won. An individual's marginal willingness to pay was estimated to be about 11,000 won per year for supporting a total of 1,000 fishing households, 6,000 won to provide tourism activities of 50,000 visitors, and 9,000 won to provide the habitats of 90,000 migratory birds. For segmentation analysis, residents of Seocheon did not place significant values for the attributes besides migratory bird conservation. However, those of Gunsan showed relatively low margtinal willingness to pay for conservation of migratory birds and fishing villages but showed similar preferences for the maintenance of tourism activities compared to the general public. The results imply that the introduction of economic incentive system is needed to effectively manage and conserve ecosystem services of specific intertidal flats.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.329-338
• /
• 2019

In this study, we analyze consumer preferences based on the agricultural box scheme attributes, and make a suggestion for business revival. We estimate the marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for box scheme attributes using a choice experiment. Attributes include the bundle method, the delivery method, and price. To select an efficient model for statistical analysis, we evaluate the conditional logit model, heteroscedastic extreme value model(HEV model), multinomial probit model, and mixed logit model under different assumptions. The results of these four models show that the bundle method, the delivery method, and price are statistically significant in explaining the probability of participation in a box scheme. The results of likelihood ratio tests show that the heteroscedastic extreme value model is the most appropriate for our survey data. The results also indicate that MWTP for a change from fixed type to selection type is KRW 7,096.6. MWTP for a change from parcel service to direct delivery and cold-chain delivery are KRW 3,497.5 and KRW 7,532.7, respectively. The results of this study may contribute to the government's local food policies.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.845-873
• /
• 2008

This study estimates the VSL(value of a statistical life) as well as the WTP(willingness to pay) for mortality risk reduction using sample selection model with data on liver cancer examination which is associated with little possibility of multi-purpose(i.e. joint production) in averting behavior. The marginal benefits of mortality risk reduction are estimated by applying for household production function model with medical expense and the time required for medical examination of liver cancer. Individuals are more likely to take liver cancer test if they are male, older, higher educated, those with spouse, smoker, more income of household, and more anxious about their health. The costs of liver cancer examination are statistically significantly affected with expected signs by size of mortality risk reduction, sex, period of eduction, those with spouse, and household income. The marginal effect of mortality risk reduction owing to taking liver cancer examination is estimated at 321,097 won. The costs of liver cancer examination are increased by 905 won with more one year of education period and by 1,743 won with more one million won in household income. On liver cancer examination, male spends more 12,310 won than female and those with spouse pay more 7,969 won than those without spouse. Therefore the VSL from mortality risk reduction due to liver cancer examination is 321.10 million won at mean size of mortality risk reduction and mean cost of liver cancer examination. The results of sensitivity tests on costs and effects of liver cancer test shows that the VSLs are estimated in a range from 160.55 million won to 642.19 million won.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.46 no.10
• /
• pp.997-1004
• /
• 2013

There is imminent need to find a way to measure the recreational benefits of water so that appropriate actions can be taken to make a multi-purpose reservoir. Therefore, this study attempts to apply a choice experiment to quantifying the recreational benefits of a multi-purpose reservoir, using a specific case study of Sangkwan multi-purpose reservoir. We consider the trade-offs between price and attributes of recreational attributes for selecting a preferred alternative and derive the marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) estimate for each attribute. The results show that the MWTP for providing additional 10,000 ton of water is estimated to be 3 won per household per year. The MWTP for improving 1 level of water quality is computed to be 645.5 won per household per year. Moreover, the MWTP for providing recreation facilities is calculated to be 1,518.6 won per household per year. This study allows us to provide policy-makers with useful quantitative information that can reduce uncertainty in the decision-making process related to a multi-purpose reservoir construction projects.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.10
• /
• pp.4830-4836
• /
• 2013

This research was launched as an attempt to help create a new value-added product called "Green Jujube Chip." To accomplish the objectives, consumers value by attributes of Green Jujube Chip should be estimated. We used Choice Experiment for analysis, which we used to arrive at pricing of specialty jujube chips based on the conditional logit model. As a result, MWTP were estimated at 1333 Won/unit for Mid-size Company Product, 1752 Won/unit for Large Company Product, 1703 Won/unit for University Affiliation, 350 Won/unit for packing unit, 548 Won/unit for rating the raw fruit, 1,322 Won/unit for HACCP, and 1,166 Won/unit for ISO22000. The consumer's WTP for Green Juju Chip, associated with the university-brand recognition, was higher than a product produced by a mid-sized company but lower than a product by a large company. Given how the consumers regard the university-brand product as a specialty item, it is necessary to create value-added products that meet such high expectation. Therefore, we recommend the producers to acquire HACCP Food Safety Certification and the value-added product has used the highest quality raw fruit.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 2016

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) system, bi-direction power trading technology, enables drivers possessing electric vehicle to sell the spare electricity charged in the vehicle to power distribution company. The drivers gain profit by charging electricity in the day time of high electricity rate. In this regard, the government is preparing the policies of building and supporting V2G infrastructure and demanding the potential consumers' preference for the V2G system. This paper attempts to analyze the consumers' preference using the data from obtained a survey of randomly selected 1,000 individuals. To this end, choice experiment, an economic technique, is employed here. The attributes considered in the study are residual amount of electricity, electricity trading hours, required plug-in time, and price measured as an amount additional to current gasoline vehicle price. The multinomial logit model, which requires the assumption of 'independence of irrelevant alternatives', is applied but the assumption could not be satisfied in our data. Thus, we finally utilized nested logit model which does not require the assumption. All the parameter estimates in the utility function are statistically significant at the 10% level. The estimation results show that the marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for one hour increase in electricity trading hours is estimated to be KRW 1,601,057. On the other hand, a one percent reduction in residual amount of electricity and one hour reduction in required plug-in time in V2G system are computed to be KRW -91,911 and -470,619, respectively. The findings can provide policy makers with useful information for decision-making about introducing and managing V2G system.