• Title/Summary/Keyword: consumer regulatory focus

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Current status and future trends for pork production in the United States of America and Canada

  • M. Todd See
    • Animal Bioscience
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    • v.37 no.4_spc
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    • pp.775-785
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    • 2024
  • Pork production is a significant agricultural enterprise in the United States and Canada. The United States is the third-largest global producer of pork and Canada ranks seventh in pork production. The North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, have facilitated trade and integration between the two countries. The majority of production systems are modern and intensive, characterized by large vertically integrated farms using advanced technologies. Both nations benefit from their status as major producers of feed grains, with the United States leading in corn and soybeans, while Canada excels in canola and barley production. The regulatory frameworks for food safety, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship differ slightly, with the FDA and USDA overseeing these aspects in the United States, and Health Canada and the Canada Food Inspection Agency in Canada. The United States and Canada also have well-established distribution networks for pork products, relying on both domestic and international markets. Export markets play a crucial role, with the United States being a major importer of Canadian pigs, and both countries exploring opportunities in Asia. Despite a rise in global demand, domestic pork consumption trends differ, with per capita consumption remaining stable in the USA and declining in Canada. Changing consumer preferences, including a demand for ethically raised and locally sourced pork, may influence production practices. Future trends in pig production include a focus on consumer concerns, sustainability, disease prevention, reduction of antimicrobial use, and advancements in technology. The industry is adapting to challenges such as disease outbreaks and changing regulations, with a strong emphasis on animal welfare. Labor and workforce considerations, along with advancements in technology and automation, are expected to shape the efficiency of pork production in the future.

A Study on the Effects of Handset Bundling on Competition and Consumer Welfare (단말기 번들링이 경쟁과 소비자후생에 미치는 효과 연구)

  • Chung, Sukkyun
    • Journal of Digital Convergence
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    • v.12 no.7
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    • pp.11-20
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    • 2014
  • This paper finds that the ultimate source of problems facing Korean mobile telecommunications such as excessive subsidies of handsets, waste of resources, and a vicious circle of expensive handsets and high prices for services, is bundling of handset and subscription. The analysis suggests that bundling causes consumers to confuse about prices of handsets and services, and firms focus on handset subsidy competition rather than on upgrading service qualities and lowering prices due to anti-competitive effects of bundling. Because most of the cost of bundling is passed on to consumers, the welfare of consumers decline. In particular, equality among consumers worsens due to price discriminations. To resolve these problems, unbundling of handset and subscription is a necessity. Mixed bundling allowing separate selling of handsets under bundling does not seem to work as a cure because bundling tends to be a dominant strategy. The best regulatory policy is a complete separation of handset and subscription.

Blockchain for Securing Smart Grids

  • Aldabbagh, Ghadah;Bamasag, Omaimah;Almasari, Lola;Alsaidalani, Rabab;Redwan, Afnan;Alsaggaf, Amaal
    • International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.255-263
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    • 2021
  • Smart grid is a fully-automated, bi-directional, power transmission network based on the physical grid system, which combines sensor measurement, computer, information communication, and automatic control technology. Blockchain technology, with its security features, can be integrated with Smart Grids to provide secure and efficient power management and transmission. This paper dicusses the deployment of Blockchain technology in Smart Grid. It presents application areas and protocols in which blockchain can be applied to in securing smart grid. One application of each area is explored in detail, such as efficient peer-to-peer transaction, lower platform costs, faster processes, greater flexibility in power generation to transmission, distribution and power consumption in different energy storage systems, current barriers obstructing the implementation of blockchain applications with some level of maturity in financial services but concepts only in energy and other sectors. Wide range of energy applications suggesting a suitable blockchain architecture in smart grid operations, a sample block structure and the potential blockchain technicalities employed in it. Also, added with efficient data aggregation schemes based on the blockchain technology to overcome the challenges related to privacy and security in the smart grid. Later on, consensus algorithms and protocols are discussed. Monitoring of the usage and statistics of energy distribution systems that can also be used to remotely control energy flow to a particular area. Further, the discussion on the blockchain-based frameworks that helps in the diagnosis and maintenance of smart grid equipment. We have also discussed several commercial implementations of blockchain in the smart grid. Finally, various challenges have been discussed for integrating these technologies. Overall, it can be said at the present point in time that blockchain technology certainly shows a lot of potentials from a customer perspective too and should be further developed by market participants. The approaches seen thus far may have a disruptive effect in the future and might require additional regulatory intervention in an already tightly regulated energy market. If blockchains are to deliver benefits for consumers (whether as consumers or prosumers of energy), a strong focus on consumer issues will be needed.

An Exploratory Study on the Advertising Display and Regulation Method of Native Advertising - Focus on Expert research by production practitioners - (네이티브 광고의 광고 표시 및 규제 방법에 대한 탐색적 연구 - 제작 실무자들의 전문가 조사를 중심으로 -)

  • Yu, Hyun Joong;Chung, Hae Won
    • The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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    • v.8 no.6
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    • pp.455-462
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    • 2022
  • This study attempted to examine the problems of the expression and format of native advertisements appearing on various platforms and to prepare a plan to regulate them. To this end, in-depth interviews were conducted to those in charge of advertising practice and examined. First, as a problem with the expression and format of native advertisements, it was considered that the congestion and deception of indiscriminate native advertisements appearing on various platforms could bring negative perceptions to consumers. For the second user's interaction, it was considered that customized advertising expressions through targeting by platform should be produced. Third, regarding the regulation of native advertisements, it was suggested that regulatory measures for consumer protection should be prepared and that market autonomy should be left to it. A strategic operation plan for native advertising according to various platforms should be prepared.

The Effect of Regulatory Focus and Product Type on the Difference in Acceptable Prices between Buyers and Sellers (구매자와 판매자의 용의가격 차이에 제품유형과 소비자의 목적지향성이 미치는 영향)

  • Jun, Sung Youl;Ju, Tae Wook;Cho, Hyo Ryung
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.65-94
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    • 2008
  • This study examines the generalizability of the existing research in an on-line auction situation which suggests that there exist a gap between buyer's willing-to-pay price(WTP) and seller's willing-to-sell price(WTS) about the same product due to the endowment effect and consumers' loss aversion propensity. At the same time, this study also identifies and examines the potential moderating factors for the effect such as product type and consumer's goal orientation based on existing theories about consumers' gain-loss heuristics. The results show that WTS is consistently higher than WTP, and that such gap gets more pronounced when the target product is hedonic vs. utilitarian and when consumers have prevention goals vs. promotion goals. Lastly, limitations and managerial implications of this study is discussed.

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Shopping Value, Shopping Goal and WOM - Focused on Electronic-goods Buyers (쇼핑 가치 추구 성향에 따른 쇼핑 목표와 공유 의도 차이에 관한 연구 - 전자제품 구매고객을 중심으로)

  • Park, Kyoung-Won;Park, Ju-Young
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.68-79
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    • 2009
  • The interplay between hedonic and utilitarian attributes has assumed special significance in recent years; it has been proposed that consumption offerings should be viewed as experiences that stimulate both cognitions and feelings rather than as mere products or services. This research builds on previous work on hedonic versus utilitarian benefits, regulatory focus theory, customer satisfaction to address two question: (1) Is the shopping goal at the point of purchase different from the shopping value? and (2) Is the customer loyalty after the use different from the shopping value and shopping goal? We surveyed 345 peoples those who have bought the electronic-goods within 6 months. This research dealt with the shopping value which is consisted of 2 types, hedonic and utilitarian. Those who pursue the hedonic shopping value may prefer the pleasure of purchasing experience to the product itself. They tend to prefer atmosphere, arousal of the shopping experience. Consistent with previous research, we use the term "hedonic" to refer to their aesthetic, experiential and enjoyment-related value. On the contrary, Those who pursue the utilitarian shopping value may prefer the reasonable buying. It may be more functional. Consistent with previous research, we use the term "utilitarian" to refer to the functional, instrumental, and practical value of consumption offerings. Holbrook(1999) notes that consumer value is an experience that results from the consumption of such benefits. In the context of cell phones for example, the phone's battery life and sound volume are utilitarian benefits, whereas aesthetic appeal from its shape and color are hedonic benefits. Likewise, in the case of a car, fuel economics and safety are utilitarian benefits whereas the sunroof and the luxurious interior are hedonic benefits. The shopping goals are consisted of the promotion focus goal and the prevention focus goal, based on the self-regulatory focus theory. The promotion focus is characterized into focusing ideal self because they are oriented to wishes and vision. The promotion focused individuals are tend to be more risk taking. They are more sensitive to hope and achievement. On the contrary, the prevention focused individuals are characterized into focusing the responsibilities because they are oriented to safety. The prevention focused individuals are tend to be more risk avoiding. We wanted to test the relation among the shopping value, shopping goal and customer loyalty. Customers show the positive or negative feelings comparing with the expectation level which customers have at the point of the purchase. If the result were bigger than the expectation, customers may feel positive feeling such as delight or satisfaction and they would want to share their feelings with other people. And they want to buy those products again in the future time. There is converging evidence that the types of goals consumers expect to be fulfilled by the utilitarian dimension of a product are different from those they seek from the hedonic dimension (Chernev 2004). Specifically, whereas consumers expect the fulfillment of product prevention goals on the utilitarian dimension, they expect the fulfillment of promotion goals on the hedonic dimension (Chernev 2004; Chitturi, Raghunathan, and Majahan 2007; Higgins 1997, 2001) According to the regulatory focus theory, prevention goals are those that ought to be met. Fulfillment of prevention goals in the context of product consumption eliminates or significantly reduces the probability of a painful experience, thus making consumers experience emotions that result from fulfillment of prevention goals such as confidence and securities. On the contrary, fulfillment of promotion goals are those that a person aspires to meet, such as "looking cool" or "being sophisticated." Fulfillment of promotion goals in the context of product consumption significantly increases the probability of a pleasurable experience, thus enabling consumers to experience emotions that result from the fulfillment of promotion goals. The proposed conceptual framework captures that the relationships among hedonic versus utilitarian shopping values and promotion versus prevention shopping goals respectively. An analysis of the consequence of the fulfillment and frustration of utilitarian and hedonic value is theoretically worthwhile. It is also substantively relevant because it helps predict post-consumption behavior such as the promotion versus prevention shopping goals orientation. Because our primary goal is to understand how the post consumption feelings influence the variable customer loyalty: word of mouth (Jacoby and Chestnut 1978). This research result is that the utilitarian shopping value gives the positive influence to both of the promotion and prevention goal. However the influence to the prevention goal is stronger. On the contrary, hedonic shopping value gives influence to the promotion focus goal only. Additionally, both of the promotion and prevention goal show the positive relation with customer loyalty. However, the positive relation with promotion goal and customer loyalty is much stronger. The promotion focus goal gives the influence to the customer loyalty. On the contrary, the prevention focus goal relates at the low level of relation with customer loyalty than that of the promotion goal. It could be explained that it is apt to get framed the compliment of people into 'gain-non gain' situation. As the result, for those who have the promotion focus are motivated to deliver their own feeling to other people eagerly. Conversely the prevention focused individual are more sensitive to the 'loss-non loss' situation. The research result is consistent with pre-existent researches. There is a conceptual parallel between necessities-needs-utilitarian benefits and luxuries-wants-hedonic benefits (Chernev 2004; Chitturi, Raghunathan and Majaha 2007; Higginns 1997; Kivetz and Simonson 2002b). In addition, Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the precedence principle contends luxuries-wants-hedonic benefits higher than necessities-needs-utilitarian benefits. Chitturi, Raghunathan and Majaha (2007) show that consumers are focused more on the utilitarian benefits than on the hedonic benefits of a product until their minimum expectation of fulfilling prevention goals are met. Furthermore, a utilitarian benefit is a promise of a certain level of functionality by the manufacturer or the retailer. When the promise is not fulfilled, customers blame the retailer and/or the manufacturer. When negative feelings are attributable to an entity, customers feel angry. However in the case of hedonic benefit, the customer, not the manufacturer, determines at the time of purchase whether the product is stylish and attractive. Under such circumstances, customers are more likely to blame themselves than the manufacturer if their friends do not find the product stylish and attractive. Therefore, not meeting minimum utilitarian expectations of functionality generates a much more intense negative feelings, such as anger than a less intense feeling such as disappointment or dissatisfactions. The additional multi group analysis of this research shows the same result. Those who are unsatisfactory customers who have the prevention focused goal shows higher relation with WOM, comparing with satisfactory customers. The research findings in this article could have significant implication for the personal selling fields to increase the effectiveness and the efficiency of the sales such that they can develop the sales presentation strategy for the customers. For those who are the hedonic customers may be apt to show more interest to the promotion goal. Therefore it may work to strengthen the design, style or new technology of the products to the hedonic customers. On the contrary for the utilitarian customers, it may work to strengthen the price competitiveness. On the basis of the result from our studies, we demonstrated a correspondence among hedonic versus utilitarian and promotion versus prevention goal, WOM. Similarly, we also found evidence of the moderator effects of satisfaction after use, between the prevention goal and WOM. Even though the prevention goal has the low level of relation to WOM, those who are not satisfied show higher relation to WOM. The relation between the prevention goal and WOM is significantly different according to the satisfaction versus unsatisfaction. In addition, improving the promotion emotions of cheerfulness and excitement and the prevention emotion of confidence and security will further improve customer loyalty. A related potential further research could be to examine whether hedonic versus utilitarian, promotion versus prevention goals improve customer loyalty for services as well. Under the budget and time constraints, designers and managers are often compelling to choose among various attributes. If there is no budget or time constraints, perhaps the best solution is to maximize both hedonic and utilitarian dimension of benefits. However, they have to make trad-off process between various attributes. For the designers and managers have to keep in mind that without hedonic benefit satisfaction of the product it may hard to lead the customers to the customer loyalty.

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