• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Purpose - The environment-friendly agricultural product market in Korea sees continual high growth. Recently, the Korean government has been actively fostering environment-friendly agriculture as an engine of future growth. Korean people have increasingly become more health-conscious and interested in food safety issues. Many distribution and retailing companies have responded with various promotional activities. However, most of these are not strategic and appear to have unsatisfactory outcomes. The main purpose of this paper is to suggest effective marketing strategies for environment-friendly agricultural products. To achieve this aim, the study empirically investigates the effects of consumer characteristics and trust on the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. Research design, data, methodology - Based on the theory of planned behavior, and previous studies related to the purchase intention and consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products, we set up five study hypotheses. These related to the demographic characteristics of consumers, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. We then set up a study model and four study hypotheses relating to health consciousness, environmental consciousness, consumer trust level, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. The data were collected using a questionnaire given to consumers living in Seoul and southern Geonggi Province. The final sample size is 403 and mean age is 44.3. SPSS 15.0 for Windows and Amos 7.0 were used as statistical analysis tools. Meaningful results were derived using frequency analysis, correlation analysis, a t-test, and structural equation modeling. Results - Empirical results of this research are as follows. (1) First, it is shown that consumers consider such attributes as intimacy and health to be important when they buy environment-friendly agricultural products. (2) We also found that consumers recognize the value of environment-friendly agricultural products as high, but their trust level as low. (3) Consumer groups consisting of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age are shown to have a higher intention of buying environment-friendly agricultural products than any other consumer group. (4) It is estimated that the level of consumer trust positively affects the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. The path coefficient (.138) between consumer trust and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = .05 level. (5). It is also estimated that environmental consciousness positively affects purchase intention. The path coefficient (.245) between environmental consciousness and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = 0.05 level. The standardized path coefficients of consumer trust and environmental consciousness with purchase intention are .556 and .288 respectively. Therefore, consumer trust affects purchase intention more than environmental consciousness. (6) Finally, purchase intention is estimated to positively affect purchase behavior. Conclusions - Based upon empirical results, this research suggests that marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should focus more on increasing consumer trust levels, emphasizing the training and education of employees. The government also should pay attention to a standardized certification system for environment-friendly agricultural products. Marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should consider the consumer groups of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age as a major target segment.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-46
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• 2014

Since organized living cooperative associations sold their environment-friendly agricultural products directly to independent consumers in the past, the general distribution channels such as wholesalers had difficulty in handling these products. However, the ratio of distribution via wholesale channel has been gradually increased as consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products has expanded. This study is to address vitalization of wholesale distribution for environment-friendly agricultural products by gathering previous statistical data and analysis. In addition, statistical analysis are conducted by utilizing surveys on forwarders, consumers for environment-friendly agricultural products. As a result, the products producers ship are distributed through dealers at producers sites, producers cooperatives, or food process companies, food companies, internet shopping malls, large-scale distribution companies, consumer groups such as living cooperative associations, direct outlets at consumers sites, or exports. Among the channels, the large-scale distribution companies and franchised special shops account for 47%, the general supermarkets 15.7%, and living cooperative associations 14.6% respectively. By utilizing the research results on producers and consumers, and the distribution weight by channels for environment-friendly agricultural products, the distribution channels for living cooperative associations, wholesale markets, and large scale distribution companies are compared and evaluated. As a result, the level of producers' and consumers' satisfaction for them is the lowest since the low selling price for producers and high distribution margins.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.556-564
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the school dietitian's cognition, practical use of environment-friendly agricultural products to provide fundamental information for the qualitative improvement in the school food service. The results of the study are as follows: 1. It was clearly recognized that the subsidy for the school food service is generally insufficient, the amount of additional appropriate subsidy for the school food service was different according to type of school and roughly 300~600 won in each of foods needs to be supported. 2. The environment-friendly agricultural products that were often used in the school food service were vegetables and grains. 3. In the analysis of cognition and problems toward using environment-friendly agricultural products, the dietitians recognized that environment-friendly agricultural products should be appropriately used. A reason that environment-friendly agricultural products were better than general agricultural products was composed of a use of less additive, good ingredient, and good outer condition. 4. In the analysis of countermeasure on increasing environment-friendly agricultural products in the school meal service, the response to that more additional subsidy was necessary for the school food service. The highest and the most positive effects after using environment-friendly agricultural products were students' health improvement and improvement in parents' satisfaction with the school food service.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

This study was designrd to determination factors of purchase expansion for environment-friendly agricultural products on consumers. The 310 subjects formatted questionnaires were analyzed to frequency, percentage, descriptives, T-test and logistic regression by SPSS WIN 10.0. The results were as follows : First, it is proved that degree of cognition, standard of information acquisition, basis of valuation were significant variables, Second, it is revealed that the producer and the direct deal, the consumer organization's co-op and the food floor of large-sized discount hoarded goods for purchase places of environment-friendly agricultural products were significant variables. Third, it is proved that reduction in a price the improvement matter for purchase expansion of environment-friendly agricultural products was determination factors. Forth, it is proved that age and income for purchase expansion of environment-friendly agricultural products was determination factors. Accordingly, we should find the positive factors of purchase and consumption that it will become an important subject for environment-friendly agricultural products on consumers.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.117-131
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• 2007

The objectives of this study were to investigate using environment-friendly agricultural products and to analyze consciousness of agricultural safety of consumers. The data were collected from 1,000 consumers by two-staged stratified random sampling. SPSSWIN/ver. 13 program was used for analyzing data with frequency, cross-tab, t-test and ANOVA. The major findings of this study were as follows: 1) Consumers with higher academic career, more income, and white collars showed higher experiences on environment-friendly agricultural products. 2) Consumers who are under thirties, university graduation and upper income revealed high intention to use environment-friendly agricultural products. 3) The study revealed information needs and information acquisition are significantly different among consumers 4) Consumers with higher academic and upper income showed higher agricultural safety concern, 5) The study discovered that consumers who are over sixties and under middle school graduation were higher on agricultural safety effects.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2014

Environment-friendly agricultural products in villages for rural tourism not only are very crucial as a pull factor that attracts tourists but also can serve as a way out for the development of rural areas. Experiences of agricultural products and local dishes can revitalize rural tourism and act as attractors that draw tourists to farm villages for tourism consistently. This study examines factors affecting rural experience tourists' purchase of environment-friendly agricultural products, thereby suggesting marketing strategies for promoting the consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products of villages for rural tourism.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.555-577
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• 2020

This study analyzes the management performance and productivity of environmentfriendly farms compared to conventional farms and the trend of changes in price premium rates of environment-friendly agricultural products. And environmentfriendly farms in Jeollanam-do are surveyed for difficulties in management, proper premium rate of environment-friendly agricultural products (WTA), and tasks for promoting sales. According to the analysis results, the management performance and productivity of are low in many items, and the number of items that are on the decline or stagnant in the environment-friendly premium is making it difficult for farmers to manage. According to a farm survey, the most important task is to promote school meals for boosting sales of environment-friendly agricultural products. And 65.5% of the respondents having contract cultivation, nearly half or 41.1% of the respondents said they do not need contract cultivation or want contract cultivation for less than one year, which means that the current contract does not meet the needs of farmers. Finally, the environment-friendly premium rate based on consumer prices is generally lower than the premium rate (WTA) that farmers perceive as appropriate, so it is important to resolve the gap between the actual premium rate and the WTA.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.71-81
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• 2013

Purpose - This study investigated the effects of consumers' selection criteria for environment-friendly agricultural products on purchase intention and the effects of consumers' attitudes and the reliability of environment-friendly agricultural products on purchase intention by using the theory of planned behavior. Subjective norms of variables of behavioral intention, attitudes toward behavior and control of the behavior were used to create selection criteria, consumers' attitudes and reliability of environment-friendly agricultural products. The study investigated the effects of consumers' selection criteria, attitudes, and reliability of environment-friendly agricultural products on purchase intention constructing models and hypotheses of mediation and moderation between selection criteria for agricultural products and purchase intention by consumers' attitudes and reliability. Research design, data, and methodology - The findings were as follows: first, consumers' selection criteria for environment-friendly agricultural products had a significantly affirmative influence upon purchase intention. Health was the most important factor of selection criteria convenience was more important than quality and familiarity was next. Consumers' attitudes and trust had a significant influence on purchase intention. Second, testing showed that consumers' attitude and trust partially mediated selection criteria: sub-factors and purchase intention were important in selection criteria. Third, testing showed that consumers' attitude and trust had a significant moderation effect between selection criteria and purchase intention. In the test of the moderation effect between sub-factors of selection criteria and purchase intention, consumers' attitude had a significantly positive influence upon health, convenience, and familiarity, and had no significant influence upon quality and purchase intention. Consumers' trust had no significant influence upon health, convenience, and quality. Results - The study provided several theoretical implications: first, an empirical analysis was undertaken with selection criteria for environmental-friendly agricultural products, consumers' attitude, and trust to investigate subjective norms, attitude toward behavior and control of behavior based on the theory of planned behavior. Second, this study investigated both the mediation effect and moderation effect of consumers' subjective norms on attitudes toward behavior, the mediating effects of perceived behavior control and changes of behavioral intention depending upon size and direction of the variables. This study also provided several practical implications. Conclusions - First, consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products did not increase despite rapid increase of production therefore, promotion of consumption and distribution was needed considering the supply and demand of the products. Second, definite standards for selection criteria were suggested to build up consumers' attitude and trust. Consumers' attitude could be improved by factors including the brand of environment-friendly agricultural products, consistent quality, solving physiological problems caused by adverse effects of environmental problems, supplementary approaches, treatment of adverse effects by eating food, and the development and supply of products in accordance with changes of lifestyle. Finally, consumers' demand for sub-factors of selection criteria could be much higher than health, convenience, and quality of the products. Therefore, a process was needed that could continuously check consumers' needs for the products. Limitations were described at the end of the study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.646-658
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the differences in households, parental perception, and dietary behaviors of preschool children from kindergartens with environment-friendly food service (environment-friendly food service group; EFG) versus children from kindergartens with general food service (general food service group; GFG). We sought this basic information to examine the impact of environment-friendly agricultural products in preschool food services. Age, education level, and monthly family income of the EFG were significantly higher than the GFG. The frequency of purchasing environment-friendly agricultural products was significantly higher in the EFG than the GFG, with the most frequently purchased items in both groups being vegetables. The GFG had a significantly higher perception than the EFG in the superior quality of environment-friendly agricultural products; however, a greater proportion of the GFG than the EFG thought environment-friendly products were too expensive. The most frequent reason for purchasing environment-friendly agricultural products in both groups was safety. When purchasing environment-friendly agricultural products, the most important selection factor for the majority of both groups was the label certifying quality assurance. Both groups also considered price reduction as essential for promoting environment-friendly agricultural products. In regard to parental perceptions on food service in kindergarten, the EFG had a significantly higher satisfaction with the nutritional adequacy of the menu compared to the GFG. Both groups considered food safety and health as primary reasons for using environment-friendly foods in the preschool food service, with a greater proportion of the EFG than the GFG responding this way. There were significant differences between the EFG and GFG, as the main satisfaction from using environment-friendly foods in the EFG was safety, freshness, and good hygiene, whereas the main satisfaction in the GFG was a good food service menu, freshness and good hygiene. Dietary behaviors of preschool children in the EFG were also significantly superior to the GFG. Thus, environment-friendly agricultural products have positive effects on the dietary behaviors of preschool children and should be increased in the preschool food service. Lowering prices and a strict supervision of quality assurance is also necessary to promote consumption of environment-friendly food materials.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2011

This research targets housewives residing in Daegu among whole consumers. The first step is to divide housewives into two groups, group 1 which has experience of purchasing environment-friendly agricultural products and group 2 which has no experience. Then in the next step, research proceeds to investigate perception, present behavior and future intention of purchasing environment-friendly agricultural products. Based on this, it intends to provide both basic information which is needed for producers and distributors to set their systemic marketing strategy to increase consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products and effective way to vitalize the consumption.