• 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 Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.459-467
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• 2016

In Korea, the market size for environment-friendly agricultural products has reached a plateau, even though many Korean consumers still show a high level of preference for environment-friendly agricultural products. In order to solve this problem, some Korean farmers and marketers are starting to try to export their products to many countries, including China. China, in particular, is becoming one of the fastest rising market for Korean environment-friendly agricultural products, after the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with China. However, little research has been done or reported about the purchase behaviors of Chinese consumers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the environment-friendly agricultural product purchase behavior (especially, mandarin orange and muskmelon) of consumers in the Chinese market and to present some useful implications for Korean farmers and marketers. Through survey in China (especially, Beijing and Shanghai) and frequency analysis, this study made the following findings: first, Chinese consumers show a very strong concern for environment-friendly agricultural products. Second, many Chinese consumers usually buy environment-friendly agricultural products more than two times per month. Third, Chinese consumers give more value to freshness and food-safety than taste when they make decisions on buying environment-friendly mandarin orange and muskmelon. These can have some implications for the exportation of environment-friendly agricultural products.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.15-32
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• 2007

This study is to assess the level or consumer's attitude or food safety and their effects on the purchase or environment friendly agricultural products. For these purposes, the survey was implemented to 550 adults who resided in Seoul and metropolitan area. As a results, a lot of respondents perceived the five food hazards, pesticides, food additives, BSE, chemical materials, GMOs as the severest food risks. Results revealed that women, the most educated, married, and the older respondents were more likely to be negative about food safely. And Also, consumer's knowledge of environment friendly agricultural products was lower than the median. The respondents who have bought environment friendly agricultural products were 80.5% of the entire respondents. Also, the educated and the consumers who had the knowledge of the environment friendly agricultural products started to purchase them. The consumers who had higher income, perceived the food hazards(BSE), assessed agricultural products safety negatively, had willingness to pay them and more knowledge of environment friendly agricultural products were likely to purchase them usually.

• 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.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.103-120
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• 2013

This study aims to examine consumers' trust and purchase intention in environment-friendly agricultural products and factors influencing purchase intention degree of environment-friendly agricultural products. In addition, it aims to help seek national health promotion methods through purchase of consumers' environment-friendly agricultural products by providing the government, businesses, consumer organizations, etc. with basic data on them. The survey was performed for 2 months from August 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012, and a total of 350 questionnaires were distributed and 321(91.7%) copies out of them were used as final analysis data. The results of the study are as follows. First, the analysis of the effects of environment-friendly consumption value on trust in environment-friendly agricultural products showed that all the independent variables including environmental conservation value and economic value had a significant influence on trust in environment-friendly agricultural products, and economic value among them was the most influential item. Second, the analysis of the effects of environment-friendly consumption value on purchase intention for environment-friendly agricultural products showed that all the independent variables including environmental conservation value and economic value had a significant influence on purchase intention for environment-friendly agricultural products, and economic value was the most influential item. Third, the analysis of the effects of trust in environment-friendly agricultural products on purchase intention for environment-friendly agricultural products showed that as trust in environment-friendly agricultural products gets higher, consumers' purchase intention for them increased.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.185-206
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• 2015

This study aims to prepare a solution necessary for boosting the consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products, positively reflecting consumers' opinions that expect supplies of safe agricultural products to secure the domestic farms producing environment-friendly agricultural products and at the same time, to meet consumers' needs. As a result of the hypothesis testing, of the subjective knowledge in Hypothesis 1, product knowledge had an impact on attitude, while purchase knowledge and use knowledge after purchase were not significant. Of the subjective knowledge in Hypothesis 2, purchase knowledge and product knowledge had significant impacts on purchase intention. Brand image in Hypothesis 3 had a significant impact on attitude, while brand image in Hypothesis 4 had a significant impact on purchase intention. As a result of the mediated regression analysis of Hypothesis 5, all of the subjective knowledge, purchase knowledge, product knowledge and use knowledge after purchase had an impact on purchase intention, partially mediated by attitude, and brand image, too, had an impact on purchase intention, partially mediated by attitude.

• 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.21 no.2
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• pp.171-187
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• 2013

The environment-friendly agricultural product market receives consumers' great interests despite relatively few studies focused on consumers' decision making process of the environment-friendly agricultural products. This paper examines what factors influence on consumers' attitude and buying behavior on the environment-friendly agricultural product. In order to find the relative importance of each factor's influence, this study adopts multiple regression method based on the survey results of 500 people with the systematic random sampling. The results showed that consumers' favorable attitude towards the environment-friendly agricultural product were influenced by taste, freshness, food safety, and positive attitudes toward the environment-friendly agricultural product promotion. In addition, consumers' purchase intention was influenced by taste, food safety, environmental concern, and the promotion. Respondents recommend the environment-friendly agricultural product when they believe that the environment-friendly agricultural product had the values of taste, environmental concern, and promotion. Women are more active in buying and recommending the environment-friendly agricultural product; however, the price was not the statistically meaning factor. This study provides empirical data that was used for marketing and increasing the sales of the environment-friendly agricultural product. Future research was advised to examine more thoroughly on the relationships between the promotion efforts and purchase intention and the occasions when the price becomes the issue in the buying decision of the environment-friendly agricultural product.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.455-460
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• 2015

Even though many Korean consumers have bought environment-friendly fruits, including grapes and mandarins, farmers and suppliers still have little information about how they make a decision for the actual purchase in the real markets. Without the suitable information of purchase behavior of environment-friendly fruits, farmers and suppliers cannot set up the efficient marketing strategy which can create the better agricultural products for Korean consumers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the consumers' purchase behavior of environment-friendly fruits in Korea. Especially, this study was focused on the grapes and mandarins, through the survey research and the frequency analysis. The results of study in this paper present a few findings useful as follows: First, Korean consumers have the strong concern of environment-friendly agricultural products, including fruits. Second, consumers usually buy environment-friendly fruits by two times per month. Third, consumers generally concern taste, freshness, and food-safety, when they buy environment-friendly grape or mandarin.