EVOLUTION, Issue 3 2006
Peter A. Abrams
Abstract Mathematical models of consumer-resource systems are used to explore the evolution of traits related to resource acquisition in a generalist consumer species that is capable of exploiting two resources. The analysis focuses on whether evolution of traits determining the capture rates of two resources by a consumer species produce one generalist, two specialists, or all three types, when all types are characterized by a common fitness function. In systems with a stable equilibrium, evolution produces one generalist or two specialists, depending on the second derivative of the trade-off relationship. When there are sustained population fluctuations, the nature of the trade-off between the consumer's capture rates of the two resources still plays a key role in determining the evolutionary outcome. If the trade-off is described by a choice variable between zero and one that is raised to a power n, polymorphic states are possible when n > 1, which implies a positive second derivative of the curve. These states are either dimorphism, with two relatively specialized consumer types, or trimorphism, with a single generalist type and two specialists. Both endogenously driven consumer-resource cycles, and fluctuations driven by an environmental variable affecting resource growth are considered. Trimorphic evolutionary outcomes are relatively common in the case of endogenous cycles. In contrast to a previous study, these trimorphisms can often evolve even when new lineages are constrained to have phenotypes very similar to existing lineages. Exogenous cycles driven by environmental variation in resource growth rates appear to be much less likely to produce a mixture of generalists and specialists than are endogenous consumer-resource cycles. [source]

CONSUMER-BASED OPTIMIZATION OF PEANUT-CHOCOLATE BAR USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 3-4 2005
EDITH M. SAN JUAN
ABSTRACT The acceptability of the sensory properties of a peanut-chocolate bar was optimized for consumer acceptance using response surface methodology. The factors studied included sugar, peanuts, cocoa powder and a process variable, degree of roast. Twenty-seven peanut-chocolate bar formulations with two replications were evaluated for consumer acceptance (n = 168) for overall liking and acceptance of color, appearance, flavor, sweetness and texture using 9-point hedonic scales. In terms of overall liking, the use of dark-roasted peanuts received the largest number of acceptable formulations when compared to the medium- and light-roasted peanuts. Sensory evaluation indicated that sweetness acceptance was the limiting factor for acceptability. An acceptable peanut-chocolate bar can be obtained by using formulations containing 44,54% dark-, medium- or light-roasted peanuts, 1,4% cocoa powder and 41,55% sugar. [source]

REPRODUCTIVE TOURISM IN ARGENTINA: CLINIC ACCREDITATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSUMERS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND POLICY MAKERS

DEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 2 2010
ELISE SMITH
ABSTRACT A subcategory of medical tourism, reproductive tourism has been the subject of much public and policy debate in recent years. Specific concerns include: the exploitation of individuals and communities, access to needed health care services, fair allocation of limited resources, and the quality and safety of services provided by private clinics. To date, the focus of attention has been on the thriving medical and reproductive tourism sectors in Asia and Eastern Europe; there has been much less consideration given to more recent ,players' in Latin America, notably fertility clinics in Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. In this paper, we examine the context-specific ethical and policy implications of private Argentinean fertility clinics that market reproductive services via the internet. Whether or not one agrees that reproductive services should be made available as consumer goods, the fact is that they are provided as such by private clinics around the world. We argue that basic national regulatory mechanisms are required in countries such as Argentina that are marketing fertility services to local and international publics. Specifically, regular oversight of all fertility clinics is essential to ensure that consumer information is accurate and that marketed services are safe and effective. It is in the best interests of consumers, health professionals and policy makers that the reproductive tourism industry adopts safe and responsible medical practices. [source]

BINGE BORROWERS OR RATIONAL CONSUMERS?

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2008
THE FSA AND GOVERNMENT FAILURE
The FSA seeks to address the putative financial incompetence of the borrowing public by improving its financial capability. The response of rational agents to asset price inflation in the UK is one indication of the competence with which many people use innovations in the financial services industry. The FSA succeeds only in shielding government failures in the money and housing markets. [source]

CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF COLOR IN PROCESSED TOMATO PRODUCTS BY AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LATINO AND PROTOTYPICAL CONSUMERS

JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 6 2002
KENEKO T. CLAYBON
African-American, Latino, and Prototypical consumers rated the color of ketchup, salsa, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and barbecue sauce. For most products, ethnicity had little influence on acceptance. Prototypical consumers rated products the highest and had the widest preference range. All but one commercially available product was in the acceptable range, but they were not always in the most preferred range. Ketchup was the only product with no commercially available products in the color most preferred by Prototypical and African-American consumers. The leading brand was within the most preferred range for all products and ethnic groups except African-Americans and Prototypical consumers for ketchup and salsa. A peak color acceptance existed for all products: too red or too brown was undesirable. Understanding the optimum color range can help tomato processors increase the quality of their product for all consumers. [source]

FOOD SAFETY KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF CONSUMERS OF VARIOUS FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS

JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 3 2009
R. GURUDASANI
ABSTRACT In the present study, food safety knowledge and attitude of 300 consumers from nine different categories of food service establishments (FSEs) were assessed. Results revealed that most consumers (60%) eating at various FSEs were young, in the age group of 18,35 years. Some of the consumers could identify the carriers for foodborne diseases such as cholera, food poisoning and jaundice, but most of them did not know about the carriers of typhoid, gastroenteritis and amebiosis. Most of the consumers received information on food safety from family and friends. A positive association was seen between education of consumers and frequency of receiving information from various sources such as magazines, TV/radio, posters/hoardings, newspapers, school/colleges, health workers and family/friends. Most consumers had a positive attitude toward food hygiene, and they believed in punishing street food vendors who violated the food safety norms. Most consumers believed that government intervention would help in improving the quality of street foods. A lot of better-educated food handlers believed that adherence to norms on the personal hygiene of the food handler should be made compulsory, and that training of persons in street food service is essential to ensure quality of food and food safety. In conclusion, various sources of information should be used to increase consumer awareness on food safety. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In the present study, situational analysis was conducted to obtain data on food safety knowledge and attitude of consumers. Results indicated that although some of the consumers could identify the carriers for foodborne diseases, such as cholera, food poisoning and jaundice, most of them did not know about the carriers of typhoid, gastroenteritis and amebiosis. Thus, efforts should be made to educate consumers about the relation between food and diseases and the importance of making proper food choices for consumption. Most consumers had a positive attitude toward food safety and believed government intervention would help in improving the quality of street foods. Such data can form the basis for seeking the attention of government to undertake measures to improve the quality of foods served at various food outlets. Also, it was found that very few consumers received information on food safety from various sources like magazines, TV/radio, posters, newspapers, health workers, nongovernment organizations, etc. This calls for attention of food safety educators to use a variety of audio-visual aids to spread the messages on food safety. Such area-specific data on consumers' knowledge on food safety can assist in developing food safety education programs. [source]

ASSESSMENT OF PREFERENCE WITH CONTROLS FOR RESPONSE BIAS OPERATING IN THE TEST SITUATION: A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE USING OMEGA-3 ENRICHED WHOLEGRAIN BREADS WITH ECUADORIAN CONSUMERS

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 5 2010
YAMILLA ALVAREZ-COUREAUX
ABSTRACT Ecuadorian consumers performed paired preference tests between sunflower rye bread and artisan wholegrain bread enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Preferences for each were split fairly evenly. Further difference tests suggested that these preferences were elicited by visual rather than flavor/texture cues. The preference test included a "placebo" pair of "identical" stimuli to assess statistically whether the responses to the two test stimuli were merely because of response biases operating in the test situation and not differences in their sensory attributes. The concept of an "operational preference" was introduced to understand some of the ambiguities involved in the definition of preference. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The measurement of preference and acceptance of foods is important for product development and decisions regarding the launching of new products on to the market. The paired preference test has several problems associated with its design and analysis, and these are worthy of investigation. This article uses a practical example to illustrate some procedures developed as solutions to these challenges. Solutions to the problems involved in preference testing are essential so that the food industry can obtain trustworthy data. [source]

CRUISE LINES AND CONSUMERS: TROUBLED WATERS

AMERICAN BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL, Issue 4 2000
DEBRA D. BURKE
First page of article [source]

CONSUMERS AND AGENCY PROBLEMS

THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 478 2002
Canice Prendergast
Consumers solve many agency problems, by pointing out when they believe that agents have made mistakes. I consider the role that consumers play in inducing efficient behaviour by agents. I distinguish cases where consumers have similar preferences to the principal, from those where they diverge. In the former case, allowing consumer feedback improves allocations, and increasing consumer information is unambiguously beneficial. Where consumers disagree with principals over desired outcomes, which characterises many public sector benefits, consumers' feedback about the performance of agents can reduce welfare. This may result in efficiently restricting the ability of consumers to complain about agent performance. [source]

COMPETITION CAN HARM CONSUMERS,

AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC PAPERS, Issue 3 2008
SIMON COWAN
Duopolists selling differentiated products can generate less consumer surplus than a monopoly selling one of the products. In a Hotelling-type model where a monopoly supplies more than half of potential consumers, but not all, entry by a rival leads to a duopoly price that is higher than the monopoly price. Consumers in aggregate will be made worse off by such entry when the effect of the price increase outweighs the benefit of extra variety. When consumers have continuous demand functions and firms use two-part tariffs, duopoly can also result in lower aggregate consumer surplus than monopoly. [source]

Consumer ,sovereignty' and policy issues in the development of product ecolabels

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2001
Alain Nadaï
Quality labels are increasingly focused on products' characteristics, requiring heavy scientific expertise to be assessed. Economists approach these labels as market mechanisms , i.e. signalling, reputation, or market differentiation , and ignore their institutional dimension. We contend that, by doing so, they do not address key problems faced by the regulators when developing these labels. The first part fleshes out this idea by examining the institutional dimension of the European ecolabel. We present the negotiation of the paints and varnishes ecolabelling criteria, a success story. The second part discusses three theoretical approaches to product labelling and proposes directions for further research on the subject. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

Reach-scale geomorphology affects organic matter and consumer ,13C in a forested Piedmont stream

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007
D. M. WALTERS
Summary 1. We investigated the spatial (longitudinal position and reach geomorphology) and seasonal (spring and autumn) influences on the variation of ,13C among organic matter sources and consumers in a forested Piedmont river, South Carolina, U.S.A. 2. Six sites were sampled along a continuum and varied in basin area from approximately 30 to 300 km2. Sites fell into two geomorphic categories (i) high-gradient, rock bed (,rock') or (ii) low-gradient, sand bed (,sand') sites. 3. Variation in ,13C was more strongly related to reach geomorphology than longitudinal position. ,13C of biofilm and consumers was consistently enriched at rock sites. Leaf litter (i.e. coarse particulate organic matter, CPOM) ,13C did not vary with bed type. There was significant ,13C enrichment at rock sites for biofilm, seston, fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), and eight of nine consumer trophic guilds (e.g. grazing invertebrates, insectivorous fishes). ,13C of biofilm and four trophic guilds was also positively correlated with drainage area, but the magnitude of enrichment was less than between bed types. 4. ,13C was generally enriched in spring, but this varied among organic matter types, consumers, and by bed type. CPOM and seston were enriched in spring, FBOM was enriched in autumn, and biofilm showed no trend. Five consumer guilds were enriched in spring, and only one fish guild, generalised carnivores, showed enrichment of muscle tissue in autumn. 5. Consumer ,13C enrichment at rock sites suggests greater reliance on algal carbon than for consumers at sand sites, but we also found ,13C enrichment of biofilm at rock sites. Thus, differences in consumer ,13C between bed types could be related to (i) increased consumption of biofilm at rock compared with sand sites, or (ii) consumption of biofilm at rock sites that is enriched relative to biofilm at sand sites or (iii) both mechanisms. 6. ,13C signatures in local food webs appear to respond to processes operating at multiple spatial scales. Overall downstream enrichment of biofilm and consumers was disrupted by strong local effects related to bed morphology. These results suggest that human alteration of channel habitat will have corresponding effects on stream food webs, as assessed by changes in ,13C. [source]

Consumer-based assessment of product creativity: A review and reappraisal

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2006
Diana Horn
In the current value-based economy, organizations compete to match customer needs and requirements by adding various types of value to products or programs. One example of this added value is product creativity, which is defined as the originality and appropriateness of a product that elicits a positive affect compatible with the consumer or judge. In this article, the authors review current research on creativity, product development, and consumer behavior and reappraise the current tools to measure product creativity. The overall conclusion of this review and reappraisal is that whereas product creativity shows relevance to consumer behavior, a more detailed model of product creativity and measurement tool needs to be developed and validated before fully understanding the impact of product creativity on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 155,175, 2006. [source]

International Journal of Consumer Studies CALL FOR PAPERS Empowering the Consumer in the 21st Century , Wednesday 9 July 2003

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 2 2002
Article first published online: 8 NOV 200
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Consumer,resource interactions and cyclic population dynamics of Tanytarsus gracilentus (Diptera: Chironomidae)

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
Árni Einarsson
Summary 1Tanytarsus gracilentus population dynamics in Lake Myvatn show a tendency to cycle, with three oscillations occurring between 1977 and 1999 having periods of roughly 7 years. The population abundance fluctuated over four orders of magnitude. 2A partial autocorrelation function (PACF) accounting for measurement error revealed a strong positive lag-1 autocorrelation and a moderate negative lag-2 partial autocorrelation. This suggests that the dynamics can be explained by a simple second-order autoregressive process. 3We tested the alternative hypotheses that the cyclic dynamics of T. gracilentus were driven by consumer,resource interactions in which T. gracilentus is the consumer, or predator,prey interactions in which T. gracilentus is the prey. We analysed autoregressive models including both consumer,resource interactions and predator,prey interactions. 4Wing length of T. gracilentus was used as a surrogate for resource abundance and/or quality, because body size is known to fluctuate with resource abundance and quality in dipterans. Furthermore, the wing lengths of Micropsectra lindrothi , a species ecologically similar to T. gracilentus , fluctuated synchronously with T. gracilentus wing lengths, thereby indicating that the shared resources of these two species were indeed cycling. Wing lengths of other chironomid species were not synchronized. 5The predators of T. gracilentus included midges in the genera Procladius and Macropelopia , and the fish Gasterosteus aculeatus (three-spined stickleback). 6The autoregressive models supported the hypothesis that T. gracilentus dynamics were driven by consumer,resource interactions, and rejected the hypothesis that the dynamics were driven by predator,prey interactions. 7The models also revealed the consequences of consumer,resource interactions for the magnitude of fluctuations in T. gracilentus abundance. Consumer,resource interactions amplified the exogenous variability affecting T. gracilentus per capita population growth rates (e.g. temperature, rainfall, etc.), leading to variability in abundance more than two orders of magnitude greater than the exogenous variability. [source]

Preference Mapping of Commercial Toasted White Corn Tortilla Chips

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 5 2002
J.-F. Meullenet
ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to identify what constitutes consumer preference for and acceptance of white corn tortilla chips. Consumer overall acceptance of tortill chips was modeled by consumer data for acceptance of appearance, flavor, and texture and by descriptive sensory and/or instrumental data. Internal preference mapping (R2= 0.99) showed that flavor was the most important attribute to consumer overall acceptance followed by texture and appearance. The basic salt attribute and aftertaste attributes of salt, raw masa, and toasted grain aftertastes were important to consumer flavor acceptance, and the attributes of crispness, loose particles, hardness and oily/greasy film were responsible for consumer acceptance of texture. One appearance descriptive attribute (char marks) and 1 instrumental color measurement (a) were significantly related to consumer acceptance of appearance. [source]

Debt Neutrality and the Infinite,Lived Representative Consumer

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMIC THEORY, Issue 4 2002
Bertrand Crettez
In this paper, we study the intertemporal equilibria of an infinite,lived representative agent model with public debt. We show that for a given path of government expenditures, there generally exists a continuum of equilibria depending on various debt policies. These equilibria are characterized by different paths of consumption and leisure. Two examples illustrate the results: in the first one consumption and leisure may converge to zero, in the second one consumption goes to infinity while leisure goes to its maximum value. In a third example with externalities à la Romer, the standard intertemporal equilibrium with zero public debt may be dominated by other intertemporal equilibria. [source]

HIDDEN AND FALSE "PREFERENCES" ON THE STRUCTURED 9-POINT HEDONIC SCALE

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 6 2008
XADENI VILLEGAS-RUIZ
ABSTRACT An unspecified number of consumers who used a 9-point hedonic scale were frustrated because they could not express preferences for products with the same ratings. Accordingly, consumers were required to rate samples of yogurt on a 9-point structured hedonic scale. Consumers were able to express preference judgments because the testing was performed one-on-one with the experimenter. Thus, it was possible to determine the proportion of consumers who had given the same hedonic response to yogurts but still had preferences for one or other of the stimuli. Further testing, which included a pair of identical yogurts among the stimuli, allowed the proportion of preference and no preference responses elicited by identical stimuli to be determined in this context. Such data are useful as a control condition in preference testing, to assess the proportion of false preferences induced by the experimental conditions. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Consumer liking for various products is typically measured using the 9-point structured hedonic scale. Sometimes, consumers will give the same score to two products yet prefer one to the other. Such preferences are not recorded if the consumer is isolated from the experimenter and has no means of reporting them. However, the situation is easily rectified if the experimenter interacts one-on-one with the consumer. Sometimes, false preferences can be obtained from a hedonic scale. This tendency can be monitored by including identical stimuli in the measurements. The present study investigated the extent of such problems so that methods could be devised to address the problem. [source]

Bivalve Shellfish Quality in the USA: From the Hatchery to the Consumer

JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2010
Daniel P. Cheney
Shellfish aquaculture has had a long tradition in Asia, Europe, and the western USA, but it is only within the past century that significant cultural and handling practices have been identified, developed, and introduced to improve and enhance shellfish food quality. Shellfish are now being marketed with an emphasis on product quality, product variety, reduced human health risk, and improved ease of preparation. Aquacultured bivalve shellfish products must now have the food quality characteristics of other high-quality seafood products and must meet accepted standards of taste, color, texture, and odor. This review summarizes current efforts within the shellfish industry to improve the food quality of aquacultured bivalve shellfish in the following focus areas: (i) genetic selection and controlled breeding; (ii) production tools; (iii) food safety protection and enhancement; and (iv) processing and creative marketing efforts, with major emphasis on the US shellfish aquaculture sector. [source]

Clinical and laboratory studies of the antacid and raft-forming properties of Rennie alginate suspension

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 6 2006
G. N. TYTGAT
Summary Background Acid pockets at the gastro-oesophageal junction escape buffering from meals in the stomach. Combining high-dose antacid with alginate may therefore be of benefit in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Aim To characterize the antacid and raft-forming properties of Rennie alginate suspension (containing high-dose antacid and alginate; Bayer Consumer Care, Bladel, the Netherlands). Methods The in vitro acid-neutralizing capacity of Rennie algniate was compared with Gaviscon (Reckitt Benckiser, Slough, UK) by pH-recorded HCl titration. Alginate raft weight formed in vitro at different pH was used to evaluate the pH dependency of raft formation with each product. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study also compared the antacid activity of Rennie alginate vs. placebo in vivo using continuous intragastric pH monitoring in 12 healthy fasting volunteers. Results Compared with Gaviscon, Rennie alginate had a higher acid-neutralizing capacity, greater maximum pH and longer duration of antacid activity in vitro. However, the two products produced comparable alginate rafts at each pH evaluated. In vivo, Rennie alginate provided rapid, effective and long-lasting acid neutralization, with an onset of action of <5 min, and duration of action of almost 90 min. Conclusions The dual mode of action of Rennie alginate offers an effective treatment option for mild symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease particularly considering recent findings regarding ,acid pockets'. [source]

Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules of Marketing to Today's Consumer

THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2005
Joseph C. Miller
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Launch Decisions and New Product Success: An Empirical Comparison of Consumer and Industrial Products

THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2000
Erik Jan Hultink
Many articles have investigated new product development success and failure. However, most of them have used the vantage point of characteristics of the product and development process in this research. In this article we extend this extensive stream of research, looking at factors affecting success; however, we look at the product in the context of the launch support program. We empirically answer the question of whether successful launch decisions differ for consumer and industrial products and identify how they differ. From data collected on over 1,000 product introductions, we first contrast consumer product launches with industrial product launches to identify key differences and similarities in launch decisions between market types. For consumer products, strategic launch decisions appear more defensive in nature, as they focus on defending current market positions. Industrial product strategic launch decisions seem more offensive, using technology and innovation to push the firm to operate outside their current realm of operations and move into new markets. The tactical marketing mix launch decisions (product, place, promotion and price) also differ markedly across the products launched for the two market types. Successful products were contrasted with failed products to identify those launch decisions that discriminate between both outcomes. Here the differences are more of degree rather than principle. Some launch decisions were associated with success for consumer and industrial products alike. Launch successes are more likely to be broader assortments of more innovative product improvements that are advertised with print advertising, independent of market. Other launch decisions uniquely related to success per product type, especially at the marketing mix level (pricing, distribution, and promotion in particular). The launch decisions most frequently made by firms are not well aligned with factors associated with higher success. Additionally, comparing the decisions associated with success to the recommendations for launches from the normative literature suggests that a number of conventional heuristics about how to launch products of each type will actually lead to failure rather than success. [source]

Consumer versus citizen preferences in contingent valuation: evidence on the role of question framing,

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2005
Ville Ovaskainen
Rather than individual consumer preferences, responses to referendum-style contingent valuation surveys on environmental goods may express citizen assessments that take into account benefits to others. We reconsider the consumer versus citizen hypothesis with a focus on the role of framing information. Survey data on conservation areas in Ilomantsi, Finland, are used. Different versions of the valuation question were used to encourage the respondents to take the consumer or the citizen role. The citizen version expectedly resulted in substantially fewer zero-WTP responses and protests and higher mean and median WTP, suggesting that the framing information has a major effect on the preferences expressed. The findings support the idea of multiple preferences. For a more confident interpretation of contingent valuation responses, future studies should recognise their intended use in survey design and gain information about respondents' motives to determine the presence and type of altruistic motives. [source]

Consumer driven corporate environmentalism: Fact or fiction?

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 6 2010
Sukhbir Sandhu
Abstract The role of consumers in driving organizations to be environmentally responsive is currently contentious. It is, however, important to understand the role that consumers play, because they can be a crucial pull factor for organizations. In this paper, we re-examine the role of consumers in driving business organizations to be environmentally responsive. Our analysis suggests that, despite the growth and interest in green consumerism, it has not yet matured to the stage where it is viewed by managers as driving corporate environmentalism. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

Errors of aggregation and errors of specification in a consumer demand model: a theoretical note

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2006
Frank T. Denton
Abstract Consumer demand models based on the concept of a representative or average consumer suffer from aggregation error. Misspecification of the underlying micro utility-maximizing model, which is virtually inevitable, also results in error. This note provides a theoretical investigation of the relationship between the two types of error. Misspecified expenditure support functions for demand systems at the micro level induce the same misspecified structure in the corresponding expenditure functions at the macro level, and the errors at the two levels are shown to be of similar order. Les modèles de demande du consommateur fondés sur le consommateur moyen ou représentatif souffrent d'une erreur d'agrégation. Une mauvaise spécification du modèle sous-jacent de micro maximisation de l'utilité, qui est à peu près inévitable, est aussi source d'erreur. Cette note propose un examen théorique de la relation entre ces deux types d'erreurs. La mauvaise spécification des fonctions de dépenses qui fondent les systèmes de demande au niveau micro induit la même mauvaise spécification dans les fonctions de dépenses au niveau macro, et les erreurs aux deux niveaux sont d'un ordre similaire. [source]

Public safety in private hands: A Study of Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority

CANADIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA, Issue 1 2002
Mark S. Winfield
The authors place the tssa in the larger context of the restructuring of government functions and responsibilities and the transferring of these activities to non-governmental actors, as part of what has become known around the world as the "new public management." The history, rationale, mandate, structure and functions of the tssa are described. In addition, an assessment of the tssa as a model for the delivery of public services against criteria related to governance, political and legal accountability and performance relative to its predecessor is provided. The article concludes that significant gaps remain in the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services' capacity to adequately oversee the tssa and in the accountability framework for the tssa relative to that applicable to a conventionally structured government agency. Improvements in public safety outcomes in Ontario over the past decade are noted, although many of these trends pre-date the creation of the tssa and may be attributable to factors other than the mccr/tssa transition. Sommaire: Le présent article passe en revue I'expérience de la Technical Standards and Safety Authority (tssa) de I'Ontario, organisme à but non lucratif auquel furent transférées en 1997 les fonctions relatives à la réglementation de la sécurité publique du ministère de la Consommation et du Commerce de la province (devenu le ministère des Services aux consommateurs et aux entreprises). Les auteurs placent la Esa dans le contexte plus vaste de la restructuration des fonctions et responsabilités gouvernementales et du transfert de ces activités à des organismes non gouvemementaux, dans le cadre de ce qui est maintenant connu mondialement sous le nom de « nouvelle gestion publique ». 11s décrivent l'historique, la justification, le mandat, la structure et les fonctions de la tssa. Ils foumissent en outre me évaluation de la Esa en tant que modèle de prestation de services publics selon des critères de gouvemance, d'imputabilité politique et légale et de rendement par rapport à son prédécesseur. L'article conclut qu'il existe encore d'importantes lacunes en ce qui concerne la capacité du ministère des Services aux consommateurs et aux entreprises à superviser adéquatement la tssa et en ce qui concerne le cadre de responsabilité de la tssa par rapport à ce qui s'applique à un organisme gouvernemental de structure conventionnelle. L'article mentionne les améliorations concernant la sécurité publique survenues en Ontario au cours de la dernière décennie, quoique nombre de ces tendances datent d'avant la création de la tssa et pourraient tre attribuables à des facteurs autres que la transition du mcc à la tssa. [source]

,Consumer' versus ,Customer': The Devil in the Detail

JOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2010
Pinar Akman
According to the European Commission, the objective of EU competition rules is enhancing ,consumer welfare'. In EU competition law, however, ,consumer' means ,customer' and encompasses intermediate customers as well as final consumers. Under Article 102TFEU, harming intermediate ,customers' is generally presumed to harm ,consumers' and where intermediate customers are not competitors of the dominant undertaking, there is no requisite to assess the effects of conduct on users further downstream. Using advances in economics of vertical restraints and, in particular, non-linear pricing, this article shows that there are instances where the effect on ,customer welfare' does not coincide with the effect on ,consumer welfare' and the presumption can potentially lead to decisional errors. Thus, if the law is to serve the interests of ,consumers', the Commission should reconsider this presumption and its interpretation of the ,consumer' in ,consumer welfare'; otherwise, it remains questionable whose interests EU competition law serves. [source]

Plug-and-play remote portlet publishing

CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 12 2007
X. D. Wang
Abstract Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) is gaining attention among portal developers and vendors to enable easy development, increased richness in functionality, pluggability, and flexibility of deployment. Whilst currently not supporting all WSRP functionalities, open-source portal frameworks could in future use WSRP Consumers to access remote portlets found from a WSRP Producer registry service. This implies that we need a central registry for the remote portlets and a more expressive WSRP Consumer interface to implement the remote portlet functions. This paper reports on an investigation into a new system architecture, which includes a Web Services repository, registry, and client interface. The Web Services repository holds portlets as remote resource producers. A new data structure for expressing remote portlets is found and published by populating a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry. A remote portlet publish and search engine for UDDI has also been developed. Finally, a remote portlet client interface was developed as a Web application. The client interface supports remote portlet features, as well as window status and mode functions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Material Consumers, Fabricating Subjects: Perplexity, Global Connectivity Discourses, and Transnational Feminist Research

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
Priti RamamurthyArticle first published online: 7 JAN 200
First page of article [source]

Food Industrialisation and Food Power: Implications for Food Governance

DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5-6 2003
Tim Lang
Food supply chains of developed countries industrialised in the second half of the twentieth century, with significant implications for developing countries over policy priorities, the ensuing external costs and the accompanying concentration of market power. Very powerful corporations dominate many sectors. Primary producers are locked into tight specifications and contracts. Consumers may benefit from cheaper food but there are quality implications and health externalities. As consumer confidence has been shaken, new quality agencies have been created. Tensions have emerged about the state's role as facilitator of industrial efficiencies. Food policy is thus torn between the pursuit of productivity and reduced prices and the demand for higher quality, with implications for both producers and consumers in the developing world. [source]