Multifunctionality and value creation in rural areas of southern Italy

The paper focuses on a new theoretical-methodological approach to interpreting functional transformation processes of farms located in rural areas and marked by a delay in development. We have defined a theoretical paradigm of optimal value portfolio (OVP) which considers -in a new light- multifunctional agricultural farms as an ensemble of governance structures optimizing the creation of value. The need to validate the OVP functionality has led us to identify a new methodological approach referred to as the Value Portfolio and Multifunctional Governance Analysis (VPMGA). This analysis embeds value chain analysis and governance value analysis and at the same time attempts to overcome the “sectoral” limits representing also a new and further development. We deem, in fact, that the VPMGA best responds to the specificities of multifunctional agricultural farms. Through the VPMGA we have identified four determining family variables which are internal and external to the farm (internal resources, market, territory, policies). We have also assessed the functional links with the boundary shift processes and the mechanisms governing transactions and the creation of an optimal value portfolio. We have empirically verified this approach on selected agro-food chains which are located in rural areas characterized by different levels of development. From the findings we have defined various ideal types of farms that allowed us to make future scientific assumptions and highlight normative implications for improving managerial decision-making processes based on the VPMGA model. In this way, the VPMGA can be a tool to inform policy makers, especially in the light of the new challenges facing rural development.multifunctionality, rural development, positive externalities, value chains, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Q12, Q18, Q19,

Social Responsibility and Competitiveness Strategies of Agri-food Enterprises: A Theoretical and Methodological Approach

one hand, to the emergence of intricate competitive scenarios, and, on the other, to a more extensive role of the food industry in modern society. Two fundamental issues – the question of the environment and that of food safety – have prevailed upon the political and institutional scene, setting the conditions which have successively brought about significant changes in consumer demands and expectations, in policies, and in the strategies of enterprises and food processing systems.Initially, in order to confront the environmental and social issues, steps were taken mainly in the institutional ambit. Norms and standards were introduced which the industries internalised as a added cost or bind that served to weaken their competitive potential. This took place in a scenario characterized by the emergence of new competitors who based their competitive edge on those very costs. Subsequently, in part due to the driving force of the European Union, a new phase began. The European Commission’s Green Paper for corporate social responsibility (2001), gave rise to an interesting political and scientific debate, which then led to the growth of a new collective conscience regarding the need for all the stakeholders in the economic system to adopt behaviour which was both socially aware and responsible. A new ethos of doing business has now been established. By introducing models of technological innovation which partake of the green economy, the food industries have voluntarily integrated concerns for the environment and food safety within their economic and productive activities, from the viewpoint of new, high-value methods of production.Along these lines, in this paper, the food industry is (re)interpreted as a network of value-producing governance structures (multi-value enterprise) introducing ethical market opportunities, which represent a strategic competitive factor in advanced economies.This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical debate agricultural economics by focusing the attention on the theme of corporate social responsibility. Although traditionally this was the object of business studies, the present-day evolution of society and of the markets places it at the very centre of the analysis of competitive re-positioning strategies, even in modern farms and food industries. This objective has allowed us to define new interpretive models for the food industry and to extend the paradigm of ‘value portfolio’ (Marotta, Nazzaro, 2010, 2011) to this sector.The paradigm proposed represent a significant advancement of theoretical and application knowledge in the analysis of models of value production in the food system

Measuring consumers' preferences for craft beer attributes through Best-Worst Scaling

Abstract The current paper investigates consumers' consumption behavior and preferences for craft beer. More specifically, it uncovers consumers' consumption habits and perception about craft beer, as well as their preferences for 13 beer attributes drawn from the literature. The analysis was carried out in Italy by administering a structured questionnaire to 323 consumers. Best-Worst Scaling was used to detect consumers' preferences towards the 13 craft beer attributes. The latter were then ranked on the basis of their best-worst scores to identify the level of importance Italian consumers assign to the different attributes. The study findings reveal that Italian craft beer consumers are young, well-educated, and employed. They drink craft beer more than once per month, mainly in pub and with friends and colleagues. Craft beer is perceived with higher quality and different flavors, while compared with a commercial beer, it results tastier, more genuine, and natural. As for the beer attributes, Italians prefer taste, fermentation process, and color, while store promotion, brand, and price rank as the least important. The study findings offer several implications for brewers and marketers involved in the beer sector. Based on the preferences detected, breweries should adapt their product offer to meet craft beer consumers' expectations

Assessing parental traits affecting children's food habits: an analysis of the determinants of responsible consumption

Abstract Over the last decades, economic, social, and environmental changes have profoundly affected citizen-consumer's lifestyle and food habits. Current food habits encourage people either to eat more outside home or to a massive use of convenience foods. The consequence is the increasing rate of overweight and obesity through the population and in particular among children. The resulting social and environmental costs are huge. Indeed, it increases government health expenditure as well as environmental pollution due to the large amount of water, fertilizers, and chemicals involved in the production process. The study focuses on these issues aiming at uncovering the aspects able to encourage healthier and more responsible food habits. Specifically, it explores the effects of different parental characteristics on children's food habits and lifestyle. The study findings reveal a positive effect of parental socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., education and occupation), diet awareness, and lifestyle on children's food habits and lifestyle, offering practical insights for regulators on how to promote healthier and more sustainable food habits among children

Consumer Behaviour, Obesity and Social Costs. the Case of Italy

This study analyses the social impact of obesity, focusing on the direct costs and, in particular,on the health-care expenditure. Using different socio-demographic variables and through theuse of Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Partial Least Squares Regression, the analysis: i)confirms the increase of the incidence of overweight and obesity when moving from Northernto Southern Italy; ii) identifies the main variables related to the growth of obesity; iii) highlightsa positive relationship between BMI and health-care costs and an incidence of 6% on theregional health-care costs. These findings confirm the need to define suitable guidelines fordecision makers and practitioners and to introduce mandatory regulations forcing companiesto effectuate product reformulation and achieve food safety. Indeed, asymmetric informationand consumer behaviour make investing in product reformulation undesirable for companiesbecause the use of attractive brands is more effective in influencing the purchasing decisionseven of a conscious consumer. Uninformed consumers often cling to the national brands,which sometimes, behind an image of familiarity and identity, may hide harmful ingredients(hydrogenated fats) or excessive quantities of certain ingredients (sugar, salt, saturatedfat) responsible for an unbalanced diet. Therefore, this justifies the introduction of bindingregulations.Keywords: Consumer Behaviour; Obesity; Social Costs; Health-Care Expenditure; MultivariateModel

Consumers' and farmers' characteristics in short food supply chains: an exploratory analysis

A “farmers’ market” identifies a common area where farmers meet periodically to sell food products which do not need to be processed before consumption. Farmers’ markets have recently experienced steady growth mainly due to increasing demand for traditional foods and rising consumers’ interest towards locally produced food products. It is also the case that they provide transparency along the supply chain and decrease information asymmetries. This study attempts to define the farmers and consumers of farmers’ markets in terms of both their socio-demographic and their attitudinal characteristics. Data gathering was performed carrying out face-to-face interviews with sixty farmers and consumers. The study findings show that the majority of consumers purchasing at farmers’ markets are women, with an average age of 49 and with a high level of education. They attach great value to the availability of fresh and organic products with a good value for money. Farmers, by contrast, are mainly male, with an average age of 45 years, a high school degree and several years of experience in farming. They value more the creation of a direct and durable relationship with consumers in order to convey information about the quality and authenticity of their products. The study offers useful implications to policy makers on how to encourage the creation of farmers’ markets as well as spread the shared value created among farmers and consumers

MC1R variants in childhood and adolescent melanoma: a retrospective pooled analysis of a multicentre cohort

BackgroundGermline variants in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) might increase the risk of childhood and adolescent melanoma, but a clear conclusion is challenging because of the low number of studies and cases. We assessed the association of MC1R variants with childhood and adolescent melanoma in a large study comparing the prevalence of MC1R variants in child or adolescent patients with melanoma to that in adult patients with melanoma and in healthy adult controls.MethodsIn this retrospective pooled analysis, we used the M-SKIP Project, the Italian Melanoma Intergroup, and other European groups (with participants from Australia, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the USA) to assemble an international multicentre cohort. We gathered phenotypic and genetic data from children or adolescents diagnosed with sporadic single-primary cutaneous melanoma at age 20 years or younger, adult patients with sporadic single-primary cutaneous melanoma diagnosed at age 35 years or older, and healthy adult individuals as controls. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for childhood and adolescent melanoma associated with MC1R variants by multivariable logistic regression. Subgroup analysis was done for children aged 18 or younger and 14 years or younger.FindingsWe analysed data from 233 young patients, 932 adult patients, and 932 healthy adult controls. Children and adolescents had higher odds of carrying MC1R r variants than did adult patients (OR 1·54, 95% CI 1·02-2·33), including when analysis was restricted to patients aged 18 years or younger (1·80, 1·06-3·07). All investigated variants, except Arg160Trp, tended, to varying degrees, to have higher frequencies in young patients than in adult patients, with significantly higher frequencies found for Val60Leu (OR 1·60, 95% CI 1·05-2·44; p=0·04) and Asp294His (2·15, 1·05-4·40; p=0·04). Compared with those of healthy controls, young patients with melanoma had significantly higher frequencies of any MC1R variants.InterpretationOur pooled analysis of MC1R genetic data of young patients with melanoma showed that MC1R r variants were more prevalent in childhood and adolescent melanoma than in adult melanoma, especially in patients aged 18 years or younger. Our findings support the role of MC1R in childhood and adolescent melanoma susceptibility, with a potential clinical relevance for developing early melanoma detection and preventive strategies.FundingSPD-Pilot/Project-Award-2015; AIRC-MFAG-11831

Responsabilitŕ sociale e creazione di valore nell'impresa agroalimentare: nuove frontiere di ricerca

Agri-food enterprises are rethinking their traditional economic, productive and organizational schemes based on the new sustainability models. In the light of the new value creation patterns these enterprises are also reshaping their relationships with the other agri-food stakeholders by adopting socially responsible behaviour. In this widely changed but still evolving context, agri-food enterprises have therefore been demonstrating socially responsible attitudes towards the common good and social welfare leading to a new business ethical dimension, known as social responsibility. A new vision of agri-food enterprises is therefore established. In fact, they are reconsidered as a set of tangible and intangible value chains and their related governance structures, the composition and extent there of being determined by specific groups of variables which create an "optimal value portfolio". In the light of this analytical perspectives, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical agricultural economic debate and analyse social responsibility as a sustainability strategy and value creation means for agri-food enterprises and as a competitive factor within developed economies. Hence the theoretical-methodological approach of this paper has defined new interpretation models of sustainable agri-food enterprises and their related strategic behaviour which is ethically driven and adopted for value creation purposes in the light of the current social, economic, environmental and territorial issues. The theoretical and methodological results thus provide a further development in the analysis of value creation models in agri-food systems by opening new research avenues. Moreover, they also offer new insights for policy makers and practitioners as they contribute to the debate on the role of policies to support enterprises' socially responsible actions and the definition of new guidelines for agri-food system actors.</jats:p