Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a subjective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they were fishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the subjective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: " Noah's Ark Fans " , " Ecosystem Functions Supporters " and " Deep Coral Lovers ". Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals' perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation.
Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a subjective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they were fishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the subjective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: " Noah's Ark Fans " , " Ecosystem Functions Supporters " and " Deep Coral Lovers ". Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals' perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation.
In a rapidly changing ecological, economic and political environment, environmentally sustainable... more In a rapidly changing ecological, economic and political environment, environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient farming systems are required (SCAR, 2008). The development and adoption of innovation are critical to improve the competitiveness of organic and low-input dairy systems. Understanding the viewpoints of dairy supply-chain members on acceptable innovation is important to be able to improve organic and low-input dairy supply chains. This study uses Stephenson’s Q methodology to investigate the opinions of organic and low-input dairy supply-chain members in relation to innovation in the dairy sector. A sample of dairy supply-chain members (consumers, farmers, retailers, processors) was recruited from each European country involved in the study (Belgium, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom). On the one hand, the data show a high degree of consensus across all of the participants within the supply chain, for whom innovations were deemed not to be acceptable in organic (from an ethical and/or regulatory perspective) and low-input dairy systems. On the other hand, the consumer views of acceptable dairy innovations were centred around animal welfare, while the farmers and processors/retailers preferred innovations related to feed quality, feed efficiency, and soil management. This study illustrates the value of Q methodology in eliciting subjectivities about food-policy-related issues.
willingnessto pay in a simple way. Using data on 427 Italian consumers regarding different organi... more willingnessto pay in a simple way. Using data on 427 Italian consumers regarding different organic logos, mediationand moderation analysis is applied for the first time in a discrete choice setting. We tested the hypothesisthat trust in logo mediates the relationship between the logo and consumer choice for organic labelledfood products. Results do not allow rejecting the hypothesis that trust in logo totally mediates the effectof the logo. Therefore, the willingness for organic products could be interpreted as “cost for trust”: thehigher the trust the higher the perceived value-for-money. The mediation effect of trust in logo doesnot vary across points-of-purchase or regions. Our novel approach is susceptible of various applicationswhen analysing choice data and can be extended further.
Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a sub-jective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they werefishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the sub-jective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: “Noah’s Ark Fans”, “Ecosystem Functions Supporters”and “Deep Coral Lovers”. Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals’ perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation
This study presents the results of an Italian investigation into the development of food quality ... more This study presents the results of an Italian investigation into the development of food quality for poultry meat in the organic sector, using the quality function deployment technique. The results show that among the characteristics of poultry, meat consumers assign greater importance to those that are strictly related to animal welfare issues. Price and product appearance (i.e., colour, presence of fat) come in second. To meet these needs, producers can effectively operate along the supply chain by acting on poultry housing type, genotype lines, and stocking density. Information about these issues should then be shared with the consumers (i.e., clear product labelling).
The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino ... more The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay. Mean scores of perceived liking were similar for organic cheese (OC) and conventional cheese (CC). Expected liking scores were higher for OC than for CC (P<0.001). For OC the expected liking was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (negative disconfirmation), whereas for CC the expected liking was significantly lower (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (positive disconfirmation). Consumers assimilated their liking for OC in the direction of expectations, as the difference actual vs. perceived liking was significant (P<0.001). However the assimilation was not complete, as also the difference actual liking vs. expected liking was significant (P<0.001). Consumers showed a willingness to pay OC (mean+/-se=4.20+/-0.13 euro/100 g) higher than the local retail price for conventional (1.90 euro/100 g) and even organic cheese (3.00 euro/100 g). We conclude that the information about organic farming can be a major determinant of cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay, thus providing a potential tool for product differentiation, particularly for small scale and traditional farms.
ABSTRACT Adoption of organic farming practices: a theoretical and empirical analysis (di Raffaele... more ABSTRACT Adoption of organic farming practices: a theoretical and empirical analysis (di Raffaele Zanoli, Simona Naspetti) - ABSTRACT: In this paper a theoretical model to analyse and explain the adoption of organic farming techniques at a regional level is presented. Farmers goals and goals structures are used in a means-end analysis of the producer’s behaviour, leading to a representation of the farmer’s decision making process which is more general than the simple neoclassical model of the firm. The relationships among farmer’s motivations and institutional factors acting as incentives and barriers are explicitly taken into account in the analysis, which embeds historical factors as part of the explanation of the process of adoption. As a result, organic farming can be viewed as an institutional adaptation to the absence of certain public goods markets, such as those of clean water, healthy soil, hazard-free food, etc. Organic farming clearly perform a role in internalising the externalities in agricultural production; in this sense it serves as an incentive device. At the same time it also operates as a self-selection device, to identify the characteristics of different individuals. Individuals who believe that they can play a positive role in protecting the environment or, more in general, in shaping the society by their own work, will be more willing to convert to organic farming. An empirical application of the model is used to analyse the adoption process in a paradigmatic Italian region.
ABSTRACT The role of ethical concerns in explaining the buying of organic food is investigated. R... more ABSTRACT The role of ethical concerns in explaining the buying of organic food is investigated. Results from a study on organic food consumption are reported, in order to explore the role of values in motivating consumers attitudes and behaviour towards organic food. Using various statistical techniques, the explanatory power of values for organic food consumption is assessed, in order to determine which values are relevant for the organic vs. ordinary consumer behaviour. The paper will then explore the possible relationships between involvement, ethical attitudes and organic consumption and discuss the differences between ethical concerned vs. unconcerned organic consumer behaviour.
Many more consumer s have tried at least once organic food, but despite higher consumer awareness... more Many more consumer s have tried at least once organic food, but despite higher consumer awareness, they still show a great concern about food quality and safety. Recent research showed that there is still little knowledge of how organic products are produced and processed and which characteristics are fundamental for the consumer with regard to quality and safety. In this scenario, primary producers, processors and other stakeholders in the organic supply- chain have the difficult task of understanding consumers' complex and sometimes contradictory wishes with regard to organic food. The aim of this study is to examine food quality and safety issues related to buying organic products. To provide better insight on the safety and quality issues in a cross - cultural setting, the linkages among consumer's personal values - as final expression of consumer product knowledge - are analysed, by means of laddering data on 8 EU countries.
Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a subjective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they were fishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the subjective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: " Noah's Ark Fans " , " Ecosystem Functions Supporters " and " Deep Coral Lovers ". Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals' perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation.
Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a subjective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they were fishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the subjective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: " Noah's Ark Fans " , " Ecosystem Functions Supporters " and " Deep Coral Lovers ". Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals' perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation.
In a rapidly changing ecological, economic and political environment, environmentally sustainable... more In a rapidly changing ecological, economic and political environment, environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient farming systems are required (SCAR, 2008). The development and adoption of innovation are critical to improve the competitiveness of organic and low-input dairy systems. Understanding the viewpoints of dairy supply-chain members on acceptable innovation is important to be able to improve organic and low-input dairy supply chains. This study uses Stephenson’s Q methodology to investigate the opinions of organic and low-input dairy supply-chain members in relation to innovation in the dairy sector. A sample of dairy supply-chain members (consumers, farmers, retailers, processors) was recruited from each European country involved in the study (Belgium, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom). On the one hand, the data show a high degree of consensus across all of the participants within the supply chain, for whom innovations were deemed not to be acceptable in organic (from an ethical and/or regulatory perspective) and low-input dairy systems. On the other hand, the consumer views of acceptable dairy innovations were centred around animal welfare, while the farmers and processors/retailers preferred innovations related to feed quality, feed efficiency, and soil management. This study illustrates the value of Q methodology in eliciting subjectivities about food-policy-related issues.
willingnessto pay in a simple way. Using data on 427 Italian consumers regarding different organi... more willingnessto pay in a simple way. Using data on 427 Italian consumers regarding different organic logos, mediationand moderation analysis is applied for the first time in a discrete choice setting. We tested the hypothesisthat trust in logo mediates the relationship between the logo and consumer choice for organic labelledfood products. Results do not allow rejecting the hypothesis that trust in logo totally mediates the effectof the logo. Therefore, the willingness for organic products could be interpreted as “cost for trust”: thehigher the trust the higher the perceived value-for-money. The mediation effect of trust in logo doesnot vary across points-of-purchase or regions. Our novel approach is susceptible of various applicationswhen analysing choice data and can be extended further.
Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a ... more Monetary valuation of non-market environmental goods and services such as marine ecosystems is a difficult task, usually approached by stated preference methods. Valuation results are often unstable since preferences for unfamiliar, often highly abstract and complex environmental goods depend on the level of previous knowledge of the participant stakeholders and the information provided to them. In this paper, Q methodology has been applied to explore subjective perspectives on Mediterranean deep sea, which is among the least explored environment in the world. The participant sample consisted in eight Ph.D. students, half of which with a Marine Life Sciences degree. They were asked to perform a Q-sorting experiment, and rank a Q sample of 36 underwater photographs of the marine wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems in the Mediterranean deep sea. Photographs were sorted by each topic according to a sub-jective priority relative to (a) a personal overall view; (b) their perception of the potential interest for fishermen; and (c) as if they werefishermen. The study revealed three distinct discourses on the sub-jective importance of deep-sea ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: “Noah’s Ark Fans”, “Ecosystem Functions Supporters”and “Deep Coral Lovers”. Data analysis showed that the main differences between factors could be related to the experience and the cultural background of the participants. This study improved our knowledge about individuals’ perceptions on Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems and represents a preliminary step for their monetary valuation
This study presents the results of an Italian investigation into the development of food quality ... more This study presents the results of an Italian investigation into the development of food quality for poultry meat in the organic sector, using the quality function deployment technique. The results show that among the characteristics of poultry, meat consumers assign greater importance to those that are strictly related to animal welfare issues. Price and product appearance (i.e., colour, presence of fat) come in second. To meet these needs, producers can effectively operate along the supply chain by acting on poultry housing type, genotype lines, and stocking density. Information about these issues should then be shared with the consumers (i.e., clear product labelling).
The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino ... more The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay. Mean scores of perceived liking were similar for organic cheese (OC) and conventional cheese (CC). Expected liking scores were higher for OC than for CC (P<0.001). For OC the expected liking was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (negative disconfirmation), whereas for CC the expected liking was significantly lower (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (positive disconfirmation). Consumers assimilated their liking for OC in the direction of expectations, as the difference actual vs. perceived liking was significant (P<0.001). However the assimilation was not complete, as also the difference actual liking vs. expected liking was significant (P<0.001). Consumers showed a willingness to pay OC (mean+/-se=4.20+/-0.13 euro/100 g) higher than the local retail price for conventional (1.90 euro/100 g) and even organic cheese (3.00 euro/100 g). We conclude that the information about organic farming can be a major determinant of cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay, thus providing a potential tool for product differentiation, particularly for small scale and traditional farms.
ABSTRACT Adoption of organic farming practices: a theoretical and empirical analysis (di Raffaele... more ABSTRACT Adoption of organic farming practices: a theoretical and empirical analysis (di Raffaele Zanoli, Simona Naspetti) - ABSTRACT: In this paper a theoretical model to analyse and explain the adoption of organic farming techniques at a regional level is presented. Farmers goals and goals structures are used in a means-end analysis of the producer’s behaviour, leading to a representation of the farmer’s decision making process which is more general than the simple neoclassical model of the firm. The relationships among farmer’s motivations and institutional factors acting as incentives and barriers are explicitly taken into account in the analysis, which embeds historical factors as part of the explanation of the process of adoption. As a result, organic farming can be viewed as an institutional adaptation to the absence of certain public goods markets, such as those of clean water, healthy soil, hazard-free food, etc. Organic farming clearly perform a role in internalising the externalities in agricultural production; in this sense it serves as an incentive device. At the same time it also operates as a self-selection device, to identify the characteristics of different individuals. Individuals who believe that they can play a positive role in protecting the environment or, more in general, in shaping the society by their own work, will be more willing to convert to organic farming. An empirical application of the model is used to analyse the adoption process in a paradigmatic Italian region.
ABSTRACT The role of ethical concerns in explaining the buying of organic food is investigated. R... more ABSTRACT The role of ethical concerns in explaining the buying of organic food is investigated. Results from a study on organic food consumption are reported, in order to explore the role of values in motivating consumers attitudes and behaviour towards organic food. Using various statistical techniques, the explanatory power of values for organic food consumption is assessed, in order to determine which values are relevant for the organic vs. ordinary consumer behaviour. The paper will then explore the possible relationships between involvement, ethical attitudes and organic consumption and discuss the differences between ethical concerned vs. unconcerned organic consumer behaviour.
Many more consumer s have tried at least once organic food, but despite higher consumer awareness... more Many more consumer s have tried at least once organic food, but despite higher consumer awareness, they still show a great concern about food quality and safety. Recent research showed that there is still little knowledge of how organic products are produced and processed and which characteristics are fundamental for the consumer with regard to quality and safety. In this scenario, primary producers, processors and other stakeholders in the organic supply- chain have the difficult task of understanding consumers' complex and sometimes contradictory wishes with regard to organic food. The aim of this study is to examine food quality and safety issues related to buying organic products. To provide better insight on the safety and quality issues in a cross - cultural setting, the linkages among consumer's personal values - as final expression of consumer product knowledge - are analysed, by means of laddering data on 8 EU countries.
Uploads
Papers by Simona Naspetti
energy-efficient farming systems are required (SCAR, 2008). The development and adoption of innovation
are critical to improve the competitiveness of organic and low-input dairy systems. Understanding the
viewpoints of dairy supply-chain members on acceptable innovation is important to be able to improve
organic and low-input dairy supply chains. This study uses Stephenson’s Q methodology to investigate
the opinions of organic and low-input dairy supply-chain members in relation to innovation in the dairy
sector. A sample of dairy supply-chain members (consumers, farmers, retailers, processors) was recruited
from each European country involved in the study (Belgium, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom). On the
one hand, the data show a high degree of consensus across all of the participants within the supply chain,
for whom innovations were deemed not to be acceptable in organic (from an ethical and/or regulatory
perspective) and low-input dairy systems. On the other hand, the consumer views of acceptable dairy
innovations were centred around animal welfare, while the farmers and processors/retailers preferred
innovations related to feed quality, feed efficiency, and soil management. This study illustrates the value
of Q methodology in eliciting subjectivities about food-policy-related issues.
energy-efficient farming systems are required (SCAR, 2008). The development and adoption of innovation
are critical to improve the competitiveness of organic and low-input dairy systems. Understanding the
viewpoints of dairy supply-chain members on acceptable innovation is important to be able to improve
organic and low-input dairy supply chains. This study uses Stephenson’s Q methodology to investigate
the opinions of organic and low-input dairy supply-chain members in relation to innovation in the dairy
sector. A sample of dairy supply-chain members (consumers, farmers, retailers, processors) was recruited
from each European country involved in the study (Belgium, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom). On the
one hand, the data show a high degree of consensus across all of the participants within the supply chain,
for whom innovations were deemed not to be acceptable in organic (from an ethical and/or regulatory
perspective) and low-input dairy systems. On the other hand, the consumer views of acceptable dairy
innovations were centred around animal welfare, while the farmers and processors/retailers preferred
innovations related to feed quality, feed efficiency, and soil management. This study illustrates the value
of Q methodology in eliciting subjectivities about food-policy-related issues.