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Despite the growing interest of the wine industry in quality and environmental certifications and the influence of these standards on positioning in international markets, scholarly research has paid proportionally limited attention to the link between winery export intensity and the adoption of internationally recognized standards. This study aims to analyze which factors make an organizational model performant, and to verify the impact of the adoption of third-party certifications on the export performance by using the resource-based view (RBV) theory as a theoretical lens. Findings show that younger wineries are more oriented towards the adoption of voluntary quality and environmental certifications, and they achieve the best economic performance, expressed in terms of overall turnover on the market. On the contrary, the better export performance is achieved by the largest group of wineries, which make the greatest effort in promotion and advertising activities and sell their products through intermediaries, while showing a low adoption of certifications. Our results have a number of theoretical and practical implications.

Purpose This study aims to explore and describe the main enabling factors affecting the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in a strategic sector such as the wine industry, as well as the motivation behind this choice. Design/methodology/approach In light of the novelty of the phenomenon studied, a case study approach was adopted analyzing three Italian wineries. A conceptual framework, based on the dynamic capabilities, absorptive capacity and dominant logic theories, was developed. Primary and secondary data were collected. Findings Results show that wineries working in a highly dynamic and competitive market invest more in knowledge acquisition and internal assimilation and less in transformation and exploitation of acquired knowledge, in particular preferring to outsource the application phase of BCT. The particularity of the wine industry, indeed, demonstrates the existence of hybrid alternatives in which exploration and exploitation processes can be balanced. These findings confirm the value of the conceptual framework developed to explain how wineries implement BCT in their business. Research limitations/implications The present work must be considered in light of the research scope and its qualitative nature. Practical implications Findings suggest that the adoption of BCT depends on the wineries’ ability to invest more in effective knowledge management systems to acquire and assimilate knowledge internally and in managerial skills and dominant logic that become strategic resources that can improve their innovation performance. Originality/value Compared to previous studies on BCT adoption in the wine industry, this work helps us to better understand how wineries implement BCT as it focuses on their ability to acquire, manage and capitalize on the flow of knowledge, as a strategic resource, which forms the basis for creating dynamic capabilities and value. Findings are of interest to develop strategies aimed to ensure the effectiveness of this innovation in a strategic sector.

PurposeThis systematic review aims to investigate how geographical cues affect wine consumers' behaviors, with reference to the New and Old Worlds, and accordingly, how are recent consumption patterns and new consumer profiles modifying roles of geographical cues?Design/methodology/approachThis work employed a systematic literature review methodology on the extant literature published from 2009 to 2019.FindingsResults, summarized in a conceptual framework, emphasize five thematic areas on how geographical cues should be considered for future research and for new marketing strategies to capture consumers of New and Old World wines. Consumers' wine knowledge, socio-ethno-demographic factors, consumption settings, labeling strategies and the use of medals and awards on labels emerged as relevant factors to deal with consumer's risk-reduction strategies.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limit is the adoption of a systematic review method.Practical implicationsResults suggest that wine managers should invest in acquiring more knowledge about consumers' profiles in both Worlds for their marketing campaigns, labeling and advertisement strategies. Although geographical cues are considered relevant in consumers' buying decisions, extrinsic cues are also increasingly acceptable, and there should be more investment in publicizing geographical attributes around the world.Originality/valueThis is the first review focusing exclusively on the role of geographical cues on consumer's behavior toward New and Old World wine producers.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the role of consumer altruism and other socio-cultural factors in predicting how much attention consumers pay to seafood eco-labels.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical investigation was carried out by administering an online questionnaire to a sample of Italian and Spanish people from December 2019 to April 2020. After carrying out the principal component analysis procedure, the work made use of an ordinal logistic regression.FindingsBoth Italian and Spanish consumers with an altruistic attitude, who feel that food produced in a sustainable way can protect the environment and workers, appear more likely to take an eco-label into account. In addition, in both countries, consumers with a higher level of education and in the older age range are more likely to read eco-labels before buying fish products.Research limitations/implicationsThe first limitation is mainly related to the sampling procedure, which is not probabilistic and does not allow for generalisation of the results. Furthermore, some indicators related to COVID-19 were not included as the planning stage of the research methodology occurred before the pandemic.Practical implicationsA better understanding of the main determinants predicting consumers' attention to seafood eco-labels could be crucial to promote effective marketing strategies aimed at increasing consumer interest and awareness in sustainable seafood and eco-labels.Originality/valueExploring the role of consumers' altruism in how much attention is paid to seafood eco-labels appears to be a new approach that emphasises the role of altruism as a variable capable of bridging the “value-action gap”.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how a food and beverage packaging company manages internal and external stakeholders to achieve sustainable innovation outcomes, as well as to contribute to the spread of sustainability paths along the supply chain, on which it operates. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was chosen and applied multiple methods of semi-structured interviews and a documentation review. Findings Results reveal a structured stakeholder relationship management, according to which the packaging company acts through a stakeholder engagement process to both acquire and share new knowledge to address stakeholder pressure. Co-creation models result in a winning strategy to exploit knowledge, above all in a supply chain context, where actors should act as a part of a strictly interlinked system, involving external stakeholders (also suppliers) and internal stakeholders in joint eco-innovation projects. The case study shows the potential strategic role of a packaging company in affecting relevant actors of the supply chain through the promotion of a sustainability culture. Research limitations/implications The first limitation is linked to the chosen case study approach, which does not allow for results to be generalized. Future works could arrange panel data analysis to investigate in depth the behavior of several packaging companies regarding stakeholder relationship management. Practical implications Managerial implications mainly underline that, to fully address market stakeholder pressure, managers should recognize the relevance of acquiring and sharing new knowledge from external sources, without underestimating the need to integrate it with internal stakeholders (employees) for its exploitation. Originality/value The present work is original for the food and beverage industry, with specific attention on the packaging sector, which, until today, has been widely investigated regarding food and waste loss reduction strategies, but less often from the perspective of stakeholder relationship management in addressing sustainability.

The paper analyses the impact of Mediterranean Sea warming on some species of small pelagic fish (pesce azzurro) in the Italian fishing industry. In particular, through a time series regression model, the research examines the productivity trend in physical terms of target species of small pelagic fish from 1950 to 2016, considering the Mediterranean Sea Surface Temperatures Anomalies as an indicator of sea warming, and the Western Mediterranean Oscillation index and the North Atlantic Oscillation index as proxies of climatic variability. The research results show an evident link between the reduction of fish availability and sea warming, with potential repercussions on the incomes of the employees in thefishing industry. Our findings provide interesting suggestions and implications on the theoretical, managerial, and political level, providing insights for new researches.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand whether the companies most involved in communicating their responsible behaviour externally are those most active on the social media (SM) platform, with a philanthropic purpose rather than strictly aimed at economic aspects. Design/methodology/approach The authors, first, assess firms’ efforts on the SM platform using the model proposed by Chung et al. (2014), and, second, the authors analyze the content of messages in order to verify what dimensions of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) they contain. A multivariate modelling has been performed in order to verify whether the wineries that take most care to communicate their responsible behaviour are those that are more involved in the management of Social Network. The wineries’ effort in SM platform was analyzed using the model proposed by Chung et al. (2014), which consider three dimensions named intensity, richness and responsiveness. In order to verify the relationship between the SM effort and their engagement in CSR initiatives, the Probit model has been utilized taking into consideration four CSR dimension (Green CSR, Ethical CSR, Community CSR and Cultural CSR). Findings The findings show that wineries most involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives and in the active communication of these initiatives on SM platforms are those that are most active on SM and in particular those that interact most with their web users, triggering in them some reactions that lead to the sharing of content and, therefore, having a significant impact on the dissemination of information through SM. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of this study are related to the limited sample size, the time period considered. Practical implications This study provides insight and hints into wine entrepreneurs interested in improving the effectiveness of their CSR communication via SM showing the importance of the interactive dimension of SM, in order to reduce scepticism and gain greater credibility on the market. Originality/value This study uses four dimensions of the companies’ SM efforts’ built on the basis of a number of variables that are more explicative of the SM engagement.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ willingness to accept irradiated food and the major factors related both to socio-demographic characteristics and to the perceived risk of consumers about the assumption of foods treated with novel technologies and irradiation, in particular, affecting their behavior. Consumers’ need for information has been investigated. Design/methodology/approach An online survey, involving 392 consumers living in Italy, was carried out to respond to the aim of the study. A Probit model was performed in order to identify major factors affecting the probability to accept food treated with ionizing radiation. Findings Findings show that the acceptability of irradiated foods is mainly affected by the consumers’ perceived risk to health consequent to their consumption. Equally influent are the socio-economic characteristics such as age, monthly income and geographical area in which consumers live. Research limitations/implications This study provides some interesting suggestions both for policy makers and managers, primarily related to the need to start an effective promotion campaign aimed to familiarize the consumers about the principles, aims and benefits of irradiation technology. Originality/value Very few empirical studies have been carried out in order to evaluate the acceptability of foods products treated with ionizing radiation in Italy, where exist a growing problem related to the food loss and waste, and the need for information among consumers about the irradiated foods.

R&D teams' internationalization attracts interests from different research-streams. However, the decision on what type of R&D structure is more convenient to invest in may differ, based on several factors, such as risk-taking propensity and internal resource availability. With an aim to enrich the extant literature and to provide practical insights for managers working in the wine industry, this case study explores the determinants of an Italian family-owned winery that attempts to keep a balance between its internal and external R&D teams' decision, using an integrated theoretical framework based on the transaction costs and the resource-based view theory. The optimal R&D solution based on an accurate costs vs benefits analysis leads the firm to hire highly qualified staff to manage its internal R&D unit, as well as to complement the unit with complementary resource that can be accessed through external R&D knowledge sources.

Purpose This paper aims to assess the willingness of individuals living in coastal communities affected by climate change to financially support mitigation policies towards the preservation of marine ecosystems and fish resources and to identify the key drivers of their behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A survey was carried out involving 994 people living in three main Italian coastal communities. To investigate the main factors affecting Italian coastal communities’ willingness to pay (WTP) to support climate change mitigation measures to protect the marine ecosystem and fishery resources, a Tobit regression model was implemented. Findings The results show that these communities are likely to pay to safeguard fish resources and the marine ecosystem, owing to their social and economic importance for these communities. In particular, this study’s findings highlight that the individuals’ attitudes towards climate change, social pressures and their perception of the phenomenon play a significant role on their intention to support mitigation policies. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that the communities most threatened by the negative effects of climate change are more willing to contribute financially to protect fish resources and the marine ecosystem. Research limitations/implications A limitation is related to the adopted methodology. In particular individuals’ intention to adopt pro-environmental behaviours does not always translate into real WTP through additional taxes. Originality/value The value of the research stems from its unique collective cross-communal comparison of attitudes and intentions, its parallel identification of behavioural drivers at the individual level and its prescriptive conclusions of both scholarly and practical worth.

Researchers, environmentalists, as well as fisheries and retailers, have been focusing their attention on the design, use and effects that fish ecolabels have on sustainability. The fish processing industry and large retailers have rapidly adopted several market-based standards, with consequences for two major stakeholders: fishermen and consumers. Although the standards have shown rather positive results, from the perspectives of marine biodiversity conservation, the fish industry and trade, it is not clear how they are able to support a change in people’s awareness about sustainability. For this reason, the present work reviews and analyses the literature, produced in the last ten years, regarding two international, private and voluntary ecolabels in the fish industry: FOS and MSC. The results confirm the relevant role these ecolabels are playing in promoting awareness about sustainable fish, describing the terms of this ongoing change and also proposing new insights from the literature to further reinforce this process. In particular, a multi-stakeholder approach is suggested for the production side so as to better exploit the sustainable potential of the system inaugurated by the ecolabel, while, for the consumption side to further spread knowledge about marine stock status and ecolabels’ meaning and scope, which would accelerate the ongoing process.

The food delivery sector is assuming increasing importance in the distribution of food products and meals as it is becoming an ordinary component of consumption habits. However, the growth of the sector has inevitably affected the demand for freight transport, especially in urban areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the main enabling factors affecting the adoption of sustainable strategies, among which the electro-mobility, in the food delivery sector and what obstacles to dissemination can be seen. Deliveroo s.r.l. was chosen as case study. Results show that Deliveroo undoubtedly represents a good example of sustainable logistics and the dissemination of good practices among the key players of the food delivery sector. However, if on the one hand there is a strong commitment on the part of Deliveroo to find solutions that encourage the use of these means, on the other hand, there is the need for a greater commitment on the part of the institutions to create infrastructure conditions that facilitate the diffusion of these means.

PurposeThe aim of this study is to understand which wine quality characteristics, consumers' attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics affect the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium price for a bottle of natural wine.Design/methodology/approachThe research is experimental and investigated the purchasing intentions of 613 Italian wine consumers within a hypothetical setting. In order to elicit WTP for natural wine, a multiple price list (MPL) in a comparison with one bottle of conventional wine, with an average price of €5 was adopted. To understand which quality attributes of wine affect the consumers' WTP for natural wine, a Tobit regression model was implemented.FindingsThe findings reveal that drink frequency and occasion, organic production method, the content of sulfites, income and the attitudes towards healthy eating and the environment are positively associated with a higher WTP for natural wine.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study is related to both the convenient sample and the limited geographical area. However, identifying which quality attributes of natural wine are most appreciated by consumers and which attitudes affect this behaviour is fundamental in order to develop successful marketing strategies for product development and the design of advertising and communication campaigns.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to analyse the consumer behaviour towards natural wines contributing to enrich that part of the economic literature which states that consumers have a positive attitude towards sustainable wines.

The purpose of this study is to examine inhabitants’ motivation and their willingness to pay to mitigate the impact of climate change on fish resources. Willingness to pay was tested empirically using survey data from 333 inhabitants of Sciacca, a fishing community in Sicily, Italy, which has the island’s second largest fishing fleet. People’s attitudes towards climate change, their degree of involvement in the issue, and their concerns about this phenomenon’s potential impact on the marine environment are the key factors affecting their willingness to pay. It was further found that respondents are willing to pay an average of €6.81 per month to support mitigation policies in the fishing industry. The originality of this study is related to its contribution in expanding the body of knowledge on citizens’ willingness to pay for the protection of fish resources, using a conceptual framework based on the Construal Level Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action to explain inhabitants’ behaviour. The latter is one of the implications of this study on the theoretical point of view. In addition, this study provides insights and hints to policy makers to define tools, shared by the community, that contribute to the mitigation of climate change.

The aim of this study was to understand how and how much alternative food networks (AFNs) contribute to increasing the profitability of the organic SMEs, compared to traditional organic sales channels. For this purpose, an economic analysis and an in-depth interview were carried out in a case study located in the Sicilian northern coast. Findings showed a clear convenience of the participation to alternative food networks compared to the case in which all farm production was conferred to traditional sales channels, highlighting an increase both of farm profit (+76.9%) and net income (+72.1%). However, the in-depth interview revealed that AFNs are a mean, not only to have economic benefits, but also to satisfy consumers' social and environmental needs. According to the findings of this study, alternative food networks could represent a strategy to increase the profitability of many small and medium-sized farms (organic and non-organic) managed by the farmer and his family, especially in an increasingly global and diversified market.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it identifies distinct organizational models in a sample of small and medium enterprises operating in the Sicilian wine industry; and second, it identifies the key factors enabling a superior export success. Design/methodology/approach Internal resources were analyzed theoretically in order to achieve the aims of the study. Subsequently the empirical investigation was carried out administering a questionnaire to a sample of 102 wineries in Sicily, Italy. A cluster analysis was performed in order to group these firms into homogeneous categories. Findings The findings show that success in the international market is more common among wineries characterized by a larger physical and economic size, a longer experience in the international market, managed by entrepreneurs-owners who are highly educated and proficient in foreign language, and implement voluntary certifications. Research limitations/implications The results need to be interpreted within the context of the study’s research design; more specifically, the reader should take into account that the study focuses exclusively on one industry and on one region (wine in Sicily). Practical implications The findings offer a valid support for managers who could use this results to better focus their effort and choose the most appropriate strategy in order to improve their performance in foreign markets. Originality/value Very few empirical studies have been carried out on the impact that internal and in particular organizational resources have on the firms’ organizational models operating in the wine industry.

Stakeholders play a relevant role in sustainable business models’ definitions, but their influence on a company’s strategic choices varies according to different factors. The heterogeneity of business models and the different approaches used to achieve the goal of sustainability, in which social or environmental purposes can prevail, require more in-depth research to identify new solutions that can help to develop business models able to create positive external effects for the environment and society.

Increasing public attention to issues of health and environmental sustainability has contributed to a growing consumer demand for “natural” food and drinks. As has been observed, this trend has also affected the wine market, leading to the spread of so-called “natural wine”. According to the literature, consumers who are aware of the social and environmental impact of their consumption choices pay more attention to the information displayed on the label as a tool to reduce the risk associated with their purchase. This study seeks to identify which consumers are willing to pay for natural wine and to understand what information on the label influences their choice. This study is one of the first in wine research to analyse consumers of the “natural” wine recently appearing on the market to satisfy the need of health and environmentally conscious consumers. The findings indicate that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for “natural” wine, and this choice is positively affected by the importance attributed to information on the ingredient content, production method and sensory characteristics included on the wine label. Millennial consumers are also more likely to pay a high premium price for “natural” wine.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify distinct organisational models in a sample of firms operating in the wine industry; and second, to identify the main internal resources that characterise those firms most motivated towards the adoption of social media (SM) tools and those that perceive SM investment as more effective. Design/methodology/approach The empirical investigation was carried out by administering an online questionnaire to a sample of 82 Sicilian wineries. The principal component analysis was used to identify latent factors that drive managers to invest in SM technologies and to measure the impact perceived by managers. Subsequently, a cluster analysis was performed to identify similar organisational models. Findings The findings show that large wineries with a high number of employees possessing knowledge and skills in regard to SM tools and social network (SN) management are highly motivated towards the adoption of SM and perceive their SM investment as more effective. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of the paper lies in the limited sample size, which does not allow the results to be generalised. Practical implications The findings provide support for managers, who could use these results to better focus their investment on infrastructure that facilitates the development of specific skills needed to manage SM tools and SNs, as well as customer relations. Originality/value To date, very few empirical studies have focussed on providing evidence on the role and impact of SM integration into the marketing communication plan of a strategic industry, such as the wine industry.

Recent food crises and uncertainty regarding food quality have pushed consumers towards a growing need to know more about the foods they purchase, including information related to both food quality and production. This paper identifies the main factors affecting consumer interest in receiving information on food irradiation technology. An online survey was used for research purposes and a total of 392 people, living in Italy, were questioned. Findings revealed that 89.2% of Italian consumers are interested in receiving information on the treatment of foods with ionizing radiation aimed at raising product safety. In particular, this interest was greater for respondents who reported a high sensitivity to food safety issues, who had already or who have unwittingly purchased irradiated foods, and those with a higher level of education. The results also underlined that a problem of misinformation exists among Italian consumers regarding irradiation technology, and that specific food education programs in the schools promoted by the ministry of education and promotional campaigns supported by public and private institutions, aimed at creating greater awareness and attitude among consumers about irradiated products, are necessary.

Over the past few years, public attention has focused on the quality and safety control, traceability, and environmental issues surrounding food products. Several mandatory public standards and private voluntary schemes worldwide have been developed to address these concerns. Using survey data, this paper analyses the key factors affecting the adoption of voluntary quality standards in the wine industry and the existence of a relationship between the adoption of voluntary quality standards and economic performance, measured in terms of labour productivity and marketing behaviour. The survey involved 89 cellars, of which 68 were non-certified and 21 had one or more food quality certifications. Using the data collected, an index based on Euclidean distances was constructed to compare economic performance between certified and non-certified firms. The findings provide evidence that internal motivations drive entrepreneurs to adopt voluntary standards and that wineries adopting voluntary standards exhibit better economic performance than non-certified wine firms. From a managerial viewpoint, these results suggest that although the adoption of voluntary quality certifications does not have a direct effect in terms of a labour productivity increase, it entails a business management improvement. For policymakers, the results suggest a need to develop policies and establish more stable financial assistance for the internationalisation of wine firms, thereby supporting them through this transition.

This study examines the evolution in development of Intra-European Union agri-food export during the period 2000–2011. By using Data Envelopment Window Analysis, this paper at first provides a more comprehensive picture on agri-food trade performance of sampled New Member States, focusing the attention on the pre and post phase of the enlargement process. Two specific country case studies will be released, revealing different patterns of performance among New EU Member States. The majority of New EU Member States differed in their approach in benefiting from the opportunity to enter into the EU enlarged market, and some of theme preferred to strengthen established trade relations with a past group of partner countries. In the future, the increase in the export flows of quality products together with the ability to enter new end-markets within the EU will largely depend on the agri-food sector units’ abilities to efficiently compete and sustain competitiveness in the European and global markets. The overall performance could be improved by strengthening the quality side of exported goods, to better comply with EU quality standards and to acquire a more competitive advantage in the single market.

This paper introduces the book of the theoretical texts by the composer Federico Incardona (Palermo, 1958-2006), collected and put in order by his students, now stored in the musicological library of Palermo University; it draws a concept map to guide the reader into Incardona’s labyrinthine path. The fundamental concepts, highlighted and analyzed, are: the “inaudito” (what you never heard) as the result of a research in which the composer is involved even physically; the “sign”, as a tool to objectify the unheard; the “tone row” as the order of notes obtained by their bonds with the sensations and experiences: the epiphany of the sound of things: the “tradition” as “permanent revolution”, a R. Kolisch’s idea that Incardona learned from H.-K. Metzger ; the “work” as an utopian aspiration.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detect what experience and credence quality attributes contribute to the consumer decision to consume cactus pear fruit. The authors therefore try to measure the effect of each quality attribute on consumer choice. Design/methodology/approach – As a theoretical basis, two principal quality attributes emphasised in the literature on consumer behaviour were analysed and adjusted to the specific fruit features. The empirical strategy was carried out by administering a telephone questionnaire survey of 270 interviewees who consume cactus pears in Italy. The questionnaire, consisting of 14 items expressed on a metric scale (five-point Likert scale), was used to rate the importance of cactus pear fruit quality attributes. An ordered logit model was employed for data analysis. Findings – The results show that consumption of cactus pear fruit is mainly based on credence and experience attributes, which have different effects on the consumer decision to consume cactus pear fruit. Among experience quality attributes, the colour red, a low quantity of seeds, and being peeled are the attributes with major effects, following by credence attributes such as environmental sustainability, healthiness, and Italian origin. Research limitations/implications – The research was based on a particular fruit, and further comparative research is clearly needed. In fact, further advancement in cactus pear research would require that the validity of the empirical findings and their degree of generalisation be examined in other geographical areas. Practical implications – The results of this study could help to identify some factors on which business could intervene to create a more effective consumer-based approach. Originality/value – This study contributes to a better definition of cactus pear fruit quality for consumers with the aim of developing marketing strategies to increase farm business. To the best of the knowledge, no study has ever measured the effects of cactus pear fruit quality attributes on consumer choice.

Over the past few years several private voluntary schemes have been developed worldwide to address the environmental issues in the forest based industry. Using survey data, this study analyse the main factors motivating companies operating in the Italian forest based industry to implement FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) standard, as a tool to promote responsible forest management and traceability of derived products, and the impact of this standard on the economic and organisational results. The findings provide evidences that signalling mechanisms drive the entrepreneurs towards the adoption of FSC certification, followed by moral and ethical reasons. In terms of impact, emerges that companies are compared to higher operation costs necessary to obtain the certification of compliance with the scheme requirements, that are only partially compensated, not by an increase in the selling price of certified products, but by the company's ability to establish new business relationships with a consequent increase in the sales.

Abandonment of agricultural land leads to several consequences for ecosystem functions. Agricultural abandonment may be a significant and low cost strategy for carbon sequestration and mitigation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions due to the vegetation recovery and increase in soil organic matter. The aim of this study was to: (i) estimate the influence of different Soil Regions (areas characterized by a typical climate and parent material association) and Bioclimates (zones with homogeneous climatic regions and thermotype indices) on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics after agricultural land abandonment; and (ii) to analyse the efficiency of the agri-environment policy (agri-environment measures) suggested by the European Commission in relation to potential SOC stock ability in the Sicilian Region (Italy). In order to quantify the effects of agricultural abandonment on SOC, a dataset with original data that was sampled in Sicily and existing data from the literature were analysed according to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) methodology. Results showed that abandonment of cropland soils increased SOC stock by 9.03MgCha−1 on average, ranging from 5.4MgCha−1 to 26.7MgCha−1 in relation to the Soil Region and Bioclimate. The estimation of SOC change after agricultural use permitted calculation of the payments for ecosystem service (PES) of C sequestration after agricultural land abandonment in relation to environmental benefits, increasing in this way the efficiency of PES. Considering the 14,337ha of abandoned lands in Sicily, the CO2 emission as a whole was reduced by 887,745Mg CO2. Therefore, it could be concluded that abandoned agricultural fields represents a valid opportunity to mitigate agriculture sector emissions in Sicily.

Italian wine is increasingly appreciated in new world consumer countries and, in particular, in Russia where consumers associate its consumption with an Italian lifestyle. In this paper, market value for wine search attributes is measured through the estimation of a hedonic price model using online data from a Wine Searcher website and the information contained in the labels of wines marketed in Russia. Results show a premium price for wines from Piedmont and Tuscany, and in particular for non-native varieties and for Indicazione Geografica Tipica and Protected Geographical Indication wines. Additionally, vintage and higher alcohol content have a significant positive impact on the prices that consumers are willing to pay for wines. The knowledge of the implicit price of wine quality attributes has important implication for producers to aid in the adoption of effective marketing strategies, and for decision-makers for the adoption of effective measures to improve regional competitiveness in the world market.

Since ancient times Humans and Soil have experienced interwoven links. Nowadays soil scientists continue to stress such links highlighting the importance of soil in: i) satisfying the ever growing Human demand for food, water and energy, and ii) providing ecosystem services that mitigate climate changes, influence human health and improve biodiversity. Pedotechniques are recently used to generate soils suitable for table grape cultivation in order to increase productivity and grape quality, thus to get substantial financial returns. We show one emblematic study case of pedotechniques applied in Sicily (Italy). Aims of the investigation were: i) stressing threats to soil security derived by the generation of anthropogenic soils, ii) assessing the economic sustainability of pedotechniques and table grape production, taking into consideration only the internal factors and excluding the external economic contributions that are allocated to social sustainability and iii) stressing the role of soil science to focus on “economic value” to the soil ecosystem services and degradation processes. Results highlight that soil transformations allow for considerable investment costs. The highest productivity and the consequent higher profitability of the cultivation amortize the start-up costs. From the other side transformations could trigger considerable deterioration of both soil ecosystem services and environmental quality. In order to stress this last aspect and to define the relationships between pedotechnique application and soil security we have considered the five soil security dimensions (i.e. capability, condition, capital, connectivity and codification).

The paper is an original article that uses accounting frameworks to determine what creates a competitive advantage in a cooperative business model. In particular, it investigates the influence of tangible, intangible and financial resources on the business performance of cooperatives operating in the Sicilian wine industry, with the RBV of the firms as a theoretical background. Using a linear regression model, our results show that tangible and financial resources are a source of a sustained competitive advantage. This study fills the gap existing in the strategic management literature related to the role of resources, tangible and intangible, in the cooperative system, providing both theoretical and practical implications.

This study was directed to assess the clinical impact of the circulating cathepsin L, cystatin C, activin A, and follistatin in breast cancer patients. The serum concentrations of these molecules were determined by immunoenzymatic assays, and their association with some clinico-pathological parameters of breast cancer progression was evaluated. Our results identified cystatin C and activin A as predictive markers for the presence of breast cancer and bone metastasis, respectively. Therefore, these proteins may have a clinical role as circulating biomarkers in the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of breast cancer patients.

The national identity of Slavic Mitteleuropa is examined by means of a new approach to different cultural paradigms, namely the historical events out of which the popular canon in music flourished at the end of eighteenth-century Poland and in nineteenth-century Bohemia, Slovenia and Croatia. This phenomenon must be analysed within a framework in which cosmopolitism and nationalism co-existed in a mix of functional and autonomous music, superseding the boundaries of subordination, adaptation and autonomy.

Il contributo prende in esame il "meraviglioso" come categoria fondativa dell'opera seicentesca e della sua realizzazione scenica, mettendo inoltre a confronto le messinscene storiche con le regie attuali di opere del Seicento.

Conference of the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the economic benefits of short sea shipping (SSS) in the shape of Motorways of the Sea (MoS) compared to road transport. The study cover a gap in agro-food economics and analyses the economic benefits of sea transport mode compared to road transport in the food trade between Spain and Italy for a specific product: olive oils. Design/methodology/approach – Three different transportation scenarios are considered (road only, road combined with accompanied SSS and road combined with unaccompanied SSS) linking the main olive oil production and consumption areas in Spain and Italy. In each scenario the cost per unit shipped have been calculated. Findings – The results show the road option is about 30 and 34 per cent more costly than the best SSS option available for the exportations from Jaén and Southern Catalonia, respectively. Research limitations/implications – The need of further research is identified, mainly focused in two directions: first, the need for inclusion of new variables to the model (e.g. value of time, seasonality, complexity of the transport chain, potential demand, etc.) to better assess the competitiveness of the sea connection and, second, a study of the environmental impact and socio-economic benefits of SSS implementation for the agri-food sector. Originality/value – The research enriches the current literature on this field and provides a basis for future studies. In particular, it corroborates the strategic decisions taken in the framework of European transport policy demonstrating a greater economic sustainability of SSS, and more specifically MoS, compared to the road transport.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of the PES scheme actually used in the Sicilian rural development program, based on an egalitarian criterion, and proposing an alternative scheme in order to guarantee a greater equity and fairness of premium distribution in relation to soil carbon (C) sequestration potential. We, first, assessed the ecosystem services (ES) provided by agri-environmental measures (AEM) in terms of SOC stock increase in Sicilian vineyards. Based on these data we evaluated the efficiency of agro-environmental payments according to an egalitarian criterion and simulated the effects of the actual provision criterion adoption. Results showed that the adoption of an egalitarian criterion generates an inequitable distribution of agri-environmental payments, which could potentially be mitigated by a scheme such as actual provision. The latter, indeed, leads to a greater efficiency in the distribution of financial resources among land users and offers a higher premium to land users that, by adopting an agro-environmental practice, contribute to increase soil C sequestration.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is dual. The first is to assess the quality of websites of Italian wineries, using the Web Assessment Index (WAI), and compare e-commerce and e-marketing websites. The second is to verify the existence of a relationship between the website quality and business revenue, on one hand, and the characteristics of managers, on the other. Design/methodology/approach A two-step survey was carried out to respond to the aims of the study. First, a sample of wineries was contacted to capture information on both the wineries and managerial characteristics. On the basis of the observed data, a second step of the analysis was performed taking into consideration 84 wineries having a website. The website quality has been evaluated by WAI, and afterwards, it has been related to the internal business factors previously identified. Findings Findings show that the website quality is higher in e-commerce websites than in e-marketing websites, and that business revenue and the education level of managers have a positive influence on the websites’ quality. Research limitations/implications The results of the study need to be interpreted within the context for which this research was designed and cannot be applied generally to all businesses. Practical implications Findings have some theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical point of view, this study validates the WAI model in the wine sector. From a managerial perspective, results are useful both for wineries creating an online presence for the first time, and for those already existing which, and for system designers of websites. Originality/value Very few empirical studies have been conducted on the relationship between website quality, business performance and managerial characteristics.

Over the last few years, the Italian fishery sector has showed a tendential reduction in the economic performance because of the contraction of the value of the product, as a result of the fall in the catches and in the production average prices of the main species, and of the growing operational costs. Therefore, the contraction of the National supply is balanced by the imports which, in terms of value in the reference period tested in the current study (2003/04 – 2007/08) have grown, causing a further burdening in the absolute value of the Italian trade balance. The outlined background is made further worse by the slowdown, in few years, in the rise in the fishery products consumptions, due to the reduction in the purchasing power of the families and to the competition of the import products. The study, after analysing the structure and the trend of the import-export trade of the main Italian fishery products, quantifies Italy’s competitive advantage in the business with the chief trade partners with the aim to put forward possible intervention strategies oriented to improve Italy’s competitive performances on the international market. The analysis shows how just for some products it is possible to expect a market rise and, in particular, for the fishery resources that our seas are plenty of. The products with a high trade value as shrimps, cuttlefish, squids and red tunas, since they are overexploited resources, can be, only within certain limits, object of strategies of penetration in the market. For other products instead, as sardines, it’s possible to formulate some intervention strategies oriented to a higher sensitization of the consumers about the nutritional proprieties of the sardines, anchovies etc., and of the local catch in particular, helping, indirectly, to reduce the foreign supplies. In this background, the certification of the product, the assignation of quality trademarks, but above all an effective information of the healthy characteristics of the catch, are effective strategies to improve Italy’s competitive position in the International market.

Cathepsin L is a ubiquitous lysosomal cysteine endopeptidase that is mainly involved in the metabolic turnover of intracellular proteins. However, it is now well established that this enzyme may also be implicated in the regulation of other important biological processes includ- ing bone resorption. Therefore, altered expression levels of Cathepsin L may result in disturbances of bone homeo- stasis and, eventually, in the onset of pathological condi- tions associated with altered bone turnover. These observations support the concept that Cathepsin L may be regarded as an additional target for the development of novel therapeutic options for the treatment of patients with bone diseases. This review provides insight into the most recent advances in understanding the role of Cathepsin L in normal and pathological bone remodeling and discusses the potential clinical and therapeutic applications related to these findings.

Context: There is increasing evidence that Vitamin D (Vit D) and its metabolites, besides their well-known calcium-related functions, may also exert antiproliferative, pro-differentiating, and immune modulatory effects on tumor cells in vitro and may also delay tumor growth in vivo. Objective: The aim of this review is to provide fresh insight into the most recent advances on the role of Vit D and its analogues as chemopreventive drugs in cancer therapy. Methods: A systematic review of experimental and clinical studies on Vit D and cancer was undertaken by using the major electronic health database including ISI Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar. Results and conclusion: Experimental and clinical observations suggest that Vit D and its analogues may be effective in preventing the malignant transformation and/or the progression of various types of human tumors including breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and some hematological malignances. These findings suggest the possibility of the clinical use of these molecules as novel potential chemopreventive and anticancer agents