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The prevalence of misinformation has spurred various interested parties—regulators, the media, and competing firms—to debunk false claims in the marketplace. This research examines whether such debunking messages provided by these parties can impact consumer purchase behavior. If so, does debunking effectively correct consumers' misinformed beliefs—an ideal outcome from a policy maker's perspective—or does it merely reinforce correct beliefs, as predicted by biased belief updating? With theory providing contradictory predictions, the authors design and implement a conjoint experiment that enables measurement of willingness to pay under exposure to real-world misinformation and debunking messages. Focusing on three ingredients in product categories where misinformation is prevalent (aluminum in deodorant, fluoride in toothpaste, and genetically modified organisms in food), the authors find that debunking plays an important role in mitigating the impact of misinformation. More specifically, debunking can attenuate the decrease in willingness to pay caused by misinformation by correcting misbeliefs, a promising finding for policy makers. The authors discuss the incentives for firms to debunk misinformation or to introduce new products that conform to misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owners value heritage goods, items that connect them to a shared past, whether through their alma mater or their family history. This research considers the impact of heritage on owners who wish to sell such goods. In five studies, the authors demonstrate that sellers have a lower willingness to accept when selling heritage goods to buyers with a shared heritage connection relative to buyers without this connection (i.e., a heritage discount). This heritage discount cannot be explained by ingroup favoritism, sentimental value, or appropriateness of buyer usage and persists even when sellers perceive that the buyer has a higher willingness to pay. The authors provide process evidence that the effect of the buyer's identity on the seller's willingness to accept is driven by concerns about heritage loss. The findings contribute to literatures on sharing, sentimental goods, psychological ownership, and the endowment effect and have marketing implications for consumer goods (e.g., collectibles) that derive product value by connecting consumers to meaningful history and traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how a price promotion on a fast-moving consumer good influences the sales of substitute products in a retail shelf or online display. An analysis of supermarket yogurt data finds that when nonpromoted products are strong substitutes for the promoted product, a 1% decrease in the price of the promoted product results in a.25% decrease in the sales of proximal products but no change in the sales of distal products—a negative promotion-proximity effect. However, when nonpromoted products are weak substitutes for the promoted product, a 1% decrease in the price of the promoted product results in a.10% increase in the sales of proximal products but no change in sales for distal products—a positive promotion-proximity effect. Subsequent studies show that these effects occur because a proximal strong substitute is more likely to enter a consideration set with the promoted product (negative promotion-proximity effect) and a proximal weak substitute is more likely to be seen and considered by a consumer who is not interested in the promoted product (positive promotion-proximity effect). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of decision-making for companies buying transportation services has increased due to the presence of more options and pricing schedules for transportation. Many companies make transportation and inventory decisions in an uncoordinated way and select only one transportation mode, missing opportunities for logistics cost savings. The experimental study in this paper is based on a real-world decision problem faced by a Scandinavian company that distributes fast-moving consumer goods and wants to determine its transportation strategy. We propose a novel multi-mode lot-sizing model with dynamic deterministic demand to illustrate the cost impact of accurately modelling piecewise-linear transportation costs and allowing a more flexible usage of transportation modes when planning order replenishments. We compare three transportation strategies with increasing degrees of flexibility: two single mode strategies, where one strategy is more flexible than the other, and a multi-mode strategy. We conclude that managers can significantly reduce costs by increasing the flexibility of mode selection in transportation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed predictable exposure scenarios for thorium-containing gas mantles throughout their life cycle, considering their usage status in the Republic of Korea, and assessed the radiation dose for each scenario. Our results showed that radiation doses in various scenarios, including transport, distribution, usage, and disposal, as well as in low-probability accident scenarios, consistently remained below the regulatory exemption standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Therefore, we concluded that the exemption regulation for the gas mantle is valid under current circumstances in the ROK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP) is a primary metabolite of di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHexP) and other mixed side-chain phthalates that was recently detected in urine samples from adults and children in Germany. DnHexP is classified as toxic for reproduction category 1B in Annex VI of Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 and listed in Annex XIV of the European chemical legislation REACH; thereby, its use requires an authorisation. Health-based guidance values for DnHexP are lacking and a full-scale risk assessment has not been carried out under REACH. The detection of MnHexP in urine samples raises questions about the sources of exposure and concerns of consumer safety. Here, we propose the calculation of a provisional oral tolerable daily intake value (TDI) of 63 µg/kg body weight/day for DnHexP and compare it to intake levels corresponding to levels of MnHexP found in urine. The resulting mean intake levels correspond to less than 0.2% of the TDI, and maximum levels to less than 5%. The TDI was derived by means of an approximate probabilistic analysis using the credible interval from benchmark dose modelling of published ex vivo data on reduced foetal testosterone production in rats. Thus, for the dose associated to a 20% reduction in testosterone production, a lower and upper credible interval of 14.9 and 30.0 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, was used. This is considered a conservative approach, since apical developmental endpoints (e.g. changed anogenital distance) were only observed at higher doses. In addition, we modelled various scenarios of the exposure to the precursor substance DnHexP from different consumer products, taking measured contamination levels into account, and estimated systemic exposure doses. Of the modelled scenarios including the application of sunscreen (as a lotion or pump spray), the use of lip balm, and the wearing of plastic sandals, and considering conservative assumptions, the use of DnHexP-contaminated sunscreen was highlighted as a major contributing factor. A hypothetical calculation using conservative assumptions for the latter resulted in a margin of safety in relation to the lower credible interval of 3267 and 1007 for adults and young children, respectively. Most importantly, it was found that only a fraction of the TDI is reached in all studied exposure scenarios. Thus, with regard to the reported DnHexP exposure, a health risk can be considered very unlikely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has seen a significant increase in new product lines in 'smart' consumer products. These products have been manufactured and released in the wake of technological developments allowing for everyday objects and environments to be computerised and connected to the Internet. Some of these new products will inevitably contain or develop defects compromising their function, and when they are discarded they have the potential to add substantially to the ever-growing global e-waste problem. A stronger right to repair, particularly in the context of these new products, would assist in reducing e-waste, promoting sustainability, and growing a circular economy. This paper examines the recommendations of the recent Australian Productivity Commission Inquiry regarding the 'right to repair' through the lens of sustainability principles for consumer products agreed upon by the United Nations. The Productivity Commission's recommendations unfortunately contain some significant gaps in relation to reducing e-waste and promoting sustainable production and consumption. However, some significant lessons can be learned by the international community from the Australian experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While servitization has been recognised for its potential to augment organizational revenue and fortify competitive advantage, the exploration of alternative servitization trajectories to the classical servitization model has been little explored in literature. Recent literature introduces the "service paradox" and presents different trajectories to the classical model, but it does not explain why a company chooses one trajectory instead of another. Therefore, this study aims to provide a model that, based on the contextual factors present, recommends which servitization trajectory the company should choose. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a combination of design science research (DSR) and context, intervention, mechanisms and outcomes (CIMO) to propose the model. An initial contextual factors list was created based on the literature, refined by the company's employees and evaluated in three selected initiatives in the focal company. Furthermore, based on the understanding of the CIMO logic elements, four design propositions were elaborated to summarize the main findings of the study. Findings: The study has demonstrated that the choice of a servitisation trajectory is intricately tied to a multitude of contextual factors, prompting organisations to deviate from conventional models towards alternative paths. Furthermore, the research sheds light on the underlying mechanisms and contextual drivers that shape servitisation decisions within the context of a consumer goods manufacturer. The analysis underscores the pivotal role of market dynamics and strategic adaptability in shaping servitisation strategies, underscoring the importance of customized approaches that cater to the distinct circumstances of each organisations. Originality/value: The research contributes to both theory and practice by offering profound insights into the complex nature of servitisation, advocating for continuous adaptation and strategic alignment with market demands. For practitioners and decision-makers, the study provides valuable guidance on enhancing service offerings and navigating the complexities of servitisation within specific sectors, fostering a culture of learning and adaptation to drive sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has not only dramatically affected the ordinary course of social life, but also caused an idiosyncratic downturn in the global economy and created multidimensional effects on international trade and Cross-Border E-Commerce merchandise flows. This paper provides unique empirical evidence of how the consequences of the pandemic have distinctively diverged on conventional and simplified customs clearance, which includes Cross-Border E-Commerce orders, differed significantly. The Difference-in-differences (DiD) and Causal Inference estimates for the 2019:01-2021:06 interval suggest that simplified customs clearance shows more resilience to COVID-19 effects relative to conventional customs clearance and reduces the negative impact of COVID-19 influences on export performance in the case of Turkey. The fundamental outcomes remain consistent when the sample includes emerging markets and when the analysis employs the export of consumer goods as opposed to total exports in the conventional mode. Overall, the findings highlight the significant role of E-Commerce and simplified customs processes in enhancing export performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), it has become increasingly challenging for users to assess the privacy risks associated with consumer products and the continuous stream of user data needed to operate them. In this study, we propose and test three mechanisms with the potential to help users make more accurate assessments of privacy risks. We refer to these mechanisms as framing (i.e., presenting information on the collection and use of user data with or without direct reference to privacy risks), comparing (i.e., presenting a product and the associated information on data collection and use with or without reference to an alternative product), and educating (i.e., augmenting users' general privacy literacy). To assess these mechanisms in different IoT contexts, we conducted two scenario-based online experiments with reference to a telematics device (n = 317) and a fitness tracker (n = 356). In both studies, we find that actual privacy risks as manipulated in the experiment are only moderately related to the privacy risks perceived by users. However, comparing and educating each helped users make more accurate privacy risk assessments. In Study 2, framing and comparing jointly enabled especially users with low privacy literacy to assess privacy risks more accurately. These findings have meaningful implications for key actors in the IoT ecosystem and those regulating it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse how the factors remuneration, supervision and board structure influence the good corporate governance of companies in the Spanish Continuous Market. This paper develops, for the first time, an index based on the recommendations defined in the Good Governance Code of Listed Companies. This paper measures remuneration, monitoring and governance structure and employs a multiple linear regression model modelling corporate governance as a latent factor. Based on this model, this research presents empirical evidence of the relationship between corporate governance and the defined variables, considering Spanish Continuous Market firms disaggregated by sector. To date, there are no studies that have taken into account the analysis for all sectors in the same country. Among the conclusions, the research finds that the larger a company is, the better the mechanisms for providing an optimal degree of governance, as is the case in the oil, energy and technology sectors. In another sense, the higher the number of proprietary directors the lower the levels of good governance, mainly in basic materials, industrial, construction and consumer goods and services companies. The empirical results also justify the inclusion of Corporate Governance-related factors in governance regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread presence of microplastics in the environment has raised significant concerns regarding their potential impact on human and animal health. Among various microplastic types, polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) are particularly prevalent due to the extensive use in packaging and consumer products. Exploring the uncharted therapeutic potentials of naringin, this study delves into its mitigating effects on disruptions in kallikrein-3 levels, steroidal-thyroidal hormone balance, and antioxidant defense triggered by PE-MPs exposure, paving the way for novel interventions in environmental toxin-induced endocrine and oxidative stress disorders. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were randomly grouped into four: Control, PE-MPs (1.5 mg/kg), PE-MPs + NAR (1.5 mg/kg PE-MPs + 100 mg/kg NAR), and NAR (100 mg/kg). Hormonal and antioxidant parameters were assessed after 28 days of exposure. PE-MPs exposure caused a significant increase(p < 0.005) in the level of kallikrein-3 (KLK-3) while it significantly reduces the levels of testosterone (TST), luteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and Free-triiodothyronine (fT3) and Total cholesterol (TChol) concentration. PE-MPs exposure also disrupted significantly (p < 0.005) antioxidant profile by down-regulating the activities of glutathione-S-transferase, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reducing levels of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AA) while concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased relative to control. However, the mitigating potentials of naringin on disruptions in hormonal and antioxidant profiles caused by PE-MPs exposure were demonstrated, as NAR normalized KLK-3, steroid, and thyroid hormone levels, cholesterol concentration, and enhanced antioxidant defense. This suggests that NAR is a promising protective agent against endocrine and oxidative damage induced by environmental contaminants such as microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waste of polymeric materials in our society is increasing year after year, generating a serious pollution problem. One way to deal with this waste problem is to recycle and reuse these materials. This process of recovery of used plastic materials aims to minimise their impact on the environment and reduce the energy consumption required for the generation of new consumer products. Recycling companies that recover these plastic materials must take into account some aspects such as transparency and colour, cleanliness, size, odour and sorting. One of the major disadvantages in accepting these recycled materials in the production processes is their odour, which in some cases causes the rejection of materials with comparable mechanical characteristics. High-density polyethylene, HDPE, is one of the polymeric wastes generated in the packaging industry. The aim of this work is to eliminate the bad odour of HDPE from waste collection plants for application in the recovery and reuse industry. HDPE supplied by a recycling company was washed, characterised and processed, and the odour was analysed by gas chromatography at each stage and by olfactory panel. In view of the results, it was observed that the washing processes managed to reduce the odour. Likewise, the processing of this waste by extrusion and injection managed to further reduce this effect, even eliminating some of the components responsible for odour by treating the samples with acetone and then extruding and injecting these samples. These results have a direct application in the packaging industry with significant shares of recycled material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies with established product families can meet emerging market needs by extending their product families over time, that is, by introducing new product variants sequentially. Starting points for each new design can be generated by integrating design solutions from existing products in the same family. This article introduces an automated systematic approach to derive all possible ways of combining existing designs to produce a new variant with a desired new combination of functionality, based on algorithmic analysis of product models. The approach considers the functions in existing products and how they are realised in specific CAD parts and the geometric features defining them. By automatically generating and evaluating all the options, the new approach helps identify the most efficient way to combine existing parts and features from a product family to generate a new product variant with distinct functionality. The approach has been applied to product families of mechanical and mechatronic consumer products. It was evaluated by manually implementing the automatically-generated redesign instructions in CAD for several product variants, which built confidence in the approach's accuracy and performance. From the evaluation, opportunities for further work are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for sustainable products and ambitious sustainability goals in the home and beauty care industry are driving innovation, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Syensqo (formerly Solvay) is addressing this challenge through its UP Bio-circular product range, which integrates bio-based materials and circular economy principles, supported by life cycle analysis. This approach aims to significantly lower the carbon footprint of consumer goods without compromising on product performance. Syensqo's products blend circular and fossil-based feedstocks using the mass-balance principle, ensuring traceability and sustainability throughout the supply chain. The company's comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) plays a crucial role in assessing the environmental performance of our products and can comprehensively measure our products' footprint and identify improvement areas. UP Bio-circular Solutions positively impacts several environmental factors included in life cycle assessments beyond CO2 footprint, such as lower land use, reduced water consumption, and improved waste management. This ensures that shifting to circular materials not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also minimizes harm to ecosystems. The company's UP Bio-circular solutions are particularly suited for consumer goods like shampoos and detergents, offering substantial environmental benefits. Through continuous innovation and collaboration, Syensqo aims to lead the market in sustainable practices, promoting a carbon-neutral future and a lasting positive impact on the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and methods: Competition regulation has a strong influence on the relative market power of firms. As such, competition regulation can complement industry-specific measures designed to address harms associated with excessive market power in harmful consumer product industries. This study aimed to examine, through a public health lens, assessments and decisions made by competition authorities in four jurisdictions (Australia, South Africa, the United States (US), and the European Union (EU)) involving three harmful consumer product industries (alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, tobacco). We analysed legal case documents, sourced from online public registers and dating back as far as the online records extended, using a narrative approach. Regulatory decisions and harms described by the authorities were inductively coded, focusing on the affected group(s) (e.g., consumers) and the nature of the harms (e.g., price increases) identified. Results: We identified 359 cases published by competition authorities in Australia (n = 202), South Africa (n = 44), the US (n = 27), and the EU (n = 86). Most cases (n = 239) related to mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Competition authorities in Australia, the US, and the EU were found to make many decisions oriented towards increasing the affordability and accessibility of alcohol beverages, soft drinks, and tobacco products. Such decisions were very often made despite the presence of consumption-reduction public health policies. In comparison, South Africa's competition authorities routinely considered broader issues, including 'Black Economic Empowerment' and potential harms to workers. Conclusion: Many of the competition regulatory decisions assessed likely facilitated the concentration of market power in the industries we explored. Nevertheless, there appears to be potential for competition regulatory frameworks to play a more prominent role in promoting and protecting the public's health through tighter regulation of excessive market power in harmful consumer product industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are all food ingredients, dietary supplement ingredients and even foods, required to meet the same safety standards? Are they all equally safe? If so, then why do the various categories have different expressions describing their safety, such as "reasonable certainty of no harm" for food ingredients and "reasonable expectation of no harm" for dietary supplement ingredients? The basis for these different expressions is that they are not standards of safety, but standards of proof of safety. Just as in criminal vs. civil courts, the threshold for proving guilt or fault is different, so too are there differences between various categories of consumer products regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. This manuscript describes the threshold requirements for each standard, as well as to the identity of the decision makers on what is safe, their credentials as decision makers and the databases mandated for their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks are vulnerable to attacks, posing significant security concerns across various applications, particularly in computer vision. Adversarial training has demonstrated effectiveness in improving the robustness of deep learning models by incorporating perturbations into the input space during training. Recently, adversarial training has been successfully applied to deep recommender systems. In these systems, user and item embeddings are perturbed through a minimax game, with constraints on perturbation directions, to enhance the model's robustness and generalization. However, they still fail to defend against iterative attacks, which have shown an over 60% increase in effectiveness in the computer vision domain. Deep recommender systems may therefore be more susceptible to iterative attacks, which might lead to generalization failures. In this paper, we adapt iterative examples for deep recommender systems. Specifically, we propose a Deep Recommender with Iteration Directional Adversarial Training (DRIDAT) that combines attention mechanism and directional adversarial training for recommendations. Firstly, we establish a consumer-product collaborative attention to convey consumers different preferences on their interested products and the distinct preferences of different consumers on the same product they like. Secondly, we train the DRIDAT objective function using adversarial learning to minimize the impact of iterative attack. In addition, the maximum direction attack could push the embedding vector of input attacks towards instances with distinct labels. We mitigate this problem by implementing suitable constraints on the direction of the attack. Finally, we perform a series of evaluations on two prominent datasets. The findings show that our methodology outperforms all other methods for all metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose is to examine the role of consumer animosity as a prime paradigm in the relationship between self-reliance, patriotism, ethnocentrism, and religiosity of Indian consumers and their unwillingness to buy Chinese-made products. Using AMOS and SPSS Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), data from a convenience sample of 315 Indian consumers were used to test the proposed models. The results suggested that the impact of self-reliance, ethnocentrism, and religiosity on consumer animosity plays an essential role in consumer unwillingness to buy Chinese-made products. Consumer product knowledge moderated the relationship between animosity and unwillingness to buy. Based on these findings, potential managerial actions to account for consumer animosity can be suggested. The current study emphasizes that patriotism exerts the most decisive impact on consumer animosity, followed by self-reliance, making these prime strategic choices for managerial action. While consumer animosity has received attention in the literature, the self-reliance and religiosity of Indian consumers as drivers of animosity have not been tested before. This is important as it demonstrates possible strategic options for managers to pursue. Moreover, within our study's context, Indian consumers' unwillingness to buy Chinese products is a crucial issue as these countries are among the largest economies in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tools used during mobilities are very diverse, but their operation and structure can be traced back to the same basic principles that created the material handling machines during the previous centuries. Today, knowledge of material handling machines has become a basic necessity not only for industrial and service processes, but also for people's everyday lives, since our lives are almost unimaginably filled with different means of transportation, or without using the vehicles that transport and load our daily consumer goods. As in all areas, material handling is becoming more and more modern, and equipment that serves social and economic needs at a high level is used. One of the most defining characteristics of today's consumer society is extremely rapid change, which also affects our devices, so the design of material handling machines is also constantly changing. An important question of competitive service is how to meet rapidly changing needs. In my article, I review the development of material handling equipment, or the most important handling machines used in modern systems. Based on the outlined processes and technical changes, I will try to show where material handling is headed, what trends prevail today or are expected in server systems of the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore consumer perceptions of product design awards (PDAs) and their impact on consumer product evaluation and attitude formation about the award-winning product, the award-winning organization and the award-granting organization. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the grounded theory approach, an exploratory qualitative study is conducted, using 16 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Turkish consumers through discussions on real-world examples. Findings: Results show that consumers develop emotional responses to PDAs (e.g. interest, curiosity and confusion), hypothesize reasons for products receiving awards and cite rewards as confirmation of their existing judgments about products. PDAs are perceived as extrinsic cues signaling quality and price, and their impact is increased when consumers feel that the award is based on functional feature superiority. Consumer responses to PDAs are also influenced by the perceived expertise of the award-granting organization and beliefs about the award-granting process. Finally, PDAs can lead to positive brand-perception outcomes, influencing consumer perceptions of the product company as resourceful, competent and prominent. Practical implications: This study shows that it is critical for companies to inform consumers about the specific features that resulted in a given product receiving a design award, as well as to provide information about the PDA itself. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first attempt to explore consumer perceptions of and reactions to PDAs, with significant implications for both the marketing managers of PDA-winning products and award-granting organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study determined the effect of quadruple bottom line reporting (proxies by economic, social, environmental, and governance disclosures) on cost saving among listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted using a population size of 21 listed consumer goods manufacturing firms from which a sample of fifteen was purposively selected. The data collected for the study spanned a period of 10 years from 2013 to 2022. Random effect model was estimated at 5% significance level which revealed that economic, social, environmental, and governance disclosures significantly enhance cost saving among listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria. In conclusion, the adoption of quadruple bottom line reporting can offer manufacturing firms a strategic advantage. It aligns with global trends in sustainable business practices and can position these firms to enjoy cost-saving opportunities. To maximize the benefits of quadruple bottom line reporting, manufacturing firms should make a concerted effort to integrate economic, social, environmental, and governance disclosures into their business practices in order to enhance transparency and accountability, leading to improved cost-saving opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pet‐food industry growth and demand for specialized product offerings have generated new opportunities for companies to enhance their competitiveness and profitability through effective product differentiation. Recent rise in e‐commerce and technological advancements for capturing and analyzing online customer review data provide new opportunities for large‐scale assessment of customer perceptions of product attributes. This paper presents an integrated qualitative and quantitative approach for utilizing online customer review data to generate insights for informing pet‐food industry product and marketing decisions. The results from the analysis of 5632 online reviews of two pet‐food products highlight (i) product attributes that effectively differentiate (or put on par) two competing pet‐food products, (ii) identify product attributes that are most important for customer postpurchase experience, and (iii) estimate the effect of specific attributes on customers' positive (or negative) postpurchase experience. Specific pet‐food attributes examined include packaging, health/benefit, ingredient, taste, smell, appearance/form, natural/organic, processing, sourcing, small/large breed, price, and service. The advantages of this approach include its ability to leverage large amounts of easily accessible data and its generalizability to the analysis of other consumer goods that have significant online sales and customer review data [EconLit Citations: Q13, M31]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety in consumer goods is maintained by product safety laws and associated regulations. However, the legislation and regulations are specific to product categories and legal jurisdictions, thus impeding one's ability to understand what a recall is and isn't, and how it differs from related phenomena (e.g., product-harm crisis). The authors aim to provide such an understanding. They reviewed 510 reports from academics, managers, governments, and regulators; conducted interviews with 25 practitioners; and used 10 recall data sets to identify seven fundaments of recall. They synthesize the fundaments to propose a definition and a decision tree of recall, which can help inform academics, journalists, managers, lawyers, and safety advocates regarding what term is appropriate in what context. The authors apply the fundaments to identify similarities and differences between a recall and a harm crisis, the term used frequently in marketing research in association with recall. The fundaments also enable the authors to make five recommendations each for lawmakers and regulators in an effort to guide the academic and practitioner discourse on product recall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Existing life cycle sustainability assessments (LCSAs) suffer from a lack of comprehensiveness, consistency and practical tools for implementation. A robust and operational methodology for LCSA of products was developed in which life cycle costing (LCC) covers the economic dimension. We aim to define a comprehensive LCC methodology not tailored to a specific type of product for the purpose of LCSA and test its applicability. Methods: Based on a literature screening, best practice and research needs are identified. Subsequently, a comprehensive LCC methodology is developed that (a) suits LCSA purposes, (b) explicitly addresses double counting, (c) is applicable to different stakeholder needs, (d) addresses externalities and (e) facilitates LCC. It can be used as part of the LCSA, but also stand-alone. The LCC methodology is applied in two case studies, one on the business-to-business (B2B) "beverage carton package" and one on the consumer product "outdoor wool jacket". Results and discussion: To align specifically with the LCSA's environmental part, guidance for an environmental LCC for a generic product was established. While providing minimum requirements, it also allows flexibility in terms of considering discounting or positive cash flows and thus the choice of the economic indicator, depending also on the defined goal and scope, and the chosen stakeholder perspective. Practical guidance on data collection and management is provided in the form of an extended cost breakdown structure and regarding the allocation of product-unspecific costs. Double counting within LCC and within LCSA is addressed. The methodology was applied in two case studies, quantifying the "total undiscounted value" (package) and "total undiscounted cost" indicators (jacket). A solution to communicating results containing confidential data and from different stakeholder perspectives was found for the jacket case. Confidentiality and the lack of publicly available data of sufficient quality prevented the sharing of the "package" results. Conclusions: An LCC methodology for use in LCSA is developed, and its applicability is tested in two case studies. Novelties concern the methodological consideration of different stakeholder perspectives, suggesting alternative aggregated economic indicators, the proposed cost breakdown structure as an economic inventory, guidance on allocation of product-unspecific costs and addressing double counting. Data availability, including confidentiality, and quality remain barriers to publishing LCC results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global microplastic pollution issue, as a result of the indispensable usage of microplastics in building materials, packaged food, medical products and consumer goods, poses significant health problems for the population. These small particles can penetrate intact cell barriers in the intestines and alveoli, thereby entering the bloodstream. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of reduced plastic consumption on blood pressure. Eight adult and healthy participants abstained from consuming commercially produced bottled beverages and restricted their primary fluid intake to tap water. Blood pressure was measured on both sides before, after 14 days and after 28 to 30 days of this partial plastic diet. Women exhibit a significant change in systolic blood pressure on the right arm after 2 and 4 weeks, while the left arm demonstrates no significant changes in blood pressure. On the contrary, in men, systolic blood pressure values on both arms show no significant alterations, attributable to the high variability across the three participants. Moreover, no significant differences in systolic blood pressure were observed when analysing the entire cohort. Significant findings are evident only at the two-week mark for diastolic blood pressure for all participants in both arms. When considering diastolic blood pressure separately for women and men, men again show no significant changes in blood pressure on either arm. However, women exhibit a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure on the left arm after 2 weeks and a statistically significant decline in diastolic blood pressure on the right arm after both 2 and 4 weeks. The results of the study suggest, for the first time, that a reduction in plastic use could potentially lower blood pressure, probably due to the reduced volume of plastic particles in the bloodstream. To confirm this hypothesis, a larger sample of male and female participants must be examined, ideally with the monitoring of plastic concentration in the blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to examine the importance of variables such as perceived quality, low price, social interaction, consumer knowledge, and packaging on purchase intention for beer in the Brazilian market; and to identify consumer groups with a distinct profile based on their behavior concerning these important variables. We found that perceived quality, low price, and social interaction were predictors of the willingness to buy beer. We also found that consumer product knowledge and packaging moderated the effects of perceived quality and low price on purchase intention. Our findings showed that the more product knowledge a consumer possesses, the less perceived quality would impact a beer brand's purchase intention; and the greater the influence of packaging, the less impact a low price will have on the purchase intention of a beer brand. Our research also identified three distinct groups of beer consumers: Bohemians, Tasters, and NOBELs (NOt a BEer Lover). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work on the material culture of the eighteenth century has shown that light was more than a metaphor. The everyday social practise of the Enlightenment reposed on a contrast between light and dark. There was a growing emphasis on brightness in clothing and furnishings, and elite homes, social venues, fashionable shops, and even the main streets were more brightly lit. Fireworks displays became more frequent and more spectacular. Furthermore, in many Enlightenment practices, such as theater, Freemason lodges, salons, and coffeehouses, light was not simply a practical necessity, but was central to the meaning of the activity. However, this growing use of light (and of heating in the colder months) came with a dark side, for it greatly increased the risk of fire. It led to many blazes, especially in theaters but also in other public venues and in private homes. Fireworks caused explosions and dangerous fires. The danger was further increased by some of the consumer goods that accompanied elite social practices, including tallow and oils, furnishings, clothing, and sugar. They were all flammable, and many of them were dangerous to manufacture and to store. The material culture and sociability of Enlightenment thus created new fire risks, particularly in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the response of complex fluids to different flow conditions has been the focal point of rheology and is generally done via constitutive relations. There are, nonetheless, scenarios in which not much is known from the material mathematically, while data collection from samples is elusive, resource-intensive, or both. In such cases, meta-modeling of observables using a parametric surrogate model called multi-fidelity neural networks (MFNNs) may obviate the constitutive equation development step by leveraging only a handful of high-fidelity (Hi-Fi) data collected from experiments (or high-resolution simulations) and an abundance of low-fidelity (Lo-Fi) data generated synthetically to compensate for Hi-Fi data scarcity. To this end, MFNNs are employed to meta-model the material responses of a thermo-viscoelastic (TVE) fluid, consumer product Johnson's® Baby Shampoo, under four flow protocols: steady shear, step growth, oscillatory, and small/large amplitude oscillatory shear (S/LAOS). In addition, the time–temperature superposition (TTS) of the material response and MFNN predictions are explored. By applying simple linear regression (without induction of any constitutive equation) on log-spaced Hi-Fi data, a series of Lo-Fi data were generated and found sufficient to obtain accurate material response recovery in terms of either interpolation or extrapolation for all flow protocols except for S/LAOS. This insufficiency is resolved by informing the MFNN platform with a linear constitutive model (Maxwell viscoelastic) resulting in simultaneous interpolation and extrapolation capabilities in S/LAOS material response recovery. The roles of data volume, flow type, and deformation range are discussed in detail, providing a practical pathway to multifidelity meta-modeling of different complex fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the pattern and degree of marketisation in the DPRK by drawing on sources from within that society. In doing so it creates a point of departure from most conventional analyses of the DPRK economy, which prioritise defector accounts. The conventional view, informed by these accounts, is that jangmadang (quasi-free markets) have been created by ordinary people to meet their basic needs. In this view, 'marketisation from below' started when the Public Distribution System broke down due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, upon which the DPRK economy had depended. It is also claimed that as the economy has failed to recover from its prolonged crisis, the State has become dependent upon these markets. However, a careful review of materials produced inside the DPRK indicates that marketisation started 'from above' in the early 1980s, with Kim Il Sung's directives to assuage the chronic shortages of consumer goods. As such, this article contends that marketisation in the DPRK began and has proceeded in accordance with the State's control and influence. The country's complete closure of its borders to prevent COVID-19 in the early 2020s confirmed that markets play only a limited role in DPRK society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to test the relationship and impact between the counterfeit products via the Internet and behavior of the Iraqi consumer, as the Iraqi market suffers from the spread and increase of counterfeit products. The study is different in that it dealt with the aspect of trading counterfeit products via the Internet and during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, which witnessed an increase in the demand for purchasing products via the Internet during the period of the pandemic. The study was based on the electronic questionnaire as a data collection tool. The data of (469) individuals were randomly selected from users of consumer goods (electrical appliances) in the Iraqi environment. The data collection period lasted from 11-12-2021 until 1-2-2022. The analytical approach was adopted. Descriptive In analyzing the answers of the sample, the results of the research showed that the Internet and social networking sites have contributed to the spread of counterfeit products during the pandemic period. The study also showed that the behavior of the Iraqi consumer towards these products is viewed as a suitable, low-cost alternative ready to buy them as long as they serve the required purpose and do not cause harm. What has helped the spread of counterfeit products in the Iraqi market is the weakness of government control, and websites and social networks have contributed to its expansion, especially during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data from 2005 to 2020, this paper integrated the industrial structure difference degree model and the spatial Durbin model, and took the Huaihai Economic Zone as the study area to analyze the effect and mechanism of interprovincial border on the evolution of industrial structure. It is found as follows. (1) The level of industrial structure in the Huaihai Economic Zone during the study period has been continuously improved, and the spatial equilibrium has changed from low level to polarized development. (2) During the study period, the influence of interprovincial border gradually changed from shear effect to intermediary effect and the shear effect shifted from the middle to the periphery in space. (3) Administrative intervention is an important reason for the formation of artificial border, and it will strengthen the shear effect of interprovincial border in the Huaihai Economic Zone. The increase of per capita GDP is also one of the important reasons for the gradual transformation of the shear effect into intermediary effect, but the increase of per capita retail sales of consumer goods will inhibit this transformation, while the per capita social fixed asset investment has little influence on the shear effect. Finally, according to the analysis results, some suggestions are put forward from the aspects of industrial development and cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines successful and intensive free-trade policies in Estonia and Latvia, which exist despite the low-levels of domestic welfare in these countries. In contrast to the conventional elite-centric approach, this study uses a survey experiment to explore rationales for positive public opinion toward free trade policy. The results reveal that an individual exposed to the stimulus of a strategic security issue or consumer consideration tends to support free trade. These effects are evident among Latvians and highly-educated Estonians. Furthermore, the favorable international environment enhances the positive public opinion of free trade in Estonia and Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marketers are concerned about how consumers' readings of product reviews and product rating statistics affect product evaluations. Previous studies generally regard product review content and rating statistics as affecting product evaluations independently. This may not be true. Typically, consumers enter a review section with pre‐existing positive expectations about a product. When they see a negative average rating in this section, their expectancies are disconfirmed. Their surprise stemming from the disconfirmation makes them read the reviews more carefully. Thus, review reading affects product evaluation more strongly when viewing a negative average rating. Conversely, a positive average rating results in expectancy confirmation, which weakens the effect of review reading. An eye‐tracking experiment using a mock‐resort review section supported these predictions. These findings have implications for marketers in behavioral advertising, responding to reviews, and consumers writing reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article features an interview with Jason Hsu from Rayliant Global Advisors, where he discusses their investment strategy and risk management approach. Hsu explains that their firm focuses on identifying behavioral factors in inefficient markets, like emerging markets, to generate investment ideas. They stress the importance of vetting these ideas and regularly reviewing existing signals for effectiveness. Hsu also highlights the potential dangers of relying too heavily on statistical measures and provides an example of how they adjusted their value factor strategy based on historical data and market dynamics. He discusses the integration of technology in their asset management strategies, emphasizing the role of experienced professionals in selecting and interpreting data. Hsu addresses the challenge of balancing client expectations with market realities and the influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors on their investment strategies. The text also touches on the role of a quant manager in backtesting ESG strategies and the importance of humility and emotional intelligence in investment management. Lastly, it mentions the opportunities and threats posed by AI in the asset management industry. [Extracted from the article]

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The theory of consumption values (TCV) as marketing theory provides insights related to consumer consumption behavior through consumption values. This study reviews the last 30 years' literature (120 articles) from 1991 to 2022 through content analysis and bibliometrics citation analysis. Additionally, the seven research streams are identified in the literature: (1) TCV and consumer behavior toward digital consumer products and services, (2) TCV and consumer behavior toward brands, (3) TCV and consumer behavior toward information technology, (4) TCV and consumer behavior towards green products and sustainable development, (5) TCV and consumer behavior towards tourism and hospitality industry, (6) TCV and consumer behavior towards durable and non-durable goods, and (7) TCV and consumer behavior toward educational industry. This review presents the taxonomy of TCV in marketing research, influential aspects of literature, and future research agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization and automation represent potential sources of disruption to the organization and practice of research and development (R&D). Digitalization has the potential to revolutionize future R&D, as digitalized R&D may improve efficiency and minimize risk thus reducing cycle and development times. However, companies expect organizational challenges in their R&D organization when they start to implement and work with digital technologies. Through an in‐depth case analysis, we investigate these organizational challenges at Unilever, one of the world's leading fast‐moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies. Three challenges were identified: (1) managerial challenges; (2) behavioral challenges; and (3) digital technology skills challenges. Based on the identified challenges within the context of digitalizing an R&D center, our study provides some practical advice to R&D managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers a retail platform selling a product to consumers and voluntarily discloses product quality information by using blockchain technology (BCT). Consumers decide whether to deliberate before making purchase decisions. We develop an analytical model to explore the effects of information disclosure strategies on the retail platform's pricing and consumers' deliberation decisions. Some interesting results are obtained. First, regardless of the information disclosure strategy, consumers' deliberation and purchasing decisions depend on the deliberation cost and product price. Consumers will only deliberate if the price is at the medium level and the deliberation cost is not too high. Second, when the disclosure cost is high, the retail platform either stimulates or prevents consumer deliberation; however, when the disclosure cost is at a medium interval, the retail platform's pricing decision depends on its information disclosure strategy. Specifically, when disclosing quality information, the retail platform will implement the stimulated deliberation (SD) or prevented deliberation (PD) strategy and will never adopt the sold at a low price (SL) strategy; however, when quality information is withheld, the retail platform will only adopt the PD strategy. Third, we identify the conditions under which the retail platform should disclose quality information when facing different disclosure costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies vary on oft-publicized size metrics (number of employees, revenue). Do consumers prefer otherwise identical products made by larger or smaller companies? The answer hinges on whether consumers perceive the products as low-tech or high-tech. This prediction stems from a novel framework charting two lay theories regarding key resources companies utilize to provide value to consumers: employees and finances. In the intrinsic motivation lay theory, consumers believe that employees of larger (vs. smaller) companies are less intrinsically motivated. In the financial resources lay theory, consumers believe that larger (vs. smaller) companies have greater capacity to fund research and development. Critically, product type (low-tech vs. high-tech) differentially affects the accessibility of these two lay theories: For low-tech (vs. high-tech) products, the intrinsic motivation lay theory is more accessible, driving quality evaluations and choice in favor of smaller companies. For high-tech (vs. low-tech) products, the financial resources lay theory is more accessible, driving quality evaluations and choice in favor of larger companies. This research advances theory by reconciling conflicting findings regarding product quality inferences from company size metrics, with guidance for marketers to improve quality evaluations and choice shares by strategically supporting or challenging lay theories and shifting perceptions of company size or product type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]