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Perishability can be defined as the characteristic of fresh items. The level of freshness is one of the most crucial indicators in the fresh food supply chain. The widespread information asymmetry has exacerbated the circulation losses to trigger the food safety incidents, such as the horse meat scandal in the UK, the widespread Romaine lettuce infection in the US, the contamination of Ecuadorian white shrimp, the counterfeiting of pork in China, and the þSalmon Incidentÿ. Food safety issues have resulted in adverse customer sentiment on the trust between consumers and the fresh produce business. Hence, risk- averse actions can be expected to implemented on the highly efficient and reliable traceability system for agricultural goods. The quality and safety traceability were enhanced to guarantee food safety throughout the whole supply chain of agricultural products. Fresh produce retailers can achieved in the transparency about freshness using traceability system. The fresh produce supply chain can be realized to decrease the food wastes for the high product quality and customer trust. Nascent Blockchain technology can offer to strengthening the stability of system, with the decentralization, openness, transparency, cryptographic protection and tamper-proof features. Information disclosure can also be utilized to ensure both openness and transparency of information. Additionally, the utilization and impact of information can be used to mitigate information asymmetry among supply chain participants in the product traceability. Furthermore, blockchain technology can be implemented in the entire supply chain of fresh food, particularly on data collection and storage. Real-time monitoring was realized to predict the product status during the production, processing, transportation and sales of products. As a result, the clear insight of consumers can be gained into the authentic information regarding all stages of production and distribution, thus ensuring transparency in product freshness. Supply chain efficiency was also optimized to foster the consumer trust and retailer reputation. Furthermore, customer confidence was enhanced the reputation of stores and precise supply matching. A robust and safe trust mechanism was effectively achieved for the fresh food supply chain. Blockchain technology can be implemented in the fresh produce retail industry, in order to balance and promote information sharing and transparency. Moreover, smart contract technology was utilized to reduce the circulating time of fresh produce and consumer risks, in order to enhance the efficiency and quality of consumer benefits. However, the technological application can also depend on the freshness of items and the degree to which consumers minimize risk. In this study, the information transparency and timeliness were enhanced to focus on the blockchain technology. A secondary fresh food supply chain was established to involve the suppliers, retailers, and consumers. The equilibrium solutions of the game between suppliers and retailers were compared both before and after the implementation of blockchain technology. The consumers risk avoidance behaviors were also examined on the application strategy and value. A systematic investigation was then made to determine the intention of retailers to adopt blockchain technology. Research indicated that high intention was achieved to use blockchain technology, when the product was a higher initial freshness. This selected was driven by the requirement to maximize revenues, consumer surplus and more social welfare. Conversely, blockchain technology was resulted in the decreased profits and motivation, if the product was a low initial freshness. In contrast, there was the increase in the retailer's willingness to apply the blockchain technology, as the level of consumer risk aversion increased, particularly when the initial freshness of the product was at an average level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In retail, a major challenge is quickly selling perishable food items like cakes or pastries within a limited time. If unsold, these products lead to losses, even with discount promotions. Retailers must forecast stock accurately and develop more effective strategies to meet consumer demand within the required timeframe. One suggested strategy is bundling, where high-demand products are combined with less popular ones. However, when done manually, this approach often fails to align with consumer preferences. This study aims to develop an automated bundling system using data mining techniques. Market Basket Analysis is used to understand consumer purchasing patterns, while Association Rules with the Apriori Algorithm help identify relationships between different products. These methods reveal which items are frequently bought together, making bundling strategies more effective. The system will be designed with usability and ergonomic principles, ensuring it is user-friendly. The implications of this system include improved stock management, more accurate bundling, and better alignment with customer preferences, ultimately increasing satisfaction. Additionally, automation reduces errors and inconsistencies that occur with manual bundling. The expected outcome is a more efficient, effective, and comfortable system for food retailers, leading to higher sales, reduced losses, and greater overall customer satisfaction.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policies such as carbon tax implementation significantly impact the technology choice and cost structure of the upstream manufacturer, affecting the downstream retailer's the procurement decision and risk management in a sustainable supply chain. This study constructs a single-manufacturer-single-retailer supply chain model constrained by carbon tax policies to analyze the influence of retailer's anticipated regret on the supply chain operation and environmental performance. Utilizing game theory, the research finds that the retailer's anticipated regret behavior suppresses manufacturer's willingness to invest in the green initiative, resulting in a non-monotonic effect on profits. When the retailer's regret level is low and her demand for eco-friendly products is also low, the manufacturer tends to reduce the green investment and increase the wholesale price to maximize the marginal return. Although such the anticipated regret behavior by the retailer may stimulate the manufacturer's profit growth, it reduces retailer's profit. Conversely, as the retailer's regret level increases, the manufacturer increases the green investment and reduces the wholesale price to induce higher procurement by the retailer, leading to a decline in the manufacturer's profit but an upward trend in the retailer's profit. This discovery suggests that the upstream supply chain manager, should closely the monitor retailer's potential anticipated regret and adjust the corresponding strategy accordingly. Furthermore, the study finds that the lower level of retailer's anticipated regret positively impact environmental behavior, offering the policymaker a new perspective on promoting the green supply chain practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mercados y Negocios is the property of Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Economico Administrativas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Consumers have demonstrated new ways of engaging with fashion retailers and experiencing their brand values. This research aims to understand better how fashion consumers form their purchase intentions, by exploring how their expectations about corporate social responsibility influence consumer brand engagement and purchase intention. The research comprises two studies, using different methodologies. The first study is quantitative; it involved 1296 individuals and the results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The second study is qualitative and utilizes expert opinions from the fashion industry; it seeks to derive managerial and practical implications from the findings of the first study. The results show that corporate social responsibility influences the purchase intention of fashion consumers, but mainly through brand engagement. Consequently, fashion companies should focus on building consumer trust in the sustainability initiatives of brands, including by utilizing local suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, a bi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model is proposed to design a P2P electricity market for price-based energy management incorporating incentives and time-based demand response programs (DRPs), considering the active involvement of retailers. The proposed mathematical model was investigated for a hypothetical smart microgrid connected to the upstream grid, based on real data from Tehran, Iran. The results indicated that due to the Iranian government's policies on renewable energy, in all scenarios, a significant portion of the retail income comes from selling electricity to the wholesale market, and a considerable part of prosumers' costs is attributed to the deployment of energy generation systems to supply energy to the MG However, it can be argued that participating in the P2P market plays a significant role in reducing prosumers' costs. Furthermore, investigating the impacts of DRPs revealed that their implementation and price elasticity of demand increased retail and overall MG profit by up to 10.3% and 39.98%, respectively. Additionally, implementing DRPs benefits consumers (without DERs) in the MG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWell-known food brands get involved in brand scandals, leading to relationship tussles with their consumers. Retailers and social media may provide authentic viewpoints to the consumers in the context of brand scandal. The present research attempts to close this gap by empirically exploring the antecedents and consequences of consumer attitudes to food brand scandals and examining the moderating effects of retailers’ interventions and social media amplification in this context. A quantitative approach has been adopted in this study using structural equation modeling. The study reveals that consumers’ pre-scandal self-brand identification, brand trust, and brand loyalty favorably affect their attitudes to brand scandals. The findings highlight moderating effect of retailers’ interventions and social media amplification in shaping consumers’ attitudes and suggest that retailers significantly affect consumers’ pre-scandal brand trust and loyalty, while social media influence consumers’ perceived scandal severity and brand loyalty, both shaping consumer attitudes to brand scandal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Research Journal of Business Studies is the property of Prasetiya Mulya Publishing, Universitas Prasetiya Mulya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The retailing market has undergone a paradigm-shift in the last decades, departing from its traditional form of shopping in brick-and-mortar stores towards online shopping and the establishment of shopping malls. As a result, "small" independent retailers operating in urban environments have suffered a substantial reduction of their turnover. This situation could be presumably reversed if retailers were to establish business "alliances" targeting economies of scale and engage themselves in providing innovative digital services. The SMARTBUY ecosystem realizes the concept of a "distributed shopping mall", which allows retailers to join forces and unite in a large commercial coalition that generates added value for both retailers and customers. Along this line, the SMARTBUY ecosystem offers several novel features: (i) inventory management of centralized products and services, (ii) geo-located marketing of products and services, (iii) location-based search for products offered by neighboring retailers, and (iv) personalized recommendations for purchasing products derived by an innovative recommendation system. SMARTBUY materializes a blended retailing paradigm which combines the benefits of online shopping with the attractiveness of traditional shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. This article provides an overview of the main architectural components and functional aspects of the SMARTBUY ecosystem. Then, it reports the main findings derived from a 12 months-long pilot execution of SMARTBUY across four European cities and discusses the key technology acceptance factors when deploying alike business alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we analyze the problem of information sharing in a green supply chain with two competing manufacturers selling environmentally friendly substitutable products in markets through a common retailer. We develop a game-theoretic framework of a network supply chain structure. The study shows that (a) the manufacturer is better off while the retailer is worse off when the retailer shares his private information with the manufacturer; (b) the equilibrium greening levels are the highest when both the manufacturers are informed; (c) under intense competition, the retailer has an incentive to share the information with the manufacturer; (d) the equilibrium greening levels decrease with information inaccuracy. This study shows the existence of a contracting mechanism the manufacturers can employ to induce information sharing. This study’s results will be helpful to managers of green supply chain structures to make marketing and operational decisions under uncertain situations. The main contribution of this study is that it explores the problem of information sharing in a green supply chain under competition.

Date palm trees are an economic crop which fruits are used for food, medicine and income in the arid and semi arid zone of Nigeria. The study was undertaken to analyse the costs and return of date palm fruits marketing among retailer traders in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna. Two-stage sampling technique was employed which led to random selection of 80 respondents. Structure questionnaires were administered to the respondents and data collected were analysed with descriptive statistics, cost and return, and regression analysis. The results showed that all the respondents are male, 21-30 years of age, married with household size of 6-10 family members and had Qur’anic education. The result further showed that marketing of date fruits was profitable with net marketing income of N 8,400 per respondent per month and return on investment of N 0.11. Variables such as years of marketing experience, quantity of date palm purchased and revenue were significant at (P< 0.01) percent probability level. Also purchase cost and quantity of date palm sold were significant at (P< 0.05) percent while transportation cost and household size were significant at (P < 0.10) percent. The major constraints of date fruits marketing are inadequate capital, pest infestation, inadequate storage facilities and insecurity. The study recommends that unemployed teeming population especially youths should be encouraged to go into the business of date palm fruits marketing to earn a living.

Abstract In this study, we examine whether retailers in Eastern Europe and Central Asia found corruption, courts, tax administration, tax rates, political instability, and business licensing/permits as an obstacle to their firm. We focus on a specific period when retailers all around the world suffered in terms of revenues and profits. This is the period surrounding the 2008-2009 global crisis. We first examine the degree to which retailers see each of these factors as an obstacle in the pre-crisis period. Were they seeing each of these factors as a minor, moderate, major, or very severe obstacle, or were they seeing them as no obstacle? Then, we compare our findings to our findings in the post-crisis period. Had their perceptions improved or worsened after the crisis ended? We expect to see improvements in each of these areas due to governments’ efforts to lessen the burden on retailers. Our results show that retailers’ perceptions of all six factors had improved post-crisis. These findings confirm that, overall, governments were successful in reducing the burdens on retailers.

Abstract Introduction To date only a limited number of reviews have focused on how exposure and outcome measures are defined in the existing literature on associations between tobacco retailer density (‘density’) and smoking behaviour (‘smoking’). Therefore this systematic review classified and summarised how both density and smoking variables are operationalised in the existing literature, and provides several methodological recommendations for future density and smoking research. Methods Two literature searches between March and April 2018 and April 2022 were conducted across 10 databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and keyword database searches were undertaken. Studies were imported into Covidence. Cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria were extracted and a quality assessment was undertaken. Studies were categorised according to the density measure used, and smoking was re-categorised using a modified classification tool. Results Large heterogeneity was found in the operationalisation of both measures in the 47 studies included for analysis. Density was most commonly measured directly from geocoded locations using circular buffers at various distances (n = 14). After smoking was reclassified using a smoking classification tool, past-month smoking was the most common smoking type reported (n = 26). Conclusions It is recommended that density is measured through length-distance and travel time using the street network and weighted (e.g. by the size of an area), or by using Kernel Density Estimates as these methods provide a more accurate measure of geographical to tobacco and e-cigarette retailer density. The consistent application of a smoking measures classification tool, such as the one developed for this systematic review, would enable better comparisons between studies. Future research should measure exposure and outcome measures in a way that makes them comparable with other studies. Implications This systematic review provides a strong case for improving data collection and analysis methodologies in studies assessing tobacco retailer density and smoking behaviour to ensure that both exposure and outcome measures are clearly defined and captured. As large heterogeneity was found in the operationalisation of both density and smoking behaviour measures in the studies included for analysis, there is a need for future studies to capture, measure and classify exposure measures accurately, and to define outcome measures in a manner that makes them comparable with other studies.

The emergence of social media led to major changes in the manner in which retailers accomplish their daily profession, particularly since they provide traders with platforms for business development and brand improvement. In spite of this, little is known about their impact and influence on retail businesses. Research on retailers’ perceptions concerning social media is scarce and fragmented, which justifies the current increasing focus of scholars and practitioners on this subject. In this study, a quantitative research design was utilized, aiming to identify the advantages of social media as perceived by retailers in Romania. The findings confirm the hypotheses, acknowledging that Romanian retailers perceive social media as offering great advantages for individuals employed in the retail sector. The practical implications of our research were grouped according to the analyzed aspects, as follows: gathering information, content creation, and customer communication, approached as advantages of adopting social media in retail. This study contributes to the limited literature on social media and the perceived advantages of Romanian retailers, which has implications for further research in this field of knowledge.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications of COVID-19 on container import flows via the US port distribution system. We employ statistics collected for more than 21 US ports and for more than 550,000 container shipments by Walmart and Nike to identify trends and potential shifts in the US port distribution system. Results unveil different changes in distribution channels during the pandemic era, between aggregated port level and industry level. These differences are specific to firms and could be explained by the origin of flows, carrier selection to transport cargos and US port/inland distribution systems. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the different role played by ports for industries (retailers, footwear and apparel) and shows that the ability to adapt supply chains to a major disruption remains subject to the initial choices on the location of production, on carrier choices and on port/inland distribution networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To date only a limited number of reviews have focused on how exposure and outcome measures are defined in the existing literature on associations between tobacco retailer density ('density') and smoking behaviour ('smoking'). Therefore this systematic review classified and summarised how both density and smoking variables are operationalised in the existing literature, and provides several methodological recommendations for future density and smoking research. Methods: Two literature searches between March and April 2018 and April 2022 were conducted across 10 databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and keyword database searches were undertaken. Studies were imported into Covidence. Cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria were extracted and a quality assessment was undertaken. Studies were categorised according to the density measure used, and smoking was re-categorised using a modified classification tool. Results: Large heterogeneity was found in the operationalisation of both measures in the 47 studies included for analysis. Density was most commonly measured directly from geocoded locations using circular buffers at various distances (n = 14). After smoking was reclassified using a smoking classification tool, past-month smoking was the most common smoking type reported (n = 26). Conclusions: It is recommended that density is measured through length-distance and travel time using the street network and weighted (e.g. by the size of an area), or by using Kernel Density Estimates as these methods provide a more accurate measure of geographical to tobacco and e-cigarette retailer density. The consistent application of a smoking measures classification tool, such as the one developed for this systematic review, would enable better comparisons between studies. Future research should measure exposure and outcome measures in a way that makes them comparable with other studies. Implications: This systematic review provides a strong case for improving data collection and analysis methodologies in studies assessing tobacco retailer density and smoking behaviour to ensure that both exposure and outcome measures are clearly defined and captured. As large heterogeneity was found in the operationalisation of both density and smoking behaviour measures in the studies included for analysis, there is a need for future studies to capture, measure and classify exposure measures accurately, and to define outcome measures in a manner that makes them comparable with other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examine whether retailers in Eastern Europe and Central Asia found corruption, courts, tax administration, tax rates, political instability, and business licensing/permits as an obstacle to their firm. We focus on a specific period when retailers all around the world suffered in terms of revenues and profits. This is the period surrounding the 2008-2009 global crisis. We first examine the degree to which retailers see each of these factors as an obstacle in the pre-crisis period. Were they seeing each of these factors as a minor, moderate, major, or very severe obstacle, or were they seeing them as no obstacle? Then, we compare our findings to our findings in the post-crisis period. Had their perceptions improved or worsened after the crisis ended? We expect to see improvements in each of these areas due to governments' efforts to lessen the burden on retailers. Our results show that retailers' perceptions of all six factors had improved post-crisis. These findings confirm that, overall, governments were successful in reducing the burdens on retailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended warranty is an additional service in the market that manufacturers and retailers provide for their customers. In this study, we investigate the optimal extended warranty strategies in a supply chain with a single manufacturer and a single retailer, and consider two single-channel models (the retailer solely provides the service, and the manufacturer solely provides the service) and a dual-channel model (both the retailer and the manufacturer provide the service). Using an analytical model, we demonstrate the optimal pricing decisions for the manufacturer and the retailer under these models and compare the profits of the manufacturer, retailer and supply chain. We find that among the models, customers enjoy a lower extended warranty price with a mild condition when the manufacturer provides the extended warranty service. However, the total profits of the supply chain are usually larger when the retailer sells the extended warranty. Through numerical experiments, we further investigate the influence of customer preferences, and find that the total profits of the supply chain increase if more customers purchase extended warranties from the retailer in the dual-channel model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of social media led to major changes in the manner in which retailers accomplish their daily profession, particularly since they provide traders with platforms for business development and brand improvement. In spite of this, little is known about their impact and influence on retail businesses. Research on retailers' perceptions concerning social media is scarce and fragmented, which justifies the current increasing focus of scholars and practitioners on this subject. In this study, a quantitative research design was utilized, aiming to identify the advantages of social media as perceived by retailers in Romania. The findings confirm the hypotheses, acknowledging that Romanian retailers perceive social media as offering great advantages for individuals employed in the retail sector. The practical implications of our research were grouped according to the analyzed aspects, as follows: gathering information, content creation, and customer communication, approached as advantages of adopting social media in retail. This study contributes to the limited literature on social media and the perceived advantages of Romanian retailers, which has implications for further research in this field of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fairness and ethical values in agro-food chain lay at the center of the current debate on agro-food chain sustainability. The food labels may contain elements focused on agro-food chain management fairness practices. The objective of the present study is to explore what types of fairness agro-food companies value in the food products they commercialize, and if the characteristics of agro-food companies have a relationship with the type of fairness valued. The research study collected 226 commercialized food products containing information on the agro-food chain fairness practices companies adopted to produce the food products. Data elaboration included a cluster analysis to identify groups of fair products, and a multinomial logistic regression to explore the relationship between the identified clusters and fairness types, organic, nutritional and functional claims, and price. Results support that fairness-oriented products provide information on different types of fairness that is distributive, procedural, and interactional. Some products provide economic information on the distribution of price between upstream and downstream actors. Other products focus on procedural and interactional fairness practices, such as dignity, respect and transparent relationship in agro-food chain; technologies used in the production and distribution of the product; and ethical certifications that companies hold. Fairness-oriented information differ depending both on the type of chain actor commercializing the product, and on the type of brand, that is whether commercial brand or private label. The main conclusion is that companies convey fairness-related information to consumers differently according to company’s role in the agro-food chain. Yet, there is need to exploit further the potential role of fairness practices in defining effective business strategies to contribute to higher equity and sustainability in the agro-food system.

Weather extremes are the biggest challenge for supply chains worldwide, with food supply chains particularly exposed due to agriculture’s sensitivity to weather conditions. Whilst attention has been paid to farm-level impacts from, and adaptation to, weather extremes, there remains a need to better understand how different actors along the supply chain suffer, react and adapt to these natural hazards and how their resilience-building strategies affect other actors’ and the whole system’s resilience. Taking the UK potato supply chain as a case study, this paper analyses the synergies and trade-offs in drought resilience in a multi-level food supply chain. Data from an online survey (87) and interviews with key informants (27) representing potato supply-chain actors (growers, packers, processors, retailers) were used to analyse drought risk perceptions, impacts and coping strategies, long-term resilience measures and further actions to build system resilience. Results suggest that the potato supply chain has increased its resilience to weather extremes due to retailers and packers having a wider geographical spread of supply, an increasing reliance on forward contracts and favouring growers with water security. However, a conceptual framework of resilience-building strategies adopted by supply chain actors shows that these measures are largely designed to reduce their own risk without considering implications for other parts of the chain and the system as a whole. A more integrated approach to promote drought resilience in complex food supply chains that enables improved vertical collaboration and trust between actors is therefore needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global crisis affected the financing conditions around the world. In this study, we examine two groups of firms in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: retailers and core industry firms. First, we look at whether more or fewer financial institutions required a collateral when these firms applied for a loan. For retailers, we do not find any significant change in the percentage of firms that were required to show a collateral after the crisis started. However, for core firms, we find that fewer firms faced a collateral requirement post-crisis. Therefore, post-crisis, we can say that the financing conditions (in terms of the collateral requirement) were less strict for core firms. Then, we examine whether the types of assets used as collateral changed for each group after the crisis. We find that, post-crisis, fewer retailers showed machinery and equipment, or accounts receivable and inventories, or other items. However, postcrisis, more retailers showed personal assets of the owner as collateral. We do not find any significant change in the use of lands and buildings as collateral by retailers. When we examine core firms, we find that, post-crisis, fewer firms showed lands and buildings, and machinery and equipment as collateral, and more firms showed personal assets of owner as collateral. There was no significant change in the use of accounts receivable and inventories or other items for this group. Overall, we conclude that, during these tough times, both retailers and core firms had to use their owner’s personal assets as a last resort.

Aquaculture's profitability depends on a whole linkage chain involving all stages of producing, distributing and commercializing the product to reach final consumption. The efficiency of a supply chain is affected by the types of relationships among actors. This study aims to explore the nature of intermediary actors' relationship in the aquaculture supply chain and the determinants of this relationship. Tam Giang Lagoon, Thua Thien Hue province, Central Vietnam, was selected as a case study. Fifty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect primary information, while secondary information was collected from statistical data. The relationship between collectors and their buyer group plays a vital role in the product flow, and each collector has one wholesaler and retailer group. Their long-term business relationship is based on trust and informal transactions. Fair commercial treatment and willingness to lend without interest have created a binding relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the importance of factors affecting supplier selection in the pesticide distribution sector as a global emerging market and present a decision-making model for the corporate marketing strategy. Specifically, a comparative study between suppliers and retail distribution experts was conducted to compare differences in the perception of supplier selection factors according to organizational characteristics. Based on previous studies, a decision-making model based on the AHP methodology was constructed with a total of 20 factors in five areas: product quality, price, flexibility, promotion support, and brand. Then, 42 Korean experts were surveyed to measure the importance of these factors. The results showed that product quality is the most critical factor in supplier selection, followed by price, brand, promotional support, and flexibility, in that order. Manufacturers consider product quality as the most important factor, while retailers consider price as the most important factor. Among the 20 factors, 'quality excellence', 'expected return', and 'technological competitiveness' were found to be the most important factors. In addition, while manufacturers considered factors such as 'corporate reputation' and 'corporate trust' as more important, retailers considered factors related to product characteristics, such as 'product awareness' and 'brand reputation' as more important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic packaging waste is one of the major problems of our time. As a means of tackling environmental damage from plastic, many companies are voluntarily committing to promoting a sustainable use of plastic and the idea of a circular economy (CE). Among these companies, retailers play an interesting role. They are the point of sale of different manufacturers' products and, thus, are in direct contact with consumers. This paper qualitatively analyzes retailers' plastic strategies as published in sustainability reports and press releases. In particular, their understanding of the concept of a CE, their perspective on the CE-related role of consumers, and the consistency of their objectives regarding CE goals are investigated. The results indicate that there is a strong focus on recycling, although the retailers also consider means of reduction by avoidance and reuse. Consumers are rather seen as a barrier to implementing a circular economy at all three levels (reduction, reuse, recycling) and are assumed to need waste management education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to design and implement an e-learning course for distributors of fast-moving consumer goods using gamification. In the first step, the components of the in-store assortment are extracted using a systematic literature review, and customer preferences in each of these factors were determined as users' opinions of 387 customers. In the next step, the game is designed based on the persuasive game design (PGD) model, and the mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics (MDA) of the game were determined by an experts' panel, and a mobile app is designed as a learning tool. In the following step, the designed game was carried out by the distributors and the game prizes are awarded to the winners. Finally, the effects of the gamified e-learning are evaluated using the IMI questionnaire and analyzing the players' points. Findings show that enjoyment, perceived competence, effort importance, pressure tension, perceived choice, and usefulness of this course are significantly higher than average. Besides, the average of points gets higher during repetition rounds while the dispersion of the points gets lower. As a result, it seems that gamification could be a valuable alternative to learning operational tricks for marketing staff, especially distributors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the economic impact of piracy on the supply chain of information goods. When information goods are sold to consumers via a retailer, in certain situations, a moderate level of piracy seems to have a surprising positive impact on the profits of the manufacturer and the retailer while, at the same time, enhancing consumer welfare. Such a "win-win-win" situation is not only good for the supply chain, but is also beneficial for the overall economy. The economic rationale for this surprising result is rooted in how piracy interacts with double marginalization. We explain this rationale and develop useful insights for management and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In supply chain management manufacturers and retailers are the two most important nodes. Some decision variables are decided by the manufacturer and some are decided by the retailer to maximize their profits. In this work, market demand is considered sensitive to market price, advertising, and discount given by the manufacturer to the retailer. In this work, EOQ and advertising will be decided by the retailer and a discount will be given by the manufacturer to the retailer to motivate the retailer to generate more market demand. Manufacturers' and retailers' profit models are developed in the non-co-operative environment. Models are verified using dummy data, and sensitivity analysis is performed for all the decision variables for both manufacture and retailer Stackelberg models.

The global crisis affected the financing conditions around the world. In this study, we examine two groups of firms in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: retailers and core industry firms. First, we look at whether more or fewer financial institutions required a collateral when these firms applied for a loan. For retailers, we do not find any significant change in the percentage of firms that were required to show a collateral after the crisis started. However, for core firms, we find that fewer firms faced a collateral requirement post-crisis. Therefore, post-crisis, we can say that the financing conditions (in terms of the collateral requirement) were less strict for core firms. Then, we examine whether the types of assets used as collateral changed for each group after the crisis. We find that, post-crisis, fewer retailers showed machinery and equipment, or accounts receivable and inventories, or other items. However, postcrisis, more retailers showed personal assets of the owner as collateral. We do not find any significant change in the use of lands and buildings as collateral by retailers. When we examine core firms, we find that, post-crisis, fewer firms showed lands and buildings, and machinery and equipment as collateral, and more firms showed personal assets of owner as collateral. There was no significant change in the use of accounts receivable and inventories or other items for this group. Overall, we conclude that, during these tough times, both retailers and core firms had to use their owner's personal assets as a last resort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is to provide guidance for selection of potential publishing outlets by family and consumer sciences (FCS) researchers utilizing three research journals: Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Journal of Consumer Affairs, and Journal of Retailing. Content analysis revealed trends in methodology and a focus on selling product or on people as part of the human ecosystem, enhancing the human condition, or a combination. All three journals included FCS content. Identification of journal characteristics which may enter into the decision‐making process of selecting possible publishing outlet for educators, researchers and young professionals is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a local energy exchange mechanism to benefit residential customers and retailers under variable wholesale market spot prices. To do so, a peer-to-peer (P2P) trading-enabled local energy market (LEM) is proposed to facilitate frequent energy transactions among participants. The proposed LEM mechanism considers market operational constraints and maximises electricity cost reductions. Further, the proposed LEM optimises the customers' investment return for battery energy storage systems (BESSs) and minimises retailers' financial losses during higher spot prices in the wholesale market. Finally, a case study is demonstrated using real-world Australian data in which P2P trading is performed between interested buyers and sellers. Two scenarios with high and low wholesale market spot prices are analysed comprehensively considering five metrics such as solar-to-spot (STS); solar-to-load (STL); forward buy contract (FBC)-to-load (FBC-L); spot-to-load (Short); and FBC-to-spot (Long). The simulation results reveal that the customers reap substantial benefits from the proposed LEM in contrast with business-as-usual (BAU), allowing them to expedite BESS investment returns. Also, the proposed LEM helps a retailer decrease the effect of higher spot prices by reducing its unexpected financial losses while improving self-consumption and self-sufficiency in the local energy network. • Proposing a spot price-aware local energy exchange framework. • Incorporating a retailer and a network operator into the proposed model. • Examining the impact on retailer's energy exchange during unstable spot prices. • Assessing the financial benefits offered to customers and stakeholders. • Evaluating how battery investment returns of customers are impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Retailers expressed frustration over loss of sales to neighboring states due to the Act. • There is a need for increased education around the Act for all stakeholders. • Findings support benefits of adjacent states enacting flavored tobacco sales restrictions. In November 2019, the Massachusetts legislature passed An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control and became the first state to restrict retail sales of all flavored (including menthol) cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products. Our study aims to provide the retailer experience of the new law from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including tobacco retailers themselves, public health officials, and Massachusetts residents. We conducted in-depth interviews with seven tobacco retailers and ten public health officials from March 2021 to April 2022. Monthly repeated cross-sectional surveys were administered through the online survey panel Prodege from April 2021 to August 2022 (adult sample: N = 765; adolescent sample: N = 900). Themes from interviews were identified by drawing on deductive codes informed by the interview guide, followed by inductive coding of data. Survey data were descriptively analyzed in R. Key themes included retailer frustration over loss of sales to neighboring states, factors associated with retailer compliance, and the need for increased education regarding the law. Survey results showed that a minority of adolescents (13.3%) and adults (26.1%) who vaped in the past 30-days were traveling to border states to purchase vape products. Less than one-quarter of adolescent participants and less than half of adult participants could correctly identify which products Massachusetts did not sell. Evidence from the retailer, public health, and end-user perspectives support mutual benefits of adjacent states enacting flavored tobacco sales restrictions, improved policy education for retailers and the public, and improved retailer enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]