Analysis of the economic viability of organic production system of ornamental pineapple plants for cut stems

The growth of Brazilian floriculture is remarkable, both in terms of the number of producers and the cultivated area. To reduce costs and add value, the organic production of ornamental pineapple plants is an option for some consumer markets. This study was carried at the Fundação José Carvalho, municipality of Entre Rios (Bahia State), Brazil, to evaluate the economic viability of the organic production of ornamental pineapple plants, as well as to analyze the economic factors from implantation of the crop to the final production phase. Primary and secondary data collection (technical coefficients and prices) was carried out, which allowed updating the value of these coefficients. After determining the technical coefficients, input prices and product prices were surveyed and were inserted in spreadsheets of production cost and profitability. Data processing and profitability analysis were carried out under deterministic and risk conditions. The organic cultivation system for ornamental pineapples proved to be economically viable, providing greater profitability and production of stems, which is the product of interest.

Capital in context: Funding US Inland Northwest food hub development before and during COVID-19

This study focuses on how 10 food hubs in the U.S. Inland Northwest resourced their start-up and development before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Case studies include coop­erative, government agency, nonprofit, and family-owned food hubs. Because of the prominence of nonmonetary values as drivers in food hub devel­opment, we used a social entrepreneurship frame­work to understand how people, context, and a social value proposition affected access to and use of capital resources. We found that each food hub had a unique mix of capital sources and profita­bility that reflected and shaped who was involved, their mission, and their available resources. All operating food hubs that we studied strengthened and grew their business during the first year of the pandemic. Two federal COVID-19-related pro­grams—the Paycheck Protection Program and the Farmers to Families Food Box Program—played brief but instrumental roles in helping most organi­zations early in the pandemic, enabling several to pivot from heavily impacted markets (such as restaurants and educational institutions) to direct-to-consumer markets and food security efforts. For several, panic buying early in the crisis followed by a consistent large increase in demand fueled organi­zational growth. The food hubs adapted quickly, with some significantly changing their business model and expected trajectory as they weathered the first year of the pandemic, coming out stronger than before.

Theoretical Foundations of the First Purchase in Marketing

Consumer decision making as an important process in marketing sphere has been discussed in detail, but so far researchers as a rule have not focused the attention on how the purchase happens for the very first time. The current text is an attempt to develop the foundations and to make a conceptual framework of the first purchase in marketing and to outline its significance for current or future consumption, especially for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Together with a review of the extent to which the first purchase is considered and interpreted in the academic tradition in the field (and in practice), an attempt has been made to outline it as a phenomenon, since it can have significant benefits for better understanding consumer behavior and the further improvement of marketing communications. With this regard, it can be assumed that the first purchase is the initial step of acquiring consumer experience, which determines whether the product will continue to be purchased or not. Of course, all this is largely valid for the b2c (business to consumer) markets, for the products for individual and household consumption, and for the b2b (business to business) ones the particularities may differ significantly and need to be a subject of additional research efforts.

Lifestyle segmentation of older Koreans: a longitudinal comparison of segments and life satisfaction

PurposeAging is a global phenomenon for many countries, and South Korea has become the fastest aging country in the world. The purpose of this study is to identify and validate a representative typology of older Koreans based on their lifestyle and value orientations. This study also makes a longitudinal comparison of these segments in two waves using similar survey data collected in 2009 and 2017 and examines any meaningful changes that occurred during the periods.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data collected from 750 older adults living in four major cities in Korea, this study conducted factor and cluster analysis to identify lifestyle segmentation of elderly Koreans. Both descriptive and mean comparison analyses are followed to characterize the segments with relevant demographic and behavioral variables. In addition, this study makes a longitudinal comparison of these segments in two waves (2009 and 2017) and examines any meaningful changes that occurred during the periods.FindingsSix distinctive lifestyle segments of elderly Koreans are identified. The longitudinal comparison reveals some changes that occurred during the period. The level of importance of values and things to own has been declined during the period on most of the aspects, which can be interpreted that older Koreans become more realistic and practical. The level of life satisfaction between the two periods turned out to be similar. However, satisfaction in material comfort and health has been improved during the period, which means that the perception of their financial and physical aspects has been improved over the years.Originality/valueFirst, based on Tempest et al.’s three grey discontinuity framework (2002), the segmentation model provides comprehensive coverage of psychological transitions experienced by older people due to economic, physical and mental discontinuities with age. Second, this might be the first longitudinal study to examine the changes in segmentation over time in terms of the lifestyle of older adults. Practically, the findings of this study provide useful insights for policymakers in developing aging-related policies as well as for marketers who are interested or currently doing business in Korea or Asian consumer markets.

Can Substitutes Reduce Future Demand for Wildlife Products: A Case Study of China’s Millennial Generation

China is one of the world’s leading consumer markets for wildlife products, yet there is little understanding of how demand will change in the future. In this study, we investigate the consumptive habits and attitudes of the millennial ‘Juilinghou’ demographic – a subset of society in China with the potential to substantially influence future demand for wildlife products. We surveyed 350 Chinese university students across Harbin and Beijing, China, and found that the intended future consumption of wildlife products was relatively low in this population but with a strong orientation towards wildlife products with medicinal properties. Seventy percent of those respondents who had used and/or intended to use wildlife products were willing to try substitutes, but this was heavily dependent on their price (cheaper) and quality. The insights gained through this survey are intended to meaningfully inform future initiatives to introduce sustainable substitutability into wildlife markets to alert future wildlife product consumers to alternative choices.

O COMPLEXO PORTUÁRIO DE SÃO LUÍS DO MARANHÃO NA ECONOMIA CONTEMPORÂNEA: indicações para debate

THE PORT COMPLEX OF SÃO LUÍS DO MARANHÃO IN THE CONTEMPORARY ECONOMY: indications for debateEL COMPLEJO PORTUARIO DE SÃO LUIS DO MARANHÃO EN LA ECONOMÍA CONTEMPORÁNEA: indicaciones para el debateRESUMOA evolução da humanidade tem, nos equipamentos portuários, uma possibilidade de análise. Nos últimos 40 anos, a qualidade e a capacidade das embarcações, somadas à situação geográfica e ao nível de equipamento dos portos, indicam sua importância por ser o meio preferencial para o comércio mundial e indução do desenvolvimento nacional e regional. O artigo objetiva analisar como a situação geográfica favorável em relação às áreas produtoras e aos mercados consumidores, aliada à logística e às condições naturais, tornam o Complexo Portuário de São Luís um equipamento essencial para a integração regional do Nordeste brasileiro à hodierna economia mundial. Para tanto, leva-se a efeito o materialismo histórico em que se utilizaram: levantamento bibliográfico, cartográfico e documental; análise, seleção e tabulação de dados e informações obtidas; duas visitas técnicas à sede da Emap (Empresa Maranhense de Administração Portuária); 12 etapas de campo; e diálogos em eventos científicos. O Porto do Itaqui foi instituído em 1974 e classificado como organizado em 1994, enquanto o Complexo Portuário de São Luís remonta a 2004, onde se sobressaem o citado porto organizado e os terminais de Uso Privado da Alumar e da Vale S/A, a partir das commodities agrícolas e minerais que, na contemporaneidade, fazem a economia maranhense girar. Esse complexo portuário tem registrado incremento na movimentação de cargas, ampliação em sua hinterlândia e crescimento em sua posição no sistema portuário brasileiro, mas ainda depende da demanda do mercado internacional; seus investimentos possuem reduzido efeito multiplicador no estado e pouca ênfase na dimensão ambiental e social que a questão impõe.Palavras-chave: Economia; Porto; Maranhão; Debate.ABSTRACTThe evolution of humanity has a possibility of analysis in port equipment. In the last 40 years, the quality and capacity of vessels, added to the geographical situation and level of equipment of the ports, indicate its importance as it is the preferred means for world trade and induction of national and regional development. The article aims to analyze how the favorable geographic situation in relation to producing areas and consumer markets, combined with logistics and natural conditions, make the São Luís Port Complex essential equipment for the regional integration of the Brazilian Northeast into today’s world economy. To do so, it is considered the historical materialism in which were used: bibliographic, cartographic and documentary survey; analysis, selection and tabulation of data and information obtained; two technical visits to Emap's headquarters (Empresa Maranhense de Administração Portuária); 12 field stages; and dialogues at scientific events. The Port of Itaqui was established in 1974 and classified as organized in 1994, while the Port Complex of São Luís dates back to 2004, where stand out the aforementioned organized port and the Private Use terminals of Alumar and Vale S/A, from agricultural and mineral commodities that, in contemporary times, make the Maranhão economy move. This port complex has registered an increase in cargo handling, expansion in its hinterland and growth in its position in the Brazilian port system, but it still depends on the demand of the international market; its investments have a reduced multiplier effect in the state and little emphasis on the environmental and social dimension that the issue imposes.Keywords: Economy; Port; Maranhão; Discussion.RESUMENLa evolución de la humanidad tiene, en los equipamientos de los puertos, una posibilidad de análisis. En los últimos 40 años, la calidad y la capacidad de los buques, sumadas a la situación geográfica y al nivel de equipamiento de los puertos, indican su importancia por ser el medio preferencial para el comercio mundial y inducción del desarrollo nacional y regional. El artículo tiene como objetivo analizar cómo la situación geográfica favorable en relación a las zonas de producción y a los mercados de consumo, aliada a la logística y a las condiciones naturales, convierten el complejo portuario de São Luís en un equipamiento esencial para la integración regional del Nordeste brasileño a la economía mundial actual. Para esto, se tiene el materialismo histórico en que se utilizaron: encuesta bibliográfica, cartográfica y documental; análisis, selección y tabulación de datos e información obtenidas; dos visitas técnicas a la sede de Emap (Empresa Maranhense de Administração Portuária); 12 etapas de campo; diálogos en eventos científicos. El Puerto de Itaqui fue instituido en 1974 y clasificado como organizado en 1994, mientras que el Complejo Portuario de São Luís remonta a 2004, donde se sobresalen el citado puerto organizado y las terminales de uso privado de Alumar y de Vale S/A, a partir de las commodities agrícolas y minerales que, hoy, hacen girar la economía de Maranhão. Ese complejo portuario ha registrado un aumento en el movimiento de carga, ampliado su hinterland y elevado su posición en el sistema portuario brasileño, pero aún depende de la demanda del mercado internacional, sus inversiones tienen reducido efecto multiplicador en el estado y poca énfasis en la dimensión ambiental y social que la cuestión impone.Palabras clave: Economía; Puerto; Maranhão; Debate.

Forecasting Grain Production and Static Capacity of Warehouses Using the Natural Neighbor and Multiquadric Equations

The strategic logistics of agricultural production and storage aggregates information related to production and storage. In this sense, time, location, and distance from producer and consumer markets are considered, emphasizing the importance of grain storage and production logistics. The Natural Neighbor and multiquadric equation are spatial interpolation methods used to predict these variables value at non-sampled locations, for asymmetric and categorical data, respectively. This study investigated the spatial prediction of grain production (tons) (soybean, first crop corn, second-crop corn, and wheat) in the 2016/2017 growing season and qualitative data on the static capacity of warehouses in the 2017/2018 growing season. The result obtained through the spatial interpolation using the natural neighbor method was coherent, as it showed the high variability of grain production relative to the different meso-regions. Therefore, the method was appropriate because it allowed predicting the behavior of grain production in the 2016/2017 growing season in the state of Paraná-Brazil, making it possible to identify regions of higher or lower production. The result of the spatial interpolation using the multiquadric equations allowed identifying a higher predominance of storage units with a low static capacity of warehouses, but also enabled the detection of regions with a static capacity of warehouses that varied from the medium to the high category in the state of Paraná, Brazil.

Asymmetry by Design? Identity Obfuscation, Reputational Pressure, and Consumer Predation in U.S. For-Profit Higher Education

This article develops and tests an identity-based account of malfeasance in consumer markets. We hypothesize that multi-brand organizational structures help predatory firms short-circuit reputational discipline by rendering their underlying identities opaque to consumer audiences. The analysis utilizes comprehensive administrative data on all U.S. for-profit colleges, an industry characterized by widespread fraud and poor (although variable) educational outcomes. Consistent with the hypothesis that brand multiplicity facilitates malfeasance by reducing ex ante reputational risks, colleges that are part of multi-brand companies invest less in instruction, have worse student outcomes, and are more likely to face legal and regulatory sanctions (relative to single-brand firms). Maintaining multiple outward-facing brand identities also mitigates reputational penalties in the wake of law enforcement actions, as measured by news coverage of legal actions, and by subsequent enrollment growth. The results suggest identity multiplicity plays a key role in allowing firms to furnish substandard products, even amid frequent scandals and media scrutiny. Predatory practices are facilitated not only by the inherent informational asymmetries in a given product, but also by firms’ efforts to make themselves less legible to audiences. The analysis contributes to research on higher education, organizational theory, and the sociology of markets.

DESAFIOS DO TRANSPORTE DE GLP PARA O ESCOAMENTO DO POLO URUCU DURANTE A VAZANTE DA BACIA AMAZÔNICA

Urucu Pole is an oil complex located in a remote area of the Amazon rainforest. There are no pipelines to transport oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production to consumer markets. The LPG produced on site is transported by a fleet of specialized vessels. The navigability conditions of rivers are strongly influenced by the periods of annual flood and ebb. This paper analyzes the logistical challenges of waterway transport for the relief of LPG from the Urucu Pole during the drought in the North of the country and in the countries bordering the state of Amazonas, a period in which the water levels of the Amazon basin drop dramatically, greatly restricting the safe navigation in the region.