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Abstract: Beginning in 2007, the Chinese state used liberalising policy and funding to encourage the expansion of large‐scale grain farming. Despite this support, many of the new farms have struggled financially and folded. Drawing on Foucauldian biopolitics and resource security literature, I argue that, with modernised agriculture, the state primarily sought to create not commercial farms, but the redundant farming infrastructure needed to buffer its growing reliance on food imports, abide by global trade regulations, and sustain its urban export manufacturing economy. These balancing efforts harmed commercial farmers: land commodification and policy funding incentivised urban government officials to intervene in rural land‐use planning, but low global market aligned grain prices disincentivised them from considering the place‐particular viability of their plans for producers. This article contributes to critical agrarian change literature by highlighting how modernist states become beholden to rational scientific techniques and sacrifice rural areas for increasingly vulnerable urban areas.

Abstract:Introduction: This study analyzes the effects of personality traits on the stockpiling of groceries in the United Kingdom during the COVID–19 pandemic. The sample is representative of the UK population in terms of age, gender, and residential area. Methods: We collected the data through five rounds of web surveys during the spring of 2020 (N = 1025). We used the Big Five Inventory (BFI–10) to measure personality traits. We analyzed the data using independent t-tests and logistic regression. Results: The independent t-tests show that "stockpilers" have a higher degree of Neuroticism and a lower degree of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness than "nonstockpilers." Logistic regressions moreover show that differences in Neuroticism are related to other personality traits, and that differences in Agreeableness are largely related to age and residential area. The low degree of Conscientiousness among "stockpilers" remains, after we controlled for other factors in the model (i.e., personality traits, gender, age, and residential area). Discussion: We discuss the findings regarding previous research. Understanding personality traits and stockpiling is important to prepare and manage similar extraordinary situations that may occur in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Grocery stockpiling is a common behavioral response to the emergence of disasters or heightened uncertainty. Nonetheless, the phenomenon and methods for mitigating it are not well understood. Using a model of household shopping and inventory management, we conceptualize stockpiling as a result of an increase in the fixed cost of making grocery shopping trips, or the opportunity cost of time associated with shopping. In a laboratory experiment, we find that stockpiling increases (decreases) by 78 and 41% (22%) with an increase in fixed costs and price reductions (imposition of purchase limits), respectively. We also find that stockpiling leads to fewer (more) grocery trips by 33 and 22% (36%) under the same three conditions, respectively. Our experiment and subsequent cluster analysis suggest that loss aversion suppresses stockpiling. Our experiment shows that imposing purchase limits, a common retail response to stock‐outs, can trigger stockpiling during shopping trips without purchase limits. Although we do not claim external validity, our study suggests that store managers and policymakers should be careful about solutions during a stockpiling event, such that they do not exacerbate stockpiling, which may disproportionately affect vulnerable groups and disrupt supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bangladesh suffered a severe COVID-19 wave from June to August 2021, which forced the government to impose emergency nationwide lockdown measures for three months with discontinuities. The sudden lockdown strongly affected the dietary preferences, financial circumstances, and social interactions of citizens. Methods: In this comprehensive study, we collected sociodemographic information as well as data on food purchase and consumption behaviors from 1,350 adults in Bangladesh during the weeks of enforced confinement. The association between the sociodemographic factors (viz., gender, age, education status, income, occupation, and household size) and food purchase and consumption behaviors were determined by conducting bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models reporting as odds ratios. Results: The descriptive result reveals that 49.63% of the participants experienced wage reductions, with many people enduring reductions of up to 75%; 12.22% lost their jobs. Besides, a decline in the frequency of shopping was observed by 35.04%; and 24.52% avoided outdoor shopping during the pandemic period. Additionally, 28.74% of participants purchased less overall, while 19.48% purchased significantly fewer items per trip compared to the pre-pandemic period. The multivariate analysis shows a prominent increase in online grocery shopping (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 2.38–6.83, p < 0.001) and meal delivery services (OR = 5.19, 95% CI = 3.21–7.17, p < 0.001) among higher educated individuals compared to the individuals having no institutional education. The personnel having formal jobs purchased 2.34 times more from online grocery sites (95% CI = 0.34–4.08, p = 0.003) compared to the unemployed one. In contrast, a notable increase in panic buying and stockpiling was observed, driven by scarcity and escalating prices of essential food items. The frequency of meals with families, active engagement in meal preparation, and the exploration of novel recipes also increased notably. Conclusions: The consumption of takeaway food and inter-meal snacks increased significantly with the education level of individuals. These findings highlighted that a prolonged pandemic could magnify economic vulnerability in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, hospitals experienced a demand surge for COVID-19–related medical care while simultaneously struggling to source prescription drugs needed to manage COVID-19 patients. This is worrisome as shortfalls in the supply of essential drugs can negatively impact patient outcomes. The popular press reporting on these challenges suggests that they are caused by supply chain disruptions. However, rigorous research on the relationship between the pandemic and prescription drug supply is limited. To address this gap, we leverage a quasi-experimental design and IQVIA's National Sales Perspectives™ data from 2018 to 2020. We focus on prescription drugs indicated for the management of COVID-19 patients and a set of control drugs (i.e., drugs not used for COVID-19). We find that in the early phases of the pandemic, hospitals stockpiled prescription drugs indicated for the management of COVID-19, making this behavior an under-recognized cause of the sourcing challenges. The sales volume of drugs indicated for COVID-19 management was concentrated in the first two months of the pandemic, after which sales decreased significantly despite a nationwide increase in COVID-19–related hospitalizations. We investigate another potential cause of stockpiling: expected price increases. Counter to concerns of price gouging, we find little evidence of price inflation for these drugs. An implication for drug manufacturers is that orders due to stockpiling by downstream buyers early on in a pandemic may need to be discounted when predicting future demand. Our results have implications for drug suppliers, hospitals, and policymakers interested in improving medical product supply chain resilience. This paper was accepted by Stefan Scholtes, healthcare management. Funding: R. M. Conti was supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant 1123649-463157) and the Sloan Foundation. Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.04150. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: This study analyzes the effects of personality traits on the stockpiling of groceries in the United Kingdom during the COVID–19 pandemic. The sample is representative of the UK population in terms of age, gender, and residential area. Methods: We collected the data through five rounds of web surveys during the spring of 2020 (N = 1025). We used the Big Five Inventory (BFI–10) to measure personality traits. We analyzed the data using independent t-tests and logistic regression. Results: The independent t-tests show that “stockpilers” have a higher degree of Neuroticism and a lower degree of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness than “nonstockpilers.” Logistic regressions moreover show that differences in Neuroticism are related to other personality traits, and that differences in Agreeableness are largely related to age and residential area. The low degree of Conscientiousness among “stockpilers” remains, after we controlled for other factors in the model (i.e., personality traits, gender, age, and residential area). Discussion: We discuss the findings regarding previous research. Understanding personality traits and stockpiling is important to prepare and manage similar extraordinary situations that may occur in the future.

Abstract Background Bangladesh suffered a severe COVID-19 wave from June to August 2021, which forced the government to impose emergency nationwide lockdown measures for three months with discontinuities. The sudden lockdown strongly affected the dietary preferences, financial circumstances, and social interactions of citizens. Methods In this comprehensive study, we collected sociodemographic information as well as data on food purchase and consumption behaviors from 1,350 adults in Bangladesh during the weeks of enforced confinement. The association between the sociodemographic factors (viz., gender, age, education status, income, occupation, and household size) and food purchase and consumption behaviors were determined by conducting bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models reporting as odds ratios. Results The descriptive result reveals that 49.63% of the participants experienced wage reductions, with many people enduring reductions of up to 75%; 12.22% lost their jobs. Besides, a decline in the frequency of shopping was observed by 35.04%; and 24.52% avoided outdoor shopping during the pandemic period. Additionally, 28.74% of participants purchased less overall, while 19.48% purchased significantly fewer items per trip compared to the pre-pandemic period. The multivariate analysis shows a prominent increase in online grocery shopping (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 2.38–6.83, p

The disposal of tailings has always been a focal point in the mining industry. Semi-dry tailings stockpiling, specifically high-concentration tailings stockpiling, has emerged as a potential solution. To enhance the stability of tailings stockpiling and minimize its costs, the incorporation of a low-cost curing agent into high-concentration tailings is essential. Therefore, this study focuses on the development of a curing agent for high-concentration unclassified tailings stockpiling. The composition of a low-cost curing agent system is determined based on theoretical analysis, and the curing reaction mechanisms of each composition are researched. Subsequently, an orthogonal experiment is designed, and the strength of the modified unclassified tailings solidified samples at different curing ages is measured. Furthermore, the rheological properties of the modified unclassified tailings slurries are tested, and the feasibility of industrial transportation of the unclassified tailings slurries modified with the optimized curing agent is analyzed. Lastly, the microscopic morphologies of each material and the modified unclassified tailings solidified samples are characterized, their chemical compositions are tested, and the action mechanism of the curing agent in the curing system is further investigated. The results show that the optimal proportions of each material in the curing agent are as follows: slag, 58%; quicklime, 15%; cement, 8%; gypsum, 9%; and bentonite, 10%. The dominance of industrial waste slag exceeding 50% reflects the low-cost nature of the curing agent. Under this condition, the modified unclassified tailings slurry with a mass concentration of 75% exhibited a yield stress of 43.62 Pa and a viscosity coefficient of 0.67 Pa·s, which is suitable for pipeline transportation. These findings lay a foundation for subsequent decisions regarding stockpiling processes and equipment selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) is an invasive species that requires significant disturbance to eradicate. Previous studies have identified associations between the Brazilian pepper tree and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF). However, limited research has explored the connection between disturbance from removal and the effect on EMF. This study investigated the sensitivity of EMF and the broader fungal community to the full and selective removal of the Brazilian pepper tree. During the selective removal of Brazilian pepper tree, we examined the mycorrhizal community of the Arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis) to assess the influence of the restoration disturbance on native species. We used ITS2 sequencing to identify the EMF present during the restoration. Our expectation was that both removal efforts would reduce the presence of EMF. Contrary to our predictions, full removal increased EMF richness and relative abundance in the soil. As anticipated, selective removal reduced the richness and relative abundance of EMF associated with soil. Selective removal led to a decrease in the richness of EMF in arroyo willow roots with no effect on relative abundance. Moreover, fungal community composition in soil and roots shifted significantly during selective and full removal. However, the community composition of EMF, specifically, remained constant across treatment types. During full removal efforts, the application of organic soil amendments may have contributed to the increase in the diversity and relative abundance of EMF. Selective removal will require additional measures, such as soil amendments, to curtail the loss of EMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBioaugmentation of veterinary antibiotic (VA)-contaminated feces with VA-degrading bacteria, can reduce the VA-selective pressure on manure microorganisms toward antibiotic resistance during organic soil fertilization. We explored the efficiency of a Sphingomonas isolate, able to degrade tiamulin (TIA), as a bioaugmentation agent for removing TIA from pig manures fortified with TIA at two concentrations (5 and 50 µg g−1). Bioaugmentation efficiency was compared with stockpiling and anaerobic digestion. Bioaugmentation accelerated TIA dissipation (DT50 = 32.3 and 66.2 days) compared with anaerobic digestion (DT50 = 103 and 126.7 days) and stockpiling (DT50 = 95.38 and 113.8 days). Furthermore, we determined the impact of TIA on methane production and followed microbial succession during anaerobic digestion. The lower TIA concentration stimulated biomethanation, seemingly, through induction of the increase of Methanosarcina (from below detection at the TIA-free samples to 17.1% of relative abundance at the low in TIA content samples), commonly linked with aceticlastic biomethanation. Our findings highlight (i) the potential of bioaugmentation in treating VA-contaminated manures for mitigating the dispersal of VA residues in agricultural settings (ii) the high risk of contamination of agricultural soils by the use of TIA-contaminated manures that have been stockpiled or anaerobically digested before their use in agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptomic evidence is needed to determine whether composting is more effective than conventional stockpiling in mitigating the risk of resistome in livestock manure. The objective of this study is to compare composting and stockpiling for their effectiveness in reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance in beef cattle manure. Samples collected from the center and the surface of full-size manure stockpiling and composting piles were subject to metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses. While the distinctions in resistome between stockpiled and composted manure were not evident at the DNA level, the advantages of composting over stockpiling were evident at the transcriptomic level in terms of the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), the number of ARG subtypes, and the prevalence of high-risk ARGs (i.e., mobile ARGs associated with zoonotic pathogens). DNA and transcript contigs show that the pathogen hosts of high-risk ARGs included Escherichia coli O157:H7 and O25b:H4, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella enterica. Although the average daily temperatures for the entire composting pile exceeded 55°C throughout the field study, more ARG and ARG transcripts were removed at the center of the composting pile than at the surface. This work demonstrates the advantage of composting over stockpiling in reducing ARG risk in active populations in beef cattle manure. IMPORTANCE Proper treatment of manure before land application is essential to mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. Stockpiling and composting are two commonly used methods for manure treatment. However, the effectiveness of composting in reducing antibiotic resistance in manure has been debated. This work compared the ability of these two methods to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance in beef cattle manure. Our results demonstrate that composting reduced more high-risk resistance genes at the transcriptomic level in cattle manure than conventional stockpiling. This finding not only underscores the effective ness of composting in reducing antibiotic resistance in manure but also highlights the importance of employing RNA analyses alongside DNA analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattle production in Mexico is one of the main activities of the agriculture and livestock sector. The production, commercialization and fattening of steers that are sold for slaughtering represents an extended practice in rural communities, while changes in demographics and consumption habits in the population have an important demand for beef. The objective of this study was to characterize the links and identify the points of origin of production (cow-calf system), stockpiling, trading, fattening and sacrifice that make up the supply chain of cattle produced in the northern zone of the state of Veracruz, which supplies the demand for beef in the Metropolitan Area of the Mexican Valley. The methodology used was the design and application of semi-structured surveys with 180 young bull producers in 5 municipalities of the Huasteca Veracruzana region; 50 fatteners in the state of Hidalgo an in eastern State of Mexico; 2 Livestock Services Providers (Prestadores de Servicios Ganaderos, PSG); and 2 persons who introduce them to the slaughterhouses. A descriptive characterization of the supply chain was made with the information obtained. It was found that the main consumption center of meat obtained from the young bulls produced in the northern zone of Veracruz is Mexico City and State of Mexico; the animals produced in the Huasteca Veracruzana region are fattened in Hidalgo (Atotonilco el Grande, Ixmiquilpan and Metztitlan) and the eastern zone of State of Mexico (Otumba, Tepetlaoxtoc and Texcoco), where they are fattened, slaughtered, dressed, packaged, distributed and sold at retail to the final consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak a pandemic. In the following days, media reports showed that consumers increasingly stockpiled groceries and household supplies. Interestingly, behavioral data show that this stockpiling exhibited considerable heterogeneity across countries. Building on cultural dimension theory, the authors theorize that this heterogeneity can be explained by countries' cultural values: consumer stockpiling after the World Health Organization's announcement was more pronounced in countries whose residents show high uncertainty avoidance, low long-term orientation, low indulgence, and high individualism. The authors confirm these propositions using global mobility data from Google matched with country-level data on cultural values, pandemic reaction policies, and other key variables. This research note thereby integrates the previously disconnected literature on cultural dimension theory and consumer stockpiling in general, as well as provides new and significant knowledge about cross-cultural consumer behavior in crises. Furthermore, the authors provide actionable insights for international policy makers and business managers who aim to predict or control consumer stockpiling in future global crises to enhance consumer well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a general shortage of personal protection products and therapeutic devices, which has highlighted the need for each country to have its own production resources and not depend solely on imports. Given the time that elapses between the onset of an epidemic and its detection, as well as the time required to activate production and the lead time of purchasing operations, it is necessary to have a permanent reserve, which we call shield stock, in order to immediately meet the demand for equipment at the beginning and throughout the course of the epidemic. This situation is analysed in order to identify the most relevant decisions in the scenario described, formulate a cost optimisation model and develop procedures to find the most economical combination of shield stock, domestic production capacity and imports to guarantee the immediate satisfaction of demand and the restoration of the shield stock after the epidemic, as a preventative measure. The procedure is illustrated with a specific pattern of the spread of the epidemic and some numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panic buying poses significant challenges for individuals and societies. This paper provides a literature review on the process by which a pandemic crisis evolves into panic buying behavior. The review offers a comprehensive perspective on studies related to panic buying and mitigation efforts, categorizing them based on their contributions in three stages: factors influencing panic buying, the process of transforming panic into increased demand and stockpiling, and applicable intervention strategies to mitigate panic situations. The paper introduces the Socio-Economic Framework of Panic (SEFP) to illustrate the interaction between demand and supply during a panic. The review identifies a lack of quantitative models explicitly correlating influencing factors with panic and estimating panic demand. Additionally, it reveals that suggested intervention strategies often lack practical implementation guidelines. Using the SEFP, the importance of considering interventions at various stages is highlighted, ranging from controlling influencing factors and panic demands to overseeing stockpiling and supply-related activities. The paper also identifies research gaps in both qualitative and quantitative modeling, policymaking, and governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a retail setting with a storable product and customers that are heterogeneous in their product valuations and stockpile-up-to levels, intertemporal price discrimination is a key revenue driver. This study considers price randomization as an intertemporal price discrimination scheme that can bring in revenues comparable to those of the third-degree price discrimination. A mathematical model that captures the retailer's expected revenue maximization problem in a two-segment setting over an infinite horizon is developed. We show that when product valuations are uniformly distributed, price randomization generates at least 8 9 of the revenue the retailer can achieve with the third-degree price discrimination strategy. The computational analysis indicates that price randomization can be an effective price discrimination option in the presence of segments having similar sizes and marked differences in product valuations. Moreover, the computational analysis illustrates that price randomization can recover a significant portion of the revenue that the retailer could achieve through deterministic cyclic policies with two price levels. We describe how a retailer should optimally design its price randomization strategy and identify market structures where randomized pricing can be an effective option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological developments in the world today make the competitive conditions of businesses very difficult. Businesses that have to ensure their continuity and operate in line with the objectives of the business have to constantly conduct market research. Businesses that are expanding their fields of activity day by day in order to compete in the globalizing world have begun to operate on a global scale. Businesses operating both on a national scale and on a global scale, on the one hand, determine consumer interests and demands and present the product produced according to the demand to the consumer, while on the other hand, consumer demands must be determined, analyzed and moved to the production stage. It is not easy for business management to control stock level due to external factors in businesses. Therefore, businesses need to manage the supply chain process very well. In this study, the reasons that create the bullwhip effect that businesses encounter in the supply chain process and the "stockpiling" accusations made against businesses in this process are examined. In the results of working; It has been determined that events that cause disruptions in the supply chain of businesses on a global scale, such as Covid-19 and the Ukraine-Russia war, can cause uncontrollability in the stock levels of businesses. Therefore, businesses can be accused of stockpiling due to uncontrolled stock levels, also known as the bullwhip effect in the literature. İşletmelerin stok seviyelerindeki yukarı yönlü değişimin nedenleri iyice araştırılmalıdır. If the stock level is caused by external factors in the supply chain, then it would not be right to accuse businesses of stockpiling. It has been evaluated that, during the trial of businesses accused of stockpiling, experts who will act as experts on this issue should take into account the whiplash effect, which will prevent businesses from being unfairly accused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By purchasing larger quantities of goods and saving them for future consumption households are able to reduce transaction costs and acquire goods at a lower price per unit, presuming they can manage the transportation and storage costs. This study uses variations in state income tax refunds over time to estimate consumption responses to lump‐sum payments. Households purchase around 20 per cent more of easily stored toilet paper in the months in which tax refunds are issued, but do not increase purchases of perishables such as bread and eggs. In addition to purchasing more goods at a lower per‐unit price, households also appear to increase the time until their next purchase, which implies that they are saving goods for consumption over time. These in‐kind savings allow people to smooth their consumption over time, much like pecuniary savings. Government payments that provide lump‐sum payments can benefit consumers by providing additional liquidity to buy and store goods at a lower cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a new and complementary demand-side-oriented explanation for counter-cyclical pricing, which we define as the presence of more frequent price discounts during high-demand seasons than in low-demand seasons in seasonal product categories. Our study focuses on how an increase in marginal utility of consumption in high-demand seasons (resulting in a seasonal upward demand shift) can increase price elasticity in storable and frequently-purchased product categories, where consumers may exhibit forward-looking price expectations and engage in stockpiling and where consumption may be endogenous. We propose that during high-demand periods, a price discount is more likely to increase purchase quantities due to lower satiation of consumption and to increase total consumption which induces category expansion. This leads to higher price elasticity during high-demand periods than during low-demand periods as consumers have forward-looking price expectations and stockpile and/or consumption is endogenous. Thus, we present stockpiling and endogenous consumption as the consumer behavioral mechanisms behind counter-cyclical price elasticity. Unlike most existing studies, our proposed mechanisms capture forward-looking consumers' dynamic trade-offs created by temporary price reductions and, therefore, shed light on the practice of counter-cyclical price promotion, as opposed to a seasonal change in mean prices. We investigate the roles of stockpiling and endogenous consumption using the framework of a dynamic inventory model with endogenous consumption by allowing consumption utility to be subject to exogenous seasonal fluctuation. Our model indicates that during high-demand periods, demand elasticity increases by 9.63% relative to low-demand periods, offering a motivation for counter-cyclical price promotion. Counterfactual experiments were done to validate the roles of the proposed mechanisms of stockpiling and endogenous consumption, both of which explain counter-cyclical patterns in price elasticity as individually, as well as collectively, when the marginal utility of consumption varies across seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: With the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed an increase in purchases of certain products, such as toilet paper, disinfectants, or groceries. In the present study, we examined the individual and socio-psychological determinants of stockpiling behavior. For this purpose, we defined an explanatory model based on the Health Belief Model (HBM), which includes threat perceptions, barriers and benefits, and self-efficacy beliefs as main predictors of health-related behaviors, and extended the model to include social norms. Subject and methods: Participants were recruited via social media platforms and data collection was conducted via an online survey. The final sample included 861 German respondents (male = 199, female = 642, mean age = 36.76, SD = 12.38). Results: Perceived barriers of stockpiling, such as financial constraints or regulations in supermarkets, turned out to be the strongest predictors of stockpiling. Regarding the role of threat perception, the perceived severity of the disease in particular was positively related to stockpiling behavior. Finally, our results suggest a significant impact of social cues, showing that descriptive normative beliefs are associated with stockpiling behavior. Conclusion: Based on these findings, we propose targeted interventions to a) reduce perceived benefits of stockpiling and severity beliefs related to COVID-19, b) emphasize disadvantages of stockpiling, and c) reduce media exposure of stockpiling behavior to prevent panic buying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented number of people purchasing firearms/ammunition. However, this was not the only way Americans responded to the pandemic: large swaths of the public also stayed at home and stockpiled goods. Twelve months later, as the pandemic raged, these coping mechanisms were still present as Americans continued to buy guns/ammunition, limit social interactions, and hoard supplies. Using two nationwide surveys conducted one year apart, we examine the extent and sources of gun/ammunition purchasing compared to staying home and panic buying during this unique moment in American history. Results from both surveys indicate that the factors that led to these divergent coping mechanisms vary. Both at the beginning of the pandemic and one year later, the likelihood of purchasing a firearm/ammunition was associated low self-control and White nationalism. Conversely, fear of the virus was associated with people staying home and amassing supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Covid‐19 pandemic produced a complex combination of intense negative emotions among the general public, influencing people's coping reactions toward the pandemic. Yet each discrete emotion may affect people's behaviors in different ways. Unveiling the specific emotion–behavior relationships can provide valuable implications for designing effective intervention programs. Through the lens of the appraisal theory of emotion, we assessed the relationships between negative emotions and pandemic‐related behaviors among the Chinese population midst the early outbreak of the pandemic. An anonymous online survey was distributed to mainland Chinese participants (n = 2976), which assessed individuals' emotional states and behavioral reactions to the pandemic. Consistent with the differential appraisal theme underlying each negative emotion as delineated by the appraisal theory, mixed relationships between emotions and pandemic‐related behaviors were revealed. Specifically, anxiety was positively associated with behaviors of seeking pandemic‐related information, sharing such information, and stockpiling preventive goods, yet, contrary to prediction, anxious people were reluctant to adopt preventive measures, which is maladaptive. Sad people sought information less frequently and exhibited lower intention to stockpile preventive goods; but, opposing prediction, they shared information less frequently. Angry people were more active in sharing information and in stockpiling preventive goods. These findings suggest that public health practitioners can utilize the emotion–behavior relationships to identify the vulnerable individuals who tend to adopt maladaptive coping behaviors, help them address emotional distress, and encourage their adoption of effective coping behaviors.

Purpose: The coronavirus pandemic has suddenly changed the lives of people all over the world, both in terms of their health, everyday habits, work, and the patterns of their consumer behavior. The goal of our study was first to examine the intensity of stockpiling in Poland that appeared in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the role of psychological factors (sense of control over the pandemic and subjective perception of the risk of getting infected with the coronavirus) for different dimensions of stockpiling. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in April 2020 on a nationwide representative random-quota sample (n=1,046) shortly after the first COVID-19 infection was diagnosed in Poland. At the time, certain changes in shopping behavior, especially increased purchase frequencies and stockpiling intensity, were observed in Poland, similarly to many other countries. Findings: The results showed that the factors affecting consumer behavior, such as making supplies or spending more on pandemic-related and unrelated items, are explained not only by demographic variables but also by psychological factors such as the experience of a lack of control and fear of being infected with the coronavirus. Research limitations/implications: The study has managerial implications regarding sales and logistics management. In an emergency situation (not only directly related to the economic crisis and consumption), both producers of basic products and retailers should be prepared for increased interest in the purchase of these products and provide access to consumers accordingly. Controlling communications in public spaces that could generate anxiety would be advisable too.

This paper investigates how a manufacturer should respond to the retailer's and consumers' stockpiling ability by contracting with the retailer. Manufacturers of consumer-packaged goods invest heavily in trade promotions (i.e., temporary wholesale price discounts), but retailer stockpiling often yields trade promotions unprofitable. In this paper, we investigate how a manufacturer should respond to the retailer's and consumers' stockpiling ability by contracting with the retailer. Specifically, we examine when the manufacturer should restrict the retailer's stockpiling ability and when it should issue trade promotions. Our analysis suggests the following. First, the manufacturer should restrict the retailer's stockpiling ability when the storage cost is low; such restriction also benefits the retailer, resulting in a win-win outcome. Second, the manufacturer should offer trade promotions when the retailer cannot stockpile products and the storage cost is low but raise the wholesale price when the retailer can stockpile products. Third, stockpiling improves channel coordination and increases the manufacturer's profit; therefore, the manufacturer should design products to be more storable. History: Ganesh Iyer served as the senior editor, and Anthony Dukes served as associate editor for this article. Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2022.1394 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panic buying poses significant challenges for individuals and societies. This paper provides a literature review on the process by which a pandemic crisis evolves into panic buying behavior. The review offers a comprehensive perspective on studies related to panic buying and mitigation efforts, categorizing them based on their contributions in three stages: factors influencing panic buying, the process of transforming panic into increased demand and stockpiling, and applicable intervention strategies to mitigate panic situations. The paper introduces the Socio-Economic Framework of Panic (SEFP) to illustrate the interaction between demand and supply during a panic. The review identifies a lack of quantitative models explicitly correlating influencing factors with panic and estimating panic demand. Additionally, it reveals that suggested intervention strategies often lack practical implementation guidelines. Using the SEFP, the importance of considering interventions at various stages is highlighted, ranging from controlling influencing factors and panic demands to overseeing stockpiling and supply-related activities. The paper also identifies research gaps in both qualitative and quantitative modeling, policymaking, and governance.

This article investigates the role of diverse nudging communication strategies on perceived threat and stockpiling intention. Across three studies, the authors examined the various effects of "nudging" on consumer behavior. Study 1 demonstrates that a commonly used picture has a stronger impact on perceived threat than a less frequently exposed picture regardless of its accuracy. Study 2 shows that the perceived threat of COVID-19, in terms of severe health consequences, is lower when using an indirect (vs. direct) explanation of the virus, as well as when reducing the amount of information about the virus. Study 3 investigates the impact of salient negative information and childhood socioeconomic status (SES). Findings reveal that negative information about deaths associated with the virus increases the level of perceived threat and stockpiling intention, especially among people of low childhood SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to assess the roots of stockpiling behaviors and to give a quantitative assessment of shopping frequency changes for emergency supplies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, the authors aim to determine the sources that influenced emergency supply purchases during the COVID-19 outbreak. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a polling or survey process implementation to collect the data on shopping patterns and to determine the drivers of stockpiling behaviors for the assessment. The polling was conducted using a snowball technique, and descriptive and regression analyses were used to define the roots of the stockpiling behaviors and the shopping frequency changes. Findings – It was determined that 88.0% of end-consumers increased their shopping volumes for emergency supplies. An almost twofold increase in the average duration of usage for stockpiled goods (from 11 to 21 days) was also determined. Also revealed was a reduction in shopping frequency from an average of seven (pre-COVID-19 period) to five (first wave of COVID-19 pandemic) days. Such disproportional increases in purchase volumes along with a slight reduction in shopping frequency indicate the strong stockpile patterns that occurred during the pandemic. Originality/value – The research is based on data from Ukraine, where the number of COVID-19 cases was low. Despite the comparatively low spread of COVID-19 in large cities in Ukraine in relation to other cities globally, people still revealed panic and stockpiling behaviors. The study's quantitative assessment of shopping behaviors reveals the social and economic determinants of the shopping frequency.

Purpose – The COVID-19 pandemic changed people’s patterns of work and consumption substantially. This paper examines how cultural orientations and personality traits relate to adjustments in consumer behavior during COVID-19. Specifically, it considers whether individualism/collectivism, neuroticism, and collective self-esteem can help explain local food buying and stockpiling behavior. Design/Methodology/Approach – A total of 187 consumers participated in this research, with data collection taking place during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Croatia from March to May 2020. Findings and implications – Consumers with higher horizontal collectivism engaged in local food buying more than those with lower horizontal collectivism. Horizontal collectivism and, to a lesser extent, neuroticism predicted stockpiling behavior. Collective self-esteem moderated the relationship between horizontal collectivism and stockpiling, and between neuroticism and local food buying. Fostering a sense of collective identity and emphasizing collectivist values may be a fruitful marketing strategy as a response to marketplace disruptions during a crisis. Limitations – The study draws on a convenience sample of students and their household members, thereby limiting the generalizability of the study. Originality – This paper uncovers the ways in which socio-cultural and personality-related psychological constructs relate to local food buying and stockpiling behavior while also highlighting the importance of cultural orientation for explaining consumer behavior during a major crisis.

Individuals engage in a variety of behavioral responses to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, from complying with or transgressing against physical distancing regulations, to stockpiling or prosocial behavior. We predicted that particularly descriptive social norms are important in driving pandemic-related behavior as they offer guidelines in times of insecurity and crisis. To investigate this assumption, we conducted a longitudinal survey with two measurement points (n = 1,907) in Germany during the spring of 2020. Results show that descriptive norms (perceived behavior of close others) positively predicted future transgression against distancing regulations, stockpiling, and prosocial behavior over time. In our analysis, we account for previous behavior as well as other potential predictors (subjective threat, personality). In sum, our findings highlight the power of descriptive norms in increasing compliance with pandemic-related regulations and promoting future prosocial behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The COVID‐19 pandemic had an impact on health care, with disruption to routine clinical care. Our aim was to describe changes in prescription drugs dispensing in the primary and outpatient sectors during the first year of the pandemic across Europe. Methods: We used routine administrative data on dispensed medicines in eight European countries (five whole countries, three represented by one region each) from January 2017 to March 2021 to compare the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic with the preceding 3 years. Results: In the 10 therapeutic subgroups with the highest dispensed volumes across all countries/regions the relative changes between the COVID‐19 period and the year before were mostly of a magnitude similar to changes between previous periods. However, for drugs for obstructive airway diseases the changes in the COVID‐19 period were stronger in several countries/regions. In all countries/regions a decrease in dispensed DDDs of antibiotics for systemic use (from −39.4% in Romagna to −14.2% in Scotland) and nasal preparations (from −34.4% in Lithuania to −5.7% in Sweden) was observed. We observed a stockpiling effect in the total market in March 2020 in six countries/regions. In Czechia the observed increase was not significant and in Slovenia volumes increased only after the end of the first lockdown. We found an increase in average therapeutic quantity per pack dispensed, which, however, exceeded 5% only in Slovenia, Germany, and Czechia. Conclusions: The findings from this first European cross‐national comparison show a substantial decrease in dispensed volumes of antibiotics for systemic use in all countries/regions. The results also indicate that the provision of medicines for common chronic conditions was mostly resilient to challenges faced during the pandemic. However, there were notable differences between the countries/regions for some therapeutic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The protection and maintenance of hospital functionality and treatment capacity require preventative planning and preparation for a mass casualty incident with respect to the scenarios, disasters or catastrophes to be expected. The hospital alarm and operations (KAEP) or stockpiling plan should include and organize the procedures and measures in the respective clinics and hospitals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hospitals of the Trauma Networks of the German Society for Trauma Surgery® (TNW DGU®) with respect to the established organizational structures and contents of the KAEP., Material and Method: In this study 622 hospitals from the TNW DGU® were surveyed to determine current treatment capacities depending on the principles and standards of care. This was done via the DGU Academy of Trauma Surgery (AUC) and an online-based survey with voluntary participation via a web-based platform (SurveyMonkey Europe UC, Dublin, Ireland). The data presented here represent an excerpt of the overall data focused on the topic of this paper. Of the 622 certified clinics 252 (40%) took part in the survey in December 2022 and 250 data sets could be evaluated., Results: Level I, II, III trauma centers (LTZ, RTZ, ÜRTZ) took part in equal numbers. Of the participating clinics 90% have a KAEP that has been updated in the last 3 years. The manual of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) was known in two thirds of the clinics surveyed. Only 30% of the clinics adapted their own KAEP after it was published and only 40% exercised it in the last 3 years. Elements for the care of those affected and injured (psychosocial network, end-of-life care, care of relatives) were included in 25-44% of hospitals. Regardless of the certification, it became obvious that around 80% of the hospitals rely exclusively on one alarm procedure and only 20% use a redundant system with 2 or more notification procedures. The survey showed that more than 75% of the hospitals already have the option of selective or partial alerting. Depending on the triage category, the LTZs were able to initially admit an average of 2 SK I and 4 SK II patients. These capacities were almost doubled by the RTZ and tripled by the ÜTZ., Conclusion: The DGU Trauma Networks represent an essential part for the care in disaster and major disaster situations. The KAEP has been implemented in the majority of hospitals. Updating the KAEPs to current content, practicing and digital, selective and redundant systems for alerting represent a challenge. In addition, the harmonization of terms and organizational elements but also the establishment of care for relatives and the care and psychosocial emergency treatment (PSNV) have not yet been fully implemented. Ultimately, a KAEP must be implemented to make hospitals and the healthcare system more resilient to disasters and major disasters. It is important to support the hospitals and ensure that costs for exercises and training course formats are covered., Competing Interests: Einhaltung ethischer Richtlinien. Interessenkonflikt: G. Achatz, D. Bieler, U. Schweigkofler, C. Hoefer, W. Lehmann und A. Franke geben an, dass kein finanzieller Interessenkonflikt besteht. GA ist TDSC-Kursdirektor und -instruktor, Stellv. Ltr. Sektion EKTC der DGU, Mitglied Sektion NIS der DGU, Deputy-Head Disaster & Military Section ESTES; DB ist ATLS-Kursdirektor und -instruktor, TDSC-Kursdirektor und -instruktor, Mitglied Sektion EKTC der DGU, Ltr. Sektion NIS der DGU; US ist stellv. Ltr. Sektion NIS der DGU; CH ist stellv. Geschäftsführerin der Akademie der Unfallchirurgie – AUC DGU; WL ist Leiter Ausschuss TNW der DGU; AF ist ATLS-Kursdirektor und -instruktor, Nationaler Kursdirektor TDSC, TDSC-Kursdirektor und -instruktor, Ltr. Sektion EKTC der DGU, Mitglied Sektion NIS der DGU, Stellv. Leiter Ausschuss TNW der DGU. Für diesen Beitrag wurden von den Autor/-innen keine Studien an Menschen oder Tieren durchgeführt. Für die aufgeführten Studien gelten die jeweils dort angegebenen ethischen Richtlinien., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Purpose – This research aims to study the recent changes in consumer behaviour and purchase pattern during the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 pandemic has forced consumers to stockpile, which has its own consequences. The article proposes the importance of “minimalism in consumption” to avoid greed in consumer behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – The data are collected from consumers across India using an online survey during the first lockdown from March 2020 to May 2020. A simple random sampling technique is used for data collection, and the collected data are analysed using SPSS version 26. Findings – The study states that there will be a shift in the purchase pattern of the consumers if lockdowns are imposed in the future or during any other crisis. However, at present, consumers have developed a stockpiling mentality fearing the unavailability of essentials. Research limitations/implications – Pandemic has stimulated a drastic change in consumer behaviour, which is a situational effect. Each crisis affects consumer behaviour in a different way. In this research, we have considered only fear, greed and anxiety in the light of Covid-19. On the other hand, the research intends to draw realistic conclusions based on consumers' experiences during the lockdown. Practical implications – The study proposes solutions that will help marketers frame exclusive strategies for a future crisis. Analysing the change in consumer behaviour and the shift in purchase patterns will emphasize the importance of market research to know consumer expectations during a crisis situation in order to cater to their new demands. Social implications – Consumers who stockpile should realize the unavailability of goods to other consumers who are in need. They also have to understand the importance of “minimalism in consumption” during a crisis. Originality/value – The data are collected during the most taxing crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic. Data are collected at the peak time of the first wave of Covid-19 in India, during a major shift in consumers' behaviour and purchase pattern. The article brings to the larger consciousness and also preaches a life lesson to all consumers to execute their responsibilities in consumption without over-demands and expectations.

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This paper presents the development and implementation of an innovative mixed integer programming based mathematical model for an open pit mining operation with Grade Engineering framework. Grade Engineering comprises a range of coarse-separation based pre-processing techniques that separate the desirable (i.e. high-grade) and undesirable (i.e. low-grade or uneconomic) materials and ensure the delivery of only selected quantity of high quality (or high-grade) material to energy, water, and cost-intensive processing plant. The model maximizes the net present value under a range of operational and processing constraints. Given that the proposed model is computationally complex, the authors employ a data pre-processing procedure and then evaluate the performance of the model at several practical instances using computation time, optimality gap, and the net present value as valid measures. In addition, a comparison of the proposed and traditional (without Grade Engineering) models reflects that the proposed model outperforms the traditional formulation.

The COVID‐19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis that poses a challenge to humanity. Drawing on the stress and coping literature, we argue that people around the world alleviate their anxiety and stress induced by the pandemic through both prosocial and 'self‐interested' hoarding behaviours. This cross‐cultural survey study examined the pushing (threat perception) and pulling (moral identity) factors that predicted prosocial acts and hoarding, and subsequently psychological well‐being. Data were collected from 9 April to 14 May 2020 from 251 participants in the United Kingdom (UK), 268 in the United States (US), 197 in Germany (DE), and 200 in Hong Kong (HK). Whereas threat perception was associated positively with both prosocial acts and hoarding, benevolent moral identity was associated positively with the former but not the latter behaviour. We also observed cross‐cultural differences, such that both effects were stronger in more individualistic (UK, US) countries than less individualistic (HK, DE) ones. The findings shed light on the prosocial vs. self‐interested behavioural responses of people in different cultures towards the same pandemic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 outbreak and its declaration as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020 resulted in consumer panic buying across the globe. Extant research into panic buying is scant, and its cultural context practically unexplored. This article uses mobility change data provided by Google and draws on reactance theory to establish how perceived scarcity limits freedoms, and ultimately drives individuals to panic buying. It hypothesizes and analyzes the influence of cultural factors; the findings show that individualism and uncertainty avoidance both exert a positive effect on the extent of panic buying, whereas power distance has a negative effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses a geopolitical lens to assess the EU's response to COVID-19 by exploring the Commission's creation of an emergency medical stockpile, dubbed rescEU. The article describes the creation, financing and distribution of this stockpile, which comes under the aegis of the Civil Protection Mechanism, in its first year of operation, 2020–1. What the analysis shows is how the creation and distribution of medical assistance was justified by the need to adapt to a changing international environment, one in which Russia and China contested the EU's solidarity, both within the EU27 and towards its neighbours. The EU has committed to investing large sums to develop pandemic resilience via stockpiling. However, what remains to be seen is how far such a policy can strengthen solidarity and counteract anti-EU narratives in the global context of the increasing strategic competition facing the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]