Search

The fast-growing middle class in emerging markets is leading luxury brands to adopt an affordable luxury (aka "masstige") approach to reach the mass market. However, academic research in this promising area is scarce. Focusing on China, the world's largest emerging market, this research shows a novel pattern of masstige brand consumption: Instead of always preferring foreign masstige brands (e.g., Coach) as implied in previous international marketing literature, consumers in emerging markets prefer domestic masstige brands (e.g., Goldlion) when their personally oriented motives are made salient. In contrast, consumers prefer foreign masstige brands when their socially oriented motives are made salient. This stems from domestic masstige brands better manifesting self-focused intangible attributes (i.e., the actual value to please oneself), whereas foreign masstige brands are superior in other-focused intangible attributes (i.e., the symbolic value to impress others). Three studies using a multimethod approach provide converging results that support this phenomenon. The findings bring significant contributions to the literature and offer actionable implications for managers, including positioning and price promotion strategies for masstige brands in emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant consumer data has made decision-making more complicated, rather than simple, for marketers. This raises an important question about which variables in the data contain reliable information for retailers to predict future consumer purchase value (CPV) to guide strategic decisions. The authors address this question by exploring the variables "distinctive choice of brand country of origin" (DBCOO) and "country of origin diversity" (COO diversity) as analytical tools to extract insights from consumer purchase data. Building on signaling theory, the authors theorize and empirically test that DBCOO and COO diversity in a consumer's purchase history can signal, and therefore help predict, CPV. Moreover, the authors explore high-involvement product categories and purchase frequency as boundary conditions to develop a comprehensive framework of COO signals as strategic analytical tools. They find that DBCOO in a consumer's purchase history indeed increases CPV and that this relationship is enhanced for high-involvement product categories but moderated curvilinearly by purchase frequency. Moreover, they find that the COO diversity–CPV link is positive but interacts negatively with both moderators. This allows retailers to successfully distinguish high- from low-CPV consumers and thus enables them to manage the marketing mix and resources more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade there has been significant interest in international expansion of emerging market firms (EMFs) due to their distinctive patterns compared with developed market firms (DMFs). In this article, the authors develop an analytical model to generate prescriptive insights for pricing strategies when EMFs enter new foreign markets. Grounded in the international marketing and organizational learning literatures, the model accounts for local and multinational competition, the influence of country-of-origin effects, and the role of organizational learning in foreign markets. The results suggest that when an EMF enters a host market with a local competitor, it could generate higher profits even when charging a lower price than the local competitor. Additionally, the authors find that DMFs enjoy greater profitability than EMFs in foreign markets as a result of positive country-of-origin effects. Finally, the authors propose and validate the use of organizational learning as a process EMFs can use to surmount the negative impact of country-of-origin effects and achieve greater profitability than DMFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States (US) is the world's largest beef producer and the third‐largest exporter. Beef production is also an important component of Texas history and economy. However, the US beef industry faces several challenges, including declining domestic consumption and competition for export markets. A potential strategy to overcome these challenges is promoting US beef products in international markets. Mexico is one of the markets of importance as it is the third‐largest export destination for US beef. In this study, we explored the use of "US" country of origin and "Texas" geographic indication information for consumer advertising of beef in Mexico. It was posited that Texas's international reputation as a cattle‐producing region could be used to promote Texas beef products. Data for this study were collected in 2019 and 2020 using an online survey of 1021 Mexican food shoppers. The survey included a choice experiment with 12 hypothetical choice scenarios of beef steak with different product attributes and prices. The product attributes considered were place of origin, food safety level, and production practices. Mexican consumers were found to have a strong preference for domestic beef products. Moreover, Mexican consumers are willing to pay $1.16 and $1.18/lb for enhanced food safety and natural production practices. Consumers are also willing to pay $0.19/lb more for US–Texas beef than that of US beef. The results of this project provide valuable information for developing marketing strategies and promotion campaigns aiming to improve the competitiveness of US and Texas beef products in foreign markets [EconLit Citations: D12, Q17, Q18]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Serbian milk market has been shaken by several events, such as aflatoxin contamination scandals, dubious origin labelling practices by dairy processors and farmer protests due to unfavourable market position. In addition, as a European Union (EU) candidate member state, Serbia is striving to meet EU CAP organic production targets, but the share of organic milk production remains negligible. Improving understanding of milk consumer preferences is thus valuable for informing policymakers and industry stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the willingness to pay for Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk attributes among Serbian Generation Z consumers. An online survey with a discrete choice experiment has been conducted with 189 University Students. The data was analysed using a random parameter logit model and latent class analysis. Random parameter logit model results suggest a stronger willingness to pay for "100% domestic milk" than for "organic" UHT milk, while "high-fat (2.8%)" is the most preferred by the sampled consumers. The results of latent class analysis indicate that two distinct, and roughly equally sized consumer segments can be identified, namely label-driven consumers and fat content-driven consumers, suggesting that UHT milk with credence attributes such are "100% domestic milk" and "Organic" label would have a place in the Serbian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to estimate the influence of the modern lifestyle, known also as the Westernized lifestyle, on the eating and food shopping behavior of omnichannel retail consumers in Athens. To collect the required data, this study constructed a questionnaire, which was answered by 130 adults, aged 25–40, who lived in Athens and were omnichannel retail consumers. It was found that the Greek diet has begun to adopt Western characteristics, presenting an increase in the consumption of fast and convenience food. However, the population has not moved dramatically away from the Mediterranean diet, which constitutes their traditional food model. As for Greek shopping behavior, this study indicated the factors that affected consumers when purchasing food products. The findings may help food managers to understand food consumers' behavior and improve their strategies so as to better meet the needs of Greek individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the signaling theory perspective, this study examines the effect of perceived country of origin on brand performance during economic contractions. The authors specify an econometric model linking brand market share to recession periods and analyze the interaction with brand origin perception. They test the model on four years of longitudinal data on consumer packaged goods brands combined with a self-administrated consumer questionnaire to infer consumers' perceptions about brands' origins. The authors find that economic contractions differentially affect brands with different country-of-origin perceptions. The results indicate that the market share of brands that customers most identify as domestic suffers more damage during contractions than brands they perceive as foreign. The main contribution of this article is in generating a better understanding of brands' resistance to economic contractions based on their perceived country of origin. Moreover, the authors provide strategic recommendations to brands based on their origin perception and the country's economic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research in international markets has yielded two seemly opposing views regarding customer engagement with local/domestic versus foreign-made brands: a preference for foreign brands based largely on country-of-origin effects or a preference for local/domestic brands based primarily on consumer ethnocentrism. In the present research, the authors contextualize the investigation across international markets and propose that, in two national markets with different cultural characteristics, a combination of local and foreign appeals leads to more favorable brand and product evaluations, compared with either local or foreign appeals alone, due to a heightened level of perceived brand globalness, a phenomenon called "the coalescence effect." The authors report results from seven studies conducted in China and the United States and discuss ways to design branding strategies that enhance customer engagement in an era of intensified global competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusions Shocks to the food system (such as extreme weather events, wars, and pandemics) are felt by institutional food systems. For hospitals, these shocks affect the quantity, quality, and variety of foods that can be offered to patients. One strategy to buffer the hospital food supply from external threats is to prioritise ingredients produced locally. Thus, the aim of the current research is to describe the country of origin of all foods purchased by a large, metropolitan healthcare organisation and to identify opportunities for improving the locality of the food supply.This study was of a cross‐sectional, observational design. The country of origin for all foods procured over a 1‐year period by a large, urban healthcare organisation was determined by proportion of food budget spend. State of origin was identified for fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. The organisation was in Queensland, Australia and utilised a cook‐fresh, room‐service foodservice model. Descriptive analysis was used to to determine the number of items and the proportion of budget spend on all foods produced in Australia, and by food category. Similar descriptive statistics were generated to determine the proportion of the budget spend on fresh fruits, vegetables and meats produced in Queensland.Over the 1‐year period, 659 individual food items were purchased by the hospital foodservice, and 502 food items were included in the anlaysis. In total, 53% of the food budget was spent on Australian foods (100% Australian ingredients) and almost all fruit (73%) and vegetables (91%) were Australian grown. Procuring fresh fruit (28%), vegetables (35%), and meat (46%) from within the state was less common, and this may reflect the primary states of production across Australia, and seasonal variability of the food supply.Findings offer priority areas for improving the locality of the food supply. Future research to determine if procuring more foods locally has benefits to consistency of the food supply is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybeans are grown worldwide owing to their protein, oil, and beneficial bioactive compounds. Genetic and environmental factors influence soybean seed isoflavones. In the present study, we profiled the seed isoflavones in world diverse soybean germplasm grown in two locations over two years in China. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed between the accessions, accession origins, seed coat colors, and maturity groups for individual and total isoflavone (TIF) content. TIF content of the soybean accessions ranged from 677.25 μg g−1 to 5823.29 μg g−1, representing an 8-fold difference. USA soybean accessions showed the highest mean TIF content (3263.07 μg g−1), followed by Japan (2521.26 μg g−1). Soybean with black seed coat showed the highest (3236.08 μg g−1) TIF concentration. Furthermore, isoflavone levels were significantly higher in late-maturity groups. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between individual and TIF content. Malonyldaidzin and malonylgenistin showed higher correlations with TIF content (r = 0.92 and r = 0.94, respectively). The soybean accessions identified as having high and stable TIF content can be utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries and breeding programs to develop soybean varieties with enhanced isoflavone content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes multi‐homing theory to assess international travelers' usage of social media platforms, revealing insights into their gender, country of origin, generation cohorts, and travel purposes. These insights can guide the development of effective social media marketing strategies for national destination management organizations (DMOs). Data from South Korea's 2019 International Visitor Survey (with 12,194 participants) was analyzed using chi‐square and correspondence analysis techniques. The results revealed distinctive preferences of international visitors among generational cohorts with different travel purposes across 19 countries in the usage of online travel communities, social network platforms, video‐sharing platforms, and travel blogs. Understanding the dynamics of social media platforms helps national DMOs enhance their social media marketing strategies for international visitors, based on the multi‐sided platform usage paradigm. Nevertheless, acknowledging the study's limitations points towards potential avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationality is considered a highly relevant determinant of tourism expenditure. In this paper, we use survey data to estimate the main determinants of daily tourism expenditure in 2019 for five nationalities of a major coastal destination, the Canary Islands. A total of 38 regressors, based on literature, are used with the help of quantile regression analysis to understand the behaviour patterns of different expenditure segments. To obtain segmented information on the determinants of expenditure, independent quantile regression models for each nationality are estimated and compared. Results show that there are similarities but also some remarkable differences between nationalities regarding income, age, travel group, educational level, or content of the package that can be used in destination management and marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety is a pressing global concern, particularly in developing and emerging economies. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened consumer attention towards food safety, quality, and maintaining a healthy diet. This study provides insights into consumer awareness and perceptions related to food safety and the origin of beef products, with a specific focus on the impact of COVID-19. It draws comparisons between emerging economies, specifically Albania and Kosovo, where significant food safety challenges exist, and a highly developed economy, Austria. To assess consumer preferences, a discrete choice experiment was conducted, aiming to gauge the significance of various product attributes and consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for specific product features. The study's findings revealed a strikingly strong sense of consumer patriotism across all surveyed countries. WTP estimates indicated a clear preference for domestically sourced food over imported alternatives. While the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a notable influence, its effects were generally contained. However, respondents from emerging economies perceived the pandemic's impact to be more severe. Additionally, factors such as risk perception and risk acceptance played a role in shaping the importance of relevant product attributes in all the food markets examined in this study. Furthermore, distinct variations emerged between the countries concerning the importance of food safety standards. For instance, in Albania, the European Union (EU) food safety certificate holds higher utility compared to the national certificate, suggesting a potential lack of trust in national agencies. Notably, low trust in institutions, including those related to food safety, is a common issue in emerging and developing economies. This lack of trust, in turn, influences consumers' perceptions of personal food safety, given that it is a credence attribute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPrevious research suggests the existence of variables that can moderate the influence of country of origin (COO) on consumer preferences for food products. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the moderating effect of consumer animosity on the connection between COO attributes and consumer preferences. This study represented an initial attempt to examine consumer preferences for imported fruit from countries involved in disputes with a target country, compared to countries with fewer or no disputes. A choice-based experiment was conducted with 180 respondents in Vietnam’s Mekong River Delta region, using Random Utility Theory (RUT) and the Generalized Multinomial Logit model. The results show significant heterogeneity in consumer preferences for attributes such as COO, traceability label, organic label, and price. However, there is homogeneity in preference for fruit size. Consumer animosity towards a specific country plays a crucial role in shaping choice behavior, as higher animosity leads consumers to prefer the same product from other countries. This study effectively addresses domestic bias by isolating the effects of consumer ethnocentrism, making it a valuable contribution to the field. It also provides practical implications for fruit importers, domestic producers, and retailers in Vietnam by highlighting the importance of different attributes of foreign fruit.

Country-branded universities, which include a country in their name, are a type of higher education institution found in many countries globally. We consider these universities as transnational higher education institutions, for they ‘borrow’ or ‘transfer’ elements of the affiliated country across national borders. Surprisingly, there is very limited research on this phenomenon. The aims of this research are to identify what exactly in practice crosses national borders from the affiliated country to a country-branded university, and to develop a framework for country-brand authenticity in transnational higher education (TNHE). The data used in this research was provided by expert informants, who were individuals holding a senior or middle management position at a country-branded university. The proposed framework for country-brand authenticity in TNHE has four main dimensions, namely affiliated country connections; teaching and learning; governance and human resources; and student experience and development. These four dimensions are supported by eleven themes. The most often mentioned concepts were related to the curricula, pedagogy/didactics, and foreign accreditation themes. We offer suggestions for further research using our country-brand authenticity framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the risk of an aggressive endometrial cancer (EC) diagnosis by race, ethnicity, and country of origin to further elucidate histologic disparities in non-Hispanic Black (NHB), Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander (API), American Indian/Alaskan Native (AIAN) vs. non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients, particularly in Hispanic or API subgroups. Patient diagnosed between 2004 and 2020 with low grade (LG)-endometrioid endometrial cancer (ECC) or an aggressive EC including grade 3 EEC, serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, mixed epithelial carcinoma, or carcinosarcoma in the National Cancer Database were studied. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for diagnosis of an aggressive EC histology was estimated using logistic modeling. There were 343,868 NHW, 48,897 NHB, 30,013 Hispanic, 15,015 API and 1646 AIAN patients. The OR (95% CI) for an aggressive EC diagnosis was 3.07 (3.01–3.13) for NHB, 1.08 (1.06–1.11) for Hispanic, 1.17 (1.13–1.21) for API and 1.07 (0.96–1.19) for AIAN, relative to NHW patients. Subset analyses by country of origin illustrated the diversity in the OR for an aggressive EC diagnosis among Hispanic (1.18 for Mexican to 1.87 for Dominican), Asian (1.14 Asian Indian-Pakistani to 1.48 Korean) and Pacific Islander (1.00 for Hawaiian to 1.33 for Samoan) descendants. Hispanic, API and AIAN patients were diagnosed 5-years younger that NHW patients, and the risk for an aggressive EC histology were all significantly higher than NHW patients after correcting for age. Insurance status was another independent risk factor for aggressive histology. Risk of an aggressive EC diagnosis varied by race, ethnicity, and country of origin. NHB patients had the highest risk, followed by Dominican, South/Central American, Cuban, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino descendants. [Display omitted] • Non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients had the lowest percent (%) with an aggressive endometrial cancer (EC) histology (30%). • 57% of non-Hispanic Black patients had an aggressive EC histology corresponding to a 3-fold higher risk over NHW patients. • Risk in Hispanics (H) varied by race (32% H-White to 48% H-Black) and country of origin (34% Mexican to 45% Dominican). • Risk varied in descendants from Asian (33% Indian Pakistani to 39% Korean) or Pacific Islands (30% Hawaiian to 37% Samoan). • 32% of American Indian/Alsakan Native patients had an aggressive EC histology and an age-adjusted risk of 1.30 vs. NHWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-algae is an umbrella term for seaweed, which is an important ingredient in many novel food products in New Zealand and other Australasian countries. While attitudes, consumption motivation, knowledge, and socio-demographic consumer profiles have been investigated in specific countries in the region, consumer behavior such as willingness to eat and factors driving this behavior have not yet been explored. Therefore, the present study fills this research gap in a New Zealand context and explores predictors of New Zealand consumers' willingness to eat macro-algae and their perceived trust towards the countries of origin of these products. The symbolic value of food, health importance, food safety concerns, and food fussiness were the factors under investigation. The work builds on an online questionnaire and a sample of 437 consumers mirroring the New Zealand population in terms of gender, age, and annual household income. Data were collected through an opt-in panel provider in November 2023. The data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and partial least square structural equation modeling. Results show that health importance and food fussiness tendencies are the strongest predictors of willingness to eat and trustworthiness of the two countries of origin. Best practice recommendations for marketing managers in New Zealand food retail are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLivestock husbandry systems are controversially discussed in society, politics and science. Since exporting countries such as Germany, the Netherlands or Denmark produce pork under higher animal welfare standards, the question arises if it will be competitive on the international market. We used a factor and cluster analysis to identify consumer segments in Japan, South Korea, Italy and Poland and to determine the instruments necessary to make animal welfare more popular. Each study country revealed three consumer groups: One group is interested in animal welfare and meat quality attributes but prefers domestically produced pork. Another group is price sensitive and without expectations. Finally, a third group is interested in animal welfare and accepts imported products. To address consumers in this group, informational campaigns and target market-oriented strategies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to propose a typology of Czech consumers with respect to their attitudes toward the country of origin when purchasing beverages. Attention is paid to four commonly purchased beverage categories: beer, wine, tea and coffee. Using the Computer Assisted Web Interviewing method, the total number of fully completed questionnaires obtained was 396. The selection of respondents was determined by gender and age quotas. The measurement of attitudes involved utilizing a set of 22 statements concerning the beverage origin which were evaluated on a five-point scale. As confirmed by the research results, in each beverage category, the country of origin influences consumers' purchasing decisions differently. When purchasing wine, Czech consumers most commonly verify the country from which it originates. The origin is also important to them when it comes to beer, with the strongest preference for beer produced in their own country. The country from which the beverage originates has a considerably lower importance for coffee and is the least important when buying tea. Based on respondents' attitudes toward the country of beverage origin, four consumer segments were identified, namely "Experimenters," "Picky consumers," "Patriots," and "Pro-European consumers." Factor and cluster analysis were used for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the British government's measures for its civilian subjects stranded as 'enemy aliens' in Japanese-controlled areas in the Far East during World War II. The British government tried to protect the interests of these Far Eastern subjects during the war and in the immediate postwar period. Its manner of dealing with the latter's redress movement from the late 1980s was initially reluctant but eventually became relatively adequate, thanks to the twin pressures of domestic public opinion and precedents set by other former Allied governments and the resolute struggles of the ex–Far Eastern subjects themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the first ratings of international branch campuses (IBCs) by Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which are further supported by findings in the literature, we investigated students' institution choices and satisfaction, focusing on country of origin and campus environment as possible key influences. The study adopts an inductive qualitative research design involving semi-structured interviews with 53 IBC students in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We found that an IBC's country of origin influences both students' institution choices and students' overall satisfaction with their institution. Although we also found that campus servicescape and facilities impact upon students' institution choices and satisfaction, these were secondary when compared to education-related factors. We conclude that while a favourable campus servicescape may contribute less to overall student satisfaction compared to other factors, a campus environment with poor or inadequate facilities and equipment may result in student dissatisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on investigating two concepts, namely the country of origin effect and consumer ethnocentrism. The main goal of the article is 1) to investigate the current state of the level of consumer ethnocentrism in the cohort of young Slovaks; 2) to investigate the current state of the perceived preference of Slovaks or of foreign products in the youth cohort; and 3) to investigate the relationship between elements of country of origin effects on food products and the level of consumer ethnocentrism. As part of the methodological procedure, we demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the tool. In the paper, we use several elements of descriptive statistics, based on which we evaluate a primary survey. The results indicate a below-average level of consumer ethnocentrism. We identify preferences in the context of the country of origin. It is also possible to establish a link between the country of origin effect and consumer ethnocentrism, albeit at a lower level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to investigate the role of intrinsic and extrinsic cues on consumers' perceptions of product quality, and the moderating role of product knowledge using products that are at different stages of product life cycle. Two survey-based studies were conducted with distinct samples for products (automobiles and smartwatches) in an emerging market. The findings suggest that consumers use more (less) diagnostic extrinsic marketing cues such as country of origin (COO) effects, event sponsorships, and celebrity endorsements to develop perceived quality for automobiles (smartwatches). Furthermore, product knowledge moderates the impact of cues on the perceived quality of products, which further depends on the product life cycle stage. This research brings out significant differences between consumers with differing knowledge levels across a wide range of marketing cues, especially given that first-time buyers have limited exposure to the category before their first purchase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article represents a comprehensive and insightful study aiming to unravel the intricate dynamics of foreign tourism within Romania. This research delves into various key aspects, employing a geostatistical approach to offer a nuanced understanding of the spatial and temporal dimensions of foreign tourist flows. One of the primary inquiries addressed by the study revolves around the quantitative assessment of foreign tourists visiting Romania. By meticulously analyzing arrival data, the research seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the sheer number of foreign visitors the country attracts. This quantitative dimension is crucial for assessing the overall impact of tourism on the national economy and informing strategic decisions in the tourism sector. Moving beyond mere numbers, the study ventures into the temporal aspect of foreign tourism in Romania. By scrutinizing patterns over time, researchers aim to answer the question of when foreign tourists predominantly choose to visit the country. Understanding the temporal preferences of tourists is invaluable for both businesses and policymakers, enabling them to optimize resource allocation, marketing efforts, and infrastructure management during peak tourism seasons. Furthermore, the research explores the destinations chosen by foreign tourists within Romania. The geostatistical analysis differentiates arrivals based on specific tourist destinations and counties, shedding light on the preferences of international visitors. This information is pivotal for local authorities, businesses, and stakeholders, offering insights into which regions benefit the most from foreign tourism, thus facilitating targeted development strategies and resource allocation. In addition to destination preferences, the study investigates the accommodation choices made by foreign tourists. Through geostatistical analysis, the research categorizes accommodation preferences based on various criteria, including types of accommodation units and comfort categories. This information proves invaluable for the hospitality industry, guiding investments, and helping businesses tailor their offerings to meet the diverse needs of international visit ors. The temporal aspect of foreign tourists' stays in Romania is another focal point of the study. By examining the duration of visits, researchers aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how long foreign tourists typically stay in the country. This data is instrumental in shaping tourism policies, influencing marketing strategies, and optimizing servic es to enhance the overall tourist experience. Beyond the borders of Romania, the study investigates the means of transportation foreign tourists employ to reach the country. By understanding the modes of transportation preferred by international visitors, Romania can improve its infrastructure and connectivity, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for tourists from various origins. Lastly, the research explores the geographical origins of foreign tourists who visit Romania. This analysis not only pro vides insights into the diverse cultural backgrounds of visitors but also aids in crafting targeted marketing campaigns to attract specific international markets. The article goes beyond a mere exploration of tourist numbers. It offers a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the spatial and temporal dimensions of foreign tourism, providing valuable insights for policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders. This geostatistical approach not only enriches our understanding of the complex dynamics of foreign tourist flows but also lays the foundation for strategic and sustainable tourism development in Romania.

This study is an exploration of mixed race narratives in postmodern literature, specifically in its iterations of Blasianness. In exploring the literary representation of Blasian individuals, this research does not seek to impose a concrete definition on what it means to exist at the intersection of Blackness and Asianness. Rather, it implores the implications of representing Black/Asian mixedness as it has manifested thus far via literary fiction.Because of the newness of its presence in the popular imagination, we have yet to form a developed vocabulary for thinking about multiraciality as it pertains to Blasianness; a central goal of this study is to extend us towards remedying that epistemological shortcoming. Adding to the burgeoning field of Critical Mixed Race Studies, this paper dissects the limits and possibilities of Blasian representation by interrogating modernity, racialization, and what critical mixed race studies theorist Michele Elam calls the anti-Bildungsroman—an alternative coming-of-age narrative that positions mixed race characters as periphery to an assimilationary arc. Using the resulting framework alongside the narratives of Lisa Countryman from Don Lee’s Country of Origin and Joey Sands from Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, I argue that the representation of Blasians in postmodern literature complicates how we imagine racial being in ways that are both limiting and expansive.

In recent years, European soccer leagues have strengthened their internationalization efforts by relocating games abroad. In this context, we empirically investigate the impact of the political relations between the importing and the exporting countries on on-site demand for such games. While there is a rich literature addressing this issue in more general settings, it has never been explored in sports. We use a stated-preference approach and survey data of a representative sample of soccer-interested US residents, which we combine with data from the American Community Survey. The effects are estimated using Tobit regressions and an instrumental variable approach. We find that the willingness-to-pay for admission to relocated games is higher if the country where the competing teams come from is perceived as friendly. We provide preliminary empirical evidence that the political relations between importing and exporting countries may be important for international demand of spectator sports. As such, the public perception about political relations between countries may constitute a crucial component for sport leagues' expansion strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few countries provided multiple COVID-19 vaccines for their citizens right from the start of mass immunization. In Serbia, four vaccines were available. Circumstances in which people had several options to choose from are unique. The purpose of this study was to identify motivators behind COVID-19 vaccination and the choice of COVID-19 vaccine among people who were immunized against COVID-19. Qualitative interviews with 35 vaccinated people aged > 18 years were conducted in May 2021 at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, a reference institution for vaccination. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four topics emerged: 1) Decision to receive COVID-19 vaccine; 2) Sources of information about the vaccine; 3) Choice of the COVID-19 vaccine and 4) Anti-vaccination sentiment around the vaccinated people. Participants were classified in two groups: those who were determined to receive the vaccine and those who were hesitant. People who were hesitant decided to receive the vaccine after reviewing the information collected from various sources, especially physicians. Although some participants accepted any vaccine regardless of their characteristics, there were others who had explicit preferences. These preferences stemmed mainly from their beliefs about particular vaccine's efficacy and safety, COVID-19 status (previous infection), living or lifestyle circumstances (residence or travel abroad), doctor's recommendation (underlying health status) or trust in expertise of that particular manufacturer's country of origin. Opting for appropriate vaccine was motivated by reasons specific to various individuals, which enabled them to make choices in line with their preferences and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex relationships that influence consumers' decisions to buy foreign car brands. In order to understand how these three crucial elements together affect customers' choices and preferences, the study focuses on three key variables: brand image, product knowledge, and country of origin (COO). Using a thorough approach that includes surveys and case studies, this study attempts to offer a nuanced understanding of how the origin, consumer product knowledge, and brand image of imported vehicles affect the perceived elegance associated with consumers. The study postulates that customers' decision-making process while choosing an imported car is greatly influenced by the interaction of these elements. This research aims to provide significant insights to the automobile industry as well as academics by examining the relationships and conflicts that exist between COO, product knowledge, and brand image. Marketers, politicians, and industry stakeholders might find the findings useful in fine-tuning tactics to improve the attractiveness and market placement of imported automobile brands. "Imported Elegance" ultimately hopes to illuminate the complex decisions that consumers make in the global car industry, providing useful advice for companies that operate in this fast-paced and cutthroat industry. The method of analysis technique in this study is quantitative research method, sampling conducted with purposive sampling technique from questionnaire result that was shared to 130 respondents who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia and have at least 1 unit of imported car. The results of this study indicates that there are the direct effects of Country of Origin, product knowledge and brand image to purchase decision significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union has become a new ideal destination for Vietnamese migrant workers in recent years, but with this comes challenges in integrating into the labour market and society of host countries. Integrating third-country migrant workers has been a top priority in the EU's policies for many years, and the role of the country of origin in the integration process of migrant workers is also increasingly being recognized. This article focuses on the role of the country of origin and analyses Vietnam's current policies to see whether they support the integration process of Vietnamese migrant workers into the EU. Based on the evaluation, recommendations are made to strengthen Vietnam's legal mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of the integration process for Vietnamese migrant workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotagged social media data have been used widely for visitor monitoring in protected areas. The data might, however, over or underestimate visitors from specific countries due to nationality bias, i.e., differences between nationality of actual visitors versus those visitors who post on social media. This study aimed to quantify nationality bias in social media data for visitor monitoring. We conducted a questionnaire survey in Nikko National Park, Japan. Questions covered the nationality of visitors and their usage of social media, and other visitor attributes and behavior. Foreign visitors had significantly different attributes and behaviors compared to Japanese. Non-Japanese Asian visitors were overrepresented in Instagram and Facebook data. In comparison, the X platform was more representative of all visitors. Nationality bias in different platforms needs more attention and further study in different areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanics of Mexican descent have disproportionate rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of this work is to investigate the association between the traditional Mexican diet score (tMexS) and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, two NAFLD-related clinical endpoints, in Hispanic adults of Mexican descent. Data from 280 Hispanic adults of Mexican descent (n = 102 men, 178 women) with overweight or obesity enrolled in a cross-sectional observational study were analyzed. The tMexS was calculated from 24 h dietary recalls. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis measurements were assessed using transient elastography (Fibroscan®). Linear regression models testing the association between tMexS and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were run individually and through the stratification of significant modifiers. Mean tMexS were 5.9 ± 2.1, hepatic steatosis scores were 288.9 ± 48.9 dB/m, and fibrosis scores were 5.6 ± 2.2 kPa. Among the US-born group, with every point increase in the tMexS, there was a statistically significant 5.7 lower hepatic steatosis point (95% CI: −10.9, −0.6, p-value = 0.07). Higher adherence to a traditional Mexican diet was associated with lower hepatic steatosis in US-born Hispanics of Mexican descent. Findings from the current work may serve to inform future culturally relevant interventions for NAFLD prevention and management in individuals of Mexican descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of cosmopolitan and ethnocentric behaviour of ethnic food consumer on the intention to consume ethnic food in country of origin (ICEC). Study aims to explain the consumption patterns of ethnic food consumers with the mediating role of utilitarian/hedonic values and perceived country image (PCI). In addition, the study explained consumption behavior with the moderating effect of food neophilia (FNP). Methodology/Design/Approach: Data were gathered from 969 respondents visited Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and Thai cuisines. Responses regarding experiences at ethnic cuisine were gathered through self-administrative survey. Findings: The results of the study showed a positive effect of consumer cosmopolitanism on ICEC and a negative effect of ethnocentric behavior on ICEC. Further study analyzed the mediating effect of hedonic and utilitarian values. The results showed that hedonic and utilitarian values significantly mediated the effect of cosmopolitanism/ethnocentrism on the ICEC. Moreover, PCI also showed significant serial mediation. The results indicate that high levels of FNP lead to high levels of ICEC. The originality of the research – The study presented a comprehensive model for analyzing the behavioral intentions of ethnic food consumers by combining social identity theory, hedonic value, and utilitarian value in culinary tourism.

Country of origin is becoming one of the critical elements in making decisions among consumers when purchasing products due to the increasing influence of globalisation, internationalisation and market saturation. The milk industry faces several problems, including a decrease in milk businesses, an increase in milk imports and deepening losses of primary milk producers. Country of origin is considered one of the effective competitive sources of differentiation. The main aim of this study is to identify the role of country of origin in the purchase of milk by consumers from the regions of Central Slovakia using finding preferences of Slovak and foreign brands of milk, knowing brands of purchased milk, and finally examining dependencies between the country of origin and selected demographic variables. The survey results showed a high preference for purchasing Slovak milk brands, and more than half of consumers considered the country of origin an important or very important criterion for purchasing milk. From the point of view of dependencies, age showed to be correlated to the factor of the country of origin, income was found to be statistically significant in determining preferences of Slovak, and foreign brands of milk, and gender, age, education, income and place of living were detected to be good predictors of the demand for individual brands of milk. These findings act as a valuable basis for the creation of value and marketing communication strategies by Slovak milk producers.

Soybeans are grown worldwide owing to their protein, oil, and beneficial bioactive compounds. Genetic and environmental factors influence soybean seed isoflavones. In the present study, we profiled the seed isoflavones in world diverse soybean germplasm grown in two locations over two years in China. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed between the accessions, accession origins, seed coat colors, and maturity groups for individual and total isoflavone (TIF) content. TIF content of the soybean accessions ranged from 677.25 μg g−1 to 5823.29 μg g−1, representing an 8-fold difference. USA soybean accessions showed the highest mean TIF content (3263.07 μg g−1), followed by Japan (2521.26 μg g−1). Soybean with black seed coat showed the highest (3236.08 μg g−1) TIF concentration. Furthermore, isoflavone levels were significantly higher in late-maturity groups. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between individual and TIF content. Malonyldaidzin and malonylgenistin showed higher correlations with TIF content (r = 0.92 and r = 0.94, respectively). The soybean accessions identified as having high and stable TIF content can be utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries and breeding programs to develop soybean varieties with enhanced isoflavone content.