The impact of consumer ethnocentrism and country of origin sub-components for high involvement products on young Chinese consumers' product assessments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of country of origin (COO) sub-components (i.e. design, assembly and parts), as well as the extent to which consumer ethnocentrism tendencies interact with these COO sub-components for young Chinese consumers with regards to product quality assessments and purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach – A 2?×?2?×?2 factorial experimental design was used to examine the effects of the three sub-components of COO with two levels of sourcing location – Home (China) and Foreign (Germany), for two high involvement products (an automobile and a digital camera). Chinese students in China represented the sample of 272 respondents. MANOVA was used to examine the direct effects and interactions of the three COO components, as well as ethnocentrism, measured using the CETSCALE.

Findings – It was found that the three COO sub-components did not influence young Chinese consumers’ evaluation of product quality or purchase intentions. In addition, consumers’ level of ethnocentrism also did not have a direct effect on perceived product quality or purchase intentions. There was only one statistically significant interaction effect between ethnocentrism and country of parts for one of the two products. As such, COO dimensions and young Chinese consumers’ ethnocentrism appears to have limited influence on their assessments of product quality or purchase intentions. This may occur because young Chinese consumers perceive that hybrid products are the norm for high involvement products in China as these products are all these consumers have experienced.

Originality/value – The findings of this research dispute the commonly held belief and evidence that sub-components of COO have an impact on the perceptions of product quality and purchase intentions. Young Chinese consumers may be different to consumers from western countries because they have been extensively exposed to hybrid products. Given the size and growth potential of China, young Chinese are an important, under-researched segment within the Chinese market.

Extruded products with Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecium) chickpea and rice: Physical properties, sensory acceptability and glycaemic index

The present study investigated the effects of fenugreek flour (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and debittered fenugreek polysaccharide (FenuLife^®) inclusion on the physical and sensory quality characteristics, and glycaemic index (GI) of chickpea–rice based extruded products. Based on preliminary evaluation with different proportions of chick pea and rice, a blend of 70:30 chickpea and rice was chosen as the control for further studies. The control blend, replaced with fenugreek flour at 2%, 5% and 10%, or fenugreek polysaccharide at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, was extruded at the optimum processing conditions as specified in the detailed study. The extruded products were evaluated for their physical (moisture retention, expansion, hardness, water solubility index (WSI) and water absorption index (WAI)), sensory (flavor, texture, color and overall acceptability) characteristics and in vitro GI to evaluate their suitability as extruded snack products.

Due to the distinct bitter taste, inclusion of fenugreek flour was not acceptable at levels more than 2% in extruded chickpea based products. Addition of fenugreek polysaccharide resulted in slight reduction in radial expansion (P < 0.05), while longitudinal expansion increased. WAI increased while WSI decreased compared to the control (P < 0.05). The mean scores of sensory evaluation indicated that all products containing fenugreek polysaccharide up to 15% were within the acceptable range. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between products containing 5–15% fenugreek polysaccharide in their color, flavor, texture and overall quality.

Fenugreek, in the form of debittered polysaccharide (FenuLife^®) could be incorporated up to a level of 15% in a chickpea–rice blend to develop snack products of acceptable physical and sensory properties with low GI Index.

Dietary approaches for weight loss with increased intakes of fruit, vegetables and dairy products

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of specific advice for increasing fruit, vegetable and dairy intake in free-living men participating in a weight loss study.

Methods: Subjects were randomised to one of two 12-week weight loss diets, either the WELL with daily targets of four serves of fruit, four serves of vegetables and three serves of dairy or a low fat diet (LF) with general advice to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Three-day food group diaries and a food frequency questionnaire assessed intake.

Results: Fifty-four overweight/obese male adults completed the study (WELL, n = 27; LF, n = 27; body mass index (mean ± standard deviation), 30.4 ± 2.5 kg/m²; age, 47.7 ± 9.5 years). There was no difference in mean weight change between groups (WELL, −4.8 ± 3.3 kg; LF, −4.6 ± 3.1 kg). Subjects on the WELL diet had greater (mean difference ± standard error) fruit (0.7 ± 0.2 serves/day), vegetable (1.2 ± 0.2 serves/day) and dairy (1.1 ± 0.1 serves/day) intakes than the LF group (measured by the food group diaries) (all P < 0.01). The WELL group reached the daily target for fruit from week 1 (4.7 ± 1.4 serves/day), vegetables by week 6 (4.1 ± 1.5 serves/day) and for dairy by week 8 (3.0 ± 0.8 serves/day).

Conclusions: Providing specific dietary targets to men for weight loss appears to promote greater consumption of fruit, vegetable and dairy foods than providing general dietary advice. Meeting dietary targets appears to require different adjustment periods depending on the food type.

An evaluation of the reported sodium content of Australian food products

We assessed the sodium content of Australian food items, trends over time and compared this content with sodium targets established by the UK Food Standards Agency and that of similar food items in the UK. The sodium content indicated on food labels were collected from 2005 to 2007. Fifty-three percent of food products had sodium levels above the targets. Food sub-categories containing <20% of products meeting the targets were white bread, wholemeal bread, cream cheese, low fibre breakfast cereal, savoury snack biscuits, hot dogs, sausages, canned soup, canned beans and spaghetti and canned vegetables. There was an indication that Australia had a lower number of food products that met the sodium targets compared to the UK (46% vs. 56%) and over half remain above the recommended target. A reduction in the sodium content of bread, low fibre breakfast cereals, and a number of processed snack, meat and canned goods is needed to reduce the average salt intake to 6 g day⁻¹.

Competition in the mature markets of professional versus final consumer information products

Factors are explored of decision making in regard to buying and/or upgrading information products. Mature information product markets are considered. Comparing two cases - professional and final consumer information products - the decision making process is considered on the choice of product variant. We distinguish three groups of users according to their ultimate decisions to either not to upgrade the existing system, or to upgrade it with the existing provider, or to switch to another provider. Consumer decision is based on multiple characteristics of information product quality, network effects, price and switching costs, whereas producers have to compete not only with their competitors, but also with the previous versions of the own products. Based on the considered cases, differences in consumer priorities are discussed in the markets of professional versus final consumer information products.

The money laundering risk posed by low-risk financial products in South Africa : findings and guidelines

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level and nature of criminal abuse of financial products that are classified as posing a low anti-money laundering/combating of financing of terrorists (AML/CFT) risk in South Africa to determine the effectiveness of the simplified due diligence measures that apply to these products.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents empirical research on the views of bank officials and law enforcement officials regarding the criminal abuse of South African financial products that are subject to simplified customer due diligence controls.

Findings – South Africa's AML/CFT laws allow certain deposit-taking institutions and money remitters to implement simplified customer due diligence measures in relation to specific low-risk products that are mainly designed to allow previously unbanked persons to access financial services. The paper finds that the products have been abused by criminals but that the incidence of such abuse and the amounts involved are low. The paper investigates possible weaknesses in the current system that allow limited criminal abuse to occur. It concludes with a number of guidelines that emerge from the study and are of value to regulators that wish to implement a similar system.

Originality/value – The South African AML/CFT scheme in relation to low-risk products is of interest to many international regulators that are grappling with the interplay between effective AML/CFT controls and the impact of strict controls on the ability of socially and economically excluded persons to access appropriate financial services. This paper provides evidence that appropriately designed controls can facilitate financial inclusion while limiting the risk of criminal abuse.

New educational service products : tertiary EC/EB education - the Asia-Pacific region

Electronic Commerce (EC) / Electronic Business (EB) has been (and is expected to continue to be) a dynamic, rapidly evolving area of technology, requiring skilled people with up-to-date knowledge and skills. The global community has required (and still requires) tertiary academic programs to prepare and train these people quickly. In the late nineties, following a tidal wave of tertiary EC program development in the United States, new tertiary programs began to appear in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region to satisfy this need, over a very short period of time. This research project aims to examine whether the development and effectiveness of tertiary EC/EB educational programs can be enhanced through employing a particular marketing paradigm. Four regions - Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR and the Republic of Singapore — were selected from the AP region, for this study. Based on a review of marketing literature, an inductive approach is adopted to build a model for new educational service product offerings. I also provide a description and comprehensive analysis of EC/EB education, and explore the model empirically, examining how it applies to the way EC education programs have been developed, to date. Essentially, this project consists of two major activities: theory building and theory testing – and is divided into three parts. Part 1: Preliminary study – literature review for theory building. This section of the thesis provides a literature review of the domains of curriculum development, EC/EB program development and management, EC/EB component models and new service product development. Part 2 : Understanding the marketplace – quantitative analysis. This section comprises five major surveys which provide an understanding of EC/EB education. Part 3 : In-depth analysis – qualitative research for theory testing. This section discusses the results of the multiple case studies of EC/EB degree programs undertaken over a five year period. The results of this project highlight both theoretical and practical aspects of the topic. In terms of the theoretical aspect, I provide a contribution to existing theory concerning the planning and development of new tertiary education programs. Research into academic course development in the past has tended to assume that all program development is pedagogically based and influenced. There is an assumption that people only develop academic programs and academic courses for pedagogic reasons. What this research project has done is to suggest that there are, in fact, many possible reasons for developing new programs and that, although these reasons might be pedagogic in nature, they can also be industry-focased, and market-oriented in the following ways: -the university is shaping the way it is perceived by the public – that is, the market; -the university is highlighting where its expertise lies. This led me to a form of new service product development consistent with the new image of the university. There is a clear need for diverse models for program development which accommodate the dynamic roles of modern universities. My research project develops such a model based on conditions in the Asia-Pacific region, and discusses findings arising from the overall project, which can be used to improve new educational program offerings in future, in both the Asia-Pacific and, I suggest, in other regions. This potential use of my findings highlights the practical contribution made by the research Project.

Methionine regulates copper/hydrogen peroxide oxidation products of Aβ

Metal-catalysed oxidation (MCO) may play a causative role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid peptide (A), the major biomarker of AD, in the presence of copper ions reduces Cu2+ to Cu+ and catalyses the formation of H2O2 that subsequently induces radicals through Fenton chemistry. A is also subject to attack by free radicals, where the presence of Cu2+ in conjunction with H2O2 catalyses oxygenation, primarily at the methionine sulfur atom. This work investigates MCO of A, to gain further insight into the role of oxidative stress in AD. By combining a fluorescence assay with gel electrophoresis to monitor MCO reactions of A (1-28) in the presence and absence of methionine it was determined that methionine can both protect some residues against MCO and promote the oxidation of Tyr(10) specifically. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis of methionine MCO products indicated the formation of methionine sulfoxide, methionine sulfone and related hydroxylated products. Similar products could be formed from the oxidation of Met(35) of A and may relate to changes in properties of the peptide following MCO.

Aspergillus species, cyclic dimeric dipeptide derivative substance P antagonist biosynthetic products thereof, and process for preparation thereof

A novel Aspergillus species, cyclic dimeric dipeptide derivatives which are biosynthetic products thereof and are useful as Substance P antagonists and therefore as analgesic and/or antiinflammatory agents, and a process for preparation of the biosynthetic products are disclosed.

Children's liking and wanting of snack products : influence of shape and flavour

Background : Children's food choices are guided by their preferences. However, these preferences may change due to repeated exposure.

Methods : This study investigated children's (n = 242, 7–12 yrs-old) liking and wanting for snacks over 3 weeks of daily consumption. The snacks differed in size (small vs large) or flavour (sweet vs sweet-sour). Two conditions were designed: 1) a monotonous group in which children continuously consumed the same snack across the 3 weeks, and 2) a free choice group in which children were allowed to freely choose amongst 3 different flavours of the snack each day during 3 weeks.

Results : Shape influenced long-term liking, i.e. small shaped snacks remained stable in liking over repeated consumption, whereas large shaped snacks with the same flavour decreased in liking. Mean wanting ratings for all snack products decreased over 3 weeks daily consumption. Flavour did not significantly influence liking and wanting over time. The ability to freely choose amongst different flavours tended to decrease children's liking (p < 0.1) and wanting (p < 0.001) for these products. Changes in liking rather than initial liking was the best predictor of snack choice during the intervention.

Conclusion : Wanting rather than liking was most affected by repeated daily consumption of snack foods over three weeks. In order to increase the likelihood that children will repeatedly eat a food product, smaller sized healthy snacks are preferred to larger sized snacks. Future research should focus on stabilizing wanting over repeated consumption.

Sources of Sodium in Australian children's diets and the effect of the application of sodium targets to food products to reduce sodium intake

The average reported dietary Na intake of children in Australia is high: 2694 mg/d (9–13 years). No data exist describing food sources of Na in Australian children's diets and potential impact of Na reduction targets for processed foods. The aim of the present study was to determine sources of dietary Na in a nationally representative sample of Australian children aged 2–16 years and to assess the impact of application of the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Na reduction targets on Na intake. Na intake and use of discretionary salt (note: conversion of salt to Na, 1 g of NaCl (salt) = 390 mg Na) were assessed from 24-h dietary recall in 4487 children participating in the Australian 2007 Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Greatest contributors to Na intake across all ages were cereals and cereal-based products/dishes (43 %), including bread (13 %) and breakfast cereals (4 %). Other moderate sources were meat, poultry products (16 %), including processed meats (8 %) and sausages (3 %); milk products/dishes (11 %) and savoury sauces and condiments (7 %). Between 37 and 42 % reported that the person who prepares their meal adds salt when cooking and between 11 and 39 % added salt at the table. Those over the age of 9 years were more likely to report adding salt at the table (χ2 199·5, df 6, P < 0·001). Attainment of the UK FSA Na reduction targets, within the present food supply, would result in a 20 % reduction in daily Na intake in children aged 2–16 years. Incremental reductions of this magnitude over a period of years could significantly reduce the Na intake of this group and further reductions could be achieved by reducing discretionary salt use.