Consumers’ Awareness on Organic Food: Case of Urban Sri Lanka

The organic food market is rapidly expanding all over the world with the recent rise of concern in food safety and environmental protection. Thus, examining information about consumers’ awareness on organic food is one of the inspiring areas for producers and marketers to capture a greater market share successfully. Therefore, this study aimed at analyzing the consumer awareness towards organic food products while addressing socio-demographic factors affecting consumer awareness on organic food, knowledge of consumers about organic food, and their purchasing pattern. A sample of 600 consumers was selected from the main cities of six urban districts in Sri Lanka for the study. Data were collected via a consumer survey using a pre-tested questionnaire, from November 2018 to May 2019. The data analysis was carried out using frequencies, percentages, and multiple linear regression analysis. According to the results, the majority of the respondents were married females. The results revealed that Sri Lankan consumers have a better awareness on organic food. The results of the regression analysis highlighted that the consumers’ awareness is significantly affected by factors such as gender, marital status, education, and monthly income. Although most respondents have a good level of awareness on organic food, their buying trend is at a lower level. The findings of the study play an important role in promoting the organic food market and are essential for food marketing planners, researchers, and policymakers to enhance the organic food industry in the country in the future.

Food Innovation Adoption and Organic Food Consumerism—A Cross National Study between Malaysia and Hungary

In order to meet the rising global demand for food and to ensure food security in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 2, technological advances have been introduced in the food production industry. The organic food industry has benefitted from advances in food technology and innovation. However, there remains skepticism regarding organic foods on the part of consumers, specifically on consumers’ acceptance of food innovation technologies used in the production of organic foods. This study measured factors that influence consumers’ food innovation adoption and subsequently their intention to purchase organic foods. We compared the organic foods purchase behavior of Malaysian and Hungarian consumers to examine differences between Asian and European consumers. The findings show food innovation adoption as the most crucial predictor for the intention to purchase organic foods in Hungary, while social lifestyle factor was the most influential in Malaysia. Other factors such as environmental concerns and health consciousness were also examined in relation to food innovation adoption and organic food consumerism. This paper discusses differences between European and Asian organic foods consumers and provides recommendations for stakeholders.

Organic Food Labeling and Advertising: A Tripartite Game Model between One Supplier and Two Heterogeneous Manufacturers

The development of the organic food industry is of great significance to the environment and society as consumers increasingly prefer green and healthy food. However, certain production and investment problems must be solved. A tripartite game model is established in this study to investigate the labeling and advertising investment decisions in an organic food supply chain composed of one supplier and two heterogeneous manufacturers by the biform game approach. In addition, a subsidy mechanism is introduced to alleviate underinvestment. The results show that, first, the supplier will label if labeling cost is relatively low without considering advertising investment. Second, the supplier will not label if advertising investment is considered because of the “diffusion of responsibility” mentality, and both manufacturers will invest in advertising as a result of equilibrium in dominant strategies. Third, the advertising subsidy mechanism can achieve Pareto improvement and coordinate the supply chain. Finally, manufacturer heterogeneity will lead to differentiated subsidy strategies that the supplier can claim to give additional subsidies to the weak manufacturer, thereby weakening the “diffusion of responsibility” mentality.

On Recent Trends in Consumer Perception and Behaviour Towards Organic Food

Food consumption practice is changing worldwide among consumers. They have opted to go for food products which are free from synthetic chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers. The health issues and environmental hazards have been the driving forces behind the shift towards the consumption patterns. Therefore people wish to go for the agricultural products which are grown with the naturally available grains and genetically non-modified seeds which are termed as organic foods. Besides health benefits, the organic foods proves to be better for the environment too. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to keep away the bugs in turn affect the humans and soil too. Hence a consumer prefers to go for quality food taking and his perception towards organic food is based on more desirable characteristics such as nutritive value and taste. The present study enables to understand the recent trends in consumer perception and behaviour towards organic food. The objective of this study is to learn about consumer perception and behaviour and to understand about the key factors that motivate the consumers to choose organic food. The study will also help to obtain knowledge about the purchase intention and attitude of the consumers. The findings of the present study would add insight to emerging organic food industry in India and worldwide and consumers interest and satisfaction towards it.

Chancenorientierte unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit als Treiber der Internationalisierung von KMU

Zusammenfassung Unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit hat in den letzten Jahrzehnten weltweit an Bedeutung gewonnen. Allerdings haben viele Unternehmen, besonders auch KMU, eine defensive Haltung hinsichtlich nachhaltiger Unternehmensführung und sehen sie als Notwendigkeit, statt als Chance. Vor diesem Hintergrund geht der Beitrag der Frage nach, inwieweit Chancen gerichtete Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung für KMU einen Wettbewerbsvorteil darstellen kann, der die Internationalisierung antreibt. Die qualitativ empirische Analyse beruht auf einem Good-Practice Fall eines Mittelbetriebs im Bereich biologische Genussmittel mit einer starken Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung. Sein Internationalisierungsprozess wird schrittweise analysiert und die Bedeutung der Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung herausgearbeitet. Es zeigt sich, dass unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit für KMU einen wesentlichen Internationalisierungsauslöser und stabilen Wettbewerbsvorteil darstellen kann, wenn sie umfassend, chancenorientiert und authentisch ist. Gleichzeitig prägt sie den Internationalisierungsprozess von der Marktwahl über den Markteintritt bis zur Marktentwicklung. Abstract Business sustainability has gained in importance worldwide over the last decades. However, many companies, especially SMEs, take up a defensive stance on business sustainability and perceive it as a necessity rather than an opportunity. With this background in mind, the article analyzes, if and how opportunity-targeted sustainability orientation can represent a competitive advantage that drives the internationalization of SMEs. The qualitative empirical analyses is based on a good-practice case of a medium sized enterprise in the organic food industry with a strong sustainability orientation. Its process of internationalization is analyzed stepwise to carve out the importance of its sustainability orientation. The analysis shows that business sustainability can represent a fundamental trigger for internationalization and robust competitive advantage, when it is pursued in a comprehensive, opportunity-oriented and authentic way. Simultaneously, it shapes the internationalization process, from market choice to market entry and market development.