This paper presents an analysis of the changing food risk perceptions of German consumers over the period 1992 to 2002. We analyse the respondents' general risk attitudes and their specific perceptions of food risks. Using cluster analysis we generate a typology of four consumer types. One group...

Among prominent recognized features of the industrialization of animal production over the past half century are growth in the stock of inflexible, or use-dedicated capital, as an input in production, and growth in productivity. Less recognized is a trend toward aseasonal production. We record...

The study is devoted to the measurement of productivity and efficiency change in Chinese farming sector over the reform process in the 1980s and 1990s. Within an output distance function framework, an index of total factor productivity is decomposed into technical and allocative efficiency,...

This paper inquires into the tendency of German food retailers to market organic products as private-label products (PLs). After a review of the literature, we present preliminary results of a survey of retailers and processors. 62.5 % of the interviewed processors produce organic PL. Retailers...

Calculation of purchasing power parities based on observed consumer behaviour typically relies on the existence of some kind of 'international preferences'. We argue that this unrealistic assumption can be abandoned in 'regional' studies of purchasing power, where prices in both territories...

The transfer of family businesses from one generation to the next can be considered as an event with far-reaching effects for the business. Investments and decisions about restructuring the business are closely tied to succession considerations. This paper analyzes successions plans in the...

The present study examines family and farm characteristics affecting the choice and the timing of intergenerational farm transfers. Using survey data which are linked to accounting data for 272 farms in Northern Germany, we use a probit approach to examine whether specific farm and family...

The last couple of decades have seen an increased retail concentration around the world, particularly in Europe. Views on the welfare implications of this severe change are controversial. Consumers might benefit because larger stores (owned by larger retailer chains) offer more product choices....

It is well documented that a large share of new products does not survive their first year in the market. Research reported in this paper examined the relationship between product quality and innovation success. In contrast to existing product innovation literature that focused on industrial...