bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The duration of global agri-food export competitiveness
Authors: Bojnec Štefan , Fertő Imre 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern, duration and country-level determinants of global agri-food export competitiveness of 23 major global agri-food trading countries.

Design/methodology/approach
A large panel data set is compiled to facilitate assessment of the pattern, duration and country-level determinants of global agri-food export competitiveness using a revealed comparative advantage index.

Findings
The results suggest that the duration of revealed comparative advantage is heterogeneous at the agri-food product level. Long-term survival rates as revealed by the comparative advantage indices are among the highest for the Netherlands, France, Belgium, the USA, Argentina and New Zealand. The level of economic development, the share of agricultural employment, subsidies to agriculture and differentiated consumer agri-food products increase the likelihood of failure in the duration of comparative advantage, while the abundance of agricultural land and export diversification reduce that likelihood.

Originality/value
The framework is conceptually innovative in how it models the likelihood of failure in the duration of comparative advantage and assesses implications. Export competitiveness is a crucial factor in long-term global farm business survival as it fosters opportunities for business prosperity on global markets.
Withdrawal of overseas subsidiaries from Asia: the case of the Japanese food industry
Authors: Takahashi Daisuke , Chang Tsaiyu 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the factors that have influenced the withdrawal of Japanese overseas food industry subsidiaries from Asia.

Design/methodology/approach
The data refer to Asian subsidiaries of Japanese companies engaged in food production activities. The data set covers 545 overseas subsidiaries from 2003 to 2014, and the total number of observations is 3,513. A linear probability model examines the factors influencing the probability of a subsidiary withdrawing.

Findings
The results show that strong relationships between parent companies and overseas subsidiaries, specifically in terms of personnel and capital, reduce the likelihood of withdrawal. The number of years in business has a positive effect on withdrawal. Additionally, investment aims, such as the establishment of an international production network and acquisition of host country markets, affect the probability of withdrawal. The results are similar for subsidiaries in China and other countries, but there are differences regarding subsidiaries’ histories and investment aims.

Originality/value
There is limited research on food companies withdrawing from overseas markets. This study bridges the gap in the literature by compiling micro-level data and conducting a quantitative analysis of such withdrawals from overseas markets. The originality of this study is that it shows the effects of investment aims on subsidiary withdrawal, representing various aspects of overseas subsidiaries, and compares the estimation results with the recent trends in food markets in Asia.
Effect of householder characteristics, production, sales and safety awareness on farmers’ choice of vegetable marketing channels in Beijing, China
Authors: Zhang Biao , Fu Zetian , Wang Jieqiong , Tang Xiaolin , Zhao Yousen , Zhang Lingxian 
Published: April 2017

PurposeFarmers’ selection of vegetable marketing channels directly affects their income and is important to stable vegetable supply and food control. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the farmers’ selection behavior of vegetable marketing channels, and to determine the key factors which affected farmer’ decision making.Design/methodology/approachA total of 191 valid questionnaires were collected from 50 villages in seven main vegetable production districts in Beijing urban areas from September to December 2015, yielding a response rate of 86.8 percent. The multinomial logit model was used for analysis in this study.FindingsThe results revealed that the farmers mainly selected farmers’ market, cooperative, and wholesaler to sell their vegetables, which comprised 96.57 percent of total vegetable sales. Estimation results showed that cooperative, vegetable acreage, price satisfaction, and slow sales were most important factors which influence positively the probability of opting to sell vegetables at a cooperative rather than at the farmer’s market. For wholesalers, gender of the household head and cooperative had most significantly negative effect, and age had a positive impact on farmer’s choice of market channels.Originality/valueThe results and implications obtained in the present study could help policymakers to establish a scientific-based and reasonable policy to encourage vegetable producers to participate in the circulation of vegetables in Beijing and guarantee their income in vegetable supply chain. The suggestions of this study could also be used for the improvement of the vegetable sector in other cities facing similar issues.
Reliability and relative validity of short-food frequency questionnaire
Authors: Nikniaz Leila , Tabrizi Jafarsadegh , Sadeghi-Bazargani Homayoun , Farahbakhsh Mostafa , Tahmasebi Sanaz , Noroozi Soheila 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe reliability and relative validity of the short-food frequency questionnaire (SH-FFQ) used for assessing food groups and nutrient intakes of Iranian adults.

Design/methodology/approach
The food list used in the SH-FFQ was elaborated based on a dietary survey of a sample of 60 individuals aged between 15 and 65 years. A total of 180 subjects (93 males and 87 females) were included in the study. All participants completed two SH-FFQs with one month interval, a single 24 hours recall (24hR) and two food records for three non-consecutive days.

Findings
No significant differences were observed in the mean daily intakes of energy, food groups and most of the nutrients between the reference tools and the two semi-quantitative SH-FFQs (p>0.05). The mean energy-adjusted reliability coefficients for all variables were 0.54 and 0.55 in men and women. The mean energy-adjusted and deattenuated correlation coefficients for all items between the SH-FFQ and reference tools were 0.54. Also, the mean percent misclassified into opposite quartiles for all food groups and nutrients was 12.6 percent.

Originality/value
The designed SH-FFQ developed for the Life style Promotion Project has reasonable reliability and relative validity for food groups and nutrient in Iranian adults.
Psychologically informed environments for homeless people: resident and staff experiences
Authors: Phipps Catriona , Seager Martin , Murphy Lee , Barker Chris 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
Many homeless people have significant levels of early adverse experiences and consequent mental health difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of residents and staff living and working in a psychologically informed environment (PIE), a new model of hostel for homeless people which aims to update and make more flexible the principles of the therapeutic community, thereby meeting the psychological and emotional needs of residents.

Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with nine residents, ten staff and five psychotherapists at two PIE hostels in London. The data were analysed using thematic analysis with a phenomenological epistemological approach.

Findings
Analysis generated 18 themes for residents and staff combined, organised into five domains: what makes a home, resident needs, managing relationships, reflective practice and theory vs practice of PIEs. The study suggests that PIEs broadly meet their aim in providing a different type of environment from standard hostels. Efforts to build relationships with residents are particularly prioritised. This work can be challenging for staff and reflective practice groups provide a supportive forum. There are limits to the extent to which the theoretical PIE can be put into practice in the current political and economic climate.

Originality/value
This is one of the first qualitative studies of PIEs. It provides perspectives on their theoretical background as well as how they operate and are experienced in practice. It may be informative to services intending to establish a PIE and to commissioners in assessing appropriate resources.
Public procurement as a policy tool: using procurement to reach desired outcomes in society
Authors: Grandia Jolien , Meehan Joanne 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue and outline its major themes and challenges, their relevance and the research opportunities the field presents.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews prior literature and outlines the need to view public procurement as a policy tool to introduce the contributions to this special issue.

Findings
Public procurement has been consistently used to further public policies in a wide range of fields. The collection of articles in this special issue contributes to a broader understanding of the role and potential of public procurement in delivering desired policy outcomes in society. The articles show that public procurement largely has strategic aspirations, and its potential to deliver on wider societal issues is attractive to policy makers. The issues raised in this collection of articles, however, also demonstrate that public procurement often lacks strategic maturity and critical issues, notably around how to demonstrate and evaluate its impact and “success”.

Research limitations/implications
This paper aims to stimulate interdisciplinary research into the role of public procurement as a policy tool and its ability to achieve public value.

Originality/value
This paper discusses theoretical and empirical findings that highlight the importance of public procurement for achieving public value. The special issue examines the interdisciplinary literature on public procurement and shows how it is being used to achieve public value.
Public procurement policy for small and medium enterprises in developing countries
Authors: Patil Kapil 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
Increasing the share of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in public procurement through targeted support policies is often fraught with organisational and institutional challenges as can be seen from the experiences of many developed countries. This has profound implications for emulating such policies in developing countries where administrative capacities may be low for efficient policy management. The purpose of this paper is to widen the canvass of SME procurement policy discourse by exploring a developing country context.

Design/methodology/approach
The study provides qualitative assessment using insights from policy implementation-related theories. Due to limited reporting of target data on SME participation in India, the study conducts analysis based on key informant interviews with 20 public sector enterprises.

Findings
The evidence drawn from India mainly shows uneven performance among the procurers in achieving the SME procurement targets, and reveals serious policy implementation shortcomings. These findings correspond and complement the earlier studies on SME procurement in the developed world. The Indian case additionally reveals barriers which may be common to other developing countries such as the lack of policy-administrative capacity compounded by the prevalence of “efficiency syndrome” on the part of procurers.

Originality/value
By providing an in-depth developing country-specific assessment, the study helps informing assumptions underpinning SME-oriented procurement policies. The study, therefore, fills a gap in the literature on SME-oriented public procurement policy-making and its execution.
Performance monitoring by managerial teams
Authors: Liang Pierre Jinghong , Rajan Madhav , Ray Korok 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to explore the design of management teams when the critical task facing individual managers is monitoring the performance of worker teams and producing performance measures under uncertain information environments.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a multi-agent LEN framework – linear contract, exponential utility and normal density – to model the incentive provision and organizational design.

Findings
The main lesson is that the use of performance measures under uncertainty is greatly affected by the potential for free-riding in the very monitoring activities which generate the measures to begin with. Accordingly, the value of having a management team, that is the incremental benefit of having a second manager, depends on the monitoring technology. Of particular importance are the potential free-riding in monitoring effort among multiple managers and synergies gained from having more than one manager, such as correlation among the performance measures produced or improvement due to splitting workers pool into separate groups for each manager to monitor separately.

Originality/value
The paper pushes this line of research further by explicitly modeling the endogenous process of signal generation within a rich economic environment. In this environment, number of workers being evaluated and number of managers who produce the signals are both endogenous. Furthermore, both workers and managers are subject to moral hazard problem. In particular, the managers suffer from potential free-riding problems but may benefit from synergistic forces due to team monitoring.
An exploration of US-made clothing in China
Authors: Shen Dong , Wang Qiuyue 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese consumers’ perception of US-made clothing and purchase intention to US-made clothing; to explore the role of brand in the relationship between country of origin (COO) and consumer perception and purchase intention; and to investigate whether China is a potential market for US-made clothing.

Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among college students in three cities in China. A 2×3 within-subjects design with two countries and three brands was performed.

Findings
For Chinese consumers, country equity of China is significantly higher than the USA. However, Chinese consumers hold significantly higher perceived quality and perceived price of product for US-made clothing for all American brands. Chinese consumers have significantly higher purchase intention for US-made clothing for popular American brands with average price points.

Research limitations/implications
Further research could sample different groups which are better representative of the whole population. Different COOs and industrial sectors will be worth of studying. Future research also needs to quantify the potential price increase.

Practical implications
The conclusions can be applied to business practices by American companies identifying their brand category before developing effective sourcing strategies.

Social implications
This study sheds light on policy making by bringing a new approach to position US-made products in China and address the trade imbalance between the two countries.

Originality/value
This study deeply examines how different brands affect Chinese consumers’ perception of US-made clothing and purchase intention to US-made clothing.
Changes in lipid profile of rats fed with Agaricus bisporus (white button) mushroom
Authors: Goyal Rajni , Grewal Rajbala 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
White button (Agaricus bisporus) mushroom (WBM) is a good source of fiber, protein and unsaturated fatty acids and is considered an effective food for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Design/methodology/approach
Male Wistar strain rats (28) were divided into four groups, two control and two experimental, which were fed a semi-synthetic diet containing 1 per cent cholesterol and supplemented with 5 and 10 per cent dried mushroom for a period of 42 days. At the end of the experiment, the rats were anesthetized and blood samples were taken. The serum and liver were analyzed for total lipids, triglycerides and phospholipids.

Findings
Serum total lipid and triglyceride levels were reduced significantly in rats fed on 5 and 10 per cent WBM. However, serum phospholipid levels were decreased only in rats fed on 10 per cent WBM. The deposition of total lipids and triglycerides in liver decreased significantly in the experimental rats. However, no significant differences were observed in liver phospholipid levels in any experimental group of rats.

Originality/value
Hyperlipidemia is one of the leading medical problems nowadays, and it represents a major concern because of the associated death rates occurring in different communities. The study results indicate that this problem can be reduced through the consumption of A. bisporus mushrooms.
Hypocholesterolaemic and antioxidant efficiency of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) protein hydrolysates depend on its degree of hydrolysis in cholesterol-fed rat
Authors: Yahia Sanaa , Benomar Souhila , Dehiba Faiza , Allaoui Amine , Guillen Natalia , Rodriguez-Yoldi Maria Jesús , Osada Jesús , Boualga Ahmed 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) protein hydrolysates prepared at two degrees of hydrolysis (DH) on lipoprotein profile and on oxidant status in cholesterol-fed rats.

Design/methodology/approach
Eighteen male Wistar rats (220 ± 10 g) were divided into three groups and fed for 30 days a diet containing 20 per cent casein supplemented with 1 per cent cholesterol and 0.5 per cent cholic acid. During the experimentation, the first and the second groups received daily by gavage 250 mg of chickpea protein hydrolysates/rat at DH = 8 per cent (CPH8) and DH = 17 per cent (CPH17), respectively. The third group, named control group (CG), received water under the same conditions.

Findings
Serum total cholesterol concentrations were reduced in CPH8 (p < 0.0073) and CPH17 (p < 0.0004) groups versus CG. This reduction corresponded to a lower very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol (p < 0,0019). CPH17 reduced low-density lipoprotein- and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (p < 0.0001) but increased apolipoprotein A4 (p < 0.002) concentrations and lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity (p < 0.0001). APOA1 remained unchanged in the treated groups. Liver total and esterified cholesterol contents were twofold lower in both treated groups versus CG. CPH8 increased triacylglycerols and phospholipids (p < 0.0001) contents, while CPH17 decreased those of unesterified cholesterol (p < 0.0016). Compared with CG, CPH8 and CPH17 reduced serum (p < 0.0001) and lipoprotein hydroperoxides by stimulating paraoxonase activity (p < 0.0001). However, only CPH17 treatment reduced serum, VLDL- and HDL-malondialdehyde contents and improved glutathione peroxidase activity (p < 0.061).

Originality/value
Thus, chickpea protein hydrolysates and especially hydrolysed at DH = 17 per cent may have a great potential for use as a nutraceutical to reduce hypercholesterolaemia and, by consequence, oxidative stress. Therefore, the degree of enzymatic hydrolysis has a significant influence on the production of potent bioactive peptides.
Nutritional status of celiac and non-celiac children from Rajasthan, India
Authors: Chishty Sadia , Monika Monika , Singh Nimali 
Published: April 2017

PurposeThe aim of the study was to compare the nutritional status of children having celiac disease (CD) with those not having the disease in the age group of 7-12 years. Children not having CD were from first- and second-degree siblings of the children affected to match for family and environment. In Indian celiac pediatric population, studies on nutritional status of celiac children and comparisons with their siblings as reference have not been reported.Design/methodology/approachChildren with CD (n= 50) and without CD (n= 25) were matched for age and were purposively selected. Nutritional assessment included anthropometry, biochemical, clinical and nutrient intake. Weight and height measurements were recorded as per the standardized techniques. Biochemical investigations were done by skilled technicians. A two-day 24-h dietary recall method was used for calculation of nutrient intake. The observations were categorized as celiac and non-celiac children and pre-adolescents in age group of 7-9 years and 10-12 years.FindingsThe issues of being underweight and of low height according to age among celiac children were rampant. The non-celiac children were comparatively taller than children with CD. The hemoglobin and serum iron were significantly lower in celiac than non-celiac group (p< 0.01). Energy intake was significantly higher (p< 0.05) in celiac pre-adolescents as compared to non-celiac children (7-9 years). The protein intake was higher in non-celiac children, and the difference was highly significant (p< 0.01). The fat consumption was higher in celiac pre-adolescents. The nutritional status of celiac children was poor as compared to non-celiac children.Originality/valueThe present study is an attempt to compare the nutritional status of celiac children with their siblings.
Antioxidant activity of polyphenols from larch wood: an amperometric study
Authors: Yashin Alexander Y. , Yashunsky Dmitry V. , Vedenin Aleksander N. , Nifantiev Nikolay E. , Yashin Yakov I. , Nemzer Boris V. 
Published: April 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the antioxidant activity of natural polyphenols from larch wood by the amperometric method.

Design/methodology/approach
Direct measurements of antioxidant activity were carried out by the amperometric method in an oxidizing mode with glassy carbon as a working electrode, set potential +1.3V and using a flow-injection system with 2.2 mM phosphoric acid as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min.

Findings
The reported results show the following values of antioxidant activity for the tested compounds: (−)-secoisolariciresinol – 0.199 ± 0.002 mg/L (p < 0.05); isolariciresinol – 0.196 ± 0.002 mg/L (p < 0.05); lariciresinol - 0.222 ± 0.001 mg/L (p < 0.05); O-isopropylidene derivative of (−)-secoisolariciresinol - 0.143 ± 0.002 mg/L (p < 0.05); (+)-dihydroquercetin – 0.153 ± 0.002 mg/L (p < 0.05); and quercetin – 0.521 ± 0.001 mg/L (p < 0.05). The last product was tested as the reference of a widely used current antioxidant. General tendencies of determined values of antioxidant activity for studied compounds are in good correlation with published data as determined by the t-BuOOH-initiated lipid peroxidation method.

Practical implications
Described results show practical applicability of the amperometric method as being faster and cheaper in comparison to other methods, including oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay or 2,2′diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reagent based assay.

Originality/value
The described results show the first-time application of the amperometric method for the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from larch wood.