title: General image of and beliefs about European food in two mainland Chinese cities Shanghai and Xi'an

authors: Wang, Ou

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a picture of the current image and consumer beliefs of European food in mainland Chinese consumers’ minds.

Design/methodology/approach
A web-based survey was conducted for data collection in December 2013 with 541 participants from two Chinese cities: Shanghai and Xi’an. The participants reported about the image of European food and characterized European food according to 14 items for product-related beliefs and 18 items for perceived profiles. Descriptive analysis, cluster analysis and partial least squares regression were employed for data analyses.

Findings
Findings show that European food has a unanimously positive image among mainland Chinese consumers. Three consumer segments were distinguished based on attribute beliefs about European food: a positive-beliefs segment, a negative-beliefs segment and an unfamiliar segment. The characteristics of typical European food consumers were high income, having long overseas experience, having visited Europe or living in a big and developed city. In addition, “safe” and “upscale” were the most important attribute beliefs driving mainland Chinese consumers to have a positive image of European food; while “unfamiliar” and “sweet” were the most negative drivers of European food’s image.

Originality/value
This is the first study to present information about consumer beliefs, general image and consumer segments in relation to European food in mainland China. These insights can help European food marketers to better understand mainland Chinese consumers and the current image of their products in mainland China so that they can develop effective marketing strategies for this huge and potential food market.

text: General image of and beliefs about European food in two mainland Chinese cities Shanghai and Xi'an Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a picture of the current image and consumer beliefs of European food in mainland Chinese consumers’ minds.

Design/methodology/approach
A web-based survey was conducted for data collection in December 2013 with 541 participants from two Chinese cities: Shanghai and Xi’an. The participants reported about the image of European food and characterized European food according to 14 items for product-related beliefs and 18 items for perceived profiles. Descriptive analysis, cluster analysis and partial least squares regression were employed for data analyses.

Findings
Findings show that European food has a unanimously positive image among mainland Chinese consumers. Three consumer segments were distinguished based on attribute beliefs about European food: a positive-beliefs segment, a negative-beliefs segment and an unfamiliar segment. The characteristics of typical European food consumers were high income, having long overseas experience, having visited Europe or living in a big and developed city. In addition, “safe” and “upscale” were the most important attribute beliefs driving mainland Chinese consumers to have a positive image of European food; while “unfamiliar” and “sweet” were the most negative drivers of European food’s image.

Originality/value
This is the first study to present information about consumer beliefs, general image and consumer segments in relation to European food in mainland China. These insights can help European food marketers to better understand mainland Chinese consumers and the current image of their products in mainland China so that they can develop effective marketing strategies for this huge and potential food market.

year: 2015

title: "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are (and where you are from)." Food, culture and re-membering in New Zealand: A case study approach.

authors: Graham, Rebekah Sarah

subjects: food-related practices

abstract: This thesis focusses on processes of re-membering and the transmission of culturally patterned food-related practices across generations. Of particular interest is how the preparation, serving and eating of food acts to keep cultural traditions and memories alive. The theoretical framework for this research is informed by social constructionism, with ethnographic and hermeneutic traditions influencing methods used. The domestic space of the home provided a highly relevant research site where everyday food practices were enabled and enacted. Three dual-heritage, multi-generational households took part in a series of emplaced biographical ‘go-along’, ‘eat-along’ and photo-elicitation interviews. These went beyond just conversing and included the use of mapping, participant observation, photo-elicitation and go-along interview techniques, gridding (of photos), and the sharing of meals. The analysis considers each case in turn. The tension between past lives and current lived reality in the Marton household requires both Amy and Paul to construct their identities and sense of self on a daily basis. The shared cultural values of the Barrett household mitigates their differing ethnic heritages and food traditions, contributing towards emotional harmony within the home. The Linton household exemplifies the time scarcity common to many modern-day families. This lack of time directly impacts their everyday food-related practices. This thesis demonstrates that food – and its surrounding practices – acts as a tangible, visceral nexus for abstract concepts such as culture, class, and identity. Food related practices are deeply connected to processes of re-membering, identity construction, a sense of place and social relationships. The case studies in this thesis showcase the fluidity of culture, the hybridic nature of individual and group membership, and the changing nature of familial practices. The key themes of time, tradition, culture and change and further discussed. Essentially, food is interwoven into our everyday practices and embodies who we are and where we are from.

text: "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are (and where you are from)." Food, culture and re-membering in New Zealand: A case study approach. This thesis focusses on processes of re-membering and the transmission of culturally patterned food-related practices across generations. Of particular interest is how the preparation, serving and eating of food acts to keep cultural traditions and memories alive. The theoretical framework for this research is informed by social constructionism, with ethnographic and hermeneutic traditions influencing methods used. The domestic space of the home provided a highly relevant research site where everyday food practices were enabled and enacted. Three dual-heritage, multi-generational households took part in a series of emplaced biographical ‘go-along’, ‘eat-along’ and photo-elicitation interviews. These went beyond just conversing and included the use of mapping, participant observation, photo-elicitation and go-along interview techniques, gridding (of photos), and the sharing of meals. The analysis considers each case in turn. The tension between past lives and current lived reality in the Marton household requires both Amy and Paul to construct their identities and sense of self on a daily basis. The shared cultural values of the Barrett household mitigates their differing ethnic heritages and food traditions, contributing towards emotional harmony within the home. The Linton household exemplifies the time scarcity common to many modern-day families. This lack of time directly impacts their everyday food-related practices. This thesis demonstrates that food – and its surrounding practices – acts as a tangible, visceral nexus for abstract concepts such as culture, class, and identity. Food related practices are deeply connected to processes of re-membering, identity construction, a sense of place and social relationships. The case studies in this thesis showcase the fluidity of culture, the hybridic nature of individual and group membership, and the changing nature of familial practices. The key themes of time, tradition, culture and change and further discussed. Essentially, food is interwoven into our everyday practices and embodies who we are and where we are from.

year: 2013

title: “You’re not coming out – you’ve been there all along and just no one’s looked”: Māori LGBT+ youth and identity exploration

authors: Laurence, Rebekah

subjects: Māori

abstract: This research is a Masters-level project on Māori LGBT-plus (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other) youths’ experience of exploring their gender and sexual identities, highlighting how whānau (loosely, ‘extended family’) can provide mana (authority, power) such that youth can exercise mana rangatiratanga (a Maniapoto description of ‘autonomy, self-determination’) regarding their identities. This is a novel, exploratory study.
Adapted elements from a Mana Wāhine (Māori feminist) perspective of Kaupapa Māori theory comprised the theoretical framework for this project. These elements were Mana rangatiratanga (adapted from Tino rangatiratanga), Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (Māori language and its culture), and Whanaungatanga (relationships). The three elements were adapted to fit a Ngāti Maniapoto worldview. 
Qualitative research methods were used for this study. There were five participants aged between 17 and 24 years, who were Māori and had diverse gender or sexual identities. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants, which allowed them to share their experiences of exploring their gender and sexual identities and of whānau support. Interviews were analysed using a process of inductive thematic analysis, which identified and analysed patterns across the dataset.
Eight themes were derived from participants’ experiences. These themes were Ko Tūhura, which described the process of discovery that participants have experienced; Ko Matatapu, which described participants’ experience of authenticity and concealment of their gender and sexual identities; Ko Tautoko, which described how whānau have empowered participants to explore their identities, and how participants have been denied empowerment; Ko Mata-ngaro, which described participants’ early lack of exposure to diverse identities, and their having their identities unseen by others; Ko te Ahunga-ki-te-aunoa, which described how diverse identities have been accepted within participants’ whānau; Ko Tauawhi, which described how participants have been embraced for their diverse identities; Ko Mata-pū-take, which describes participants’ experience of finding somewhere to belong; and Ko Kiritau, which describes participants’ becoming settled in their expression of their gender and sexual identities.
The findings of the thesis describe roles that whānau play in participants’ exploration of their gender and sexual identities and some of the effects that colonisation has had within participants’ whānau regarding their gender and sexual identities. Nonetheless, participants actively resisted these aspects of colonisations and found ways to give voice to their gender and sexual identities.
Given that participants shared that there was a dearth of information regarding gender and sexual identities available to them within their whānau and school environments, organisations within psychology and related fields may work to proactively provide all young Māori people and their whānau with information regarding diverse gender and sexual identities. Moreover, to address the dearth of resources designed for Māori LGBT-plus youth, New Zealand-based researchers may collate information specifically regarding Māori LGBT-plus youth experience of identity exploration and Māori knowledges regarding gender and sexual identities. This information may be collated in community-based resources that are designed specifically for members of this group and their whānau, and professionals who work for them.

text: “You’re not coming out – you’ve been there all along and just no one’s looked”: Māori LGBT+ youth and identity exploration This research is a Masters-level project on Māori LGBT-plus (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other) youths’ experience of exploring their gender and sexual identities, highlighting how whānau (loosely, ‘extended family’) can provide mana (authority, power) such that youth can exercise mana rangatiratanga (a Maniapoto description of ‘autonomy, self-determination’) regarding their identities. This is a novel, exploratory study.
Adapted elements from a Mana Wāhine (Māori feminist) perspective of Kaupapa Māori theory comprised the theoretical framework for this project. These elements were Mana rangatiratanga (adapted from Tino rangatiratanga), Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (Māori language and its culture), and Whanaungatanga (relationships). The three elements were adapted to fit a Ngāti Maniapoto worldview. 
Qualitative research methods were used for this study. There were five participants aged between 17 and 24 years, who were Māori and had diverse gender or sexual identities. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants, which allowed them to share their experiences of exploring their gender and sexual identities and of whānau support. Interviews were analysed using a process of inductive thematic analysis, which identified and analysed patterns across the dataset.
Eight themes were derived from participants’ experiences. These themes were Ko Tūhura, which described the process of discovery that participants have experienced; Ko Matatapu, which described participants’ experience of authenticity and concealment of their gender and sexual identities; Ko Tautoko, which described how whānau have empowered participants to explore their identities, and how participants have been denied empowerment; Ko Mata-ngaro, which described participants’ early lack of exposure to diverse identities, and their having their identities unseen by others; Ko te Ahunga-ki-te-aunoa, which described how diverse identities have been accepted within participants’ whānau; Ko Tauawhi, which described how participants have been embraced for their diverse identities; Ko Mata-pū-take, which describes participants’ experience of finding somewhere to belong; and Ko Kiritau, which describes participants’ becoming settled in their expression of their gender and sexual identities.
The findings of the thesis describe roles that whānau play in participants’ exploration of their gender and sexual identities and some of the effects that colonisation has had within participants’ whānau regarding their gender and sexual identities. Nonetheless, participants actively resisted these aspects of colonisations and found ways to give voice to their gender and sexual identities.
Given that participants shared that there was a dearth of information regarding gender and sexual identities available to them within their whānau and school environments, organisations within psychology and related fields may work to proactively provide all young Māori people and their whānau with information regarding diverse gender and sexual identities. Moreover, to address the dearth of resources designed for Māori LGBT-plus youth, New Zealand-based researchers may collate information specifically regarding Māori LGBT-plus youth experience of identity exploration and Māori knowledges regarding gender and sexual identities. This information may be collated in community-based resources that are designed specifically for members of this group and their whānau, and professionals who work for them.

year: 2020