Benedetto Rocchi

Consumers’ perception of wine packaging: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the methodology adopted and the main results achieved by an exploratory study on consumers perception of wine packaging.Design/methodology/approach – The research was designed to elicit the relevant dimensions through which consumers perceive and describe differences between bottles of wine. In order to allow respondents to freely express their perceptions without suggesting a priori descriptive category/dimensions a repertory grid (RGT) approach was followed. A sample of 30 consumers were asked to analyse differences across 11 bottles and to summarize them in descriptive bipolar constructs. The results were analysed performing a consensus procrustes analysis. An innovative feature of this study was the analysis of complete transcriptions of interviews to better understand the meaning assigned by consumers to descriptive constructs.Findings – The attributes of bottles and labels represent the main factors underlying wine packaging perceptions. These charac...

Escaping the resource curse in regional development: a case study on the allocation of oil royalties

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the socio-economic impact of the allocation of royalties from oil extraction on regional development through a case study on the Basilicata region (Italy). We examine how the regional governments chosen policies have impacted the income of Basilicata residents and the economic development of the region and how a different set of choices may reveal a more effective approach to turning revenue into long-term public benefits. The analysis focuses on growth as well as on distributive impacts of the allocation of royalties. The results clearly show that the past allocation of the royalties accruing to regional government into regional policies generated little impact in terms of economic growth and occupation, the total well below what was expected. Appreciable impacts on incomes and occupation will not be forthcoming unless resources are redirected towards supporting a stronger competitiveness of the regional economic system.

Regional Differentiation and Farm Exit: A Hierarchical Model for Tuscany

We analyse the exit behaviour of Tuscan farms during the period 2000–2007 both at the farm and the territorial level. The study combines data from the 2000 National Census of Agriculture and three waves of the ‘Farm Structure Surveys’. The exit probability of the resulting sample, composed of 3,187 farms, is estimated through a Bayesian hierarchical probit model. Our results show that exits reflect the size and type of holdings. Likelihood of exit is higher in areas of higher population density that are not classified as ‘urban’ areas.

Territorial identity as a competitive advantage in wine marketing: a case study

This article presents a case study on territorial identity as a competitive advantage in marketing fine wines. The study is centred on three renowned Tuscan local wine systems strongly oriented towards quality and well-established on international markets. The survey aimed at understanding difficulties faced by these local systems in the UK market. An explorative ‘case study’ approach was adopted, aimed at supplying analytical dimensions useful in ‘framing’ a marketing problem to be solved. Experts and key informants were interviewed about their opinions and perceptions on the case study both in the production area and in the UK. Most of the problems faced when marketing the wines considered in this study may be described as a failure to join with the conventional definition of quality that is relevant to the British market. According to the proposed interpretation, a strong territorial identity is a necessary ingredient, but alone is an insufficient condition to build a competitive advantage. The proposed interpretation suggested a set of possible actions at the territory level to exploit economies of concerning market intelligence, marketing approach and collective communication.

Efficiency grounds and welfare effects in decoupling farm support. Insights from an AGE model of the Italian economy

This paper investigates both efficiency and redistributive effects of the recent reform of Common Agricultural Policy in Italy. A general equilibrium model has been calibrated on a social accounting matrix of the Italian economy, adapted to represent the distribution of agricultural income between households. In simulation results the decoupling of farm support proves to be a welfare-improving policy. Moreover, this welfare effect is enhanced by redistributing the support towards low-income agricultural households. In terms of possible policy implications, simulation results suggest that redistributive effects in decoupling farm support may be a crucial aspect for the allocation of the EU agricultural budget.

Exploring costs and benefits of compliance with HACCP regulation in the European meat and dairy sectors

A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Program was introduced as a mandatory measure in the EU in the 1990s. Despite its impact on the food industry, only limited literature addresses the issue of cost and benefits of HACCP at the firm level in Europe. This paper illustrates the results of a pilot study on case studies in Italy, UK and The Netherlands, providing a first assessment of the order of magnitude of costs of compliance and a qualitative illustration of the main benefits perceived by producers.

The Sustainability of Non-renewable Resources Use at Regional Level: A Case Study on Allocation of Oil Royalties

The aim of this work was to assess the socioeconomic impact derived from the oil royalty allocation on regional development, using a multi-sector model based on a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), appropriately implemented for Basilicata region (Italy), the typical case of a region lagging behind in a developed economy. Our focus was on how political decisions have influenced the economic development of the region and how a different set of choices can be more effective in transforming public receipts into long-term benefits. Results show clearly that in the past the allocation of oil royalties to the regional Government (as a whole 990 million euros) generated a much lower impact than expected, in terms of economic growth and employment. Given the structure of the regional economy, much of the impact of investments and running expenses financed by royalties has maybe been lost outside the regional boundaries. A greater effect on income and employment will not be possible unless resources are redirected towards greater competitiveness of the regional economic system. Better balancing the use of royalties between social expenditure and production investments would probably be the first step towards a strategy of sustainable development of the regional economy.

An Application of Statistical Matching Techniques to Produce a New Microeconomic Dataset on Farming Households’ Institutional Sector in Italy

A new microeconomic database on farm households in Italy was created using statistical matching techniques. Information on total households’ income and well-being gathered by the EU-SILC survey on living conditions for Italy was attached to the observations included in the FBS database for Italy. The new dataset, still representative of agriculture as an industry, also allows a proper statistical representation and socio-economic characterization of farm households as an institutional sector.

SAM multipliers and subsystems: structural analysis of the Basilicata’s agri-food sector

Local agri-food products are conceived as a form of cultural capital, representing potentially fruitful resources for rural development. Italy and its regions offer a rich and diverse agricultural and food heritage that has led to the creation of numerous quality agri-food systems. Despite their ability to absorb disturbances and maintain their functions, it is important to develop economic models targeted to analyse the relationships among the components of food systems, in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and drive the implementation of sectoral policies. In view of the new Rural Development Programme (2014-2020), the aim of this work is to analyse the structure of the Basilicata’s agri-food system using a multi-sector model based on a two-region SAM, specifically developed for Basilicata, an Italian region characterised by a highly specialised agri-food sector. Results show that the availability of a highly disaggregate multi-sector model of the regional economy may be a valuable supporting tool to design regional policies for innovation and for the development of rural areas, laying the foundation for further analysis.

Why should the baby live? Human right to life and the precautionary principle

This paper discusses the issue of ‘post-birth abortion’ from an applied perspective. Three hypothetical situations where a newborn considered as a ‘potential person’ is at risk of being killed are proposed to highlight the potential controversial outcomes of post-birth abortion. The internal consistency of the argument proposed by Giubilini and Minerva to morally justify newborn killing is contested as well. Finally, an alternative moral strategy based on the precautionary principle and excluding any distinction between potential and actual persons is proposed as rational.