Dan Alex Petrovici

Determinants and antecedents of general attitudes towards advertising: A study of two EU accession countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between determinants and primary antecedents of advertising and attitudes to advertising in the context of European Union accession countries.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on data from consumer surveys conducted in the major urban areas of Bulgaria and Romania the study conceptualises an extended version of Pollay and Mittals model of beliefs and attitudes toward advertising. It tests a comprehensive range of attitudes toward the institution of advertising and its instruments in each country to identify similarities and differences in consumer perceptions.Findings – Findings confirm that consumers in the two countries are more positive about advertising as an institution than the instruments used to promote advertising. While product information acquisition is the main personal use of advertising which influences general attitudes to advertising in Bulgaria, the entertaining value of advertising was found the strongest personal u...

Using the h-index to measure the quality of journals in the field of business and management

This paper considers the use of the h-index as a measure of a journals research quality and contribution. We study a sample of 455 journals in business and management all of which are included in the ISI Web of Science (WoS) and the Association of Business Schools peer review journal ranking list. The h-index is compared with both the traditional impact factors, and with the peer review judgements. We also consider two sources of citation data - the WoS itself and Google Scholar. The conclusions are that the h-index is preferable to the impact factor for a variety of reasons, especially the selective coverage of the impact factor and the fact that it disadvantages journals that publish many papers. Google Scholar is also preferred to WoS as a data source. However, the paper notes that it is not sufficient to use any single metric to properly evaluate research achievements.

Food consumption patterns in Romania

An analysis of patterns of food consumption in Romania is undertaken with the UK used as a benchmark when appropriate. The period of transition in Romania towards a more market‐oriented economy has involved substantial changes in patterns of food consumption and significant year‐to‐year variation. The decline in real incomes provides an interesting validation of Engel’s law on the relationships between household income and food expenditure. There is evidence that Romanian diet is deteriorating relative to modern nutrition guidelines; possible policy responses are discussed.

The Theory of Reasoned Action and Food Choice: Insights from a Transitional Economy

Abstract This article draws upon a consumer survey carried out in Romania to explore determinants of food choice. A modified version of the theory of reasoned action was developed. This included attitude toward intention, habit and food preference as independent variables. Structural equation modelling showed a significant positive influence of all variables. Similar to other studies conducted in European Union countries, habit outweighed the other variables. This suggests that the influence of non-economic variables may be increasing in importance in explaining food choice and consumer behaviour in the emerging economies, though the influence of these variables may still be limited relative to that of economic factors.

Personal uses and perceived social and economic effects of advertising in Bulgaria and Romania

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to uncover the underlying dimensions of, and examine the similarities and differences in, personal uses of advertising, perceived socio-economic effects of advertising, and consumer beliefs and attitudes toward advertising in Bulgaria and Romania. Moreover, it aims to identify the relative importance of the predictors of attitudes toward advertising in the two countries. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws upon findings of previous research and theoretical developments by Bauer and Greyser, Sandage and Leckenby, and Pollay and Mittal. The study uses a stratified random sample of 947 face-to-face interviews with adult respondents from major urban areas in Bulgaria (507) and Romania (440). Variables are measured on multi-item scales as a typical application of the reflective indicator model. Findings - Results show that there are significant differences between Romanian and Bulgarian respondents in terms of their attitudes toward advertising. Romanians are more positive about advertising as an institution than the instruments of advertising. Romanians seem to accept the role of advertising in a free market economy, but have less confidence in advertising claims and techniques. Bulgarian respondents seem more sceptical toward advertising in general and are less enthusiastic about embracing the role of advertising as an institution. Moreover, Bulgarians are highly negative towards the instruments advertising uses to convey its messages to consumers. Research limitations/implications - The research findings reflect the views of urban dwellers and may not be generalisable to the wider population of the two countries. Interviewer bias was reduced by eliminating verbal or non-verbal cues to the respondents, and by the use of stratified random sampling. Practical implications - The paper suggests that the regulatory role of codes of advertising practice and industry regulating bodies should be enhanced, and their ability to protect consumers enforced. Marketing campaigns should be more inclusive to involve diverse social groups and reflect generally-accepted social norms. Originality/value - This study reveals that, while general attitudes toward advertising may be similar, attitudes toward the institution and instruments of advertising may differ even in countries with geographic proximity and low cultural distance.

An empirical examination of public attitudes towards advertising in a transitional economy

This paper examines public attitudes towards advertising within the context of transition in central and eastern Europe. Drawing on a consumer survey conducted in three cities within Romania, the study conceptualises Pollay and Mittal’s (1993) model of beliefs and attitudes towards advertising. This study introduces a novel differentiation between image and the social integration role of advertising, extending in this way the concept of the personal uses of advertising. It highlights variations in public opinion towards advertising between socio-cultural areas in Romania. Attitudes towards the institution of advertising, attitude–instrument, product information and hedonic/pleasure have a positive effect on general attitude to advertising as expected. Consumers who perceive an informational and entertaining value of advertising, those holding positive attitudes towards advertising as an institution in a free market economy and the instruments used to further it, are more likely to hold positive general attitudes towards advertising. The role of advertising exhibits a positive effect on general attitude. Image has a surprisingly negative effect on general attitude towards advertising, which contrasts with expectations based upon developed countries. Finally, the managerial implications are discussed.

The Economics of Food Choice: Is Price Important?

The “economics of food choice” can be interpreted in two ways. First, classical economics has developed a theory of consumer behaviour in which a consumer’s “demand” for a product — the amount he/she wishes to purchase under a given set of circumstances — is explained by a process whereby consumers rank different preferences in order to maximise the “utility”, or satisfaction, they derive from consumption.

Nutritional knowledge, nutritional labels, and health claims on food

Purpose – The primary purpose is to examine the factors that affect the use of nutritional facts, nutrient content claims and health claims on food label use in the United Kingdom.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports the results of a survey of over 300 face‐to‐face interviews with shoppers of Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury – three of the major supermarkets in the UK.Findings – Product class involvement factors, individual characteristics, health‐related factors (nutritional knowledge, health locus of control, perceived need of dietary change), situational, attitudinal and behavioral factors were found to be significant factors affecting the use of nutritional information and nutritional and health claims on food labeling. While the use of nutritional information and health claims increases with the stated importance of “nutrition” and “family preferences”, it is less likely among shoppers for whom “taste” is an important driver of food purchasing behaviour. There is also evidence of mistrust in ...

Subsistence farming, incomes, and agricultural livelihoods in the New Member States of the European Union

Drawing on primary survey data and the literature on sustainable livelihoods, we analyse agricultural households in five new member states of the EU which possess a large subsistence and semisubsistence farming sector. The study indicates that the contribution of subsistence farming to household incomes is significant. The profiling of agricultural households, using cluster analysis, reveals four main types which differ significantly in terms of engagement in nonmarketed production. The poorest households form the largest cluster. They possess low natural, physical, and social capital, operating small-scale and undercapitalised farms with little nonagricultural income. The main EU Common Agricultural Policy instruments are not well suited to respond to the specific needs of these poor subsistence farmers.

Antecedents of product placement effectiveness across cultures

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the marketing literature by developing and testing a conceptual model to examine the effects of product placement across a country low in assertiveness and performance orientation (the UK) and a country high in assertiveness and performance orientation (Hong Kong (HK)). Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis of brand appearances in high grossing films within the UK and HK was conducted followed by a 2×2 between-subjects experiment (n=572). Findings – The results indicate participants exposed to prominent placements have a less positive brand attitude and lower purchase intention toward the placed brand. Likewise, respondents exposed to a less well-known placed brand tend to have a less positive brand attitude and lower purchase intention toward the placed brand. There is evidence of interaction effects with cultural dimensions such as assertiveness and performance orientation within the UK and HK. Practical implications – The results sugges...