Frank J. van Rijnsoever

Understanding consumer acceptance of intervention strategies for healthy food choices: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity poses a major threat to public health. Intervention strategies for healthy food choices potentially reduce obesity rates. Reviews of the effectiveness of interventions, however, show mixed results. To maximise effectiveness, interventions need to be accepted by consumers. The aim of the present study is to explore consumer acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie food choices. Beliefs that are associated with consumer acceptance are identified.MethodsData was collected in the Netherlands in 8 semi-structured interviews and 4 focus group discussions (N = 39). Nine archetypical strategies representing educational, marketing and legal interventions served as reference points. Verbatim transcriptions were coded both inductively and deductively with the framework approach.ResultsWe found that three beliefs are related to consumer acceptance: 1) general beliefs regarding obesity, such as who is responsible for food choice; 2) the perceived effectiveness of interventions; and 3) the perceived fairness of interventions. Furthermore, the different aspects underlying these general and intervention-specific beliefs were identified.ConclusionsGeneral and intervention-specific beliefs are associated with consumer acceptance of interventions for low-calorie food choices. Policymakers in the food domain can use the findings to negotiate the development of interventions and to assess the feasibility of interventions. With respect to future research, we recommend that segments of consumers based on perceptions of intervention strategies are identified.

Interdependent technology attributes and the diffusion of consumer electronics

In many studies on innovation diffusion, five attributes of innovations by Rogers [Rogers, E.M., 2003. Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press, New York] are used to explain the adoption of innovations. These five attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability) are related to each other. This paper develops a theoretical framework on how these attributes are interrelated. We show empirically that modelling the theoretical interdependencies leads to better results in predicting the adoption of consumer electronics. Further, we show that our framework is not only valid on a product-domain level, but also for separate clusters within the product domain.

Extending consumer categorization based on innovativeness: Intentions and technology clusters in consumer electronics

Consumer categorizations based on innovativeness were originally proposed by E.M. Rogers (2003) and remain of relevance for predicting purchasing behavior in high-tech domains such as consumer electronics. We extend such innovativeness-based categorizations in two directions: We first take into account the existence of technology clusters within product domains and then enrich the definition of consumer innovativeness by considering not only past adoption behavior but also future purchase intentions. We derive a novel consumer categorization based on data from a sample of 2,094 Dutch consumers for the case of consumer electronics. In so doing, we apply endogenous categorization techniques that represent a methodological improvement with respect to previously applied techniques.

Consumer Acceptance of Population-Level Intervention Strategies for Healthy Food Choices: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness and Perceived Fairness.

The present study investigates acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie snack choices that vary regarding the effect they have on consumers’ freedom of choice (providing information, guiding choice through (dis)incentives, and restricting choice). We examine the mediating effects of perceived effectiveness and perceived fairness, and the moderating effects of barriers to choose low-calorie snacks and perceived responsibility for food choice. Data was collected through an online survey, involving three waves that were completed over a seven week timespan. Information was collected on barriers and perceived responsibility, and evaluations of a total of 128 intervention strategies with varying levels of intrusiveness that were further systematically varied in terms of source, location, approach/avoidance, type, and severity. A total of 1173 respondents completed all three waves. We found that the effect of intervention intrusiveness on acceptance was mediated by the perceived personal- and societal effectiveness, and the perceived fairness of interventions. For barriers and perceived responsibility, only main effects on intervention-specific beliefs were found. Government interventions were accepted less than interventions by food manufacturers. In conclusion, the present study shows that acceptance of interventions depends on perceptions of personal- and societal effectiveness and fairness, thereby providing novel starting points for increasing acceptance of both existing and new food choice interventions.

(I Can’t Get No) Saturation: A Simulation and Guidelines for Sample Sizes in Qualitative Research

I explore the sample size in qualitative research that is required to reach theoretical saturation. I conceptualize a population as consisting of sub-populations that contain different types of information sources that hold a number of codes. Theoretical saturation is reached after all the codes in the population have been observed once in the sample. I delineate three different scenarios to sample information sources: “random chance,” which is based on probability sampling, “minimal information,” which yields at least one new code per sampling step, and “maximum information,” which yields the largest number of new codes per sampling step. Next, I use simulations to assess the minimum sample size for each scenario for systematically varying hypothetical populations. I show that theoretical saturation is more dependent on the mean probability of observing codes than on the number of codes in a population. Moreover, the minimal and maximal information scenarios are significantly more efficient than random chance, but yield fewer repetitions per code to validate the findings. I formulate guidelines for purposive sampling and recommend that researchers follow a minimum information scenario.

Putting your money where your mouth is: why sustainability reporting based on the triple bottom line can be misleading

In the packaged food industry, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an informal requirement for which firms account through sustainability reporting. CSR behaviors are often reported and analyzed using the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) framework, which categorizes them as affecting people, planet, or profit. 3BL is useful in determining which of these categories is most elaborated upon by the firm, but has a limited scope and many documented criticisms. This paper aims to address the aforementioned insufficiencies by augmenting the 3BL framework with two important attributes of CSR practices: (1) the presence of change in core firm behavior of the firm itself or of others in the supply chain, and (2) whether the behavior qualifies as being outside of the firm’s normal business practice or is something that they might have done anyway. We qualitatively analyze CSR behaviors described in sustainability reports and interviews from major players in the packaged food industry and categorize them using these attributes as a supplement to 3BL. This enables us to separate the behaviors from their framing and analyze them more critically. Our results demonstrate how the visible CSR efforts of a firm can be misleading at first glance. Using only 3BL, we find that the CSR focus of firms in this industry is people. We then discover that the codes focusing on people (as opposed to planet or profit) require the least amount of real structural change from a firm or its supply chain partners, and thus arguably, the least amount of effort. We also find that behaviors that focus on planet require the most effort within the firm itself, but for behaviors involving supply chain partners, effort is required for behaviors in all three categories. Finally, we find that CSR behavior that is related to planet tends to go beyond normal business practice.

Two important issues when promoting healthier food

1240 www.thelancet.com Vol 377 April 9, 2011 regarded as a confl ict of interest in any legal defi nition. Moreover, being Minister of Health of a great country such as Iran is not a secret. Although we are proud of giving service in the Ministry of Health (KBL as minister 2005–09; SMA as deputy 2005–08), we do not consider the implementation of the Family Physician Project as a personal activity. Indeed this pro gramme was started in April, 2005, after approval by Parliament in February, 2005, months before the appointment of KBL as Minister in August, 2005. Many people in the Ministries of Health and Welfare of Iran worked with great enthusiasm to implement this major reform, including more than 30 000 Behvarz (health workers) and more than 10 000 physicians and midwives. KBL helped to establish and run this national project and was completely immersed in it. This close involvement is what permitted us to make comments on the project. When we saw the letter by Shalileh and Mahdanian, we thought health researchers should be aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of the programme, to show both sides of the coin. The main message of our letter was that, although the Family Physician Project has seen many diffi culties during implementation, it has had a measurable positive eff ect on health outcomes. Undoubtedly many more things need to be done to better implement this programme, but Parliament has once again included it in its latest national strategic programme for development, implying that Parliament was convinced by the project’s progress. This programme, along with the expansion of the referral system, should be the main strategy of the Ministry of Health, and the Government as a whole, in health-sector reform. Finally, we would like to highlight our hearty respect for ethical issues such as declaring any types of confl ict of interest; however, on the basis of our best judgment at the time, there was no confl ict of interest in our previous letter. We might have diff erent views but this should not infl uence our scientifi c activities and our judgments.In discussing strategies to combat cardiovascular disease worldwide, Sonia Anand and Salim Yusuf (Feb 12, p 529)1 rightly point to the complex socioeconomic interactions that need to be considered when promoting healthy food consumption. However, details of these interactions are left implicit. Two important issues that must be dealt with in any strategy are highlighted here.

Between a Soft Landing and a Hard Place: How Silicon Valley Software and Life Sciences Business Incubators Facilitate Learning

Incubators are increasingly used to support the development of technology-based nascent entrepreneurs and typically provide a range of services and resources. In providing such support, incubators use a variety of practices such as peer-to-peer learning, workshops, mentoring and access to wider expert support network. This chapter explores the practices through which incubators facilitate lower and higher order learning. This chapter applies theories of Organizational Learning and uses a multi case study of software and life sciences incubators in Silicon Valley. The findings suggest that software incubators focus on facilitating higher-order learning, by creating a high-pressure environment that challenges the start-up’s existing technologies, markets and business models, and stimulates start-ups to experiment with new ideas. In contrast, life science incubators emphasize lower-order learning and optimization of existing technologies by providing quick access to missing knowledge.