Jean D. Kinsey

Working Wives and the Marginal Propensity to Consume Food Away from Home

Contrary to predictions from the new household economics theory and heuristic thought, income earned by wives working full time did not increase the marginal propensity to consume food away from home. Tobit estimates of the same propensity from other income sources in married U.S. households in 1978 showed that income earned by part-time working wives and children, asset income, and transfer payments increased this propensity above that from husbands labor income. Whites had higher expenditures, higher marginal propensities to consume, and lower income elasticities for food away from home than nonwhites.

Consumer Trends and Changing Food Retailing Formats

Dramatic changes are occurring in the way retail establishments deliver food to consumers, largely in response to dynamic and diverse trends in American lifestyles. Fundamental changes in demographics, labor force participation, and income distribution continue to dictate changes in the food system. The most successful food firms are organized to deliver the most desirable combination of food and service

The New Food Economy: Consumers, Farms, Pharms, and Science

The new food economy is bigger, broader, faster, and more demanding. It is a kaleidoscope of foods, firms, consumers, countries, contracts, and agreements that provide us with a dizzying vision of moving targets. We have witnessed the food and agricultural industry move from a set of independent producers and marketing firms to a set of integrated and highly managed supply chains. We have witnessed the development of demand chains as consumers and retailers demand differentiated products, identity preservation and special food attributes. And now, we are watching linear demand and supply chains morph into webs of activities and tasks that are undertaken not by well-defined or selfcontained firms or households, but by multiple parties up and down the food chain. At least half of the Presidents of this Association since 1990 spoke from this podium about new, broader definitions of agriculture and about the creativity of (us) agricultural economists in finding new questions to ask and economic agents to analyze (Johnston, Houck, Armbruster, Schmway, Antle). Warren Johnston likened us to black-footed ferrets who continually find new ecological niches within which to thrive (Johnston, p. 1115). Our former presidents saw the new

Food and Consumer Economics

Agricultural economists first carried out demand studies in order to understand determinants of farm prices and incomes. The shift to a focus on consumer welfare began with studies of the role of food and food assistance in standards of living. Now the profession is more concerned with how information and quality attributes influence consumer behavior. Agricultural economists’ empirical work in this field has informed the development of household production theory, hedonic price theory, definitions of poverty thresholds, complete demand systems, and survey and experimental techniques to elicit preferences.

Race, Housing Attributes, and Satisfaction with Housing

AbstractThe effect of housing characteristics on the probability of satisfaction with housing for blacks and whites with specific demographic characteristics was estimated in this study. The estimated probability of being satisfied with current housing is slightly less for blacks than for whites. The characteristic that contributes most to black dissatisfaction is the lack of space. Within ¾ of the specific demographic categories the data indicate that blacks may have different preferences for housing characteristics than do whites.

GATT and the economics of food safety

Abstract Food safety is of increasing importance in higher-income countries where consumers demand higher quality and safer food. They will do so through the market when information makes it possible. They will demand better assurances of safety through government regulations where externalities and health risks prevail. The microeconomics of this demand for increased food safety is discussed in terms of how it can lead to non-tariff barriers to trade that might ultimately be regulated by the GATT. The public goods nature of food safety is explored along a continuum of food quality characteristics for the purpose of identifying when government regulations are needed.

The structure of nontariff trade measures on agricultural products in high‐income countries

This research identifies the principal forces behind the proliferation and growth of nontariff trade measures (NTM) on agricultural products. They include a structural gap between demand and supply elasticities, farm income problems, structural changes in the household, technological innovations, product proliferation and environmental concerns. After examining the total number of NTM, their frequency, diversity, and stacking, it is concluded that the use of NTM is widespread. The three most frequently used NTM in each country are direct trade restrictions such as quotas and permits. These measures are generally considered to be quite restrictive. ©1994 by John Wiley & Sons, lnc.

Consumption and saving behavior under strict and partial rationing

Abstract This study examines the effect of strictly rationed housing and partially rationed food grains on consumption and saving behavior for urban households in the Peoples Republic of China during 1981–1987. Complete demand system models with strict rationing are extended by incorporating compensated income, savings, and parallel markets for partially rationed goods. The econometric analysis shows that strictly rationed housing has a positive spillover effect on household savings. The estimated expenditure and price elasticities show that partially rationed food grains have become an inferior good. Policy simulation results further demonstrate that removing food grain rationing will have no important influence on the demand for other goods in urban China; however, increasing the level of rationed housing will induce more forced savings. A gradual reduction of rationing in China and other planned economies is an important step towards facilitating market oriented economic reform.

Local Economic Impacts of Tribal Casinos: The Minnesota Case

This study examined the economic effects of Native American casinos on their surrounding rural counties. The relationship between the presence of a casino and four measures of per capita income was analyzed using econometric methods. The studys data are from Minnesota, a state in which 16 casinos opened between 1990 and 1993. In their first two years (1990 and 1991), casinos were significantly correlated with an increase in income earned by workers in the eating and drinking industry, and somewhat correlated with income earned by hotel and amusement industry workers. They had no significant effect on overall per capita income in their counties.

Segmenting consumers for food defense communication strategies

Purpose – In the light of lessons learned from recent disasters (The London subway bombings, and Hurricane Katrina), it has become increasingly clear that supply chain partners as well as government agencies need to be prepared to communicate effectively to consumers and customers before, during and after a disaster. Effective communication can minimize confusion and harm to company reputations, to consumers, the economy and the nation. Incorporating consistent communications into supply chain management (SCM) plans used by all parties in the supply chain will enhance competitiveness of the whole chain and speed recovery from potentially disastrous events. Findings from a national survey of consumers attitudes about terrorism provide information about the development of targeted and effective communications.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a survey of more than 4,000 US consumers, this study used “predictive segmentation” which consists of a canonical factor analysis relating general consumer attit...