Marthin Nanere

Investing in consumer confidence through genetically modified labelling: an evaluation of compliance options and their marketing challenges for Australian firms

A significant number of studies have examined aspects of consumer responses towards genetically modified foods (GMFs). However, much of this effort has resulted in somewhat mixed findings which have not added real value in terms of providing viable directions for international and national organisations concerned with the labelling of GMFs. This is particularly true in an environment where labelling regulation is increasingly inconsistent and may therefore present real barriers to international trade and the marketing and sales of these food products. The aim of this article therefore is to shed light on the extent to which the labelling impositions on genetically modified foods would impact on the overall viability of the GMF industry particularly from an international and firm perspective. To this end, a selection of literatures that cover labelling issues in Europe, USA, Canada and Australasia were distilled in order to better understand the pros and cons of labelling disclosures globally and from these present a platform for future marketing and implementation scenarios in Australia. On the basis of this literature synthesis, we propose that the success of the GMF imperative is contingent on two levels of compliance. First, at the global level, there is need for greater international consensus regarding uniformity of standards of regulation that would allow for fair trade particularly through such bodies as the World Trade Organisation. By implication, Australia would require to adopt levels of compliance that are comparable to the stringent European Union requirements in order to be able to access those markets and any others. Second, we note that at the firm level, whilst production costs in developing appropriate labelling disclosures can be expected to rise on account of higher standards of compliance, these would be more than offset by the increase in consumer confidence as a consequence of the opportunity to make more informed choices. This in turn would generate positive Word of Mouth most likely resulting in increased uptake and adoption of GMFs generally thus allowing for disclosure costs to fall over time.

Environmental management systems: an alternative marketing strategy for sustainability

Abstract The purpose of the paper is to shed light on the extent to which environmental management systems such as ISO 14000 standards influence marketing efforts. By examining firms who prefer ISO 14000 standards against those who do not, this research provides a platform for understanding their significance when applied to marketing and seeks to improve environmental marketing strategies. The study empirically tests whether statistically significant differences exist between the two groups on a set of marketing variables. The study uses hierarchical clustering Ward’s method and measurement using squared Euclidean distances to determine the two groups. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used to classify each of the observations into selected groups; and test differences between these groups. Stepwise DA identified customer satisfaction as the best marketing predictor. This research indicates that green market-driven solutions for responsible consumption work best when it is consumer-driven, and consumers derive satisfaction from those results. The results adopts the view that investing in IS0 14000 standards is also highly beneficial for the wider applicability of developing strategies that would help firms make better decisions in marketing.

How Customer Loyalty Represents the Future of Banks: Study of Banking Industry in West Java, Indonesia

Free trade is a big challenge for a company to enhance its organization performance. Banking industry also faces challenges because of the free trade, since there have been many companies going bankrupt that it is feared that it will reduce customers’ savings or deposits in bank. Competitors needs to be aware because only banks with advantages that are able to create product with high quality services that can satisfy customers. Challenges become harder particularly when customers are sensitive to the interest rate, thus loyalty is at stake. This circumstance is very important because customers define the future of a bank. Having a close relationship between the bank and the customer can become the strength that could increase customer value. The main objective of this research was to study how customer loyalty can be constructed using customer value and relational quality. Data from 178 business customers in 8 banks were collected using questionnaires. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed based on variance Partial Least Square Path Modeling. The unit of this study was priority customers of banks in West Java, Indonesia. Unlike other studies, the finding suggests that customer relational quality has a dominant contribution to loyalty compared to customer-perceived value. This may be due to the fact that customer relational quality with emotional touch maintained by employees of the bank may have caused customers to be dependent to partnership with the bank.

Profiles and Causes of Urban Poverty in Small Islands: A Case in Ambon City, Maluku Islands Indonesia

Poverty rate is still found to be around two times higher in rural areas. However, excesive urbanization, has increased the number of slums in urban areas. Thus, informal economic sectors and poverty will probably become more urbanized in the future. The main purpose of this article is to study the profiles, causes and livelihood strategies of urban poor households in small islands city. Mixed methods of survey, field observation and focus group discussions including in-depth interview by using questionnaire instruments were used to obtain data from 200 selected households. Findings suggest that the profiles of urban poor households have been identified in terms of social demographic, household economic expenditure and urban poverty rate and living standard indicators. Then, the significant causes of urban poverty have been examined as internal and external factors. Internal factors are cultural and structural-including the number of family members, women-headed household and poverty status. External factors are geographical poverty traps, including distance to city center, sanitation status and misused of government policy on rice for the poor program. Livelihood strategies of urban poor households are occupational multiplicity to reduce risks and uncertainty.

Critical Success Factors for Firms in the Genetically Modified Foods Industry: A Managerial Perspective

ABSTRACT The lack of consensus that has emerged among various stakeholders as to whether or not the production and commercialisation of genetically modified foods (GMFs) should be encouraged is quite apparent and well documented in the literature. Research also suggests that where firms have opted to produce and commercialise these foods, often very disparate factors have accounted for their success. An important lacuna in the literature therefore is an understanding of the extent to which firms involved in the production of GMFs acquiesce in regard to the most critical success factors necessary for the survival and growth of this industry. This article presents findings from an empirical study aimed at determining the most important success factors for firms competing in this somewhat uncertain industry. Utilising multivariate analysis, the study generates empirical evidence to cautiously posit the view that from a managerial perspective, strict adherence to factors such as (1) emphasising consumer value (2) minimising risk factors (3) compliance with stipulated government regulation (4) safety measures and (5) taking into account views by stakeholders (other than customers) present the most essential ingredients for the growth and future success of the GMFs industry. Despite the fact that the findings with respect to customer value was not totally in keeping with expected outcomes, the study does make a significant contribution towards the current debate surrounding GMFs and offers further useful insights that could be used in assisting firms to develop more viable long range plans.

Sustainable Development in Australian Agriculture: Some Operational Issues

This conceptual paper examines some operational issues surrounding the notion of sustainability in general and in the context of Australian agricultural development in particular. It is argued that the greatest problem to be overcome in the realm of sustainable development is to device a widely recognised definition incorporating the contemporary issues and concepts that have been established in the current literature over the last several decades. The paper has therefore placed greater emphasis on the definitional issues by reviewing the existing definitions and approaches towards measuring sustainable development. To this end the current literature has been reviewed in order to resolve the controversies towards proving a workable definition of sustainability in the context of the dynamic nature of ‘sustainability’ as an emerging issue of enormous significance. The main finding of this paper suggests that if policy makers cannot explicitly state the objectives of policy or management programs, there is little hope that definitions of sustainable development can move beyond broad, well meaning motherhood statements. Regarding the assessment of sustainable development it is proposed that a constant or rising Total Factor Productivity (TFP) – that is a value greater than or equal to one – indicates that the production system being considered is sustainable, providing service flows from natural resources are included as inputs.