Purchase Requirements Research Articles

Impact of Machine Parameters on Knit Fabric GSM and Shrinkage

Knitted fabrics have a tendency to undergo some dimensional changes and GSM variation due to different knitting parameters. The investigation was carried out to relate the effect of different yarn counts, stitch lengths, machine gauge on fabric thickness variation and shrinkage behavior of the fabric. In this study the experimental results showed that fabric GSM varies as machine gauge changes by using same yarn count. On the contrary, when machine gauge and yarn count was fixed, the changes of fabric GSM was very negligible. For finer yarn count with different machine gauge GSM variation is more compared to coarser yarn count. But with same machine gauge GSM was very closer for both of finer and coarser yarn count. Fabric shrinkage both in lengthwise and widthwise is more fore finer yarn count than coarser yarn count. This study supports that, selection yarn count and calculation of stitch length was not only the way to meet buyer requirements regarding fabric thickness and shrinkage properties. The results found from this work will guide the determination to pick up right machine gauge, management of correct yarn diameter along with meticulous stitch length estimation.

Impact of Machine Parameters on Knit Fabric GSM and Shrinkage

Knitted fabrics have a tendency to undergo some dimensional changes and GSM variation due to different knitting parameters. The investigation was carried out to relate the effect of different yarn counts, stitch lengths, machine gauge on fabric thickness variation and shrinkage behavior of the fabric. In this study the experimental results showed that fabric GSM varies as machine gauge changes by using same yarn count. On the contrary, when machine gauge and yarn count was fixed, the changes of fabric GSM was very negligible. For finer yarn count with different machine gauge GSM variation is more compared to coarser yarn count. But with same machine gauge GSM was very closer for both of finer and coarser yarn count. Fabric shrinkage both in lengthwise and widthwise is more fore finer yarn count than coarser yarn count. This study supports that, selection yarn count and calculation of stitch length was not only the way to meet buyer requirements regarding fabric thickness and shrinkage properties. The results found from this work will guide the determination to pick up right machine gauge, management of correct yarn diameter along with meticulous stitch length estimation.

Flood insurance arrangements in the European Union for future flood risk under climate and socioeconomic change

Flood risk will increase in many areas around the world due to climate change and increase in economic exposure. This implies that adequate flood insurance schemes are needed to adapt to increasing flood risk and to minimise welfare losses for households in flood-prone areas. Flood insurance markets may need reform to offer sufficient and affordable financial protection and incentives for risk reduction. Here, we present the results of a study that aims to evaluate the ability of flood insurance arrangements in Europe to cope with trends in flood risk, using criteria that encompass common elements of the policy debate on flood insurance reform. We show that the average risk-based flood insurance premium could double between 2015 and 2055 in the absence of more risk reduction by households exposed to flooding. We show that part of the expected future increase in flood risk could be limited by flood insurance mechanisms that better incentivise risk reduction by policyholders, which lowers vulnerability. The affordability of flood insurance can be improved by introducing the key features of public-private partnerships (PPPs), which include public reinsurance, limited premium cross-subsidisation between low- and high-risk households, and incentives for policyholder-level risk reduction. These findings were evaluated in a comprehensive sensitivity analysis and support ongoing reforms in Europe and abroad that move towards risk-based premiums and link insurance with risk reduction, strengthen purchase requirements, and engage in multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Bumper to Bumper: Will the CUSMA Rules of Origin Make America’s Auto Industry Great Again?

In the negotiations for a new NAFTA, the Trump administration targeted the North American auto industry for major change. The Trump administration objected to the NAFTA rules of origin – with which a good must conform to be eligible for NAFTA duty-free treatment – as permitting too much non-NAFTA content in North American automobiles, and was fixated on the US’s significant balance-of-trade deficit with Mexico, most of which is accounted for by trade in automotive goods. For Canada’s auto industry, there is much at stake. In 2017, Canada exported automotive goods to the United States valued at close to $62 billion, and the US market is overwhelmingly the destination for vehicles produced in Canada. Therefore, it is important that the rules of origin with which the Canadian automotive industry must work be transparent and administratively workable. Under the new deal, the Canada-United States-Mexico- Agreement (CUSMA), the rules of origin that will apply to motor vehicles and their parts are considerably more stringent than their NAFTA counterparts. This Commentary analyzes the CUSMA rules of origin for automotive goods, identifies ambiguities and areas of uncertainty, and makes suggestions for clarifications through the adoption of the Uniform Regulations – for which CUSMA fortunately provides – that will provide greater certainty to both businesses and administrators in how to apply the rules. Adapting to the CUSMA rules will require major adjustments in supply chains. This is particularly the case with the substantially higher Regional Value Content (RVC) thresholds required for most automotive goods. While some relief is possible through limited alternative staging alternatives, the staging to the higher RVC thresholds under CUSMA is only three years for passenger vehicles and light trucks, as compared with eight years under NAFTA. Further, the CUSMA rules of origin are needlessly complex. There are multiple categories of parts for different categories of vehicles with varying RVC requirements that depend on the end use of the part. Complexity increases compliance costs, which are burdensome for all producers, but particularly for smaller producers that are less able to afford investment in expensive compliance systems. While the CUSMA rules mostly eliminate NAFTA tracing requirements, the CUSMA text inexplicably retains a form of tracing for several narrow categories of vehicles. The CUSMA rules of origin regime contains two requirements that are unprecedented in such regimes; namely a steel and aluminum purchase requirement and a labour value content requirement. These are performance requirements that are consistent with a managed trade regime (where rules are designed to achieve certain economic outcomes) and not with a free trade regime (which seeks to remove barriers to trade so that economic results are dictated by market forces). Two reports cast doubt on the benefits of the deal for the US. A US International Trade Commission report found, overall, the new rules should lead to a modest increase in employment in the US automotive sector, but the costs of vehicles produced in the United States will increase and production of vehicles there will decline. An International Monetary Fund working paper states quite bluntly that the tighter auto rules of origin will not achieve their desired outcomes by reason of higher costs, increased consumer prices and reduced demand.

Facets of business-to-business brand equity: mixed-methods approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight various aspects of business-to-business brand equity (B2BBE) and explain relative impact of marketing/advertising, research and development (R&D), human resource and distribution network to build compelling business brands that display better firm performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 51 in-depth semi-structured interviews with distributors and industrial buyers revealed different facets of B2BBE. Generalized method of moments (GMM) was applied on a large-scale panel data set of industrial firms to estimate the effects of firms’ R&D, advertising/marketing, distribution and staff training (proxy to sources of B2BBE) on sales.FindingsFirst, varying levels of product application criticality and end-customer brand stature reflect four distinct organizational purchase requirements, namely, assured performance, prestige, brand leaders and commodity. Second, a taxonomy of five sources of B2BBE (prominence, solutions, accessibility, relationships and network strength) manifests buyers’ interactive experience during the purchase cycle. Third, it illustrates the positive short-term effect of all explanatory variables coupled with the positive long-term impact of R&D on sales.Practical implicationsFeatures like B2C brand image, clear and precise product information, credit/flexible payment terms, distributor image, add-on services to the core product and upstream–downstream referrals characterize strong brands. GMM model results help managers, in budget allocation.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in proposing a comprehensive B2BBE framework based on triangulation; deployment of a common structure to simultaneously investigate distributors and industrial buyers, to discover whether their philosophies reinforce/undermine industrial branding strategies; and suggesting the use of GMM model to arrive at actionable insights.

Impact of Processing Parameters on Surface Roughness and Strain Hardening of Two-Phase Stainless Steel

Abstract Products used in the construction of machines and shipbuilding as well as petrochemical industry, such as shafts, bars, pipes and the like from two-phase stainless steel are currently very popular. It is required that they meet certain quality criteria. They must be characterized by suitable properties of the surface layer to meet the requirements of potential buyers. In the article impact of processing parameters on the degree of relative strain hardening and index of surface roughness reduction were presented. The burnishing process was carried out for two-phase stainless steel. Burnishing process of the shafts neck was performed using burnisher roller. The experimental research were obtained in the surface layer increase in hardness and the material ratio curve a convex shaped, which, taking into account the load capacity of the surface will be directly affected by its resistance to wear and corrosion. The experimental research by application of the burnishing process was made in the Laboratory of Production Engineering. After the studies it was found that the hardness of the surface layer and the roughness of the shaft necks an important influenced by technological parameters of processing (burnishing speed, feed rate and depth of burnishing). The objective of applying burnishing process may be, for example, the need to increase surface smoothness and dimensional accuracy of part.

Two-phase selection framework that considers production costs of suppliers and quality requirements of buyers

Buyers are faced with selecting the optimal supplier, while suppliers are left to consider production costs. In this study, we developed a two-phase selection framework that allows buyers to evaluate the performance of suppliers while taking production costs into account for value maximisation. This scheme is a win-win solution capable of promoting long-term relationships between buyers and suppliers. Under the assumption of normality, the first phase involves constructing a new Six Sigma quality capability analysis chart (SSQCAC) which takes production costs into account. The objective is to evaluate all potential suppliers using the 100 × (1–α)% upper confidence limit (UCL) of an integrated Six Sigma quality index (SSQI) QPIh when dealing with products with smaller-the-better (STB), larger-the-better (LTB), or nominal-the-best (NTB) quality characteristics. According to interval estimation theory, this method can have a significant impact on the consumption of resources; i.e. the production costs of the supplier can be decreased by reducing the production quality to below that required by the buyer. The proposed method also filters out unsuitable suppliers in order to simplify the decision problem and reduce computational demands and operational risks/costs without compromising the quality of the final product. In the second phase, a detailed analysis is conducted using Euclidean distance measure to select the optimal supplier from among the remaining candidates. We conducted a real-world case study to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed method. We also conducted comparisons with existing methods to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method and its managerial implications. Suggestions for future study are also provided.

A simulation approach to sizing batteries for integration with net-zero energy residential buildings

Utilities have greatly increased the use of time-of-use (TOU) rate structures for residential customers to more closely match the cost of delivered electricity as well as demand tariffs to incentivize a temporal shift in residential energy use. However current research tends to focus on a particular climate or location. This study analyzes four residences across four different climate zones in Arizona and explores the value of adding battery storage to a net-zero energy (NZE) photovoltaic (PV) system. Using the National Renewable Energy Lab's Building Optimization (BEopt) and System Advisor Model (SAM) tools, this study performs parametric analysis by varying battery size to determine a capacity that produces a maximum net present value (NPV). A sensitivity analysis on three possible future battery price trends is also performed. This study finds the NZE PV systems are only able to mitigate 37–44% of the peak electricity purchases and 4–12% of demand charges due to mismatch between solar potential and on-peak hours. Adding large batteries, 1.5–1.6 times larger than required to meet the annual peak energy purchase requirements, provides a maximum NPV for PV-battery systems at locations with favorable utility rates. We conclude that the best economics are achieved, at both current and expected future battery prices, when batteries are sized to never require replacement during the PV system lifetime.

A Sustainable Approach to Decision-Making in CCUS Systems

This study proposes a methodology for operational decision-making leading to the sustainability CO2-EOR systems. The methodology is a simple, yet comprehensive, integration of environmental and economic carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) performance. Understanding the interplay between the environmental and economic conditions allows the EOR operator to manage the CO2-EOR flood so it remains within the limits of carbon balance neutrality and favorable economics under given prices and costs. The environmental performance and the main operational inputs (fluid production, CO2 injection, and purchase requirements) were taken from a dynamic carbon Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study previously performed for a CO2-EOR site in Cranfield, Mississippi. The LCA study accounts for greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions within a gate-to-grave CCUS system boundary, considering four different CO2 injection strategies and four gas separation processes. The economic performance assessment was made through a marginalist analysis (Marginalist Production Theory), which determines important technical and economic relations through basic differential calculus derived from production, cost, and income functions. This method allows to define the operational economic optimum (optimum profit). The assessment considers four CO2 price scenarios and uses World Bank estimated oil prices. In a first step of the proposed methodology, environmental limits of the operation are estimated. These limits are then compared with operative maximum productivity as well as with the economic optimum. According to the methodology, the EOR operation is sustainable as long as the environmental optimum is greater, or lasts longer, than the economic optimum along the project’s life. Results show that for this operation and assumed parameters, CO2-EOR could be classified as a sustainable activity depending on the operator’s strategic decision-making. In the case study, all injection strategies reach the environmental optimum after maximum productivity is reached. However, only two strategies (continuous gas injection and water alternating gas) find their economic optimum within the environmental limits, fulfilling the defined necessary and sufficient condition for CCUS sustainability.

KONSEP OBJEKTIVITAS DALAM PEMBUATAN LAPORAN KEUANGAN (STUDI KASUS PADA HOME INDUSTRY UD. AR. PUTRA TAHUN 2016-2017)

The basic concept of accounting is a variety of concepts that can be standardized in delivering a neat and easy to understand financial statements. The basic concept of accounting is the concept of business entity and cost concept. The concept of cost determines that the property or services obtained must be recorded on the basis of actual costs, and the concept of cost itself is divided into two, namely the concept of measurement units and the concept of objectivity. This type of research is quantitative, used to study in depth about the application of basic concept of objectivity in recording financial statements in UD. AR PUTRA. Secondary data source used is transaction proof data at UD. AR PUTRA which covers the amount of purchase requirement during 2017 and sales data. Population in this research is financial report at UD. AR. PUTRA year 2017. The sample in this research is income statement of Year 2017 at UD. AR PUTRA. The results of the study obtained the details of the needs of 2017 Rp 85,888,333, sales details of 2017 Rp766.647.000, trial balance 2017 Rp 1,162,025,600, total general journal Rp 90.231.200, adjusting journal Rp 17.196.667. Keyword: Basic Concepts of Accounting, Financial Statements, Objectivity

Consumer affects when making undesirable purchases to meet the minimum purchase requirement: Decision‐related variables as moderators

AbstractOne common type of sales promotion involves a minimum purchase requirement (MinPR), where customers must purchase at least a minimum number of products to enjoy a discount. In the process of making purchases to qualify for the discount, consumers may find their first‐choice product options or have to settle for products that they did not originally prefer. Three between‐subjects experiments examines whether, in various decision situations, counterfactual thinking (CFT) might bias individuals' emotions in response to desirable versus undesirable purchases. Study 1 demonstrates that participants who made undesirable purchases to meet the MinPR felt less satisfied with the purchase outcome precipitated by upward CFT, whereas downward CFT led to feelings of pleasure in participants who could find their first‐choice product options. Studies 2 and 3 find that counterfactual emotions of undesirable purchases were more pronounced when participants experienced a difficult decision process because of a narrow promotion scope or when time pressure, manipulated in terms of explicit deadlines, is heavy rather than light, respectively. On the contrary, participants' responses to desirable purchases did not vary as a function of decision difficulty or time pressure.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Driven Innovation & Opportunities for Sustainable International Business

In this world, there is no alternative to sustainable development and ready-made garments industry, and Bangladesh is no exception to that. Corporate social responsibility practices (CSR) in developing countries are not very popular yet, and this is true for Bangladesh as well. This paper will demonstrate how corporate social responsibility activities can be pursued as a core business strategy (CSR-Driven) in companies, especially in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh. RMG is contributing more than 75% of total export earnings for Bangladesh, but the sector is undergoing very critical moments for a number of incidents including Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions lately. This is the prime time to shift the focus of the industry to redefine the business model of the ready-made garments companies to retain the customers and attract new business opportunities internationally including CSR-driven innovation strategy in the company’s core business strategy. Case study method has been applied to carry out the research to show that CSR-driven innovative strategy will not only help to find the new solutions to business to respond compliance requirements of international buyers but also find innovative strategies for the companies to create win-win situation including all the stakeholders. To outline and justify the importance of CSR-driven strategies and explain the benefits of it, Echotex Limited and New Look Fashion’s innovative strategy will be introduced and examined that changed their history of business capturing new markets globally.

Are Regulatory Measures Influencing Bank Performances: The Ethiopian Case

The study has explored the impact of selected regulatory variables on performances applying a panel regression on 18 commercial banks in Ethiopia for the period 1999-2015. The variables used in the model are directly derived from the extant regulatory approach used by the Central Bank to regulate the banking business. The literature review also shows that most of them are enacted in other countries with few exceptions and mainly related to bill purchase requirements. The model constructed, therefore, has established and finds a statistically significant relationship in some of the regulatory variables with performance measures. The most important findings of this study relate to the negative affect of some of the recent policy directions from the regulator on performances. For instance, branch growth and bill purchases have a statistically significant negative relationship with bank performances. This should be one of the areas requiring policy flexing from the regulatory side in the future. Nevertheless, other policy direction such as capital growth requirement remains a positive contributor to performances. More specifically, the study finds that exchange rate has a positive and statistically significant relationship with the profit models. Despite the benefit of a depreciating local currency and a stable foreign currency type to shield them from currency fluctuation, it allowed banks to earn a policy profit. The depreciation of Birr permitted banks to enjoy a profit from their foreign currency holdings in the form of daily asset revaluations. Nevertheless, many of the variables (prudential regulatory variables) used in this study (interest rate, reserve rate, number of new entrant banks, and level of entry capital) are not statistically significant to influence on bank performances.

PERAN KELEMBAGAAN DALAM PENGEMBANGAN AGRIBISNIS MENDONG

The success of farming implemented will not be separated from institutional role of agribusiness. If the role is not yet optimal then commodity agribusiness development will be hampered. This study aims to determine the satisfaction of farmers on the institutional performance of agribusiness mendong. The research was conducted by using survey method in Manonjaya Sub district, Tasikmalaya Regency. The sample used is 25 farmers mendong, sampling using simple random sampling. To know the institutional performance of agribusiness used Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), while to see farmer satisfaction on institutional performance use Consumer Satisfaction Index (CSI). The result of the research shows that for the agribusiness institution performance, the farmers are satisfied with the kiosks of production facilities, collectors / dealers, artisans, farmers, extensionists and universities that perform well in performing the institutional function of agribusiness in Mendong farming. Priority to improve the institutional function lies in the existence of cooperatives, purchase requirements mendong, selling prices mendong, farmers group as a production unit and provider of production facilities and training by information and technology institutions. As for institutional performance shows that institutional agribusiness mendong still need to be improved again in order to be able to face challenge of competition with strengthening of farmer independence through improvement of function farmers group as production unit and procurement of production means so that there is increase of added value and exchange rate from its farming activity by not apart from training application of technological innovation from related institutions. Keywords: Institutional, Agribusiness, Interest, Performance, Satisfaction

Federative Republic of Brazil, Before the Administrative Council for Economic Defense ((CADEE), Draft Guidelines Concerning Antitrust Remedies, Comment of the Global Antitrust Institute, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University

This comment provides recommendations to the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) on Draft Guidelines Concerning Antitrust Remedies, which describe CADE's policies and practices for ordering relief in cases involving structural transactions. The comment commends CADE for publishing the guidelines and for adopting best practices based extensively on accepted international standards. The comment describes why economic analysis suggests flexibility in regard to relief policies, given the wide range of factual possibilities, so that competition is preserved or restored with minimum compliance, administrative, and enforcement costs, and with minimum loss of efficiencies. The comment then identifies several areas where the guidelines could benefit from improved flexibility. These include: (a) a preference for structural remedies, even though behavioral remedies might be preferable in vertical cases; (b) a presumption in favor of an upfront buyer requirement, although such a requirement is usually unnecessary where an effective divestiture package is well defined and qualified buyers are identifiable; (c) a critical stance on remedies requiring monitoring, even though firewalls and other conduct remedies are often successful where circumstances favor them; and (d) a strong presumption against mix-and-match divestiture packages, although such divestiture may be the preferable option in some cases involving multiproduct firms. The comment concludes by encouraging ex-post empirical analysis of merger remedies.

Diversity Management in Czech Republic as an Answer to Demographic Changes

Purpose – The main objective of the following article is to present issues associated with managing diversity in the context of demographic changes. The aim of this paper is to offer concrete suggestions on how organizations can overcome demographic changes and tap the business potential of diversity management. Design/Methodology/Approach – The authors’ approach is based on the literature, statistic data and authors’ own research. The empirical part was developed on the basis of survey research titled “Diversity Management in the V4 Countries as an Answer to Demographic Changes”. The research was quantitative, implemented through the computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technique on a group of 101 respondents. The research study was conducted in 2016–2017. Findings – According to the research, knowledge and practice of diversity management is not very widespread in the Czech Republic. The research has shown that according to the opinion of the respondents from organisations, they recognize differences in motivation factors for specific groups of employees. The majority of respondents see the values and benefits of different groups of employees, as well as their specific needs. The majority of respondents know that specific groups can be the objects of various types of discrimination. Practical implications – Changes taking place on the labour market and globalization – and in particular the demographic changes in the Czech Republic – have evoked a necessity of searching for new strategies of management. Contemporary human resources management strategies should take into account social and demographic changes and the influence of those changes on customer purchase behaviour and requirement. Therefore, knowledge of diversity management and practical applications should be reflected in strategies of organizations. Results of the study provide general guidelines for determining the direction of how important diversity management should be in organizations. Originality/value – The research concerns diversity management in the Czech Republic with respect to demographic changes.

MARKETING TECHNOLOGIES OF MARKET MANAGEMENT OF ECO-GOODS

Topicality. The actuality of the problem of market management of environmentally friendly goods today is caused by objective conditions of development of production and market. Aspects of environmentally-oriented marketing are associated with the rapid development of technologies and processes that reduce the impact on the environment, and therefore, with the accelerated formation of the market of environmentally friendly goods. This requires appropriate development of marketing technologies for the market management of environmentally friendly goods. Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to develop theoretical, methodological and practical applications, which should justify marketing technologies for the market management of environmentally friendly goods. As well as considering principles and approaches to assess the impact of environmental factors on market segmentation in the marketing process and, of course, e-market research on the current situation (conjuncture). Research results. The necessity of forming a system of markets is considered, taking into account the segmentation of the market of environmental goods, as well as such categories as environmental needs, ecological shortages and inquiries. The ecological consumer properties of goods are described, such as: the degree of attractiveness of the product, which corresponds to environmental standards for the buyer; the priority of products and goods with the trademark "environmentally friendly"; compliance with the requirements, considered in the legislative documents of the state level, and local legislation; conducting radioecological control of goods; the ability to meet the current and future needs of potential buyers, taking into account the environmental features of goods in the conditions of the adoption of a number of laws and regulations on environmental protection activities; necessity of modification of production in accordance with the revealed requirements of buyers concerning pollution of the environment. The research of a number of issues connected with ecological consumer properties of goods is offered. Conclusions. The results of complex studies can determine the most promising markets for sellers. To this end, the information received is systematized in a number of ways, taking into account the environmental components that allow the selection of priority social and environmental features markets and their segments.

Agreements between small food store retailers and their suppliers: Incentivizing unhealthy foods and beverages in four urban settings

Small food stores, like corner stores and limited assortment stores, often sell and promote unhealthy foods and beverages. Yet few studies have examined retailer participation in contracts or agreements with suppliers of energy-dense, high-sugar, and high-fat foods and beverages. Given that these agreements may influence the placement and promotion of unhealthy products, this study aimed to: (a) describe incentive-based agreements between food/beverage suppliers and small food store retailers, including monetary value of incentives; (b) assess retailers’ perceptions of these agreements, including issues related to importance and profitability. Both qualitative (open-ended) and structured interviews were conducted with 72 managers of small stores in four sites: Durham, NC; Baltimore, MD; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; and San Diego, CA. Interviews focused on incentivized agreements with suppliers of candy, salty snacks, sweet snacks, sugary beverages and frozen desserts. On average, retailers had 1–2 agreements per product category (range 0–5). For candy, salty snacks and sweet snacks, median one-time, lump-sum incentives were valued at $100–$120 for each product category, in contrast to $2000 for sugary beverages. Incentives included product displays, free/discounted products, marketing materials, and slotting payments/fees. Perceived advantages of agreements included rebates and suppliers’ support for product merchandizing, while disadvantages included minimum purchasing and product placement requirements. Retailers had mixed opinions about whether these incentives significantly contributed to profits overall. In summary, understanding the nature of these agreements and the ways in which they influence retailers’ decision making could be valuable in advancing efforts to partner with retailers and improve the healthfulness of food environments.

A greater share of the stomach?

PurposeProvenance and ethical standards reflect foods that traceable and are supportive of the environment, sustainability and justice in the food supply chain. The purpose of this study is to understand higher education consumers’ food choices and to examine the predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire was completed by 296 students and staff members of the University of Central Lancashire. The questionnaire collected information on socio-demographic profiles; food choices, provenance and ethical standards; ethical purchasing and sourcing requirements and purchasing intention of food products with provenance and ethical standards. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency of distribution of all socio-demographic characteristics. Multiple regression was used to examine if attitude, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) significantly predict the consumers’ purchasing intention (Step 1). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the behavioural items using principal components estimation and varimax rotation. Multiple regression on the expanded TPB (Step 2) using the obtained factor scores were conducted to determine if the factors were significant predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards.FindingsMultiple regression on the expanded TPB model revealed that only attitude and perceived behavioural control were significant predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards. The regression model explained about 50 per cent of the variance of the intent to purchase food with provenance and ethical standards where R2 = 0.50 (Adjusted R2 = 0.47). This was significantly different from zero F (5, 89) = 17.77, p < 0.001. The incorporation of “Preference for ethically sourced food” and “Perceived knowledge and status of provenance standards” did not increase the prediction of purchasing behaviour.Originality/valueTwo broad themes were identified from the factor analysis where the first factor prioritises “Preference for ethically sourced food” and the second factor conceptualises “Perceived knowledge and status of provenance standards”. The TPB was expanded to incorporate both factors but did not increase the prediction of purchasing intention. The authors recommend that other potential predictors, for example, moral concerns or perceived value of food with provenance and/or ethical standards to be tested using an extended TPB framework. The study is of value to higher and further education catering services to encourage more sustainable and local food consumption.

DUE DILIGENCE: ESSENCE AND POSSIBLE PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

The subject of the study is a set of theoretical, methodological principles for the implementation of the due diligence procedure as an audit service in Ukraine. The methodological basis of the study is general scientific and special methods of cognition. There was clarified the concept of due diligence as audit service using the methods of theoretical generalization, comparison of the accounting, and due diligence by the method of comparison. The peculiarities, current problems, and obstacles of the development of due diligence in Ukraine are determined with the help of the abstract-logical method and structural-logical analysis. The objective of the study is to consider the essence of the concept of due diligence as an audit service, to identify the main obstacles, and to formulate prospects for its development in Ukraine. In Ukraine, the due diligence is equated to a legal audit. However, the concept of the legal audit is much narrower and characterizes the legal expertise of the company’s compliance with the requirements of the law. As a result of the study, it was found that due diligence is a procedure for conducting a comprehensive examination of an investment agreement in the framework of making a decision on effective capital investment by minimizing risks in order to preserve this capital and its potential future increase. It is proved that it is expedient to involve specialists of different professional orientations such as appraisers, lawyers, financiers, project managers, and crisis managers for the implementation of due diligence. The task team can include economists, engineers, security specialists and other experts. Varieties of due diligence are considered and its differences from the traditional audit are determined. It is substantiated that when improving the method of due diligence, it is necessary to understand its difference with the audit. The role of the due diligence procedure in the conclusion of enterprise sales contract is determined, namely, the reduction of existing investment risks. The “success” of the agreements or their “failure” is explained by the nature of the emerging synergy, and also by the fact that enough time was spent on conducting the due diligence. The sequence and structure of the due diligence process, as an audit service, were defined, outlining the content of its individual stages and works, which gave an opportunity to develop the algorithm of the due diligence procedure. It is established that due diligence is a rather new phenomenon for Ukraine, and audit and specialized companies are only at the beginning of the path in this direction. In order to develop this type of services, it was suggested that auditors and specialized companies expand the range of services in the direction of due diligence and the corresponding procedure for its conduct. The cooperation of Ukrainian professional organizations with foreign professional organizations should be developed in order to provide specialists with the possibility to obtain international certificates, as well as to involve audit, legal, and consulting companies in the process of vocational training in the direction of due diligence. The conclusion of the study. Thus, due diligence includes a set of measures to conduct a comprehensive examination of an investment agreement within the framework of making a decision on effective capital investment, which involves significant economic risks. The need for due diligence is due primarily to the fact that in today’s market relations, the requirements of investors, banking institutions, and buyers are increased to the transparency of information about the object of investment, lending or purchase. Due diligence as a research tool allows you to get a realistic assessment of your business, to determine the financial position and business development trends, as a result of obtaining information that will have a qualitative impact on effective management decisions.