Changes In Consumption Patterns Research Articles

Transforming food systems in the Global South: a radical approach

Sustainability within food systems (FS) transcends approaches that only consider FS transformation via changing agricultural practices or consumption patterns. The essence lies in addressing the root causes of current unsustainable FS and their associated social and environmental ramifications. This paper aims to outline the solutions needed to revamp these challenges, by paying special attention to the state-capital nexus in the context of the FS’global core-periphery dialectics. Thereby, we embrace radical political agroecology as being essential in promoting sustainability within the FS, especially in the Global South. Agroecology is proposed as the strategy to address the food system’s complexity in terms of the social, environmental, and economic embeddedness. We conclude with potential solutions that contribute to the pathway for FS sustainability.

Konsep Industrialisasi, Transformasi Struktural

This research explores the concepts of industrialization and structural transformation, two phenomena that are interrelated and have a crucial role in the economic development of a country. Industrialization is the process by which a country or region shifts its economy from an agricultural to an industrial basis, involving increased production of goods and services through the introduction of new technologies and increased production capacity. Structural transformation, on the other hand, refers to fundamental changes in the structure of the economy, involving a shift from the primary sector (agriculture) to the secondary (industry) and tertiary (services) sectors. This study highlights how industrialization drives structural transformation by creating new jobs, increasing productivity, and changing consumption patterns and income distribution. This research also discusses factors that influence these two processes, including government policy, foreign investment, and technological innovation. Through analysis of various cases of countries that have successfully carried out industrialization and structural transformation, this research provides insight into effective strategies that can be implemented by developing countries to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Sustainable Energy Consumption Analysis through Data Driven Insights

Energy is the backbone of our society, supporting our daily activities and driving progress. It plays a crucial role in shaping our modern way of life. The future of global energy consumption is influenced by many factors, including demographics, economic dynamics, technological developments, political actions, environmental demands and geopolitical considerations. As the world's population continues to grow and urbanize, the demand for energy is increasing. At the same time, rapid technological innovations are shaping the energy landscape and changing production, distribution and consumption patterns. In the midst of this development, it is very important to optimize energy consumption, accurately anticipate needs, curb climate change, limit emissions of greenhouse gasses, fight against pollution and promote sustainability. This study includes an in-depth analysis of historical consumption trends, assessing the multiple benefits of renewable energy integration, estimating carbon emissions, formulating practical policy recommendations and providing empirically informed insights. The work is based on various data obtained from platforms such as Kaggle and using advanced visualization techniques such as Power BI dashboards. The study provides invaluable perspectives on future energy needs, the penetration of renewable sources into the energy mix, and the strategic needs to achieve sustainable energy use.

The impact of social media on adolescent energy drink consumption.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of social media on energy drink consumption among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. An online survey including demographic characteristics (3 questions), consumption patterns of energy drinks (5 questions), and Social Media Effects Scale (4 questions) was completed by 860 Saudi Arabian adolescents. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science version 29, using descriptive statistics and correlation to measure the relationship between social media and energy drink consumption. The results showed that nearly 82% of the adolescent respondents consumed energy drinks once to twice a week. Social media was the most common source of information on energy drinks (42.0%). The major findings of this study showed a positive correlation (r = .592, P > .05) between social media use and consumption of energy drinks. The study found that the average score for the Social Media Effects Scale was 5.75 out of 8, or 71.87%, indicating that social media influences the energy drinks consumption of roughly two-thirds of the study participants. Tailored action plans are required to raise awareness of the negative effects of energy drinks and change consumption patterns among the adolescent population due to a lack of knowledge and poorly controlled legislation on energy drinks.

Auditory Learner

Auditory Learner

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

Financial Management Behavior of Millennials

Finance is an important aspect of our daily lives. Managing our finances well can help us achieve our financial goals, face financial challenges, and build a more financially stable future. Financial management in the millennial generation is not yet optimal, there are still many problems faced, including high levels of debt, consumer lifestyle, lack of understanding about investment, changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns. This research study uses qualitative methods. This research study involved 3 informants to provide information related to the study carried out. The findings from this research are that the millennial generation has a diverse understanding of financial management, investment and debt management, the millennial generation shows a combination of internal and external locus of control in financial management and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes in expenditure, income, and the financial habits of the millennial generation. They are more careful in managing their finances, prioritizing important expenses, and strengthening long-term financial preparations.

PENGARUH MENONTON ANIMASI JEPANG DI INTERNET TERHADAP GAYA HIDUP WIBU DI YOGYAKARTA

Popular culture refers to those cultural elements that are best known, accepted, and consumed by the majority of society. It covers various aspects of daily life, such as music, films, television, fashion, food and other trends. Like this research, it focuses on three main operational indicators of anime consumption: preference, frequency, and attention. The sample consisted of 50 participants randomly selected from the wibu population during the Jejepangan cosplay event in Yogyakarta, with the aim of identifying and analyzing the influence of Japanese animation (anime) on the lifestyle behavior of wibu fans in Yogyakarta, especially in terms of consumption patterns, clothing choices, and merchandise purchases . This research uses a Likert scale questionnaire designed to measure the extent to which anime influences changes in consumption patterns, clothing choices and merchandise purchases. The results of the research, the results of statistical analysis in the F test, obtained an F value of 55.527 with a probability value (sig) = 0.000. It is known that Ftable with a total of 50 respondents is 4.04, so that the Fcount value > Ftable (55.527)> Ftable (4.04), and the sig value is smaller than the probability value of 0.05 or the value of 0.000<0.05. So it can be concluded that, variable x, namely the influence of watching Japanese animation on the internet (simultaneously), has a significant effect on variable y, namely the lifestyle of wibu in Yogyakarta. The conclusions of this study provide valuable insight into the influence of Japanese anime on the lifestyle of weibu individuals in Yogyakarta. These findings confirm the researchers' hypothesis that watching anime over the internet significantly influences weeaboo lifestyle choices, including clothing preferences, participation in events, and consumption patterns. Keywords: Japanesse Animation, Fans, Internet, Lifestyle

A novel two‐stage method to detect non‐technical losses in smart grids

AbstractNumerous strategies have been proposed for the detection and prevention of non‐technical electricity losses due to fraudulent activities. Among these, machine learning algorithms and data‐driven techniques have gained prominence over traditional methodologies due to their superior performance, leading to a trend of increasing adoption in recent years. A novel two‐step process is presented for detecting fraudulent Non‐technical losses (NTLs) in smart grids. The first step involves transforming the time‐series data with additional extracted features derived from the publicly available State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) dataset. The features are extracted after identifying abrupt changes in electricity consumption patterns using the sum of finite differences, the Auto‐Regressive Integrated Moving Average model, and the Holt‐Winters model. Following this, five distinct classification models are used to train and evaluate a fraud detection model using the SGCC dataset. The evaluation results indicate that the most effective model among the five is the Gradient Boosting Machine. This two‐step approach enables the classification models to surpass previously reported high‐performing methods in terms of accuracy, F1‐score, and other relevant metrics for non‐technical loss detection.

The Romanian Media System: Dynamics, Challenges, and Implications for Democracy

This article endeavors to delve into the recent transformation of the Romanian media landscape, aiming to offer a nuanced comprehension of the cultural and political dynamics that have influenced journalistic practices. The Romanian media environment has undergone swift changes, transitioning from a monolithic structure to one increasingly driven by commercial interests, all while navigating economic and political pressures. The shift toward a free-market framework has not only reshaped the social and political fabric but has also significantly impacted the media sector. This article posits that the Romanian media landscape is shaped by the interplay of cultural, economic, and political forces, evident in journalistic outputs across both traditional and digital platforms. This assertion aligns with Hallin and Mancini’s (2004) notion of parallelism between journalism and politics. Moreover, it extends this perspective to encompass cultural influences and the evolving media landscape resulting from shifts in the media market, changing consumption patterns, and the proliferation of digital media. Key indicators such as professional standards, editorial autonomy, transparency, financial sustainability, political influence, and media regulations are critically examined within the unique context of Romania, in which political interference and growing reliance on advertising revenue often curtail editorial independence. In conclusion, the article reflects on the current state of the Romanian media system and the manifold challenges it confronts amidst the changing dynamics of the media landscape.

Towards true prices in food retailing: the value added tax as an instrument transforming agri-food systems

AbstractCurrent crises (i.e., climate crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting energy and food shortages) indicate the need for robust, and sustainable supply chains with regional food production and farmland to secure food supply in the European Union (EU). Recent research shows that organic food is more resilient to supply chain disruptions and price fluctuations. In this context, we examine an approach for the sustainable and resilient transformation of agri-food networks: can an adaptation of value added tax (VAT) levels work as a financial incentive to amplify resilient agricultural practices and sustainable dietary patterns? Within the setting of the amendment of the European framework directive on the use of VAT in 2022, we model the effects of adapting the current German VAT system by (1) reducing VAT on organic vegetarian food to 0% and (2) raising VAT on conventional meat and fish to 19%. Based on historical data on organic sales shares and price elasticities, we project sales shares differentiated by product group for each scenario. Then, we calculate expected tax revenues, changes in consumption patterns, and arising total external climate costs in Germany for both scenarios. Our results show that the overall consumption share of organic food would increase by 21.83% due to the modeled VAT reform compared to the status quo. Despite the VAT reduction to 0% on organic vegetarian products, the measure would yield €2.04 billion in extra tax revenues in Germany per year due to the increased taxation on conventional meat products. We find that annual environmental costs of €5.31 billion can be avoided as a result of lower external climate costs of organic and vegetarian food. Therefore, adjusting VAT rates in the food market can be a political instrument to drive organic food consumption and reduce animal livestock. This supports re-territorialization of agriculture and a more sustainable and resilient European food supply.

Effects of Service Marketing in AI Medical Industry on Brand Image and Consumer Behavior

Emerging smart technology in global medical & health care systems in past years results in the popularity of telework and telehealth. Besides, people’s changing consumption patterns enhance explosive growth of medicine, life sciences, and digital technology in recent years to accelerate the transformation and reform of medical industry. Under real needs and the catalysis of technology, smart medicine becomes the mainstream in the future. For this reason, this study tends to discuss the effect of service marketing in AI medical industry on brand image and consumer behavior. AI medical industry customers in southern Taiwan, as the research samples, are distributed 500 copies of questionnaire. After deducting invalid and incomplete ones, 346 copies of questionnaire are valid, with the retrieval rate 69%. The research results reveal that service marketing would positively and significantly affect brand image, brand image would positively and remarkably affect consumer behavior, and service marketing would positively and notably affect consumer behavior. According to the results to propose suggestions, it is expected to provide effective guide for various service organizations practicing service marketing to grasp critical factors and build the service marketing systems being able to promote the benefit in AI medical industry.

Strong daily routinisation, weak energy flexibility: a survey study of the stability and adaptability of everyday energy practices

Fundamental changes in everyday consumption patterns are required to mitigate negative environmental impacts, and these include adapting the timing of consumption. For example, flexible energy demand becomes increasingly important in response to larger shares of fluctuating energy production while dynamic electricity pricing suggests there is a need to encourage staggered electricity use. In this paper, we explore the stability, adjustability and flexibility of everyday practices to critically address the potential for flexible household energy demand. Based on a survey questionnaire (N=1,470), the paper takes its empirical focus in the Nordic welfare state Denmark, which has a high share of wind power and little focus on energy justice. Across household groups, it seems that morning routines are strongly routinised, especially on weekdays, and that variations in these primarily involve adjustment to other household members. The analysis indicates that there are differences across household types, for example, households with children and households whose inhabitants are aged 41-60 tend to be associated with stable evening routines, women tend to agree more to adjusting routines to lifestyle and household, while being in employment seems to be associated with stronger dependence on time schedules determined by factors outside the household. The study suggests that socio-temporal rhythms of everyday practices strongly depend on societal rhythms and practices outside the home. It follows therefore that expectations of energy flexibility in household energy demand should initially focus on common temporal patterns and dependence on these rather than on individual households’ (apparent) capacity to consume energy flexibly.

ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF DSN-MUI FATWA NO. 83 OF 2023 ON PEOPLE'S CONSUMPTION PATTERNS IN PADANG CITY

About how the effects of the release of Fatwa DSN-MUI No. 83 in 2023 to the people of the plains city that occurred in the field of response of the people prefer to follow the rules and the people also changed consumption patterns from those who intially used common produtcs to switch equipment to other such research and natural observastion. From the data already collected on how fatwa rules have been released one people’s consumption patterns it has been evident that some of the data gathered there are 97 of the 100 people from the country’s population that are gathered in that people agree that people support and they change their consumption patterns by switching to other inexpensive and accessible products but not impossible. There are only a number of responses and societies disapprove of the fatwa because it is not given a description of alternatif solutions or pathways to replace products or brand that are used in everyday public consumption.

Current State of Archaeobotanical Research in Ghana: On Diet, Food Resources and Research Perspectives

This review delves into the changes in food consumption patterns over time in West Africa, emphasising the significant role played by archaeobotanical studies. West African food consumption has been influenced by various factors such as economic, environmental, and external influences. Our initial studies focused on plant and animal domestication and the spread of grains. The arrival of Europeans in the 15th century brought changes in foodways, introducing new crops from the New and Old World. Some misconceptions about African food and agriculture have been challenged, accentuating the region’s diversity and resilience. The paper discusses the initial focus on economic factors and the domestication of plants, leading to a better understanding of the connection between food and society. Additionally, it dispels misapprehensions about West African cuisine and highlights the impact of the Atlantic trade on foodways. The study underscores the significance of interdisciplinary research in rectifying any biases surrounding Africa’s food history. Archaeobotanical research has shed light on the dynamic nature of African foodways, including the integration of American crops into local food traditions. However, knowledge of the extent of adoption and use of these crops during the precolonial era remains limited. More research is required to comprehend the adoption of American crops and the resilience of African food systems.

Effect of Coating and Coated Paperboard Packaging on the Quality of Grapes and Apple during Storage

Edible coatings and active packaging have become more prevalent in response to changing consumption patterns and market trends to enhance the quality and safety of fresh products. In this work, we investigated the effect of aloe vera gel (AVG) coating and paraffin wax-coated paperboard (PWB) packaging on the postharvest quality attributes of both grapes and apples during storage. The fruits were coated with 50% AVG concentrations, and the inner wall of the corrugated paperboard was coated with paraffin wax emulsion. The grapes and apples were stored for 12 and 35 days, respectively, at ambient conditions (25 ± 3°C and 80–85% relative humidity). The physicochemical properties, microbiological attributes, and decay incidence of the fruits were analyzed at intervals during storage. Both fruits treated with AVG and PWB packaging retained better qualities than the control at the final day of the storage period. Particularly, PWB packaging provided considerably superior quality from the control sample in terms of weight loss (≈54% and 32%), firmness (≈48% and 68%), and color difference (≈30% and 28%) for both grapes and apples. These findings would introduce a novel approach for preserving the quality attributes of both climacteric and nonclimacteric fruits for a prolonged storage period at ambient temperature by PWB packaging and AVG coating.

Chemical Analysis of Kitchen Waste for Developing Formulae for Compost Fertilizer

The rapid growth of the global population and changes in food consumption patterns have resulted in issues relating to food insecurity. Improved strategic solutions are needed to allow easy access to food and also to manage large volumes of waste efficiently. From this research, a microeconomic- level solution to manage the aforementioned issues is addressed. Common kitchen waste such as peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables can be combined to produce compost fertilizer. Producing compost fertilizer in this manner can be considered a microeconomic-level waste management strategy. Compost fertilizer produced using kitchen waste can subsequently be used in home gardening. Many vegetables and fruits can easily be cultivated in small, confined spaces such as in home gardens. This study analyzed chemical parameters such as total carbon and other total nutrient levels (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) in ten kitchen waste and two supplementary samples using standard methods. The kitchen waste samples consisted of peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables. The two supplementary samples- Tithonia diversifolia (Wild sunflower), and Gliricidia sepium were chosen because they are nutrient-rich organic fertilizers. The analysis results were then fed to a computer program developed for this study. It was based on the simulated annealing algorithm. The program generated different formulae for producing 100 g mixtures of raw materials for composting, by mixing the 10 kitchen waste and 2 supplementary samples in 24 different combinations. The nutrient levels of these mixtures were expected to match or exceed a calculated ―target nutrient level‖. It was calculated based on local compost fertilizer standards and the chemical analysis results. The target nutrient level calculated as the minimum required level by dry mass of each material was 25.00% Carbon, 1.25% Nitrogen, 0.63% Phosphorus, 1.25% Potassium, 0.88% Calcium, and 0.63% Magnesium. The program was able to generate mixtures of raw materials in which most of the levels matched or exceeded the target level. However, the phosphorus levels of all formulae fell below the target phosphorus level and in some mixtures, the magnesium level also was less than the targeted level. The actual nutrient level of one of the 100 g mixtures (combination C3) containing 0.19 g banana stem, 0.21 g discarded tea grounds, 0.41 g discarded scraped coconut, 0.57 g banana peel, and 97.34 g Gliricidia leaves was (% by dry mass), 85.68% Carbon, 2.20% Nitrogen, 0.25% Phosphorus, 1.32% Potassium, 2.24% Calcium and 0.71% Magnesium. This promising method can further be developed by adding more nutrient-rich raw materials to the program. The program could be a useful tool for compost fertilizer manufacturing, especially for small-scale horticultural purposes. 
 Keywords: Compost, Waste management, Nutrient analysis, Kitchen waste

Moral disengagement in the media discourses on meat and dairy production systems

Meat and dairy production and consumption are the subject of ongoing public debates that touch on various sustainability issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, animal welfare, and social and health aspects. Despite extensive discussions specifically relating to the environmental impacts of livestock farming in conjunction with animal welfare aspects, there have been no substantial changes in production or consumption patterns. Moreover, the focus of extant research is usually on consumers' responses to public concerns around livestock production. In this study, we shed light on the discrepancy between the normative discourse and action of relevant value chain actors with the help of Bandura's theory of moral disengagement, which allows us to identify mechanisms that contribute to the perpetuation of unsustainable production and consumption patterns. In particular, we focus on the shifting of responsibility between actors in the normatively charged field of sustainable livestock production. We collected 109 media interviews on meat and dairy production and consumption from the years 2020–2022, including interviews with actors from agriculture, processing industries, and food retail. Using qualitative content analysis, we investigated the role of moral disengagement in the media discourse on meat and dairy production and explored differences between actors in terms of moral disengagement. We found that shifting of responsibility shows a quasi-circular dynamic of being shifted from all actors to all, in our case most frequently to consumers, politics, and (diffuse) economic forces. In addition, our analysis showed the use of social justifications, beneficial comparisons, and euphemistic labelling to be common mechanisms of moral disengagement, constituting a collective problem within agri-food systems.

Readings in queer pleasure

This article analyzes the queer pleasures of the 2015 sf movie by the Wachowski sisters, Jupiter Ascending . We find that these pleasures operate on two intertwined levels: the movie’s campy villains and over-the-top aesthetics reflect the themes of queer temporality and reproduction on the textual level, while the straight romance of the protagonist draws on the queer archive of fan fiction. We engage with queer studies and fan studies as critical frameworks that allow us to center affective pleasures of recognizing well-established romantic tropes and character archetypes. Critical debates surrounding Jupiter Ascending point to a larger discussion concerning the space for pleasure within sf texts and sf fan communities, while the movie’s commitment to fan fiction tropes and narrative practices anticipates recent changes in media consumption and production patterns.

The Impulsive Buying Behavior of H&M Products in Gen-Z: The Role of Income and Self-Esteem

Generation Z is currently the largest consumer in Indonesia; thus their values and priorities could lead to changes in consumption patterns and societal norms. This study examined the influence of income, self-esteem, and impulsive buying behavior of H&M products in Gen-Z. This research was conducted using a quantitative cross-sectional with a predictive design. Research respondents were obtained through a non-random accidental sampling of 374 Gen-Z who had made unplanned purchases of clothes from the H&M brand at least once in the past month. Data analysis was performed using correlation and multiple regression tests. The results showed that income and self-esteem could be used as predictors of impulse buying behavior. However, the income itself showed no contribution when self-esteem was controlled. Research implies that monitoring self-esteem and using interventions to increase self-esteem could help control impulse buying behavior that individuals, especially Gen-Z, usually do.