Goal Of Consumption Research Articles

Synergising tradition and innovation: Fortification of milk kefir with date syrup, a novel functional beverage

AbstractMilk kefir is gaining popularity due to its high probiotic content. This study focuses on fortifying milk kefir with date syrup to enhance its sensory attributes, with the goal of encouraging consumption among the younger generation. Date syrup was added to milk kefir in specific proportions (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% per 100 mL of milk). The selection of the most suitable percentage (10%, 74 °Bx) was determined based on sensory preferences indicated by the panellists. The newly developed fermented beverage underwent physicochemical and biochemical analyses over a 14-day fermentation period. Results revealed that the addition of date syrup led to a significant (P ≤ 0.001) decrease in pH and total soluble solids (TSS) content, accompanied by a noteworthy increase in total phenolic, flavonoids, condensed tannins contents and antioxidant activity (almost 2-fold). Liquid chromatography - heated electrospray ionisation - mass spectrometry (LC-HESI-MS/MS) results identified the presence of a newly formed and important antifungal compound, p-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (HPLA), showing a progressive increase in quantity during the fermentation process (13.8-fold on the 14th day of fermentation). Hence, the outcomes of this study offer compelling evidence that a novel category of functional beverage can be developed by employing milk kefir as an appropriate starter with the incorporation of date syrup.

Telling (mis)fitting new product stories: The role of consumer orientations, product innovativeness, and message framing on new product evaluations

AbstractExtant research proposes that consumer goal orientation‐message frame fit (consumer–message fit) leads to favorable product evaluations. However, there is evidence that consumer goal orientation‐message frame misfit (consumer–message misfit) at times also result in favorable evaluations of new products. This study develops and tests a novel prediction that shows how consumer–message misfit results in consumers having more favorable responses toward new products when the type of innovation (incremental vs. radical) is perceived as instrumental to achieving the consumer's goals with the product (innovation–consumer fit), creating a kind of fit–misfit effect. Results from four experiments encompassing multiple new product categories support this fit–misfit prediction. We further show that surprise mediates the effect of fit–misfit. This research builds on current theory involving goal orientations and schema‐incongruity, recommends several areas for future research, and presents practical implications for managing new product communication messages.

EXPRESS: Color Me Effective: the Impact of Color Saturation on Perceptions of Potency and Product Efficacy

Consumers use observable cues, like color, to help them evaluate products. This research establishes that consumers infer greater product efficacy from higher color saturation across seven lab experiments (n = 2,745), a web scraping study, and a field experiment. The studies provide evidence that this belief stems from learned associations between color saturation and potency and is applied to both consumable and durable products. Moreover, consumers overgeneralize this intuition beyond a product’s actual color to a product’s packaging color and the background color used in its advertisements. Two studies support the proposed process with evidence via moderation, while another study identifies consumption goal as a boundary condition, such that high saturation decreases perceived efficacy and purchase intent when consumers search for a gentle (vs. strong) product. The effect is not limited to pre-purchase perceptions but also influences perceptions after actual product use. The effect is established across six hues while holding color lightness constant and has multiple downstream consequences, including purchase intent and consumption amount. The findings have implications for marketers who make product design choices like color choices for products, their packaging, and advertisements, and in instances where consumers may be harmed from underuse or overuse.

Research on Multi-Objective Optimization Methods of Urban Rail Train Automatic Driving Based on NSGA-II

In order to improve the control performance of automatic train operation (ATO) in urban rail trains, five typical operating sequences of urban rail trains were studied. Under the condition of meeting the safety and comfort principles of train operation, a train dynamics model was established to achieve the goals of low energy consumption, short running time, and high stopping accuracy in urban rail transit trains. In the process of finding a multi-objective solution to this problem, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) was used with an elite retention strategy, and the optimal Pareto multi-objective solution set was sought. In the process of optimal solution weight assignment, the hierarchical analysis Mahalanobis distance method, which combines subjective and objective analysis, was used. Finally, taking the Beijing Yizhuang subway line as the background design example, the simulation verified the effectiveness and feasibility of the algorithm and obtained high-quality automatic train driving curves under various working conditions. This research has important reference significance for the actual operation of automatic driving in urban rail trains.

Unraveling the closet: Exploring reflective decluttering and its implications for long-term sufficient clothing consumption

The growing trend of decluttering has spurred many consumers to streamline their wardrobes by removing excess garments. However, garment decluttering has not received much attention in the academic research. This study employs a mixed methods approach to explore how reflective garment decluttering can be related to sufficient clothing consumption by investigating 1) consumers’ motivations to declutter and the methods used, 2) the influence of reflective decluttering on consumers' perceptions of their clothing items and consumption habits, and 3) the impact of reflective decluttering on long-term clothing acquisition and strategies for maintaining sufficient clothing consumption. Qualitative analysis reveals that motivations for decluttering include reducing garment over-ownership, creating space, and finding emotional relief. Participants gained insights into the value of their garments, their reasons for possession, and their consumption habits, helping them establish future consumption goals. Quantitative findings from a longitudinal survey add to the qualitative insights by showing that reflective decluttering was associated with reduced clothing acquisition, although a slight rebound occurred after six months. The qualitative findings also reveal strategies including conscious shopping and extending garment life cycles that reduce consumption levels and promote sufficiency-oriented practices over time.

Combining Site-Specific Nutrient Allocation Tools Can Decrease Input Demands in No-Till Wheat Farming

ABSTRACT Wheat cultivated under conservation agriculture faces challenges in nutrient management due to altered soil dynamics and heavy residue loads. This often necessitates excessive nutrient applications to address the nutritional demands of the crop. Conducted at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre during the winter seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22, this study explored the effects of different nitrogen (N) application strategies on the ‘HD 2967’ wheat cultivar planted amidst rice residues using a super-seeder. The Nutrient Expert® (NE) combined with LCC-based N top dressing (NE+LCC) demonstrated the most optimal nutrient balance, leading to a 5.9% increase in grain yield and a 42.8% increase in dry matter accumulation compared to traditional methods. The composite SSNM treatments like NE+SPAD and NE+LCC recorded 48.9% and 41.9% higher SPAD values, respectively, as compared to RDF. The NE treatments resulted in significant savings, with a reduction of 60% in phosphorus usage and 5% in potassium. Economically, the NE treatment proved superior, showcasing a 12.7% higher net return compared to the RDF approach. The study concludes that site-specific nutrient management, facilitated by advanced tools like LCC and SPAD, when integrated with software-driven strategies, boosts wheat yield and fosters sustainable farming practices. This approach minimizes environmental impacts by optimizing nutrient applications and aligns with the sustainability development goal of responsible consumption and production.

考虑作业工况特性的纯电动园艺作业机械动力传动系统参数匹配方法研究

To meet the economy requirement of the horticultural machinery, a two-speed transmission system was proposed based on the characteristics of the driving cycle of the horticultural machinery. Firstly, the test cycle of the horticultural machinery was established based on the data collector that fixed on the machinery. Secondly, the two-speed driveline system was designed. To reduce the energy consumption in the horticultural machinery working cycle, the gear ratio of the two-speed gear box was optimized with the goal of minimum energy consumption by the Genetic Algorithm. The optimized gear ratio were 11.6 and 9.62. The comparison of energy consumption between single gear ratio and two-speed gear ratio was made. The comparison result showed that the energy consumption can reduce 0.25% under one transportation test condition, the energy consumption can reduce 0.41% under one ploughing test condition, and the energy consumption can reduce 0.41% under one rotary test condition.

The influence of salt reduction with encapsulated oleoresins on the quality of mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup.

Mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup are table sauces enjoyed worldwide, adding flavour and texture to many dishes. However, these products often contain high sodium content, which contributes to health issues such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. To address these concerns, reducing salt content in the sauces has become a significant goal for both manufacturers and consumers. This study investigates the effects of three formulations of microencapsulated (ME) oleoresins (F1, F2, and F3), derived from aromatic plants and spices, on the mineral content, physical-chemical properties, colour, and sensory profiles of mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. The addition of ME ingredients resulted in significant reductions in salt content across all sauces, with reductions up to 50% in mayonnaise, 45% in mustard, and 52% in ketchup, aligning with EU sodium guidelines and allowing for a "reduced Na/NaCl content" nutrition claim. Potassium levels in mustard and ketchup were sufficient to support health claims related to blood pressure maintenance, while chloride content was reduced in ME formulations, better aligning with dietary reference values. Physical-chemical analysis revealed that ME ingredients had minimal impact on parameters like pH, lipid oxidation, and viscosity, although significant differences were observed in specific areas, such as the consistency of ketchup and chloride content in mustard and ketchup. The use of inulin, as a carrier agent, helped maintain the sauces rheological properties. Mustard showed the most similarity to the control in terms of physical-chemical parameters. Colour analysis indicated minimal changes in mayonnaise, moderate changes in mustard, and significant differences in ketchup, particularly with the ME-F3 formulation, where the light-yellow ME ingredients had a pronounced effect on the darker sauce. Despite these differences, the sensory analysis demonstrated that the overall sensory profiles of the ME formulations were similar the like control for all sauces. Mayonnaise showed the closest resemblance, while mustard had slightly lower scores in flavour and saltiness. Ketchup followed the same trend as mayonnaise, with no significant sensory differences compared to the control. These findings suggest that ME ingredients can be effectively used in condiment reformulation to achieve significant salt reduction without compromising sensory qualities, while also supporting health-related claims. By incorporating ME-based salt reduction strategies and exploring low-sodium alternatives, consumers can continue to enjoy their favourite sauces while minimising sodium intake. Embracing these changes not only benefits personal health but also aligns with the industry's commitment to offering more nutritious options.

Research on energy consumption evaluation and energy-saving design of cranes in service based on structure-mechanism coupling

Aiming at the problem that the life cycle energy consumption index of hoisting machinery is difficult to be objectively quantified, a crane energy consumption evaluation calculation method based on the working cycle of the service period is proposed, the typical service working mode of the crane is analyzed, and the working cycle process of the mechanism is clarified. On this basis, the stress cycle characteristics of the crane structure during the service period are determined based on the coupling relationship between the mechanism and the structure, which lays the foundation for accurately evaluating the life index of the crane. According to the relationship between the load rate and effective power of each mechanism during the service period of the crane, the calculation method for the evaluation and calculation of the structure energy consumption during the service period of the crane is studied. Finally, the crane is designed based on the concept of absolute service safety, and an optimal design model of the main girder structure of the crane with the goal of the lowest energy consumption in service is established. Using the research method of this paper to study a certain type of bridge crane, the energy consumption of the hoisting machinery during its service period is not only related to the accumulation of the operating characteristics of the mechanism but also related to the characteristic parameters such as the structure self-weight. The comprehensive evaluation of energy consumption provides an effective quantitative method and a reliable green design theory for crane design.

Multicomponent Support Program for Secondary Prevention of Stroke Using Digital Health Technology: Co-Design Study With People Living With Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Few individuals (<2%) who experience a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) participate in secondary prevention lifestyle programs. Novel approaches that leverage digital health technology may provide a viable alternative to traditional interventions that support secondary prevention in people living with stroke or TIA. To be successful, these strategies should focus on user needs and preferences and be acceptable to clinicians and people living with stroke or TIA. This study aims to co-design, with people with lived experience of stroke or TIA (referred to as consumers) and clinicians, a multicomponent digital technology support program for secondary prevention of stroke. A consumer user needs survey (108 items) was distributed through the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry and the Stroke Association of Victoria. An invitation to a user needs survey (135 items) for clinicians was circulated via web-based professional forums and national organizations (eg, the Stroke Telehealth Community of Practice Microsoft Teams Channel) and the authors' research networks using Twitter (subsequently rebranded X, X Corp) and LinkedIn (LinkedIn Corp). Following the surveys, 2 rounds of user experience workshops (design and usability testing workshops) were completed with representatives from each end user group (consumers and clinicians). Feedback gathered after each round informed the final design of the digital health program. Overall, 112 consumers (male individuals: n=63, 56.3%) and 54 clinicians (female individuals: n=43, 80%) responded to the survey; all items were completed by 75.8% (n=85) of consumers and 78% (n=42) of clinicians. Most clinicians (46/49, 94%) indicated the importance of monitoring health and lifestyle measures more frequently than current practice, particularly physical activity, weight, and sleep. Most consumers (87/96, 90%) and clinicians (41/49, 84%) agreed that providing alerts about potential deterioration in an individual's condition were important functions for a digital program. Intention to use a digital program for stroke prevention and discussing the data collected during face-to-face consultations was high (consumers: 79/99, 80%; clinicians 36/42, 86%). In addition, 7 consumers (male individuals: n=5, 71%) and 9 clinicians (female individuals: n=6, 67%) took part in the user experience workshops. Participants endorsed using a digital health program to help consumers manage stroke or TIA and discussed preferred functions and health measures in a digital solution for secondary prevention of stroke. They also noted the need for a mobile app that is easy to use. Clinician feedback highlighted the need for a customizable clinician portal that captures individual consumer goals. Following an iterative co-design process, supported by evidence from user needs surveys and user experience workshops, a consumer-facing app that integrates wearable activity trackers and a clinician web portal were designed and developed to support secondary prevention of stroke. Feasibility testing is currently in progress to assess acceptability and use.

“Good” and “bad” frictions in customer experience: Conceptual foundations and implications

AbstractBusinesses often strive for frictionless customer experiences, assuming that customers always desire seamless interactions. However, recent academic and practitioner discussions suggest that not all forms of friction are detrimental. Reconciling the conflicting views, we propose a framework that defines friction as simply the effort customers exert to complete tasks related to their consumption goals. Furthermore, drawing from the goal striving theory and customer experience literature, we identify and propose four types of friction based on dimensions of task desirability and task value: frustrating, constructive, preference‐based, and rewarding. Our framework challenges the prevailing business practice of eliminating all friction, as evidenced by a topic modeling analysis of announcements related to achieving frictionless customer experiences. Instead, we posit that while frustration friction should be minimized, the other three types of friction offer opportunities for businesses to enhance customer value. Particularly, we caution managers that eliminating constructive friction (i.e., customer effort in low‐desirability, high‐value tasks) may hinder value creation. We also recommend that managers find opportunities to infuse rewarding and preference‐based friction to enhance customer experience. By understanding these nuances, businesses can strike a balance between friction reduction and value optimization in their customer experience designs.

A Photovoltaic/Thermal Electrochemical Stripping System for Urine Nitrogen Recovery

Introduction Distributed production of urine-derived fertilizers offers a sustainable and equitable alternative to Haber-Bosch fertilizer. Lab-scale electrochemical stripping (ECS) recovers nitrogen as ammonium sulfate fertilizer from many complex wastewaters, including urine.1 Developing nations in Africa pay higher prices than the global average for Haber-Bosch-based ammonia due to accessibility issues.2 Using solar panels as a power source, ECS can be deployed for low-carbon, on-site ammonia production which can minimize transport, optimize energy, and lower fertilizer prices. This study aimed to (1) understand the ideal ranges of ECS operating parameters (current density and temperature) for efficient nitrogen recovery, and (2) provide proof-of-concept for a photovoltaic/thermal ECS system. Methods Experiments were performed in a three-chamber electrochemical reactor. Electrodialysis was used to remove nitrogen from urine in the anode chamber to the catholyte, while membrane stripping recovered nitrogen from the catholyte as ammonium sulfate in the trap chamber. Solar panels face diminishing efficiency as they heat up.3 On the other hand, membrane stripping becomes more efficient with increased catholyte temperature, increasing the nitrogen recovery rate.4 Thus, experiments varying the temperature of catholyte from 30°C to 60°C were performed to quantify the extent to which heat improves ECS efficiency. Current densities ranging from 5mA/cm2 to 20mA/cm2 were evaluated for their effect on nitrogen recovery rate and energy efficiency to inform the sizing of photovoltaic components. A photovoltaic/thermal ECS prototype was constructed and operated indoors using a solar simulator, and outdoors in real sunlight. Heat was transferred from the solar panel to the catholyte using a cold plate fixed to the backside of the solar panel. Energy production and usage of the solar-ECS system were compared across several conditions: with or without heat transfer, and with or without batteries and charge controllers (Figure 1). Results Higher temperatures led to higher nitrogen recovery rates, with a maximum rate of 5.4 mg N/min at 60°C as compared to 4.2 mg N/min at room temperature. Heat also decreased electrical resistance inside the reactor, resulting in lower energy consumption. However, higher temperatures increased the movement of water vapor from the catholyte to the trap chamber, causing a more dilute ammonia sulfate solution. Additionally, experiments were operated as an open system. As a result, ammonia evaporation out of the reactor was observed as the temperature increased. The primary effect of current density is on ammonia migration from the anode chamber to the cathode chamber (removal). Nitrogen removal occurs from the influent faster with higher current densities at a rate of 0.09 g N per mA/cm2 over 7 hours. However, the system experiences lower current efficiency and lower overall energy efficiencies, using an additional 2.2 kJ/g N per additional mA/cm2. Removal speed and energy efficiency have implications for the cost of ECS. For a single reactor to extract a set amount of nitrogen in a given period, a larger reactor can be built and operated at a low current density for a higher capital cost with lower operating costs, or a smaller reactor can be operated at a high current density for a converse cost scheme. A functional photovoltaic/thermal ECS prototype was built. The simple cold plate attachment effectively lowered the steady state temperature of the solar panel surface by 17°C and raised the temperature of the catholyte by 13°C. Integration of a battery, maximum power point tracker (MPPT), and DC/DC converters allowed for a 53% increase in the production of solar electricity and control over current input to the ECS reactor, although they increased the cost of the system. Using the outputs of this solar-ECS prototype as a benchmark, a techno-economic analysis will be completed to elucidate competitiveness. Conclusion Understanding relationships between electrical energy, heat, and ECS performance informs the scale-up of ECS for distributed ammonia production. Capturing nitrogen for reuse reduces reliance on Haber-Bosch ammonia, prevents aqueous pollution, and supports a circular nitrogen economy. Broad application of this technology would promote equitable access to fertilizer and support local food production. Integration with solar panels improves the applicability of ECS to remote and developing regions by avoiding the need for grid-based electricity. The joint solar-ECS system advances the United Nations’ Sustainable development goals for responsible production and consumption, clean energy, and clean water and sanitation access. References Tarpeh, W.A. et al. Environ. Science Technol. 2018Comer et al., Joule (2019)Fragassa, C. et al., Appl. Comput. Mech. 2021Liu, M. J. et al. Water Research 2020 Figure 1

Effect of water Resource utilization in Poyang lake area on carbon emissions based on decoupling theory

The utilization of regional water resources has the potential to impact carbon emissions. Maintaining a decoupled relationship between water resources and carbon emissions facilitates harmonious regional development. Understanding the mechanism of their coordination is conducive to achieving the "Double Carbon" goal and control of regional carbon emissions and water resource consumption. This study examines the decoupling relationship between water resource utilization and carbon emissions in Poyang Lake area, China, employing the Tapio decoupling model and the LMDI(logarithmic mean divisia index) decomposition model. The results indicate that carbon emissions in Poyang Lake area exhibited a gradual increase, accompanied by an annual growth rate of 5.99 %. The water supply exhibited a slow expansion. They have exhibited state of affairs strong negative decoupling and expansive negative decoupling over the past 15 years. Moreover, this situation is most acute and worsening in the secondary industry. The water use structure effect and water economic benefit effect are the primary factors affecting carbon emission increases, contributing 57.93 % and 65.66 %, respectively. Carbon emissions intensity is the largest inhibiting factor, which accounts for a maximum contribution of 42.96 %. The order of potency of the driving factors is as follows: water economic benefit > carbon emission intensity > water use structure > water use efficiency. In summary, this research recognised the enhancement of the water economic efficiency index not only facilitates the decoupling phenomenon but also improves the water-carbon relationship, especially in the secondary industry. It serves as a compelling illustration of the significance of elucidating the interrelationship between regional water and carbon dynamics, and charting the course for the formulation of regional policies that would facilitate the advancement of environmentally conscious and carbon-neutral development, as well as water conservation.

Deep reinforcement learning based resource provisioning for federated edge learning

With the rapid development of mobile internet technology and increasing concerns over data privacy, Federated Learning (FL) has emerged as a significant framework for training machine learning models. Given the advancements in technology, User Equipment (UE) can now process multiple computing tasks simultaneously, and since UEs can have multiple data sources that are suitable for various FL tasks, multiple tasks FL could be a promising way to respond to different application requests at the same time. However, running multiple FL tasks simultaneously could lead to a strain on the device’s computation resource and excessive energy consumption, especially the issue of energy consumption challenge. Due to factors such as limited battery capacity and device heterogeneity, UE may fail to efficiently complete the local training task, and some of them may become stragglers with high-quality data. Aiming at alleviating the energy consumption challenge in a multi-task FL environment, we design an automatic Multi-Task FL Deployment (MFLD) algorithm to reach the local balancing and energy consumption goals. The MFLD algorithm leverages Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) techniques to automatically select UEs and allocate the computation resources according to the task requirement. Extensive experiments validate our proposed approach and showed significant improvements in task deployment success rate and energy consumption cost.

Research on the Coordinated Trading Mechanism of Demand-Side Resources and Shared Energy Storage Based on a System Optimization Model

With the development of the economy and society, the importance of a secure and stable electricity supply continues to increase. However, the power grid is facing the test of excess installed capacity, the waste of renewable energy, and a low comprehensive utilization rate. This problem stems from the inconsistent peak–valley differences between power production and consumption, and the lack of clear electricity price signals, which disrupts the safe and stable operation of the power market. This paper combines the interactive transactions among clean energy power generation companies, users, and energy storage, explores how the system optimization model can be reflected in the power market through regulatory measures, and formulates the optimal output scheme of the system under the constraints of clean energy power generation forecast data, user base load forecast data, demand-side resource regulation ability, and energy storage system regulation ability to achieve the goals of comprehensive clean energy power consumption and minimum cost for users. A comprehensive analysis of the proposed model was conducted using actual data from a certain province in China, the results show that the consumption of clean energy will increase by 3% to full consumption and the total cost of users will be 32% lower than that of time-of-use (TOU) power prices, which proves the potential of the proposed joint optimization model in absorbing clean energy and the effectiveness of the market mechanism.

Consumption in the Educational Sphere as an Indicator of Socialization

The article actualizes the problem of consumption in the educational sphere and its connection with the process of socialization. The purpose of the article is to analyze the motives of demonstrative consumption and the conditions and ways of its implementation in the educational system as a mechanism of socialization in the consumer society. Methodology. As a methodological basis were used: 1) the concept of accepting the role of the Other by J. Mead; 2) the concept of demonstrative consumption by T. Veblen and M. Weber as indicators of the class structure of society and guarantor of the formation of motives and goals of consumption; 3) the sociological approach, which allows building the study on the basis of the concept of similarity and distinction by P. Bourdieu. Research results: based on the definition of consumption processes in modern society, the study considers education as a variant of demonstrative consumption, reveals its motives and variants. It is shown that the subject’s choice of the trajectory of receiving education, regardless of its purpose and motives, acts as a way of socialization in the consumer society. Conclusion: it is concluded that demonstrative consumption in education is manifested in the fact that education, functioning as a social institution, performs not only the functions of education of society, organization of the learning process, but also the functions of symbolic consumption: it is a tool to maintain the existing social hierarchy, a way to move through social strata, that is, it organizes and provides social mobility, an indicator of financial opportunities, personal preferences and ambitions.

Tasty or sustainable? Goal conflict in plant-based food choice

Marketers and policymakers navigate an evolving landscape where an increasing number of consumers are willing to consider the environmental impacts of meat consumption and shift towards plant-based proteins. This trend is exemplified by the increasing number of individuals who identify as flexitarians, preferring plant-forward diets though still consuming meat. Nevertheless, consumers juggle the conflicting desire for healthy and sustainable choices with the enjoyment of tasty food, which varies across contexts. Consequently, determining the appropriate framing for plant-based meat alternatives — when to emphasize health and sustainability or taste — poses a challenge not adequately addressed by previous research. This study delves into the nuanced impact of modifying goal salience by tailoring product attribute frames to align with contextual consumer goals, offering insights into engaging consumers with plant-based alternatives. These findings reveal that aligning a hedonic attribute frame with an active hedonic goal significantly enhances product engagement. Conversely, introducing a sustainability attribute frame in the presence of an active hedonic goal adversely influences taste expectations, leading to a decline in intentions to engage with the product. These insights offer valuable guidance for navigating the complexities of sustainable food choices and underscore the need to align messaging strategies with consumers’ active goals.

Investigating environmentally sustainable consumption: A diary study of home‐based consumption behaviors

AbstractThis study analyzes three environmentally sustainable household consumption behaviors (optimizing the use of domestic water, minimizing food waste, and minimizing plastic packaging usage) through the model of goal‐directed behavior. The findings show that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, anticipated emotions, and habits are all significant predictors of the desire to adopt sustainable consumption behaviors, which directly fosters the intention to adopt these behaviors. Intention–behavior links were unique for each behavior; minimizing plastic packaging usage was the most difficult behavior to implement. This study offers useful insights into people's sustainable consumption goals and their intentions to adopt responsible consumption behaviors. A generalizable model of environmentally sustainable household behaviors that considers the three behaviors simultaneously is presented. This study suggests that business and policy strategies that could successfully promote sustainability in the household might proceed by, for example, empowering consumers or changing their habits.

EXPRESS: Anatomical Depiction: How Showing a Product'S Inner Structure Shapes Product Valuations

Anatomical depiction is a technique where the product is decomposed into components that are spatially arranged in a layer-by-layer manner to visually explicate its inner structure. The authors demonstrate that anatomical depiction, compared to non-anatomical depiction, enhances product valuation. This effect occurs because anatomical depiction elicits a ‘coming together’ of the inner components in consumers’ minds thereby evoking a gestalt image of the product – a process labeled simulated assemblage. The elicitation of simulated assemblage in turn boosts their confidence in the product’s performance. Two field experiments first demonstrate that anatomical depiction leads to greater engagement in online settings such as peer-to-peer selling and social media advertising. Subsequently, seven laboratory and online experiments show when and how anatomical depiction elicits simulated assemblage (Studies 1A–C), test the process underlying the effect of anatomical depiction on product valuation (Studies 2A–B), and delineate two boundary conditions, showing that the positive effect of anatomical (vs. non-anatomical) depiction attenuates for consumers higher (vs. lower) in technology anxiety (Study 3) and when consumers have a hedonic (vs. utilitarian) consumption goal (Study 4). Collectively, this work provides insights to firms on how and when to use anatomical depiction to enhance consumers’ confidence in and valuation of the product.

Key technologies and applications of cloud-edge collaborative integrated low and medium voltage distributed photovoltaic coordination control

The large-scale distributed photovoltaic access leads to overvoltage, equipment overload, and difficulty in on-site consumption, which causes power to be sent back to the high voltage level, posing hidden dangers to the safe operation of the distribution network. This article proposes optimizing the medium-voltage distribution network at the cloud side with the goal of maximum consumption and operating cost, forming a rolling strategy adjustment based on load forecasting within the day. At the edge side, the distributed photovoltaic control in the low-voltage distribution network within the jurisdiction is adjusted based on the daily adjustment strategy issued by the cloud side, completing the optimization and regulation of distributed photovoltaics on a distribution substation unit basis to achieve the control and integration of distributed power sources and consumption, coordination between operation and side, and coordinated control in the integrated medium and low-voltage zoning, achieving autonomous distribution substations and feeder lines. Field applications have proven that this solution solves problems such as line and transformer overload, and voltage quality caused by distributed photovoltaic power generation.