Low-price Segment Research Articles

Special characteristics of technological indicators of white aboriginal grape varieties

Sparkling wines are high in demand, and they firmly occupy their strong position in wine market. In recent years, there was a reorientation of consumers from the low-price segment of sparkling wines to the mid-price and premium ones, motivating the manufacturer to be searching for new solutions for the unique high-quality wine production. One of the ways of its producing is the use of aboriginal grape varieties. At the same time, there is insufficient information about the distinctive technological characteristics of aboriginal grape varieties, which makes it difficult to release a product of high-quality. As a research result, significant indicators were established (the mass concentrations of titratable acids, proteins, polysaccharides, the content of phenolic substances in the must without contact with the pulp, the content of phenolic substances in the must after extraction of the pulp for 4 hours, the technological stock of phenolic substances) to differentiate grapes in accordance with the origin, and characterize their technological potential. A comparative analysis of aboriginal grape varieties with classical cultivars traditionally used in sparkling wine production was carried out. Deviations in the criterion technological indicators of aboriginal grape varieties were established to be taken into account when selecting grape processing technology for high-quality sparkling wine production.

Implementation of European Experience in the Activities of Modern Domestic Enterprises of the Hospitality Industry

In the context of strengthening the European integration of Ukraine, it is relevant to study the practice of functioning of the enterprises in the field of hospitality in European countries in order to form recommendations for the implementation of similar experience in domestic enterprises. The purpose of the academic paper lies in analysing the European experience of enterprises in the field of hospitality, with the aim of its implementation in the activities of domestic companies. The methodology of the research is based on the case method for the experimental study of innovative practices of the two largest hotel chains in Europe: Motel One Group and B&B Hotels. The results demonstrate a combination of concepts of customer orientation by virtue of personalized products and customer experience, with a focus on unique modern design as a key competitive advantage. Hotel chains focus on the low price segment and increase dynamically due to the advantages as follows: unique design, organic food, concentration on the main needs of customers. The activities of the hotel network correspond to the trends of the European and global market. The theoretical value of the research lies in the fact that the analysis of the cases proves that in order to implement the paradigm of “unforgettable experience”, the enterprises of the hospitality industry can concentrate on one of the parameters: entertainment, aesthetics, escapism, education. At the same time, it is possible to indirectly provide an “unforgettable experience” for customers through staff recommendations (routes, events, places of interest).

Анализ ценовых характеристик монокомпонентных пероральных сахароснижающих средств на фармацевтическом рынке Республики Крым

Introduction. Currently, diabetes mellitus is one of the commonest socially important diseases in the Republic of Crimea. In 2019 the incidence of diabetes mellitus in the population of the Republic amounted to 354.6 per 100 000 people, having outnumbered the figures of the previous year by more than 50%. Aim. Price analysis of monocomponent oral hypoglycemic drug (OHGD) range offered on the pharmaceutical market of the Republic of Crimea. Materials and methods. The object of research conducted during the first half of 2021 was the range of monocomponent OHGDs offered in the pharmaceutical organizations on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The source of information on the price of single medicinal products (MPs) administered for type 2 diabetes mellitus was the average retail prices of regional specialized pharmacy organizations – the Limited Liability Companies “Apteka Martana” and “Semeinaya Apteka.” Results. The OHGDs market of the Republic of Crimea is represented by 55 trade names of monocomponent MPs, among which the drugs of biguanide group (16 trade names), sulphonylurea derivatives (29 trade names), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (8 trade names) predominate. The distribution of drugs by country of origin revealed the prevalence of medicinal products of domestic manufacture (73.3%). The price segmentation of monocomponent OHGDs demonstrated the prevalence of MPs of the low price segment. Conclusion. The study of monocomponent OHGD range in the pharmacies of the Republic of Crimea enabled to ascertain the high indices of import substitution and the considerable proportion of monocomponent OHDs of the low price segment, which makes the studied group accessible for the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

БЕДНОСТЬ КАК ЯВЛЕНИЕ РОССИЙСКОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ И ЕЕ ОТРИЦАТЕЛЬНОЕ ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЕ НА ПРАКТИЧЕСКОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ МАЛОГО БИЗНЕСА В СТРАНЕ

Poverty as an economic phenomenon has been present in our economy from the very beginning of market transformations. The existing theoretical concepts in different ways assess poverty as an economic category. Poverty indicators of these concepts characterize negative dynamics in our country. The number of the poor is increasing. The economic consequences of poverty affect the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises. Such consequences are manifested in population’s purchasing power decrease, changes in the structure of demand towards a low-price segment and, in general, negatively affect the activity of small and medium-sized business in the economy.

The business model and sustainability in the Spanish wine sector

The literature on business models and sustainability is vast but fragmented across many studies. This article seeks to unify the diverse contributions, proposing a sustainable business model archetype. With a sample of 411 Spanish wineries and using the Mann-Whitney U test, we have detected a difference between wineries in terms of their sustainability, identifying two business models, one of high sustainability and another of low sustainability. The high sustainability business model is based on the ownership of a vineyard, the production of bottled wine, sales in retail stores, supermarkets or through intermediaries, a better online position than the competition, a positioning in the premium segment and exports. The business model of a less sustainable winery is based on the sale of bulk wine in the low-price segment and an unawareness of where the wine is sold.

ASSORTMENT ANALYSIS OF MEDICAL DEVICES FOR MONITORING THE ACTIVITY OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN AN OUTPATIENT SETTING

atients with cardiovascular diseases need systematic monitoring of the main parameters of the cardiovascular system on an outpatient basis using special medical devices. The aim of the study is to conduct an assortment analysis of medical devices intended for use at home by patients with cardiovascular diseases. Materials and methods: The objects of the study were clinical recommendations for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system (12); State Register of Medical Devices of the Russian Federation; Internet sites of pharmacy chains of the Republic of Tatarstan (5), sites of Internet pharmacies (1); data of the reference service “003” State Unitary Enterprise “Medical equipment and pharmacy of Tatarstan”. The work uses the methods of content analysis, logical, structural, graphic analysis. Price segmentation was carried out using the Sturgess grouping method. Results. An analysis of clinical guidelines for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system was carried out to identify the main control parameters required on an outpatient basis. The groups of medical devices used by patients on their own have been determined: tonometers, pulse oximeters and diagnostic tests. The analysis of the State Register of Medical Products and Pharmacy Assortment of the Republic of Tatarstan was carried out in order to identify the availability of medical products to the population. Price segmentation of the studied groups of medical devices was carried out in order to determine consumer opportunities; the indicators of the completeness of the assortment were calculated. A wide range of tonometer models is presented in pharmacies of the Republic of Tatarstan. More than 60% of mechanical and automatic blood pressure monitors are in the low segment; the indicator of the completeness of the assortment Kp = 0.83, which allows satisfying the needs of patients. 50% of the assortment group “pulse oximeters” sold from pharmacies belongs to the low price segment; assortment completeness indicator Kp = 0.29. Diagnostic tests implemented in the Republic of Tatarstan are represented by express tests for the determination of ketones in blood and urine; assortment completeness indicator Kp = 0.31. The price segmentation of test systems is largely determined by the need to use additional instruments (analyzers). 75% of the total number of express tests presented on the pharmaceutical market of the Republic of Tatarstan belong to the middle price segment. Conclusions. As of March 2021, 950 medical devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases were registered on the domestic market. At the same time, 22.6% can be used at home and are sold to the population by pharmacy organizations. For self-monitoring of indicators of the cardiovascular system on an outpatient basis, tonometers, test systems and heart rate monitors are used. Their share of the total number of registered medical devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases is 17%. The price segmentation of the studied groups of medical devices indicates the availability of their purchase by customers with high and medium paying capacity. The prospects for expanding the range of medical products for independent use by patients with cardiovascular diseases in the regional pharmaceutical market have been identified.

The Impact of Municipal Water Use Restrictions on the Pricing of Water-Sensitive Features in Single-Family Homes

We investigate the impact of municipal water restrictions in response to a drought on the pricing of water-sensitive home features by homebuyers. In our empirical investigation, we focus on Cape Town, South Africa, which imposed a series of increasingly tightening restrictions ranging from limiting outdoor water usage at the beginning of 2016 to limiting the total water use per person per day to 50 liters (approximately 13 gallons) at the beginning of 2018. Using spatial autoregression with autoregressive errors (SARAR) and a sample of 16,223 transactions over the period of 2015 to 2018, we find that increasing water restrictions reduce the willingness of homebuyers overall to pay for outdoor water-sensitive features such as swimming pools and higher quality gardens. However, pricing effects differ between homebuyers in the low- and high-price segment. In the low-price segment, the premiums for lot size and number of full bathrooms disappear while homebuyers penalize the presence of half bathrooms as water restrictions increase. However, homebuyers prioritize garden quality, which yields a premium irrespective of water restrictions. In the high-price segment, the premiums for half baths, garden quality and swimming pools disappear while the premiums for a larger lot and more full bathrooms are robust to tightening restrictions. Our findings suggest that municipal water restriction policies have an impact on pricing decisions of homebuyers, which has implications for policymakers and real estate developers in developed and emerging countries.

КОНТЕНТ-АНАЛИЗ ФАРМАЦЕВТИЧЕСКОГО РЫНКА НЕСТЕРОИДНЫХ ПРОТИВОВОСПАЛИТЕЛЬНЫХ ПРЕПАРАТОВ ГРУППЫ ПРОИЗВОДНЫХ УКСУСНОЙ КИСЛОТЫ В КЫРГЫЗСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКЕ

Objective: To segment the pharmaceutical market of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) of the derivatives groups of acetic acid in the Kyrgyz Republic. Methods: The database of the State Registry of Medicines registered and approved for Medical use in Kyrgyzstan, the Department of Drugs Security and Medical Engineering of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic is used for analysis. Results: Analysis showed that the leaders of the pharmaceutical market in Kyrgyzstan the number of registered medicines (M) under the trade names are Medical Drugs (MD) with international generic name: diclofenac, ketorolac, indomethacin. It has been established that there are 99 trade names of NSAIDs of the groups of acetic acid derivatives in the Kyrgyz pharmaceutical market. The largest part of the range consists of diclofenac (M01AB05), represented by 62 trade names MD (62.6%), and ketorolac (M01AB15), represented by 20 trade names MD (20.2%). In the pharmaceutical market of Kyrgyzstan are NSAIDs from the groups of acetic acid derivatives from 15 countries, of which 21.1% of MDs are produced by neighboring countries, and 73.3% – in far countries. Conducted studies have revealed that the structure of the range of NSAIDs groups of acetic acid derivatives is dominated by soft medicinal forms, which making up 37.4%. A comparative analysis of the composition of MD by the number of active substances revealed that 92.9% of NSAIDs of the groups of acetic acid derivatives are monodrugs. Based on the analysis of the price segmentation of NSAIDs of the groups of acetic acid derivatives, most of the drugs are in the low-price segment. Conclusions: A sufficient assortment saturation of the pharmaceutical market of Kyrgyzstan NSAIDs groups of acetic acid derivatives has been revealed. The pharmaceutical market of the Kyrgyz Republic is dominated by monocomponent NSAIDs in the form of soft medicinal forms produced in foreign countries. Only 7 MDs from this group are in the high-price range, making the remaining drugs financially available to consumers. Keywords: NSAIDs, indomethacin, diclofenac, etodolac, ketorolac, aceclophenac.

Дослідження ринку споживачів жіночого одягу різних цінових сегментів

Іn today's consumer-centered world, its behavior is crucial, which significantly increases the impact on the activities of organizations of any type and requires them to further develop methods of influencing the consumer, taking into account their preferences. Іn this paper, a survey of consumer preferences with different income levels regarding women's clothing choices is conducted. Due to the complexity of the structure of the needs of the population, the targeted approach to the process of designing clothes is the most important condition for ensuring product sales. In this case, when designing clothes, businesses should take into account a well-defined market segment, its needs and expectations. Target audience - women aged 20 to 55 and older, social status - students, professionals, middle managers, heads of departments, heads of organizations. Consumer requirements of different price segments for clothing have different features. In addition, their differences in education, income, professional activity are useful guidelines for the production of clothing and its implementation. The three main price segments of the low, middle and high income consumer market are identified for women's clothing and the significance of the selection criteria for each is determined. Thus, for consumers of the low price segment one of the most important criteria for choosing a jacket is the price of the product, for the middle price segment - the quality of fit of the jacket and for the high price segment - the quality of manufacture and fit of the jacket. An expert survey was conducted to identify the significance of the product price criteria. The most significant criterion for women's outerwear when pricing is the choice of the material of the top. Therefore, a clear focus on consumer requirements should be at every stage of product design. It is suggested that, when producing clothing for a particular price segment, the requirements of the customers in that segment should be taken into account. Key words: price segment, market, consumer, quality, criterion .

Wine consumers’ reaction to prices, organic production and origins at the point of sale: an analysis of household panel data

AbstractPrice premiums are considered as major purchase barriers for organic products and therefore may prevent organic market growth. For wine, however, prices take a double and conflicting effect: they also serve as quality signal for consumers. Therefore, it is of high relevance to examine if price is a major barrier for organic wine as well.Even though many studies already examined price behavior for organic wine through surveys and experiments, it is still to be clarified how consumers’ react to price changes in a real market context. So far, no study analyzed consumer preferences for organic labeled wine in daily shopping situations. Through the analysis of the GfK household panel—a high-frequency data set of extensive population coverage—implications for price setting and price promotions in different market segments can be given.In contrast to previous studies, consumers’ overall price sensitivity was found to be low for organic wine and consumers’ preferred organic over conventional wine. The effect of price as quality cue or purchase barrier and the effect of an organic label on consumers’ behavior varied between price categories. Organic wine was valued highest in the low-price category, whereas no price premium for the organic label was examined in the high-price segment. Price sensitivity was extremely high for organic wine in the low-price segment, while price functioned as quality signal in the premium segment for organic and conventional wine similarly.This study verified previous stated preference studies on organic wine through the analysis of actual purchase data. Moreover, new insights for price setting in different price categories were generated through the examination of a large amount of disaggregated data on single consumer purchases.

АВТОЗАПРАВНІ СТАНЦІЇ ТА КОМПЛЕКСИ В ЗАКАРПАТСЬКІЙ ОБЛАСТІ

In the article features and composition of market formation were considered. It was pointed out that according to the register of excise tax payers for the sale of fuel of the State Tax Service of Ukraine at the beginning of September 2020, 4,302 taxpayers were registered in Ukraine. The concept of "gas station" and "gas station complex" is revealed. The main condition for effective development of the oil products market is emphasized. It is the creation of favorable conditions for effective activities of its participants, including among the final sellers of petroleum products, the main of which are chains of gas stations or complexes, which substantiates the feasibility of studying the market of gas stations and complexes of the Zakarpattya region. Studies have shown that in the Zakarpattya region most gas stations and filling stations are represented by Ukranaft, ANP, Avias, Plus, OKKO, WOG, SunOil, Market, Shell, BRSM, UPG, Chipo, BVS, Motto, Amic. Their characteristics are given and the peculiarities of the market activity are studied, the number of petrol stations in the region is determined, their share in the total number is calculated. It is established that the largest share of the market is occupied by Ukranaft, ANP and Avias Plus networks. A two-week study of the price of A-95 gasoline and diesel fuel at individual sites revealed their average price in September, calculated the average price in the region and divided market operators into three price segments: high, medium and low price segment. It is noted that the middle and low segments differ less in principle (in the range of UAH 1-1.5), so they can be combined. And in the chains of the high price segment - for ≈3.8 UAH. above average and by UAH 5.89. more expensive than 1 liter of the cheapest gasoline, by UAH 5.49 of diesel fuel. The need for further market research with a comparison of operating loyalty programs in enterprises and their impact on the cost of fuel sold is pointed out.

A Study on Branding of Eggs in Select Areas of Tamilnadu

This study was initiated with the motive to check branding of eggs in select areas of Tamilnadu. A total of 100 customers, 20 retailers and 20 producers had been chosen and obtained their views on the branding of eggs. Data were collected by presenting well-structured questionnaire in the hands of respondents. Chi-square test, factor analysis, regression equation coefficient, and mean scores analysis were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that there is significant relationship exists between demographic profile of customers and their awareness on branded eggs. Factor analysis confirmed that brand, egg variants, egg content, food preparation and egg price relatively influenced on egg buying behaviour of customers. Retailers opined that there is no significant difference between the sale of branded and non-branded eggs. There is ample scope for egg producer to sale their egg under a brand name. It is concluded that customers are not completely aware about the sale of branded egg, but for consumption purpose often consider many variables. Retailers are preferred to sell non-branded eggs to low price segment and branded eggs to high quality segment. Concentrating on brand building will yield extra-ordinary returns to the producers.

A New, Low-cost Potentiostat for Environmental Measurements with an Easy-to-use PC Interface

A potentiostat is an electronic device for investigating the mechanisms of redox reactions and other electrochemical processes. These highly sensitive instruments allow studying the electrochemical properties of a certain analyte in solution. Nowadays, there are many high-end systems on the market that are usually supplied with a dedicated software package. However, there are only few instruments available in the low price segment. Therefore, our goal was to develop “EcoStat” a low-cost, digitally controlled potentiostat, which has several improvements compared to other inexpensive instruments; e.g. lower noise anda more stable output signaldue to a digital PI controller. Furthermore, the data acquisition, visualization and filtering are managed by a comfortable, easy-to-use PC interface called “POTCON”. Additionally, EcoStat was evaluated with three other commercial potentiostats and showed a good performance compared to high-end instruments.

Testing for Bubbles in the Colombian Housing Market: A New Approach

In the context of financial crises influenced by the development and burst of housing price bubbles, the detection of exuberant behaviors in the financial market and the implementation of early warning diagnosis tests are of vital importance. This paper applies the bubble-detection methodology developed by Phillips, Shi and Yu (2012) to the most important Colombian residential property market. The empirical results suggest that this housing market experienced a price bubble that began in the second half of 2012. This result holds true under alternative robustness checks, namely alternative price deflators, regression windows and price segments. The only exception is in the case of the low-price segment of the housing market where prices have not increased recently. Bubble episodes, under this approach, consist of periods of explosive behavior of the nominal asset price which are not explained by the evolution of its market returns.

Modularization methodology for high pressure die casting dies

Focusing on a low price segment is usually not an option for production companies in high-wage countries. In order to stay competitive, companies have to match individual products with prices close to those of mass products. A proven instrument in reducing costs in manufacturing processes is modularization. In the die casting industry, many manufacturers already have company specific methods of modularization in their construction departments. The dies are strongly influenced by the style of the design engineers. A holistic design methodology is not yet established. To improve this current situation, a methodology for the layout of modular dies has been developed. The methodology consists of three main phases where the focus is narrowed down from company via die to component perspective. This methodology will assist the design engineers throughout the development of new dies, helping to choose an appropriate set of modules based on technical as well as economic criteria.

How large Chinese companies establish international competitiveness in other BRICS: The case of Brazil

Based on an abductive approach, a case study is performed on two Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in the construction equipment industry. These firms do not yet compete directly with major global firms. The reason for this is that Chinese firms have mainly built up international competitive strength in the low-price segment. A major result is a theory on the initial internationalisation strategy of Chinese firms. The main strategic counter-move by European MNC and other major incumbents seems to be to enter the low-price segment in emerging markets, for example, by acquiring local Chinese brands.

Do commercial real estate prices have predictive content for GDP?

Using a uniquely compiled database concerning rental prices of commercial real estates, which are property of the largest broker in the Netherlands, we examine whether these prices have predictive value for quarterly economic growth. In contrast to related studies, we document that the mean price contains no relevant information, whereas other properties of the price distributions have. We show that these distributions can be described by mixtures of two distributions, reflecting low-end and high-end price segments. Our main findings are that higher economic growth is predictable from more new buildings being rented, more variation in the price levels and a larger size of the low-price segment, while lower economic growth emerges when the differences in prices between high-end and low-end segments increase and when the average price level in the low-price segment increases.

Evaluation of the hyplex® TBC PCR test for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in clinical samples

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is one of the major public health concerns worldwide. The detection of the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) as early as possible has a great impact on the effective control of the spread of the disease. In our study, we evaluated the hyplex® TBC PCR test (BAG Health Care GmbH), a novel assay using a nucleic acid amplification technique (NAAT) with reverse hybridisation and ELISA read out for the rapid detection of M. tuberculosis directly in clinical samples.ResultsA total of 581 respiratory and non-respiratory specimens from our pneumological hospital and the National TB Institute of Uzbekistan were used for the evaluation of the PCR assay. Of these, 292 were classified as TB samples and 289 as non-TB samples based on the results of the TB cultures as reference method. The PCR results were initially used to optimise the cut-off value of the hyplex® TBC test system by means of a ROC analysis. The overall sensitivity of the assay was determined to be 83.1%. In smear-positive TB samples, the sensitivity of the hyplex® TBC PCR test was estimated to 93.4% versus 45.1% in smear-negative samples. The specificity of the test was 99.25%. Of the two specimens (0.75%) with false-positive PCR results, one yielded a culture positive for non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Based on the assumption of a prevalence of 8% TB positives among the samples in our diagnostic TB laboratory, the positive and negative predictive values were estimated to 90.4% and 98.5%, respectively.ConclusionsThe hyplex® TBC PCR test is an accurate NAAT assay for a rapid and reliable detection of M. tuberculosis in various respiratory and non-respiratory specimens. Compared to many other conventional NAAT assays, the hyplex® TBC PCR test is in a low price segment which makes it an attractive option for developing and emerging countries with high TB burdens.

Development Strategy for Collision Warning Systems in the Low Price Segment

In the field of safety oriented driver assistance systems, there is the tendency to reduce accidents and their consequences by autonomous interventions in the driving process which are getting stronger and stronger. But this increase of the “effectiveness” also increases the danger emanating from such a system in case of a malfunction. This increases the effort of development and safeguarding and with it also severely the costs of such functions. It is possible however to develop systems with comparable effectiveness without using strong autonomous interventions. For this, Bosch combined very early collision warning with driver assisting functions. This provides the driver with sufficient time to assess the situation and assists in initiating measures for accident prevention in the best possible way. The technical challenge is the realization of an early and at the same time reliable criticality assessment of the traffic situation.

Water pricing reform, economic welfare and inequality

Access to water has become an important policy goal in South Africa. A tariff system including free access for the basic residential water supply, and an increasing block tariff has been introduced all over the country. Water is a necessity, but for most households the marginal consumption is used for less important options. This must be reflected both in the water demand and in the pricing policy. This article introduces three different welfare functions, all including a group of rich consumers and a group of poor ones. The standard additive utility welfare, the weighted utility welfare and the Rawlsian welfare function are all used. For each of them the block tariff system is used to find the maximum welfare. We also discuss how the 'water for free' policy affects welfare, and how to set a low price segment or a free amount of water and the block tariff in each case. For each tariff system we also do comparative statistics of the parameters to study how changes in the policy approach will influence the optimal water tariff system. In conclusion the article explains how the choice of pricing policy can reflect the underlying welfare considerations.