Lower Willingness Research Articles

The status of intimate partner violence against pregnant women in contemporary China: a scoping review.

This review explored the status of publications on intimate partner violence (IPV) against pregnant women in contemporary China. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases were searched using the terms "IPV," "pregnant woman," "Chinese," and synonyms in English, along with related keywords for Chinese publications. All literature pertaining to IPV during pregnancy, conducted in China, and published between 1987 and September 2023 was included. A total of 37 articles from 30 studies were selected. The prevalence of IPV during pregnancy ranged from 2.5% to 31.3%, with psychological violence being the most common form. Frequently identified risk factors included unintended pregnancy, poor family economic conditions, male partners engaging in health risk behaviors, poor employment status of women or their partners, low education levels among women, physical or mental health issues, strained couple relationships, and in-law conflicts. IPV during pregnancy primarily led to mental health problems for the victims and could result in adverse obstetric outcomes, as well as negative effects on the temperament and development of the offspring. Victims in China demonstrated a low willingness to seek help from professionals. Furthermore, relevant research in mainland China is scarce, with a limited number of studies and non-standardized research methodologies. Future research should investigate IPV in pregnancy from various perspectives, identify factors unique to IPV during pregnancy, and focus on high-risk groups. Considering the conditions in China, there is a pressing need to increase public awareness of IPV and to investigate interventions aimed at addressing this issue.

Urban Area Policy Innovation From The Perspective of Public Policy in Serang Municipality, Indonesia

This article aims to discuss the policy implications and criteria for ideal urban area policy innovation from a public policy perspective. This research was conducted using a case study approach using semi-structured interview data collection techniques as a data collection instrument. The results of the research show that the policy implications for urban residential areas in Serang City are still not optimal due to the limited authority of the city government and the lack of integration of SiKasep policy innovations with urban needs and problems. Apart from that, SiKasep policy innovations have not been able to have an impact due to the low ability and willingness to innovate within the civil service. country. The policy innovation criteria for ideal urban residential areas in Serang City can be applied through the New Public Services (NPS) approach as a representation of policy innovation. Research findings show the importance of strengthening regulations and legitimacy, especially in formulating programs and policies for urban residential areas that are based on regional policy standards; second, the importance of encouraging policy interventions related to access to basic services for the community; third, it is important to encourage policy actors to develop integrated programs and minimize the various interests that hinder policy innovation in urban residential areas; and fourth, participation and involvement of non-governmental elements is very important to obtain broader policy support.

Financial professionals and climate experts have diverging perspectives on climate action

To address the climate crisis, it is necessary to transform the economy, with the finance industry taking a central role by implementing sustainable investment policies. This study aims to understand the motivations and preferences of its key players—financial professionals and climate experts. Here we use an incentivized experiment to measure the willingness to forgo payout to curb carbon emissions and a survey to elicit attitudes and beliefs toward the climate crisis. We provide suggestive evidence that financial professionals have a lower willingness to curb carbon emissions, are less concerned about climate change, and are less supportive of carbon taxes compared to climate experts. We report differences in motivations and priorities, with financial professionals emphasizing economic and reputational considerations and climate experts prioritizing ecological and social consequences of the crisis. Our findings highlight the importance of financial incentives and reputational concerns in motivating financial professionals to address the climate crisis. Pre-registration: The study was pre-registered on 14 April 2021. The pre-registration is available on OSF at https://osf.io/7q5du/.

Consumers' willingness to buy meat and seafood products close to the expiry date: an exploratory study from Denmark.

Meat- and seafood products close to their expiry date (MSPCED) are one of the significant contributors to the growing food waste. Therefore, this study aims to investigate consumers' attitudes and willingness to buy MSPCED. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 Danish consumers. Three consumer segments were identified based on their willingness to buy MSPCED: 39.8% of the participants showed a high willingness to buy MSPCED close to their expiry date ("All High"), 34.5% were selective with a high willingness to buy meat close to their expiry date but not seafood ("High meat, low seafood"), while 25.7% showed a low willingness to buy MSPCED ("All Low"). Consumers' willingness to buy MSPCED is influenced by the perceived quality of the products, food safety, social acceptability, and price. Consumers were willing to pay a higher price for minced beef close to the expiry date when compared to cod fillets, pork cuts, and chicken breasts. However, consumers were willing to buy cod fillets with the lowest discount percentage when compared to pork cuts, minced beef, and chicken breast. The findings suggest that price reduction and discount percentage can have varying effects in influencing willingness to pay for MSPCED. This study provides valuable insights, for food waste practitioners in the retail sector, to develop effective strategies for reducing food waste by influencing consumer willingness to buy and pay for perishable products like meat and seafood.

Willingness valued more than ability in partner choice: Insights into behavioral and ERP data.

In human cooperation, people prefer to choose partners with high willingness and ability-while both are valued by partners, individuals often prioritize willingness. Two event-related potential (ERP) experiments were conducted to discern the neural processes underpinning this preference. In the first experiment, participants made a choice between two potential partners and received feedback on the selected partner's willingness to cooperate. This was followed by feedback on the partner's task performance (ability) or a gambling outcome. In contrast, the second experiment first provided feedback on ability, then presented feedback on willingness or a gambling outcome. This study revealed that a potential partner's willingness trait significantly influences individuals' emotional evaluations and monetary allocations than the ability trait. Electrophysiological data indicated that low-willingness feedback elicited a diminished feedback-related negative (FRN) and an amplified P3 compared to high-willingness feedback. In contrast, no such difference was discernible between high- and low-ability feedback. Moreover, the P3 difference from high versus low willingness was considerably more pronounced than that from gambling outcomes, whereas the difference wave between high and low ability paralleled gambling outcomes. These findings bolster the novel finding that partner willingness may provide more substantial social rewards than ability. Furthermore, this study provides the first ERP evidence of willingness and ability trait perceptions in partner choice decisions.

Testing Psychological Inoculation to Reduce Reactance to Vaccine-Related Communication

ABSTRACT Research has found that vaccine-promoting messages can elicit state reactance (i.e., negative emotions in response to a perceived threat to behavioral freedom), especially among individuals with high trait reactance (i.e., proneness to experiencing reactance). This can result in a lower willingness to accept vaccines. We investigated whether inoculation against reactance – that is, forewarning individuals about potentially experiencing reactance – can reduce the effects of trait reactance on vaccination willingness. Participants (N = 710) recruited through Facebook were randomly allocated to be either inoculated or not. They were then shown a message promoting a fictitious vaccine, which included either a low, medium, or high threat to freedom. Contrary to research on other health topics, inoculation was ineffective at reducing state reactance toward the vaccination message. Inoculation also did not mitigate the effects of trait reactance on vaccination willingness, and was even counterproductive in some cases. High-reactant individuals were less willing to get vaccinated than low-reactant ones, especially at high freedom threat. Conversely, high freedom threat resulted in increased vaccination willingness among low-reactant individuals. Further research is needed to understand why inoculation against reactance produces different results with vaccination, and to develop communication strategies that mitigate reactance to vaccination campaigns without compromising the positive effects of vaccine recommendations for low-reactant individuals.

Together forever? How customer co‐creation affects the adoption of digital service innovations over time

AbstractThis study delves into the intricate relationship between customers' willingness to co‐create (WCC) and the required level of co‐creation (LCC) for effective service innovation adoption. In response to recent findings suggesting a “co‐creation sweet spot,” beyond which additional co‐creation activities have detrimental effects, this research aims to provide both theoretical and empirical insights into this phenomenon. Unlike previous investigations focusing on either the willingness to co‐create or the level of co‐creation at a particular point in time and overlooking potential interactions, our study considers their interactions over time, acknowledging that revenue for most digital services is generated through ongoing customer usage. Utilizing longitudinal data from 352 participants across four waves and employing structural equation modeling, our analysis reveals a nuanced pattern. Customers' willingness to co‐create predominantly shapes usage intention in the pre‐adoption stage, while the level of co‐creation becomes a critical driver for continuous usage in the post‐adoption stages. Further analysis using response surface analysis with polynomial regression confirms a specific matching logic: customers with low (high) willingness to co‐create expect a low (high) level of co‐creation from a service innovation. From a theoretical perspective, our findings contribute to bridging the research gap concerning an optimal co‐creation level, offering insights into psychological processes underlying the co‐creation sweet spot. Furthermore, we also shed light on temporal aspects of the interplay between willingness to co‐create and the level of co‐creation, offering a more holistic perspective on their joint influence on adoption behavior. From a managerial perspective, our study challenges the traditional assumption that more co‐creation naturally leads to better outcomes. It emphasizes the significance of tailoring the level of co‐creation in digital service innovations based on customers' intrinsic willingness. This strategic customization aligns with the evolving landscape of digital service innovation, offering practical insights for managers striving to optimize their co‐creation strategies.

Entrepreneurial finance in Europe and the Russian war against Ukraine

AbstractPrior research has investigated how the prices of stocks and commodities as well as inflation levels have been affected by the Russian war against Ukraine. So far, however, we know little about the impacts of the war on the entrepreneurial finance sector. Prior research on the effects of unexpected exogenous crisis events on entrepreneurial finance suggests a strong negative impact on new and follow-on funding for entrepreneurial ventures. Our study regards the Russian war against Ukraine as an unexpected exogenous crisis event and explores its impact on the entrepreneurial finance sector. It goes beyond a mere sentiment and impact analysis and also explores the underlying reasons and mechanisms as well as potential response and coping strategies employed by entrepreneurial finance investors. Based on two surveys of European venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investors, we find that the war had a strong negative impact on the two types of investors and their respective funds. Both VC and PE investors report more risk-aversion of limited partners (LPs) and LPs leaving the market as important challenges resulting in an overall lower willingness of LPs to invest. This applies in particular to banks, insurance funds, and pension funds. On the portfolio firm level, securing equity financing and maintaining liquidity were considered pressing issues. Overall, the situation seems to be more difficult for portfolio companies of VC as compared to PE investors. For the former, the financing- and liquidity-related issues seem to be more existential and survival-threatening. Responding to these challenges, both VC and PE investors altered their industry focus and put more emphasis on entrepreneurial experience. Financial investment selection criteria such as financial valuation, profitability, and cash- as well as revenue-generating capacity also increased in importance. Again, differences between VC and PE investors exist. Our study has implications for entrepreneurial finance theory and practice and concludes with an agenda for research on the impacts of the Russian war against Ukraine on entrepreneurial finance.

Factors Associated with the Awareness of and Willingness to Use HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men, Baltimore, MD, 2017-2019.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective tool in protecting persons from acquiring HIV infection through sex or injection drug use. However, awareness and willingness to use PrEP among Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (BMSM) remain suboptimal compared to White MSM (WMSM) in the United States. Our aims were to (1) assess the factors associated with PrEP awareness and willingness to use PrEP among MSM and (2) compare the PrEP perceptions among BMSM versus non-Black MSM. Data were drawn from two cross-sectional behavioral surveys in Baltimore, MD: Behavioral Surveillance Research (BESURE) conducted in 2017, and Safe Spaces 4 Sexual Health (SS4SH), conducted in 2018 and 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the study population. We used Poisson regression models to identify variables associated with awareness of PrEP and willingness to use PrEP. PrEP perceptions were assessed via 13 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Finally, we conducted a post-hoc exploratory bivariate analysis of the relationship between PrEP perception and willingness to use PrEP, stratified by race/ethnicity. A total of 261 MSM participated in this study. Many of the participants were aware of PrEP (75.1%). Factors associated with greater PrEP awareness included having greater than a high school education (aRR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04, 1.43); and earning more than $25,000 annually (aRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.08, 1.42). Participants who had received money in exchange for sex one or more times were less likely to be aware of PrEP (aRR 0.59, 95% CI 0.36, 0.95). More than half of the participants were willing to use PrEP (55.3%). In bivariate and multivariable analyses, demographic or behavioral characteristics were not significantly associated with willingness to use PrEP. Higher agreement with the following statements was associated with lower willingness to use PrEP: "Having to take a pill every day is difficult" (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.97) and, "I am concerned about the side effects of PrEP" (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.96), and "PrEP is for people who have riskier sex lives than I do" (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.78-0.95). Conversely, higher willingness to use PrEP was associated with comfortable having sex without a condom (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21), less anxious about sex (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.24), and my friends think that I should take PrEP (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.32). We found BMSM compared to non-Black MSM had higher mean scores related to taking a daily pill (p = 0.041), concerns about side effects (p = 0.012), concerns about people thinking they had HIV (p = 0.001), concerns about the financial costs of PrEP (p = 0.038) and caution when dealing with healthcare organizations/medical mistrust (p = 0.019). Perceptions with a statistically significant lower score among BMSM versus non-Black MSM included statements such as, comfortable having sex without a condom (p = 0.003) and less anxious about sex (p < 0.001). We conclude HIV prevention strategies, programs, and interventions should be cognizant of PrEP perceptions that facilitate or hinder PrEP uptake in Baltimore City, MD.

Factors Influencing Prostate Cancer Screening Intentions in Lebanese Men.

The objective of this study is to investigate the perceived obstacles and willingness of Lebanese men aged 40 and above to undergo screening for prostate cancer. A cross-sectional research design was employed. The study utilized a survey questionnaire to collect data on various factors influencing screening behaviors. The research instrument consisted of a comprehensive survey questionnaire that incorporated validated scales to assess barriers to prostate cancer screening, intention to screen, and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The study found that the 120 participants had an average IPSS score of 7.20 ± 2.23, most people (70%) had mild symptoms of prostate cancer, whereas others had moderate (20%) or severe symptoms (10%). The majority of the men indicated a low to moderate inclination to undergo screening through Prostate-specific antigen testing, or digital rectal examination (DRE) (PSA), with 76% considering DRE and 70% considering PSA. The main barriers to screening included the dread of receiving distressing outcomes (48%) and a lack of understanding about the screening procedure (54%). The study identified key factors affecting the intention to undergo a prostate cancer screening. Regarding DREs, these factors included the perceived danger of the illness and prior information from doctors about prostate conditions. When it came to the intention to undergo screening through the prostate-specific antigen test (PSA), determinants included the perceived threat of the disease, one's general health perception, and prior information from doctors about prostate-related issues. Additionally, a significant proportion of participants believed that prostate cancer was not a serious illness (56%) and 57% thought DRE was embarrassing. The participants displayed a low willingness to get screened for prostate cancer. Implementing interventions that focus on increasing awareness of the disease and its associated risks could potentially reduce the barriers and boost participation in prostate cancer screening.

(Trade) War and peace: How to impose international trade sanctions

What is the most cost-efficient way to impose trade sanctions against Russia? We build a quantitative model of international trade with input–output connections. Sanctioning countries choose import tariffs to simultaneously maximize their income and minimize Russia’s income, with different weights placed on these objectives. We find, first, that for countries with low willingness to pay for sanctions against Russia, the most cost-efficient sanction is an approximately 20% tariff on all Russian products. Second, if countries are willing to pay at least US$0.70 for each US$1 drop in Russian welfare, an embargo on Russia’s mining and energy products is the most cost-efficient policy.

Farmers’ attitudes and adoption preferences toward household solar photovoltaics: A survey from Guangdong Province in China

The promotion of solar photovoltaics in rural areas is of great importance in rural revitalization and the achievement of double carbon goals in China, but the adoption rate is low. This study aims to understand farmers' attitudes and adoption preferences toward household solar photovoltaics (HSPV), and identify factors on HSPV promotions. The data is collected from a field survey in Pingyuan County, Guangdong Province, both logit and ordered logit regression models, and one-way analyses of variances are used to analyze the data. The results indicate that farmers hold positive evaluations on the potential benefits of adopting HSPV, while they also exhibit concerns about uncertainties associated with generation capacity and maintenance costs. Pro-environmental behavior and an improved market environment can significantly strengthen farmers’ adoption intention, while perceived risk weakens their willingness. Besides, most farmers prefer an adoption mode of roof leasing, a short payback year, and a low willingness to pay. Improving the equipment quality and market environment, and reducing benefit-cost uncertainties are critical strategies to accelerate rural photovoltaic promotions.

The influence of material and color of food packaging on consumers’ perception and consumption willingness

Packaging of food products is currently considered to be one of the most important factors influencing consumers’ perceptions and purchasing behavior. Though there are plenty of studies on packaging, there is still a need for research investigating different packaging factors together within one study. In our online study, each participant was presented with 12 pictures displaying food items from different food categories. The packaging of these items varied in color and material. We assessed their judgments regarding several aspects of the food (e.g., sustainability, healthiness). The results show that food items with cardboard packaging were rated as more sustainable and expensive than the same food items packaged in plastic, while green (vs. original) colored packaged food received higher healthiness ratings. Participants’ willingness to consume the products was primarily predicted by the tastiness ratings (which were not influenced by our packaging variations). Another significant predictor of consumption willingness was the perceived sustainability of the products, while the healthiness ratings were not relevant. Overall, consumers indicated a lower willingness to consume the food products, the more they valued sustainability in food production in general. No interaction of packaging color and material was found indicating that the effects of these factors are independent from one another. The present findings emphasize consumers growing interest in sustainability within the food packaging domain.

Comparison survey on family caregivers of older persons in Japan and Thailand.

While rapid population ageing is occurring worldwide, its speed is especially prominent in Asian countries. In Asia, cultural diversity might significantly affect care burden; however, few studies have investigated the differences in care burden, and mental, physical and social conditions among Asian countries. This study aimed to clarify the situations of and differences in family caregivers (FCs) of older persons in Japan and Thailand, and evaluate the factors associated with care burden in both countries. A cross-national survey of 217 in-home FCs was conducted in Japan and Thailand and mainly included items regarding care burden and psychosocial conditions. Differences between the two countries were obtained, and the factors associated with care burden were analysed by multiple regression analyses. The FCs' and care receivers' mean ages (64.8 ± 11.1 and 84.8 ± 8.6 years, respectively) in Japan were significantly higher than the mean ages (49.1 ± 13.3 and 77.1 ± 9.5 years) in Thailand. In Japan, FCs had more severe care burden, loneliness, and stress compared to those in Thailand. In Thailand, FCs had more social connections and informal support than those in Japan. The factors associated with care burden were different in each country; thus, severe stress, low emotional care preparation, and low willingness to continue care at home were significantly associated with severe care burden in Japan, whereas poor relationships with care receivers, few social connections, low confidence in providing care, low emotional care preparation, and lack of informal support were significantly associated with severe care burden in Thailand. Despite there being a long-term care insurance system in Japan, which is absent in Thailand, care burden and psychosocial conditions of FCs might be worse in Japan. There was a clear difference in the factors associated with care burden between Japan and Thailand.

A difficult test for hard propaganda: Evidence from a choice experiment in Venezuela

Propaganda plays a key role in maintaining power in authoritarian regimes. Previous research finds that overt, crude, and heavy-handed messaging, so-called hard propaganda, can be used to effectively convey government strength and deter citizens from joining anti-regime protests in relatively stable autocratic regimes like China. Yet, it is unclear if this is also true in more contested and unstable autocratic contexts. In these settings, citizens are more likely to question such messaging and prior beliefs of government strength vary more widely. We explore the perception of hard propaganda in one such difficult test case for hard propaganda: the crisis-ridden Maduro regime in Venezuela. We measure perceptions of hard propaganda among the public using an online survey that featured a choice experiment in which respondents chose between and rated different propaganda images against more neutral political communication. Our results show that respondents perceived hard propaganda images as stronger compared to neutral political communication. This holds true – contrary to our pre-registered expectations – regardless of whether respondents overall perceived the government as strong or weak. Moreover, respondents reported a lower willingness to join anti-government protests but, at the same time, had a greater motivation to challenge the regime. These results support and extend prior findings on the effectiveness of hard propaganda in deterring anti-regime activities to the case of contested and unstable autocracies. But they also suggest that this kind of messaging erodes regime legitimacy providing the first evidence outside of the Chinese case of the pathology of hard propaganda.

Willingness and understanding of the safety and effectiveness of COVID‐19 vaccines in young children: a cross‐sectional study among parents in Malaysia

AbstractBackgroundThe safety and efficacy of COVID‐19 vaccinations are crucial factors that parents consider when deciding whether to vaccinate their children.AimThis study aimed to investigate parents' understanding of COVID‐19 vaccines and its association with the degree of willingness to vaccinate their young children.MethodA cross‐sectional survey was conducted among the public with children younger than 12 years old. Information on parents' demography, understanding of COVID‐19 vaccines and their willingness to get their children vaccinated were collected. The association between the level of understanding and willingness was tested using the One‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Predictors of good understanding and high willingness were investigated using multiple linear regression. Ethics approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of Universiti Teknologi MARA (Reference no: REC [PH]/012/2022) and the study conforms with the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. A web‐based survey link was distributed through social media platforms. The initial section of the survey included a project information sheet including the purpose of the study, length of questionnaire, identity of researchers and measures taken to ensure data confidentiality and anonymity of participants. Participants provided their consent electronically prior to being granted access to the questionnaire.ResultsOf the 386 respondents, 53.4% had a good understanding, and 74.6% had a high willingness. Only 42.5% agreed that the vaccines are effective in protecting children from getting COVID‐19, 79.5% and 73.3% misunderstood the severity and tendency to experience the side effects, respectively. A better understanding was associated with a higher willingness to vaccinate ([F(4381) = 54.417, p = 0.000). A higher understanding was significantly associated with higher educational status (postgraduate [β = 0.297, p = 0.028] and bachelor [β = 0.275, p = 0.034], work in a health‐related field [β = 0.300, p &lt; 0.001]) and have received a COVID‐19 booster (β = 0.347, p &lt; 0.001). A high willingness was prevalent among parents working in a health‐related field, had received a COVID‐19 booster and had medical condition. Low willingness was observed among parents aged above 30 years old and those who have used herbal medicines.ConclusionIt is of utmost importance to comprehend parents’ understanding of this topic to minimise hesitancy toward COVID‐19 vaccination in children.

Public preferences for vaccination campaigns in the COVID-19 endemic phase: insights from the VaxPref database

ObjectiveDespite widespread perceptions that SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is no longer a significant threat, the virus continues to loom, and new variants may require renewed efforts to control its spread. Understanding how individual preferences and attitudes influence vaccination behaviour and policy compliance in light of the endemic phase is crucial in preparation for this scenario. MethodThis paper presents descriptive data from a global stated choice survey conducted in 22 countries across 6 different continents between July 2022 and August 2023, and reports the methodological work developed to address the need for comparable data. ResultsThis study included 50,242 respondents. Findings indicated significant heterogeneity across countries in terms of vaccination status and willingness to accept boosters. Vaccine hesitancy and refusal were driven by lower trust in public health bodies, younger age, and lower educational levels. Refusers and hesitant people reported lower willingness to take risks compared to those fully vaccinated (p<0.05). Lower mental health levels were found for the hesitant cohort (p<0.05). ConclusionsInsights from this database can help public health authorities to gain a new understanding of the vaccine hesitancy phenomenon, support them in managing the transition from the pandemic to the endemic phase, and favour a new stream of research to maximise behavioural response to vaccination programs in preparation of future pandemics.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Children and Adults in 15 US Communities, 2021

During January-August 2021, the Community Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Study used time/location sampling to recruit a cross-sectional, population-based cohort to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and nasal swab sample PCR positivity across 15 US communities. Survey-weighted estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine willingness among participants at each site were compared within demographic groups by using linear regression models with inverse variance weighting. Among 22,284 persons >2 months of age and older, median prevalence of infection (prior, active, or both) was 12.9% across sites and similar across age groups. Within each site, average prevalence of infection was 3 percentage points higher for Black than White persons and average vaccine willingness was 10 percentage points lower for Black than White persons and 7 percentage points lower for Black persons than for persons in other racial groups. The higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among groups with lower vaccine willingness highlights the disparate effect of COVID-19 and its complications.

Enhancing governance through blockchain technology in the South African public sector

Background: Blockchain technology can potentially enhance the efficiency and governing of the public sector. The study explored how blockchain could be instrumental in effectively governing the public sector using the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusions of Innovations Theory as explanatory lenses.Aim: To determine if blockchain could lead to effective governance by reporting the views of those charged with public sector governance.Setting: The sample consisted of those charged with governance in four Gauteng provincial departments in the positions of Head of Department, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Director of Finance.Methods: A qualitative research approach using semi-structured in-depth interviews and purposive sampling was used.Results: Blockchain could be instrumental in curbing the current governance challenges in the South African public sector. The rapid growth in the use of blockchain by other countries, and the leveraged results thereof prompt South Africa to align. Although blockchain can potentially improve governance, the study’s findings suggest that the South African public sector may not be ready to embrace it.Conclusion: Effective governance is critical for public sector performance. The ongoing governance challenges in the South African public sector urgently require a solution. The article suggests that blockchain technology could potentially improve the governance of the public sector evidenced by data from in-depth personal interviews despite the low willingness to accept it.Contribution: The study contributes to the body of knowledge by provoking an intellectual debate and research on the use of blockchain technology in the public sector, which remains an under-researched topic.

Decoding the meaning of alternative proteins: Connotations and music-matching

Alternative proteins have recently received significant attention from both academia and industry. Given the reported lower willingness of consumers to accept these alternative protein sources, it is crucial to gain insights into consumers' perceptions of them. Study 1, based on the theory of the meaning of objects and concepts, unveiled the connotative meaning (evaluation, potency, activity) associated with five alternative proteins (insects, cultured meat, mycoprotein, algae, and plant-based proteins). Animal-based sources, such as insects and cultured meat, received lower ratings in evaluation but scored higher in potency/activity. Conversely, plant-based sources, including mycoproteins, algae, and plant-based proteins, were rated higher in evaluation but lower in potency/activity. Building upon the congruency theory, Study 2 integrated these connotative meanings of alternative proteins into potential marketing strategies. More specifically, Study 2 introduced background music as an ambient factor and demonstrated how certain music genres align with alternative proteins, suggesting their potential use in alternative protein marketing. Animal-based protein sources were found to align with music genres characterized by lower evaluation and higher potency/activity, such as metal and rock. In contrast, plant-based sources were better matched with music genres associated with higher evaluation and lower potency/activity, such as classical, jazz, and country. Drawing from the insights obtained through these studies, this paper discusses practical applications in the context of marketing strategies and highlights potential avenues for future research.