Niche Products Research Articles

An insight into the dairy chain of a Protected Designation of Origin cheese: The case study of Asiago cheese

The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label of the European Union safeguards and guarantees top-quality traditional agri-food products that must be manufactured in a specific region according to traditional production methods. Production specifications of PDO cheeses are often focused on the cheese-making process and lack information on the dairy farming system that is upstream of the chain. This case study aimed to analyze and cluster the dairy farms that supply milk to the chain of Asiago, an internationally known PDO cheese of northeastern Italy. A large survey involving all of the cheese factories of the Asiago PDO chain was made in 2017. Each cheese factory submitted a questionnaire to its supplying dairy farmers concerning (1) farm facilities and herd management and (2) feeding program of lactating cows. Results from 517 farms were processed; there were 67 ± 27% (mean ± standard deviation) respondents per cheese factory. Four clusters of dairy farms were identified by hierarchical clustering analysis. Cluster 1 (8% of the surveyed farms) and cluster 2 (22%) are small in size and low in yield, representing the traditional milk production system; farms are mainly located on mountains or hills and have autochthonous dual-purpose breeds mostly housed in tiestall barns. By rearing cattle of endangered breeds and feeding cows primarily with forages produced on-farm together with the use of pasture, these clusters, and especially cluster 1, have shown to provide essential ecosystem services for landscape and biodiversity preservation in the alpine areas. Clusters 3 and 4 (34 and 36% of the surveyed farms, respectively) gather medium-scale farms mainly located in the lowland that operate according to modern management and housing systems and rear high-producing dairy cows. These cows are mainly fed total mixed rations based on corn silage, but the dietary forage:concentrate ratio is kept relatively high, as farmers are more interested in producing high-quality milk for cheese-making than pushing for yield. Regardless of the cluster allocation, a considerable cow longevity, which is a recognized "iceberg indicator" of cattle well-being, was highlighted. This study showed that different farming systems may lay behind a single PDO cheese. The knowledge of their characteristics is important to reinforce the PDO production specifications as well as to distinguish and protect niche products that come from specific groups of farms that provide essential ecosystem services.

Supercritical CO2 dyeing of polyester fabric with photochromic dyes to fabricate UV sensing smart textiles

Photochromic molecules are well-established colourants in the manufacturing of niche products, providing reversible colour change effects when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light. The high material cost of such speciality dyes along with the general high carbon footprint and extensive water consumption of textile products necessitates resource-efficient production processes. The use of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) dyeing technique enables the economic production of textile high-end products, where a uniform through colouration is desired. This study investigates the potential application of two commercial photochromic dyes based on spirooxazine (Sea Green – SO-SG) and naphthopyran (Ruby Red – NP-RR) to polyester fabric using scCO2 dyeing technique and examines their photochromic behaviour. The dyeing was carried out at 120 °C and 25 MPa for 1 h. The photochromic performance was evaluated using a specially designed online colour measurement system capable of simultaneous UV irradiation and continuous measurement of photochromic colour change even after the shutdown of the UV source. The colour yields (K/S values), photoswitching rates and durability against washing were the main parameters examined. The results showed that scCO2 dyed photochromic polyester fabrics exhibited reversible colour changing properties upon UV exposure and removal. The samples dyed with SO-SG demonstrated a comparable degree of photo-colouration, lower background colour, faster colouration and decolouration speeds, but inferior wash fastness compared with NP-RR dyed samples. Particularly, the same class of dyes applied by scCO2 dyeing showed faster fading rates compared with conventionally dyed and screen printed samples. This study shows that scCO2 dyeing method is a potential alternative to develop uniformly coloured photochromic textiles providing excellent photochromic performance with additional economic and environmental benefits.

Effect of Age and Genotype of Native Breed Cockerels on Carcass and Meat Quality

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine meat quality in cockerels of two multipurpose breeds reared to different ages. The study involved 30 cockerels each of two native breeds: Yellowleg Partridge (Ż-33) and Rhode Island Red (R-11). The results showed that cockerels of the native breeds Rhode Island Red (R-11) and Yellowleg Partridge (Ż-33) represent a good starting material for niche production of poultry meat R-11 cockerels exhibited a better rate of weight gain and their carcasses had higher yellowness and redness values compared to Ż-33 birds. The carcasses of both cockerel breeds had lower breast and higher leg muscle percentage, and their meat contained more collagen and protein and less fat. As birds aged, body weight and abdominal fat percentage increased, and giblets percentage decreased in the cockerels of both breeds, whereas in the R-11 breed dressing percentage increased, leg bone percentage decreased, yellowness (a*) increased and redness (b*) decreased. Neither genotype nor slaughter age had a significant effect on chemical composition of the breast and leg muscles. In both breeds, the breast and leg muscle quality traits were more affected by age than genotype.

Sines: Território de Turismo Industrial – Inovar para a Sustentabilidade turística

O projeto “Sines – Turismo Industrial Sustentável” (STIS), operacionaliza o conceito de TI (TI) num dos concelhos, industrial e economicamente, mais dinâmicos do País. Dotado de um dos mais importantes portos de águas profundas da Europa, refinarias, centrais elétricas e indústrias altamente especializadas, beneficia ainda de um enquadramento natural de rara beleza, com as suas praias integradas num Parque Natural. O TI apresenta-se como um produto complementar ao principal produto turístico deste território, o “Sol & Mar”, maximizando as estruturas existentes, compatibilizando duas atividades aparentemente antagónicas – o Turismo e a Indústria - e aproveitando a crescente procura por experiências diferenciadas no campo do lazer em busca de mais conhecimento e retorno por parte do público em geral, contribuindo, simultaneamente, para esbater a sazonalidade, uma das principais ameaças à sustentabilidade. Este trabalho tem como objetivo contextualizar teoricamente o TI no âmbito de um modelo de desenvolvimento turístico sustentável, e apresentar o projeto “Sines – TI numa lógica diacrónica, descrevendo o processo e apresentando os resultados alcançados, desde o seu início até à atualidade.

THE IMPACT OF BRAND DIMENSIONS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH THE BRAND: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON MOBILE PHONE CUSTOMERS IN EGYPT

This research aimed to investigate the impact of brand dimensions (brand perceived price, a celebrity of the brand, brand perceived quality, customer trust in the brand, and brand perceived value) on customer satisfaction of mobile phones in Egypt. The empirical research carried out on customers of the Samsung brand in Egypt, and also the research aimed to identify the most critical dimensions of the brand affecting customer satisfaction of the Samsung brand in Egypt. Based on the study and analysis of previous studies and brand literature, a questionnaire developed to collect preliminary research data, distributed to an appropriate sample of 344 Samsung brand users. The research hypotheses tested using a simple and multiple regression analysis in a stepwise regression method, as well as the use of descriptive statistics to describe the characteristics of the research sample. The research found that there is a positive and significant correlation between the brand's dimensions (brand perceived price, a celebrity of the brand, brand perceived quality, customer trust in the brand, and brand perceived value) and customer satisfaction with the brand. Further, brand perceived price, a celebrity of the brand, and the brand perceived value had the most substantial impact on users’ satisfaction among brand dimensions addressed by this study. Brand perceived price perceptive was the essential dimension of the brand affecting customer satisfaction with the brand, and based on the results of the research was developed a set of recommendations aimed at enhancing the role of the brand in its various dimensions in the marketing of mobile phone for both companies and customers alike. The research recommends the need for continued and representatives Samsung mobile phone company to maintain business reputation and value through advertising and other means that help strengthen the minds of customers product niche, and the need to maintain mobile phone prices versus celebrity, enhancing the brand's value. JEL: M30; M31

Will There Be Disruptive Innovation? Identifying Profitable Niche Segments and Product Designs for Small- and Medium-Sized Companies and Startups

When an established incumbent already exists in the market, new entrants may consider special entrance strategies for entering that market. Disruptive innovation theory suggests that new entrants may start from a low-end market and then expand into mainstream markets. A recent debate on the theory has questioned its generalizability, but such controversy originates from the attempt to apply it to any business success by a new entrant. However, different innovations require the application of different theories. Therefore, this article identifies a profitable niche market for startups and small- and medium-sized companies based on consumer preferences and determines whether disruptive innovation is likely to emerge in a particular market context. Specifically, this article investigates whether the low-end market is the profitable niche market for market entrance. It uses a choice experiment and a hierarchical Bayesian normal mixture model capable of capturing preference heterogeneity at both the individual and the segment levels to predict market entry implications in an ex-ante fashion for the wearable device market in South Korea. The characteristics of the identified niche market segment and entry product design imply that startups and small and medium-sized companies should be cautious when applying disruptive innovation theory in this context.

Cannabidiol-enriched hemp essential oil obtained by an optimized microwave-assisted extraction using a central composite design

The increase of cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) all over the world offers new opportunities for the industry to manufacture innovative products from this multipurpose crop. In this regard, the hemp essential oil represents a niche product with potential interest for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and agrochemical companies. On this basis, in the present work we used the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) to get an essential oil enriched in bioactive compounds, especially cannabidiol (CBD), from the dry inflorescences of the Italian variety CS (Carmagnola Selezionata). For this purpose, the operative conditions to increase the essential oil yield and CBD concentration in terms of microwave irradiation power (W/g), extraction time (min) and water added to the plant matrix after moistening (%), were optimized using a central composite design (CCD) approach using a Milestone ETHOS X device. The conventional hydrodistillation (HD) performed for 240 min was used for comparative purposes. The qualitative compositions of essential oils obtained by MAE and HD were analysed by GC-MS, whereas the quantitative detection of CBD and main terpenoids (α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, limonene, terpinolene, (E)-caryophyllene, α-humulene and caryophyllene oxide) was achieved by GC-FID. Furthermore, the enantiomeric distribution of the chiral constituents (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, (E)-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide) was determined using chiral chromatography. Results showed that the MAE treatment, using high irradiation power and relatively long extraction times, increased significantly the content of CBD in the essential oil while maintaining high oil yield values when compared with conventional HD. The enantiomeric excess of three chiral monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene) was determined, with the (+)-enantiomers being predominant, whereas (E)-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were enantiomerically pure. In conclusion, the MAE was successfully applied to hemp dry inflorescences in order to obtain a CBD-rich essential oil which may be exploited in several industrial applications.

Danube Cruise Tourism as a Niche Product—An Overview of the Current Supply and Potential

Tourism in the 21st century is being re-shaped by constant changes in consumer trends. The Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, has rich potential for tourism over its whole course, and river cruises offer superb opportunities to explore. This study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the most important characteristics of cruise tourism on the Danube. In our research, a literature review (LR) and content analysis (CA) were used to examine trends in the inland waterway cruise sector, which, despite the growing interest in the product, is still not deemed to be a part of mass tourism. Danube cruise tourism relies heavily on alternative (niche) tourism features, which satisfy both cultural and authentic tourism preferences. Currently, many elements of niche tourism are missing from the product supply, but, with a modest addition of such features, the demand for the product could increase and its economic performance in the period following the expected recession would be enhanced.

How do mature born globals create customer value to achieve international growth?

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how mature born global firms create value for customers to achieve continued international growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a case study approach to investigate the under-researched area of how mature born globals create value for customers and, by doing so, contribute to their continued international growth. This in-depth examination of how three born globals developed over time uses interviews, observation and secondary data.FindingsThe findings indicate that the entrepreneurs of born global firms, that continued to grow, created a culture in the early stages that supported value creation for foreign customers. These firms have built a competitive position by developing international niche products. They have also implemented a combination of proactive and reactive market orientation to facilitate the creation and delivery of value to customers. To maintain growth, they further invest the revenues earned on additional international marketing activities and continuously enhance their focal products.Research limitations/implicationsThe study relies on three cases. We therefore recommend that future studies extend the scope of the research to several companies in various industries and countries, in which the theoretical arguments can be applied. In addition, further studies that test the propositions developed in this study, in different contexts, are highly recommended.Practical implicationsTo gain international growth, managers should create an organizational culture that facilitates satisfying international customer needs. Firms should continuously invest in sales and market development (e.g. social media marketing, personal selling) and undertake technology development of niche rather than new products. To achieve international growth, managers need to standardize part of the offer to achieve economies of scale and adapt the other part to international customers' needs.Originality/valueResearch on born globals has focused on the early stages of their internationalization processes, while largely neglecting the later stages (mature born globals) or the factors that lead to continued international growth. To address this gap, this study explores what happens when born globals ‘grow up’. This study contributes to the literature by capturing the factors and processes underlying how mature born globals create value for customers, for international growth. In particular, the study shows that the culture and strategies developed in the born globals' early stages also lead to international growth in later stages. The mature born globals have also invested in niche products, brand building, and effective market channels and adopted a combination of proactive and reactive market orientations.

Detection of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria from imported reptile and amphibian meats.

The food supply is a potential source of antimicrobial resistance. Current surveillance programmes targeting food are limited to beef, pork and poultry and do not capture niche products. In this study, imported reptile and amphibian products were screened for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. In all, 53 items including soft shell turtles, frog legs, geckos, snakes and a turtle carapace were purchased from specialty markets in Vancouver and Saskatoon, Canada. Samples were selectively cultured for Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae and meropenem-resistant organisms. Salmonella, all pan-susceptible, were grown from six dried geckos. Escherichia coli were isolated from 19 samples, including ESBL producers from six items. One multidrug-resistant E. coli possessed both the blaCTX-M-55 and mcr-1 genes. An NDM-1-producing Acinetobacter sp. was also isolated from a dried turtle carapace. Our results suggest that imported reptile and amphibian meats are an underappreciated source of resistant bacteria. The international trade of food may play a role in the dissemination of resistant bacteria. The presence of these bacteria in niche market foods represents a risk of unknown magnitude to public health and a gap in current national resistance surveillance programmes.

COOPERATION AS A FACTOR OF FORMATION OF THE STRATEGIC POTENTIAL OF AGRIBUSINESS ENTITIES

Performing both economic and social functions, agricultural cooperation contributes to the development of business on rural area, filling of local budgets, creation of new job places for rural population, and rise of competitiveness of small agricultural producers. The process of formation of the strategic potential suggests several stages, particularly identification, decomposition of structural elements and exploitation of a set of business opportunities. Innovations make one of the manifestations of planning and implementation of the effective strategy of agricultural cooperative development, particularly it expects appropriate upgrading of technologies, diversification of activities, attraction of investment resources and participation in projects. Moreover, establishment of business partnership relations with the bodies of local power, institutes of public society, mass media and population contribute to improvement of the image of agricultural cooperation as a socially focused system, which participates in solution of the problems of rising the living standards of rural population. Formation of the strategic potential in the environment of agricultural cooperation should promote business activities in villages. The synergetic effect should secure a high level of social infrastructure development on rural territories that will contribute to a stronger feeling of stability and confidence about the future. Thus, development of cooperation and business on rural territories on the fundamentals of implementation of the strategic potential can solve a set of problems, i.e. it secures employment, reducing unemployment level; increases living standards of rural population; contributes to development of village infrastructure; creates target markets for the products of agricultural producers; supports development of competitive environment, as well as reduction of the prices for food products for population; provides appearance of new territorial brands; creates conditions for development of niche production. Key words: cooperation, agricultural cooperative, strategic potential, agribusiness entities, competition, rural areas.

Microbial biopesticides in agroecosystems

Microbial biopesticides include several microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, baculoviruses, and nematode-associated bacteria acting against invertebrate pests in agro-ecosystems. The biopesticide sector is experiencing a significant growth and many discoveries are being developed into new biopesticidal products that are fueling a growing global market offer. Following a few decades of successful use of the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and a few other microbial species, recent academic and industrial efforts have led to the discovery of new microbial species and strains, and of their specific toxins and virulence factors. Many of these have, therefore, been developed into commercial products. Bacterial entomopathogens include several Bacillaceae, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Yersinia, Burkholderia, Chromobacterium, Streptomyces, and Saccharopolyspora species, while fungi comprise different strains of Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii, Metarhizium anisopliae, Verticillium, Lecanicillium, Hirsutella, Paecilomyces, and Isaria species. Baculoviruses are species-specific and refer to niche products active against chewing insects, especially Lepidopteran caterpillars. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) mainly include species in the genera Heterorhabditis and Steinernema associated with mutualistic symbiotic bacteria belonging to the genera Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus. An updated representation of the current knowledge on microbial biopesticides and of the availability of active substances that can be used in integrated pest management programs in agro-ecosystems is reported her.

Paludiculture as a critical sustainability innovation mission

Paludiculture is the productive use of wet and rewetted peatlands. A major motivation is climate change, because drained peatlands contribute significant amounts of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The study presents an analysis of paludiculture as a critical sustainability innovation mission in the making. It is based on qualitative interviews conducted in 2018 in the north-east of Germany as well as on subsequent regional and European level stakeholder workshops focused on wet agriculture options for rewetted mires and other types of wetlands. A social grid approach of cognitive frames, institutions and social networks and their interplay is used to analyse paludiculture options for currently drained mires. The analysis suggests a pathway of paludiculture as land use at the margins of intensive, dryland agriculture. It also points to strategies for paludiculture to move from the margin to a transformation pathway, based on the use of framing, institutional conversion and productive niche work. The study proposes a 3Ms-schema of mission, modes and making innovation as a device to create space for a wide and inclusive discussion of paludiculture.

Community-level variation in plant functional traits and ecological strategies shapes habitat structure along succession gradients in alpine environment

Plant traits and ecological strategies elucidate various aspects of ecosystem functioning and services. However, the well-recognized trade-offs evident at the species level are not always expected to mirror community-level variation. Here, we investigated, at the regional scale, the community-level trade-offs of three key plant traits representing economics and size spectra (LA—leaf area, LDMC—leaf dry matter content and SLA—specific leaf area) and Grime’s CSR (competitive, stress tolerant, ruderal) plant strategies. We compared six siliceous alpine plant communities, also representative of Habitat types of EU Community interest (Habitats Directive, 92/43/EEC), distributed along a succession gradient, using a wide range of phytosociological releves for which we calculated community weighted mean (CWM) trait values and C-, S- and R-scores. Our aims were to: (1) determine the validity of the plant community global spectrum of trait variation within alpine habitats; (2) investigate the discriminating capacity of plant traits and strategies to identify functional niches of dominance, stress and disturbance along the succession gradient; (3) quantify the variation in community structure (species richness and total species cover) through such functional niches. We observed a clear pattern of community-level trait variation that reflected the plant economics spectrum: from acquisitive and fast-growing characteristics in pioneer succession stages, to conservative and stress-tolerant features toward the succession climax, while the productive niche typical of C-selected strategies was scarce. Species richness and total species cover were both greater at intermediate levels of S- and R-selection gradients, indicating high niche differentiation in habitats characterized by exposure to stress or disturbance. Overall, this study demonstrates that trait trade-offs between communities identified at the global scale can undergo adaptation at the regional scale caused by local environmental conditions and also confirms the applicability of CSR strategies to investigate community-level variation of alpine vegetation.

Microbial Populations of Fresh and Cold Stored Donkey Milk by High-Throughput Sequencing Provide Indication for A Correct Management of This High-Value Product

Donkey milk is receiving increasing interest due to its attractive nutrient and functional properties (but also cosmetic), which make it a suitable food for sensitive consumers, such as infants with allergies, the immunocompromised, and elderly people. Our study aims to provide further information on the microbial variability of donkey milk under cold storage conditions. Therefore, we analysed by high-throughput sequencing the bacterial communities in unpasteurized donkey milk just milked, and after three days of conservation at 4 °C, respectively. Results showed that fresh donkey milk was characterized by a high incidence of spoilage Gram-negative bacteria mainly belonging to Pseudomonas spp. A composition lower than 5% of lactic acid bacteria was found in fresh milk samples, with Lactococcus spp. being the most abundant. The occurrence of microbial species belonging to risk group 2 was found in fresh milk. After three days of cold storage, the bacterial biodiversity of donkey milk was strongly reduced, since about 93% of the bacterial communities were identified as different species of psychrotrophic Pseudomonas. In conclusion, we report a preliminary description of the microbial diversity of donkey milk by using a metagenomic approach and encouraging a correct exploitation of this high-value niche product.

Comparative Analysis of Four Maple Species for Syrup Production in South-Central Appalachia

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum L.) is a key cultural and economic resource from eastern Canada to south-central Appalachia. Environmental uncertainties could create problems for this iconic species, in particular affecting the southern extent of its range and thus increasing the need for alternative species in maple syrup production. To mediate uncertain­ties, some producers tap additional species, including box elder (Acer negundo L.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), and silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.). For viable marketability, sap from alternative species should be comparable to sugar maple in volume and sugar concentration. In the 2016 and 2017 tapping seasons, data were collected on sap volume and sap sugar concentration (SSC) for each of these maple species. Sap parameter performance data revealed box elder and to a lesser extent silver maple as the most appropriate alternative species for syrup production in the south-central Appa­lachian region, while red maple, which is a com­monly tapped species in northern regions, per­formed comparably in SSC but very poorly in sap volume in this study. Diversifying sap sources could provide additional sap and tree counts avail­able to producers, allowing for more varied man­agement strategies to mediate climatic variations and uncertainties. This diversification can also allow for industry expansion into areas without sufficient sugar maples and potentially create a new product niche in the maple industry, which can promote rural economic development in south-central Appalachia through ways compatible with other sustainable agroforestry and outdoor tourism efforts. See the press release for this article.

Design of nanofiltration (NF) hollow fiber membranes made from functionalized bore fluids containing polyethyleneimine (PEI) for heavy metal removal

Effective methods are still lacking for large-scale production of thin-film composite (TFC) hollow fiber membranes made from interfacial polymerization. It is the bottleneck limiting the scale-up of TFC nanofiltration (NF) hollow fiber membranes for wastewater treatments. This study fills the niche in NF hollow fiber production by simplifying the interfacial polymerization process while maintaining the membrane's salt rejection. By blending sulfonated polysulfone (SPSf) in the polyethersulfone (PES) dope solution and using polyethyleneimine (PEI) in the bore fluid for hollow fiber production, amine groups are actively introduced onto membranes. The amine groups can be further modified with various molecules, for instance, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), glutaraldehyde (GA) and 1,3,5-benzebetricarbonyl chloride (TMC), resulting in precisely designed membranes suitable for heavy metal removal. The best membrane formed in this study has a small mean effective pore size (μp) of 0.57 nm, a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 157 Da and a good pure water permeability (PWP) of 5.14 LMH/bar. It also has over 90% rejections of heavy metal ions, such as Ni2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+. The membrane displays good performance stability in a continuous 96-h operation and in acid washes. The study may provide useful insights in designing TFC NF hollow fiber membranes that are suitable for large-scale production.

The payments landscape in Portugal: An interview with Pedro Coelho

Strategically positioned between Europe, Africa and America, Portugal has an attractive and modern financial system. The Portuguese carry the least cash of all European citizens and use debit cards frequently. The Portuguese retail payments market is still dominated by the local payment system, Multibanco. Multibanco is a payment brand that belongs to SIBS, a large-scale payments specialist operating a payment infrastructure shared by all Portuguese banks. BNI Europa is a challenger bank providing niche products in several segments. In this interview, Pedro Coelho talks about the specifics of the Portuguese retail payments industry, the way BNI Europa entered the market as a branchless bank, and his expectations regarding further developments in the retail payments market.

Slow and Sure, or Fast and Furious? An Empirical Study About Omnichannel Demand Sensitivity to Fulfillment Lead Time

We examine a large transaction-level data set of an Italian omnichannel furniture retailer to study channel-specific effects of fulfillment lead time on demand. This omnichannel retailer sells the same products and has the same product fulfillment across three channels – showroom, online and catalog. A showroom channel carries no inventory but allows customers to touch and feel the products. An online channel provides a website for consumers to browse and order the products. A catalog channel sends a product catalog to all the households in Italy for them to place an order over the phone. We find that the showroom channel makes consumers less sensitive to fulfillment lead time than both online and catalog channels. In particular, a 10% increase in lead time (1.84 days from the sample mean of 18.35 days) causes a 0.85% reduction in the sales per order (~ EUR 7.6 from the sample mean of EUR 889.94) at the showroom, less than the reduction of 1.14% and 1.23% in the online and the catalog channels, respectively. This finding contradicts the common practical and theoretical assumption about homogeneous lead time sensitivity across channels. In addition, we find that niche products and experience goods accentuate the difference of lead time sensitivity between showroom and non-physical channels. We further develop a stylized model to study the implications of our empirical findings for the design of an omnichannel retailer’s facility network. Given our finding that shows the showroom wait sensitivity is smaller than online wait sensitivity, retailers should build fewer but larger showrooms than the homogeneous wait sensitivity suggests.

An Empirical Analysis of Payment Card Usage in India

A paradigm shift in the modus operandi of commerce across the globe has been significantly influenced by the payment card industry with brisk strides in digital technology. The blooming payment card industry has escorted the prosperity in economic growth of most of the countries. Besides, there exists a divergent level in subsuming card payment by different countries due to distinct social, economic and cultural background. In India, excessive use cash payments are due to offbeat business models and varied distinction in literacy levels. This paper aims to analyse outstanding payment cards in India by examining the number of cards in operation and the value of transaction in the past decade. Data from RBI source is collected to analyse for a period of eight years (2011-2019). The research finds that credit card penetration has increased by threefold with average growth of 15% YoY and debit cards increased by more than threefold with average growth of 19% YoY during the period of analysis. Yet, asymmetry between debit cards holders and credit card holders exists in India indicating credit card is still niche product. This provides platform for the payment card industry to unleash the potential to tap market in India.