Consumption Behavior Patterns Research Articles

Taste Preferences in Broilers: Effect of Age, Delivery Matrix, and Number of Chickens per Pen on Selection and Consumption Behaviour

Due to substantial differences between studies, the understanding of avian taste perception remains incomplete. Also, studies on chicken taste preferences have mainly focused on measuring consumption differences, neglecting consumption behaviour patterns. This study investigated how age, the compound delivery matrix, and the number of birds per pen affect broiler chicken preferences and consumption behaviour, and established their preference values for four taste compounds. Ninety-six one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were divided into two age groups (initial: days 7–23; final: days 26–42), with two compound delivery matrices (water or ground wheat) and two numbers of birds (one or two chickens per pen), following a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Four taste compounds (sucrose, monosodium glutamate (MSG), L-lysine, and calcium carbonate) were tested at different concentrations. Preferences were assessed at 2, 4, and 8 h post-test, along with recording various behavioural parameters. Initial-stage birds showed higher (p < 0.001) preference values, time of approach (TA), number of bouts (NB), duration of bouts (DB), and number of pecks (NP) than final-stage birds. Birds exposed to a water matrix also exhibited higher (p < 0.001) preference and NB, while those exposed to a ground wheat matrix showed a higher (p < 0.001) NP. Pens with a pair of birds had a higher (p < 0.003) 2 h preference, TA, NB, DB, and NP, than pens with a single chicken. Chickens showed significant preference values for 100 mM sucrose at 2 h (p = 0.025), 150 mM MSG at 4 h (p = 0.026) and 8 h (p = 0.013), and 300 mM MSG at 2 h (p = 0.013). We concluded that all the variables evaluated influence broilers’ taste preferences and consumption behaviour during selection tests. Future studies should prioritize including chickens in the initial stage of the production cycle, testing them in pairs or groups, and delivering compounds via a liquid matrix.

The Influence of Digital Payment in Shaping The Consumption Behavior of Generation Z in Banjarmasin

This research aims to explore and describe the phenomenon of using digital payments and how this shapes consumption behavior among Generation Z in Banjarmasin City. Qualitative descriptive methods were used to describe this phenomenon, through interviews with 10 informants, each represented by 2 Generation Z in each sub-district in Banjarmasin City. The results of this research show that the use of digital payments not only has a practical impact in terms of ease of transactions, but also influences the mindset and consumption behavior of Generation Z by paying attention to factors such as security, comfort, time efficiency, as well as the ability to control impulse purchases, purchases irrationally, and wastefully. Overall, the use of digital payments is not only a means of transactions, but also forms a more modern and up-to-date consumption behavior pattern for Generation Z in Banjarmasin City.

Cultural Practices and Food Consumption Behaviour of Guests Dining In 4-5 Star Hotels in Nairobi City County, Kenya

In a culturally diverse market such as Kenya, consumers form a mindset of foods to consume while dining out, have different food preferences, and assume different consumption behavior patterns while making food purchases. Cultural practices may influence their decisions, prohibiting them from eating certain foods. The study sought to investigate the influence of cultural practices on behaviors regarding food consumption of guests when dining out in restaurants found in 4–5-star hotels in Nairobi County. The study’s target population was customers dining out in restaurants in 4–5-star hotels in Nairobi County and respective restaurant managers. A suitable pretest sample of 10 respondents was selected from walk-in customers and three restaurant managers from three restaurants picked from the hotels that were not part of the sample. Cronbach's Alpha obtained from the pre-tested 13 participants was 0.743. The ideal sample size of respondents drawn from restaurants in hotels classified as four- and five-star hotels according to the Tourism Regulatory Authority classification 2016 was determined by proportionate stratified sampling. The sampling technique for the Managers was purposive, selecting each Restaurant's Manager. The estimated number of respondents was 385 from a sample of restaurants in 21 hotels ranked as 4- and 5-star hotels in Nairobi County. Data collection involved questionnaires and direct interviews, yielding an 80.5% response rate with 310 adequately completed questionnaires and seven interviews. The analysis utilized descriptive and inferential statistics, presenting the data in tables, charts, and graphs for each category of variables. The Chi-square Test was employed to assess the relationship between dependent and independent variables at a 95% confidence level. The findings showed a significant association between food taboos and the dining habits of patrons in 4-5 star hotel restaurants in Nairobi County (χ2=8.980, p=0.003), a notable link between cultural beliefs and dining habits in the same context (χ2=22.099, p<0.05), and a significant influence of rituals on these dining habits (χ2=5.361, p=0.021<0.05). The study further established that the decision-making process significantly moderated the relationship between cultural practices and consumption behavior of diners in restaurants in four and five-star hotels in Nairobi County. The study concludes that modern-day food consumption behaviors result from several factors, including culture, taboo, religious beliefs, rituals, and thus food choice diversity. Therefore, 4- and 5-star hotel professionals should factor in the cultural element during menu planning to balance the catering, financial, and marketing policies. Keywords: Cultural influences, food consumption patterns, luxury hospitality, gastronomic tourism, Nairobi city county hospitality.

Changing patterns of household water consumption and conservation behaviour in Bangladesh: an exploration in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Changing patterns of household water consumption and conservation behaviour in Bangladesh: an exploration in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Changing patterns of household water consumption and conservation behaviour in Bangladesh: an exploration in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Changing patterns of household water consumption and conservation behaviour in Bangladesh: an exploration in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION AND FOMO ON TOURISTIC PURCHASING DECISIONS: CONQUERING FOMOURISM AND FOMOURISTS AS A NEW CULTURE

The increased addiction of people to social media has created new phenomena based on the relationship between FoMO and touristic consumption, which can be named as fomourism and fomourist. These new concepts point out a new paradigm or a perspective in terms of tourism marketing. This paper is a pioneering conceptual framework as being an approach from the perspective of hybridization of FoMO and tourism. The aim of this article was to conceptualize the paradigm of fomourism in terms of consumer behaviour in tourism industry and to discuss this phenomenon, concept or theory. This study provides require clarity for scholars approaching this topic. Touristic behaviours motivated by FoMO, fomourism, depend on a sense of social media sharing and it is important to individual and social identity through shared product, service and experiences especially in tourism field. Thus, this conceptual framework claims it may be significant to reveal the idea that fomourism in general represents the hidden patterns of touristic consumption behaviour based on the effects of social media in today's world. This paper contributes to tourism marketing literature by developing a conceptual approach that explains and offers implications pertaining to the relationship between FoMO and touristic consumption in the age of social media.

Optimization Countermeasures of College Canteens based on the Characteristics of College Students' Dietary Consumption Behavior

College canteen work is of great significance to the healthy development of higher education, campus safety, social harmony and stability. In order to achieve student satisfaction, college canteens must master the eating consumption behavior and dietary life patterns of college students, and do a good job according to their characteristics. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the dietary consumption behavior of contemporary college students and its new changes. The deficiencies of university canteens were further analyzed. Countermeasures for the optimization of college canteen work were proposed.

Generation Z in Chile, Colombia, México, and Panama: Interests and new digital consumption habits. Their use of Instagram and TikTok

In a reality that combines the virtual with the physical and in a context of information saturation, there are consumers who are more critical, demanding, and less loyal. In this context, it is timely to know the new habits of the Centennials, so as to understand their behaviors and consumption trends, aligning future communication strategies to their personality and interests. The Centennials or Generation Z are digital natives, concerned with technology, and complex to understand (Alonso-López; Terol-Bolinches, 2020). Generation Z –analyzed in this study– is composed of those born between 2000 and 2008, which corresponds to the youth currently between 14 and 22 years old (Vilanova; Ortega, 2017; Hernández; Andrade-del-Cid, 2020). The main objective of this research is to determine the patterns of consumption and online behavior exhibited by this generation in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Panama, with a focus on the characteristics of communication processes, online consumption patterns, and the cultural traits they possess. To achieve this, a mixed method is proposed consisting of a Twitter conversation analysis, survey application (n=550), in-depth interviews (n=36), and focus groups (n=2); all of which have been applied in the four selected countries. The main conclusions are that the preferred content of Centennials is humor (75%), with Instagram and TikTok being the most used networks. For they, the most important thing is to take care of their image and 40% are not interested in technological topics. Furthermore, cultural characteristics are shared among countries; however, language is the main difference between countries.

Categorizing Chinese Consumers’ Behavior to Identify Factors Related to Sustainable Clothing Consumption

Consumers’ current clothing consumption behavior patterns have become the primary challenge to environmental sustainability within the clothing industry. In order to ensure any behavioral change intervention is successful, a thorough understanding of consumers’ current consumption behavior is required. Accordingly, we aimed to identify factors related to sustainable clothing consumption by categorizing the actual clothing consumption behaviors of Chinese consumers. Specifically, the study aims to answer two sub-questions: (1) how can we categorize clothing consumption behaviors? and (2) what factors influence different types of clothing consumption behaviors? Data were collected through a two-phase survey that included observations and a questionnaire. The consumer behavior was divided into three categories based on the actual total number of clothing items and clothing usage frequency during a designated period. Among these categories, demographics and clothing consumption behavior variables were examined in the purchase, use, and disposal phases, using Chi-square analysis, Fisher’s exact test, and variance analysis. The findings show that gender, age, brand preference, annual expenditure, number of new items, purchase priorities, reason for disposal, disposal channels, disposal quantity, repair experience, duration of use, price, and clothing type were the main factors related to sustainable clothing consumption. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings and define the issues to be addressed in order to move towards sustainable clothing consumption behavior changes.

Local approaches and ineffectivity in reducing stunting in children: A case study of policy in Indonesia

Background: Stunting is a global issue. Indonesia has to cope with this stunting issue very seriously because it has the highest number among Southeast Asian countries and is included in the countries with the highest number of stunting sufferers in the world. One of the important points that requires intervention is to fulfill the nutrition of both the pregnant women and children under the age of five. Policy and implications: The central government has issued the national policy to prevent stunting in children and determined the national and regional parties in charge of the program. The government commitment is shown through the fund allocation arrangement for village development aimed to prevent and overcome stunting. Theoretically, it all seemed to be conducted according to each responsibility of the parties in charge. However, the effort is generally still bureaucratic, in a form of campaign, and has not solved the issue of fulfilling nutrition at the local level. Recommendations: Based on field experience and literature, the goal to reduce stunting significantly will be achievable if local approaches are applied. The local issue on nutrition intake can be intervened specifically by applying local approaches in understanding the community consumption behavior pattern and delivering education on nutrition. The government should abandon a too-generic approach (one-size-fits-all) which has been used so far. Conclusion: Intervention of nutrition intake through local approaches is crucial considering that stunting prevalence is still very high. As the organization for the program to prevent stunting is supported by fund allocation, in the future the government should encourage local intervention efforts through the cooperation with higher education, local non-governmental organisations, or partners that understand local context more on nutrition issues in respective regions. To observe this, stunting prevention in Indonesia should develop more local approaches in campaign material and education to local society.

Changes in the Current Patterns of Beef Consumption and Consumer Behavior Trends-Cross-Cultural Study Brazil-Spain-Turkey.

This cross-cultural study aimed to determine the main factors behind potential changes in eating habits by analyzing changes in the patterns of beef consumption currently observed in Brazil, Spain, and Turkey. To achieve this aim, 412 regular beef consumers from Brazil, 407 from Spain, and 424 from Turkey answered a self-administered questionnaire. The study surveyed the effects of economic factors, switching from beef to other sources of protein, aspects of credence, health-related concerns, the influence of lifestyle on beef consumption patterns, and purchasing decision factors. The most important factors that changed consumer behavior and resulted in a decrease in consumption, mostly among Brazilian and Turkish consumers, were the economics and accessibility of the products. Beef was replaced by other alternative sources of protein that were likewise derived from animals. The consumers whose purchasing intentions were most significantly influenced by credence factors (e.g., indiscriminate use of agricultural products, substandard animal welfare requirements, among others) were Brazilian and Turkish and, to a lesser degree, Spanish consumers. Lifestyle factors (e.g., consumption of out-of-home meals, available time to cook, among others) were demonstrated to alter consumption patterns and therefore must be carefully considered by the industry, taking into account cultural differences and consumer needs. The population under investigation considered that eating beef had no impact on their health.

Hybrid digital twin for conditional lubricant oil transport simulation and oil consumption prediction in internal combustion engines

Reducing lubricant oil consumption (LOC) has long been an interest to engine manufacturers in an effort to reduce overall emissions from internal combustion (IC) engines. However, directly correlating engine operating conditions with LOC rates is a challenging task given its complex and multi-physics nature. Building on previous experimental observations and modeling efforts, a baseline hybrid model, which combines traditional physics-based numerical simulation with modern machine learning techniques, was developed. As the first step, the model is to compute the oil exiting the top ring gap with given oil supply rate and locations to the second land. Studies performed using the model reveal a strong dependency of LOC on engine speed, load as well as the relative locations of piston ring gaps. In particular, the close proximity of the oil source on second land to the top ring gap and the reverse gas flow at low load conditions can both induce high LOC. Piston ring gap rotations and the different oil supply mechanisms to the piston ring pack are also found to heavily influence the oil consumption behavior and oil film thickness distribution pattern. The present work is the first step to a more comprehensive model for predicting LOC for healthy systems of piston ring packs. The efficiency of the model made it possible to study the oil redistribution that takes many engine cycles to reach equilibrium and rotation of the ring gaps that could happen in reality at a time scale of minutes and even longer.

Sustainable consumption among children in the aspect of waste management

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify consumption patterns among children. The article analyses the concept of sustainable consumption, focusing on children’s consumption behaviour patterns in the field of sustainable waste management. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a critical analysis of the literature and survey research based on a prepared questionnaire. The survey was conducted among 1326 children in age groups from 9 to 15 years old. The questionnaire consisted of two parts, i.e. the substantive part and the respondents’ particulars. The first part of the questionnaire contained a set of questions concerning e.g. children’s ability to identify products with better environmental parameters, behaviours related to nutrition, saving, shopping, spending free time, waste management and implementing pro-ecological solutions in their households. Findings: The survey conducted among young consumers primarily pointed to the shortcomings of knowledge on waste segregation. Despite the fact that the vast majority declare that waste is collected selectively in their homes, they are unable to correctly indicate what type of waste should be thrown into the appropriate bins. Therefore, it is recommended that in each school, both primary and secondary, there are containers for selective waste collection, along with a description and instructions on what kind of waste should be placed in them. Undoubtedly, this will increase the ecological awareness of children and teach pro-ecological behaviour. Practical implications: Modification of primary school curricula to a greater extent emphasizing content related to the principles of sustainable consumption in the area of rational waste management. Social implications: Shaping sustainable consumption patterns among children by building awareness of appropriate behavior in the field of post-consumer waste management. Originality/value: The article presents the current state of knowledge on consumption patterns among children in the area of waste management. This is a particularly important issue in the context of shaping sustainable consumption patterns among the surveyed group of market participants. Keywords: sustainable consumption, food products, a child as a consumer, food market, ecolabelling. Category of the paper: Research paper.

HOUSING DIFFERENCES, CREDIT CONSTRAINTS, AND HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY FROM HOUSEHOLD TRACKING SURVEY DATA IN CHINA

ABSTRACT Although many studies have shown that housing wealth impacts household consumption behavior patterns, they have not incorporated housing characteristics into their research framework. Against the background of China’s reformed housing system, this study therefore constructs a theoretical framework of housing differences, credit constraints, and household energy consumption by adopting sample data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) of 7064 households in 25 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. Multiple regression methodology is used based on the emission peak and carbon neutrality goal proposed by the Chinese government in 2021. The results show that housing differences significantly impact household energy consumption; housing assets have a significant wealth effect on household energy consumption; energy consumption of house owners increases due to the appreciation of their housing; and that the housing proportion of a household’s gross assets has a significant negative impact on household energy consumption. Furthermore, based on spatial distribution, it is found that the energy consumption level of households with housing properties in the developed regions of central and eastern China is significantly higher than that in the western regions. The study provides empirical evidence for China to build a linkage mechanism between energy policy and real estate policy and provides empirical support for the implementation of differentiated policies of energy consumption.

Purchasing power: Examining customer profiles and patterns for decentralized electricity systems in East Africa

Off-grid electricity systems have burgeoned across Africa recently, extending electricity access to rural communities. With the accelerated adoption of mini-grids and solar home systems, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how their customer bases consume and spend on electricity. Using a novel data set of hourly electricity consumption and electricity expenditures of about 13,000 solar home system customers in Kenya in 2018 and 2,000 mini-grid customers in Tanzania in 2017, we present a relative examination of the electricity consumption behavior and spending patterns among mini-grid and solar home system customers. Our analysis shows that, on average, mini-grid customers spend substantially less on electricity than solar home system customers and make smaller, more frequent payments during the month. We also find that higher monthly spending among mini-grid customers correlates with off-peak consumption and a higher load factor, contrary to the behavior of solar home system customers. Our results suggest the need for policies that encourage the growth of productive uses of energy that are innovative, diverse, and daytime-oriented to ensure sustainable mini-grid operation, as well as policies that establish a larger market for solar home system-compatible electric appliances that incentivize solar home system customers to increase utilization of their systems.

Scrutinising South African media companies’ strategies for Generation Z’s news consumption

This research scrutinises the strategies that three of South Africa’s largest mainstream media companies, namely, Media24, Independent News and Media, and Arena Holdings use to attract younger audiences, particularly Generation Z. The main question under focus is: Are South African media companies innovating adequately in their news media content and platforms to attract young audiences? The research examines the issue from both the discourses of the digital news editors of the media companies and a sample of young people interviewed about their news consumption. The rationale for this study is that Generation Z as active users of the various forms of the media have the potential to influence the way in which the media package and disseminate news. Therefore, it is important to study this rising segment of audiences as young people’s consumption behaviour and spending patterns shape the businesses of media institutions to adjust their news strategies quickly.

Literature Analysis of Factors Affecting Hijab Consumption Behavior an Islamic Perspective

This study aims to analyze empirically the factors that influence people's hijab consumption at this time and to find out the pattern of community hijab consumption from an Islamic perspective. This type of research is a descriptive qualitative approach. This qualitative research was conducted by reviewing and exploring various theories and practices through the literature and previous literature studies. The literature studied in this study is the literature with a period of 2014-2021. The variables in this study are consumption factors and consumption behavior patterns from an Islamic perspective. The result of this study is that the factors that influence people's hijab consumption are psychological (advertising and trends), and are influenced by environmental factors such as friends, and organizational groups.

The Path of ‘No’ Resistance to Temptation: Lessons Learned from Active Buddhist Consumers in Thailand

Mindfulness practice and mindful consumption have increasingly attracted the interests of academics and the general public worldwide. Despite the fact that mindfulness meditation has its roots in Buddhism, little empirical research has studied mindfulness and mindful consumption from the Buddhist principles and from the perspective of active Buddhists who regularly dedicate themselves to Buddhist practice with the goal of achieving liberation from suffering. This study builds on and extends previous research that established a research agenda regarding how mindfulness could transform consumer behavior and lead to higher levels of well-being. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the ways in which active Buddhist consumers living in the city have disengaged from the consumerist culture and altered their lifestyle and consumption behaviors. To grasp the subtle complexity of the experience, fifteen active Buddhist practitioners were interviewed in depth. As a result of this, a Buddhist-based behavioral change model with seven stages is developed. Drawing on behavioral change models, such as the transtheoretical model (TTM) and the stepwise model of behavior change (SMBC), this model aims to demonstrate how active Buddhist consumers have transformed their consumption behavior patterns and overcome temptation without resistance. The transformative mechanism and consumer strategies were also extracted to provide lessons learned and management implications.

The Study of Environmentally Friendly Products on Green Purchase Intentions: The Effect of Drive For Environmental Responsibility, Spirituality, and Social Influence

The development of technology is slowly starting to change human life. With the development of technology, it has an impact on the environment so there is an imbalance in the environment in the world. Many countries are experiencing environmental problems that occur due to technological developments such as the destruction of natural ecosystems and the environment. As a result of this impact, consumers began to change their consumption behavior patterns by intending to buy environmentally friendly products. Environmentally friendly products are products that are safe to use and have a low impact on the environment. The purchase intention of environmentally friendly products or the purchase intention of green is influenced by several factors including the drive for environmental responsibility, spirituality, and social influence. This study aims to analyze and discuss the influence of drive for environmental responsibility, spirituality and social influence on green purchase intentions. This study aims to analyze and discuss the influence of environmental responsibility, spirituality, and social influence on green purchase intentions. This study uses non-probability sampling by relying on judgment to target respondents. Respondents are consumers who care about the environment or who are familiar with environmentally friendly products with an age range of 18-40 years as many as 200 respondents. Multiple linear regression is the technical analysis used in this study. The results of this study indicate that the drive for environmental responsibility, spirituality and social influence has a significant effect on green purchase intentions

Research on customer’s electricity consumption behavior pattern

The fine-grained customer load data provides a large amount of information for the analysis of customer’s electricity consumption behavior pattern. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm for identifying the electricity consumption patterns of electric power users based on k-means algorithm. Our method is verified on the electricity consumption data of Irish residents and Shanghai Southern Industrial and Commercial users. The experimental results show that our method can divide the curves with similar electricity consumption patterns efficiently.