Personal Gifts Research Articles

Packaging customization in the Italian food industry. When is it really worth it?

PurposeThe objective of this study is to investigate consumer motivations and purchase behaviors with respect to cookies with customized packaging and consumer interest in different types of customization in the Italian food industry.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted by performing a quantitative analysis of 642 surveys collected via Google Forms. A repeated-measures ANOVA, univariate ANOVA, chi-squared test, correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were conducted using SPSS.FindingsCustomers buy cookies with customized packaging as personal gifts to someone they care about. The ability to insert their initials or a personalized phrase appears to increase customers’ positive attitudes toward buying cookies with customized packaging. Those interested in this type of customization are willing to pay more, regardless of the type of customization.Research limitations/implicationsIn the survey, only some types of customization not previously extracted from a focus group are explored, and the analysis covers only the food industry and does not take a cross-sectional approach. In addition, we specifically refer to the Italian market, which means that results cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsFrom a managerial perspective, our results highlight that food industry companies should take advantage of the opportunity to segment the demand for customized packaging with respect to consumers’ attitudes and their motivation toward food products.Originality/valueFrom a theoretical perspective, this study analyzes consumer attitudes and behaviors toward purchasing cookies with customized packaging. From a managerial perspective, the results of the study highlight interesting courses of action for companies in the food industry that would like to use the tool of customization by intervening in terms of the packaging rather than the product itself.

Evolution of the Perception of Corrupt Practices in the History of Russia

The research studied the patterns of evolution of the perception of corrupt practices in Russian history. Corruption is a phenomenon that has accompanied humanity throughout the history of its existence. Based on an analysis of the scientific works of authors engaged in research into the history of corruption in Russia, it has been established that corrupt practices have been observed at all times in Russian history. Negative and positive consequences of the spread of corruption have been identified and disclosed. The evolution in Russia of such a form of corruption as bribery, which consists in supporting officials through personal gifts and donations from private individuals, is analyzed. We author examined the prerequisites and content of localism as a way of distributing positions and achieving career growth as a result of nepotism. The research analyzed various types and forms of corruption that have been used throughout Russian history. It was concluded that the perception of corrupt practices and their classification as illegal has changed throughout Russian history, because they are a way of adapting social relations to the changing conditions of the social environment.

Violence and Power of the Modern British Monarch

Violence and Power of the Modern British Monarch

Use recruitment, onboarding process to set expectations for board giving

Early in the new year, many nonprofits are in the process of onboarding new directors and, hopefully, setting them up for success as they get the lay of the land, take deep dives into the organization's programming and operations. One topic that should be addressed during this stage—right from the get‐go—is fundraising and, more specifically, what sort of personal gift they should commit to.

Spain: Private client tax landscape

Abstract This article provides an analysis of Spain’s current private client tax landscape, explored during the 2023 Vienna Conference by The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. It offers insights into personal income, wealth, inheritance and gift taxation, as well as aspects of Spanish residence and citizenship. With a strong focus on family and estate planning, it sheds light on the tax opportunities presented by relocating to Spain.

Remind board members of the importance of their personal gifts

With the end of year fundraising push in full swing, many nonprofits are looking for their board members to help solicit donors and bolster the organization's revenues. But it's also important to remind board members of what's expected of them when it comes to their own personal contributions to the organization.

Revitalizing Political Parties in Indonesia: Dissecting Patronage-Clientelism Dynamics vis-à-vis Political Representation

Abstract: This paper discusses and describes the patron-client phenomenon within political parties. One of the reasons why patron-client relations persist in political parties is that the interests of the political elite are veiled and do not prioritize the dynamic aspects of democratization of political parties as a forum for people's representation. The method used in this study is a normative juridical research method using a statutory and conceptual approach and presented in a formal way qualitative descriptive prescriptive. Data was collected using the interview method, the researcher interacted with informants who were flexible and open to obtain the data needed in this paper. The theory used in this paper is the general patron-client theory, which has developed and is influenced by the political culture within the internal political parties. The results of this study indicate that the patron-client relationship between political parties and cadres is good in the aspects of party elites and candidates legislature. Regional head candidates that occur give rise to a reciprocal relationship which has implications for the non-occurrence of democratization schemes and principles within political parties as a forum for people's representation that will fill public positions. The patron-client phenomenon includes, among other things, personal gifts, interests that are family interest or morphological and have the nuances of money interest. Purpose: To find out the forms of patron-client practices within political parties and society that give rise to reciprocal relationships that impact political polarization of representation that does not work well and is far from the principle of political party cadres as a representation of the people's will. as well as finding ideal concepts related to patterns of relations between parties, both relations between cadres, political parties and society in general. Design/Methodology/Approach: Normative juridical using the statute and conceptual approaches. Findings: The patron-client phenomenon can be caused by a lack of awareness and political education, as well as inconsistency and inadequate performance within political parties, both at the institutional level and among members of the legislature and executive. Originality/Value: Examining patronage-clientalism within the context of political parties has received limited scholarly attention. The topic of voting behaviour during general elections often revolves around patronage-clientelism. However, this study specifically examines the phenomenon of patronage-clientelism within political parties and its implications for political corruption.

Biblical and Canonical Grounds for assuming the fulfilment of Man in the Ecclesial Ministry

This text explores the path towards human fulfilment in ecclesial ministry. It sees man's call to growth as a path to realizing one's God-given potential. Although sin obscures this call, God gently guides man toward renewal, culminating in Christ's restorative work. Seeking the kingdom reorients one's priorities toward eternity and aligns personal gifts with God's will. The Church nurtures these gifts, making each believer a vital, responsible member of Christ's Body. Through partaking of grace, one becomes a witness to the world. However, authentic Christian living requires continual purification. The calling to priesthood represents the pinnacle of service through total dedication. Chosen for their maturity and theological grounding, priests devote themselves completely to equipping believers for ministry. Necessary qualities include blamelessness, prudence, and virtuous living. Pastoral ministry starts from an inner call later confirmed by the Church. One who feels drawn to service and theological study discovers through this process a crystallization of vocation, assuming responsibility for living out God's gifts.

Courtesy versus efficiency: Personal gifts and monetary gifts – Preferences and norms in Israeli society

This research analyzes gift-giving and gift-receiving in the Israeli society. We examine the behavior and norms that Israelis adopt for ceremonial occasions such as weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, birth celebrations and birthdays, in order to understand the abandonment of personal gifts and the embracing of monetary gifts instead. An online survey was sent to a diverse sample of participants all over Israel. We included in the sample secular, traditional, religious and ultra-orthodox respondents in order to examine possible differences in gift-giving norms between these populations. We also analyzed how ethnicity and additional demographics affect various behaviors and perceptions related to gift giving. The results show that there is a rejection of personal gifts and a preference for monetary gifts. Compared to monetary gifts, personal gifts are perceived as more personal and having a sentimental value, but also as more disrespectful, cheap, inappropriate and unappreciated, and less practical and functional. We also discuss the business implications of the social norm of giving monetary gifts. This norm allows to organize more expensive events and benefits the event halls, which in turn encourage high spending of hosts based on expected gifts, by allowing them to pay most of the amount after the event.

Modeling a New Supplier Preference Paradigm: A Business-to-Business and African Developing Economy Context

The recent COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent invasion of Ukraine by Russia, has demonstrated to the world the volatile and fragile nature of global supply chains. Hence, this study is based on research gaps that propose new sustainable business-to-business (B2B) procurement/supplier models that consider different factors across industries and uses the triple bottom line (TBL) framework as the theoretical underpinning. The study used a quantitative methodological approach and convenience sampling to survey 445 organizations in a B2B procurement context in South Africa. The data were analyzed via structural equation modeling. The inquiry revealed that service quality was important to determine access to personnel and environmental sustainability, which had a favorable influence on personal relationships and gifts and, in turn, positively influenced relationships with salespeople and management. Culture, employment equity, and affirmative action positively affected Black Economic Empowerment status which had a favorable influence on the preference of suppliers’ salespeople. Several other positive associations were revealed, which resulted in a unique theoretical supplier preference contribution to the TBL framework. The study also provides organizations with a number of practical benefits stemming from the associations between the new sustainable B2B procurement/supplier constructs that are important as value-added business activities in an African developing economic context.

Dangerous Giving in Nineteenth-Century American Literature

Dangerous Giving in Nineteenth-Century American Literature

El costo de seguir una vocación: la pintura. Johannes Vermeer

That internal call defined by the impulses of attraction or rejection, of curiosity and experimentation, which like a magnet directs us to a specific horizon of possibilities for realization and that goes beyond mere occupation, has to do with a desire for fulfillment, and sometimes it demands courage and delivery, but you have to listen to it. Johannes Vermeer followed him, and while he paid his cost, he managed to deliver a personal gift to the world.

Mobility of Top Income Taxpayers in Response to Regional Differences in Personal Taxes: Evidence from Spain

Abstract The study empirically tests whether regional differences in personal taxes (Personal Income Tax, Wealth Tax, and Inheritance and Gift tax) have had some influence on the decision of the richest Spanish taxpayers to change their residence. The estimates use the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) Panel database provided by the Ministry of Public Finance. The study offers evidence that regional tax differences affect the decision to change residence of the top income taxpayers and also that this decision is also affected by other attractiveness and opportunity factors offered by the regions, and by certain characteristics of the individuals. However, the marginal effects are very slight, except for the coefficient of the variable showing regional differences in IRPF: If the difference between average regional IRPF rates increases by 10 percentage points in favour of the other regions, the probability of a top 1% taxpayer changing its residence increases by 11.2 percentage points. The study also documents the importance of the Community of Madrid in the relocation decisions of rich taxpayers. Finally, the study finds that the behaviour of taxpayers aged 65 years and over in the top 1% does not seem very different from that of all taxpayers in the same income bracket.

John Robinson, Mr Nicholls and the Brontës

Much is known about the people who were close to the Brontës, but John Robinson, a young boy who lived one mile from Haworth, in Stanbury, is given only a sentence or two in several major biographies. When he was thirteen, John became a pupil-teacher at the school in Haworth, a role for which he required extra tuition. He received this on Saturday mornings from the Rev Arthur Bell Nicholls. During his lessons, John witnessed first-hand Mr Nicholls' distress over his unrequited love for Charlotte Brontë—a situation John never forgot and was able to vividly recall later in life. Two newspaper articles featuring John's reminiscences add much to our knowledge about the private suffering of Mr Nicholls as well as John's closeness to his teacher. When Mr Nicholls married Charlotte, John was one of the few people invited to attend the ceremony. By the time he was eighteen, following the progress he had made in his studies, John was about to embark on a promising career when he received some very personal gifts from Patrick Brontë. In this paper, I hope to retrieve John from obscurity by examining the nature of his unique, close relationship with Mr Nicholls while revealing the esteemed place he held within the Brontë family.

3D printing: Development of animal products and special foods

The present review examines the printing properties of different animal protein-based food inks/materials used in the production of 3D printed constructs. The review examines their microstructural, colorimetric, printability, rheological and textural properties and investigates how these properties correlate to or are reflected in the characteristics of the printed constructs. These characteristics include their shape and dimensional stability, textural, nutritional, microstructural and sensorial properties. The review also examines the potential for development of animal protein-based special diets for people with special requirements such as for dysphagia patients and geriatrics. A special focus has been given to the application of transglutaminase for the development of 3D fish-based products and the possibility of developing cultured meat-based products. The properties of different food inks and 3D printed constructs based on animal proteins such as beef, poultry, fish, egg, seafood, milk, cheese and dairy ingredients were analysed with emphasis on the studies that were published in the last three years. Studies on the development of special animal protein-based diets and the possibility of 3D printed products based on cultured meat were critically reviewed. 3D food printing offers numerous possibilities for development of tailored animal protein-based structures and products which includes, but is not limited to, extraordinary flexibility in geometries, textures and flavours and customised nutrition. Technology for production of 3D printed meat products necessitates the reduction of particle size of meat and dilution of meaty and savoury flavour and this is generally expected to reduce the value of premium meat products. However, the technology might be a good option for utilization of lower value and tougher cuts and trimmings. Production of 3D printed cultured meat-based products is still at a conceptual stage and a little or no research has been done in this area. Consumer acceptance of 3D printed cultured meat products seems to be less favourable in Western countries like Australia. Technology for the production of several animal protein-based 3D printed products for special dietary requirements such as for dysphagia patients has been optimized and is currently feasible with good success. Fancy shaped 3D printed cheese and egg products may evolve as a new segment of foods with a focus on children, festive occasions and the personal gift market. This review expands our understanding of how the composition of food inks affects the properties of the printed constructs and generates knowledge that will be crucial for optimizing the 3D printed animal products for maximum nutritional and sensory benefits. Extensive research is required to develop unique animal-based products with functional and nutraceutical value to attract consumers. Scientific knowledge is required to decipher the underlying mechanisms of how 3D printing process affects the food microstructure and sensory characteristics and its impact on consumer acceptance that will expand the use of the technology within the food industry. • 3D food printing offers numerous possibilities for development of tailored animal protein-based products. • This technology might be a good option for utilization of lower value and tougher cuts of meat. • Production of 3D printed cultured meat-based products is still at a conceptual stage. • Production of the products for special dietary requirements is feasible with good success. • Fancy shaped 3D printed cheese and egg products may evolve as a new segment of foods.

Foundation News: How SEG Foundation donors make a real difference

Billions of dollars are raised every year to support great causes and to help millions of people through small personal gifts. Many nonprofits have been sustained primarily by the growth of small gifts, and the cash volume of online gifts in the United States reached a record level in 2020. Gifts of any size are worth much more than just the monetary value. The gift itself generates more gifts. Giving is driven by momentum, and nothing can create and grow momentum like small gifts.

Ivan Mestrovic’s Bronze of Michael Pupin at Columbia University

ABSTRACT Michael Idvorsky Pupin (1858–1935) is best known for his pioneering work in electrical engineering and for his contributions to the fields of telephony and telegraphy. Less well known is his career as an academic and scientist at Columbia. This article centers on the history of the bronze bust of Pupin created by the Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic (1883–1962) as a personal gift to the scientist, and which now stands in the hallway of Pupin Hall, Pupin’s renamed laboratory, at Columbia. Pupin, who had been born in poverty in what is now Serbia, was actively involved in the Pan Slavic movement to create Yugoslavia after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I (WWI) as was Mestrovic.

Yakub Kolas and Kazakh literature

The article examines the connections between the classic of Belarusian literature Yakub Kolas and some Kazakh writers. These connections are traced with the help of the collection materials of the State Literary and Memorial Museum of Yakub Kolas, and the creative activity and life paths of Belarusian and Kazakh writers are also analyzed. The acquaintance of Yakub Kolas with the classics of Kazakh literature Sabit Mukanov and Mukhtar Auezov is described in detail, and their creative paths and significance for their peoples are compared. Attention is especially focused on the similarity of social and political activities and literary creativity (military poems, autobiographical novels) by Sabit Mukanov and Yakub Kolas. Possible ways of developing cooperation between museums established in honor of Kazakh writers and the literary museum of the classic of Belarusian literature are noted.The connection with Kazakhstan of the national poet of Belarus during the Great Patriotic War is also not overlooked, as are the translations of the works of Yakub Kolas into the Kazakh language. The material also contains an attempt to analyze the degree of popularity of the Belarusian classic Yakub Kolas among the Kazakh creative intelligentsia. It can be assumed that the congratulatory address and personal gifts from Kazakh writers are evidence of the recognition, respect and certain fame of Yakub Kolas in the spaces of the Kazakh steppe.

Study of the COVID-19’s Impact on the Online Customer Flow of Daily Commodities: A Big Data Approach

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the brick-and-mortar business hard, but how would it affect the online business? The research group collected big data on the customer flow of 1,000 daily commodities for two weeks before and after the pandemic outbreak from Taobao online shopping platform. It was found that: the Covid-19 has caused a significant negative impact on the online customer inflow, and its overall growth rate decreased. The products related to personal care, gifts and business stationery experienced the most significant decline, while daily necessities maintained a relatively stable customer flow, with little or no decline. In contrast, the products related to pandemic-control exhibited substantial growth in both customer flow and page views. Accordingly, the research group believes that developing contactless logistics and contactless production, building a time-space separation balanced supply system for pandemic-control products, and promoting altruistic social spending are necessary countermeasures to restore the negative impacts of the pandemic on online business.

Patients with major medical illness seek cosmetic procedures to preserve a healthy appearance and avoid looking ill

Patients with major medical illness seek cosmetic procedures to preserve a healthy appearance and avoid looking ill