Purchase Requests Research Articles

‘Where do you want to go today?’ An analysis of family group decisions to visit museums

Families with children are important arts audiences. Yet, few studies have examined the pre-purchase behaviour of this market segment. In contrast to previous research, this paper employs an interpretative approach to study the interactive dynamics of family groups within a single decision context. The data were obtained from the participants' recollection of a freshly made decision – the decision to visit a museum. Based on group interviews with 37 families with children, this paper demonstrates the joint decisions made by the adults and children together, and identifies four decision patterns. The findings contribute new insights into the active roles that children play in museum consumption, including making purchase requests and suggestions, and acting as the decision makers. This paper also clarifies the role of each child in the decision-making process. A model for joint decision making is proposed for further testing and development in future research.

Point-of-Need Collection Development: The Getting It System Toolkit (GIST) and a New System for Acquisitions and Interlibrary Loan Integrated Workflow and Collection Development

The authors developed the Getting It System Toolkit (GIST) software, which integrates with the commercially available ILLiad interlibrary loan (ILL) management software. At the point that a user places an ILL request or a book purchase request, GIST collects information from both the user and from external sources to provide decision-making data, such as whether the title is held locally, whether a free Internet version exists, whether the user has a format or edition preference, and how much the title costs. Working together, GIST and ILLiad simplify the complex ILL and acquisitions processes by allowing loan and purchase requests to pass between the two departments. GIST is an innovative tool designed to reconcile formerly disparate workflows and enable effective collection decision making.

Multi-unit differential auction–barter model for electronic marketplaces

Differential auction–barter (DAB) model augments the well-known double auction (DA) model with barter bids so that besides the usual purchase and sale activities, bidders can also carry out direct bartering of items. The DAB model also provides a mechanism for making or receiving a differential money payment as part of the direct bartering of items, hence, allowing bartering of different valued items. In this paper, we propose an extension to the DAB model, called the multi-unit differential auction–barter (MUDAB) model for e-marketplaces in which multiple instances of commodities are exchanged. Furthermore, a more powerful and flexible bidding language is designed which allows bidders to express their complex preferences of purchase, sell and exchange requests, and hence increases the allocative efficiency of the market compared to the DAB. The winner determination problem of the MUDAB model is formally defined, and a fast polynomial-time network flow based algorithm is proposed for solving the problem. The fast performance of the algorithm is also demonstrated on various test cases containing up to one million bids. Thus, the proposed model can be used in large-scale online auctions without worrying about the running times of the solver.

Australian children's views about food advertising on television

This study explored children's views about food advertising on television in the light of recent public interest in childhood obesity and obesogenic environments. Thirty-seven children aged between 8 and 11 years, discussed their perceptions of food advertising, in focus groups. The children engaged as consumers of advertising, noticing technical aspects, and expressing their likes and dislikes of particular techniques. While they understood the persuasive intent of advertising, they nevertheless desired products and made purchase requests. They particularly desired energy-dense nutrient-poor foods. The children demonstrated sophisticated levels of advertising literacy through their articulation of problems such as deception, impacts on children's health and wellbeing, and family conflict. They revealed themselves as sentient beings, with the capacity to react, respond and reflect on their experience of advertising. This study makes a contribution to research on consumer socialisation by introducing the perspective of Australian children. As stakeholders in the childhood obesity problem, the views of children should also be of interest to health policymakers.

SellTrend: Inter-Attribute Visual Analysis of Temporal Transaction Data

We present a case study of our experience designing SellTrend, a visualization system for analyzing airline travel purchase requests. The relevant transaction data can be characterized as multi-variate temporal and categorical event sequences, and the chief problem addressed is how to help company analysts identify complex combinations of transaction attributes that contribute to failed purchase requests. SellTrend combines a diverse set of techniques ranging from time series visualization to faceted browsing and historical trend analysis in order to help analysts make sense of the data. We believe that the combination of views and interaction capabilities in SellTrend provides an innovative approach to this problem and to other similar types of multivariate, temporally driven transaction data analysis. Initial feedback from company analysts confirms the utility and benefits of the system.

Parental mediation of children's TV viewing in China: an urban‐rural comparison

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how parental mediation of children's television viewing varies among urban and rural children in China.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 1,056 children ages 6 to 14 in nine Chinese provinces was conducted. Independent sample t‐tests were performed to make rural‐urban comparisons. Correlation analyses were provided on the relationships between parental mediation styles and children's television usage, and between parental mediation styles and children's purchase request.FindingsThe paper finds that urban parents engage in more instructive mediation and restrictive mediation than rural parents. Urban parents use restrictive mediation the more often, while rural parents use co‐viewing the more frequently. Only urban children's television viewing has a significantly positive relationship with co‐viewing with their parents. In general, children's purchase request is positively related to parental mediation styles in rural and urban China (except for restrictive mediation in rural areas).Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on an analysis of secondary data. Future studies should adopt established scales of parental mediation styles for the Chinese context.Practical implicationsThe findings should help public policy makers understand the dynamic parents‐children interactions with television, and help marketers find effective and efficient ways to reach young Chinese consumers.Originality/valueThe study represents a preliminary effort to examine the antecedents of television parental mediation, its occurrence, and its potential effects in the Chinese context.

Guinea-Bissau: Use of Fund Resources - Request for Third Purchase Under Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance: Staff Report; Staff Supplement; Press Release; and Statement by the Executive Director for Guinea-Bissau

Global economic developments in Guinea-Bissau, especially lower export demand and prices, are expected to slow growth significantly and put pressure on the balance of payments. The 2009 fiscal framework aims to stabilize public finances and avoid new domestic arrears. The authorities are requesting a third Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA) purchase of 12.5 percent of quota to support their 2009 economic framework. A third EPCA purchase would give them time to demonstrate a track record of policy performance that could pave the way for a new Poverty Reduction Growth Facility arrangement.

Children's influences on in-store purchases

Relatively little is known about the influence children have on their parents’ purchases in a retail setting. This study investigates which factors affect children's purchase requests and their parents’ subsequent purchases. It was found that factors influencing the number of children's purchase requests were the freedom of a child's movements, the product's visibility, and the child's developmental stage. The latter variable together with the suitability of the good for consumption on the premises, the linguistic form of child's request, the parent's household income, and the price of the good determine the number of purchases following a child's request.

The commercial food landscape: outdoor food advertising around primary schools in Australia

Food marketing is linked to childhood obesity through its influence on children's food preferences, purchase requests and food consumption. We aimed to describe the volume and nature of outdoor food advertisements and factors associated with outdoor food advertising in the area surrounding Australian primary schools. Forty primary schools in Sydney and Wollongong were selected using random sampling within population density and socio-economic strata. The area within a 500 m radius of each school was scanned and advertisements coded according to pre-defined criteria, including: food or non-food product advertisement, distance from the school, size and location. Food advertisements were further categorised as core foods, non-core foods and miscellaneous drinks (tea and coffee). The number of advertisements identified was 9,151, of which 2,286 (25%) were for food. The number of non-core food advertisements was 1,834, this accounted for 80% of food advertisements. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages were the food products most commonly advertised around primary schools (24% and 22% of food advertisements, respectively). Non-core food products were twice as likely to be advertised close to a primary school (95 non-core food advertisements per km(2) within 250 m vs. 46 advertisements per km(2) within 250-500 m). The density of non-core food advertisements within 500 m of primary schools, and the potential for repeated exposure of children to soft drink and alcoholic beverage advertisements in particular, highlights the need for outdoor food marketing policy intervention. Outdoor advertising is an important food marketing tool that should be considered in future debates on regulation of food marketing to children.

Television food advertising directed towards Bulgarian children

Background: Childhood obesity is a serious health problem worldwide with a prevalence rising to epidemic proportions. Television viewing is suspected as an important contributor and along with food advertisements significantly...

Guinea-Bissau: Review of Performance Under the Program Supported by Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance and Request for Second Purchase Under Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance-Staff Report; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Guinea-Bissau

"Volume 2008 (2008): Issue 266 (Aug 2008): Guinea-Bissau: Review of Performance Under the Program Supported by Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance and Request for Second Purchase Under Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance-Staff Report; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Guinea-Bissau" published on 01 Aug 2008 by International Monetary Fund.

The Effects of Food Marketing on Children's Preferences: Testing the Moderating Roles of Age and Gender

A large body of research suggests that food marketing affects children's food preferences, short- and long-term dietary consumption, and purchase requests directed to parents. It is frequently argued that younger children are more susceptible to marketers' messages than older children because they do not understand the persuasive nature of advertising; however, little direct evidence supports this claim. Employing an experimental design, this study examined the influence of food marketing on children's preferences and tested whether age (and gender) moderated the effects of ad exposure. The sample consisted of 133 children between the ages of five and eleven. Results indicated that exposure to food commercials increased children's preferences for the advertised products. Age did not moderate this effect; younger and older children were equally persuaded by the commercials. Boys were more influenced by the commercials than girls. Implications for the study of food marketing to children are discussed.

How our adolescent children influence us as parents to yield to their purchase requests

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence tactics used by adolescent children and parental yielding to these tactics outside North America.Design/methodology/approachParents of children ages ten to 18 in Israel were surveyed. The questionnaire included questions on adolescents' influence tactics for two products – breakfast cereals and athletic shoes. It also included items to assess parental yielding.FindingsThe findings indicate that Israeli adolescents use rational tactics more often than emotional tactics for both products. Parental yielding follows the same pattern – it is highest for rational tactics and lowest for emotional tactics for both products.Research limitations/implicationsSome ways to improve on this kind of research in the future are using a non‐convenience sample with more balanced gender composition of adolescents and collecting data from multiple countries.Practical implicationsOne important implication of our findings is that, given that parents are more likely to respond to rational rather than emotional tactics, marketers' efforts toward parents need to use similar appeals. Another practical implication pertains to how parents can handle constant purchase/consumption requests by their children. The findings suggest that parents can find comfort in the fact that not yielding to emotional tactics like guilt trips is quite common (and, therefore, okay) among parents in different places in the world.Originality/valueAn important contribution of this research is that it examines an important issue, children's influence on family decision making, in a culture outside North America. Children's influence on family purchases continues to grow, both within the USA and elsewhere. Yet, with a few exceptions, most empirical studies were conducted in the USA and less is known about children's influence elsewhere.

The weighty issue of Australian television food advertising and childhood obesity

The aim of this paper is to provide an accessible overview of research literature on the link between childhood obesity and food advertising on Australian television. A systematic review of current medical, public health, psychological and marketing research literature surrounding the topics of childhood obesity and television food advertising, with emphasis on Australian data. Childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1985, mirrored by increases in consumption of energy-dense foods. Energy-dense food advertising is ubiquitous in children's television programming, but children's ability to perceive the commercial intent of advertisements only emerges gradually as a function of age. Until such time, children are trusting, and hence vulnerable, to food advertising, influencing their desires and purchase requests to parents. There is robust evidence to suggest that television viewing and childhood obesity are related. However, the direction of causation and specific contribution of food advertising remains equivocal. Moreover, the link between television and childhood obesity is surprisingly weak, with only a small independent effect size (approximately 1%). Television food advertising seems to have only a very small, indirect link to childhood obesity.

Parental Mediation of Undesired Advertising Effects

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of various types of parental mediation of 3 potentially undesired effects of television advertising. In a survey among 360 parent–child dyads with children in the 8 to 12 years age range, we investigated how different styles of advertising mediation (active vs. restrictive) and family consumer communication (concept-oriented vs. socio-oriented) moderated the relations between the children's advertising exposure and their materialism, purchase requests, and conflicts with their parents. Our results showed that active advertising mediation and concept-oriented consumer communication were most effective in reducing the effects of advertising.

Preventing Infectious Aerosol Hazards to Laboratorians: A Team Effort To Obtain Biological Safety Cabinets for Oregon Sentinel Hospital Labs

ISSUE: In November 2002, 44 hospital labs performing high-complexity microbiology on wound, respiratory, and/or blood culture specimens were enrolled into the Oregon Laboratory Response Network (OLRN) as “sentinels.” Twelve of the 44 OLRN labs (27%) had inadequate or no biological safety cabinets (BSCs). Coordinated by the Oregon State Public Health Laboratories (OSPHL) and complying with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention's 2002 Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism (BT) grant, OLRN sentinels can quickly rule out and refer BT agents to the OSPHL for confirmation. When aerosols are generated and high-risk BT agents are suspected, the sentinels use appropriate biosafety practices and move to BSCs to prevent nosocomial transmission of pathogens. By referring out tuberculosis and fungal respiratory specimen requests, these 12 facilities passed state licensing inspections without BSCs. In 2003, the need for certified BSCs in these hospitals increased due to potential emerging laboratory transmissible pathogens and the possibility of BT agent events. PROJECT: With bed sizes ranging from 12 to 672 licensed beds (median 39), and with 11 of the 12 hospitals in rural locations, the 12 facilities lacked adequate funding and associated remodeling costs for BSCs. To estimate funding costs and space requirements, surveys were sent in September 2003 to each hospital lacking BSCs. BSCs and associated remodeling costs were approved by the Oregon Hospital Preparedness Advisory Committee in October 2003 and funded by the Oregon Health Resources and Services Administration (OHRSA) cooperative agreement. Using BSC specifications developed by the OSPHL microbiology department, a request for purchase was submitted by the OHRSA in November 2003. RESULTS: A BSC contractor was chosen through the state purchasing department in January 2004. The 12 BSCs are being installed and certified and staff is being trained during the first quarter of 2004. LESSONS LEARNED: From needs assessment to funding and installation, timelines for facilitating hospital laboratory BSCs (and thus preventing infectious aerosol hazards to laboratorians) may take over 1 year.

Authentication tests and disjoint encryption: A design method for security protocols*

We describe a protocol design process, and illustrate its use by creating ATSPECT, an Authentication Test-based Secure Protocol for Electronic Commerce Transactions. The design process is organized around the authentication tests, a method for protoc

Influence of TV Advertisements on Children's Buying Response: Role of Parent-Child Interaction

The study seeks to assess the possible effects of television advertising on children's buying response from early childhood to early adolescence and the role of parent-child interaction in this process. For the purpose, two non-disguised structured questionnaires were designed and administered: one to the children and the other to their parents. Children from different income groups and both the sexes were considered. The study has revealed that parents give due recognition to the increasing role of children above the age of eight years in the family's purchase decision. Both the parents and the children felt the impact of TV advertisements on children's purchase request. However, with an increase in the age of the child, the parents' perception of the children's purchase request being influenced by TV advertisements tended to decrease. Parents' response to children's purchase request was found to be strongly influenced by the age of the child and the family income. The results further implied that parent-child interaction plays an important role in the children's learning positive consumer values and in parents perceiving the influence as positive on their children's buying response. Thus, instead of criticizing TV advertisements, it would be desirable if parents resort to more of co-viewing and explaining the intent and contents of such advertisements to their children.

The Unintended Effects of Television Advertising

The aim of this parent-child survey is to investigate how television advertising is related to children's purchase requests, materialism, disappointment, life dissatisfaction, and family conflict. In a first step, a conceptual model based on existing hypotheses was developed, and in a second step, this model was tested using a sample of 360 parent-child (8- to 12-year-olds) dyads. Using structural equation modeling, the findings show that advertising is positively and directly related to children's purchase requests and materialism. It is also positively, though indirectly (mediated by advertising-induced purchase requests), related to family conflict, disappointment, and life dissatisfaction. Parent-child consumer communication and parental mediation of advertising are important moderators of the effects of advertising on children's purchase requests and materialism.

Effects of Reducing Television Viewing on Children's Requests for Toys: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Previous attempts to reduce the effects of television advertising on children's purchase requests have had little success. Therefore, we tested the effects of a classroom intervention to reduce television, videotape, and video game use on children's toy purchase requests, in a school-based randomized controlled trial. Third- and fourth-grade children (mean age, 8.9 years) in two sociodemographically and scholastically matched public elementary schools were eligible to participate. Children in one randomly selected elementary school received an 18-lesson, 6-month classroom curriculum to reduce television, videotape, and video game use. In both schools, in September (before intervention) and April (after intervention) of a single school year, children and parents reported children's prior week's purchase requests for toys seen on television. After intervention, children in the intervention school were significantly less likely to report toy purchase requests than children in the control school, with adjusting for baseline purchase requests, gender, and age (odds ratio, 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.69). Among intervention school children, reductions in self-reported purchase requests were also associated with reductions in television viewing. There was no significant difference between schools in parent reports of children's requests for toy purchases. These findings suggest that reducing television viewing is a promising approach to reducing the influences of advertising on children's behavior.