The movie industry offers a useful context to study consumer-driven gender biases, as it enables observation of how the gender of leading actors, directors, and producers relates to movie performance outcomes. Using a dataset of over 5,000 globally produced movies from 1998 to 2008, we document a distinct non-linear relationship between female representation in leading roles and audience ratings. Specifically, ratings initially decline significantly as the number of female leads increases, reaching a turning point at approximately two female leads, beyond which ratings stabilize or slightly improve (convex pattern). This negative impact on audience ratings is driven by male viewers, whose presence diminishes as female representation grows. In contrast, professional film awards exhibit a concave pattern peaking significantly at two female leads. Further accounting for selection, we reveal that audience gender biases persist even after accounting for the selective attrition of male viewers from movies featuring female leads.

Fisheries industry plays a crucial role in addressing food and nutrition security challenges in developing countries. This study examines the dynamics of price pass-through along the spatial markets in Sri Lanka. Findings reveal that Colombo and Kandy markets are the main driver of price pass-through due to their strategic locations and advanced infrastructure. We further identify that one standard deviation positive price shock in Colombo and Kandy markets has an immediate significant impact on other regional markets. Policies related to improving transportation and cold storage facilities can help to reduce reliance on central markets for nationwide distribution.

Alternative disposable dinnerware treatments to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are under development. A discrete choice experiment of 1,304 U.S. consumers addressed the market’s response to bio-based alternatives. Information nudges were used to assess the impact of health and environmental information on behavior. Data were analyzed using mixed logit models. Bio-based treated plates generated premiums compared to the PFAS-treated plates. Participants exposed to either environmental or health information were willing to pay a price premium of $2.0-$2.12 for bio-based treatments. Both information nudges generated premiums for the USDA Certified Bio-based products relative to the control.

Here we examine product attributes present in dry dog food to show there exist potential price premiums and discounts associated with health and wellness attributes in dry dog food. The findings indicate price premiums are associated with attributes related to digestion and allergy care. Pricing discounts are found to be associated with immune support and dental attributes. The results of this study are anticipated to be a starting point for more sophisticated and dynamic analysis of pricing and willingness-to-pay studies in the pet food industry.

Internet services are often free of charge but ask for customers’ personal data in exchange for usage. We experimentally study whether the provision of information-based public goods is susceptible to restraint when contributions not only make contributors better off but also enable a non-contributing “big player” to acquire substantial profits. We show that the presence of the big player crowds out the willingness to provide neutral tokens, but no such effect is observed for the provision of private information. Hence, collecting anonymized personal data instead of monetary fees can be more profitable to service providers and create greater benefits for customers.

Hedonic models that seek to explain the observable variation in wine and beer prices have so far included alcohol by volume (ABV) only as a control variable without paying much attention to the magnitude of the coefficient and without questioning the implicit assumption that the impact of ABV on bottle prices is indeed linear. Using data from the “Austrian Spirits Trophy 2023,” we find the relationship between ABV and bottle prices to be nonlinear, with statistically significant effects observed for linear, squared, and cubic terms of alcohol content. Moreover, we find expert evaluations of spirits to demonstrate a nonlinear relationship with ABV too.

Corporate political engagement is increasingly noticeable at grocery stores; however, there is limited research evaluating the impact on consumer demand. Here, we investigate the case of Aunt Jemima (AJ), which responded to criticism that the branding was racist by removing the eponymous image and renaming the brand Pearl Milling Company. We evaluate the changes on demand for both the brand and their competitors and find that renaming the brand reduced both willingness to pay for and choice of AJ and increased choice of competitors. Finally, we show these effects are mitigated significantly by informing consumers of the reason for rebranding.

Goat meat consumption has grown in recent years due to dietary and cultural changes. US demand has surpassed domestic supply, presenting an opportunity for industry expansion. This study provides valuable insights into consumer preferences for goat meat. A sample of 1,015 Floridians was randomly assigned to a control and three treatment groups that included information about the health and/or environmental benefits of goat meat. Results show a significant difference in willingness to pay for goat meat under different information treatments. Persuasive marketing campaigns can increase consumers’ preferences for goat meat by raising awareness of the health and environmental benefits.

This paper investigates the market position of hard cider within the broader alcoholic beverage market. The first experiment identifies two distinct consumer segments—around 40% prioritize flavor attributes, while 53% prefer production information. The second experiment utilizes a basket- and expenditure-based choice experiment and a multiple discrete choice extreme value model to assess hard cider's standing among commonly consumed alcoholic beverages. Results reveal that hard cider is perceived as a complement to red and white wine but is independent from beer. The study suggests marketing hard cider in conjunction with white wine to capitalize on observed complementarity. Emphasizing the importance of addressing both consumer segments—those valuing flavor notes and those prioritizing production information—the research offers valuable insights for optimizing hard cider market strategies.

Consumer choice of differentiated products, such as wine, depends on the composition of the choice set consumers are choosing from. However, choice sets are often situationally defined through wine-tasting lists or displayed wines in a particular tasting and sales environment. In this paper, we use an experiment to explicitly modify the saliency of wine options available outside the tasting room choice set and the amount of sensory information available about the wines before wine tasting. We explicitly test whether consumer regret and fear of missing out on alternative options or consumer search costs are more likely to drive behavior around large choice sets. We find that increasing the saliency of outside options decreases one's propensity to taste the wines available for tasting and purchase immediately, while changing search costs through sensory descriptions does not affect tasting behavior. This provides support for the anticipated regret and fear of missing out motivations for behavior around large wine-tasting lists.

Red supergiants (RSGs) are the brightest stars in the near-infrared. The existence of their period-luminosity relation (PLR) will be very helpful in determining cosmological distances. This review discusses the development in identification of RSGs, calculation of their light variation period, determination of the PLR, and the uncertainties associated. It is found that the PLR of RSGs exhibits the smallest scatter in the near-infrared, in particular within the P – MK relation. The PLRs in the LMC, SMC, M31, and M33 show no obvious dependence on the galactic metallicity, which follows approximately the relation as MK ≈ −3.1 log P – 1.9.

Data from 1,422 feeder cattle teleauction lots were used to assess the impacts on profitability of the Virginia quality assured (VQA) feeder cattle program. The analysis finds higher profits for VQA cattle due to their faster turnover and lower feed costs; however, certification does not have a significant effect on price received by producers. The analysis further suggests that the cost associated with production under VQA should be considered in addition to price effects studied in previous literature.

The aim of our study is to investigate how innovation is taking place through different research and development (R&D) activities and to establish a link between innovation and business sustainability in the context of Indian pharmaceutical companies. Our study is based on the secondary data. Sample data of 37 Indian pharmaceutical companies listed on the National Stock Exchange have been used based on the stratified sampling technique. For empirical analysis we have performed descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, and panel regression analysis as statistical techniques with the help of STATA 12.0 statistical package. R2 value can predict 100 and 98.20% variability in return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) in model 1 and model 2, respectively. In model 1, the value of c2 is 1.48 and its corresponding p value is 0.00 (<0.05) which means that the model is a good fit for interpretation. R&D intensity is having a positive effect on ROA and the effect is statistically significant at 1% level. Advertising and marketing intensity, capital intensity, leverage ratio and operating expenditure to the total assets ratio are having positive effect on ROA but the effect is not statistically significant. In model 2, the value of F statistics is 8025.62 and its corresponding p value is 0.00 which is <0.05. It means that the model is a good fit for study. R&D intensity is having a positive effect on ROE and the effect is statistically significant at 1% level. Advertising and marketing intensity, capital intensity and operating expenditure to the total assets ratio have positive effect on ROE and the effect is statistically significant at 1% level. Leverage ratio is having a negative effect on ROE but the effect is statically significant at 10% level.

We present a progress report on our deep and wide-field imaging survey of the Andromeda halo with Hyper Suprime Cam (HSC) mounted on Subaru. HSC is the upgraded prime focus camera after Suprime-Cam, having a field of view of 1.77 square degree (1.5 degree in diameter), namely about 10 times larger than that of Suprime-Cam. This camera will thus offer us great opportunities to explore unique and legacy surveys for the Andromeda halo, as well as for other Galactic Archaeology science cases.

This article utilizes the 2011 Nielsen scanner data for the Honolulu fresh tomato market to explore the existence of price premium for local food. Hedonic analysis is conducted to delineate the price impact of the local attribute. Contrary to the widely perceived local price premium in the consumer preference literature, mixed results of price premiums and discounts are discovered for local tomato products. Additional investigation suggests that the prices of local tomatoes are likely influenced by seasonal output fluctuation. The limited market distribution capacity facing local producers may have contributed further to the retail discounting.

Consumer product manufacturers often compete in dynamic, multi-firm oligopolies using multiple strategic tools. While existing empirical models of strategic interaction typically consider only parts of the more general problem, this paper presents a more comprehensive alternative. Marketing decisions are dynamically optimal, consistent with optimal consumer choice, and responsive to rival decisions. Using a single-market case study that consists of five years of four-weekly data on ready-to-eat cereal sales, prices, and new brand introductions, we test several hypotheses regarding the nature of strategic interaction among several rival manufacturers. We find that cereal manufacturers price and introduce new brands cooperatively in the same period, but behave more competitively when dynamic reactions are included.

The present article discusses general issues associated with experimental auctions and their relative advantages and disadvantages over other marketing research techniques. Experimental auctions create an active market environment with feedback where subjects exchange real goods and real money, which is not generally the case with other methods. The article also discusses four experimental design issues associated with experimental auctions: auction mechanism, market feedback and bidder affiliation, demand reduction and wealth effects, and multiple attribute valuation. Each of these experimental design issues, if not properly controlled, have the potential to create serious flaws in marketing recommendations.

Consumer-level hedonic models are estimated to determine factors affecting retail pork and beef meat cuts. Results indicate that brand premium and discount varies across private, national, and store brands and that brand premium varies across meat cuts carrying the same brand name. Product size discounts are linear for beef and nonlinear for pork, meat items on sale are significantly discounted to nonsale items, specialty stores typically will not garner higher prices than supermarket/grocery stores, and warehouse stores typically have premium prices relative to supermarket/grocery stores.

As the farm-to-retail price spread continues to grow, some cattle producers are beginning to consider integrating into the retail sector. Such a venture would require large investments in capital with uncertain return. This study seeks to determine the potential success of a stand-alone retail outlet selling “all natural” beef in an affluent area of Jackson, MS. Using choice-based conjoint analysis, demand for the new retail outlet is modeled as a function of the beef price at the store, distance of the store from consumers' homes, distance of the store from consumers' typical grocery store, and price of beef at substitute grocery stores. Simulation results suggest the proposed outlet could be a profitable venture, depending upon location and beef price.

The contingent valuation method was used to elicit Japanese consumers' willingness-to-pay for genetically modified organism (GMO) segregation programs. The results revealed that most consumers pay nonnegligible premiums for products produced under strict GMO-segregation programs. However, we found that the premium did not vary by the threshold level of GMO content in the product. We further found that a government certification did not increase the premium for GMO-segregation programs. Therefore, an additional mandatory regulation to reduce GMO contaminations would not be worthwhile because such a regulation would incur substantial enforcement costs.