Showing papers on "Purchasing power published in 2022"

Comprehensive Analysis of Power and Handloom Market Failures and Potential Regrowth Options

Abstract: Millions of individuals in our nation’s rural and urban regions have access to work prospects thanks to the handloom, a traditional industry in India. The handloom business has suffered since modernization. The creations of new technology capitalist rule, a decline in salaries, a rise in the price of yarn, as well as other issues, are the concerns. This current study is mainly textual. The handloom industry has significant marketing related challenges. In selling the fabric to the consumer, intermediaries are important. Due to improper market- ing, the cotton industry has supplanted the handloom industry’s traditional market in India, where it dominates textile manufacturing. This handloom industry needs to develop a comprehensive marketing plan. Our research deals with doing a descriptive analysis of a comparable organization that aspires to conserve Thanjavur’s hand woven legacy. The inquiry would encourage research on the benefits it provided for the weavers and the existing environ- ment, specifically identifying their degree of happiness with their employment in modern society. To gather the basic data, scheduling was employed. To create a preliminary research sample, 75 weavers were selected.

Multi-step optimization of the purchasing options of power retailers to feed their portfolios of consumers

Abstract: The liberalization of the retail market of electricity increased the tariff choice of end-use consumers. Retailers compete in the retail market for customers, obtaining private portfolios of end-use consumers to manage. Retailers buy electricity at wholesale markets to feed their customers’ demands. They can use spot, derivatives, and bilateral markets to acquire the energy they need. The increasing levels of variable renewable energy sources trading at spot markets, increase the price volatility of these markets. To hedge against the volatility of spot prices, retailers may negotiate standard physical or financial bilateral contracts at derivatives markets. Alternatively, they can also negotiate private bilateral contracts. This article addresses the optimization of the retailers purchasing options, to increase their risk-return ratio from electricity markets, and offer more competitive tariffs to consumers. Considering the risk attitude of retailers, they use a multi-step purchasing model composed of a multi-level risk-return optimization and a decision support system. The article presents an agent-based study considering a retailer with a portfolio of 312 real-world consumers. Risk-seeking and risk-neutral retailers obtained a return up to 38%, less than 7% of the optimal return. However, risk-neutral retailers are subject to four times higher risk in their returns than risk-seeking retailers. The results support the conclusion that wholesale markets of electricity are more favourable to risk-seeking retailers, considering their real returns. • An agent-based simulation of the behaviour of power retailers in wholesale markets. • A multi-step model for optimizing the wholesale purchasing options of retailers. • A dual objective multi-level risk-return optimization of the purchasing options. • A decision support system to suggest the best purchasing options. • A study testing the model by considering a retailer with different risk attitudes.

Open Business Model of Eco-Innovation for Sustainability Development: Implications for the Open-Innovation Dynamics of Slovakia

Abstract: The paper presents the results of a survey aimed at evaluating the attitudes of Slovak respondents toward eco-innovation purchasing power supplied on the Slovak market to propose an open business model that would support such purchasing power to increase sustainability. The primary method applied in the research was the Kano model, by which we determined the attitudes of the respondents to the issue. Based on the findings and using the analytical-synthetic method, we subsequently processed a proposal for a business model for implementation of ecological innovation in Slovakia. This model used innovative marketing communication tools to increase interest in eco-innovation and products, and created a learning algorithm to influence customers’ shopping behaviors. As a result of the research, we assumed that the main obstacles to increasing demand for eco-innovation and products were inexperience, cost, and lack of information held by respondents, and therefore it is necessary to build and improve customer relationships, in which, in addition to traditional forms of marketing, it is inevitable to use various innovative forms of corporate social responsibility to minimize these negatives.

Examining the effects of urbanization and purchasing power on the relationship between motorcycle ownership and economic development: A panel data

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of urbanization, purchasing power, and income on motorcycle ownership and the effects of interactions between these factors. Specifically, we examined how the inverse-U relationship between motorcycle ownership and economic development changed in response to different levels of purchasing power and urbanization. We apply a fixed effects negative binomial panel regression analysis on a panel data of 73 countries between 1963 and 2013. Results revealed evidence of an inverse-U relationship between purchasing power and motorcycle ownership. Motorcycle ownership increases during the beginning stages of consumer price index (CPI), due to higher purchasing power. Once a threshold level was exceeded, higher CPI (lesser purchasing power) created an inverted effect, which led to a decline in motorcycle ownership. Importantly, the turning point increased in accordance with an increase in urbanization. The estimation results also suggested that the inverse-U relationship between motorcycle ownership and per capita GDP varied in accordance with both purchasing power and urbanization.

Business marketing activities in Ukraine during wartime

Abstract: The war in Ukraine dealt a crushing blow to the country’s economy. The relevance of the topic is due to the marketing ability to be an effective tool for restoring and developing business in Ukraine. The paper aims to define the state and prospects for developing business and its marketing component during the war in Ukraine. The research analysis demonstrates that the share of business representatives who completely or partially ceased their activities during the first three months of the war decreased from 75.3% in March to 49.0% in May (compared to February 24, 2022), which is indicative of the gradual resumption of business in Ukraine. At the same time, it was found that in May 2022, the food retail, non-food retail, household appliances, and electronics sectors partially resumed their work. The best renewal rates are observed in the jewelry sector, and the worst – in the entertainment sector. A study of marketing activities in Ukraine shows that the most positive changes regarding gradual renewal are observed in digital marketing. The paper highlights the key consequences of hostilities for Ukrainian business and its marketing activities: supply chain disruption, reduced purchasing power, changes in consumer demand, stockpiling, and a state of uncertainty among business representatives. In addition, the study offers general approaches to adapting marketing and SMM during the war to preserve, restore, and further develop business in Ukraine.

Analysis of Lifestyle and Consumer Attitude Towards Intention to Purchase a Personal Car During Pandemic

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic is a new virus that allegedly originated in Wuhan, China, in 2019. This COVID-19 has spread rapidly, disrupting all sectors of life in various countries. The Covid-19 pandemic also impacted Indonesia's economic decline in 2020 and triggered the acceleration of the world recession. The policy of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) and regional quarantine significantly impacted the delay in the distribution of goods, which resulted in employee housing and even layoffs. The fear of contracting COVID-19 triggers the intensity of the use of private vehicles as well as the intention to own a car. Lifestyle changes in traveling, especially the choice of the private car, are also influenced by the primary destination and distance traveled during the pandemic. But the economic pressure of the impact of the pandemic has become a substantial perception control that holds back the realization of intention to make a personal vehicle purchase decision. Although there has been an increase in the frequency of private vehicle use during the pandemic, in reality, the increase has not impacted private car sales. This is caused by the purchasing power of consumers, who are still hampered because of the pandemic. The government itself is aware that the automotive industry is an industry that has a significant contribution to 20 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and absorbs 1.5 million workers. This prompted the government to issue a stimulus in the form of policy relaxation to boost the productivity of the auto industry.

Pandemic-related financial hardship and disparities in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and purchasing among San Francisco Bay Area residents during COVID-19

Abstract: Some reports suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shifts to unhealthier diets. These unhealthier diets may include sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), which strongly contribute to diabetes and other chronic diseases. Using cross-sectional surveys in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA we sought to assess self-reported SSB consumption during the pandemic's shelter-in-place and self-reported changes in SSB purchasing from before to during the pandemic's shelter-in-place, stratifying by indices of pandemic-related financial hardship. Nearly 60% of our diverse sample (N = 943) reported that it was harder to pay for basics (like food and utilities) during shelter-in-place. Among those who found it harder to pay for basics and received financial assistance during shelter-in-place, we found a ten-fold higher frequency of daily SSB consumption compared to those not facing new financial hardship (2.76 [95% CI: 1.78, 3.74] versus 0.30 [95% CI: 0.23, 0.37] times/day). There were no statistically significant increases in reported purchasing of any SSB, but those with new financial hardship during shelter-in-place reported greater purchasing of regular soda relative to those with no new hardship (0.20 on a 3-point scale [95% CI: 0.03, 0.37]). Our findings suggest that new hardship may increase unhealthy behaviors and worsen existing disparities in SSB consumption. Such disparities are a reminder of the urgent need to reduce economic inequity and improve the quality of our emergency food system in order to mitigate the impact of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poverty, Household Structure and Consumption of Foods Away from Home in Peru in 2019: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the probability of buying food away from home according to the type of household using the logit model, as well as the sociodemographic characteristics of the heads of household, and how much income expenditure represents. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the National Household Survey (ENAHO) 2019 database. After joining the database, the household type variables were created. To calculate the probability with the “logit” model of purchase, the variables—family size, income, types of household, and total expenditure—were selected as a measure of the purchasing power of the family. A statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was found between the probability of consumption and the variables: age of household members, predominance, nuclear without children–married, nuclear with children–cohabitant, nuclear with children–widowed, nuclear with children–separated, extended, compounded, poor not extreme, and not poor. The bulk of families was represented by nuclear families (61.97%). The highest expenditure in the CFAH was for families defined as composite with a yearly average of USD 1652.89 (equivalent to PEN 5520.67). Observing the expenditure on food consumed outside the home through the composition of households can allow a better approach to offer educational measures. This information can be helpful to developers of educational issues.

Connected and extracted: Understanding how centrality in the global wheat supply chain affects global hunger using a network approach

Abstract: While global food trade has allowed countries to buffer against domestic food production shortfalls and gain access to larger markets, engaging in trade has also opened economies up to shocks and increased extraction of food resources. With this research, we analyze how the global grain network influences country-level nourishment, while controlling for per capita land and food production. First, we model the trade network structure of the global wheat supply chain to measure the centrality or positionality of countries. We use spatial regression analysis to assess the impact of trade networks, volume, purchasing power, production capacity and geography on undernourishment. We find that the six countries most central to the global grain trade by betweenness and eigenvector centralities account for more than half of all wheat exports globally by volume. The centrality of these countries as opposed to volume of wheat produced or traded, determines their influence in the wheat supply chain network. The parametric component of our analysis confirms that trade, and centrality have significant implications for national levels of nourishment. Our findings suggest that for countries with low purchasing power, increasing centrality allows improvements in nourishment levels but for countries with very high purchasing power, increasing centrality can increase hunger outcomes. To counteract perturbations and shortfalls such as those being experienced currently in the globalized food system, local and regional governments may consider refocusing on regional and local based food systems.

Food Insecurity during COVID-19 in Yemen

Abstract: ABSTRACT. The United Nations has declared Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with 21 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Due to the convergence of severe economic instability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, stifling war, and spiking food prices, the Yemeni people are at the brink of famine with women and children especially malnourished. Desperate to feed their families, civilians are forced to resort to begging, participate in child marriages, or plunge into debt. An inflated currency has significantly diminished the purchasing power of the Yemeni population, and COVID-19 restrictions have made acquisition of food and essential commodity imports arduous. Immediate action by global and local governments is essential to prevent the deaths of thousands of people in the wake of severe food scarcity.

Boon or Bane? Urban Food Security and Online Food Purchasing during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Nanjing, China

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between the rapid growth of online food purchasing and household food security during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China using the city of Nanjing as a case study. The paper presents the results of an online survey of 968 households in Nanjing in March 2020 focused on their food purchasing behavior and levels of food security during the early weeks of the pandemic. While online food purchasing has increased rapidly in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, little research attention has been paid to the relationship between online food purchasing and household food security. This paper provides detailed insights into this relationship in China. The medium- and longer-term food security and other consequences of the pandemic pivot to online food purchasing are a fertile area for future research in China and elsewhere.

The valuation of housing in low-amenity and low purchasing power city districts: social and economic value entangled by default

Abstract: Abstract Urban development projects are based on both calculative practices, in order to render investments in new housing profitable, and on a broader assessment of the value of amenities, qualities associated with housing units such as access to parks and shopping facilities, while not directly being included in presumptive buyers’ prices or rents but still affecting the prices or rents paid because amenities affect market demand. This condition is particularly cumbersome in low-income city districts, and/or in city districts with “negative” amenities, such as visible street crime and a substandard quality of schooling. A study of an urban development project in a “particularly socially vulnerable” city district in Sweden shows how municipally-owned real estate companies and private construction companies need to collaborate with authorities (e.g. the police) and municipal boards (e.g. the education board) to advocate investment in amenities. In order to increase housing stock evaluations, local housing market attractiveness, and the housing welfare of residents in blighted city districts, urban development projects must include, in substantive ways, a variety of perspectives, competencies, and formal decision-making authorities.

Effect of inflation, consumption credit on purchase power of the community

Abstract: The people's purchasing power as seen through per capita expenditure adjusted for the province of West Java during the last 4 years 2017-2020, tends to increase and in the last year the purchasing power of the people of West Java has decreased due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of inflation and consumption credit on people's purchasing power in the province of West Java. The results of the study show that inflation and the distribution of banking consumption credit simultaneously have a significant effect on people's purchasing power. Partially, inflation has a negative and significant effect on people's purchasing power, while banking consumption credit has a positive and significant impact on people's purchasing power, economic growth, income per capita and other unknown variables.

Economic burden of major depressive disorder: a case study in Southern Iran

Abstract: Depression disorders are a leading cause of disability in the world which imposes a significant economic burden on patients and societies The present study aimed to determine the economic burden of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) on the patients referred to the reference psychiatric single-specialty hospitals in southern Iran in 2020.This cross-sectional research is a partial economic evaluation and a cost-of-illness study conducted in southern Iran in 2020. A total of 563 patients were enrolled through the census method, and a researcher-made data collection form was used to gather the required information. The prevalence-based and the bottom-up approaches were also used to collect the cost information and calculate the costs, respectively. The data on direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs were obtained using the information in the patients' medical records and insurance bills as well as their self-reports or those of their companions. To calculate the indirect costs, the human capital approach was used as well.The results showed that the annual cost of MDD was $ 2717.41 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) (USD 2026.13) per patient in 2020. Direct medical costs accounted for the largest share of the costs (73.68%), of which hoteling and regular beds expenses were the highest (57.70% of the total direct medical costs). The shares of direct non-medical and indirect costs were 7.52 and 18.80%, respectively, and the economic burden of the disease in the country was estimated at $7,120,456,596 PPP (USD 5,309,088,699).In general, due to the high prevalence of MDD and the chronicity of the disease, the costs of its treatment can impose a heavy economic burden on the society, healthcare system, insurance system, and the patients themselves. Therefore, it is suggested that health policymakers and managers should take appropriate measures to increase the basic and supplemental insurance coverage of these patients. In addition, in order to reduce the costs, proper and equitable distribution of psychiatrists and psychiatric beds, expansion of home care services, and use of Internet-based technologies and the cyberspace to follow up the treatment of these patients are recommended.

Analysis of the agriculture sector of Ukraine during the war

Abstract: Russia's war against Ukraine has significantly increased food security risks and caused disruptions in agricultural production, supply chains, and trade, leading to unprecedented levels of global food and fertilizer prices. The current situation in the world agricultural markets by the middle of 2022 has shown the importance of the Ukrainian agricultural sector for the global market of agricultural products in general and the economy of the European Union, in particular. The article examines the place of the Ukrainian agriculture sector in the world agricultural market. The structure of export and import of agricultural products was analyzed. The dynamics of agrarian exports of Ukraine have been studied and the main reasons for its negative change have been determined. It has been established that the main problems during the war for the Ukrainian agrarian sector were: the occupation of Ukrainian territories, breaking of logistic chains inside and outside the country, reduction of the volume of the domestic market, and decreasing purchasing power of the Ukrainian population, insufficient resources for agricultural production, problems with labor force and theft of Ukrainian agricultural machinery and products. The domestic agricultural sector needs support from both the state and foreign funds, organizations, and countries. The Ukrainian government created several programs to support agricultural producers during military operations. In the tax, the support took place at the expense of VAT reduction, payment of taxes for FLP of 1 and 2 groups at will, payment of ERU by the state for the mobilized workers, cancellation of excise tax on oil products, etc. State support of the agrarian sector in the financial sphere is realized by providing access to cheap credits and the opening of new grant programs. Deregulation processes also took place at the state level: cancellation of business inspections, the introduction of the declarative system of business operation, and simplification of customs procedures. The prospects of the agricultural sector in the post-war economy have been studied. In particular, it was found that the key factor of agrarian sector development is people. Important for the recovery of the agricultural sector is the development of agricultural education and science, creation of sustainable chains in the regions, integration with competitive products into world markets, adaptation to the climate, sustainable and ecological agriculture, technological development, and digitalization of the agricultural sector.

European household spending and socio-economic impacts on food behavior during the first wave of COVID-19

Abstract: This paper provides a European-level analysis using a large-scale survey of 13 countries to examine the power of relevant economic and socio-demographic characteristics to account for changes in food consumption and purchasing behavior during COVID-19. This was done by focusing on a two-level analysis of subject-related predictors highlighted in many existing country-level studies to test the generality of their significance. The Level 1 predictors relate to the individual households participating in the survey consisting of household composition, education, and location, as well as three types of perceived COVID-19 risks of infection, severity, and anxiety. Level 2 relates to the national level, and especially to the financial situation measured by the mean national Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) per capita in PPP, of the countries, in which the households reside. In terms of changes in food consumption, results show that household composition, education, and the household’s perceived risk of both being infected by COVID-19 and being severely infected are significant predictors, although there are some differences between the two levels. Some possible explanations are as follows: putting food into one’s body in the context of the pandemic is related to a household’s financial situation, its composition, especially the presence or absence of children and older people, and its educational attainment, and through all these aforementioned to the perception of COVID-19 infection and its severity risks. Changes in food purchasing react significantly to the same predictors, but additionally, to all other predictors at both household and AIC levels. The household’s location and perceived COVID-19 anxiety risks are thus also significant. Food purchasing depends much more on factors operating both at the individual household level and the AIC level together; for example, households’ access to food is affected by both national and local lockdown restrictions that vary according to the location of the household.

City networks’ power in global agri-food systems

Abstract: Abstract Cities and local governments loom large on the sustainability agenda. Networks such as Fair Trade Towns International (FTT) and the Organic Cities Network aim to bring about global policy change from below. Given the new enthusiasm for local approaches, it seems relevant to ask to what extent local groups exercise power and in what form. City networks present their members as “ethical places” exercising power with , rather than power over others. The article provides an empirical analysis of the power of FTT and Organic Cities in Germany. In both cases, we found cities that are eager to emphasize their inclusive potential. Their willingness to compromise is demonstrated most illustratively by the fact that several cities are members of both networks: While the FTT campaign aims to address problems of international trade but does not abandon it, Organic Cities advocate for a new localism based on food supply from farmers in the same region. In both cases, city networks use their purchasing power to increase the share of certified products. By doing so, the city networks reproduce privileged positions of consumers benefitting from the global capitalist order ( power over ). However, our analysis revealed that networks also make citizens reflect upon agri-food challenges and allow developing alternatives for more sustainable systems ( power with ).

The Application of Digital Marketing in the Covid-19 Era in the Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneur Association (IPEMI PC Kuranji) Padang City

Abstract: Covid-19 in Indonesia to date has had both positive and negative impacts on the economic sector, especially UMKM in Indonesia. Covid-19 has been felt significantly by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises UMKM who are experiencing an economic crisis. The research was conducted on Indonesian Muslim women entrepreneurs (IPEMI PC Kuranji) and the impact of covid-19 is the decline in purchasing power of women entrepreneurs IPEMI PC Kuranji because 40% of them are still quoting in the offline world not online, therefore digital marketing is one of the efforts for achievement in improving the business that is more advanced in the future.

The experience and well-being outcomes of tiny house owners in Latin America

Abstract: The ‘tiny house’ (TH) movement has gained increasing popularity around the world, and recent research has investigated the main motivators and challenges of living in THs. However, most research has been conducted in the Global North, such as the US and European countries. This research has identified that increased financial security and mobility, having a simplified and sustainable lifestyle, and developing significant relationships are the main motivators for TH owners. However, less is known about the experiences of TH owners in the Global South, such as Latin American countries. These regions are characterized by a lower purchasing power and less access to credit of citizens, with a high degree of concentration in large metropolitan areas, which may affect the motivators and experiences of TH owners. Drawing on theories of the commons, the aim of this study is to explore the experiences and well-being outcomes of TH owners living in two Latin American countries. We draw on data from 19 interviews conducted in Chile and Argentina with TH owners. The data analysis identified six dimensions of psychological and hedonic well-being that were improved for TH owners in these countries: autonomy, mastery, purpose in life, personal growth, relatedness, and happiness. The findings contribute to the TH literature and are useful for TH businesses, governments, and housing public policymakers in Latin America.

U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Affordability on the Thrifty Food Plan Depends on Purchasing Power and Safety Net Supports

Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increases the food purchasing power of lower-income households so that they can better afford a nutritious diet. Benefit amounts are based in part on the cost for a household to follow the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), a meal pattern designed to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reformulated the TFP and increased its cost by 21%. However, the TFP still does not account for differences in food prices across the country. This study examines: (1) how geographic variation in food prices affects fruit and vegetable affordability and (2) to what extent raising the cost of the TFP (and therefore the maximum SNAP benefit) has mitigated these effects. We use data on fruit and vegetable prices from the USDA and simulation techniques to create and cost out food baskets with a sufficient quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables for a representative household to satisfy guidelines over one week. We find that the increase in SNAP benefits will increase fruit and vegetable affordability for participating households. However, households facing food prices greater than national average food prices may still face tradeoffs to purchase a balanced diet.

Assessing employment benefits from trade: US-Mexico trade under NAFTA

Abstract: Recent tendencies in the operation of Global Value Chains (GVC) have indicated an increasingly asymmetric distribution of benefits in terms of the participating countries and different layers of workers. This paper employs the World Input–Output Database to calculate the working hours and wages embodied in manufacturing exports between the US and Mexico, by country of origin and skill level, from 1995 to 2008. In purchasing power, the increase in total wages paid in the US, generated by the bilateral trade, was significantly higher than that of wages paid in Mexico, even though the additional number of hours worked in Mexico was seven times higher. For the US, the results ratify the loss of jobs after 2001, but with an upgrade of the skill structure. We conclude that the trend towards replacement of low-skilled labour by more capital-intensive systems occurs within GVC to the detriment of the incomes of low-skilled workers.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Inflation in Indonesia 2015 - 2020

Abstract: Inflation is the most important indicator of the economy, and the exchange rate always tries to be lower and stay stable. If the levels are going high and become unstable, that will reflect a general and continuous increase in the prices of goods and services, weakening purchasing power of the population and thereby reducing national income. As a result, the inflation rate must be under control, and the recent growth curve is visible. This study aims to analyze the factors that affect inflation in Indonesia for the 2015-2020 period and uses the Engel Granger (ECM) model error correction test to learn about the effect of variables such as currency supply and demand, interest rates and rate of exchange on inflation. The results conclude that it has a positive and significant effect on the inflation rate in Indonesia. At the same time, the Rupiah money supply is positive and insignificant compared to Indonesia’s inflation rate.

Understanding Differences in Health Care Spending: A Comparative Study of Prices and Volumes Across OECD Countries

Abstract: Variations across OECD countries in the prices of health care and hospital services can be vast. These price differences mean that comparisons of such services should be adjusted to reflect the ‘real’ volumes consumed. Purchasing power parities (PPPs) can be used to make such comparisons more accurately, going beyond simple GDP-based comparisons, by aggregating the prices of actual individual consumption of health items. These health and hospital PPPs demonstrate that GDP PPPs are a weak substitute, as price structures vary widely. Moreover, there is tentative evidence that higher relative prices for health care tend to bloat health expenditure and are associated with lower life expectancy.