Suchergebnisse

Introduction: Demand, Complexity, and Long-Run Economic Evolution -- Part I Re-thinking the Economic Possibilities of Our Grandchildren -- Work and Consumption in an Era of Unbalanced Technological Advance -- Institutions Hold Consumption on a Leash: An Evolutionary Economic Approach to the Future of Consumption -- The Mortgage Treadmill Versus Discretionary Spending and Enforced Leisure -- Ars Ultima Spes? Some Notes on the Unsustainability of Today's Capitalism and Culture as a Possible Remedy -- Part II New Perspectives on the Long-Run Evolution of Demand -- Tackling Keynes' Question: A Look Back on 15 years of Learning to Consume -- The Evolution of Consumption and Its Welfare Effects -- How Where I Shop Influences What I Buy: The Importance of the Retail Format in Sustainable Tomato Consumption -- Innovation, Structural Change and Multisectoral Economic Growth

Genome editing has been hailed as both a revolutionary technology and potential solution to many agriculture-related and sustainability problems. However, owing to the past challenges and controversy generated by widespread rejection of genetic engineering, especially once applied to agriculture and food production, such innovations have also prompted their fair share of concern. Generally speaking, much of the discussion centers on the inadequacy or uncertainty of current regulatory regimes, partly owing to the vastly different approaches in the European Union and United States. Insofar as this focus on regulatory regimes is stimulated by the desire to bridge the divide between proponents and critics of genome editing, it risks losing sight of an essential aim of regulatory action: effectively responding to and fostering trust in consumers and the public. In this article, we thus assign priority to understanding the contours of individual dissatisfaction and its related responses. Toward this end, we apply and extend Hirschman's exit–voice framework to bring together, synthesize, and give much-needed substance to the diverse expressions of dissatisfaction and discontent with novel genome-editing technologies. Through the resulting synthetic framework, we then identify and evaluate which governance approaches can prevent actions seen to be problematic and, moreover, open up the space for a more active public. In this context, we devote specific attention to (i) use of labeling as a means to enable "exit" of consumers from markets and (ii) public deliberation as a possible expression of "voice." Indeed, both options are proposed and utilized in the context of genome editing, e.g., as a way for skeptical consumers to express their viewpoints, seek change in prevailing food systems, and navigate the conflicts and tensions from applying unique sets of values to assess the balance of risks and benefits. So far missing, though, is an evaluation of how well such efforts offer effective means for public expression, ...

Growing appreciation of the novel challenges of climate change and environmental degradation is among the core drivers of the ongoing transformation in the food industry. In response to the growing costs for society and the environment, the broad reliance on large-scale and industrial methods of food production is called into question. Innovative solutions and approaches are thus required, both to resolve distrust among consumers and facilitate the necessary transition towards more sustainable societies. Hence, this dissertation engages with a number of questions related to transformation in the food industry, highlighting the particular relevance of consumer behavior. Each of the four principal chapters represents a specific application of insights and knowledge gained using an individual-level perspective in order to resolve a number of shortcomings with the transitions literature. In this respect, the dissertation as a whole can be seen to inform the dialogue of what is required for such transitions and establish such discussions on firmer ground. The first chapter develops behavior-informed strategies for climate and sustainability policy by integrating insights of the individual-level determinants of environmentally-relevant behavior. The second chapter then makes use of a historically-informed systems analysis of industrial food production to explain the emergence and structural foundations of existing problems. Pivoting to a potential solution, the third chapter explores how exactly the type of retail format matters for sustainable consumption – using a hypothetical discrete choice experiment with opt-out option. Finally, the fourth chapter constructs a potential role for alternative retail formats as mechanisms for behavioral change by dynamically linking some of their salient features, through conceptual argumentation, to individual differences in the passion and energy of organic consumption.

Growing appreciation of the novel challenges of climate change and environmental degradation is among the core drivers of the ongoing transformation in the food industry. In response to the growing costs for society and the environment, the broad reliance on large-scale and industrial methods of food production is called into question. Innovative solutions and approaches are thus required, both to resolve distrust among consumers and facilitate the necessary transition towards more sustainable societies. Hence, this dissertation engages with a number of questions related to transformation in the food industry, highlighting the particular relevance of consumer behavior. Each of the four principal chapters represents a specific application of insights and knowledge gained using an individual-level perspective in order to resolve a number of shortcomings with the transitions literature. In this respect, the dissertation as a whole can be seen to inform the dialogue of what is required for such transitions and establish such discussions on firmer ground. The first chapter develops behavior-informed strategies for climate and sustainability policy by integrating insights of the individual-level determinants of environmentally-relevant behavior. The second chapter then makes use of a historically-informed systems analysis of industrial food production to explain the emergence and structural foundations of existing problems. Pivoting to a potential solution, the third chapter explores how exactly the type of retail format matters for sustainable consumption – using a hypothetical discrete choice experiment with opt-out option. Finally, the fourth chapter constructs a potential role for alternative retail formats as mechanisms for behavioral change by dynamically linking some of their salient features, through conceptual argumentation, to individual differences in the passion and energy of organic consumption.

AbstractDeliberations are underway to utilize increasingly radical technological options to help address climate change and stabilize the climatic system. Collectively, these options are often referred to as "climate geoengineering." Deployment of such options, however, can create wicked tradeoffs in governance and require adaptive forms of risk management. In this study, we utilize a large and novel set of qualitative expert interview data to more deeply and systematically explore the types of risk–risk tradeoffs that may emerge from the use of 20 different climate geoengineering options, 10 that focus on carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas removal, and 10 that focus on solar radiation management and reflecting sunlight. We specifically consider: What risks does the deployment of these options entail? What types of tradeoffs may emerge through their deployment? We apply a framework that clusters risk–risk tradeoffs into institutional and governance, technological and environmental, and behavioral and temporal dimensions. In doing so, we offer a more complete inventory of risk–risk tradeoffs than those currently available within the respective risk‐assessment, energy‐systems, and climate‐change literatures, and we also point the way toward future research gaps concerning policy, deployment, and risk management.

AbstractThis article foregrounds the challenges and necessity of promoting user involvement in traditional sectors, especially those that constitute strong pillars for sustainable development. As a case in point, the emergence of precision agriculture technologies requires novel methods to integrate users in innovation processes. Accordingly, this article discusses three applications of journey maps developed in collaboration with users and other stakeholders in the context of agriculture. We illustrate how design‐thinking tools such as journey maps offer the means to explore user experiences, spotting previously unknown needs or problems, generate value propositions with meaning and relevance, and foresee implementation issues not directly related to the technology in focus. This research, thus, contributes by first describing applications of journey maps which are relevant for traditional sectors that are undergoing disruption, and second, by highlighting the broader usefulness of such tools for facilitating coordination among the diverse actors who are ultimately central to innovation adoption and success.