Communiquer le goût est un enjeu primordial tout autant pour les professionnels de la dégustation, pour les industriels, que pour les mangeurs, pour se réapproprier leurs sensations et redécouvrir l’enchantement alimentaire. Mais le goût est un objet d’étude complexe, produit d’un triptyque sensoriel/sensible/symbolique, et sa communication s’échelonne sur plusieurs dimensions. Une recherche pluridisciplinaire délimitée par les SIC est nécessaire pour l’appréhender dans sa globalité. Il existe déjà des recherches sur la communication du goût, issues des sciences des aliments, de la linguistique et du marketing. Ces formes de communication ainsi que les concepts les sous-tendant servent de terreau pluridisciplinaire à notre travail, mené sous l’obédience des sciences de l’information et de la communication. Les concepts sémiotiques de communication multimodale et d’étude figurative du langage du goût servent de socle à la construction de notre problématique. L’étude bibliographique indique un manque de connaissance des processus mis en oeuvre lors de la communication du goût par le mangeur. Nous interrogeons ce point par un terrain mené en deux parties, une sur les fruits, l’autre sur le pain, issues respectivement du parrainage de la société Schiever et d’un projet mené pour Passion Céréales. Ce terrain global, qualitatif et quantitatif, nous permet d’obtenir des éléments concernant les représentations sensibles et sensorielles de la perception gustative chez le mangeur et les modalités de communication du goût des consommateurs. Sur cette base nous présentons une méthode de construction d’un langage du goût et proposons trois dispositifs de support de ce langage. / The communication of taste is a critical point to the professional of sensory analysis and to the food industry, but also to the consumers themselves, who sometimes need a tool to help them to make their food choices. Still, the taste is complex to study, as it is the product of the three dimensions sensory/sensitive/symbolic, which is the reason why its communication is difficult to set up. The sensitive dimension is a semiotic concept based on the human dimension of perception (emotion, memory, social…), and which study its influence on the construction of meaning in a communication context. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to embrace the global nature of taste, as it refers to social, biologic and individual elements. The communication of taste also need this approach, as there are some actual patterns made by the food sciences in cooperation with linguistic, and by the marketing. But these cannot communicate successfully the taste to consumers, as there are only word-based, and as they do not focus on the sensory and sensitive dimensions of taste. The bibliography shows a lack of knowledge on the process involved in the perception and communication of taste by consumers. We question these points by an experimental work, divided in two parts (one focused on fruits, one on bred). This experimental field, qualitative and quantitative, brings some lightning on the knowledge of perception and representation of taste by consumers and on the communication form they use to describe and communicate their perceptions. On these new understandings, we present a method of construction of a language of taste, and we suggest three devices to support this language.

The purpose of this study is to test the general belief that CSR leads to positive attitudes toward a brand and results in an increase in consumers' purchase intentions on the basis of the Affect Transfer Hypothesis (ATH). This study replicates and extends previous research by examining the effect of consumers' persuasion knowledge, based on the Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM), as one variable that can affect consumers' attitudes toward CSR initiatives and brands. A post-test only experiment was conducted using stimulus materials derived from Starbuck Coffee Company. Four of the stimulus materials containing CSR messages corresponded with four CSR initiative types identified by Kotler and Lee (2005), and one contains no message related CSR. This study indicates supports for the belief of positive relationships among attitude toward CSR, attitude toward brand, and purchase intention, regardless of the type of CSR initiative. In regard to types of CSR initiatives, only attitude toward CSR was influenced by CSR initiatives. Also, the results indicate that corporate philanthropy produced the most positive attitude among the types of CSR. However, when it comes to consumer's persuasion knowledge, the results are slightly different. Although there is not enough evidence to conclude that people use different levels of persuasion knowledge with different types of CSR, persuasion knowledge influences attitude toward CSR and attitude toward brand, and these relationships are negative. In addition, the study found that corporate volunteering appeared to be the most favorable type of CSR initiative when considering with persuasion knowledge. Finally, the study did not find an interaction effect between CSR initiative type and persuasion knowledge.

Recognizing the importance of food waste as an environmental and social problem, this thesis aims to test nudging as a successful tool to promote a pro-environmental behaviour towards food waste reduction. The present research uses an experiment in a university canteen in Gotland, Sweden, with two interventions - posters with informational prompts and practical tips. Through quantitative analysis, we were able to conclude that nudging reduced overall food waste but with no statistical significance for the informational treatment. Furthermore, the informational prompts and the suggestions of shortcut solutions had similar positive impacts on food waste, with no significant difference. However, the study highlights some aspects that limit these results to a short-term perspective due to the experimental period of two months. On the other hand, the complementary qualitative data from interviews with customers revealed that nudges, especially practical suggestions, can be more useful as an awareness tool rather than a technique to actually change behaviours. Overall, the findings show that the two interventions reduced food waste with a continuous decreasing trend. Therefore, nudging can be a useful technique for canteens and restaurants to influence consumers’ behaviour towards food waste reduction.

No description available.

No / . Challenging behaviours (behaviour difficulties) represent a problem of considerable clinical significance for learning disability nurses, and a source of much human distress. Gentle teaching is a relatively new approach to dealing with behavioural difficulties, and has been received with enthusiasm by clinicians, but has so far received little empirical support. The current study attempted to compare gentle teaching with a well-established alternative (behaviour modification) and a control group. Objectives. To examine the comparative effectiveness of gentle teaching, behaviour modification and control interventions for challenging behaviour amongst children with learning disabilities. Design. Nonrandomized controlled trial. Setting. Service users¿ homes in East Yorkshire. Participants. Seventy-seven children who presented with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour (behaviour difficulties) and their parents. Procedure. One-day workshops in were offered by recognized authorities in either behaviour modification or gentle teaching that were not otherwise involved with the research project. Forty-one participants were recruited to the gentle teaching condition; 36 to behaviour modification; 26 to the control group. Random allocation was not possible, because of the slow uptake by interested parents. Measures was preintervention, and at assessment points up until 12 months following intervention. Analysis. Quantitative analysis of pre¿post differences between the groups, using t-test. Results. In general, no significant differences were found between the treatment groups and controls. Significant improvements were found for both gentle teaching and behaviour modification children over controls on the AAMR ABS XVII (social engagement) subscale. Controls had more contact with medical practitioner (GP) services than behaviour modification children and less than gentle teaching children. Conclusion. Although very few differences were found between the three groups, those that did exist generally favoured behaviour modification. Implications for service provision and learning disability nursing practice are described.

Grounded in sociocultural theory, peer feedback can help students engage in interaction and negotiation of meaning, which serve as a basis for the construction of knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978). It can also contribute to the development of self-regulation, as well as of reflection on one's own learning (Doolittle & Hicks, 2003). Its strategic incorporation into foreign language instruction can help students use the language they are in the process of acquiring to mediate language acquisition (Shrum & Glisan, 2005). Research shows that peer feedback can help students develop and advance their Zone of Proximal Development through their engagement in collaborative interaction with their peers (De Guerrero & Villamil, 1994, 2000; Donato, 2004; Lantolf, 2004; Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Liu & Hansen, 2005). Peer feedback can also help students improve their writing proficiency, including organization of their texts and awareness of the mechanics of the language necessary for successful communication of the intended message (Kinsler, 1990; Hu, 2005; Williams, 2005). Framed within a sociocultural perspective on foreign language learning and development, and following a manuscript approach, this dissertation consists of a series of studies that aim to explore: (a) whether participation in a peer feedback experience has a positive impact on students’ foreign language writing proficiency; (b) whether guidelines plus training in how to provide meaningful feedback have a different impact on students’ foreign language writing proficiency than guidelines alone; (c) around what themes students focus the feedback they provide to their peers; and (d) what students’ perceptions of the peer feedback experience are. The results of the first the study, which consisted of a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design, showed that students significantly improved their writing proficiency after participating in a peer feedback experience, regardless of training. Further the results of this study indicated that, on average, trained and untrained students provided written peer feedback focused mainly on global aspects rather than local aspects. The results of the second study, which consisted of a mixed methods approach, showed that, on average, students had high perceptions of the peer feedback experience and that they perceived that their partner's feedback had helped them improve the global aspects of their composition more than the local aspects. Students expressed that what they liked the most about the experience was getting a different perspective on their writing, and what they liked the least was that they felt they were not proficient enough in the foreign language to provide meaningful feedback to their peers. / Ph. D.

The returns management (RM) process has traditionally been seen as a value recovery process, which has resulted in an efficiency focus in the returns flow. This thesis present, the effects on a fashion e-commerce organisation, which is underprioritising or neglecting RM in general and consumer returns specifically. In the reported and described single-case study and through a real-life experiment, performed with the case organisation nelly.com, it is shown that the consumer returns rates are not only influenced by the product itself. They represent a complex problem that has its reasons and causes, whereby the product (size, fit, quality, et cetera) together with consumer buying and returning behaviour ultimately have a combined effect on the organisation. The results from the thesis are based on previous research and rest heavily on the research performed since the start of the research journey. Consumer returns form part of the value creation in e-commerce and therefore returns management is a strategic part of the business as such. Handling consumer returns in a traditional or efficient returns system without knowing the reason for return and the state of the returned item is nothing other than gambling with resources. The proposed returns information system (RIS) framework in the thesis addresses this issue and facilitates the downstream application of the gatekeeping activity, near or at the end-user location; managerial attention is required at the strategic process level to build a proper returns system that is partly, and quite likely, decentralised. Products, suppliers, customers and internal processes cause consumer returns and therefore a returns manager needs to address these with other functions and SC partners. This result is partly new and the proposed alignment of RM as a strategic process is new in the sense that RM is part of value creation. This thesis empirically supports the conclusion that “one size fits all” is outdated and does not fit with ecommerce business. The results imply that managers need to gain a profound understanding of consumers’ buying behaviour and also to create differentiated delivery and returns processes to be able to grow within the existing customer segments and possibly to attract new or non-customers who are out of reach at present. Seeing the RM process as strategic in e-commerce, as proposed in the thesis, facilitates the development of the process to become both effective and efficient. Returns management has the potential for revenue creation and cost reduction. / <p>Dissertation to be defended in public on 15th of February 2013, at 10.00 in lecture room Vasa C, Vera Sandbergs Allé 8, Göteborg, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy</p>

User involvement has, during recent years, become something of a mantra among product development managers. However, the existing literature has not much to say about how the individual user contributes to product innovation and whether her or his contribution is valuable.  The thesis attempts to fill this gap in knowledge by reporting experiments in which ordinary users are asked to suggest new services that their mobile telephones could deliver. The originality, user value, and the feasibility of their suggestions are then compared to the suggestions of professional product designers. On the whole, the users contribute ideas that are more original, and that could result in services of higher user value than the professionals.  Exactly how the users are involved matters for the outcome of their involvement. Two different approaches to involving users are identified, Guided Users and Pioneering Users. The Guided User approach seems to be preferable when stepwise refinement of an existing service is desired.  The Pioneering User approach is better suited to supporting radical innovation. The conclusion is that firms must adapt their processes of developing new products in order to realise the full potential of user involvement. / Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2003

This dissertation consists of two empirical papers and one methods paper. The first two papers use quasi-experimental methods to evaluate the impact of universal health insurance reform in Massachusetts (MA) and Thailand and the third paper evaluates the validity of a quasi-experimental method used in comparative effectiveness research (CER).

The current legal framework pertaining to animals does not sufficiently address the welfare of animals. The Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962 does not specifically regulate the welfare of animals contained in research laboratories. Animals utilized for experimental research purposes endure tremendous “unnecessary suffering” due to legislative inaptitude. Experimental animals suffer inherent abuses associated with experimental research because of the methods, procedures and processes relevant to the experiments. The most controversial method of experimental research is vivisection. The method of vivisection is not only invasive but also causes “unnecessary suffering” to animals. The non-inherent abuses animals suffer during confinement in a laboratory solely relates to uncontrolled and unregulated conduct of staff. Continuing the application of the current legislative framework may also be detrimental to the health and well-being of humans. Animals are specifically utilized as objects of science in research laboratories. The data obtained from research experiments conducted on animals are for the benefit of humankind rather than the animals. Scientific research concluded that not only are invasive methods of research conducted on live animals generally regarded as useless but extrapolating data from animals to humans can also be misleading, unnecessary and dangerous. False results and questionable methodologies are some of the other problems that seem to require urgent attention. Ethically, neither human nor animal should be utilized at the expense of the other and therefore it would be reasonable to recommend that legislative reform takes place. The human perception of animals in terms of the relationship we have with them is the reason why legislative inaptitude in terms of animal welfare exists. The current approach followed is the philosophy of Utilitarianism. Utilitarians believe that neither humans nor animals have rights but interests. Utilitarianism focuses on the permissibility of an act (the use of animals) by weighing the benefits of such an act to the costs suffered because of such act. If the benefits outweigh the costs suffered, the act is permissible. The application of Utilitarianism seems to be the crux of our legislative inaptitude. The human perception and view of animals must therefore be re-directed to develop a sufficient legal framework in terms of animal welfare. A solution offered is to apply an alternative interpretation to the concept of “dignity” (capabilities approach) and progressive realisation. In terms of this solution a species capabilities in terms of its value, capabilities and worth are considered. Inherent to its value, capabilities and worth, is its “dignity”. Once the alternative interpretation of “dignity” is acknowledged, the progressive realisation of its interests can be achieved. / Thesis (LLM)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013