Objective: The objective of the study is to learn how the customer’s willingness pay after a price increase differs given different product conditions. Specifically, how it differs between high and low involvement products and hedonic and utilitarian products. The objective is also to understand what value drivers it is that affect the customers willingness to pay after a price increase. Methodology approach: An online survey was distributed through social media. The research study was conducted using multiple linear regression and one-way ANOVA using data from 270 participants. Research limitation: The survey used in the study uses scales that have been revised. This means that other important value dimensions that were a part of the original scales have been neglected. Results/conclusion: No significant difference was found between the different product groups. The variables; product quality, service quality were both found to have a positive impact on the outcome variable customer’s willingness to pay after a price increase. The variable transaction cost had on the other hand a negative impact on the outcome variable. Future recommendations: The results of the study indicate that lowering the transaction cost can increase customer’s willingness to pay after a price increase. It also indicates that increasing the product quality and service quality can increase the customer’s willingness to pay after a price increase. Previous research has showed the significant profitability firms can make when they adapt to value-based pricing. Therefore, further studies to investigate the customer’s willingness to pay after a price increase may be of interest.

Bakgrund: Organtransplantation är en livräddande behandling vid terminal organsvikt men det råder en global brist på potentiella organdonatorer. Sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i att öka medvetenheten om organdonation i samhället och hennes attityd till och kunskap om organdonation kan påverka människors beslut att donera. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar sjuksköterskans attityd till organdonation. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie där 15 vetenskapliga artiklar från tre olika databaser granskades och analyserades. Resultat:Analysen resulterade i fem kategorier: Kunskapens påverkan, Arbetslivserfarenhetens påverkan, Familjen och den egna donationsviljans inflytande, Religionens inflytande och Misstro mot hälso- och sjukvården och lagstiftningen. Konklusion: Kunskap om kriterier för att fastställa död, organdonation, donationsprocessen och kommunikationsmetoder hjälpte sjuksköterskorna att förmedla adekvat information. Att vårda potentiella organdonatorer skapade en emotionell stress och att lyfta frågan om donation med donatorns familj var påfrestande. Att ha diskuterat organdonation inom den egna familjen var gynnsamt för attityden. Sjuksköterskans egen tolkning av sin religions inställning till organdonation påverkade attityden. Sjuksköterskorna upplevde rädsla för att gå miste om återupplivningsåtgärder eller att dödförklaras för tidigt som registrerade organdonatorer. / Background: Organ transplantation is a life-saving treatment but there is a global shortage of potential organ donors. The nurse has an important role in increasing awareness of organ donation. Her attitude toward and knowledge about organ donation might influence people’s decision to donate. Aim: The aim was to investigate factors that influence the nurse’s attitude toward organ donation. Method: This study was carried out as a general literature study. Fifteen scientific articles from three different data bases were reviewed and analyzed. Result: The analyze resulted in five categories: The impact of knowledge, The impact of work experience, The impact of family and own willingness to donate, The influence of religion and Distrust in the health care system and legislation. Conclusion: Knowledge about death criteria, organ donation and communication skills helped the nurse’s to convey information. Caring for potential organ donors generated an emotional stress and raising the question about donation with donor families was stressful. Having discussed organ donation within the own family was favorable for the attitude. The nurse’s own interpretation of her religion’s attitude toward organ donation influenced the attitude. The nurses experienced fear of not receiving proper resuscitation of being declared dead prematurely as registered organ donors.

This study aims at exploring (1) the circumstances under which some Swedish learners of English are likely to participate in conversations in the target language, and (2) how teachers in upper secondary school might increase these students' willingness to communicate (WTC) in English during lessons. Five students retaking the mandatory first course of English in Swedish upper secondary school volunteered for the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results of the study showed that learners perceive the learning environment to be a ma jor factor affecting their WTC. Moreover, it was concluded that being able to convey a message is important for the students, and that uncertainty about whether or not they will be able to do so strongly affects their WTC. The results also showed that their WTC is strongly connected to their listening comprehension. In light of the reported beliefs and perceptions of the learners, it is suggested that students can be trained for strategies to use when they encounter problems in vocabulary retrieval as well as listening comprehension. Repeating exercises to make the learners feel safe has also been a suggestion.

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The research utilizes a Discrete Choice Experiment to assess consumer preferences and determine blockchain-based food traceability's relative importance and utility in the food purchasing process. The study specifically tests five selected attributes of olive oil, including price, organic label, olive oil type, country of origin, and blockchain traceability. Additionally, a survey is conducted to evaluate Swedish consumers' knowledge levels concerning blockchain technology and its application in the food system to improve transparency. The study also explores consumer evaluations of safety and sustainability information and their willingness to pay price premiums for food products verified for safety and environmental claims. The findings indicate that while Swedish consumers possess moderate knowledge of blockchain technology, their understanding of its specific application in food traceability is limited. Nevertheless, consumers highly value access to accurate information about the safety and sustainability of their food purchases. A considerable portion of respondents express a willingness to pay a premium for products verified for safety, authenticity, and sustainability. The choice experiment results reveal that blockchain-based food traceability ranks lower in relative importance than the price and organic label but higher than olive oil type and country of origin. The findings of this study contribute to bridging the existing gap in the understanding of blockchain-based food traceability technology among Swedish consumers.

Woody residues are byproducts with high lignocellulosic content, such as mill residues, logging residues, and other woody waste. This study estimated the impact of different mill characteristics, procurement attributes, constraints, and geospatial features on the utilization of woody residues to produce bioenergy by primary forest products manufacturers in the southern United States. Data were collected using a mail survey, and USDA and Esri geodatabases. Data analysis was conducted using analysis of variance, two-stage least squares, binary logit, and spatial logistic regression models. Approximately 70% of mills utilized woody residues for bioenergy purposes and 11% were willing to utilize additional logging residues to produce electricity. Mills were willing to pay US$12 (2012 dollars) per metric ton of logging residues at the mill gate and haul them for up to 93 kilometers. Mills with a larger capacity to utilize woody residues were more willing to utilize additional logging residues, pay a higher gate price, and haul them over longer distances. Regarding a mill type, pulp, paper, and paperboard mills and composite wood products mills were the largest woody residue utilizers and were willing to increase utilization of logging residues, pay higher prices, and haul them over longer distances. Utilization of woody residues increased with a processing capacity increase, equipment upgrades, and lower transportation costs logging residues. Mill willingness to utilize additional logging residues was higher for mills with the larger utilization of woody residues, lower quantities of disposable mill residues, anticipated equipment upgrades, and low importance for lack of storage space. Mills were more likely to utilize additional logging residues within proximity to a sawmill; pulp, paper, and paperboard mill; and a major road system, and less likely if a mill was in the vicinity of a river, forest, and mill producing other forest products. Results will help formulate future bioenergy policies, guide biomass energy investments and financial incentives, and help mill and land managers make more informed decisions regarding production and utilization of woody biomass. Future research is needed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing logging residues by other facilities such as power plants and bioenergy facilities.

<p>Drawing from research on the halo effect and protected values, consumers’ adoption intentions and willingness to pay a premium for renewable energy were explored. A moderated mediation was tested through two-instance repeated-measures linear regressions in a behavioral experiment with an Amazon MTurk sample. Besides, non-parametric tests were also used to test moderations of protected values and consumers’ demographics. In line with the expected halo effect, the effects of the renewability of the energy sources on consumers’ adoption intentions were mediated through consumers’ perceived comfort. These mediation effects were stronger among consumers with high protected values compared to those with low protected values. The non-parametric tests revealed that people with protected values were also found reluctant to pay a premium price for fossil fuels. Future directions to study the relationship between the renewability of energy sources and consumers’ willingness to pay a premium considering consumers’ demographics are also discussed </p>

<p>The overarching theme of this research is about environmental microplastic pollution, and how much various entities are willing to sacrifice economically to obtain a cleaner environment. To gauge such willingness, this research utilizes various economic measures that have been widely used, albeit with novel modifications. The focus of this research is on stated preferences about microplastic pollution. The topic of microplastics is still very novel, and market players on the demand side or on the supply side have yet to provide products that deal with this new pollutant. This lack has necessitated the need for stated preference research. This research delves into this novel environmental problem from various viewpoints.</p> <p> Chapter 1 of this research is about how much the US adult population is willing to sacrifice to obtain an environment that is less impacted by microplastic pollution. The results show that US adults in general possess a willingness to obtain an environment free from microplastics. However, a sizable minority of US adults do not show such willingness as well. Such results remained true even when information about microplastic pollution were provided to all respondents before preference elicitation. </p> <p> Chapter 2 investigates how much consumers in different countries will diverge about their willingness to pay for seafood that has less microplastic contamination. The countries chosen differed widely in their seafood consumption habits. Thus, it was hypothesized that such differences will lead to contrasts in their willingness to pay for less contaminated seafood. The hypothesis was found to be true but not in the way that was expected. The results show that frequent consumers of seafood had less willingness to pay when compared to others, although in whole all consumers showed willingness to avoid microplastics in their seafood. </p> <p> Chapter 3 makes use of the same data as Chapter 2 but looks at possible reasons for the disparity in responses besides factors explored in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 focuses on the cultural differences to explain the differences in behavior. To do so, it utilizes the Value-Belief-Norm theory widely employed in past research but modifies it to account for a form of hypothetical bias. The research delves into the relationships between many factors of interest that affect environmentally friendly consumption behavior and the findings show that a certain cultural tendency is central to such behavior, at least for microplastics. </p> <p> The research has done its best to research into the economic relationship between microplastic contamination of the environment and how much various individuals are willing to sacrifice to obtain an environment that is less impacted by such pollution. The findings here show that there is room for improvement in the way the microplastic pollution problem is being handled. However, in all settings the results show that a sizable majority want to be less impacted by microplastic pollution, a key takeaway for all interested parties.</p>

<p>Chapter 1: Currently there is no hunting or trapping season on bobcats in Indiana. While a season is being considered by wildlife administrators, there is no basis for establishing a price or understanding potential demand for this species. We use contingent valuation to estimate furbearer hunter and trapper willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a hypothetical bobcat harvest permit in Indiana, USA. Using a mail survey of 2000 randomly selected Indiana registered hunters and trappers, we presented respondents with a description of a hypothetical harvest season, including season dates, equipment restrictions, check-in procedures, counties open for the legal harvest, bag limit (the number of animals that can be legally harvested per individual), and statewide quota (the number of animals that can be legally harvested in aggregate). Following the description, respondents were asked a single-bounded dichotomous choice question about purchasing the proposed permit. By applying the Turnbull estimation method to our collected data, we estimate mean WTP of $21.73 for the proposed permit. Our estimates are sensitive to scope effects, which may be linked to perceived congestion: if hunters believe the bag limit may not be filled, WTP may actually decrease with the bag limit due to perceived congestion, necessitating the simultaneous examination of the bag limit and statewide quota.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Chapter 2: One Health initiatives employed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention place emphasis on the interconnectedness of animals, people, plants, and the environment. As new disease threats emerge, the interactions of humans and animals with their environments becomes increasingly important. Deer represent a large, prolific, and suitable host for several diseases that are potentially threatening in the One Health context. Previous works have studied deer-related diseases, such as Bovine tuberculosis and Lyme Disease, and examined risks of transmission in households of varying compositions, such as with and without pets or children. However, research quantifying public perceptions of deer and their role(s) in modern society is lacking. Our research applies social media listening to study perceptions of deer among the general U.S. population through volume (number of mentions) and assessment of tone, in terms of positivity versus negativity (analyzed as online media net sentiment). We study media about five prominent deer-related diseases from January 2018 through December 2021 and demonstrate that while aggregate mentions of the deer diseases we study compose a small proportion of total mentions for deer, net sentiment surrounding outbreaks reflects the seriousness of the health consequences these present. Additionally, we explain fluctuations in deer-disease mentions and net sentiment through real-world events, and demonstrate seasonality in mentions and net sentiment for some diseases of interest. Better understanding of public perceptions of the roles of wildlife, particularly deer who are generally perceived as non-threatening wildlife, is particularly important in today’s One Health context.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Chapter 3: The presence of deer in shared environments with humans may result in both positive and negative affinity towards deer. While literature shows deer-related damages to humans and their property, literature also suggests that deer are a way for humans to connect with nature. Managing deer populations is vital to balancing the positive and negative impacts of deer. Currently, hunting is the most cost-effective way to manage deer populations. We are interested in how hunting impacts the affinity for deer, in addition to how the COVID-19 pandemic plays a role in the perception of deer. Online media posts were analyzed using a social media listening platform, NetBase, for the time period of January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021. Volume of mentions and affinity via net sentiment were collected at the state level on a weekly basis, and the national level on a daily basis. We utilize an OLS regression with dummies for deer hunting season and COVID at the state level to determine the impacts of hunting seasons and the pandemic on net sentiment. We find that deer hunting being open negatively impacts net sentiment of deer. We utilize Pearson correlations to study the impact of deer management via OTC deer hunting privilege issuance in relation to affinity for deer. We find that OTC privilege issuance is positively correlated with affinity for deer in some states, but the impact on affinity may diminish over time.</p>

<p>Wildlife species generate value through their consumptive and non-consumptive uses. Consumptive uses of these species include hunting and trapping, while wildlife watching is an example of a non-consumptive use. Understanding the value of various wildlife is imperative for public agencies’ management decisions regarding different wildlife areas (e.g., nature preserves, state forests/parks, reservoirs, county/city parks). Individuals’ values for wildlife interactions on public lands can depend on the context in which these interactions occur as well as the probability of an interaction occurring. We utilize a stated preference choice experiment to estimate Indiana residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a marginal increase in the chance of seeing white-tailed deer and five furbearing species (bobcat, coyote, river otter, raccoon, red fox) while engaging in their favorite activities at Indiana recreational areas. Our WTP estimates are analogous to value of statistical life (VSL) calculations, and hence we refer to them as the “value of a statistical species” (VSS). We find that the VSS of a bobcat ranges from $22.73 to $41.30, the VSS of a coyote ranges from -$1.94 to $9.74, the VSS of a raccoon ranges from $5.25 to $21.69, the VSS of a red fox ranges from $43.31 to $62.52, the VSS of a white-tailed deer ranges from $22.70 to $27.00, and the VSS of a river otter ranges from $23.18 to $45.98. Our analysis suggests that individuals’ values for wildlife depend on the activity they are undertaking when they see the wildlife.  </p>