ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00592.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper makes the case for the creation, testing and perfection of a new economic institution–a local consumer information system. The heart of the system would be a data bank to which the consumer could address questions and receive answers repeatedly regarding the local market. The purpose of the system would be to deliver relevant consumer information more efficiently. For the individual consumer this new institution would help identify his best buy variety of a product, quickly and at low cost. It would also tell him, again quickly and at low cost, from what local retailers and at what local prices this best buy variety might be purchased. This new institution would serve all consumers in a given community by lowering many prices, quality constant. By reproducing itself in different locales, as the product testing organizations have, it might be expected to multiply and serve consumers in many communities. The paper discusses the types of information to be provided, methods of information collection and dissemination, means of insuring accuracy and fairness and how it might be finance

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00593.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper investigates the role of cost‐benefit analysis in evaluating consumer product safety standards and applys such analysis to an evaluation of flammability standards for children's sleepwear. The cost of safety standards includes the costs of standard development and enforcement and the changes in producer and consumer surpluses due to product regulation. The benefits from safety standards are the reduction in product accidents and the direct and indirect costs of such accidents. The cost of the O‐6X Children's Sleepwear Standard was based on the change in consumer surplus since it was assumed that supply was perfectly elastic. The benefits were due primarily to the reduction in burn injuries. Cost‐benefit ratios ranged from 0.62 to 0.84 assuming that the standard provided 100% protection. The cost‐benefit ratios also indicate the degree of protection required by the standard. Thus a ratio of 0.62 implies that 62% protection is required if benefits are to equa

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00594.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper assesses the potential impact of rationing, “lifeline,” rationing with resale and tax‐rebate approaches to extra‐market allocation from the consumer's perspective. Basic microeconomic tools are used to demonstrate that the rationing with resale and tax‐rebate plans have similar effects and that all consumers would prefer those policies to lifeline allocation. Conventional rationing is shown to benefit households consuming intermediate quantities of an allocated good while rationing with resale and tax‐rebate programs provide large and small users with higher levels of satisfaction. These propositions are empirically confirmed for the case of gasoline. Quantitative results suggest that simple rationing and lifeline plans calculated to reduce aggregate gasoline consumption by 10 percent would have severe impact on high income consumers. Alternative policies would broaden the burden of conservation and cause income redistribution toward low incom

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00595.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

A variety of investigations have indicated that consumers subjectively perceive a positive relation between price and product quality. However it is also necessary to consider the objective analysis of actual price‐quality relations which exist among competing products available for consumer choice. This investigation reviews findings from some subjective and objective evaluations of the price‐quality relationship, followed by an objective analysis of price versus quality among 135 recently marketed groups of products in five product categories. Findings indicate that for 51 percent of the products a positive price‐produce quality relation may be inferred, and dramatic differences in this relation are evident from one product category to another. Implications of these findings for the efficiency of consumer decision‐making, the performance of consumer markets and future research on objective price‐quality relations are

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00596.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The behavioral science literature relating to consumer use of informational aids in supermarkets is reviewed. Also examined is research concerned with more general issues such as information overload. The public policy implications of these various research findings are drawn and discussed. The paper concludes with a consideration of three proposed measures to facilitate shopping decisions for consumers concerned with economy and nutritional value.

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00597.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Occupational licensure is commonly accepted as a means of protecting consumers by ensuring minimum levels of professional competence. This study analyzes the rationale for licensure in terms of consumer information and consumer choice, applying the analysis to the proposal to license social workers in Tennessee. The analysis makes it possible to separate the numerous issues involved in the licensure question, identifying the probable impact of the proposed measures in terms of a clearer identification of consumers' interests. It is shown that the need for licensure is tied to the manner in which services are provided. In the social work case this means that while the positions of social workers would be enhanced, licensure would offer their client‐consumers little protection which they do not already enjo

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00598.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This research examines the effects of transportation and time costs on the market basket costs of shopping at more than one supermarket. A 95‐item market basket was priced in sixteen supermarkets representing four grocery chains in four geographically separated areas of Columbus, Ohio. The lowest cost market basket for each area was calculated and the costs of transportation and time added to determine their effect upon achieving a lowest cost market basket by shopping several supermarkets. When market basket items only or market basket items plus transportation costs were considered, savings were realized by shopping four supermarkets in an area as opposed to one. The addition of time costs to the total market basket cost caused shopping at two supermarkets to result in the lowest cost market basket in 75% of the observed store combination

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00599.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The concern for the consumer's right to be adequately informed when making a purchase has provided an impetus for legislation and research in a variety of consumer decision areas. Absent from these efforts has been any examination of the most important consumer decision—the purchase of a home. This study examined the quantity and quality of information that a key marketing agent in the purchase of a home, the real estate broker, is capable of providing consumers. A variety of informational areas are examined with most of them centered on the quality of life in a community neighborhood. The results suggest areas where brokers can be better informed and thereby better serve their public as a source of informatio

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00600.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0022-0078    

DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1977.tb00601.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1977

数据来源: WILEY