by Paul E. Green I am honored and pleased to respond to authors request to write a Fore word for this excellent collection of essays on conjoint analysis and related topics. While a number of survey articles and sporadic book chapters have appeared on the subject, to the best of my knowledge this book represents the first volume of contributed essays on conjoint analysis. The book re flects not only the geographical diversity of its contributors but also the variety and depth of their topics. The development of conjoint analysis and its application to marketing and business research is noteworthy, both in its eclectic roots (psychometrics, statistics, operations research, economics) and the fact that its development reflects the efforts of a large variety of professionals -academics, market ing research consultants, industry practitioners, and software developers. Reasons for the early success and diffusion of conjoint analysis are not hard to find. First, by the early sixties, precursory psychometric techniques (e.g., multidimensional scaling and correspondence analysis, cluster analy sis, and general multivariate techniques) had already shown their value in practical business research and application. Second, conjoint analysis pro vided a new and powerful array of methods for tackling the important problem of representing and predicting buyer preference judgments and choice behavior-clearly a major problem area in marketing.

The current study is designed as a part of the proposal entitled: Initiative for Low-input Apple Production in Illinois. Major difficulties currently facing apple production in Illinois are competition from lower cost producers in more favorable climates and the use of traditional production technologies which require intensive use of pesticides. Recently, the successful use of biotechnology has resulted in the development of new disease-resistant apples varieties. The objectives of the study are to learn about consumer preferences for such apple attributes as place of production (locally grown versus non-locally grown), method of production (genetically modified versus conventionally produced) with respect to different pricing, and to determine whether locally grown genetically modified apples would be appealing to the consumer. Consumers responding to the online survey were asked to rate hypothetical apples and later choose a preferred apple alternative from multiple sets, each consisting of three choices. Using the conjoint analysis technique, the study analyzes two versions of the survey: one referred to the choice of genetically modified apples as "GM", while the other version referred to that choice as "REI" (reduced environmental impact). The study results conclusively prove that consumer preferences for apples are influenced by place and method of production attributes. Although price remains one of the dominant attributes, it may play a different role for consumers who are willing to pay a premium for locally grown apples with combination of benefits provided by the method of genetic modification. The study also contributes to the literature on the issues related to the labeling language of GM food. The study results suggest that labeling language has to be carefully worded. When apples are labeled as "GM", respondents value this attribute negatively, while labeling apples as "REP" results in a positive valuation of the same attribute. It can be concluded that labeling should reflect both: the method (GM) and the specific benefits it could provide. As a result, consumers would have more information to make a desirable and affordable choice among products.

The pet food industry continues to grow driven by higher disposable income and increased popularity of pet ownership among millennials. Research shows that pet food sales increased by 27% from $59.3 billion in 2010 to $75.25 billion in 2016. The increase in demand is accompanied by growing preference for specialized product attributes such as natural, organic, and many other premium product attributes. Research shows that many pet food trends today mimic human food trends as there is a growing tendency among pet owners to humanize their pets. These trends have forced companies to re-evaluate their production and marketing strategies in order to take advantage of the profit potential. They have begun using product differentiation based on various intrinsic attributes (e.g. color, texture, smell, appearance, etc...) and extrinsic attributes (e.g. brand, denomination of origin, image, etc...). As companies aim to accommodate the increasing specialized demands of consumers, they must be aware of consumer's perception of value associated with different product attributes. The ability of the companies to accurately analyze and interpret consumer value perceptions and expectations is crucial for successfully capturing and maintaining market share in expanding specialty pet food categories. There is emerging literature in this area examining customer preferences and willingness to pay for specific attributes of pet food. However, the extent of this literature is limited by the availability and quality of consumer data. Recent advancements in information and communication technologies combined with the growing trend of online shopping in general and pet food in particular have generated new data source and provided opportunity for analysis of consumer perceptions. The online pet food and supplies purchases in the U.S. have increased by 58% from $1.18 billion in 2011 to 1.86 billion in 2015. Studies in other areas such as human food, health, services, banking, and many other markets have used online review data to study consumer preferences. However, there are no such studies in pet food. The growth in pet food and increasing profit potential combined with increased online shopping provides a good opportunity for research in this area. The purpose of this thesis is to provide insight on consumer perception of pet food product attributes. Specific objectives include identifying major emerging consumer trends in pet food, examine strategies used by pet food in designing and communicating points of differentiation targeted at emerging consumer trends, analyze consumer perception of the value associated with intrinsic and extrinsic attributes of specialty pet food products. The analysis are based on the data from consumer reviews of online pet food buyers. Websites such as Amazon, Chewy, and Pet Food Direct are used to obtain consumer review, as they are the leading websites for pet food sales. Data on company marketing strategies is obtained from websites and packages of the companies associated with the select specialty pet food brands and product lines. Methods include utilizing the R Studio Statistical software to conduct a content analysis of the consumer reviews. A comparative analysis is performed to examine differences in perception of attributes by customers in different categories based their rating of the product and shopping experience. The primary results showed both companies are primarily marketing the health/benefit characteristics to customers. The results also revealed pet food customers tend to place the most value on health/benefit and ingredient characteristics. The three-circle analysis results showed that each of the attributes and terms marketed by both companies are perceived by customers. This implies that both companies are successfully communicating the value of their products to customers. However, there is potential for both companies to increase their current product positioning strategy to incorporate attributes highlighted as value/needs. The alterations in marketing approach can increase competitive advantage over other companies in the market. The insights generated by this research have a potential to inform marketing, product strategy decisions, and facilitate successful product differentiation by companies in the pet food industry. The methods and the results of this research contribute to the literature in the area of agribusiness and agri-food marketing in general and pet-food marketing in particular, thus it will potentially generate interest among agribusiness scholars and pet-food industry stakeholders.

The acceptance and preference of the sensory properties of foods are among the most important criteria determining food choice. Sensory perception and our response to food products, and finally food choice itself, are affected by a myriad of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The pressing question is, how do these factors specifically affect our acceptance and preference for foods, both in and of themselves, and in combination in various contexts, both fundamental and applied? In addition, which factors overall play the largest role in how we perceive and behave towards food in daily life? Finally, how can these factors be utilized to affect our preferences and final acceptance of real food and food products from industrial production and beyond for healthier eating? A closer look at trends in research showcasing the influence that these factors and our senses have on our perception and affective response to food products and our food choices is timely. Thus, in this Special Issue collection “Consumer Preferences and Acceptance of Food Products”, we bring together articles which encompass the wide scope of multidisciplinary research in the space related to the determination of key factors involved linked to fundamental interactions, cross-modal effects in different contexts and eating scenarios, as well as studies that utilize unique study design approaches and methodologies.

This dissertation examines what motivates individuals to prefer certain types of product attributes over others. It is proposed that consumer preference regarding product attributes is fundamentally connected to an individual's future orientation, i.e., how a person perceives, thinks about, and copes with time left in life. Specifically, it is posited that future orientations play key roles in shaping a person's criteria in product evaluation. Thus, this dissertation seeks to integrate the study of future orientation with research on socio-emotional selectivity influences on consumption. Building on past research, this study proposes a conceptual model including four constructs: future orientations, chronological age, product evaluation, and preferences. An experimental study was used to investigate the research objectives and calibrate and validate the model. The experiment examines the moderating effect of future orientations and chronological age on consumer preference for hedonic vs. utilitarian attributes. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two future orientations (expansive and limited) and one of two attributes contexts (hedonic and utilitarian). The sample for this study was drawn from consumers in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. The research results will lead to an improved understanding of how preference varies from individual to individual and changes over time. In particular the research will provide insights about the impact of an individual's future orientation on product attitude. The findings will advance current theory in both the new product evaluation and preference literature and have implications for the practice of marketing at levels of marketing strategy, product development, integrated marketing communications and loyalty programs.

In order for food businesses, scientists and policy makers to develop successful products, services and policies, it is essential that they understand food consumers and how they decide which products to buy. Food consumer behaviour is the result of various factors, including the motivations of different consumers, the attributes of specific foods, and the environment in which food choices occur. Recognising diversity between individual consumers, different stages of life, and different cultural contexts is increasingly important as markets become increasingly diverse and international. The book begins with a comprehensive introduction and analysis of the key drivers of consumer food choices, such as the environment and sensory product features. Part two examines the role of consumers’ attitudes towards quality and marketing, and their views on food preparation and technology. Part three covers cultural and individual differences in food choice as well as addressing potentially influential factors such as age and gender. Important topics such as public health and methods to change consumers’ preferences for unhealthy foods are discussed in part four. The final section concludes with advice on developing coherent safety policies and the consumers’ responsibility for food production and consumption. Understanding consumers of food products is a standard reference for all those in the food industry concerned with product development and regulation. Develop an understanding of buyer behaviour to assist developing successful products Recognise the diversity between consumers and learn how to cater for their needs Covers cultural and individual differences in food choice