Halo Effect and Source Credibility in the Evaluation of Food Products Identified by Third-Party Certified Eco-Labels: Can Information Prevent Biased Inferences?

Despite the growing awareness of the need to promote the consumption of organic food, consumers have difficulties in correctly identifying it in the market, making frequent cognitive mistakes in the evaluation of products identified by sustainability labels and claims. This work analyzes the halo effect and the source credibility bias in the interpretation of product attributes based on third-party certified labels. It is hypothesized that, regardless of their specific meaning, official labels lead consumers to infer higher environmental sustainability, quality and price of the product, due to the credibility attributed to the certifying entity. It also examines the extent to which providing the consumer with accurate labeling information helps prevent biased heuristic thinking. An experimental between-subject study was performed with a sample of 412 Spanish business students and data were analyzed using partial least squares. Findings revealed that consumers tend to infer environmental superiority and, consequently, higher quality in products identified by both organic and non-organic certified labels, due to their credibility. Label credibility was also associated with price inferences, to a greater extent than the meaning attributed to the label. Interestingly, providing accurate information did not avoid biased heuristic thinking in product evaluation.

Un modelo social cognitivo de intenciones emprendedoras en estudiantes universitarios / A social cognitive model of entrepreneurial intentions in university students

Este trabajo analiza las limitaciones de la literatura previa sobre intenciones emprendedoras de estudiantes universitarios y propone un modelo de elección de carreras emprendedoras basado en la Teoría Social Cognitiva de Carrera (TSCC) desarrollada por Lent, Brown y Hackett (1994, 2000). Particularmente, el estudio hipotetiza una relación secuencial directa entre intereses vocacionales, intenciones y conductas emprendedoras, desencadenada y retroalimentada a su vez por las creencias de autoeficacia y expectativas de resultados atribuidos a la creación de empresas. En la puesta a prueba del modelo propuesto, se describe un estudio realizado con 400 estudiantes universitarios de distintas áreas de conocimiento. Los resultados del trabajo, obtenidos mediante la técnica PLS (Partial Least Squares), confirman una relación positiva directa entre intereses, intenciones y conductas emprendedoras y erigen la autoeficacia emprendedora como el principal desencadenante de dicha secuencia de metas. Por su parte, las expectativas de resultados permiten predecir únicamente los intereses vocacionales por la creación de empresas. Los resultados tienen importantes implicaciones para el diseño de programas de apoyo a la iniciativa emprendedora en entornos universitarios

This work analyzes the limitations of previous literature on entrepreneurial intentions of university students and proposes a model of entrepreneurial career choice based on Social Cognitive Career Theory(SCCT) by Lent, Brown and Hackett (1994, 2000). Particularly, the study hypothesizes a sequential direct path between entrepreneurial vocational interests, intentions and nascent behaviors, which in turn would be triggered by the beliefs of self-efficacy and outcome expectations attributed to business start-up at both extrinsic and intrinsic levels. To test the hypotheses of the model, an empirical study carried out with 400 university students within different knowledge areas is described. The results obtained, using the PLS (Partial Least Squares) technique, confirm a positive direct link between entrepreneurial interests, intentions and nascent behaviors, while perceived entrepreneurial self-efficacy predicts such goal sequence. Otherwise, intrinsic outcome expectations are related to vocational interest in business startup, whereas expected extrinsic rewards do not play any important role in the model. These findings have important implications for the design of entrepreneurship support programs in university environments

Cultura y desfases culturales de los equipos de trabajo: implicaciones para el compromiso organizacional / Culture and cultural gaps in work teams: implications for organisational commitment

Algunos teóricos del compromiso organizacional han propuesto que la cultura es un determinante importante del compromiso organizacional. No obstante, muy pocos trabajos han examinado el papel que la cultura de los equipos de trabajo (subcultura) y sus desfases culturales tienen sobre el compromiso. El presente estudio trata de cubrir esta laguna. Utilizando una muestra de 375 equipos de trabajo de diferentes organizaciones públicas y privadas, encontramos que los resultados confirmaron nuestras propuestas. Los desfases culturales se relacionaron negativamente con el compromiso; la subcultura de los equipos lo hizo de forma positiva y se relacionó más con el compromiso con los valores que con el compromiso de continuar; las variables demográficas (edad, tiempo en el equipo, tiempo en la empresa), en contra de algunos estudios, no resultaron significativas, excepto el nivel de educación que se relacionó con el compromiso de continuar. Se analizan las implicaciones de estos resultados

Some theoreticians of organisational commitment have proposed that culture is an important determinant of organisational commitment. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the role that work teams culture (subculture) and their cultural gaps play in commitment. This study is an attempt to overcome this lack. Using a sample of 375 work teams from various public and private organisations, it was found that the results confirmed our proposals. Cultural gaps were negatively related to commitment; the teams subculture was positively related to commitment, and more highly to commitment to values than to commitment to continuing. Contrary to the results of other studies, the demographic variables (age, time on the team, time in the company) were not significant, except that educational level was related to the commitment to continue. The implications of these results are analysed

[Culture and cultural gaps in work teams: implications for organisational commitment]. / Cultura y desfases culturales de los equipos de trabajo: implicaciones para el compromiso organizacional.

Some theoreticians of organisational commitment have proposed that culture is an important determinant of organisational commitment. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the role that work teams culture (subculture) and their cultural gaps play in commitment. This study is an attempt to overcome this lack. Using a sample of 375 work teams from various public and private organisations, it was found that the results confirmed our proposals. Cultural gaps were negatively related to commitment; the teams subculture was positively related to commitment, and more highly to commitment to values than to commitment to continuing. Contrary to the results of other studies, the demographic variables (age, time on the team, time in the company) were not significant, except that educational level was related to the commitment to continue. The implications of these results are analysed.