Nowadays, scholars, entrepreneurs and policy makers focus their attention on food-related health challenges, nutritional value and food safety. Among these themes, the use of processed animal protein developed from insects as alternative food source is increasingly debated. The main goal of this paper is to contribute to filling this gap with an empirical analysis focused on the willingness of Italian potential consumers to eat insect-based food. By applying the conjoint analysis technique, the study identifies the cause of consumers’ reactions to novel food based on cultural bias rather than on ‘neophobia in itself’ or on knowledge about the product. In this new scenario, the companies operating in the food sector could reduce this bias by devising effective marketing strategies that are oriented to underline the link between consumption of insect-based food and the associated nutritional benefit. In other terms, consumption based on cultural elements can be seen as the result of a strategic dynamic process.<br />

Strategic Plans (SPs) and Sustainability Reports (SRs) represent institutional communication tools implemented by universities to demonstrate their adoption of sustainability and sustainable development goals (SDGs of Agenda 2030) as drivers in their strategic planning processes. These tools make the adopted strategies and operations visible and easily understandable to stakeholders, highlighting the university’s commitment to a new balance between business, environment, and the social sphere. Moving from this premise, with the aim to evaluate the degree of transposition of sustainability and sustainable development principles into the Italian university system, we propose an exploratory research on universities’ institutional declarations, in the form of the SRs and SPs available on their web sites. To this aim, we conducted a content analysis aiming at a preliminary phase of text coding, based on a set of analytical categories—pillars—namely Education and Learning, Research, Operations and Governance, and External Leadership. The work has allowed us to identify: an interesting extent to which the sustainability principles have been transposed into the Italian university system, with particular regard to the third category of Operations and Governance (36% of coded segments in SRs and 32% of coded segments in SPs); a considerable awareness of universities of their key role played on the sociopolitical and economic levels for the diffusion of the Agenda 2030 within civil society.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the phenomenon of online food purchasing in Italy and, specifically, Italian consumers' future intentions to use these services even after the end of the COVID-19 emergency. To this purpose, to understand if these phenomena are robust enough to represent irreversible and well-established trends, in the present study, consumers’ Behavioural Intention was investigated.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical framework based on a preliminary literature analysis on the use of delivery services was developed. Then, an online survey was carried out in Italy during 2021. The data were then elaborated through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following the verification of constructs reliability, a structural equation modelling (SEM) using the statistical tools, SPSS and R (Lavaan) was performed.FindingsThe results suggest that Behavioural Intention is influenced by items such as convenience, variety of food and time savings. Moreover, the relevant role of social networks and interpersonal relationships in influencing consumers' purchasing intentions has highlighted the importance of focussing on advertising campaigns and good “word of mouth.”Originality/valueThe present research represents the first attempt to investigate the food delivery and ghost kitchens’ phenomena, recently accepted thanks to the delivery applications use in Italy, a Country with strong gastronomic tradition and with an important digital gap. In this scenario, the research focused on the attention on the consumers' future intentions to use these services even after the end of the COVID-19 emergency.

PurposeThe paper sets out to analyses the approach of Southern Italian regions in the way they are developing different types of tourist products.Design/methodology/approachIn an attempt to measure tour operator preferences that impact the offer features, the tour operators' profiles have been traced, through a cluster analysis, in order to develop the market of new tourist products in Southern Italy.FindingsThe findings prove that the attitude of foreign tourists in choosing Southern Italian destinations is influenced not only by seaside location and cultural products but also by alternative features, such as natural resources and enogastronomic traditions, which represent the differentiating and value‐creating elements of the basic product. Moreover, the accommodation chosen confirms international tour operator loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsThe cluster definition helps in identifying collective strategies to promote macro destinations, connecting similar places linked by tourist need satisfaction. Future research should consider the different typologies of tour operators and try to compare different areas of Europe with Italy.Practical implicationsNew forms of tourism require specific and differentiated strategies supported by forms of international market penetration. The marketing thrusts should focus on the place vocation and a local hospitality system, developing and marketing local tourist products.Originality/valueThis paper analyses the role of tourist operators in developing and marketing new destinations and typologies of tourism.

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