This article aims to identify antecedents of food waste among lower‐middle class families – a paradox, given the financial constraints this population faces. The importance of this research is evident in escalating environmental pressures for better use of our planet's scarce resources. Given that most of the world is low‐income, any behavioral change in this population is likely to have a considerable impact. Empirical data were collected from 14 lower‐middle income Brazilian households, based on observations, in‐depth interviews, photographs and a focus group (n = 6). Five major categories of food waste antecedents were identified: (1) excessive purchasing, (2) over‐preparation, (3) caring for a pet, (4) avoidance of leftovers and (5) inappropriate food conservation. Several subcategories were also found, including impulse buying, lack of planning and preference for large packages. Surprisingly, findings show that strategies used to save money – such as buying groceries in bulk, monthly shopping trips, preference for supermarkets and cooking from scratch – actually end up generating more food waste. This mitigates the savings made during the purchasing phase.

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This qualitative study, grounded theory oriented, identifies familial affection and preference for abundance as major drivers of wasted food in lower-middle income American families. These positive intentions provide an improved understanding of household food waste, a problem with high environmental impact and moral implications. Based on empirical data collected with twenty caregivers via in-depth interviews, observations, and analysis of photos, this study provides novel explanations, such as on how stockpiling comfort foods in abundance -a form of both boosting positive self-emotions and showing affection for kids -can promote more wasted food. Other antecedents identified include multiplicity of choices, convenience, procrastination and unplanned routines. In sum, this research identifies a negative outcome of affection and food abundance in the family context, while providing a theoretically relevant general framework to help understand the food waste phenomenon. Authors suggest increasing the awareness of nutritional gatekeepers through behavioral economics principles.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a taxonomy to describe and synthesize the retail strategies and store formats in the fast-changing modernization context of emerging markets. It identifies how these different formats are related to the existing literature about retail evolution. The paper proposes analogies between the empirical findings and the Big Middle Theory model developed by Levy et al. (2005). Design/methodology/approach – Structured observations and personal interviews were conducted with managers/owners of 108 apparel stores located in three unplanned shopping districts in São Paulo, Brazil. Cluster analysis was used to derive the store formats. Findings – The results identify four store formats – old fashioned, price focused, specialized, and consolidated – reflecting diverse marketing strategies and different stages in the retailing modernization cycle. There is a striking resemblance between these empirically derived formats and the four types of retail segments (Big Middle, Low price, Innovative, and in Trouble) proposed by the Big Middle model. Research limitations/implications – There are limitations due to the exploratory nature of the research: the specific context (São Paulo, apparel retail sector) where the empirical data was collected restricts the generalization of the results to other situations; lack of precision in the appraisal of the variables might limit the research replicability. Nevertheless, this research contributes to expanding the scarce knowledge about the retailing phenomenon in emerging markets. An extension of the Big Middle model is suggested to depict the existing retail formats in emerging markets, offering therefore a theoretical contribution to the retail literature. Practical implications – The study provides retailers with a framework against which to map their format, competitive strategy, and stages of the modernization cycle, enabling them to better adjust the configuration of their marketing mix variables. It also offers a classification scheme of stores formats which will help to describe the apparel retailing industry in emerging markets. Social implications – Public policies are suggested to technically assist the modernization process and survival of more vulnerable retail formats. Originality/value – Considering the fast-growing economic importance of the new “low-middle class” of emerging markets, and also the relevance of apparel retailing, this research is relevant and unique because it helps to bridge a gap in the limited literature and knowledge in this area.

Empresas atuando no mercado de baixa renda adotam distintas estratégias, dependendo da ênfase que atribuem a preços, benefícios agregados ou proximidade física ao consumidor. No entanto, a escolha da melhor estratégia depende da compreensão das características desse mercado e das variáveis que afetam o comportamento do consumidor. O sucesso da estratégia irá refletir o acerto da empresa em identificar a equação que gera a percepção de valor nesse tipo de mercado.

Antecedentes e consequências do gerenciamento das finanças domésticas na classe média baixa brasileiraAntecedencias y consecuencias de la administración financiera doméstica en la clase media baja brasileña ABSTRACT Through two complementary and exploratory studies -one qualitative and one quantitative -this research aims to understand the ways in which lower-middle-class families in Brazil manage their household finances. The study proposes an integrated framework that brings together various previously disconnected theoretical fragments. Based on a survey with a sample of 165 lower-middle-class female consumers of a retail company in São Paulo, we explored and tested, via a quantitative study, how antecedents such as personal characteristics affect the financial management process, as well as its consequences, either negatively as defaults or positively as savings. The model calibration and analysis were derived from a series of regression analyses. The results revealed the mediator role that financial management plays in the relationship between personal characteristics and defaults and savings. Compared to previous studies with consumers of more affluent countries, we identified peculiar findings among Brazilian lower-middle-class consumers: inadequate attention to control, weak or no focus on short-or long-range planning, widespread absence of budget surplus, and influence of critical events on episodes of default.KEYWORDS | Household financial management, mental budget, default, savings, Brazilian lower-middle-class. RESUMO PALAVRAS-CHAVE | Gestão das finanças domésticas, orçamento mental, inadimplência, poupança, classe média baixa brasileira. RESUMEN Mediante dos estudios exploratorios complementarios -uno cualitativo y otro cuantitativo-, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo entender los medios por los cuales las familias de clase media-baja brasileña RAE-Revista de Administração de Empresas | FGV-EAESP

<div>Os espa&ccedil;os de consumo das cidades brasileiras refletem a&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 10px;">forte polariza&ccedil;&atilde;o social do pa&iacute;s. De um lado, h&aacute; a prolifera&ccedil;&atilde;o&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">de shopping centers, os quais abrigam as camadas&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">mais ricas da popula&ccedil;&atilde;o. De outro, existem os p&oacute;los comerciais de&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">rua, freq&uuml;entados pela popula&ccedil;&atilde;o de renda mais baixa. Esse artigo&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">ressalta as oportunidades que existem nos p&oacute;los comerciais de rua</span></div><div>e sugere como a revitaliza&ccedil;&atilde;o desses p&oacute;los poder&aacute; influenciar a&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 10px;">qualidade de vida e o vigor de nossas cidades.</span></div>

Franchise literature disputes how the relationship between franchisors and franchisees develops over time. Traditional lifecycle theory views relationships following an ascendant curve, in which relationship quality and performance strengthen over time. Another perspective better reflects the peculiarities of the franchisor-franchisee relationship, indicating that relationship quality in franchise systems follows a U-shaped curve. There is also limited research on the moderating effect of time on the relationship between relational variables and outcomes. This study sheds light on the influence of relationship duration on relationship quality and financial performance in the franchisee-franchisor relationship. Using a self-report survey from a sample of 342 franchisees, mean and regression analyses are conducted to test relationships. Results confirm the time effect on franchisor-franchisee relationship quality and performance, but the hypothesized shape of relationship phases is only partially confirmed. Moreover, time has a positive moderating effect on the impact of relationship quality on financial performance.