Purpose: User-generated content and online reviews are highly relevant in purchase decision in the hospitality sector, including restaurants, but there is a lack of knowledge about the effect of sharing pictures in this context. This study aims to focus on the relevance of user-generated photos in online platforms for restaurants’ selection. Design/methodology/approach: A research was conducted with a sample of 319 residents of Porto region, who had at least one meal in a restaurant over the 30 days before the answer of the survey and had searched online to select the restaurant. Findings: The results show that while doing online research about restaurants, it is important for potential consumers to find pictures of food and physical evidences of restaurants generated by other users. Findings also show that consumers find user-generated photos especially at websites of reviews, although the importance of restaurant owned platforms, such as official social media pages and websites. Practical implications: The research results appeal restaurant managers to understand the importance of user-generated photos in online platforms by promoting photo sharing in their restaurants with appropriate marketing activities for that purpose. Originality/value: This paper expands the state-of-the-art about the importance of user-generated content, focusing on the importance of photos from restaurants shared by consumers in online platforms.

Purpose: By using the Triple Helix model, the purpose of this paper is to uncover the perceptions of nascent entrepreneurs about a university–industry–government collaboration program, in particular about the role of each agent to foster rural entrepreneurship; the value and effect of this collaboration; and their own contributions to local development. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study method is adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs and secondary data. The text is analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The interaction of the Triple Helix partners is perceived as valuable both at the personal and the business levels. One of the most salient results is the value ascribed to the knowledge-rich environment created. Entrepreneurs are aware of their contribution to local development, identifying economic, social and cultural effects. Practical implications: The research strengthens the importance of the joint efforts of the Triple Helix partners by uncovering a number of outputs from their collaboration, which affect both the entrepreneurs and local development through entrepreneurship. Originality/value: Previous studies assume that the Triple Helix fosters technological innovation that favors regional development, mainly by adopting a macro-level perspective. This study makes a contribution by furthering the knowledge on the micro-level dynamics of the Triple Helix, through the view of low tech, rural entrepreneurs, considering their context.

Ethical consumers do not always convert their beliefs into purchasing decisions and the impact of influencing variables on the intention-behavior (I-B) gap in ethical consumption remains unresearched. The answers of 364 respondents expressing their intentions regarding ethical consumption and of 346 having ever purchased ethically show that the I-B relationship is mediated by Plans and Habits and moderated by Commitment and Sacrifice, although this was not a full moderation. This study identifies four profiles of ethical consumers, considering the hierarchy of ethical choices and the fact that ethical issues are prioritized as primary and secondary concerns. This paper is the first to measure the mediation and moderation variables regarding the I-B gap in ethical consumption, discussing intervention and priorities to close the gap: promoting ethical consumption as a social norm, expanding the distribution of prioritized ethical products, and mitigating the barriers that entail sacrifices to purchasing ethically.