This study adopts a revised model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour incorporating self-identity and desire for unique consumer products to understand and predict consumers’ motivation to drink craft beer in Germany (N=210) and Italy (N=211). Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares modelling (PLS) approach. The findings provide support that the extended TPB model is a useful tool for understanding the consumers’ choice to drink craft beer. The results confirm the major role played by consumers’ attitudes and self-identity. Mediation analysis indicates a potential indirect effect from self-identity, subjective norms and the desire for unique consumer products on individual behaviour both in the German and Italian sample. Implications for theory are discussed for further research developments within the context of consumption of crafted food products.

The agricultural sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the integration of innovative technologies and practices, but the adoption of these technologies remains uneven. Holistic approaches to the diffusion of innovative technologies in agriculture are seen as crucial for effective adoption and sustainable development. In this context, the systemic dimension of technology adoption is characterized by the interactions between actors that create knowledge and promote the process of technology adoption. Therefore, the overall objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the art in relation to the systemic dimension of the process of technology adoption in developed countries. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension protocol for scoping reviews, we examined the literature to capture the role of the systems dimension in the process of technology adoption. We conducted a two-analysis, bibliometric and content network analysis to identify the concepts and thematic clusters that define the systemic dimension and represent the main drivers of technology adoption for sustainable development in agriculture. The results show that the factors influencing the adoption of agricultural technologies are treated inconsistently in the literature, with a focus on technological and economic aspects rather than systemic elements such as governance and stakeholder interactions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the gendered nature of craft beer (CB) consumption in Italy and Germany.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through online surveys in Italy (N = 210) and Germany (N = 211). Based on an enhanced version of the theory of planned behaviour, mean value difference tests and moderated regression analyses with gender as a moderator were performed to test gender effects on CB consumption behaviour.Findings: The study results provide evidence that the gap in CB consumption behaviour is not very pronounced. In the German sample, gender did not moderate the effects of the model components on behavioural intent. However, the study found significant mean differences in all model variables. In the Italian sample, gender moderated the effects of several components of the theory of planned behaviour on behavioural intention. Hence, CB consumption appears to represent an opportunity for Italian women to negotiate their womanhood in a historically masculine-dominated space.Research limitations/implications: The limitations of these data are the focus on two specific countries, the use of small-sized samples and the prediction of behavioural intentions instead of actual behaviour.Practical implications: The study may help marketing managers develop appropriate marketing strategies based on a better understanding of gender-specific needs in CB consumption.Originality/value: This investigation provides the first comparative analysis of gender-specific behavioural patterns in CB consumption in two European countries characterised by notably different beer cultures.

Purpose: The wine market in Italy has been through several changes in the last decade. Actors in the supply chain need to find new strategies or tools in order to remain competitive in what has become a fiercely competitive sector. Innovation is one of the tools which have been successfully used in the New World wine market, hence innovation might also be a useful resource for actors in the Old World wine market, such as in Italy. The purpose of this paper is to explore stakeholders’ perception of such innovation, including how its usefulness in the Italian wine production and distribution chain is perceived. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were carried out in Emilia-Romagna with a wide range of actors in the Italian wine chain and consumer focus groups and the resulting data were analyzed using the content-summarizing approach. Findings: These stakeholders agreed that innovation is needed for production and processing as well as in quality control, but only on condition that it should maintain the quality and value of traditional wines. Innovative wine products tend to be unacceptable to consumers. Most stakeholders associate innovation with communication as producers and distributors seek innovative ways to convey information regarding the value of wines to final consumers. Research limitations/implications: The findings are qualitative and based on a small group of Italian wine industry players and consumers who operate mainly in a domestic context. Practical implications: The paper provides industrialists with information useful in the search to find the right strategies to make them more competitive in the Italian wine market. It is crucial to find and adopt innovative approaches toward communication throughout the chain. Information appealing to tradition and sentiment could be highly effective ways to reach the consumer. Originality/value: This is the first in-depth study of the perceptions of all stakeholders (from producers to consumers) regarding innovation in the Italian wine chain; of particular importance as the industry is currently in transition toward globalization.

“Authentic brand activism” is an under-researched area of study, and it suffers from a clear lack of understanding concerning the effectiveness of its practices. This study aims to assess how consumers’ evaluations of a brand regarding brand reputation, competence, credibility, and benevolence affect consumers’ brand trust and brand loyalty. This research focuses on the Italian brand “Libera Terra” (“Free Land”), an organisation that uses assets confiscated from the mafias for the production of environmentally and socially sustainable agri-food products. Based on a sample of 366 randomly chosen consumers in a supermarket in the urban district of Bologna (Italy), the results show that consumers’ perceptions of brand performance contribute to their perceived levels of brand trust. The brand trust subsequently impacts consumers’ brand loyalty. This research confirms that alignment between an organisation’s values, business practices, and marketing strategies ensures that authentic brand activism is effective, highlighting the need for businesses to consciously adopt brand activism and avoid “woke washing” practices. The theoretical and managerial implications arising from this research are also presented.