Research
Overview research domains
Agro-food marketing and consumer behavior
Research domain
The marketing challenges faced by agricultural production, and its resulting agricultural and food products, both within the Belgian, European and global context. Consumer behavior is the point of departure for these studies.
Research questions pertain to the role and impact of personal, product-related and environmental factors such as communication and labeling on contemporary consumers’ opinions, perceptions, attitude and choices.
Research themes
- Consumer acceptance of technological innovations in the food chain
- Trends and changes in food and dietary choice
- Impact of ethical and sustainability concerns of individuals in their role as consumer and citizen
The research team is active in several European research consortia in the domain of food consumer science
Rural Development Economics
Research domain
Research at in rural development economics focuses on the role of agricultural in rural development in the Global South.
We study how agricultural activities contribute to wellbeing, food security and household income for farmers and farm workers.
Research themes
- Food security and farming systems
- Coffee production and chain analysis
- Farm worker conditions
- Inclusive business models, contracts and cooperatives
Economics and management of natural resources
Research domain
Sustainable and efficient management of natural resoruces
Research fields
- Evaluating the efficiency and sustainability of the resource use outcomes.
- Analysing how management policies affect the relationship between actors and natural resources. Investigating the role of the institutional settings in sustainable resource management.
- Valuation of natural resources.
This research group is member of the Natural Capital research cluster of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University, Belgium.
Modelling and Optimisation of Decisions in Economics, Resources, Nature and Agriculture (MODERNA)
Agribusiness marketing and management
Research domain
Influence of a dynamic environment in which firms operate based on the trading results. Increased attention is given to business-to-business relations, in which a structured and well considered approach is central.
Research themes
- business-to-business relations
- economic importance of secondary flows
- analysis of prices, focused on the development of models related to supply and demand that explain and predict price evolutions.
Farm management, Agricultural policy and rural environmental economics
Research domain
The relation between the farm and the environment and how this is influenced by policies.
Research themes
- Consequences of agricultural and environmental policies on farm management
- Possibilities of multifunctionality on farms
- Institutional economics
- Transaction costs
- Rural development policy