Carola Grebitus

Carola Grebitus is an associate professor of food industry management at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Her research is focused on modelling consumers’ food choices in general, and consumers’ decision strategies in particular. She has worked extensively on determinants of consumer behavior, purchase decision making, and food quality from consumers’ perspective. Her current research includes consumer preferences for local food, urban agriculture, and sustainable (food) products; willingness to pay for new technologies; and the influence of food labelling on purchase decisions. Furthermore, she investigates the role of social networks on healthy food choices and adoption of genomics. Also, she has conducted research using retail surveys regarding consumers’ use of quality certification and country-of-origin information. In her research Professor Grebitus applies a variety of methods ranging from auctions and choice experiments to eye tracking and taste tests.

 

Research

Arizona Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill: Perception of Arizona-Grown Medjool Dates. PI with Co-PIs R.S. Hughner and E.J. Van Loo, Arizona State University; 2018-2020, $79,165. SEED Grant ISSR: Meeting consumers’ demand for U.S. beef: Analysis of U.S. beef from a European consumers’ perspective – the role of country-of-origin labelling. PI with Co-PI T. Schmitz, Arizona State University; 2018, $8,000. U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture-EASM-3: Collaborative Research: Physics-Based Predictive Modeling for Integrated Agricultural and Urban Applications. Co-PI with A. Mahalov (PI), B. Turner, M. Moustaoui, M. Georgescu, Arizona State University; 2015-2020, $751,860. National Science Foundation MPS-DMS-EASM-3: Collaborative Research: Physics-Based Predictive Modeling for Integrated Agricultural and Urban Applications, as Co-PI with A. Mahalov (PI), B. Turner, M. Moustaoui, M. Georgescu, Arizona State University; 2014-2019, $1,161,522. U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Scan-Based Trading: Opportunities for Enhancing Supply-Chain Efficiency. Co-PI with E. Rabinovich (PI), T.J. Richards (Co-PI), Arizona State University; 2016-2019, $496,407. Genome Canada, University of Alberta: Application of Genomics to Improve Disease Resilience and Sustainability in Pork Production. PI, 2016-2019, $49,240. Genome Canada, University of Alberta: Increasing Feed Efficiency and Reducing Methane Emissions through Genomics: A New Promising Goal for the Canadian Dairy Industry. PI, 2016-2019, $30,000. Arizona Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill: Target-Marketing for Medjool Date Consumer Segments. PI with Co-PI R.S. Hughner, Arizona State University; 2016-2018, $40,664. Arizona Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill: Driving Demand for Arizona-Grown Medjool Dates. PI with Co-PI R.S. Hughner, Arizona State University; 2015-2017, $78,052. Economic Research Service, USDA – Food Economics Division: Cooperative Research Agreement: Applying Behavioral and Experimental Economics to Food and Agri-Environmental Issues. Support of Agricultural & Applied Economics Association 2015 Post Conference Workshop; 2015, $5,000.

 

Publications

Colson, G., and C. Grebitus (2017): Relationship between children’s BMI and parents’ preferences for kids’ yogurts with and without front of package health signals. ​Agribusiness: An International Journal,​ 33(2), 151-159. Colson, G., Corrigan, J., Grebitus, C. Loureiro, M., and M. Rousu (2016): Which deceptive practices, if any, should be allowed in experimental economics research? Results from surveys of applied experimental economists and students. ​American Journal of Agricultural Economics,​ 98(2), 610-621. DeLong, K.L., and C. Grebitus (2018): Genetically modified labeling: The role of consumers’ trust and personality. ​Agribusiness: An International Journal,​ 34(2), 266-282. Dumortier, J., Evans, K.S., Grebitus, C., and P.A. Martin (2017): The influence of trust and attitudes on the purchase frequency of organic produce. ​The Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing​, 29(1), 46-69. Grebitus C., Peschel A.O., and R.S. Hughner (2018): Voluntary food labeling: The additive effect of “free from” labels and region of origin. In Press. ​Agribusiness: An International Journal.​ 2018;1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/agr.21558. Grebitus, C., and G. Davis (2017): Change is Good!? Analyzing the Relationship between Attention and Nutrition Facts Panel Modifications. ​Food Policy,​ 73, 119-130. Grebitus, C., and J. Dumortier (2016): Effects of values and personality on demand for organic produce. ​Agribusiness: An International Journal,​ 32(2), 189-202. Grebitus, C., Hartmann, M., and N. Reynolds (2015): Global Obesity Study on Drivers for Weight Reduction Strategies. Obesity Facts. ​The European Journal of Obesity​, 8, 77-86. Grebitus, C., Jensen, H.H., and J. Roosen (2013): US and German consumer preferences for ground beef packaged under a modified atmosphere – Different regulations, different behavior? ​Food Policy,​ 40, 109–118. Grebitus, C., Jensen, H.H., Roosen, J., and J. Sebranek (2015): Does the Packaging Make the Product? Identifying Consumers’ Preference for “Natural” in Packaging. ​AgBioForum​ – Festschrift for Wallace Huffman, 18(3), 337-344. Grebitus, C., Jensen, H.H., Roosen, J., and J.G. Sebranek (2013): Fresh meat packaging: Consumer acceptance of modified atmosphere packaging including carbon monoxide. ​Journal of Food Protection,​ 76(1), 99-107. Grebitus, C., Lusk, J., and R. Nayga (2013): Effect of distance of transportation on willingness to pay for food.​ Ecological Economics,​ 88, 67–75. Grebitus, C., Lusk, J., and R. Nayga (2013): Explaining differences in real and hypothetical experimental auctions and choice experiments with personality. ​Journal of Economic Psychology,​ 36, 11–26. Grebitus, C., Printezis, I., and A. Printezis (2017): Relationship between consumer behavior and success of urban agriculture. Ecological Economics, 136, 189-200. Grebitus, C., Roosen, J., and C. Seitz (2015): Visual attention and Choice: A behavioral economics perspective on food decisions. Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, Special Issue - The Behavioral and Neuroeconomics of Food and Brand Decisions, 13(1), 73-82. Grebitus, C., Steiner, B., and M. Veeman (2013): Personal values and decision making: Evidence from environmental footprint labeling in Canada. ​American Journal of Agricultural Economics - Proceedings​, 95(2), 397-403. Grebitus, C., Steiner, B., and M. Veeman (2015): The roles of human values and generalized trust on stated preferences when food is labeled with environmental footprints: ​Insights from Germany. Food Policy, Special Issue - Consumers and Trust: Empirical investigations on the outcomes of consumer trust in food,​ 52, 84–91. Grebitus, C., Steiner, B., and M. Veeman (2016): Paying for sustainability: A cross-cultural analysis of consumers’ valuations of food and non-food products labeled for carbon and water footprints. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 63, 50-58. Langen, N., Grebitus, C., and M. Hartmann (2013): Success factors of Cause-related Marketing in Germany. ​Agribusiness: An International Journal,​ 29(2), 207-227. Lewis, K.E., and C. Grebitus (2016): Why U.S. consumers support country of origin labeling: Examining the impact of ethnocentrism and food safety. ​The Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing​, 28(3), 254-270. Lewis, K.E., Grebitus, C., and R. Nayga (2016): The impact of brand and attention on consumers’ willingness to pay: Evidence from an eye tracking experiment. ​Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics​, 64(4), 753-777. Lewis, K.E., Grebitus, C., and R. Nayga (2016): The importance of taste in experimental auctions: consumers’ valuation of calorie and sweetener labeling of soft drinks.​ Agricultural Economics​, 47(1), 47-57. Lewis, K.E., Grebitus, C., and R. Nayga (2016): U.S. consumers’ preferences for imported and genetically modified sugar: Examining policy consequentiality in a choice experiment.​ Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics;​ 65, 1-8. Lewis, K.E., Grebitus, C., Colson, G., and W. Hu (2017): German and British consumer willingness to pay for beef labeled with food safety attributes. ​Journal of Agricultural Economics​, 68(2), 451-470. Manfredo, M., D Sanders, K Boris. Accuracy and Efficiency in the U.S. Department of Energy's Short-term Supply Forecasts - Forthcoming. ​Energy Economics​ (2008). Mueller Loose, S., Peschel, A.O. and C. Grebitus (2013): Quantifying effects of convenience and product packaging on consumer preferences and market share of seafood products: The case of oysters. ​Food Quality and Preference​, 28(2), 492-504. Peschel, A.O., Grebitus, C., Colson, G., and W. Hu (2016): Explaining the use of attribute cut-off values on decision making by means of involvement. ​Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics,​ 65, 58-66. Peschel, A.O., Grebitus, C., Steiner, B., and M. Veeman (2016): How does consumer knowledge affect environmentally sustainable choices? Evidence from a cross-country latent class analysis of food labels. ​Appetite​, 106, 78-91. Pofahl, G. and Richards, T.J.. "Valuation of New Products in Attribute Space.". American Journal of Agricultural Economics (2009). Printezis, I., and C. Grebitus (2018): Marketing channels for local food. ​Ecological Economics.​ 152(October), 161-171. Qui, Y., Colson, G., and C. Grebitus (2014): Risk preferences and purchase of energy-efficient technologies in the residential sector. Ecological Economics​, 107, 216–229. Roscoe, R.D., Grebitus, C., O’Brian, J., Johnson, A.C., and I. Kula (2016): Online information search and decision making: Effects of web search stance. ​Computers in Human Behavior​, 56, 103-118. Rousu, M., Colson, G., Corrigan, J., Grebitus, C., and M. Loureiro (2015): Deception in experiments: Towards guidelines on use in applied economics research. ​Agricultural Economic Perspectives and Policy​, 37(3), 524-536. Steiner, B., Peschel, A.O., and C. Grebitus (2017): Multi-product category choices labeled for ecological footprints: Exploring psychographics and evolved psychological biases for characterizing latent consumer classes. ​Ecological Economics,​ 140, 251-264. Syrengelas, K.G., DeLong, K.L., Grebitus, C. and R.M. Nayga (2018): Is the natural label misleading? Examining consumer preferences for natural beef. In Press. ​Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy,​ https://doi.org/10.1093/aepp/ppx042.

 

Conference and workshop participation

Co-chair: ‘Recent Developments in Experimental Economics,’ Post-conference workshop at Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Chicago, IL; 2017 Co-chair: ‘The "How-To" of Experimental Economics in Agricultural, Environmental and Applied Research,’ Pre-conference workshop at Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Boston, MA; 2016 Co-chair: ‘Applying Behavioral and Experimental Economics to Food and Agri-Environmental Issues,’ Post-conference workshop at Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, San Francisco, CA; 2015 Co-chair: ‘Recent Trends in Experimental Economics,’ Pre-conference workshop at European Association of Agricultural Economists Congress, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 2014 Co-chair, science committee: ‘Social Networks, Social Media and the Economics of Food,’ 3rd Agricultural & Applied Economics Association / European Association of Agriculture Economists / Canadian Agricultural Economics Society Conference, Montreal, CA. 2014 Program committee chair: ‘Food Environment: The Effects of Context on Food,’ 2nd Agricultural & Applied Economics Association / Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, Boston, MA. 2012 Member of the program committee and local organizing committee: ‘Consumer Behavior for a Sustainable Future,’ 5th International Consumer Sciences Research Conference, Bonn, Germany. 2011 Member of the local organizing committee: ‘The Economics of Food, Food Choice and Health,’ 1st European Association of Agriculture Economists / Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Symposium and 115th European Association of Agriculture Economists Seminar, Munich, Germany. 2010 Session organizer: ‘Controversies and Frontiers in Experimental Economics,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, San Francisco, CA, 2015 Session co-organizer: ‘Attitudes, Perceptions and Values: Determinants of Decision Making,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Seattle, WA; 2012 Organization of Track Sessions at Conferences Session organizer: ‘Experiments in Applied and Agricultural Economics – Featuring Tomorrow’s Researchers,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Chicago, IL, 2017 Session co-organizer: ‘Using New Technologies to Advance Behavioral and Experimental Economics,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Chicago, IL; 2017 Session co-organizer: ‘Marketing Policy Implications of Food: Consumer Behavior and Labeling Policy from Different Perspectives,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Chicago, IL; 2017 Session organizer: ‘Transformations in Food Systems: Opportunities and Challenges for Alternative Food Systems,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Boston, MA, 2016 Session co-organizer: ‘How do you choose your food? Insights from behavioral economics’, Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Boston, MA; 2016 Session co-organizer: ‘Where are they Now? Research Updates from Graduates of the Behavioral Economics Workshop,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Boston, MA; 2016 Session co-organizer: ‘Investigating Decision Making: The Inclusion of Eye Tracking in Economic Experiments,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, San Francisco, CA, 2015 Session co-organizer: Global Trends in Marketing and Demand of Meat and Dairy Products,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Minneapolis, MN; 2014 Session co-organizer: ‘Is it Healthier, Tastier, and Who Buys it?...– Current Issues Surrounding Organic Food Production and Consumption,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Washington, DC; 2013 Session co-organizer: ‘Value Added Meat Marketing around the Globe: International Insights on Safety, Health, and Convenience,’ Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, Seattle, WA; 2012