Over the last few years, the increase of society stratification and inequality of income that has favoured significant shifts in household dietary patterns and a growing demand for products of animal origin, particularly meat and milk can be observed. On the consumption side, meat plays an important role in improving the nutritional status of low-income households by addressing micro and macro nutrient deficiencies. In this context, this paper investigates beef consumption trends and aims to corroborate theoretical expectations with empirical findings. The aim of the research was to characterize main tendencies of beef consumption and to find out factors affecting beef consumption in Latvia. In order to achieve the set aim, the following research objectives were defined: 1) to characterize household expenditure for purchasing beef; 2) to describe overall beef consumption in Latvia; 3) to investigate beef consumption in households with different income level. The study was based on annual statistical data, statistical bulletins covering results of the Household Budget Survey from 2002 to 2007, scientific publications and special literature. To carry out the research, adequate research methods were used. The results of this study showed that beef consumption in the country has been more or less stable, although in relatively small amounts. The main factor that influences beef consumption and expenditure on beef is income level. The results also suggested that higher beef consumption is characteristic of urban households, which have higher income level than rural ones. Therefore, within increase of income level of Latvia's inhabitants, beef consumption and demand for beef could significantly increase.

The paper provides the study of specific spatial conditions of rural development of Arctic zone regions in Russia during 2000 – 2015. The aim of the paper is to propose the methodology for rural development disparities study in the Russian Arctic. Spatial development of the Arctic is described by a system of indicators, reflecting the system of the resettlement, the level and quality of life: total population size, life expectancy at birth, housing stock etc. The extent and nature of disparities, particularly, social and economic disparities within the rural territories of the Arсtic are explained. The assessment has been based on min-max ratio, coefficient of variation as well as Gini index. Eliminating excessive spatial differences in the social development of urban and rural territories of Arctic regions, improving the demographic situation, raising the level and quality of life of the population should be seen as a priority of the state policy in the Arctic in order to make it attractive for living.

Given the intensive competition in almost all the business sectors, customer loyalty research is gaining its popularity among marketers as well as among scholars. The aim of this research was to determine the differences in loyalty to grocery retailer between urban and rural consumers. In order to reveal the differences, questionnaire research was provided and differences between Lithuanian urban and rural customer loyalties were determined. The research results indicated the existence of statistically significant differences between the loyalties of Lithuanian urban and rural regarding their mostly visited grocery retailers in terms of their attitudes and repeat patronage behaviour. Moreover, based on the neo-behaviouristic approach, considering attitudinal and behavioural measures, all kinds of loyalties were observed stronger in the urban areas of Lithuania. The assumption was made that there might be an effect of limited-choice condition. Affected by the latter condition, rural citizens tend to seek for variety more than the urban ones. Consequently, considering the rural citizens’ evaluations, it can be stated that their loyalty is undermanaged, resulting in a very low amounts of truly loyal customers. Therefore, for the grocery retailers it was recommended to revise their customer loyalty schemes based on the point of residence of their consumers. In such a way the higher possibility of meeting consumer needs might be achieved.

This paper evaluates the impacts on the participants of the Yemen Social Fund for Development’s youth employment and training program called Rural and Urban Advocates Working for Development (RUAWFD). The evaluation used both traditional surveys and an innovative experimental game methodology to show that the employment program, in addition to aiding youth individually, has important benefits for the country as a whole by contributing to stronger social capital. The survey analysis finds for the program participants significant increases between the baseline and follow-up surveys in self-reported trust in local government institutions and officials, political parties, and tribes. In reflecting on the level of cooperativeness in their own communities, participants reported increased awareness of the presence of marginalized groups and increased perception of cooperativeness in surrounding communities. There was also a significant increase in self-reported trust in people generally, especially for trust in other young people and in people from other areas of Yemen. The experimental game methodology uses a common pool game from the experimental economics literature incentivized by cash payments to measure trust levels between pairs of RUAWFD participants from different geographic regions. This approach confirms the findings from the survey analysis while avoiding possible self-reporting bias. The game results show that trust was lowest at baseline for partners in which one of the partners was from one of the Northern governorates and the other was from one of the Southern governorates. After the intervention, however, not only were average trust levels higher, but Northern-Southern pairs of RUAWFD participants had trust levels closer to those for pairs from the same regions. These findings are consistent with the literature on inter-group contact theory suggesting that community interventions can increase trust in individuals and institutions. This research contributes to a growing literature on trust and social capital as important development indicators, particularly in relation to conflict. The main results suggest that reinforcing social ties across regions in Yemen is an important benefit of the Social Fund for Development’s role as a national development agency and an achievable objective to consider in planning development interventions to contribute to future post-conflict reconstruction.