��������������������������
courage transparency within the system . A further complicating factor is that restaurant inspections are the responsibility of regional health authorities or provincial authorities , depending on the province ( Government of Canada , 2014 ); thus , there is inconsistent information available across the country depending on what each jurisdiction has opted to make public and how .
Although the evidence from the ABM supporting transparency in inspection systems is more nuanced , no single intervention will solve the complex problem of foodborne illness , but this is a tool that could help consumers make better choices , and result in more predictable outcomes for inspectors . Given that empirical evidence also suggests that improving transparency results in greater compliance , governments should advocate for transparency in inspection systems to help consumers cope with the manufactured risks associated with foodborne illness .
The incremental nature of model building allows for additional exploration of inspection methods or information delivery methods in the future , one of the advantages of ABM . Some possible extensions for this model include : communication between consumer agents , such as a rumour mill indicating restaurants to avoid , which could be more important in the scenario where consumers do not have access to re-inspection priority levels ; a mechanism that allows restaurants to choose whether or not to comply with regulations , which may depend on whether they are receiving fewer visits from consumers ; or mechanisms that allow for the restaurant ’ s level of compliance to vary over time ; for example , this could mimic the effect of hygiene measures sliding somewhat when the restaurant is extremely busy .
As well , this model needs further analysis and verification . At this point many assumptions are embedded in this stylized model , including those about the probability of illness in at-risk and typical consumer populations , the connection between re-inspection scores , compliance and contamination probability , and consumer behavior . The assumption that risk averse behavior is homogeneous throughout the population , in particular , requires further investigation . To gain insight into this aspect of consumer behavior , experiments could be conducted with consumers to determine which method of inspection information delivery is preferred and works most effectively . This avenue for research in the area has been mentioned before in the literature ( Filion & Powell , 2009 ). Results from such experiments could then inform future versions of an ABM through parameter setting and proper scaling of the analysis .
References
Akerlof , G . ( 1970 ). The market for “ lemons ”: Quality uncertainty and the market mechanism . Th��������������������������� ������ , 84 ( 3 ), 488-500 .
Alberta Health . ( 2014 ). Common foodborne illness . Retrieved from http :// www . health . alberta . ca / health-info / foodborne-illness-common . html
Batz , M . B ., Hoffman , S ., & Morris , J . G . ( 2011 ). �������� ���� ������� Th�� ��� ������ ��������� ������������� ����� ���� ��������� ������� ��� ������� ������ . Gainesville , FL : Emerging Pathogens Institute , University of Florida .
Beck , U . ( 1992 ). ���������������������������� ���������� London , England : Sage .
153