Wine choice and drivers of consumption explored in relation to generational cohorts and methodology

The objectives of the present study were to: (1) assess the relative importance of driver and choice factors in wine consumption behaviour, (2) assess the impact of generational cohorts upon drivers of wine consumption and wine choice factors, and (3) compare the present study's survey results relating to wine choice to those obtained by means of Discrete Choice Analysis (DCA). A geographically balanced sample of 1,229 Australian wine consumers was obtained via means of telephone survey. The results of the present study indicate that taste is the primary choice and driver factor. The present findings failed to support the empirical literature's predications relating to generational cohorts and wine consumption behaviour. Further research is required in order to assess the suitability of making and marketing wine based on generational cohort characteristics. Finally, the findings of the present study suggest that, when it comes to wine choice, a simple, cost and time effective questionnaire that utilises indirect questioning may be equally as effective as DCA. If further research continues to show congruence between results collected using both methodologies, the research community may be behoved to continue the use of traditional survey methodology.     

Generalization practices in qualitative research: a mixed methods case study

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine the generalization practices in qualitative research published in a reputable qualitative journal. In order to accomplish this, all qualitative research articles published in Qualitative Report since its inception in 1990 (n =  273) were examined. A quantitative analysis of the all 125 empirical qualitative research articles revealed that a significant proportion (i.e., 29.6%) of studies involved generalizations beyond the underlying sample that were made inappropriately by the author(s). A qualitative analysis identified the types of over-generalizations that occurred, which included making general recommendations for future practice and providing general policy implications based only on a few cases. Thus, a significant proportion of articles published in Qualitative Report lack what we call interpretive consistency.     

Modelling and Mapping Agricultural Output Values Using Farm Specific Details and Environmental Databases

Ongoing concerns regarding the economic losses associated with the CAP and the negative environmental impacts of present land use have led to calls for land use change and consequent efforts to identify areas which are, from both a financial and social perspective, most appropriate for such conversion. This paper develops and applies an output value modelling methodology in which site-specific biophysical factors are combined with farm level data in order to predict input usage and, subsequently, farm profit. The spatial analytic capabilities of a geographical information system (GIS) are used to combine the variety of data employed to permit analysis of a large study area (the entirety of Wales) and yield models of both the market and shadow value of output from the two principal agricultural sectors of the area: dairying and sheep farming. The GIS is then used to produce readily interpretable maps of these values across the study area. The resulting maps are highly compatible both with value maps of alternative land uses given in the recent literature and with approaches to policy formulation currently under development by a range of UK agencies. Such maps may be used to assist estimation of the extent and location of farming response to land use policy change.     

Impact of firm size and age on the export behaviour of small locally owned firms: Fresh insights

This paper analyses the impact of size and age on small firms’ export behaviour. A review of the literature reveals that the extant conclusions are fragmented, inconclusive and limited in geographical scope. This study aims to address these limitations by analysing small, locally owned firms’ export behaviour from a novel location that has never been studied in the extant literature. The study draws on data from Jamaica, a small, open Caribbean economy. The statistical analysis revealed that size, not age, has a significant impact on export behaviour. Furthermore, other factors such as the owner’s previous international job experience and foreign travel experience also play an important role. These findings have implications for future research on the export behaviour of small firms, especially those from emerging environments. In addition, they provide export policy makers who are engaged in export stimulation among small, locally owned firms, with profile of firms that have a greater proclivity to export.     

Caribbean cruise tourism : A business of transnational partnerships

The cruise industry has grown dramatically during the 1980s to the extent that over four million North Americans will have opted for a cruise holiday in 1990. The Caribbean is perfectly placed to take advantage of this market but the governments concerned have not supported tourism development appropriate to the transnational cruise line operators. Cruise ship arrivals in the Caribbean are growing faster than stopover arrivals so it is vital that the various Caribbean governments cooperate with the transnational cruise line operators in planning and providing the necessary infrastructure to tempt the cruise ship arrivals to part with their dollars at the Caribbean destinations.     

Risk and Return on Real Estate: Evidence from Equity REITs

We analyze monthly returns on an equally weighted index of eighteen to twenty-three equity (real property) real estate investment trusts (REITs) that were traded on major stock exchanges over the 1973–87 period. We employ a multifactor Arbitrage Pricing Model using prespecified macroeconomic factors. We also test whether equity REIT returns are related to changes in the discount on closed-end stock funds, which seems plausible given the closed-end nature of REITs.
Three factors, and the percentage change in the discount on closed-end stock funds, consistently drive equity REIT returns: unexpected inflation and changes in the risk and term structures of interest rates. The impacts of these variables on equity REIT returns is around 60% of the impacts on corporate stock returns generally. As expected, the impacts are greater for more heavily levered REITs than for less levered REITs. Real estate, at least as measured by the return performance of equity REITs, is less risky than stocks generally, but does not offer a superior risk-adjusted return and is not a hedge against unexpected inflation.     

Functional marketing plan development in department store retailing

Retailers are now implementing the types of formal marketing planning programs that have long characterized consumer goods firms. The functional marketing plans that are developed tend to be a year or less in duration. The primary responsibility for developing the plans resides with the general merchandise manager. The planning efforts of the retailing executive, in spite of their short term nature, do reflect an awareness of the importance of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of competitors and of the need to spell out issues involving profit planning, sales promotion planning, merchandise addition/deletion decisions, and issues involving inventory/physical distribution. A variety of marketing plans are developed. Separate plans are developed by merchandise lines in many organizations. The authors wish to express their appreciation to The Conference Board for permission to use the questionnaire, with modifications, underlying research for The Marketing Plan, Report No. 801, The Conference Board, 1981, as the basis for formulating the questionnaire used in this research