The future of the uplands

Upland areas provide UK society with many important functions, goods and services, but have experienced a number of disturbing trends and face an uncertain future. This paper outlines historic, current and future drivers of environmental, economic, socio-cultural and policy change in UK uplands, and assesses how these have affected or are likely to affect ways in which land is used and the provision of ecosystem services. Information is synthesised into scenarios summarising a range of possible futures anticipated for UK uplands to 2060 and beyond. Finally, innovations in science, technology, governance and policy are evaluated that could enable uplands to continue providing key ecosystem services under a range of scenarios. The paper concludes that many upland areas will need to be prepared for significant reductions in grazing and prescribed burning. Conversely, other areas could experience agricultural intensification, for example significant increases in grazing or an expansion of arable or bioenergy crops into upland valleys, due to anticipated increases in global demand for food and energy. These scenarios will take place in the context of climate change. Many may take place together and may interact with each other, with complex and unpredictable implications for the upland environment, economy and society. In this context, a number of advances are needed in science, technology and policy to maintain viable upland communities and the future provision of ecosystem services. These may include funding for ecological and hydrological restoration via carbon offsetting or other means. It may also involve advances in ecosystem service modelling, mapping and valuation, which through stakeholder participation could facilitate more integrated rural planning. New forms of environmental governance need to be explored that can empower those interested in developing upland economies to maintain thriving upland communities, while managing the ecosystem services they provide as efficiently as possible.     

Mexican national cross-border shopping: Exploration of retail tourism

This exploration of cross-border shopping by Mexican national shoppers at a regional discount outlet mall studies the: (1) economic impacts of their expenditures on the local and regional economies, and (2) activities they engage in while at the outlet malls and benefits received from shopping there. Spending by cross-border shoppers varied by accommodation type; hotels or motels/friends and family spent approximately $800 (U.S.) on clothing daily and condominiums/day visitors between $400 and $475 (U.S.). The multiplier for cross-border spending at the local level ranged from 1.27 to 1.45. Top cross-border shopper activities were shopping and buying, followed by eating, and visiting.     

Effects of personality traits on visitors attending an exposition: the moderating role of anxiety attachment

Expositions or “expos” are large consumer trade shows representing a catalyst for on-site direct spending by visitors attracted to these events that are promoted by destination marketing organizations, governments, communities, and businesses. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new research model involving the analysis of five specific personality traits representing pleasure visitors attending an annual expo to provide more meaningful information for destination marketing professionals. This study then examined the effects of how visitor personality traits play upon expo attachment, satisfaction, and revisit intention using anxiety attachment as a moderator. Results revealed the relationships between expo attachment and satisfaction, attachment and revisit intention, and satisfaction and revisit intention were significant. Also, anxiety attachment was shown to moderate the relationships between all visitor personality traits and expo attachment. Accordingly, this study provides theoretical insights for future tourism research and offers new promotional implications for expo practitioners.     

Wie kann wissenschaftliche Politikberatung zu besserer Politik beitragen?

Wissenschaftliche Beratung kann der Politik wichtige Hinweise zur effektiven Probleml?sung liefern und zur Legitimation institutioneller Reformen beitragen, die potenziell strittig sind. Welche Formen der Politikberatung gibt es in Deutschland? Inwieweit war die Politikberatung erfolgreich, wo liegen ihre Defizite und wie k?nnte sie effizienter gestaltet werden?     

China and Globalisation

Since the initiation of economic reforms in 1978 China has become one of the world’s fastest growing economies and has emerged as a global economic and trade power. What are the implications for the world economy, in particular for the distribution of income and wealth? How will China contribute to shaping not only the globalised world economy but also the institutions and policies of global governance?The authors wish to thank the participants of the international seminar in Shanghai on 18-20 March 2005 for their valuable contributions, which have been incorporated into this paper.     

Seniors’ dual route of persuasive communications in mobile social media and the moderating role of discretionary time

More than two-thirds of seniors use smartphones and in South Korea, over half of all senior smartphone owners are mobile social media (MSM) users. This study tested two basic routes to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), applying the new concepts of benefits and authentic experience among senior MSM users for travel- and tourism-related purposes, along with the moderating role of discretionary time spent on MSM. To this end, an online survey was conducted for senior MSM users for tourism activities, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data obtained from 500 study participants. Results reveal that argument quality had a stronger effect on benefit than source credibility. Benefits and authentic experience played important mediating roles in the ELM. Discretionary time on MSM played a significant moderating role in the central and peripheral routes. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed in the conclusions section.     

Green tea quality attributes: a cross-cultural study of consumer perceptions using importance–performance analysis (IPA)

This study examined consumer perceptions about green tea quality attributes and consumers’ green tea consumption behavior within major green tea-producing and consuming countries including China, Japan, and Korea. Five factors of green tea quality attributes were revealed through the exploratory factor analysis and were analyzed using importance–performance analysis (IPA). Safety, health, and sensory factors perceived by Chinese consumers as being important and well-performed were positioned in the “Keep Up the Good Work” quadrant. Safety and sensory factors were perceived by Japanese and Koreans as being important, but were less-performed and were placed in the “Concentrate Here” quadrant. Japanese and Koreans considered the health factor as less important and less well-performed and were positioned in the “Low Priority” quadrant. The price/utility and production factors were less important by all consumers. Chinese consumers perceived all five factors as performing very well. However, Japanese and Koreans perceived other factors as performing less acceptable except for the production factor for Korean respondents and the price/utility factor for those Japanese respondents. The production factor was the most influential for drinking frequency and spending for green tea in all three countries, also for the amount purchased by Chinese and Japanese consumers.     

Generation Y consumers’ selection attributes and behavioral intentions concerning green restaurants

The objectives of this study are to examine the Generation Y consumer segments’ selection attributes and behavioral intentions toward green restaurants. A survey was administered to college students between the ages of 17 and 30 at a university in a Southeastern United States city. This study identified four different consumer segments of Generation Y college students according to their food-related lifestyles. Across the four segments, there were significant differences in selection attributes. In addition, significant differences were identified between the four segments regarding their behavioral intentions toward green restaurants. Finally, the marketing implications for the target groups are discussed.     

Plädoyer für eine effizientere Steuerreformdebatte

Steuerreformdiskussionen begleiten den politischen Entscheidungsprozess schon seit langem. Sind die Diskussionsbeitr?ge für die politische Willensbildung nutzbar? Inwieweit l?sst sich die Wirkungsanalyse von Steuerreformvorschl?gen verbessern? Kann auf den Selbstfinanzierungseffekt derartiger Konzepte gesetzt werden oder sollte eine vollst?ndige Gegenfinanzierung vorgelegt werden? Welche Bedeutung hat die Rechtsformneutralit?t der Besteuerung in Relation zu anderen Zielen? Führen die Vorschl?ge tats?chlich zur Steuervereinfachung und welche Relevanz kommt einer Vereinfachung zu?