Business Commons^™

Who Is Eating The Fruits And Vegetables: Couch Potato Or Internet Junkie?, Christiane Schroeter, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf

Agribusiness

About 21% of U.S. college students are overweight. However, aside from the 1995 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS), the prevalence of health-risk behavior among college students has not been well characterized. The objective of this study is to investigate how college student’s body fruit and vegetable intake is affected by (1) demographics, (2) dietary habits, and (3) lifestyle. We collected data of college students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University. Sedentary habits such as watching TV, playing computer games, and surfing the web negatively impact both fruit and vegetable intake, which emphasizes the need to improve on-campus health …

The Entrepreneurial Perceptions Of Strategy Makers: Constructing An Exploratory Path In The Pursuit Of Radical Growth, Stern Neill, Jonathan L. York

Marketing

For established firms, radical growth requires experimenting with new alternatives, which can test the boundaries of management's thinking. This study proposes that entrepreneurial perceptions of the strategic situation and market environment have a direct influence on corporate entrepreneurship (CE) strategy, which is strategy that supports new business development and renewal. The results indicate that strategy makers will pursue a more explorative CE strategy in situations framed as positive, less controllable and yet knowable, and in environments perceived as munificent and dynamic. Additionally, with explorative CE strategy comes a greater investment in radical growth (i.e., new lines of business). The paper …

Who Are The Wine Techies?, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, Mitch Wolf, Leanne Brady, Hanna Peszynski

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Wine Purchasing Behaviors In Ireland And California When The Celtic Tiger Roared, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, David Dudley, Megan Ginny Rood, Sarah Geraghty, Ann M. Torres

Agribusiness

In 2006 the Irish wine market was growing rapidly along with its Celtic Tiger economy (Euromonitor, 2008). Total wine sales in Ireland more than quadrupled in the seventeen-year span from 1990 to 2007 (Geraghty and Torres, 2009). While wine consumption in Ireland was growing at a rapid rate, US consumption was growing, but at a slower rate. (Euromonitor, 2010). According to Moran, Ireland’s increased consumption of wine was due primarily to improved accessibility, affordability, and branding of wine. Geraghty and Torres conducted research in Galway Ireland in 2006 among 307 wine consumers and identified three clusters of wine consumers in …

Using Social Media For Collaborations About Industry News In Higher Education, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, Mitch Wolf, Leanne Brady, Hanna Peszynski, Lindsey Higgins, Shane Wolf

Agribusiness

Social media use has surged in the past decade. Facebook has 900 million global users (Wall Street Journal, 2012). Recognizing that many of these 900 million users are potential customers (a search on Facebook in May 2012 revealed that there are 11.5 million US Facebook users that “like” wine, beer, or spirits), the wine industry has embraced social media (Vinography, 2012). Wineries are using social media as a tool to reach consumers and as a tool to reveal their brand quality and personality (The Tribune, 2011). In a survey of 118 of Texas’ 181 bonded wineries, nearly 80% of them …

Does Family On A Label Increase Purchase Interest For A Wine, Or Just Cause A Halo Effect?, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, Lindsey Higgins, Mary Rice

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Risk Management From A Strategic Perspective, Jay Noel, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Attitudes Toward Food And Biotechnology In The U.S., Japan, And Italy, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, Paola Bertolini, Izumi Shikama, Alain Berger

Agribusiness

This research compares the attitudes of consumers in the United States, Italy and Japan toward food characteristics. The U.S. and Japanese consumers had relatively positive attitudes toward genetically modified food, while the Italian consumer had relatively negative attitudes. The Italian consumer was least likely to be familiar with genetically modified food. They rated organic higher than the U.S. consumer and they appeared to understand the meaning of the term organic better than the U.S. consumers. The U.S. and Japanese consumers were more concerned with freshness and value while the Italian consumers were concerned about the environment and local food.

A Case Study Examination Of Social Norms Marketing Campaign To Improve Responsible Drinking, Marianne Mcgarry Wolf, Allison Dana, Mitchell J. Wolf, Eivis Qenani Petrela

Agribusiness

This research discusses the use of social norms marketing to improve responsible drinking among college students. It was observed in each year of research that students studied overestimated their peers’ drinking practices. During the social norms marketing campaign decreases were observed in both students’ self-reported number of drinks consumed and perceived number of drinks consumed by peers at bars or parties, indicating that the social norms marketing efforts were somewhat successful. In addition, students reported drinking less alcohol over a shorter period of time. However, some negative behaviors related to drinking did not improve.

An Introduction To The Dynamic Strategic Planning Process, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

A Dynamic And Flexible Undergraduate Curriculum: Preparing Agribusiness Students For A Continually Changing Agricultural Sector, Sean P. Hurley, Xiaowei Cai

Agribusiness

Individuals entering the Agribusiness industry need to have the flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing global environment, and so does an Agribusiness curriculum. This essay provides an overview of a major curriculum overhaul that has transformed the Department of Agribusiness at the California Polytech­nic State University. A rigid concentration structure has been reformed to a more flexible and dynamic no-concentration structure to develop successful future leaders in an ever-evolving industry. This essay explains the need for a more flexible undergraduate agribusiness curriculum and identifies its potential benefits and drawbacks.

Anger And Fear In Decision-Making: The Case Of Film Directors On Set, Jean-François Coget, Christopher Haag, Donald E. Gibson

Management, HR and Information Systems

Anger and fear are frequently felt and impactful workplace emotions, especially in times of crisis when critical decisions need to be made. An important question is how these emotions might influence decision makers’ depth of processing: whether when feeling angry or fearful decision-makers engage in more conscious and analytical rational decision making, or less-conscious and heuristic intuitive decision making. To date research on the effect of these strong emotions has been limited to laboratory studies where the complexity and pressures of real-world managerial decisions are absent, and focused on generalized mood rather than on direct emotional experience. This study asks …

Using @Risk To Forecast Feasibility Of A Strategic Expansion: A Case, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

The Economic Returns To U.S. Public Agricultural Research, Julian M. Alston, Matthew A. Anderson, Jennifer S. James, Phillip G. Pardey

Agribusiness

We use newly constructed state-specific data to explore the implications of common modeling choices for measures of research returns. Our results indicate that state-to-state spillover effects are important, that the research and development lag is longer than many studies have allowed, and that misspecification can give rise to significant biases. Across states, the average of the own-state benefit-cost ratios is 21:1, or 32:1 when the spillover benefits to other states are included. These ratios correspond to real internal rates of return of 9 or 10 per annum, much smaller than those typically reported in the literature, partly because we have …

Future Market Trends In Western Agriculture: Strategic Implications, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

It’S All About Produce: Flexing The Muscles Of Western U.S. Organic Spinach Consumption, Christiane Schroeter, Xiaowei Cai

Agribusiness

Over the past few decades, consumers have become more concerned about health and nutrition, which is displayed by an increased demand for organic foods. Once considered a niche product, organic food has become more affordable for consumers through its availability in conventional supermarkets. In 2010, organic food and beverages showed a 7.7% increase in annual sales compared to 2009 sales, with the highest growth rate of 11.8 % in organic produce (Organic Trade Association (OTA), 2011).

Using System Dynamics Modelling Approach To Develop Management Tools For Animal Production With Emphasis On Small Ruminants, L. O. Tedeschi, C. F. Nicholson, E. Rich

Agribusiness

Small ruminants are important assets in several regions of the world. They account for more than half of the domesticated ruminants. Despite the growth in goat production in the world (more than 2% per year), research related to goat production is less than desired. One underused but potentially valuable approach for research on small ruminants is simulation modelling. Models of the components of small ruminant systems can enhance the financial returns and reduce negative environmental impacts. These models can be used to assess many dimensions of small ruminant production, from rumen dynamics to economic policies designed to support small ruminant …

Attributes Affecting Preferences For Traffic Safety Camera Programs, Lindsey M. Higgins, W. Douglass Shaw, Aklesso Egbendewe-Mondzozo

Agribusiness

With just a few notable exceptions, research supports the concept that red light cameras (RLCs) improve safety. However, many communities that have implemented RLC programs have faced a firestorm of public opinion associated with the use of RLCS, with many communities having to remove the cameras. What makes or breaks a red light camera program? Because of the experimental design process, stated choice is recognized as a tool that can resemble a laboratory experiment for the public policy arena. In this research, a stated choice model was developed and used to explore public preferences for a RLC program through an …

The Costs Of Increased Localization For A Multiple-Product Food Supply Chain: Dairy In The United States, Charles F. Nicholson, Miguel I. Gomez, Oliver H. Gao

Agribusiness

There is increased interest in greater localization of food supply chains but little evidence about the effects of localization on supply-chain costs. Assessing these effects is complex in multiple-product, multi-process supply chains such as the dairy industry. In this study, we develop a spatially-disaggregated transshipment model for the US dairy sector that minimizes total supply-chain costs, including assembly, processing, interplant transportation and final product distribution. We employ the cost-minimizing solution as benchmark to compare alternative scenarios of increased supply chain localization. Our results indicate: (1) short-run limits to increased localization, (2) modest impacts on overall supply-chain costs, and (3) large …

Factors That Influence Prices For Cool-Climate Wines: A Hedonic Analysis Of The Market For Riesling, Christiane Schroeter, Jennifer L. Ritchie, Bradley J. Rickard

Agribusiness

The price of wine represents various characteristics that differentiate each bottle, assuming that the majority of consumers use price as a signal of quality. The objective of this study is to analyze the drivers of Riesling prices, since this varietal continues to gain popularity and can be grown in all climates, including cool-climate regions. We expand the use of quality ratings by including interaction terms to express wine-quality and price-quality relationships. The results suggest that higher price premiums are associated with wines that earned high expert rating scores, and this emphasizes the importance of market-perceived quality signals.

What Is Strategy?, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Design And Behavioral Science Research In Premier Is Journals: Evidence From Database Management Research, Anteneh Ayanso, Kevin Lertwachara, Francine Vachon

Management, HR and Information Systems

In this article, we examine database management research that has been published in ISR, JMIS, and MISQ from each journal’s inception to 2007. Our goal is to profile database research using a classification scheme that includes research paradigms, IT constructs, and research methodologies. The overall statistics obtained shows that information systems (IS) research in database management, which is widely recognized as part of the core knowledge of IS, is diverse in IT constructs, methodologies, as well as research paradigms. However, we also find that each journal has focused more on one research paradigm and some research methodologies. We summarize and …

When Do Fat Taxes Increase Consumer Welfare?, Jayson L. Lusk, Christiane Schroeter

Agribusiness

Previous analyses of fat taxes have generally worked within an empirical framework in which it is difficult to determine whether consumers benefit from the policy. This note outlines on simple means to determine whether consumers benefit from a fat tax by comparing the ratio of expenditures on the taxed good to the weight effect of the tax against the individual’s willingness to pay for a one-pound weight reduction. Our empirical calculations suggest that an individual would have to be willing to pay about $1500 to reduce weight by one pound for a tax on sugary beverages to be welfare enhancing. …

Application Of A Simulation Model For Assessing Integration Of Smallholder Shifting Cultivation And Sheep Production In Yucatán, Mexico, David Parsons, Charles Nicholson, Robert W. Blake, Quirine M. Ketterings, Luis Ramírez-Aviles, Jerome H. Cherney, Danny G. Fox

Agribusiness

Simulation models are effective tools to examine interactions between livestock, cropping systems, households, and natural resources. Our study objective was to use an integrated livestock and crop model to assess the outcomes from selected suites of management decisions observed in smallholder sheep-cropping systems of Yucatán, Mexico. The scenarios contrasted specialized systems versus mixed farming, and evaluated the outcomes of increased crop-livestock integration. Mixed enterprise scenarios involving sheep provided more income than specialized enterprises, and capitalized on a lower price of on-farm maize grain, efficient utilization of surplus labor, and availability of common land. Labor and management income was greatest for …

Development And Evaluation Of An Integrated Simulation Model For Assessing Smallholder Crop-Livestock Production In Yucatán, Mexico, David Parsons, Charles F. Nicholson, Robert W. Blake, Quirine M. Ketterings, Luis Ramírez-Aviles, Danny G. Fox, Luis O. Tedeschi, Jerome H. Cherney

Agribusiness

Mixed farming systems constitute a large proportion of agricultural production in the tropics, and provide multiple benefits for the world’s poor. However, our understanding of the functioning of these systems is limited. Modeling offers the best approach to quantify outcomes from many interacting causal variables in these systems. The objective of this study was to develop an integrated crop–livestock model to assess biophysical and economic consequences of farming practices exhibited in sheep systems of Yucatán state, Mexico. A Vensim™ dynamic stock-flow feedback model was developed to integrate scientific and practical knowledge of management, flock dynamics, sheep production, partitioning of nutrients, …

Consumer Effects Of Environmental Impact In Product Labeling, Norm Borin, Douglas C. Cerf, R. Krishnan

Marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of different levels of environmental information on key consumer metrics. More specifically, it aims to evaluate environmentally benign products against those that have negative environmental impacts.

Design/methodology/approach – Multiple product categories and messages that varied from strongly negative to strongly positive were used to test whether the accuracy/completeness of the information changes consumers’ view of green products.

Findings – The results show that consumer perception of product quality, value, and purchase intentions does not differ significantly between products with positive environmental messages and those without any message. Products …

Forestalling Foreclosure: The Strategic Use Of @Risk To A Health Center In Financial Distress, Steven Slezak

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Economics: A New Heavyweight In Washington?, Sean B. Cash, Christiane Schroeter

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Second Time Is A Charm: The Impact Of Correcting Missed Exam Questions On Student Learning, Christiane Schroeter, Steven V. Green, Erin Bess

Agribusiness

This study determined the learning benefit of correcting missed exam questions. The results show that in addition to exams being an assessment tool, they can also be used as a tool for student learning. The availability of this information will provide help considering design, development, and improvement of traditional assessment methods for student learning.

Red-Light Cameras At Intersections: Estimating Preferences Using A Stated Choice Model, Aklesso Egbendewe-Mondzozo, Lindsey M. Higgins, W. Douglass Shaw

Agribusiness

Red-light cameras placed at intersections have the potential to increase safety, but they are often viewed as an invasion of privacy. Preferences for these cameras were explored using a stated choice model that presents key attributes of camera placements. Stated choice models involve careful experimental design, akin to experimental control in laboratory settings. A variety of design approaches were used, settling on a composition of the choice sets people face in the survey. To illustrate the approach, an internet survey was used with a convenience sample containing a high percentage of college students. The results show that while not the …