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Articles 1 - 30 of 30
Full-Text Articles in Business
Farmers' Involvement In Value-Added Produce: The Case Of Alabama Growers, Abel Alonso
Farmers' Involvement In Value-Added Produce: The Case Of Alabama Growers, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Purpose – For many farmers across the USA the opportunity to sell their produce directly to the public in different ways allows them to avoid middle-men and often reap higher benefits that are vital for their survival. However, to what extent do they fully maximise their produce? For instance, do farmers consider developing value-added products when they have fruit or vegetable leftovers, or those with blemishes? The present paper aims to explore involvement in value-added food production from the growers' standpoint. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via telephone and face-to-face interviews among 30 farm owners located in the state of …
The Potential For Marrying Local Gastronomy And Wine: The Case Of The 'Fortunate Islands', Abel Alonso, Y Liu
The Potential For Marrying Local Gastronomy And Wine: The Case Of The 'Fortunate Islands', Abel Alonso, Y Liu
Abel D Alonso
For centuries, the Mediterranean and other regions have become icons for their food, wine, laid-back lifestyle and benign weather, with each of these components ideally complementing the other three. The availability of a local cuisine and local wines provides consumers with memorable experiences. However, in many other regions little is known about ways in which the local cuisine and wine could be ‘married.’ This study examines the views of 55 small winery operators in a region that for decades has been widely known as a mass tourism destination: the Canary Island in Spain. While most operators recognise the potential for …
Muscadines, Wineries And Value-Added Products: An Exploratory Study, Abel Alonso
Muscadines, Wineries And Value-Added Products: An Exploratory Study, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Purpose – Muscadines grapes, the fruit of a vine native to the South East of the USA have been studied extensively, including their alleged beneficial health properties. To date, however, very little is known about the business side of muscadine growing. For instance, very limited information exists on whether wineries growing muscadines are currently processing their grapes into other value-added products. The present study seeks to explore these aspects from winery operators' points-of-view. Design/methodology/approach – Telephone interviews, coupled with two face-to-face on-site interviews were conducted among 31 winery owners located in different states in the South East of the USA. …
Opportunity Or Obstacle? A Preliminary Study Of Professional Sport Organisations In The Age Of Social Media, Michelle O'Shea, Abel Alonso
Opportunity Or Obstacle? A Preliminary Study Of Professional Sport Organisations In The Age Of Social Media, Michelle O'Shea, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
An extensive body of academic literature has acknowledged the importance that relationship marketing, community alliances and mass communications play in the marketing and branding of professional sport organisations. However, little has been directed at recent media developments and the degree to which they affect professional sport organisations. The present case study examines the ways in which three professional clubs from two different sporting codes are leveraging traditional marketing approaches as well as adapting to emergent technologies and an increasingly media-driven consumer-base. Responses clearly demonstrate the blending of traditional marketing strategies and technology, including social media, in an effort to convert …
"Standing Alone You Can't Win Anything": The Importance Of Collaborative Relationships For Wineries Producing Muscadine Wines, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
The present study explores the extent to which wineries producing muscadine wines in the Southern United States engage in collaborative relationships. Using telephone (29) and face-to-face interviews (two), data were collected among 31 small/family-owned winery operations located in the Southern region. The findings not only demonstrate that overall wineries are actively engaged in collaborative relationships, but also that they do so in different ways. Working as a group, reciprocal promotion of wineries involved in wine trails/tourism, or even meeting to exchange ideas are strong reasons for collaboration. In addition, some responses suggest that collaboration provides a sense of friendship and …
Muscadine-Wines, Wineries And The Hospitality Industry: An Exploratory Study Of Relationships, Abel Alonso
Muscadine-Wines, Wineries And The Hospitality Industry: An Exploratory Study Of Relationships, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Purpose – Muscadines (Vitis Rotundifolia Michx.), a vine native to the southern USA, is processed into different products, including wines. Today, many wineries in the southern USA offer an experience that combines muscadine wine tastings, tours, education, and in some cases food. However, apart from offering on-site sales and a tourist experience related to the hospitality industry, to what extent are wineries engaged in relationships with local or state restaurants? Also, what, if any, challenges do wine operators face in the process of seeking to market their wines to hospitality operations? The present study aims to explore these areas from …
The Red-Headed Stepchild Of Wine? Marketing Muscadine Wines In The Southern Usa, Abel Alonso
The Red-Headed Stepchild Of Wine? Marketing Muscadine Wines In The Southern Usa, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Purpose - Muscadine (Villa Rotundifolia Michx.) is a native vine that grows wild and that is also cultivated in the Southern USA. Today, many wineries located in this region produce and sell wines made of muscadine grapes. While much of contemporary research focuses on the many health properties of muscadine grapes, very little is known of muscadine wines from an entrepreneurial or operational perspective, including muscadine wines' marketing potential. This paper aims to investigate these areas, examining some of the challenges that Southern winery operators face in successfully marketing muscadine wines. Design/methodology/approach - Using telephone interviews (29), coupled with two …
The Potential For Marrying Local Gastronomy And Wine: The Case Of The 'Fortunate Islands', Abel Alonso, Y Liu
The Potential For Marrying Local Gastronomy And Wine: The Case Of The 'Fortunate Islands', Abel Alonso, Y Liu
Abel D Alonso
For centuries, the Mediterranean and other regions have become icons for their food, wine, laid-back lifestyle and benign weather, with each of these components ideally complementing the other three. The availability of a local cuisine and local wines provides consumers with memorable experiences. However, in many other regions little is known about ways in which the local cuisine and wine could be ‘married.’ This study examines the views of 55 small winery operators in a region that for decades has been widely known as a mass tourism destination: the Canary Island in Spain. While most operators recognise the potential for …
Educational Institutions Offering Hospitality Degrees And Farmers: Is There A Link? A Case Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso
Educational Institutions Offering Hospitality Degrees And Farmers: Is There A Link? A Case Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
While there appear to be very clear associations between food growers, the hospitality sector, and educational institutions offering hospitality management or related degrees, to date very few studies discuss those links. In particular, little is known of food growers’ perceptions of educational institutions, also in regard to how those institutions could assist farmers. This study seeks to add knowledge to those unresearched areas, learning from a group of 30 Alabama farmers. The findings clearly demonstrate that educational institutions offering hospitality degrees can play several positive roles in assisting farmers, such as in raising awareness about the “local” element of foods …
What Defines The 'Ideal' Hospitality Employee? A College Town Case, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
What Defines The 'Ideal' Hospitality Employee? A College Town Case, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
Many businesses in college towns not only see opportunities to cater for local students and staff, but they also seriously consider the student population as a recruiting pool. The ability to attract, train, and retain staff from this potential labor pool is one of the many challenges small- to medium-sized hospitality enterprises (SMHE) face, raising a fundamental question: what attributes, if any, do small hospitality operators look for when they go about recruiting new employees in a college town? The findings from interviews conducted among operators of 21 SMHE reveal that attitudinal characteristics of prospective employees form a critical component, …
Can Universities Assist Small Hospitality Enterprises? The Operators' Views, Abel Alonso, M O'Neill .
Can Universities Assist Small Hospitality Enterprises? The Operators' Views, Abel Alonso, M O'Neill .
Abel D Alonso
Previous research studying university–industry relationships suggests the existence of a traditional approach to cooperation and reciprocal support between these two entities. At the other end, little, if any, research has been conducted exploring relationships between universities or institutions with teaching hospitality management and the hospitality industry, particularly small hospitality enterprises. Fundamentally, there is a distinct lack of knowledge pertaining to industry attitudes and perceptions of these hospitality management programs, their students, and the cooperative services they might provide in assisting small hospitality enterprises in their day-to-day operations. The present study seeks to gain insights on these issues by studying small …
Are Social Media And Internet-Driven Technologies All They Are Cracked Up To Be? A Case Study Investigating Professional Sport 'Consumption', Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Are Social Media And Internet-Driven Technologies All They Are Cracked Up To Be? A Case Study Investigating Professional Sport 'Consumption', Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Abel D Alonso
The ever increasing popularity of social media culminated with the use of internet and other technologies among sport consumers and the general public represent an unprecedented opportunity for professional sport organisations. Understanding the extent to which consumers adapt to these developments to find out about professional clubs' games/events could be therefore beneficial to sport managers/marketers. This study investigates the traditional and non-traditional mediums two diverse consumer groups use to find out about and inform their sport product purchase decisions. The findings identify several notable differences between the ways the youth and adolescent market gather information to make purchase decisions. For …
Employment Relations In The Context Of Professional Rugby Union: A Case Study, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea, Harry Morton
Employment Relations In The Context Of Professional Rugby Union: A Case Study, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea, Harry Morton
Abel D Alonso
Organisations, including professional sport clubs and leagues, are experiencing significant change. Rapid technological developments, competition, and other impacts related to globalisation are affecting the sport business context. Professional sports' ongoing commercialisation, player salaries, player trading, and the emergence of social media are some factors influencing managers' and marketers' strategies to achieve competitive balance, and enhance organisation revenues. Recent events in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition, with expansions at league and national team level, illustrate the dilemma organisations face in finding ways to secure their financial sustainability. The present study adds to the limited body of research concerning these recent …
Old Wine Region, New Concept And Sustainable Development: Winery Entrepreneurs’ Perceived Benefits From Wine Tourism On Spain's Canary Islands, Abel Alonso, Yi Liu
Old Wine Region, New Concept And Sustainable Development: Winery Entrepreneurs’ Perceived Benefits From Wine Tourism On Spain's Canary Islands, Abel Alonso, Yi Liu
Abel D Alonso
Much of wine tourism research underlines the many benefits of this concept for wineries, the wine sector and rural areas. Few studies, however, have taken a longitudinal approach to investigate (1) the extent to which wineries become involved in wine tourism, (2) whether they actually benefit from it over time and (3) what impediments, if any, prevent them from maximising the opportunities that wine tourism may provide. This study builds upon existing research to investigate the perspective of small winery entrepreneurs on Spain's Canary Islands. After years of planning and expectations concerning the potential of wine tourism, overall respondents indicate …
Interest In Maximisation And Value-Added Produce: A Preliminary Study From Chilton County, Alabama, Abel Alonso, M A O'Neill
Interest In Maximisation And Value-Added Produce: A Preliminary Study From Chilton County, Alabama, Abel Alonso, M A O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
Purpose – Contemporary studies and reports point to the potential of value-added products as an alternative income stream as well as a means of extending the product line of many agriculturalists. While there is a well documented growth of initiatives and interest in the establishment of commercial kitchen technologies to develop value-added products in many rural communities, such growth has not been accompanied by research, particularly relating to the producers' perspective on such developments. This study seeks to examine the extent to which small farm operators in one rural Alabama community are interested in becoming involved with value-adding their product …
Promotional Efforts Of Muscadine Wines And Muscadine-Related Products: The Case Of Southern United States Wineries, Abel Alonso
Promotional Efforts Of Muscadine Wines And Muscadine-Related Products: The Case Of Southern United States Wineries, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Muscadine grapes are native to the southern United States, where they have been grown and consumed for generations. Apart from extensive coverage provided in scientific research concerning their healthy properties, to date very little has been researched about other areas of the muscadine grapes, muscadine wines and related products. For example, in an era when the 'local' aspect of foods can have a strong impact on both consumers and food growers, very little has been researched from an entrepreneurial, marketing and (wine) tourism perspective. In this context, academic literature investigating winery operators' efforts in promoting and selling muscadine products through …
Eating Out, Nutrition, Education And The Consumer: A Case Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill, Claire Zizza
Eating Out, Nutrition, Education And The Consumer: A Case Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill, Claire Zizza
Abel D Alonso
Increasingly, there is agreement that the hospitality industry, particularly the restaurant sector, can significantly impact people's eating behaviour. This impact includes the nutritional intake of meals many restaurants sell that may lead to problems such as the growing obesity epidemic. This preliminary study investigates consumers' attitudes towards their eating out experience as it relates to their reasons for eating out and the importance that nutrition may place in their experience when eating out. Findings suggest differences in consumer attitudes towards these issues based on their gender, educational achievement level and type of restaurant they frequent. Nutritional awareness and education strategies …
Opportunities And Challenges In The Development Of Micro-Brewing And Beer Tourism: A Preliminary Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso
Opportunities And Challenges In The Development Of Micro-Brewing And Beer Tourism: A Preliminary Study From Alabama, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
Very recent changes in legislation of the state of Alabama over the consumption of beer at a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) are creating more favourable conditions for the establishment of a micro-brewing sector. The present exploratory study examines these current developments from the perspective of six “nascent” entrepreneurs. Participants’ responses suggest the promising potential that a state craft-beer sector represents a niche market, also using locally brewed craftbeer in combination with food as drawing cards that may additionally lead to the development of beer tourism in the state. Respondents are in agreement, however, that more changes are needed in …
Climate Change From The Perspective Of Spanish Wine Growers: A Three-Region Study, Abel Alonso, M A O'Neill
Climate Change From The Perspective Of Spanish Wine Growers: A Three-Region Study, Abel Alonso, M A O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
Purpose – Winery operators and viticulturalists alike face many challenges in their daily and annual work cycle; not least the challenge of producing annually a consistent quality product and getting that product to the market in an ever competitive marketplace. While climate has always been a factor when it comes to meeting this challenge, it has become all the more pronounced recently due to the effects of global climatic change. Against this background, this paper aims to explore the effects of climate change from the perspective of winery operators in three prominent Spanish wine producing regions. Design/methodology/approach – Wineries in …
Consumption Of Muscadine Grape By-Products: An Exploration Among Southern Us Consumers, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Consumption Of Muscadine Grape By-Products: An Exploration Among Southern Us Consumers, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
Purpose: Consumption of muscadine grapes and their by-products (e.g. skins, seeds, wine and juice) is often discussed in terms of their alleged health- related properties (e.g. high content of resveratrol, phenolics and antioxidants). Almost no information, however, is available from an academic perspective on consumers' association with this food, including their knowledge, actual consumption of muscadines or by-products they associate with muscadine grapes. This study seeks to add to the limited existing knowledge on muscadine grapes and their by-products exploring these areas. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of consumers from a Southern US town, where muscadine grapes are native, was chosen. A …
Coping With Changes In A Sector In Crisis: The Case Of Small Spanish Wineries, Abel Alonso, Yi Liu
Coping With Changes In A Sector In Crisis: The Case Of Small Spanish Wineries, Abel Alonso, Yi Liu
Abel D Alonso
From a century-old artisanal way of making wines to the recent establishment of designations of origin, the wine industry in many European regions has been facing increasing demands, in a continuously changing wine environment. Today, many more wine regions are competing for consumers' dollars, are confronting lack of generational renewal or are facing swings in wine consumption. So, how do winery operators, particularly those running small or family businesses, cope with the new developments occurring in the world of wines? The present study examines these issues from the perspective of a group of Spanish winery operators. General agreement exists regarding …
Visitor Centers, Collaboration, And The Role Of Local Food And Beverage As Regional Tourism Development Tools: The Case Of The Blackwood River Valley In Western Australia, Abel Alonso, Y Liu
Visitor Centers, Collaboration, And The Role Of Local Food And Beverage As Regional Tourism Development Tools: The Case Of The Blackwood River Valley In Western Australia, Abel Alonso, Y Liu
Abel D Alonso
Past research highlights the importance of collaboration as a critical element in the development of regional tourism. In this context of collaborative relationships, the role of visitor centers in promoting and in raising awareness of existing tourism-related activities, including those with a food and beverage theme is vital. The present study examines the extent to which visitor centers in an emerging tourist destination with a farming background, the Blackwood River Valley in Western Australia, use these tools to develop their local tourism. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among representatives of four visitor centers. Respondents acknowledge much collaboration (as opposed to competition), …
Imagery And Consumption Of Wine: A Southern United States Case Study, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Imagery And Consumption Of Wine: A Southern United States Case Study, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
The present study examines images that wine evokes among frequent and non-frequent wine consumers, as well as factors driving wine choices (e.g., type of wine, country/region) and the level of consumption of wines from different regions / countries. The findings indicate that regardless of respondents' wine consumption level, wine evokes various positive memories, particularly related to pleasure, special occasions, relaxation food, and travel. However, lack of consumption experience of wines from different origin is noticed among the more frequent consumers. The importance of education is therefore emphasised to create a long-term link between the wine product and consumers.
Muscadine Grapes, Food Heritage And Consumer Images: Implications For The Development Of A Tourism Product In The Southern Usa, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Muscadine Grapes, Food Heritage And Consumer Images: Implications For The Development Of A Tourism Product In The Southern Usa, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
The present study investigates consumer awareness as it relates to muscadine grapes, a southern US food, and the images that muscadines evoke among southern consumers. The written comments of 189 southern residents were gathered in a southern college town. Respondents' images only partly demonstrate their attachment to this traditional food. For example, while over a third of respondents' comments relate to childhood images (e.g. picking grapes), this finding was much more prevalent among more mature respondents. Overall, a sense of cultural detachment or de-acculturation is suggested regarding the tradition of consuming muscadine by-products (wine, jams), or being involved in harvesting …
What Style Of Football Do 'Consumers' Prefer To Watch? Preliminary Insights From A New Professional League, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
What Style Of Football Do 'Consumers' Prefer To Watch? Preliminary Insights From A New Professional League, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Abel D Alonso
The present study investigates the perspective of fans and non-fans of a club of Australia's A-League regarding the style of football they prefer to watch. A total of 1706 respondents participated and provided their own preferences in the form of comments. As many as 40.7% fundamentally prefer attacking football; in all, almost 80% indicated attacking, passing or both, highlighting their interest to see flowing, entertaining football. Interestingly, 11.6% just want the team to win, prefer all types or that of 'total' football, and 9.2%, 'the strategists' provide more elaborate comments in a clear allusion to their strong preference for the …
Rusting On Fans: Nurturing Sport Team Identification Via The Creation Of Generational Fandom - A Case Study, M. O'Shea, Abel Alonso
Rusting On Fans: Nurturing Sport Team Identification Via The Creation Of Generational Fandom - A Case Study, M. O'Shea, Abel Alonso
Abel D Alonso
A complex issue faced by sport marketers relates to how they nurture new generations of fans in a rapidly evolving sport/entertainment marketplace. The study examines this issue among marketers and CEOs of three professional sport organisations. The application of the psychological continuum model (PCM) is considered as a framework for understanding. The key emphasis was the organisations' capacity to 'rust on' new and traditional fans in order to nurture long-term allegiance. In a ferociously competitive marketplace, where sport brand diversity (more clubs) can create fan confusion and desertion, the traditional importance of club-fan bonds through 'rusting on' remains a focus.
Moderating Virtual Sport Consumer Forums: Exploring The Role Of The Volunteer Moderator, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Moderating Virtual Sport Consumer Forums: Exploring The Role Of The Volunteer Moderator, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Abel D Alonso
Social media platforms, including blogs and online forums have dramatically changed the way people communicate. Interactions facilitated by social media platforms can be powerful contexts in which users come together and forge online communities. As a consequence, organisations in different sectors are seeing these online communities as an important marketing and communications contexts. The present research is interested in exploring how professional sport organisations are moderating online communications. In particular, the research considers the role of the social media moderator, an area that despite its ethical and socio-economic implications continues to be under-researched. The perceptions of nine moderators of a …
Investing In The Social Fabric Of Rural And Urban Communities: A Comparative Study Of Two Alabama Farmers' Markets, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Investing In The Social Fabric Of Rural And Urban Communities: A Comparative Study Of Two Alabama Farmers' Markets, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
This paper investigates the role that farmers’ markets play in enhancing the social fabric of once thriving rural communities. The paper reports the findings from a comparative study of visitor motivations to two community farmers’ markets in south west Alabama, one located in a rural environment and newly established, while the second, more established market (since 2004) is located in a much more populated and more affluent community. A total of 356 visitors participated in the study by completing a questionnaire. Part of the findings demonstrate that overall, visitors from both markets are more motivated to attend for the opportunity …
"You Only Get Back What You Put In": Perceptions Of Professional Sport Organizations As Community Anchors, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
"You Only Get Back What You Put In": Perceptions Of Professional Sport Organizations As Community Anchors, Abel Alonso, Michelle O'Shea
Abel D Alonso
The following study investigates consumer/fan perceptions concerning the role that professional sport organizations should play within their communities. Using level of fandom and club affiliation as variables, the paper explores the way in which consumer expectations and perceptions of corporate social responsibility are mediated and impacted. A total of 2107 individuals participated in the study. The findings demonstrate the significance of the sport organization as a support network or "social anchor," for instance, through its involvement in mentoring youth, promoting sport participation, and community outreach. Respondents' comments were diverse; some suggested a desire for greater club community relations, while others …
What Is Your Favorite Southern Dish? A Study Of Southern Us Consumers, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
What Is Your Favorite Southern Dish? A Study Of Southern Us Consumers, Abel Alonso, Martin O'Neill
Abel D Alonso
Different studies have highlighted the importance of food in different leisure activities, including the link between food and tourism. However, to what extent do local consumers know about their own foods, or are involved with consumption of local, traditional dishes? The present case study explores Southern foods from the perspective of Southern residents through written descriptions of their favorite Southern dish(es). Overall, participants' comments in the questionnaire illustrate that their favorite food choices were very limited. The fact that vegetables and desserts were only marginally included as core elements of participants' favorite Southern dish also suggest consumers' lack of food …