bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How wine sector SMEs approach strategic questions
Authors: Bouzdine‐Chameeva Tatiana 
Published: July 2006

PurposeFaced with major new challenges in a rapidly evolving world market, small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the wine sector in the Bordeaux region urgently need to reconsider their strategic options. This paper, through an analysis of the nature, role, and interaction of competencies in strategy‐making processes in the wine sector, aims to identify the main components of wine companies’ competencies in order to devise a tool to aid their strategic decision making.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology, which is based on a cognitive approach, employs critical incidences methodology, content analysis and causal mapping.FindingsA competencies study founded on a series of interviews conducted with the personnel of six wine SMEs in the Bordeaux region reveals the importance of eight core competencies (production, labour, costs, quality, investment, market, competition, and clients/sales) in devising strategy. In addition, this paper demonstrates that core factors affecting the success of strategic development include: knowledge versus know‐how; investment, quality; labour difficulties, team issues, market positioning; customer relationship and trust. The implications of the practical implementation of these results are discussed.Originality/valueShows the future prospects for French wine companies not being taken for granted. On account of radical market changes the French wine sector needs to re‐evaluate the situation and investigate new strategic options that might permit it to regain a competitive advantage in a changing environment.
Risk management of the agricultural income: the inter‐Rhône reserve
Authors: Viviani Jean‐Laurent 
Published: July 2006

PurposeAgricultural risks will tend to increase in the future, but risk management instruments and techniques at the disposal of wine companies are relatively limited. This paper aims to present an original risk protection mechanism implemented by the federation of Côte du Rhône (Inter‐Rhône) wine producers to build up a wine stock, or “reserve”, so as to protect their incomes against fluctuation in prices and production.Design/methodology/approachUsing the VaR (value‐at‐risk) methodology, the stock level that will protect producers against a fall in their incomes is determined. More specifically, the probability that a given producer's current income falls lower than a target minimum income must be inferior or equal to a given (small) wine stock level. An agricultural income depends on price and production, so the reserve amount is expressed according to price and production quantity risk (measured by standard deviation), and the correlation between the two. The wine stock reserve is compared with a reserve invested in financial assets.FindingsA static comparative analysis is made using simulations of the two types of reserves (wine stock and financial assets) according to the various explanatory variables. Empirical study makes it possible to calculate reserve amounts for each category of wine managed by Inter‐Rhône. The study reveals a strong disparity in the amount of reserves of each wine.Originality/valueThe reserve system is considered by some to give to the producer federation the power to control supply below the equilibrium level in order to receive monopoly rents. To avoid this occurring the constitution of a mutual fund is recommended. This solution allows producers to profit from diversification gains and greater managerial flexibility.
The nature of the demand for alcohol: understanding elasticity
Authors: Fogarty James 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe demand for alcohol is a well‐researched topic, yet the published literature regarding consumer responses to changes in the price of alcohol includes many conflicting and inconsistent results. This paper seeks to present an analysis of known own‐price elasticity estimates, and to attempt to understand why reported results differ.Design/methodology/approachThe approach taken to analysing the data is the meta‐regression approach. Specifically, the meta‐regression considers 150 beers, spirits, and wines, own price elasticity point estimates, which have been drawn from studies that consider demand responses to changes in the price of alcohol in 18 different countries.FindingsThe results of the empirical work reported in this paper suggest that the year of the study, the length of study, the per capita level of alcohol consumption, and the relative ethanol share of a beverage are important factors when explaining variations in consumer demand responses to changes in the price of alcohol. Interestingly, the study also suggests that country‐specific and beverage‐specific effects are not important.Originality/valueThe paper is valuable as it uses the meta‐regression framework to control for study design characteristics and, once these characteristics are controlled for, it becomes possible to identify the underlying trend in the demand for alcohol. Specifically, the trend was shown to be one where the demand for alcoholic beverages became increasingly inelastic up to 1969 and decreasingly inelastic thereafter.
Ethical modelling of the food supply chain
Authors: Manning L. , Baines R.N. , Chadd S.A. 
Published: July 2006

PurposePublic concerns with issues including animal welfare and environmental management and stewardship have required organisations within the food supply chain to formally demonstrate their commitment to ethical issues. This has led to the development of corporate social responsibility strategies and the use of ethical risk assessment models. The purpose of the study is to review both qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment.Design/methodology/approachThis paper begins with a discussion on ethical issues. This is followed by an evaluation of current mechanisms for determining both scientific‐ and value‐based approaches to ethical food policy.FindingsLegislation defines governmental policy but it does not define what is “good” or “right” and this is the role of ethics. In order to have ethic reasoning embedded in food policy either at governmental or at organisational level, policy makers must be able to understand and evaluate moral arguments, be fair‐minded and make well‐reasoned decisions. Consumers need to trust that both policy makers and those manufacturing and supplying food make decisions and provide information which is accessible, accurate and affords reasoned choice when purchasing food products.Originality/valueThis paper provides a review of ethical methodology and mechanisms for assisting in ethical decision making and will be of interest to academics and to industry.
The Central and Eastern European brewing industry since 1990
Authors: Larimo Jorma , Marinov Marin , Marinova Svetla 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis article aims to analyse the strategies of international brewing companies in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) beer market and the development of national beer markets in the region since 1990.Design/methodology/approachThe research is explorative, based on a broad variety of secondary data sources and company interviews.FindingsThe findings provide an insight into the approaches of foreign brewing companies operating in CEE markets. Despite some differences in the initial internationalisation motives, target market choice and market entry modes that reflected the strategic priorities of investing brewers, market‐seeking motives, strong brands, marketing intelligence, rapid aggressive internationalization and control over the operations have been the key success factors for Western brewers in CEE.Research limitations/implicationsThe secondary nature of the research information is a limitation for the validity of the study. Nevertheless, the triangulation of data sources using various secondary data, supported by in‐company interviews and authors' insights, has aimed at minimising the research bias.Practical implicationsConsidering the growth and consolidation in the brewing industry world‐wide, brewers in CEE should focus on further mergers and acquisitions, product diversification/upgrading and brand innovation.Originality/valueThis paper represents an original attempt to assess the trends in the development of the brewing industry in CEE post‐1990. It reflects the impact of international interest on the CEE brewing companies and raises some concerns associated with the preservation of the brewing heritage in the region.
Country‐of‐origin effects on Chinese wine consumers
Authors: Balestrini Pierre , Gamble Paul 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe paper seeks to examine Chinese consumers' wine‐purchasing behaviour and, more especially, the importance of country of origin (COO) effects in the evaluation and assessment of wine quality and as it relates to decision making for wine purchases.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were collected in 2004 through an interviewer‐administered, structured questionnaire targeted at randomly selected wine buyers in the ChangNing district of Shanghai (China). Chinese consumers tend to purchase wine primarily for sensorial reasons, consuming it on social occasions. Wine has never acquired the connotations of being merely a thirst‐quenching drink as it did in some European countries. They are also attracted to wine for its health benefits.FindingsIt was found that Chinese consumers are more likely to use extrinsic cues than intrinsic cues to evaluate wine quality. Thus, COO information is a significantly more important cue than price for Chinese consumers as a quality cue. However, there appears to be no significant difference in the importance of COO and brand in this regard. Wine is a complex product – small differences in any one of a huge range of variables, from the weather, through the grape, the production method, the storage and even the bottling can affect quality. As might be expected in a market that is relatively under‐developed and which has a smaller experience of wine drinking than some other parts of the world, Chinese consumers pay much more attention to COO when they purchase wine for special occasions, where their choice is exposed to the judgment of others. By contrast, when purchasing wine for their own private consumption, COO assumes a lesser importance.Originality/valueThis research can significantly help wine marketers to develop more effective positioning strategies in China. It will also help in the development of pricing and promotional decisions.
What parents think: children and healthy eating
Authors: Kelly James , Turner Jason J. , McKenna Kirsty 
Published: July 2006

PurposeAims to investigate parental perspectives of the influence of the media, peers and parents on a child's perceptions of healthy food products.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative analysis was conducted, using the results from 143 questionnaires, collected through a randomly selected primary school in Dundee.FindingsA positive significant relationship was found (p=0.006) between parents being aware of the health impact of fatty foods and purchasing healthy food products both for themselves and for their children. With regard to the influence of the media the research found a positive significant relationship (p=0.004), between the influence of adverts on children and the pestering and giving in of parents in the supermarket. The aspects of the influence of peers found that 44 per cent of parents believed that peer pressure influenced a child's demands for healthy food with 60 per cent of parents stating the influence of peers on a child's demands for junk food. No significant relationship was found, however, on peer influence and parental yielding. In the final aspect, that of parental influence, no significant relationship was found between pester power and parental yielding.Research limitations/implicationsThis was an exploratory study and carries the limitation of generalisability as it was conducted solely in one primary school in Dundee. Any further research should contrast perspectives from other UK cities and develop research into the family dynamics and education.Practical implicationsIt is suggested that the media have a significant influence on a child's demands for junk food, which emphasises the importance of using the media to encourage children to eat more healthily. Further the paper provides insight into influencing factors, suggesting that advertising can play a prominent role in influencing children's eating habits.Originality/valueThis paper is helpful to both academics and practitioners in the field of marketing and food marketing. The paper provides some insight into parental perspectives of the influence of the media, peers and parents themselves on a child's healthy eating habits.
Factors affecting the flavour binding properties of lactones with soya protein
Authors: Gkionakis George A. , Heliopoulos George , Taylor Anthony K.D. , Ahmad John 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe objective of this article is to investigate the binding of several lactones to soya protein isolate and soya protein under different conditions and, particularly, the extent of binding of the lactones γ‐9, γ‐10, δ‐10 and δ‐11, in different concentrations as well as the effect of various parameters on their binding ability.Design/methodology/approachCapillary column gas chromatography was used for the determination of lactones and the manual system was used for taking samples and for headspace analysis. Infrared spectroscopy was used for confirmation and investigation.FindingsThe percentage of binding of lactones γ‐9, γ‐10, δ‐10, δ‐11 on the soya protein is almost the same (about 33‐34 per cent). According to the Klotz equation, the bound ligand concentration was calculating as the number of moles of ligand bound per mole of protein. The results varied, but were similar. Specific experiments in water system with soya protein isolate (1 per cent) showed that the time taken for lactones γ‐10 and δ‐11 to reach equilibrium, the factors of temperature and pH affected the percentage of lactone bound.Research limitations/implicationsThe amount of added lactone in products containing soya protein isolate should be investigated by using panel tests to confirm the improvement of flavour.Practical implicationsFlavour binding of lactones can be used to provide some foods with the required flavour impression by adding lactones to a bland soy protein base.Originality/valueThe flavour binding of lactones, which was investigated in the present paper, has not been adequately investigated in previous scientific research and the effects of the factors that influence their binding are very important.
The refrigerator safari
Authors: Breen Abigail , Brock Sophie , Crawford Katrina , Docherty Mary , Drummond Gavin , Gill Lucy , Lawton Sophie , Mankarious Vivienne , Oustayiannis Andrea , Rushworth Gemma , Kerr Kevin G. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeFood‐borne infection remains a major public health concern and it is important that healthcare professionals in training understand the epidemiology of gastro‐intestinal infection and strategies for its prevention. This article describes a student selected component (SSC), i.e. an element which supplements the core curriculum for undergraduate medical students and its use as an educational tool.Design/methodology/approachThe SSC incorporated a refrigerator safari in which students examined a number of domestic refrigerators for factors which might affect adversely the microbiological quality of the food within them as well as determining refrigerator temperatures with a sensitive thermometer.FindingsThe refrigerator safaris, although small in number (n=25) highlighted a number of frequently occurring factors such as unacceptable refrigerator temperatures and foods which had passed their use by/best before dates. Student feedback indicated that the safari was much appreciated as a practical way of learning about food safety.Originality/valueThe refrigerator safari is a novel method for the teaching of undergraduate students about food hygiene in the domestic setting and emphasises that consumers have important roles and responsibilities in protecting themselves from food‐borne infection.
Key steps to implementing a successful blended learning strategy
Authors: Baldwin‐Evans Kay 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis paper proposes to illustrate how organisations can successfully establish a blended learning environment.Design/methodology/approachProvides a structure for combining formal and informal learning resources within a blended learning model and outlines the eight key steps followed by organisations already implementing a successful integrated learning strategy. Draws on pedagogical information provided by Dorman Woodall, director of SkillSoft Learning, and includes data gathered from a variety of SkillSoft's Fortune 500 customers.FindingsMany organisations now recognise that on‐demand solution finding is a primary source of employees' daily learning and are searching for ways to support this informal learning in tandem with their more formalised training programmes. Since both methods are essential to increasing workplace skills, tremendous strategic and tactical performance gains are available from this blending of formal training with informal learning. The ideal blended learning model is one that integrates a wide range of functions that empower learners with more control to participate in several formal and informal learning activities. The highest level of blended learning is an easily‐accessible and searchable combination of formal and informal learning with a learner‐centric focus.Practical implicationsOutlines an overall structure for implementing sequential formal training events and random informal blended learning activities.Originality/valueProvides a blueprint for anyone seeking to introduce a blended learning strategy.
E‐learner experiences: what is the future for e‐learning?
Authors: Ettinger Andrew , Holton Viki , Blass Eddie 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider whether the future for e‐learning is as bright as it has previously been heralded, or whether it is likely to fade into the background over time.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on 29 research case studies.FindingsThe importance of time and commitment are drawn out, suggesting that a slower pace of development may not necessarily be a bad thing. Organisations need to focus on what really matters – creating an environment that truly values learning, which for many may involved a substantial culture change. The importance of communication, promotion and marketing are presented, with the commitment from the top giving e‐learning the necessary status it needs in order for it to be taken seriously throughout the company. Selection of technology is also important as this can be a limiting factor to further e‐learning development.Practical implicationsBroader considerations for discussion as to whether an organisation is truly committed to an e‐learning future or not.Originality/valueThis article concludes the series by focussing on what the research tells us for the future development of e‐learning.
Building “civilisational competence”: a new role for libraries?
Authors: Caidi Nadia 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to examine the changing role and image of libraries and librarians, along with the overall information culture prevalent in four Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that were undergoing socio‐political changes. The core question investigated in this article is whether libraries as social and cultural institutions have a role to play in enabling individuals to acquire the types of skills and competencies that extend far beyond the realm of the library walls to encompass practices that translate into various spheres of individuals' lives, including their participation in political, economic and civic life.Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted in 1999 with 49 library policymakers in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (and selected follow‐up interviews were conducted in 2002), to shed light on the role of libraries in social and political reconfigurations of their nations.FindingsThe library is a ubiquitous component of the information environment of any society and plays a critical role in connecting information resources and services with users. Yet, despite their ubiquity and centrality in the production, management and dissemination of information in society, libraries have been largely neglected in many CEE countries. Libraries can play a critical role in political reconfiguration of their nation by building the types of skills and competencies that will empower individuals and thereby contribute to shaping an information culture that imeets the needs of the time.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to one's understanding of the political dimensions of the provision of information resources.
The public sphere and discursive activities: information literacy as sociopolitical skills
Authors: Andersen Jack 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo provide some theoretical considerations concerning information literacy so as to contribute to a theoretically informed point of departure for understanding information literacy and to argue that to be an information literate person is to have knowledge about information sources and that searching and using them is determined by an insight into how knowledge is socially organized in society.Design/methodology/approachUsing concepts from composition studies that deal with the question of what a writer needs to know in order to produce a text, the paper outlines some ideas and key concepts in order to show how these ideas and concepts are useful to our understanding of information literacy. To demonstrate how information‐literacy is to have knowledge about information sources and that searching and using them is determined by an insight into how knowledge is socially organized in society, the paper takes a point of departure in Habermas' theory of the public sphere.FindingsConcludes that information seeking competence is a sociopolitical skill, like reading and writing skills, connected to human activity. Searching for documents in information systems is a complex and sociopolitical activity. As an expression of human activity we might say that searching for documents and reading and writing constitutes each other. The genre knowledge necessary in reading and writing does also apply when seeking information in systems of organized knowledge as the forms of information determine what can be expected and found in these systems. Information literacy covers, then, the ability to read society and its textually and genre‐mediated structures. Information literacy represents an understanding of society and its textual mediation.Research limitations/implicationsLocating an understanding of information literacy in a broader discursive framework requires us to rethink our hitherto concepts and understandings of information literacy as socio‐political skills and not mere technical search skillsOriginality/valueRarely is information literacy discussed and understood from social‐theoretical perspectives. This article illuminates how an analysis of information literacy from the perspective of the theory of the public sphere can open up for an understanding of information literacy socio‐political skills. Thus, the article has contributed with a new interpretation of information literacy.