The value in creating craft:Considering the why of handwork

The standard economic approach to craft would value craft based on market price and focus on traditional economic metrics like supply and demand. Many crafts researchers focus on the commercialization of handmade goods and their decline as technology produces similar products. The cultural economic perspective can take into account more than simply the market value of an object produced by a craftsperson, and can look at the importance of a crafts culture and the act of creating crafts for the individuals who create these goods. This research considers the current spaces in which craft is discussed and defined (academically and by consumers) and looks at the value of craft labor outside of standard economic considerations. In a grounded theory study, craftspeople speak for themselves about why they value their work, what craftwork contributes to society, and how their craft practice helps them realize values

The value in creating craft:Considering the why of handwork

The standard economic approach to craft would value craft based on market price and focus on traditional economic metrics like supply and demand. Many crafts researchers focus on the commercialization of handmade goods and their decline as technology produces similar products. The cultural economic perspective can take into account more than simply the market value of an object produced by a craftsperson, and can look at the importance of a crafts culture and the act of creating crafts for the individuals who create these goods. This research considers the current spaces in which craft is discussed and defined (academically and by consumers) and looks at the value of craft labor outside of standard economic considerations. In a grounded theory study, craftspeople speak for themselves about why they value their work, what craftwork contributes to society, and how their craft practice helps them realize values

Accurately measuring willingness to pay for consumer goods:a meta-analysis of the hypothetical bias

Consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) is highly relevant to managers and academics, and the various direct and indirect methods used to measure it vary in their accuracy, defined as how closely the hypothetically measured WTP (HWTP) matches consumers' real WTP (RWTP). The difference between HWTP and RWTP is the "hypothetical bias." A prevalent assumption in marketing science is that indirect methods measure WTP more accurately than do direct methods. With a meta-analysis of 77 studies reported in 47 papers and resulting in 115 effect sizes, we test that assumption by assessing the hypothetical bias. The total sample consists of 24,347 included observations for HWTP and 20,656 for RWTP. Moving beyond extant meta-analyses in marketing, we introduce an effect size metric (i.e., response ratio) and a novel analysis method (i.e., multivariate mixed linear model) to analyze the stochastically dependent effect sizes. Our findings are relevant for academic researchers and managers. First, on average, the hypothetical bias is 21%, and this study provides a reference point for the expected magnitude of the hypothetical bias. Second, the deviation primarily depends on the use of a direct or indirect method for measuring HWTP. In contrast with conventional wisdom, indirect methods actually overestimate RWTP significantly stronger than direct methods. Third, the hypothetical bias is greater for higher valued products, specialty goods (cf. other product types), and within-subject designs (cf. between-subject designs), thus a stronger downward adjustment of HWTP values is necessary to reflect consumers' RWTP

Are the affluent prepared to pay for the planet? Explaining willingness to pay for public and quasi-private environmental goods in Switzerland

A large number of ‘environmental justice' studies show that wealthier people are less affected by environmental burdens and also consume more resources than poorer people. Given this double inequity, we ask, to what extent are affluent people prepared to pay to protect the environment? The analyses are couched within the compensation/affluence hypothesis, which states that wealthier persons are able to spend more for environmental protection than their poorer counterparts. Further, we take into account various competing economic, psychological and sociological determinants of individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) for both public environmental goods (e.g., general environmental protection) and quasi-private environmental goods (e.g., CO2-neutral cars). Such a comprehensive approach contrasts with most other studies in this field that focus on a limited number of determinants and goods. Multivariate analyses are based on a general population survey in Switzerland (N=3,369). Although income has a positive and significant effect on WTP supporting the compensation hypothesis, determinants such as generalized interpersonal trust that is assumed to be positively associated with civic engagement and environmental concern prove to be equally important. Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time that time preferences can considerably influence survey-based WTP for environmental goods; since investments in the environment typically pay off in the distant future, persons with a high subjective discount rate are less likely to commi

Cultural heritage in the realm of the commons

Cultural heritage was invented in the realm of nation-states, and from an early point it was considered a public asset, stewarded to narrate the historic deeds of the ancestors, on behalf of their descendants. Nowadays, as the neoliberal narrative would have it, it is for the benefit of these tax-paying citizens that privatisation logic on heritage sector have been increasing over recent decades, to cover their needs in the name of social responsibility and other truncated views of the welfare state.;This volume examines whether we can place cultural heritage at the other end of the spectrum, as a common good and potentially as a commons. It does so by looking at Greece as a case study, lately a battlefield of harsh and experimental austerity measures but also of inspiring grass-roots mobilisation and scholarship, currently blossoming to defend the right of communities to enjoy, collaboratively manage and co-create goods by the people, for the people. ;Since cultural heritage -and culture in general- is hastily bundled up with other goods and services in various arguments for and against their public character, this volume invites several experts to discuss their views on their field of expertise and reflect on the overarching theme: Can cultural heritage be considered a commons? If so, what are the advantages and pitfalls concerning theory, practice and management of heritage? What can we learn from other public resources with a longer history in commons-based or market-oriented interpretation and governance? Can a commons approach allow us to imagine and start working towards a better, more inclusive and meaningful future for heritage?

The effect of environmental decentralization on polluting firms in India

This paper examines the effects of the environmental decentralization fostered by a 2006 reform of the Environmental Impact Assessment process in India. It adopts a triple differences approach that compares treated and untreated sectors across states with different level of environmental enforcement. Results based on firm-level data for the period 1998-2012 show that the reform induced a decrease in firm births in states with stricter enforcement. The findings draw attention on the consequences of great disparities in enforcement capacity in a decentralized environment

The Otterbein Miscellany - September 1979

https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/miscellany/1019/thumbnail.jp

An Exploratory Examination of the Profitability Impact of Quality Dimensions for Consumer Goods and Industrial Capital Goods

The issue of dimensions of quality has received very little attention in the marketing literature. This dissertation studies the impact selected individual dimensions of quality has on firm performance. The study examined the relation between product, service and image based dimensions of quality and firm performance. The performance measure utilized in this study was a firm's return on investment (ROI). Sample for the study included Strategic Business Units (SBUs) involved in the manufacture of consumer goods and industrial capital goods. A theoretical framework that details performance effects of selected variables was developed. Drawing upon previous research in Marketing, Management, Economics, and Strategic Planning, propositions and hypotheses were developed. The data required to test the hypotheses was obtained from the PIMS data base of the Strategic Planning Institute. Several GLM procedures including ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Multiple Comparison tests, such as SNK, Tukey and Bonferroni, were employed to test the various operational hypothesis. The results show that product and image based dimensions of quality impact RoT differentially for consumer goods and industrial capital goods. The extent of the difference depends on the order of market entry and the product's stage in the product life cycle. On the other hand, service based dimensions of quality did not impact ROI differentially for pioneers and non-pioneers. Similar results was found across stages of the product life cycle