Should I pay or should I grow? Factors which influenced the preferences of US consumers for fruit, vegetables, wine and beer during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines the key factors that determine the preferences of US consumers towards the growing and processing used for horticultural products such as fruit, vegetables, wine and beer over their preferences for buying them both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings obtained using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) show that engagement with horticulture prior to and after the occurrence of COVID-19 influenced preferences for the growing and processing of fruit, vegetables, wine and beer over buying them in both the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 contexts. Engagement with horticulture before and after the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly impacted by attitudes towards US growers. Attitudes towards COVID-19 and human values such as self-enhancement, conservation and self-transcendence were also found to be significant factors, while openness to change was not found to be significant. Best practice recommendations are included on the basis of these findings for managers of community gardens, horticultural properties and specialized food stores

COVID-19 and the Locavores: Investigating the drivers of US consumer preferences for apples

This study provides insights and best-practice recommendations for marketing managers in the US food retail sector and the horticultural industry. An online survey distributed via a crowd sourcing platform in 2021 aimed to explore the factors that explained the intentions of US consumers to purchase locally grown apples. The Theory of Planned Behavior was used as a conceptual framework to shape the proposed model. The results emphasize the importance of behavioral, normative and control beliefs as important factors towards attitudes. Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were also found to be key drivers in understanding behavioral intention. All concepts, with the exception of perceived behavioral control, were found to be significant behavioral predictors

Measuring the integration and retention of migrant dairy workers in New Zealand: A case study of migrant dairy farm workers in the Canterbury region: A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

The dairy industry is one of the most important sectors of the New Zealand economy. In the year ending March 2016 it accounted for 3.5% of the nation’s GDP ($7.8 billion dollars) and contributed a further$12.2 billion to the economy through related supply industries. Furthermore, dairy is New Zealand’s largest export product, surpassing the meat, wood, and wine sectors by significant margins. Significant structural changes in dairy farming (a shift from traditionally family-run farms to larger, more investor-driven operations), have led to a higher demand for skilled dairy farm workers and subsequently, to recruitment and retention problems. Unable to fill vacancies domestically, farm owners have had to turn to migrant workers to meet their labour demands. This thesis explores the socioeconomic integration and retention of migrant dairy workers in New Zealand, focusing specifically on the Canterbury region which has the highest concentration of foreign-born dairy workers. Migrant dairy workers’ integration into New Zealand society has largely been ignored in academic studies, as have migrants’ own stories. This thesis positions itself within this gap and analyses the degree to which migrant dairy workers (and their families) are integrated. It offers a detailed study of migrant dairy workers’ experiences of working and living here. Migrant dairy workers face various psychosocial difficulties in adjusting to the New Zealand environment; this is often due to the process of obtaining work permits, the long work hours, social isolation, and language and cultural barriers. It is crucial to investigate migrants’ perspectives on working in the dairy industry, not only because they contribute to the national economy, but also because they are often in a disadvantaged position due to their work permit conditions and their limited knowledge about New Zealand employment practices. More specifically, this thesis identifies the factors that are associated with migrant dairy workers’ integration into New Zealand society and their retention on dairy farms, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The first phase of this thesis uses narrative interviews to investigate the drivers for, and the barriers to, integration and retention, focusing on workers’ experiences of being employed in the New Zealand dairy industry. It also examines employers’ perceptions of working with migrant dairy workers. The second phase of the thesis uses two separate surveys (one for migrant workers and the other for employers of migrant dairy workers) to gather statistical information. This thesis applies exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and binary regression techniques to identify the factors associated with the successful integration of migrant dairy workers into New Zealand and their retention in the dairy industry. In line with the changing nature of New Zealand dairy farms, this thesis argues that employers must develop new skills, particularly those related to staff management. In contrast, it uses hierarchical cluster analysis and One-way ANOVA techniques to analyse employers’ perceptions of the integration and retention of their employees. This thesis concludes with a detailed set of recommendations about the ways in which farmers, local communities and social/government agencies can facilitate greater degrees of integration to ensure that these valuable workers are retained

Location selection decision making in the New Zealand motel sector - a preliminary framework

Selection of location of a business is a crucial decision-making element in the motel sector as a flawed decision can be very difficult or even impossible to rectify. There is a notable gap in the literature on location selection for the tourism accommodation sector with almost all work focusing on hotel locations. While work within New Zealand is in itself particularly rare research on factors influencing motel location is virtually non-existent. This paper aims to review past literature on tourist accommodation location models and adjust it for New Zealand to develop a location selection model. This paper investigates the importance of a range of financial, non-cash benefit, agglomeration, connectivity, location and visibility, business environment and government policy factors influencing motel location selection decision. This working paper reports the findings of the review of the literature, in-depth interviews of sector experts, to propose a hierarchy for motel investment decision making. The findings demonstrate significant discrepancies between the theory and practice of the investment decision making for the New Zealand motel sector. Although only sparse research is available concerning motel location selection, this paper rigorously assesses the location selection process and assist stakeholders in understanding the location selection process. The resultant framework developed from the international literature and via a matrix of sector experts provides an initial framing of investment decision making in the New Zealand motel sector will be subsequently examined through the application of an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method of Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The overall goal is to explore the nexus between theory and practice and develop a model for motel location selection that may have relevance elsewhere in the global tourism sector

The integration and social inclusion of migrant dairy workers in Canterbury: A preliminary analysis

A diverse stream of migrant workers brings a range of social and human capital to both the dairy industry and the surrounding rural communities. This study develops a conceptual framework for understanding the integration and social inclusion of migrant workers, and applies it to the ethnographic data collected through interviews and surveys with migrant dairy farm workers and dairy farm employers on Canterbury dairy farms. This study aims to identify the enablers of and barriers to integration, focusing on social connections, and cultural exchanges between migrants and host communities. In doing so, this research contributes to ongoing attempts to define integration and social inclusion, within the context of farming and rural communities. This research addresses integration and social inclusion in a very holistic manner, highlighting the importance of the inclusion and active participation of migrant dairy workers and their families in the economic, social, political and cultural spheres of New Zealand society. The preliminary results of this study indicate that migrant dairy workers need not face spatial separation, discrimination from the community, or a gendered and racialised labour context in order to experience social exclusion. Preliminary results also reveal the primary barriers to migrants’ full participation in the life of the communities in which they live and work are factors such as physical distance, available time for non-work activities, work roster, and immigration status, and the opportunity for civic and social participation, and personal activities such as health care and education

The integration and social inclusion of migrant dairy workers in Canterbury: A preliminary analysis

A diverse stream of migrant workers brings a range of social and human capital to both the dairy industry and the surrounding rural communities. This study develops a conceptual framework for understanding the integration and social inclusion of migrant workers, and applies it to the ethnographic data collected through interviews and surveys with migrant dairy farm workers and dairy farm employers on Canterbury dairy farms. This study aims to identify the enablers of and barriers to integration, focusing on social connections, and cultural exchanges between migrants and host communities. In doing so, this research contributes to ongoing attempts to define integration and social inclusion, within the context of farming and rural communities. This research addresses integration and social inclusion in a very holistic manner, highlighting the importance of the inclusion and active participation of migrant dairy workers and their families in the economic, social, political and cultural spheres of New Zealand society. The preliminary results of this study indicate that migrant dairy workers need not face spatial separation, discrimination from the community, or a gendered and racialised labour context in order to experience social exclusion. Preliminary results also reveal the primary barriers to migrants’ full participation in the life of the communities in which they live and work are factors such as physical distance, available time for non-work activities, work roster, and immigration status, and the opportunity for civic and social participation, and personal activities such as health care and education. Key words: Integration, social inclusion, migrant dairy workers, dairy farm employers, Canterbury, New Zealand