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1 – 6 of 6George Menexes and Stamatis Angelopoulos
The aim of the study is to propose certain agricultural policy measures for the financing and development of Greek farms, established by young farmers, based on the results of a…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the study is to propose certain agricultural policy measures for the financing and development of Greek farms, established by young farmers, based on the results of a clustering method suitable for handling socio‐economic categorical data.
Design/methodology/approach
The clustering method was applied to categorical data collected from 110 randomly selected investment plans of Greek agricultural farms. The investment plans were submitted to the “Region of Central Macedonia” administrative office, in the framework of the Operational Programme “Agricultural Development – Reform of the Countryside 2000‐2006” and refer to agricultural investments by “Young Farmers”, according to the terms and conditions of Priority Axis III: “Improvement of the Age Composition of the Agricultural Population”. The input variables for the analyses were the farmers' gender, age class, education level and permanent place of residence, the farms' agricultural activity, Human Labour Units (HLU) and farms' viability level. All these variables were measured on nominal or ordinal scales. The available data were analyzed by means of a hierarchical cluster analysis method applied on the rows of an appropriate matrix of a complete disjunctive form with a dummy coding 0 or 1. The similarities were measured through the Benzécri'sχ2distance (metric), while the Ward's method was used as a criterion for cluster formation.
Findings
Five clusters of farms emerged, with statistically significant diverse socio‐economic profiles. The most important impact on the formation of the groups of farms was found to be related to the number of HLU, the farmers' level of education and gender. This derived typology allows for the determination of a flexible development and funding policy for the agricultural farms, based on the socio‐economic profile of the formulated clusters.
Research limitations/implications
One of the limitations of the current study derives from the fact that the clustering method used is suitable only for categorical, non‐metric data. Another limitation comes from the fact that a relative small number of investment plans were used in the analysis. A larger sample covering and other geographical regions is needed in order to confirm the current results and make nation‐wide comparisons and “tailor‐made” proposals for financing and development. Finally, it is interesting to contact longitudinal surveys in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the funding policy of the corresponding programme.
Originality/value
The study's results could be useful to practitioners and academics because certain agricultural policy measures for the financing and development of Greek farms established by young farmers are proposed. Additionally, the data analysis method used in this study offers an alternative way for clustering categorical data.
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Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated components that affect students' online teaching and learning process. In this context, university students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments, the relationship among them and students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles as their predictors are examined in this study.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a relational study and is carried out with 179 university students. Personal information form, student's engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction scales were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis are used for the analysis.
Findings
According to the results, variables related to students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles together significantly predict the students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments. When students think positively about taking courses online, their engagement increases accordingly and their fear of missing out levels decrease. Increase in student's academic achievement leads to decline in Internet addiction.
Practical implications
In practice, examining the related variables about students in terms of engagement to the learning environment, fear of missing out and Internet addiction could bring a new perspective to studies on problematic use of the Internet and technology such as nomophobia and digital distraction. The results of this study reveal how and which components to be focused on for increasing the university students' engagement, reducing Internet addiction and fear of missing out in online learning environments.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide a versatile perspective with the variables of student participation, fear of missing out, Internet addiction and their predictors in online learning environments, which are becoming widespread and increasingly important today and shed light on future researches.
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George Koulierakis, Anastasia Dermatis, Nair-Tonia Vassilakou, Elpida Pavi, Dimitris Zavras and John Kyriopoulos
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key determinants of dietary choices of the Greek population during a period of financial austerity.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key determinants of dietary choices of the Greek population during a period of financial austerity.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from the 2016 “Health and Welfare” Greek national cross-sectional survey, in a representative sample of 2,003 individuals, were examined. The survey was conducted via computer-assisted telephone interviews. Sociodemographic characteristics and diet knowledge were examined as potential determinants of four dietary behaviours (fruit, fish, red meat and fast food consumption).
Findings
Findings showed significant gender differences against men (64.4% were overweight and obese; 57.6% and 18.4% reported red meat and fast food consumption more than twice a week, respectively). Age and financial affordability were the most significant determinants of fruit consumption. Fish consumption was determined by age, financial affordability, and family status (unmarried, living with the parents). Gender, age, family status (unmarried, living alone), employment status (unemployed) and social support affected red meat consumption. Finally, factors influencing fast food consumption were gender, age and employment status (unemployed).
Originality/value
This research incorporates unique and original insight in the determinants of healthy dietary choices during the austerity measures in Greece. Findings could contribute to a better understanding of the main factors that influence healthy eating and help develop policies to encourage healthy dietary lifestyles for the general public.
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Vanessa Quintal, Ben Thomas, Ian Phau and Zorana Soldat
The study aims to introduce a comprehensive segmentation instrument that incorporates the push–pull winescape attributes, providing a new perspective of the wine tourist profile…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to introduce a comprehensive segmentation instrument that incorporates the push–pull winescape attributes, providing a new perspective of the wine tourist profile and explaining their behavioural intentions in the Australian winescape.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review, focus groups and expert panels generated an extensive list of push–pull winescape attributes. Pen-and-paper surveys conveniently sampled 739 wine tourists at three wineries across three wine regions in Australia. Adopting push–pull winescape attributes as the segmentation base, cluster analysis identified four segments, namely, inspireds, self-drivens, market-drivens and inerts, and their behavioural intentions were examined.
Findings
Inspireds demonstrate both self- and market-motivation. Self-drivens exhibit self-motivation but limited market-motivation, whereas Market-drivens characterise market-motivation but limited self-motivation. Inerts are limited in both market- and self-motivations. At the Swan Valley, all four segments were identified, with Inspireds being the most willing to revisit and recommend to others and Inerts, the least willing. At the Barossa Valley, only two segments emerged. Again, Inspireds and Inerts were the most and least willing to revisit and recommend to others respectively. Finally, at the Yarra Valley, three segments were identified. Market-drivens were most willing to revisit and recommend to others, followed by self-drivens and lastly, by inerts.
Research limitations/implications
A comprehensive push–pull winescape segmentation base of wine tourists is introduced, which provides a more sophisticated profile of wine tourist segments than otherwise would be attained with conventional measures.
Practical implications
New insights into who the wine tourist is and what it is they seek from the winescape are vital to smaller wine producers whose best access to the domestic retail and export markets is through direct selling at the cellar door.
Originality/value
The empirically tested 18-item push–pull winescape instrument presents a comprehensive segmentation approach, which profiles wine tourists and predicts their behavioural intentions based on an extensive investigation of push–pull winescape attributes.
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Alexandra Pliakoura, Grigorios N. Beligiannis, Athanasia Mavrommati and Achilleas Kontogeorgos
This study seeks to identify and highlight the factors that hinder or favor young farmers in the quest to abide in the agricultural profession and to draw policy directions and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to identify and highlight the factors that hinder or favor young farmers in the quest to abide in the agricultural profession and to draw policy directions and axes of action to address the problem.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a triangulation research approach with quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In total, 222 structured questionnaires and 9 personal interviews constituted the survey's data collection tools.
Findings
The results revealed a distinctive distribution of competencies. On the one hand, personal and entrepreneurial competencies make up the “strengths” of young farmers, and on the other hand, the lack of cooperative organizations and the lack of entrepreneurial education and training combined with a series of situational factors complete the puzzle of “weaknesses” the farmers face in the local daily becoming.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study have academic and policy implications. Theoretically, this study contributes to the emerging literature that emphasizes the importance of farmers' competencies, collaboration, information and training in understanding the complex and different conditions that young farmers are called upon to manage.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study lies in the identification of both strengths and weaknesses that affect the abiding of young farmers in the agricultural profession.
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Diana Cunha, Elisabeth Kastenholz and Carla Silva
This paper focuses on the wine tourist market in the central region of Portugal, and it aims to analyze the wine tourist’s demographic and travel behavior and preferences profile…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focuses on the wine tourist market in the central region of Portugal, and it aims to analyze the wine tourist’s demographic and travel behavior and preferences profile, based on their level of wine involvement.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents results from an exploratory study with a quantitative design, including a total of 1,029 survey responses from visitors of three wine routes. A K-mean cluster analysis was carried out, and the emerging groups of wine tourists were statistically compared (ANOVA or Chi-squared test).
Findings
Participants present a demographic profile of the wine route visitor similar to that found in other studies, with an average involvement with wine. There were three clusters of wine tourists, with different levels of involvement with wine: less wine-involved; medium wine-involved; and highly wine-involved. Significant differences between the three mentioned categories are visible for gender, age and attractions visited and expenses, suggesting the possibility of a differentiated market approach. Additionally, most respondents report high interest in a variety of attractions that are not exclusively wine-related. This finding supports the conceptualization of (particularly rural) wine tourism as “terroir tourism.”
Research limitations/implications
The pandemic context in which data collection was undertaken led to a smaller sample than expected, which was also more domestic than would have been in “non-COVID” times.
Practical implications
This study provides relevant insights about visitors of wine routes in Central Portugal, which may resonate in other wine tourism destinations. Implications for both theory and practice are also discussed.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study the wine tourism market in the Central Region of Portugal and expands our understanding about wine tourists’ profiles, behavior and interests, adding with empirical findings to the debate on heterogeneity in the wine tourist market, the role of wine involvement and of terroir.
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