Search results

This paper aims to discuss a study that investigated the relationship between grape growers and wineries in Australia. The results of the study led to the formulation of market segments which provided a better understanding of the relationship.

Quantitative data were collected through an online survey, distributed to grape growers in all states of Australia. A total of 396 valid responses were obtained.

Cluster analysis highlighted three segments based on relational variables such as relationship quality and power and details of the grape growers' business and trading relationships. The paper showed that grape growers attained higher levels of relationship quality and power if they resided in cool climate wine regions, had short-term relationships with wineries and were in relationships with small and medium enterprise (SME) wineries. The paper also highlighted the interaction of relational variables and the price that a grower received for their grapes.

The research was limited in terms of its geographic context. Future research could involve a wider geographic study based on the constructs used in this research and also focus on the winery perspective of the relationship in order to gain a dyadic perspective.

The Australian wine industry is experiencing difficult economic conditions. The paper has highlighted relationships that may not be sustainable and certain growers that may require assistance from government and wine industry peak bodies.

This paper presents a quantitative exposition of Australian grape grower and winery relationships that takes into account relational variables and trading and business details.

There are many factors which may influence the ability of wineries to build and maintain long‐term relationships (LTR) with their suppliers of grapes. The aim of this paper is to identify the most important factors which enhance LTR between Australian wineries and grape growers.

A qualitative in‐depth interview technique was employed with 13 Australian grape growers.

The relational dimensions of communication, goal compatibility and use of power were found to influence the relationship quality dimensions of trust and satisfaction, which are also linked to the level of commitment and hence long‐term relationship.

The Australian wine industry is currently suffering economic instability which has resulted in the demise of some relationships between grape growers and winemakers. However, economic misfortunes will no doubt change and inefficiencies will result if LTR are not maintained. These inefficiencies could prove detrimental as the Australian wine industry strives to produce regionally branded and higher quality wine products which are both grape grower derived element. Furthermore, issues related to communication frequency and reduction in trust have implications for communication strategies which may result in the reduction of winery grower liaison staff.

This paper offers a grape/grower‐winery perspective on buyer‐seller relationships. It moderates the theory on communication and its effect on trust and commitment. Furthermore it posits the issue of buyer size on relational dimension and outcomes, which has had little attention in the literature.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Danish wine industry and then concentrate on production and discuss which factors are of importance for producing high‐quality wines. Historically, Denmark has not been a wine‐producing country primarily due to sub‐optimal climate conditions, but during the latest decade, entrepreneurial growers have entered the business of wine production by establishing small wine fields and investing in professional production facilities.

Using a rich longitudinal micro data set from the Association of Danish Wine Growers, an econometric model is set up in order to explain the chances of obtaining awards at the yearly Danish Wine Contest, i.e. signalling “quality”.

Contrary to the authors' hypotheses, field slope, field direction, size and commercial status of the producer have no influence on quality. However, the natural sugar content at harvest, grape variety, soil and growers' experience have the anticipated influence. But unobservable characteristics seem important. Spirit and entrepreneurial enthusiasm of the growers in an emerging wine industry also appear to be of importance.

Awards at wine contests signal quality to the market, which can be used in the sales strategy of the growers, thereby getting higher prices for their wines and overcoming potential “lemon‐market” effects due to asymmetric information on the market. Furthermore, noting that awards can be explained by specific factors, this may be an efficient guide for the producers to optimize their quality‐costs relationship.

The analysis of the Danish wine industry is carried out by the use of a longitudinal micro data set. A hedonic model of wine quality is estimated by using econometric methods.

We define diffusion as the spread of something within a social system. Diffusion is the most general and abstract term, and it embraces such processes as contagion, mimicry, social learning, organized dissemination, etc. (Strang & Soule, 1998). While the home territory of diffusion is innovation (see Rogers, 2003 for an authoritative review), more recent macro-diffusion research has developed, based on social movement and institutionalization arguments (Ansari, Fiss, & Zajac, 2010; Wejnert, 2002).

The traditional view of the process of value creation suggests that it occurs inside the firm through its activities or resources. However, there are special cases where firms create value using external shared resources, e.g. a territorial brand. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how the combination of both internal and external resources co-create value in wine regions.

An in-depth case study of nine firms covering different co-creation processes in Champagne, France. The selection of interviews was designed to cover the diversity of firms within the area with different market positioning. Most firms in the region have been selling champagne for more than 50 years, so they have established long-standing relationships with their markets.

While there is only one value, Champagne, firms create many different values based on owners’ perceptions with diverse effects on the process of value co-creation in the territorial brand. Some firms have strategies which could deteriorate the value of shared resource. This threat needs institutional changes with unknown consequences on the territorial brand.

The research only involved one case study with a highly developed territorial brand system. There are multiple wine regions that have considered managing either implicitly or explicitly their shared strategic resources (e.g. a territorial brand). Consequently, the findings may not be applicable to all wine regions but it can provide a “gold standard” for regions and wineries that do not realize the impact that their value creation actions can have on the wine region.

Collective management of shared strategic resources, such as a territorial brand, can be a powerful action to sustain competitive advantage rather than individual actions to develop individual brands. However, it can work only with an institutional organization managing the collective process.

The paper offers lessons from a comprehensive and well-known case study where resource bundles co-create value with a territorial brand.

Regarding the global development of the wine industry, China has gained a notable share in terms of wine consumption, and its domestic wine production has increased steadily since 2000. The wine production process requires close coordination between growers and processors to avoid disruption and instability in the supply chain of the wine grapes. However, vertical coordination in the Chinese wine regions has received little attention. Based on the existing theoretical background on vertical coordination, this study aims to detect the evolution processes of vertical coordination in the Chinese grape market.

Exploratory qualitative research fits with the aim of this study. From December 2018 to January 2019, interviews with grape growers and wine processors of various Chinese wine-producing areas took place. After transcribing all recorded files into text, a qualitative data analysis following the approach of Mayring (2015) was used to analyse and interpret the data.

The models of vertical coordination in the grape supply in China vary between the producer's requirements on grape quality/quantity and the arrangements of grape supply chains, which are diverse depending on regional strategies of the local government.

However, in this research, the authors did not get into details on the organization of the contractual coordination, and due to the limited access to grape growers, the relationship between farmers and processors cannot be analysed in detail. With a better understanding of the coordination relationship and enhanced contract enforcement, the vineyard management and grape supply chain management can be better performed, inducing a steady industrial development.

Regarding the global development of the wine industry, China has gained a notable share in terms of wine consumption, and its domestic wine production has increased steadily since 2000. However, vertical coordination in the Chinese wine regions has received little attention. The study provides a first insight into the grape market structures, as very little is known.

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.

Wineries in La Mancha, La Rioja and Penedès, totalling 570, were contacted electronically and invited to participate in an online survey. Of these businesses, 94 participated, a 16.5 per cent response rate.

While it was found that generally climate change is not among growers' main challenges, three distinct groups emerged from this study: the “unbelievers,” the cautiously sceptical and the “believers”. This last and largest group of respondents (41.5 per cent) not only acknowledges changes due to climate change, but also strategies already in place to minimise the effects of climate change, suggesting the severity of the problem.

Comparisons among the three participating wine regions were not possible due to the low number of respondents from one of the regions. Also, the total number of respondents does not allow for making the study's findings generalisable.

The wine industry, its stakeholders and government agencies need to work together to monitor any changes and find ways to address negative effects of climate change that may result in increased water usage, pesticides or changes in labour demand.

The study provides new insights into climate change according to winery operators' perspectives, an area that to date has received very limited attention from researchers.

The paper reports on a study of marketing approaches adopted by different categories of wine producer in the Sainte Foy Bordeaux region in south‐west France. Market conditions for many French producers have been deteriorating, with falling consumption in the main markets and growing competition from the new wine regions. Even with the world‐famous name “Bordeaux” on the label, a much more active marketing stance is becoming essential. One possible marketing response by producers is to develop strong branding. Several possible dimensions for individual branding can be identified, including the individual chateau name, the AOC marking, the type of wine, the grape variety used, whether or not the wine is organically grown and the vintage. In developing and maintaining these brand identities, producers have to integrate collective marketing efforts, such as promotional programmes for the local AOC marking, with individual marketing programmes for their own brands.

Through the framework of Michael Porterʼs five forces, this article compares sustainability in the Oregon and British Columbia wine industries. After describing the contrasting characteristics of the green niche model and the government-led model of environmental change, the article analyzes the emerging challenges for each type of change.The distinct sources for profitability and future innovation suggests diversity within the sustainability movement and two very different processes of translating environmental values into entrepreneurial practice.

The paper aims to develop an understanding of the port wine sector from a relational, holistic, and dynamic perspective.

The research adopted a qualitative methodological approach. Primary data were collected through semi‐structured interviews. The analysis focused on the relationships established among both economic and non‐economic actors.

The paper offers an overview of the port wine sector on the basis of the conceptual background of the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) Group. The study suggests that the dynamics of the sector is not solely determined by economic and technological variables, but also by interests assuming both an economic, social and political nature.

Further research should develop and test the findings by using other cases and methodological approaches.

Managers must be aware that firms are embedded not only in economic systems but also in political and social networks whose dynamics cannot be neglected.

While most studies on the dynamics of economic systems have focused on the role played by technological factors, relatively few have addressed the importance of collective actions. In this line, the paper contributes for a better understanding of the role of collective actors created to defend the interests of their members. Moreover, since the port wine sector is not an idiosyncratic case because most of its features are also present in other wine regions, the conclusions of the paper are likely to be used for the understanding of other wine regions.