Niche market cropping can be a source of economic development to economically depressed rural areas. The thesis takes place in the four counties of Wise, Russell, Scott and Dickenson and this study region is used to develop the ideas of limited regional competition, and product diversity for niche cropping enterprises. These ideas create an identity for the region that reflects upon the farms and the products they produce. This thesis is intended to be a tool for county extension agents and economic development professionals to use in the pursuit of guiding small farmers and land-owners into successful niche cropping enterprises. Case studies within Wise County demonstrate the income potentials of these enterprises. / Master of Landscape Architecture

The purpose of this study is to investigate how internal and external sources influence dog owners’ desire and intent to travel with their dogs, using the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). Specifically, this study investigates 1) the demographic profile of participating dog owners, 2) the relationship between dog owners’ Anticipated Emotions (AE) and their desire to travel with their dogs, 3) dog owners’ Attitudes toward the act (Aact) of traveling with their dogs and its relationship with their desire to travel with dogs, 4) the relationship between Subjective Norms (SN) and dog owners desire to travel with dogs, 5) owners’ Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) over their dog-accompanied travel situation, 6) the relationship between desire for dog-accompanied travel and Behavioral Intent (BI), and 7) the relationship between Past Behavior (PB) and the desire and BI regarding future travel with dogs.

Purpose – The purpose of this thesis is to understand how specialist firms develop in a concentrated industry by analyzing how microbreweries develop and operate on the Belgian market. Then, the literature reviewed used to build the theoretical foundation of this work is centered around the Resource Partitioning Theory and Niche Marketing Theory to explain this phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-case analysis was undertaken. Five Belgian Microbreweries were examined. The data were gathered through interviews conducted with owners of microbreweries based on a structured questionnaire, as well as through secondary data. In addition, an analysis of the Belgian beer industry was conducted, using as secondary data, such as the existing literature on the beer industry, as well annual reports from Beers Associations. Findings – In opposition to the big companies that dominates the center of the market leveraging on economies of scales, the microbreweries strived to create unique products that have a high quality in term of taste. Moreover, they focused their efforts in their region, creating value first for local consumers and not all have an ambition to sell in the whole country or to internationalize the product. Thus, the microbreweries managed to create both functional and symbolic value to the consumers. However, the authors found that the symbolic value created by the breweries had more component than cultural heritage, local and specialist identity. Then, relationship was of importance for the microbreweries as they sought personal contact with their consumer and tried to be involved in their community as well as cooperated with other breweries (coopetition).   Overall, the microbreweries practices followed what is described in niche-marketing and entrepreneurial literature. Originality/value – First, this research participates to the resource partitioning literature by contributing to the limited knowledge on how specialist firms are operating, Then, this exploratory study is focused on an understudied area that is how microbreweries runs, that is especially true on the Belgian market as it was barely explored before. Thereafter, this thesis can be used as inspiration for new researches in different countries or with different approaches and/or theories.

<p>Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this essay is to analyze and discuss how MTV is affected by the development that takes place on the world’s media market. The aim is also to see how MTV’s target group’s image of the channel can give guidelines in how MTV should act in this new media era.</p><p>Material/method: I have examined the development on the media market and then created a model consisting of relevant factors that could affect a TV-channel today. Those factors and the two factors image and profile are then applied on MTV. I have done three interviews with people who work at MTV Networks Nordic and one interview with a person who used to work there. I also arranged three focus groups with members within the target group of MTV (15-24 year). The questions for all of the interviews were based on theories relevant to this study.</p><p>Main results: The results from the interviews and the focus groups showed that the profile and the image of MTV did not agree completely. An example of that is that the staffs of MTV saw the channel as a youth channel while the target group saw it as a music channel. MTV seems to go from being a niche channel to becoming a broader channel, a move that is quite unusual on today’s media market where niche marketing is the main strategy for TV-channels. People within the target group 15-24 uses the Internet more than TV an average day, and the younger members of my focus groups used the Internet more than the older ones. None of the members of the target group watched TV on their mobile phone but they assumed that younger kids would use it a lot in the future. All agreed upon that MTV was a suitable channel for mobile-TV.</p>

Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this essay is to analyze and discuss how MTV is affected by the development that takes place on the world’s media market. The aim is also to see how MTV’s target group’s image of the channel can give guidelines in how MTV should act in this new media era. Material/method: I have examined the development on the media market and then created a model consisting of relevant factors that could affect a TV-channel today. Those factors and the two factors image and profile are then applied on MTV. I have done three interviews with people who work at MTV Networks Nordic and one interview with a person who used to work there. I also arranged three focus groups with members within the target group of MTV (15-24 year). The questions for all of the interviews were based on theories relevant to this study. Main results: The results from the interviews and the focus groups showed that the profile and the image of MTV did not agree completely. An example of that is that the staffs of MTV saw the channel as a youth channel while the target group saw it as a music channel. MTV seems to go from being a niche channel to becoming a broader channel, a move that is quite unusual on today’s media market where niche marketing is the main strategy for TV-channels. People within the target group 15-24 uses the Internet more than TV an average day, and the younger members of my focus groups used the Internet more than the older ones. None of the members of the target group watched TV on their mobile phone but they assumed that younger kids would use it a lot in the future. All agreed upon that MTV was a suitable channel for mobile-TV.

Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]; Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies. Reprinted by permission of Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Ltd.