<p>Chapter 1: Currently there is no hunting or trapping season on bobcats in Indiana. While a season is being considered by wildlife administrators, there is no basis for establishing a price or understanding potential demand for this species. We use contingent valuation to estimate furbearer hunter and trapper willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a hypothetical bobcat harvest permit in Indiana, USA. Using a mail survey of 2000 randomly selected Indiana registered hunters and trappers, we presented respondents with a description of a hypothetical harvest season, including season dates, equipment restrictions, check-in procedures, counties open for the legal harvest, bag limit (the number of animals that can be legally harvested per individual), and statewide quota (the number of animals that can be legally harvested in aggregate). Following the description, respondents were asked a single-bounded dichotomous choice question about purchasing the proposed permit. By applying the Turnbull estimation method to our collected data, we estimate mean WTP of $21.73 for the proposed permit. Our estimates are sensitive to scope effects, which may be linked to perceived congestion: if hunters believe the bag limit may not be filled, WTP may actually decrease with the bag limit due to perceived congestion, necessitating the simultaneous examination of the bag limit and statewide quota.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Chapter 2: One Health initiatives employed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention place emphasis on the interconnectedness of animals, people, plants, and the environment. As new disease threats emerge, the interactions of humans and animals with their environments becomes increasingly important. Deer represent a large, prolific, and suitable host for several diseases that are potentially threatening in the One Health context. Previous works have studied deer-related diseases, such as Bovine tuberculosis and Lyme Disease, and examined risks of transmission in households of varying compositions, such as with and without pets or children. However, research quantifying public perceptions of deer and their role(s) in modern society is lacking. Our research applies social media listening to study perceptions of deer among the general U.S. population through volume (number of mentions) and assessment of tone, in terms of positivity versus negativity (analyzed as online media net sentiment). We study media about five prominent deer-related diseases from January 2018 through December 2021 and demonstrate that while aggregate mentions of the deer diseases we study compose a small proportion of total mentions for deer, net sentiment surrounding outbreaks reflects the seriousness of the health consequences these present. Additionally, we explain fluctuations in deer-disease mentions and net sentiment through real-world events, and demonstrate seasonality in mentions and net sentiment for some diseases of interest. Better understanding of public perceptions of the roles of wildlife, particularly deer who are generally perceived as non-threatening wildlife, is particularly important in today’s One Health context.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Chapter 3: The presence of deer in shared environments with humans may result in both positive and negative affinity towards deer. While literature shows deer-related damages to humans and their property, literature also suggests that deer are a way for humans to connect with nature. Managing deer populations is vital to balancing the positive and negative impacts of deer. Currently, hunting is the most cost-effective way to manage deer populations. We are interested in how hunting impacts the affinity for deer, in addition to how the COVID-19 pandemic plays a role in the perception of deer. Online media posts were analyzed using a social media listening platform, NetBase, for the time period of January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021. Volume of mentions and affinity via net sentiment were collected at the state level on a weekly basis, and the national level on a daily basis. We utilize an OLS regression with dummies for deer hunting season and COVID at the state level to determine the impacts of hunting seasons and the pandemic on net sentiment. We find that deer hunting being open negatively impacts net sentiment of deer. We utilize Pearson correlations to study the impact of deer management via OTC deer hunting privilege issuance in relation to affinity for deer. We find that OTC privilege issuance is positively correlated with affinity for deer in some states, but the impact on affinity may diminish over time.</p>

<p> </p> <p>This dissertation consists of three essays that examine the response of small businesses to disruptions in their environment. The first two essays focused on small non-farm businesses in the United States and how they deal with natural disasters. The last essay examined smallholder farm households in Malawi, and how their household labor allocation decisions are affected by land allocation to estates in their communities. The individual essays are summarized as follows:</p> <p>Essay 1: <em>A Conditional Process Approach to Understanding the Role of Adjustment Strategies and Disaster Experience in Racial Disparities in Small Business Performance. </em>Considering that most minority owned businesses have limited access to formal systems, this essay explored how race could indirectly affect business performance (measured as percentage revenue growth) through the adoption of three informal strategies: customer base expansion, supplier base expansion and family adjustment strategies. It also explored whether these indirect effects are moderated by experience with natural disaster. The results showed that being a racial minority was positively associated with revenue growth such that on average, minority business owners experienced 29% higher revenue growth than white-owned businesses (p<0.05) on business performance. It also showed a modest indirect effect of race on revenue growth through each mediating strategy (p<0.5). However, the results did not support a moderating role for disaster experience. </p> <p>Essay 2: <em>Willingness to Pay for Comprehensive Cyclone Insurance Coverage by Small Business Owners: Evidence from the Coastal States of the United States</em>. Small businesses in the coastal United States are usually uninsured or underinsured for cyclone events. The underinsuring of these businesses could be a result of limited insurance coverage as well as individual characteristics of small business owners. Using a discrete choice experiment, this essay used a hypothetical comprehensive cyclone insurance to understand what insurance attributes are important to small business owners. It also examined the role of previous disaster experience, charity hazard as well as temporal orientation on the willingness to pay for the disaster insurance. This study used a discrete choice experiment to elicit insurance preferences from small coastal businesses which employed less than 100 employees. A mixed logit model was used to analyze the data. The results showed that business owners exhibited positive marginal utilities from policies that covered flood, windstorm, and business interruption regardless of the combination. Notably, the mixed logit model showed that on average, business owners were willing to pay up to 450%, 472%, and 482% more than their total monthly business insurance premium payment for insurance that covers flood and business interruption, windstorm and business interruption, and flood, windstorm and business interruption respectively. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression showed that respondents who had previously experienced cyclones were more willing to pay for the presented insurance policies than those who have not. Future orientation was also found to be positively associated with the marginal willingness to pay for the insurance policies.</p> <p>Essay 3: <em>Estates and Small-Holder Agricultural Labor Dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa:</em> <em>A Case Study of Malawi. </em>Estates are larger than the average farm holdings, which mostly grow one crop, require large capital investment, are centrally managed and rely a lot on hired labor. With such large investments in agricultural land, the labor decisions of smallholder households in Africa will likely be altered. This essay therefore examined the role of estate farms on smallholders’ allocation of labor between on-farm, and off-farm demand and supply of casual labor using the <em>ganyu</em> system of Malawi as a case-study. Using the Malawi Integrated Household Panel survey covering the years 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019, we estimated the effect of estates on the participation of smallholders on these labor decisions as well as the number of days spent in each activity. We also investigated the effect of these estates on community agricultural labor (<em>ganyu) </em>wage rates and the share of income accruable to ganyu and crop production. Linear probability (LPM), as well as tobit-correlated random effects (CRE) regressions were used to test these effects. Both models showed that the share of estates had a negative correlation with <em>ganyu </em>demand. The Tobit CRE regression showed that on average a 1% increase in the percentage share of agricultural land occupied by estates was associated with a modest 0.04% (p<0.01) decrease in the number of days <em>ganyu </em>labor was demanded, and a 0.02% increase in the number of days household members spent on their own farms. Further results showed that households in communities with higher shares of estates participated in less non-crop farming activities especially wage employment. We also found that the negative relationship between estates and <em>ganyu </em>demand was accentuated among households with higher levels of assets, and farm income. Finally, we found a modest negative relationship between share of estates and community <em>ganyu </em>wage rates </p>

<p>  </p> <p>Cattle derived food, like beef and dairy, have long been a staple of our human diets and continue to be prominent in our days. This prominence and their relevance naturally extend to our economies. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (2022), cattle production is the most important agricultural industry in the US representing about 17% of the $391 billion total cash receipts for agricultural commodities in 2021.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Economists have looked into cattle derived products from a wide array of perspectives focusing on the product itself, for example beef, but also in the forces of supply and demand that at times are external to product attributes. The effect of supply and demand shocks on agricultural markets have been heavily considered in the literature (Thomsen and McKenzie, 2001; McKenzie and Thomsen, 2001; Lusk and Schroeder, 2002, Piggott and Marsh, 2004). Yet another important aspect of agricultural markets is price determination and the body of literature in this area is ample (Tomek & Robinson, 2003). Recent phenomena in the world, like the availability of information, good or bad, in the most current, voluminous and accessible way that we have ever seen, could be a new force in price determination of agricultural products. My research contributes to such strains of literature by investigating perceptions and willingness to pay for beef attributes, market shocks in beef markets, and the role of online media in dairy prices.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Beef attributes, and their relative valuation by consumers, have been studied to assist in understanding consumer demand for beef. Given the relevance of such attributes in consumer’s mind, researchers have sought to study how to profitably provide those beef attributes demanded by consumers. Addressing consumer demands for tenderness, an important attribute (Schroeder and Mark, 2000), aging beef has been proved to be a technology that improves flavor, tenderness and juiciness (Kim, Kemp & Samuelson, 2016). By using aging processes, the same cattle carcass can generate more highly valued beef products. I study the willingness to pay for aging and USDA grade in beef, to understand valuation of attributes by consumers with various demographics. </p> <p><br></p> <p>In beef markets, the heterogeneity of beef cuts in their usage, pricing and distribution channels is crucial. Supply and demand shocks can affect individual cuts in different ways (Ortez et al, 2022). With some beef cuts relying heavily on restaurant sales more than others, this offers a good opportunity to introduce a new concept in beef market analysis, namely the price relationship amongst beef cuts and its response to different market shocks. The traditional discussion around spreads in meat focus on differences in price at separate steps in the supply chain, namely farm, wholesale and retail. However, little attention has been given to the relative differences in prices of specific cuts of beef.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The potential influence of online media chatter in its sentiment and volume has largely been under appreciated in the Agricultural Economics literature. A predecessor in this area is Tonsor and Olynk (2011) who first established a connection between news activity and economic fundamentals in agriculture. The advent of the internet may have the ability to decrease information asymmetry and bridge the information gap between consumers, producers and market products. Online media listening allows for data collection efficiently and in real time (Widmar, 2019) and it may be a relevant aspect in the decision making of agricultural and food industries. Moved by this endeavor, I seek to understand if potential relationships between online media chatter sentiment and volume with futures prices in dairy products exist.</p> <p>  </p>

Utilizou-se um modelo de escolha discreta (MED) para avaliar as preferências e disposição-a-pagar (DAP) dos pacientes por diferentes atributos de risco-benefício do tratamento insulínico, entre eles a via de administração da insulina. Através de uma revisão da literatura, consulta com especialistas, e do desenvolvimento de um estudo qualitativo utilizando as técnicas de entrevistas individuais e grupos focais, os atributos (e níveis) mais importantes do tratamento insulínico foram identificados, sob o ponto de vista dos pacientes. Os atributos incluídos no MED foram: controle da glicemia de jejum, número de episódios de hipoglicemia, ganho de peso, via de administração para as insulinas de ação longa e rápida, e custo do tratamento. Pares de opções de tratamentos insulínicos hipotéticos contendo diferentes níveis dos atributos foram apresentados aos pacientes com DM1 ou DM2, e lhes foi solicitado que, para cada cenário, eles escolhessem a alternativa de sua preferência. Dados demográficos, nível sócio-econômico (NSE) e informações relacionadas ao diabetes também foram coletados. Para a análise dos dados utilizou-se um modelo logit condicional de regressão e modelos segmentados foram posteriormente utilizados para a análise das sub-populações. Um total de 274 questionários foram incluídos na análise final dos dados. A idade média (± DP) dos participantes foi de 56.7 ± 12.98 anos, e 53% eram homens. Quarenta e nove por cento dos participantes eram usuários de insulina e 47 eram portadores de DM1. O tratamento insulínico ideal, sob o ponto de vista dos pacientes, resultaria em um melhor controle glicêmico, menos reações adversas, menor custo, e seria administrado por via oral. Houve uma forte preferência e uma DAP mais elevada por um melhor controle glicêmico, seguido pelos atributos de risco ganho de peso e episódios de hipoglicemia. Surpreendentemente, a via de administração da insulina foi o atributo menos valorizado. A estratificação social revelou que pacientes com alta renda anual familiar apresentaram uma DAP mais elevada por um melhor controle glicêmico e por menos reações adversas em relação aos grupos com rendas inferiores. Ainda, quanto mais alto o nível de renda, maior o desejo por uma insulina oral, enquanto a via inalada torna-se menos importante para os pacientes. A estratificação da amostra pelo uso de insulina e tipo de diabetes revelaram uma forte aversão pela via subcutânea pelos não-usuários de insulina e pacientes com DM2. Tais resultados sugerem a existência de uma importante barreira psicológica em se iniciar uso da insulina; no entanto, os resultados também revelam que os pacientes tendem a se acomodar com a via subcutânea uma vez iniciado o tratamento insulínico. Este estudo demonstra a importância que os pacientes com DM atribuem ao atributo controle glicêmico, e como suas preferências e DAP pelo tratamento insulínico variam entre as sub-populações. Especificamente, esforços devem ser realizados no sentido de vencer a barreira psicológica em se iniciar o uso da insulina, o que contribuirá para que se alcance um melhor controle glicêmico, através da melhor aderência do paciente ao tratamento, resultando em uma redução dos custos do DM e melhora na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. / We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to evaluate patients preferences for various attributes of insulin treatment, including route of insulin delivery. Through a review of the literature, expert consultation, and a qualitative descriptive study using individual interviews and focus group techniques, the attributes (and levels) of diabetes treatment most important to patients were identified. The attributes included in the DCE were: glucose control, frequency of hypoglycaemic events, weight gain, route of administration for the long-acting and the short-acting insulin, and out-of-pocket cost. Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were presented with pairs of hypothetical insulin therapy profiles (i.e. choice sets) with different levels of the attributes and were asked to choose the treatment option they preferred. Sociodemographic data and diabetes medication were also collected. Data were analysed using conditional logit regression and segmented models were also developed for the analysis of subgroups. A Two hundred and seventy four questionnaires were completed. The mean age (±SD) of participants was 56.7 ± 12.98 years, and 53% were men. Forty-nine percent of participants were insulin users, and 47 had type 1 diabetes. Overall, patients ideal insulin treatment would provide better glucose control, result in fewer adverse reactions, have the lowest cost, and be administered orally. There was a strong preference and highest mean WTP for glucose control followed by the risk attributes weight gain and hypoglycaemic events. Surprisingly, route of insulin administration was the least valued attribute. Stratification of the sample revealed that patients with higher incomes had a significant higher WTP for better glucose control and less adverse reactions compared to lower income groups. Moreover, the highest the income, the stronger the preference for an oral insulin, while inhaled insulin becomes less important for patients. Segmented models by insulin use and type of diabetes indicated that insulin naïve and type 2 diabetics had a greater aversion to the subcutaneous route. These findings suggest that there may be an important mental barrier to initiating insulin therapy; however, patients tend to accommodate to subcutaneous administration once they initiate therapy. This study illustrates the importance that patients with diabetes place on glucose control and how preferences for insulin therapy vary between subgroups. Specifically, efforts need to be made to overcome the mental barrier to initiating insulin therapy, which may lead to improved control, through improved compliance and ultimately reduce the financial burden of the disease and improve patients quality of life.

Utilizou-se um modelo de escolha discreta (MED) para avaliar as preferências e disposição-a-pagar (DAP) dos pacientes por diferentes atributos de risco-benefício do tratamento insulínico, entre eles a via de administração da insulina. Através de uma revisão da literatura, consulta com especialistas, e do desenvolvimento de um estudo qualitativo utilizando as técnicas de entrevistas individuais e grupos focais, os atributos (e níveis) mais importantes do tratamento insulínico foram identificados, sob o ponto de vista dos pacientes. Os atributos incluídos no MED foram: controle da glicemia de jejum, número de episódios de hipoglicemia, ganho de peso, via de administração para as insulinas de ação longa e rápida, e custo do tratamento. Pares de opções de tratamentos insulínicos hipotéticos contendo diferentes níveis dos atributos foram apresentados aos pacientes com DM1 ou DM2, e lhes foi solicitado que, para cada cenário, eles escolhessem a alternativa de sua preferência. Dados demográficos, nível sócio-econômico (NSE) e informações relacionadas ao diabetes também foram coletados. Para a análise dos dados utilizou-se um modelo logit condicional de regressão e modelos segmentados foram posteriormente utilizados para a análise das sub-populações. Um total de 274 questionários foram incluídos na análise final dos dados. A idade média (± DP) dos participantes foi de 56.7 ± 12.98 anos, e 53% eram homens. Quarenta e nove por cento dos participantes eram usuários de insulina e 47 eram portadores de DM1. O tratamento insulínico ideal, sob o ponto de vista dos pacientes, resultaria em um melhor controle glicêmico, menos reações adversas, menor custo, e seria administrado por via oral. Houve uma forte preferência e uma DAP mais elevada por um melhor controle glicêmico, seguido pelos atributos de risco ganho de peso e episódios de hipoglicemia. Surpreendentemente, a via de administração da insulina foi o atributo menos valorizado. A estratificação social revelou que pacientes com alta renda anual familiar apresentaram uma DAP mais elevada por um melhor controle glicêmico e por menos reações adversas em relação aos grupos com rendas inferiores. Ainda, quanto mais alto o nível de renda, maior o desejo por uma insulina oral, enquanto a via inalada torna-se menos importante para os pacientes. A estratificação da amostra pelo uso de insulina e tipo de diabetes revelaram uma forte aversão pela via subcutânea pelos não-usuários de insulina e pacientes com DM2. Tais resultados sugerem a existência de uma importante barreira psicológica em se iniciar uso da insulina; no entanto, os resultados também revelam que os pacientes tendem a se acomodar com a via subcutânea uma vez iniciado o tratamento insulínico. Este estudo demonstra a importância que os pacientes com DM atribuem ao atributo controle glicêmico, e como suas preferências e DAP pelo tratamento insulínico variam entre as sub-populações. Especificamente, esforços devem ser realizados no sentido de vencer a barreira psicológica em se iniciar o uso da insulina, o que contribuirá para que se alcance um melhor controle glicêmico, através da melhor aderência do paciente ao tratamento, resultando em uma redução dos custos do DM e melhora na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. / We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to evaluate patients preferences for various attributes of insulin treatment, including route of insulin delivery. Through a review of the literature, expert consultation, and a qualitative descriptive study using individual interviews and focus group techniques, the attributes (and levels) of diabetes treatment most important to patients were identified. The attributes included in the DCE were: glucose control, frequency of hypoglycaemic events, weight gain, route of administration for the long-acting and the short-acting insulin, and out-of-pocket cost. Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were presented with pairs of hypothetical insulin therapy profiles (i.e. choice sets) with different levels of the attributes and were asked to choose the treatment option they preferred. Sociodemographic data and diabetes medication were also collected. Data were analysed using conditional logit regression and segmented models were also developed for the analysis of subgroups. A Two hundred and seventy four questionnaires were completed. The mean age (±SD) of participants was 56.7 ± 12.98 years, and 53% were men. Forty-nine percent of participants were insulin users, and 47 had type 1 diabetes. Overall, patients ideal insulin treatment would provide better glucose control, result in fewer adverse reactions, have the lowest cost, and be administered orally. There was a strong preference and highest mean WTP for glucose control followed by the risk attributes weight gain and hypoglycaemic events. Surprisingly, route of insulin administration was the least valued attribute. Stratification of the sample revealed that patients with higher incomes had a significant higher WTP for better glucose control and less adverse reactions compared to lower income groups. Moreover, the highest the income, the stronger the preference for an oral insulin, while inhaled insulin becomes less important for patients. Segmented models by insulin use and type of diabetes indicated that insulin naïve and type 2 diabetics had a greater aversion to the subcutaneous route. These findings suggest that there may be an important mental barrier to initiating insulin therapy; however, patients tend to accommodate to subcutaneous administration once they initiate therapy. This study illustrates the importance that patients with diabetes place on glucose control and how preferences for insulin therapy vary between subgroups. Specifically, efforts need to be made to overcome the mental barrier to initiating insulin therapy, which may lead to improved control, through improved compliance and ultimately reduce the financial burden of the disease and improve patients quality of life.

With a growing risk of food insecurity in the face of extreme population growth, the world is in need of hands-on solutions that could combine a significant increase in food production while decreasing the effects of agriculture on the environment. Such a solution could be provided through cultivating staple crops in Indoor Vertical Farming facilities, however, due to its high expenses, these developments have stagnated, lacking financial support. As this financial support could be provided by Impact Investors, this thesis explores the relevance of non-financial factors and how they relate to the financial returns as well as how much it influences an Impact Investors decision to invest. The primary data was collected through a quantitative survey, including a fictional scenario based upon the cultivation of wheat in an Indoor Vertical Farming. The results were analyzed and interpreted through the lens of the Willingness to Pay concept and the Rational Choice Theory.The results showed that in the case of this study, the respondents were most willing to pay for the factors water, yield, and emissions. However, regardless of the positive impact of these factors, they lacked the influence to get them to commit to the presented scenario as they still prioritized financial returns as the base of decision. Lastly, another prominent driver behind the investors likelihood to invest was found to be age, where younger investors were much more likely to invest than the older respondents. / Med en ökande risk för livsmedelsosäkerhet parallellt med extrem befolkningstillväxt behöver världen praktiska lösningar som kan kombinera en betydande ökning av livsmedelsproduktionen utan ökad belastning på miljön från intensifierat jordbruk. En sådan lösning kan tillhandahållas genom odling av stapelgrödor i vertikala jordbruksanläggningar inomhus, men på grund av dess höga kostnader blir denna utveckling stagnerad på grund av saknat ekonomiskt stöd. I och med att en möjlig väg att säkra ekonomiska stöd kan tillhandahållas av Impact Investors undersöker denna avhandling relevansen av icke-finansiella faktorer och hur de relaterar till den finansiella avkastningen samt hur mycket det påverkar ett Impact Investors beslut att investera. De primära uppgifterna samlades in genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning, baserat på ett fiktivt scenario om odling av vete i ett vertikalt jordbruk inomhus. Resultaten analyserades och tolkades genom perspektiven 'Willingness to Pay' och 'Rational Choice Theory'. Resultaten visade att respondenterna i den här studien var mest villiga att betala för faktorerna vatten, avkastning och utsläpp. Oavsett de positiva effekterna av dessa faktorer saknade de dock tillräckligt inflytande för att få investerarna att helt engagera sig i det presenterade scenariot eftersom de fortfarande prioriterade ekonomisk avkastning som främsta beslutsunderlag. Slutligen visade sig att en annan framstående drivkraft bakom investerarnas sannolikhet att investera var ålder, där yngre investerare var mycket mer benägna att investera än de äldre respondenterna.

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No description available.

Motivation: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka huruvida Country-of-Origin (COO) påverkar svenska konsumenters Willingness to Pay (WTP) &amp; Willingness to Buy (WTB). Vidare kommer studien även undersöka om svenska konsumenter besitter någon kännedom kring produktionsländer vid köp av klädprodukter inom premiumsektorn. Problemdiskussion: Utifrån den nuvarande ökade trenden mot en mer medveten kund önskar studien att undersöka vilka aspekter som har en avgörande roll i köpbeslutet för premiumprodukter samt hur vetskapen om produktionsland påverkar företagets image, kundens köp-och betalvilja. Denna studie kommer därmed fylla en klar funktion eftersom det finns få tidigare studier som flätar samman begreppen COO, WTB &amp; WTP i relation till Premium Branding i modesammanhang på den svenska marknaden. Metod: Studien är genomförd med en kvantitativ metod med fokus på en stor empirisk enkätundersökning där 200 svenska respondenter deltog. Frågorna var tagna från de valda huvudbegreppen COO, Brand Image, Premium, WTP/WTB samt kvalitet. Respondenterna var systematiskt tillfrågade på olika geografiska platser runt Stockholmsområdet. Resultat: Genom att enskilt testa hypoteserna som är utvecklade från tidigare teori, finner denna studie att svenska konsumenter värderar kvalitet som den viktigaste faktorn när de handlar kläder samt att deras WTB/WTP förändras vid vetskapen om produktionsland. Svenska konsumenter värderar samtidigt produkterna utifrån produktionsland samt anser sig ha en låg kännedom var produkterna är tillverkade. Implikationer: Studien kan agera som lösning för företag som vill hitta nya konkurrenskraftiga fördelar samt skapa ett större omfång av värdeskapande aktiviteter som kan locka in en större andel av marknaden. / Motivation: The purpose of this study is to examine whether Country-of-Origin (COO) affects Swedish consumers' Willingness to Pay (WTP) &amp; Willingness to Buy (WTB). Furthermore, the study will also focus on whether Swedish consumers have any knowledge of production countries when purchasing clothing products in the premium sector. Problem statement: Based on the current increased trend towards a more conscious consumer, the study intends to investigate which aspects have a crucial role in the purchasing decision for premium products. Also, how the knowledge of production country affects the company's image, the consumers WTB/WTP. This study will thus fulfil a clear function as there are few previous studies that merge the concepts of COO, WTB &amp; WTP in relation to Premium Branding in fashion context in the Swedish market. Methodology: The study was conducted with a quantitative method focusing on a large empirical survey in which 200 Swedish respondents participated. The questions were conducted from the selected main concepts of COO, Brand Image, Premium, WTP / WTB and quality. Respondents were systematically asked at various geographical locations around the Stockholm area. Results: By separately testing the hypotheses conducted from previous theory, this study finds that Swedish consumers value quality as the most important factor when purchasing premium fashion and their WTB / WTP changes based on the knowledge of production countries. Swedish consumers at the same time value the products along the COO and consider themselves to have a low knowledge of where the products are manufactured. Implications: The study can act as a solution for companies that want to find new competitive advantages and create a larger range of value-creating activities that can attract a larger share of the market.

Τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες, υπό το πρίσμα της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης, παρατηρείται μια στροφή προς τις Ανανεώσιμες Πηγές Ενέργειας (ΑΠΕ) και ταυτόχρονη μείωση της χρήσης συμβατικών καυσίμων, ως διέξοδο στην αντιμετώπιση των περιβαλλοντικών προβλημάτων όπως της κλιματικής αλλαγής. Η αποτίμηση, σε νομισματικούς όρους, της διείσδυσης των ΑΠΕ στο ενεργειακό μίγμα, πραγματοποιείται μέσα από τεχνικές μη αγοραίας εκτίμησης. Ο κύριος σκοπός της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η αποτύπωση σε νομισματικές μονάδες, της προθυμίας πληρωμής των νοικοκυριών για καταβολή επιπρόσθετου χρηματικού ποσού για την υλοποίηση επενδύσεων με σκοπό την παραγωγή ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας από ΑΠΕ. Ιδιαίτερα, είναι η εξέταση της συσχέτισης των κοινωνικοοικονομικών χαρακτηριστικών, της ενεργειακής συμπεριφοράς και της κοινωνικής αποδοχής της τοπικής κοινωνίας για έργα εκμετάλλευσης ΑΠΕ, με την επιθυμία οικονομικής συνεισφοράς για την παραγωγή ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας προερχόμενης από ΑΠΕ αλλά και με την πραγματική καταβολή χρηματικού ποσού στο δίμηνο λογαριασμό της ΔΕΗ, μέσα από τεχνικές μη αγοραίας εκτίμησης. Η ενεργειακή συμπεριφορά και η προθυμία πληρωμής, εξετάζεται με τη μέθοδο της υποθετικής ή εξαρτημένης αξιολόγησης που εφαρμόζεται στη παρούσα διατριβή εκτιμώντας σε ένα υποθετικό σενάριο, με χρήση ερωτηματολογίου, εκφρασμένες προτιμήσεις του κοινού, ποσοτικοποιώντας ουσιαστικά μη νομισματικές αξίες. Το δειγματοληπτικό πλαίσιο περιορίστηκε στο νομό Αιτωλοακαρνανίας. Η τελική επιλογή των νοικοκυριών έγινε με μίξη δειγματοληψίας ευκολίας και δειγματοληψίας χιονοστιβάδας. Από τον Ιανουάριο έως τον Απρίλιο 2012, διανεμήθηκαν ερωτηματολόγια σε 280 νοικοκυριά εκ των οποίων επεστράφησαν συμπληρωμένα 201. Από την ανάλυση προκύπτει ότι είναι περισσότερο ενημερωμένοι για την ηλιακή ενέργεια και έπονται η αιολική, η βιομάζα και η υδροηλεκτρική. Επίσης, εκφράζουν θετική άποψη στο ενδεχόμενο υλοποίησης έργων εκμετάλλευσης ΑΠΕ και πιστεύουν ότι μελλοντικά θα καταλαμβάνουν μεγάλο μερίδιο στο ενεργειακό μίγμα. Το κόστος κατανάλωσης ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας για τα νοικοκυριά, υπολογίζεται περίπου στα 301-400 ευρώ ανά δίμηνο λογαριασμό της ΔΕΗ. Οι λιγότεροι από τους μισούς ερωτηθέντες είναι διατεθειμένοι να δώσουν έως 10 ευρώ επιπρόσθετα, για χρήση ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας από ΑΠΕ ενώ, υψηλό ποσοστό ερωτηθέντων εμφανίζεται μη διατεθειμένο να πληρώσει επιπρόσθετα λόγω έλλειψης χρημάτων. Παράλληλα, μια μερίδα είναι διατεθειμένη να προχωρήσει σε μείωση των εξόδων της κυρίως στο τομέα της ψυχαγωγίας, ώστε να εξοικονομήσει χρήματα για να επωμιστεί το επιπρόσθετο κόστος. Εξήχθησαν κύριες συνιστώσες από ομοειδείς ομάδες μεταβλητών όπως η ενημέρωση του κοινού για τις επιμέρους μορφές ΑΠΕ, ο μελλοντικός ρόλος των διαφόρων μορφών στο ενεργειακό μίγμα, οι συνέπειες επενδύσεων με χρήση ΑΠΕ, τα ενδεχόμενα εμπόδια κατά την υλοποίηση, τα μέτρα επίλυσης τους. Από την ανάλυση συστάδων διαπιστώνεται ότι το κοινό ομαδοποιείται σε δύο συστάδες. Το δείγμα που ανήκει στη πρώτη συστάδα είναι μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας, όχι τόσο μορφωμένο και οικονομικά ασθενέστερο. Το δείγμα της δεύτερης συστάδας είναι νεαρής ηλικίας, πιο μορφωμένο και οικονομικά πιο ισχυρό. Μετά από πολλαπλή παλινδρόμηση η συμμετοχή σε συστάδα δεν αποτέλεσε στατιστικά σημαντική μεταβλητή. Το μοντέλο παλινδρόμησης της προθυμίας πληρωμής έδειξε ότι παράμετροι όπως της ηλικίας, του αριθμού των μελών της οικογένειας και της κύριας συνιστώσας που αφορά στην ενημέρωση του κοινού ως προς τις επιμέρους μορφές ενέργειας ήταν σημαντικές. Παρατηρείται ότι όσο αυξάνεται ο αριθμός των μελών της οικογένειας, η ηλικία καθώς και η ενημέρωσή σε συγκεκριμένες μορφές ΑΠΕ, τόσο μεγαλύτερη είναι η κατά μέσο όρο καταβολή χρηματικού ποσού στο δίμηνο λογαριασμό της ΔΕΗ και τόσο αυξάνεται και η προθυμία τους για πληρωμή επιπρόσθετου ποσού για παραγωγή ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας που βασίζεται σε ΑΠΕ. Επιπρόσθετα, όσο αφορά στο κατά μέσο όρο εισόδημα των νοικοκυριών έχει μικρή θετική επίδραση ως προς τη πληρωμή του λογαριασμού της ΔΕΗ και πολύ αρνητική ως προς την προθυμία επιπρόσθετου χρηματικού ποσού. Τέλος, η συμμετοχή σε περιβαλλοντικές δράσεις εμφανίζει μικρή θετική επίδραση για πληρωμή στο λογαριασμό της ΔΕΗ αλλά αρνητική στη προθυμία πληρωμής. Το κοινό υποστηρίζει πως η ύπαρξη επενδύσεων ΑΠΕ θα έχει σε γενικές γραμμές, θετικές συνέπειες στην ευρύτερη περιοχή και πως η τοπική κοινωνία θα έχει θετική στάση αν ξεπεραστούν τα εμπόδια και ληφθούν συγκεκριμένα μέτρα όπως οικονομικά κίνητρα. Τα αποτελέσματα των μοντέλων πολλαπλής παλινδρόμησης συγκρίθηκαν και με ανάλυση κανονικοποιημένης συσχέτισης. Για περαιτέρω διερεύνηση προτείνεται η εξέταση άλλων υποθετικών σεναρίων και άλλων μορφών πληρωμής. / In the last decades, under the spectrum of sustainable development, a turn to the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) is observed and parallel reduction of the use of conventional fuels, as a way out to the confrontation of environmental problems such as climate change. The evaluation, in economic terms, of the penetration of RES in the energy mix, is realized through techniques of non market valuation. The main purpose of the present research is the evaluation in economic units of households Willingness to Pay (WTP) to deposit an additional amount of money to make investments in order to produce electric power from RES. Especially, it is the examination of correlation of socioeconomics characteristics, energy behavior and social acceptance of the local community for projects using renewable energy, with the willingness of economic contribution for the electricity production deriving from RES but also with the real deposit amount of money to a bi-monthly electricity bill, through techniques of non market valuation. The energy behavior and the WTP are examined by Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) which is applied in the present, appreciating a hypothetical scenario, with the use of a questionnaire, expressed preferences of the public, giving quantity essentially to non market values. The target framework is limited in the Aitoloakarnania County. The final choice of the households was made by a mix of convenience sampling and snowball sampling. From January until April 2012, were distributed questionnaires to 280 households from which 201 were returned completed. From the analysis is inferred that it is more informative about the solar energy and wind, biomass and hydroelectric follow. It is also expressed positive view in case of making projects of exploitation RES and believed that in the future they will occupy a great share in the energy mix. The cost of consumption of electric power for households is estimated about €301-400 per a bi-monthly electricity bill. Fewer than half of the respondents are available to pay €10 more, for the electric power from RES, whereas a high percentage appears not to be available to pay more because of lack of money. At the same time, a group of consumers is available to have a reduction in the expenses in the sector of entertainment in order to save money for facing the additional cost. Principal components from identical groups have been extracted such as the awareness of the public about the partial forms of RES, the future role of the different forms in the energy mix, the consequences of investments by using RES, the following obstacles during the implementation and the measures of solving them. Cluster analysis identified that the public is grouped in two clusters. The sample which belongs to the first cluster is of older age, not so educated and economically weaker. The sample of the second cluster is of a younger age, more educated and financially more powerful. It is noted that after a multiple regression analysis, the participation in cluster did not constitute statistically important variable. The model of regression of WTP showed that parameters such as age, family members and the principal component which concerns the public awareness as concerning the partial forms of energy were important. It is obvious that as the number of family members is increasing, the age as well as the awareness in specific forms of RES, so grater is the average deposit of the amount of money in the bi-monthly electricity bill and the WTP is increasing in order to pay the additional amount for the production of electric power which is based on RES. In additional, the average income of the households has a small positive influence in regard with the payment of the electricity bill and very negative as concerning the willingness of additional amount of money. The public supports that the existence of RES investments will have generally positive consequences in the broad area that the local society will have positive stance if some obstacles are overcome and take certain measures such as financial motives. Finally, the results of multiple regression models were compared with the canonical correlation analysis. For further research is proposed the examination of other hypothetical scenarios and of other forms of payment.