Background and problem: The abolishment of the mandatory audit in Sweden resulted in a marketorientation in which the small sized enterprises gained a stronger position. Theaudit firms are faced with the challenge to better meet the clients need and todemonstrate the value of audit now when it is optional. In coherence with thisclient focus it is endorsed to implement a value-based pricing that primarilyconsiders the client’s value and willingness to pay. The value of audit andaccounting services to small sized enterprises is not yet fully investigated, whyit is difficult to implement a value-based strategy. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the value of audit and accounting servicesto the small sized enterprises through the study of which attributes theseservices consist of and which priority the small sized enterprises attach to thedifferent attributes. This study will result in the optimal combination ofattributes and levels of performance related to audit and accounting servicesthrough the eyes of the small sized enterprises. Method: In order to investigate the attributes of audit and accounting services, we haveconducted a qualitative pre-study including three interviews with small sizedenterprises about their perception of the value of these services. Thereafter aquantitative survey study has been realized through the function Conjoint Analysis in the Excel program named Marketing Engineering. The purpose is toinvestigate the preferences of small sized enterprises in order to present theoptimal combination. Results and conclusion: In addition to the presentation of the optimal combination, this study impliesthat the value of audit and accounting services partly consists of a functionaluse, where the utilization of these services solves the client’s problems. Partlythe services consist of more hedonic values, where the relationship with and theconsulting from the person who performs the service are highly valued by thesmall sized enterprises. In order to create additional value, the information aboutthese services needs to be improved. / Bakgrund och problem: Revisionspliktens avskaffande ledde till en marknadsorientering därsmåföretagarna har intagit en starkare position. Revisionsbyråerna står inför enutmaning att bättre tillgodose klientens behov och påvisa nyttan med revision dåden numera är frivillig för småföretag. I linje med denna klientfokuseringförespråkas en implementering av den värdebaserade prissättningen som utgårfrån klientens värde och betalningsvillighet. Småföretagarnas värde avrevisions- och redovisningstjänster är dock inte helt utrett varför det än så längeär svårt att implementera en värdebaserad prissättningsstrategi irevisionsbranschen. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka småföretagarnas upplevda värde avrevisions- och redovisningstjänster genom att studera vilka attribut dessa tjänsterbestår av och vilken prioritet småföretagarna fäster vid de olika attributen.Genom denna studie förmedlas en bild av den optimala kombinationen avattribut och prestationsnivåer relaterade till revisions- och redovisningstjänsterur småföretagarens synvinkel. Metod: För att kunna undersöka vilka attribut en revisions- och redovisningstjänst kanbestå av har vi genomfört en kvalitativ förstudie där vi intervjuat tre småföretagom deras uppfattning kring värdet av dessa tjänster. Därefter har en kvantitativsurveyundersökning genomförts på 20 företag med hjälp av Excel-programmet Marketing Engineering där funktionen Conjoint Analysis har tillämpats för attkunna undersöka småföretagarnas preferenser och slutligen presentera denoptimala kombinationen. Resultat och slutsats: Utöver presentationen av den optimala kombinationen framgår i denna studie attvärdet med revisions- och redovisningstjänster dels består av en funktionellnytta, där utnyttjandet av tjänsterna löser klienternas problem. Dels bestårtjänsterna av mer hedonistiska inslag, där relationen med och rådgivning fråntjänsteutövaren värdesätts av småföretagen. För att skapa ytterligare värde börfrämst informationen kring tjänsterna förbättras.

Decision making is necessary to provide a synthesis scheme to design activities and identify the most preferred design alternative. There exist several methods that address modeling designer preferences in a graphical manner to aid the decision making process. For instance, the Conjoint Analysis has been proven effective for various multi-attribute design problems by utilizing a ranking- or rating-based approach along with the graphical representation of the designer preference. However, the ranking or rating of design alternatives can be inconsistent from different users and it is often difficult to get customer responses in a timely fashion. The high number of alternative comparisons required for complex engineering problems can be exhausting for the decision maker. In addition, many design objectives can have interdependencies that can increase complexity and uncertainty throughout the decision making process. The uncertainties apparent in the attainment of subjective data as well as with system models can reduce the reliability of decision analysis results. To address these issues, the use of a new technique, the Improved Conjoint Analysis, is proposed to enable the modeling of designer preferences and trade-offs under the consideration of uncertainty. Specifically, a simulation-based ranking scheme is implemented and incorporated into the traditional process of the Conjoint Analysis. The proposed ranking scheme can reduce user fatigue and provide a better schematic decision support process. In addition, the incorporation of uncertainty in the design process provides the capability of producing robust or reliable products. The efficacy and applicability of the proposed framework are demonstrated with the design of a cantilever beam, a power-generating shock absorber, and a mesostructured hydrogen storage tank.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:32:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1363370 bytes, checksum: c1941f11abc68868beaef6fe7462af56 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-11-17 / Conjoint analysis is a regression analvsis that uses a model with dummy or indicator explanatory variables to study consumer preference for treatments that can be products or services, and are defined by combining levels of each attribute or factor. lt allows the estimation of the Relative Importance (RI ) of each factor that makes up the treatments. Such studies are important to help decide, based on RI estimates obtained from the CA, to which factors should be given more attention when developing the products and/or services. In this research work we conducted a simulation study in order to investigate the robustness of the RI sampling distribution to departures from normality for the distribution of the random error term (&#1108;) of the CA model. We simulated four alternative distributions for &#1108; and generated data (acceptance notes) that allowed estimation of RI for hypothetical factors A, B, C and D considered in our study. In addition to the normal distribution, we used a location and scale transformation of the beta density to generate three alternative distributions: right skewed, left skewed, and also an U-shape distribution. Each one of these four distributions was tested with two standard error values (&#963; = 2.8 and 0.5) which resulted in eight alternative scenarios. Our simulation study considered factors A and B with 3 levels and factors C and D with two levels, hence 36 treatments in a full factorial design. We set reference RI values of 44.25%, 25.66%, 26.55% and 3.54%, respectively for factor A, B, C and D, and simulated data such that each treatment was evaluated by 108 consumers. This data set with 3888 observations was simulated 100 times for each scenario and analyzed by CA which resulted in 100 RI estimates for each factor at every scenario. Results were investigated by 95% confidence intervals (Cl) using the usual normal approximation and also percentile intervals, histograms of RI values sampling distribution to check normality, and also we calculated relative mean errors of estimation (RME) with respect to the reference RI values It was observed that the confidence intervals included the values of RI´s taken as reference in all scenarios, with the exception of: (i) factors A and B, with the normal Cl using normal distribution and &#963; = 2.8; ( i i ) wi th normal Cl and &#963; = 0.5, (iia) for factors A and C with normal distribution, U shaped and left skewed; (iib) for factor B with U shaped model and (iic) for factor D with normal distribution and U shaped. In al l these cases were the Cl missed the RI reference value, we observed close miss left and miss right results. We observed RME < 5% in all scenarios except for normal distribution and factor D only, for which RME = 7.91%. We concluded that sampling distribution of the estimator of the RI of a factor is relatively robust to departures from the normal distribution. In fact, results showed that i t s sampl ing dist r ibut ion must be close to the normal, regardless of the distribution of the random error term of the CA model. / Conjoint analysis ou análise conjunta de fatores (ANCF) é uma análise de regressão que utiliza um modelo com variáveis explicativas indicadoras ou dumnmy, para se estudar a preferência de consumidores por tratamentos que podem ser servidos ou produtos, e que são definidos pela combinação de níveis de diversos atributos ou fatores. Com essa técnica estima-se a Importância Relativa (IR) de cada fator que compõe os tratamentos avaliados. Tais estudos são importantes por permitir decidir, com base nas estimativas das IR de cada fator, quais devem ser observados com maior atenção na definição do tratamento. No presente trabalho foi realizado um estudo por simulação para se investigar a robustez da distribuição amostral do estimador da IR de um fator, à variação na distribuição do erro aleatório do modelo de regressão empregado na ANCF. Foram gerados erros aleatórios com a distribuição normal e também três outras distribuições alternativas obtidas por uma transformação de locação e escala da beta: uma distribuição assimétrica à direita, outra assimétrica à esquerda e uma com forma U. Para cada distribuição, utilizou-se desvio-padrão &#963; = 2,8 e &#963; = 0,5, portanto para oito condições foram simulados 100 conjuntos de dados referentes a avaliações (notas de aceitação) de 108 consumidores para cada um dos 36 tratamentos formados pela combinação de 4 fatores (A, B, C e D) num esquema fatorial completo 32 x 22. Definiu-se com base em um modelo de regressão para ANCF, valores de referências para as IR's iguais a 44,25%, 25,66%, 26,55% e 3,54%, respectivamente para os fatores A, B. C e D. Na avaliação dos resultados com base em intervalos de confiança percentil e pela aproximação normal, ambos a 95%, verificou-se intervalos mais estreitos pela aproximação normal. Conforme esperado, verificou-se intervalos de confiança para as IR´s mais amplos quando &#963; = 2,8. Observou-se que todos os intervalos de confiança incluíram os valores das IR's tomados como referência, exceto para os seguintes casos: (i) intervalo de confiança pela aproximação normal para a simulação de erros com distribuição normal e &#963; = 2,8, para os fatores A e B; (ii) com intervalo pela aproximação normal e &#963; = 0,5, (iia) para os fatores A e C com distribuição normal, em forma de U e assimétrica à esquerda; (iib) para o fator B com distribuição em forma de U; e (iic) para o fator D com distribuição normal e em forma de U . Entretanto, neste casos de não inclusão do valor IR de referência nos intervalos, observou-se que o valor estava próximo ao limite do IC, tanto à esquerda quanto à direita. As estimativas de IR obtidas no estudo por simulação também foram avaliadas pelo Erro Médio Relativo (EMR) com relação aos respectivos valores de referência. Exceto para o fator D na simulação com erros normais e &#963; = 2,8, na qual se obteve EMR = 7,91%, em todas as demais situações simuladas obteve-se EMR < 5%. Adicionalmente, o teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov indicou normalidade (p > 0,05) das distribuições amostrais em todos os casos. Concluiu-se que o estimador da IR pode ser considerado como robusto à não nor-malidade da distribuição do erro aleatório do modelo de regressão utilizado na ANCF. Adicionalmente, pode-se considerar que a distribuição amostral da IR seja normal e que portanto métodos inferenciais que requerem normalidade podem ser aplicados às estimativas de lR's obtidas na ANCF.

The presence of Smart Technology is becoming more prevalent in our homes with the rise of the Internet of Things. Although this technology is said to ease everyday chores and make our homes safer, the adoption has been slower than first anticipated by researchers. Studies have shown that the relatively low diffusion of this technology can, to some extent, be explained by cost barriers, technology anxiety, lack of technical ‘know-how’ and the perceived risks associated with a digital upgrade. However, there is surprisingly limited information on homeowners’ willingness to pay for Smart Home Technology (SHT) and, in particular, comfort and security appliances currently on offer on the market. This thesis aims to fill that gap and create a broader understanding of what attributes respondents value when making a purchasing decision. By applying a metric-based conjoint analysis model to primary data collected through a web-based survey, sent to condominium owners in Sweden, the authors of this study show what the optimal Smart Home bundle should comprise of, and how much homeowners are willing to pay. The results show that there is a willingness to adopt premium articles currently on offer on the market although, the willingness to pay for these solutions are relatively low. Moreover, although consumer make a trade-off between different attributes when making a purchasing decision, this study shows that price heavily outweighs other attributes in the case of comfort and security SHTs. A cluster analysis also showed a difference of preferences within the sample set, indicating that companies aiming to sell bundled SHTs should offer a variety of bundles to account for different consumer needs and perceived uses. Additionally, SHT bundles should be complemented with additional services that distinguish the products from other appliances sold on the market. / I samband med den snabba utvecklingen av Internet of Things har Smarta Hem-lösningar blivit en vanligare syn i våra hem. Trots att detta har utvecklingen inte skett lika snabbt som många forskare först förväntat sig. Den relativa låga adoptionsgraden har i litteraturen beskrivits som ett resultat av höga kostnader, en generell skepticism mot den nya tekniken, att hemägare saknar kunskapen som krävs för att installera tekniken, kompatibilitetsproblem mellan leverantörer, och de upplevda riskerna med att koppla upp sitt hem till internet. Trots det breda utbudet av forsknings inom ämnet, saknas studier om vad bostadsägare är villiga att betala för den nya tekniken och, i synnerhet, de säkerhets- och komfort-produkter som idag erbjuds på marknaden. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är därför att undersöka kunders betalningsvilja för paketerade Smarta Hem-produkter och skapa en djupare förståelse för vilka attribut konsumenter värdesätter vid ett köpbeslut. Genom att applicera en Conjoint Analys-modell (Conjoint Analysis Model på engelska) på primärdata insamlad genom en webenkät, som skickats till bostadsrättsägare i Sverige, kan författarna av den här studien visa hur Smarta Hem-lösningar ska paketeras och vad kunderna är villiga att betala för dem. Resultaten visar att konsumenter är intresserade av premium-artiklar så som övervakningskameror, robotdammsugare och smarta högtalare. Däremot är betalningsviljan är relativt låg. Studien visar också att respondenter gör en avvägning mellan olika attribut när de ska köpa en produkt. Jämfört med säkerhet och komfort är pris-attributet av störst vikt när vid ett köpbeslut. En klusteranalys av testgruppen visar också att det finns skillnader i preferenser inom testgruppen. Företag som vill sälja paketerade Smarta Hem-lösningar borde därför diversifiera utbudet för att möta konsumenternas olika behov och erbjuda komplementära tjänster som ökar värdet på utbudet.

Sverige är ett land med förhållandevis många start-ups och Stockholm är den stad i världen med näst mest VC per capita. Ökningen av svenska start-ups är däremot oproportionerlig gentemot ökningen av svenskt VC. Det medför en hårdare konkurrens om riskkapitalet mellan svenska start-ups, vilket i sin tur leder till att det blir svårare för dem att finansiera sin verksamhet. Vidare existerar ett kunskapsgap inom forskningslitteraturen kring VCs finansiella investeringskriterier i allmänhet, och om svenska VCs finansiella investeringskriterier i synnerhet. Studiens syfte är att undersöka och därigenom öka förståelsen kring vilka finansiella investeringskriterier svenska VCs använder sig av för att utvärdera en investeringsmöjlighet i en start-up. En kvantitativ enkätundersökning har genomförts med en kvasiexperimentell design. Studien har tillämpat en deduktiv ansats och utgått från ett realistiskt perspektiv. 27 enkätsvar har genererats som analyserats med hjälp av en Conjoint Analysis och en hierarkisk multipel regression. Resultaten från båda analysmetoderna indikerar att de finansiella investeringskriterier som inkluderats i studien rangordnas enligt följande av våra respondenter: (1) tillväxtpotential internationellt, (2) potentiell avkastning, (3) risk/osäkerhet, (4) tillgång till finansiell information och (5) exit. / Sweden is a country that houses a relatively large amount of start-ups and Stockholm is a city that has the second most invested venture capital per capita in the world. However, the increase of Swedish start-ups is disproportional to the increase of Swedish Venture Capital. As a consequence, the competition between Swedish start-ups to access venture capital is intensifying and it is therefore becoming more difficult for Swedish start-ups to raise capital. Furthermore, research in regard of Venture Capitalits’ financial investment criterions is overall sparse and on the Swedish market almost non-existent. The purpose of this study is to investigate what financial investment criterions bare most importance to Swedish Venture Capitalists when evaluating an investment opportunity. This study uses a quantitative methodology with a survey design. The study takes a deductive approach and applies a realistic perspective. 27 responses were collected and analyzed using a conjoint analysis- and hierarchical multiple regression modell. Our results show that the financial investment criterions included in our study are ranked by our respondents as follows: (1) international growth potential, (2) potential rate of return, (3) risk/uncertainty, (4) accessibility to financial information, and (5) exit.

Environment and its conservation is one of the key issues across the globe these days. It is even more important in the Scandinavian region.Swedenis one of the leading pro-environment nations in the world when it comes to environment-friendly or green automobiles. Introducing emissions tax, green car rebate, and congestion tax exemption for green cars on large cities have resulted in a surge of green car sales inSwedenover the past few years. The preferences of the Swedish green car consumers are examined in this study.   Consumer decision process and preferences related theories have been used for the theoretical understanding of this study and based on these understandings, the Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint Analysis has been selected to measure and understand the consumer preferences towards green cars. The Swedish green car market has been explained and understood as a prerequisite to conduct this study. Examinations of previous related studies, a small scale pre-screening survey, and expert interviews were carried out prior to formulating the conjoint experiment to ensure the inclusion of significant components into the study. The collected data were analyzed using advanced analysis software such as, SSI Web, SMRT, and SPSS, to understand and measure consumer preferences. The findings provide answers to the importance of different attributes in the purchase decision-making for green cars, the effect of each attribute to the decision-making process, the effect of prior purchase experience on the formation of preference, and the relationship between consumer’s green consciousness level and green decision-making process.   This study contributes to the theoretical field of green consumer behavior and to the practical field of marketing of green cars. The study also identifies and recommends key areas of interest that warrant further research.   Key Words: High Involvement Purchase, Green Consumer Behavior, Conjoint Analysis, Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint Analysis (ACBC), Green Preference, Green Car.

[pt] No decorrer das duas últimas décadas o mercado imobiliário brasileiro passou por diversas mudanças, primeiramente estruturais, com a adoção de um arcabouço legal que resolvia as questões em aberto do setor, que viriam em um segundo momento a potencializar os ganhos do setor quando favorecidos por uma conjuntura econômica positiva, tanto global como localmente. Em meados de 2014, um mercado que vinha desde 2007 extremamente aquecido já dava lugar a uma conjuntura marcada por queda acentuada nos níveis de renda, crédito cada vez menos acessível e mais caro, e forte desconfiança por parte de investidores e adquirentes de imóveis. A manutenção do cenário descrito acima – devido a fatores ligados a juros, desemprego, crise política, etc. – culminou no quadro de volumosos estoques e raros lançamentos que se nota no Rio de Janeiro desde então, especialmente na Zona Oeste. No intuito de otimizar a lenta retomada que se prevê para o mercado a partir de 2018, as construtoras e incorporadoras vêm investindo em inovações tecnológicas voltadas para o aumento da eficiência em algumas etapas dos projetos de incorporação, como arquitetura, engenharia e construção (AEC), vendas e marketing, trâmites legais, etc. No entanto, ainda não se vê no mercado imobiliário medidas que atentem para a aderência entre o que é ofertado e o que o consumidor alvo realmente deseja. Nesse contexto, este trabalho visa a explicitar as preferências dos consumidores de imóveis da Barra da Tijuca por meio da aplicação do método de análise conjunta. Para tanto, foi formado um grupo de foco com profissionais do mercado imobiliário visando a definir os principais atributos de tal produto e seus respectivos níveis. Com os principais pontos definidos, foi realizado um projeto fatorial fracionado com quatorze produtos que, por sua vez, foram submetidos a uma pesquisa junto a consumidores, no intuito de revelar suas preferências. Em meio às diversas análises viabilizadas pela pesquisa, ficou evidente que, dentre os atributos selecionados, a localização foi o que demonstrou ter maior peso na decisão do consumidor, seguido pelo tamanho/tipologia do apartamento e – ao contrário do que se imaginava a princípio – a estrutura de lazer foi o atributo de menor importância para os consumidores. Em tempo, é de interesse do mercado que estudos como este sejam feitos para outros vetores de crescimento da cidade (como Campo Grande e Guaratiba) e de forma periódica, uma vez que as preferências mudam com as novas gerações entrando no mercado de trabalho e ganhando poder aquisitivo, o que se verifica com clareza entre os millennials, geração nascida em meados de 1980 e 2000, que está no momento, não só redefinindo essas preferências, mas também indicando a tendência futura da demanda. / [en] During the last two decades, the Brazilian real estate market underwent several changes, first structural, with the adoption of a legal framework that resolved the open questions of the sector, which would in a second moment boost the gains of the sector when favored by an economic conjuncture, both globally and locally. In mid-2014, a market that had been extremely hot since 2007 had already given way to a situation marked by a sharp drop in income levels, increasingly less affordable and more expensive credit, and strong distrust on the part of investors and real estate buyers. The maintenance of the scenario described above - due to factors related to interest, unemployment, political crisis, etc. - culminated in the picture of voluminous stocks and rare launches that can be seen in Rio de Janeiro since then, especially in the West Zone. In order to optimize the slow resumption expected for the market starting in 2018, construction companies and developers are investing in technological innovations aimed at increasing efficiency in some stages of the incorporation projects, such as architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sales and marketing, legal procedures, etc. However, we do not yet see in the real estate market measures that affect the adherence between what is offered and what the target consumer really wants. In this context, this work aims to explain the preferences of real estate consumers in Barra da Tijuca through the application of the conjoint analysis method. To this end, a focus group was formed with real estate professionals aiming at defining the main attributes of such product and its respective levels. With the main points defined, a fractional factorial project was carried out with fourteen products, which, in turn, were submitted to a consumer survey, in order to reveal their preferences. In the midst of the various analyzes made possible by the research, it was evident that, among the selected attributes, the location was the one that showed greater weight in the consumer decision, followed by the size/typology of the apartment and - contrary to what was initially imagined - the leisure structure was the least important attribute for consumers. In time, it is in the interest of the market that studies like this are made for other growth vectors of the city (such as Campo Grande and Guaratiba) and periodically, since preferences change with the new generations entering the labor market and gaining purchasing power, which clearly occurs among the millennials, a generation born in the mid -1980s and 2000, which is currently not only redefining these preferences but also indicating the future trend of demand.

Emissions of carbon dioxide, dioxins, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter as well as use of non-renewable resources and energy are some important sustainability challenges for the Swedish steel industry. Much effort has been made, mainly by technical solutions, which to a high degree have decreased the emissions during the last 30 years. Technical solutions however will not be sufficient to reach sustainable development, stakeholder involvement is also necessary. Stakeholder theory states that stake­holder involvement must include a dialog between the stakeholders involved and the operation. The first step in this process is to identify which key issues the stakeholders find most important and then the organisation needs to start interact with its stakeholders. This thesis deals with such issues. Stakeholder preferences for environmental issues were assessed with conjoint analysis, Q-methodology and focus group discussions. The theory of planned behaviour was used to assess how attitudes were connected to background factors and a potential pro-environmental behaviour. Five studies have been carried out in the framework of this thesis. The studies include: a literature review, method evaluation, evaluation of environ­mental objectives in stakeholder groups, screening of relevant factors, evaluation of steel environmental characteristics, identification of barriers to the introduction of new materials and the im­pact of worry and risk perception on strategic environmental decisions. It can be concluded that the methods applied in the studies work well in eliciting preferences. It has been possible to show how different stakeholder groups as well as individuals prioritise environmental objectives and sustaina­bility issues. Since individuals within a stakeholder group vary considerably in preferences, the results from this thesis show the importance of illustrating results on an individual level instead of the traditional group level. Also, a method has been tested where the results were brought back to the respondents in order to stimulate discussions between different stakeholder groups.

In this paper we head for a fully Bayesian analysis of the latent class model with a priori unknown number of classes. Estimation is carried out by means of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We deal explicitely with the consequences the unidentifiability of this type of model has on MCMC estimation. Joint Bayesian estimation of all latent variables, model parameters, and parameters determining the probability law of the latent process is carried out by a new MCMC method called permutation sampling. In a first run we use the random permutation sampler to sample from the unconstrained posterior. We will demonstrate that a lot of important information, such as e.g. estimates of the subject-specific regression coefficients, is available from such an unidentified model. The MCMC output of the random permutation sampler is explored in order to find suitable identifiability constraints. In a second run we use the permutation sampler to sample from the constrained posterior by imposing identifiablity constraints. The unknown number of classes is determined by formal Bayesian model comparison through exact model likelihoods. We apply a new method of computing model likelihoods for latent class models which is based on the method of bridge sampling. The approach is applied to simulated data and to data from a metric conjoint analysis in the Austrian mineral water market. (author's abstract) / Series: Forschungsberichte / Institut für Statistik

Organic waste management presents challenges and opportunities alike for community-based economic development. Waste-to-compost transformation can be socially and economically successful by employing ecological design principles, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and values-based supply chains (VCs). An analysis of commercial buyers' preferences for compost will inform approaches to forming effective partnerships of public, private and nonprofit stakeholders to develop a market for local waste resource products. The thesis summarizes the results of a consumer preferences survey of current and prospective bulk compost purchasers and discusses strategies for implementing new organic waste management policies that will strengthen a local market for compost, build social capital and share economic value. A conjoint analysis of bulk compost preferences in Vermont was conducted to identify the market's preference for quality-based attributes of bulk compost. The data was taken from a survey administered by mail to Vermont business professionals in various fields that use--or could potentially use--compost products in providing goods or services. In addition to price (81 percent of the relative importance buyers place on an attribute), local provenance (8 percent) and suitability for organic production (7.6 percent) were demonstrated as statistically significant determinants of the value buyers placed on compost. Willingness to pay for local provenance and suitability for organic production were measured at 15% and 14% above the baseline product price, respectively. Current and prospective compost producers can effectively market their products and retain a competitive edge in the marketplace by collaborating with other businesses. A viable market for Vermont compost could be achieved through cultivation of niche specialties, stable institutional buyers, more stringent regulation of food waste and nutrient management behavior, and a collaborative effort to construct a product narrative that emphasizes compost's role in a larger social-ecological system of nutrient management and sustainable agriculture.