Cultural & Creative Industry (CCI) is a highly knowledge-based and productive industry. And the cultural tourist industry also been treated as the most potential industry in 21st century. Kaohsiung city, Kaohsiung county, and Ping Tung county are located in the most southern part of Taiwan. In the past, the local governments didn¡¦t focus on cultural travel. Since 2004, these three local government established ¡§Regional development committee¡¨ to open mutual dialogue between administrations. This committee is not only coordinating the relationships of governments, but also to run for more resources to develop industry captivity. Therefore, this research will take the region of Kaohsiung city, Kaohsiung County, and pin Tong County as research target. In vertical dimension, the research will focus on global trends, cultural touristy theory, cultural property theory, and overseas case study. In horizontal dimension, the research will combine the country¡¦s development policy, city vision, and regional resources. With cross analysis, the research will find out the benefits in politic, economic, and culture. Also, the research use methodologies such as document reading, case analysis, SWOT analysis, in-depth interview, and field study. This research will try to discuss following contents: 1.to clarify the trend and content of cultural touristy in international point of view through document reading. 2.to review the nation¡¦s development policy and southern city visions. The research will find the combination of targets. 3.to trigger the standards of economic benefit, and tell the develop advantage of this area from the development of cultural & creative industry and overseas successful case. 4.to use unique regional culture to create southern cultural travel image in eco-tourism as the last theme.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Hikaru H. Peterson / Aleksan Shanoyan / Nurseries and garden centers face challenges to stay economically viable, particularly in rural areas. Their efforts to advertise horticultural products through traditional methods seem insufficient to increase their sales. Marketing through new media is receiving more attention by businesses across various industries. In order to assess whether this growing interest in new-media is applicable to the green house industry, it is important to determine their impact on business performance and the factors driving its adoption. Few studies report the impact of social media on nurseries and garden centers performance. The literature on technology adoption shows that network and learning effects play a critical role in agricultural technology adoption (Bandiera and Rasul, 2006; Baerenklau, 2005), while perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness have been identified as the major factors of adoption of information technology (Davis, 1989; Lorenzo-Romero et al., 2014). This study builds on the known factors of agricultural and information technology adoption to determine the key variables affecting the extent of use of new-media marketing in the green industry. Using a survey, data were collected from 161 nurseries and garden centers across the United States. Results indicate that the network effect had a robustly, positive effect on the extent of use of new-media marketing in the green industry. The estimated network effect was statistically significant in the models using frequency of online marketing use, frequency of social media use and hours of social media use as the respective dependent variables measuring the use of new media. Other statistically significant factors include the percentage of retail sales, the perceived usefulness, and the city population. The study also found that new-media marketing, measured by the number of hours spent on social media, had a positive impact on sales for nurseries and garden centers making more than $200,000 a year. By providing evidence of new-media marketing effectiveness, these results contradict the belief that sales do not increase immediately after a social media campaign, suggesting a low return on investment. Besides this evidence, the magnitude of the network effect and the differences in critical factors driving adoption across firm size are key information to tailor training programs and make informed policy decisions to support marketing efforts.

The environmental horticulture industry, also known as the “Green Industry”, is the second most important sector in the United States’ agricultural economy in terms of economic output and one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture; however, it has experienced a steady slowdown in growth in the past years. Floriculture and nursery crops average annual growth rate decreased from 13.64% in the 1970s to approximately 2.87% in the 2000s, and the industry is currently considered to be facing a mature market. The Texas A&M Agricultural Program, in an attempt to help Texas’ green industry producers compete effectively in an evolving marketplace, developed the Texas Superstar TM and Earth-Kind TM programs. Both of these programs intend to raise awareness among consumers of Texas-grown plant material while promoting environmental responsibility, and to increase producers’ profitability by providing them with products that can be sold at a price premium. In spite of the considerable investments on research and marketing that have been done in order to assure the release of every new plant, no research has investigated the effectiveness of these branding efforts in terms of consumer’s behavior. This research seeks to evaluate brand awareness and willingness-to-pay on the part of lawn and garden consumers. The discrete choice models used were the logit and probit model on brand awareness and the tobit model on the conditional willingness-to-pay. Results from this study conclude that consumers’ awareness of Texas Superstar TM and Earth-Kind TM in the Texas area is low, but the satisfaction level among aware consumers is high. The presence of awareness was found to increase willingness-to-pay for Texas Superstar TM and Earth-Kind TM by about 10%. Furthermore, profiles of the consumers’ behavioral and demographic characteristics that are more likely to influence brand awareness and willingness-to-pay were identified.

Water-recycling technologies have been developed to reduce water consumption and surface runoff in horticultural operations. However, WRT may increase risk of disease from water-borne pathogens such as Pythium and Phytophthora. More information is needed about producers' management practices and attitudes regarding irrigation runoff containment and recycling. A mail survey was administered in February 2013 to horticultural nursery growers in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Collected were respondents' demographic characteristics plus irrigation and disease management practices. The survey incorporated a choice experiment quantifying willingness to adopt water recycling given hypothetical disease outbreak, water shortage probabilities, and percentage cost increases via a conditional logit model. Two hundred and sixty respondents provide valuable insight into horticultural production in the Mid-Atlantic region. We were unable to calculate the implicit price of water or disease for adoption because the sample of 91 respondents for the choice experiment yielded a flat distribution of operations ranging in $100 to $7 million in nursery cost. However, findings did support the hypothesis that producers will be more likely to adopt selected WRT when cost decreases, probability of disease decreases. Only 33% chose to adopt. Cost is the biggest factor as the majority of producers are not equipped to handle water recycling or capture and would go out of business due to the expense. Disease is also significant factor inhibiting growers from adopting. Until mandatory environmental regulations in place to force producers to contain runoff, or until incentivized cost sharing programs are implemented, wide spread adoption of water recycling technologies is unlikely to occur. / Master of Science

An analysis of the green industry of Virginia was completed in the year 2002 using a mail survey sent to industry participants. The survey was conducted by the Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service (VASS). This data was used to run an economic impact analysis of the industry using IMPLAN Professional software. Additionally, the software was used to determine the approximate affects of drought and water restrictions on the green industry. VASS received a total of 1,146 surveys for a response rate of approximately 27%. Of these responses, 42 surveys indicated that they plan to have future green industry sales but were not presently involved in the business. Another 525 responses claimed to be no longer actively involved in the industry. Therefore, the actual response rate was much closer to 15%. This necessitated the use of numerous alternative data sources to create a more complete model representation of the green industry as a whole. Two separate model scenarios were created, the first using purely survey response data, the second including data from additional sources and factoring out for possible double-counting errors. Direct employment generated from the industry was predicted to be between 29 and 36 thousand jobs, depending on which model scenario is consulted. The total economic impacts predicted from the different models are $2.03 billion and $2.41 billion, respectively. The analysis of the affects of drought and water restrictions predicted a decrease in overall impacts by 33% and 23%, respectively. / Master of Science

Master of Science / Department of Communications and Agricultural Education / Lauri M. Baker / Garden centers are facing increasing market pressure from big-box retail stores that offer similar products at more competitive prices but lack a quality produce and exceptional service. In order to differentiate themselves from big-box stores, garden centers must build relationships with their customers which can increase marketing reach. Marketing ability and reach is limiting the expansion of Kansas garden centers which spend the majority of their advertising dollars on traditional media. However, social media can be an effective method for not only understanding consumers but also developing profitable relationships with customers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders of metro and non-metro garden centers as they use new media to market their business. Findings indicate garden center stakeholders prefer to use traditional media channels to market to their customers, lack a clear strategy and objectives related to new-media marketing, and are not effectively implementing relationship marketing principles.

This master thesis investigates the integration of stakeholder analysis into the Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) for green industries, with a particular focus on its relevance within the framework of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). With a deadline for compliance by large companies operating in the European Union by 2025, urgency surrounds the need to comprehensively understand the Impacts, Risks and Opportunities (IROs). The study centers on H2 Green Steel (H2GS), a pioneering green industry in Sweden, to examine two of its key stakeholders, the society and the planet. As a silent stakeholder, the planet requires a unique approach within the DMA process. By utilizing action research methodology, stakeholders representing society and the planet are studied, offering insights that can be applied as a model for other companies undertaking similar assessments. Through a combination of data collection methods including mapping H2GS’s value chain, conducting semi-structured interviews, and utilising stakeholder analysis tools, such a power-interest grid, the study identifies key stakeholders and assesses their relationships with the company. Additionally, the study evaluates IROs related to the planet through a comparative analysis of methods outlined by the DMA guideline, ensuring comprehensivecoverage of the silent stakeholder’s perspective. The findings underscore the critical role ofcivil society stakeholders, particularly in the context of large industries within small communities. Continuous dialogue is essential for integrating societal perspectives into corporate strategies. Moreover, for planetary stakeholders, a multifaceted approach combining global research, local assessments, engagement with proxy organizations, and validation by expert groups is recommended to ensure a comprehensive understanding of related IROs. Engagement with indigenous communities, such as the Sámi in Sweden, is emphasized to address social implications effectively. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement in the DMA process, offering insights and methodologies that can aidcompanies in assessing their impacts comprehensively, thereby contributing to corporatesustainability and regulatory compliance. / Denna masteruppsats undersöker integrationen av intressentanalys i Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) för gröna industrier, med särskilt fokus på dess relevans inom ramen för Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Med en deadline för efterlevnad av stora företag som är verksamma i Europeiska unionen senast 2025, är det ett brådskande behov av att på ett heltäckande sätt förstå Impacts, Risks and Opportunities (IROs). Studien fokuserar på H2 Green Steel (H2GS), en banbrytande grön industri i Sverige, för att undersöka två av dess viktigaste intressenter, samhälle och planet. Som en tyst intressent kräver planeten ett unikt tillvägagångssätt inom DMA-processen. Genom att använda aktionsforskningsmetodik studeras intressenter som representerar samhället och planeten, vilket ger insikter som kan användas som modell för andra företag som gör liknande bedömningar. Genom en kombination av datainsamlingsmetoder inklusive kartläggning av H2GS värdekedja, genomförande av semistrukturerade intervjuer och utnyttjande av analysverktyg för intressenter, såsom ett kraftnät, identifierar studien nyckelintressenter och bedömer deras relationer med företaget. Dessutom utvärderar studien IROs relaterade till planeten genom en jämförande analys av metoder som beskrivs i DMA-riktlinjen, vilket säkerställer en omfattande täckning av den tysta intressentens perspektiv. Resultaten understryker den avgörande roll som det civila samhällets intressenter spelar, särskilt i samband med stora industrier inom små samhällen. En kontinuerlig dialog är väsentlig för att integrera samhällsperspektiv i företagsstrategier. Dessutom, för planetära intressenter, rekommenderas ett mångfacetterat tillvägagångssätt som kombinerar global forskning, lokala bedömningar, engagemang med proxyorganisationer och validering av expertgrupper för att säkerställa en heltäckande förståelse av relaterade IROs. Engagemang med ursprungsbefolkningar, såsom samerna i Sverige, betonas för att effektivt kunna hantera sociala konsekvenser. Sammanfattningsvis understryker denna studie vikten av intressenternas engagemang i DMA-processen, och erbjuder insikter och metoder som kan hjälpa företag att bedöma deras effekter på ett heltäckande sätt, och därmed bidra till företagens hållbarhet och regelefterlevnad.

För att den gröna industrialiseringen i Sverige ska lyckas behöver över 100 000 personer flytta till berörda kommuner för att arbeta inom de nya branscher som etableras samt stötta upp inom välfärdssektorn. Denna studie undersöker hur Luleå kommun kan motivera fler att vilja leva i Luleå genom att skapa en omgivning med hög livskvalitet för nuvarande befolkning och för kompetens i andra städer. Studien använder kapabilitetsteori för att utreda vilka faktorer som är viktiga för att öka viljan för nuvarande befolkning att stanna samt stärka kompetensförsörjningen inom välfärdssektorn. Studien använder sig av triangulering av blandad metodik där data samlades in genom en enkät, en fokusgrupp, och ett dataunderlag angående faktorer för trivsel. Studien belyser att befolkningen inte upplever sig hörda i sin oro inför industrialiseringens potentiella baksidor och understryker behovet av fungerande välfärd och förbättrad tillgänglighet. Genom att undersöka specifika yrkesgrupper bidrar studien med att belysa skillnader mellan professioners motivation att flytta och gemensamma tendenser. Slutligen finner studien att det är utmanande att motivera inflyttning till en tidigare ej familjär plats, vilket understryker betydelsen av att fokusera på att tilltala de som redan har en koppling till Luleå / It is estimated that for the green industrialization in Sweden to succeed, over 100 000 individuals need to relocate to municipalities in question to contribute with competence to the emerging industries. Consequently, there is a need to balance the growth of industrialization with adequate growth within the welfare sector. The study examines how Luleå municipality can motivate residency by cultivating an environment that encourages a high quality of life for both current residents and welfare professionals residing in other cities. Further the study uses capability theory to investigate which quality of life factors are of importance to retain current residents and attract people with necessary competence within the healthcare and educational sector. Triangulation of mixed research methods was used to gain multiple perspectives of wanting to live in a place collected from a questionnaire, a focus group, and a data set on which factors promoted a desire to stay in Luleå Municipality. The study reveals that current residents feel a lack of representation of their concerns about the downsides of industrialization, highlighting the importance of functioning welfare institutions, as well as improved connectivity. In looking into specific occupational groups, the thesis contributes with revealing the differences in motivations for migration, while also highlighting similarities. Finally, the study finds that motivating migration to a previously unfamiliar location is difficult, highlighting the importance of instead targeting people with familiarity to Luleå municipality.

Water is a symbol of life. It affects all organisms on earth and its importance is emphasised in times of drought. The human population growth places more demands on our natural resources. As pressures on the available water increases, more measures are required to utilise water sustainably. South Africa is classified as a water stressed country with less than 1700 cubic meters of water available per person per year. Rand Water supplies water to approximately 11 million people in Gauteng. During times of drought, restrictions imposed are aimed mainly at the broader Green Industry. This research investigated international strategies, existing restrictions in Gauteng, and undertook a survey within the Green Industry to determine the most appropriate response. This research proposes a new water supply shortage response plan for Rand Water in Gauteng with a total of four levels of restrictions implemented at different stages of water stress in the system. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Water is a symbol of life. It affects all organisms on earth and its importance is emphasised in times of drought. The human population growth places more demands on our natural resources. As pressures on the available water increases, more measures are required to utilise water sustainably. South Africa is classified as a water stressed country with less than 1700 cubic meters of water available per person per year. Rand Water supplies water to approximately 11 million people in Gauteng. During times of drought, restrictions imposed are aimed mainly at the broader Green Industry. This research investigated international strategies, existing restrictions in Gauteng, and undertook a survey within the Green Industry to determine the most appropriate response. This research proposes a new water supply shortage response plan for Rand Water in Gauteng with a total of four levels of restrictions implemented at different stages of water stress in the system. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)