Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

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Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 93-95).

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript, etc. / Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

Video summarizing a Ph.D. dissertation for a non-specialist audience. / Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) / Transportation and Logistics / Transportation and Logistics / College of Business

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This research examines the Australian farm tourism sector within both family business and rural studies research paradigms. It analyses which farmers in Australia establish farm tourism businesses, and why. It extends previous research on farm tourism both in breadth, by covering an entire continent; and in depth, using qualitative approaches to determine the internal and external triggers for individual decisions, as well as quantitative approaches to establish the operational structure of the sector and the overall motivations of its operators. There were three separate stages to this study, with an increasingly detailed focus. In the first, a national database of farm tourism operators was constructed from publicly available sources. In the second phase, a 92 item questionnaire was mailed to every operator, with a response rate just below 50%. In the third phase, detailed interviews were conducted with 43 farm tourism operators either on site or by telephone. There are over 650 working farms which offer farm based tourism products in Australia. A few are large, remote and luxurious, but the majority are small, family priced and close to major population centres. There are around 14,000 beds, with mean occupancy rate 35%, and total annual turnover AUS$115 million. Only 0.2% of Australian farmers have taken up tourism, as compared with 10-20% in some European countries. There are four major groups of farm tourism operators in Australia: full time farms, part time farms, retirement farms and lifestyle farms. There are statistically significant differences between these groups in the make up of their income streams, and in their motivations and family structures. Australian farm tourism operators attach slightly more significance to social than financial gains. Particular groups of operators, however, do indeed rely on farm tourism as a key income stream. For lifestyle operators, the farm component is principally a lifestyle luxury and a tourism attraction, with tourism generating the principal income. For retirement farmers, farming is no longer at a commercially viable scale, and tourism provides the cashflow to keep the operators on their farm property during semi retirement. For part time operators, tourism provides an income stream in addition and, where possible, in preference to off farm employment, for farm families having difficulty making ends meet. For full time farmers, tourism is not seen as a long term important income source, but as a diversification option which enabled them to survive external economic shocks caused by changes in commodity prices or government policies. Whereas an income from farm tourism seems to have been an important stopgap or supplement which allows the operators to maintain their farms and farming lifestyles, it does not necessarily generate sufficient income to support two generations on the same property. At least to date, therefore, it appears that farm tourism cannot be relied upon routinely as a new lifeline for rural communities in Australia. It does indeed have a role to play, but the role may be different in different parts of the country. In the more remote areas, farm tourism can provide a buffer for an older generation of farming families, helping to maintain stability in rural communities and land tenure. In areas popular with amenity migrants, however, farm tourism may act as an agent of change, part of a package which brings former urban professionals to a rural semi retirement.

This research addresses the broad research question How have Canadian farm families redefined their work roles and relations over the past 20 years to respond to changes affecting the agrifamily household by examining the changing work and decision making roles, gender relations and gender identities of Canadian farm women and their families. The main argument presented here and illustrated by the Agrifamily Household Response Model is that Canadian farm families are active agents, responding to restructuring in agriculture, using and modifying the rules and resources of the agrifamily household, their local communities and the wider social, economic and political systems as they make decisions to respond to economic, political, environmental and social change.<p>Data collection involved a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods that were designed to support and inform each other. Initial focus groups were held to assist in research design. These were followed by six workshops across Canada in which farm women were trained as interviewers and the questions were pre-tested. Over a 15 month period in 2002 and 2003, four separate questionnaires and time diaries were completed by up to 479 Canadian farm women, men and youth. The findings were then discussed with the farm women interviewers in four workshops held in various locations across Canada. <p>The results of this research suggest that during the past 20 years, farm women and their families have responded to increased opportunities and pressures by expanding their work roles both on and off the farm. Farm women and men have chosen a variety of work roles in response to restructuring. These changing work roles signal gradually changing gender identities and gender relationships on the farm. The work role choices of farm women in particular are shown to have a significant impact on the resulting gender relations in the family as women, men and youth redefine and negotiate their work roles in response to structural change. Women are important role models for their children as they learn how to farm and this is especially important for female youth.<p>Decision making on farms has traditionally been divided on the basis of gender, however, farm womens decision-making roles are expanding to reflect recognition of their contributions to the agrifamily household through labour and capital. Broadening roles and changing gender relations and identities in the agrifamily household have affected decision making for men as well. The research indicates there are many participants in major agrifamily household decisions and many roles that are played in the process of decision making. Nevertheless, female youth play a lesser role than any other household members having potentially repercussions for the future role of women in farming. <p>It is evident that Canadian farm women play significant roles in providing labour, capital and decision making to Canadian agriculture. However, these contributions have yet to be acknowledged at the macro level of agricultural organizations and government policy consultations.

This research addresses the broad research question How have Canadian farm families redefined their work roles and relations over the past 20 years to respond to changes affecting the agrifamily household by examining the changing work and decision making roles, gender relations and gender identities of Canadian farm women and their families. The main argument presented here and illustrated by the Agrifamily Household Response Model is that Canadian farm families are active agents, responding to restructuring in agriculture, using and modifying the rules and resources of the agrifamily household, their local communities and the wider social, economic and political systems as they make decisions to respond to economic, political, environmental and social change.<p>Data collection involved a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods that were designed to support and inform each other. Initial focus groups were held to assist in research design. These were followed by six workshops across Canada in which farm women were trained as interviewers and the questions were pre-tested. Over a 15 month period in 2002 and 2003, four separate questionnaires and time diaries were completed by up to 479 Canadian farm women, men and youth. The findings were then discussed with the farm women interviewers in four workshops held in various locations across Canada. <p>The results of this research suggest that during the past 20 years, farm women and their families have responded to increased opportunities and pressures by expanding their work roles both on and off the farm. Farm women and men have chosen a variety of work roles in response to restructuring. These changing work roles signal gradually changing gender identities and gender relationships on the farm. The work role choices of farm women in particular are shown to have a significant impact on the resulting gender relations in the family as women, men and youth redefine and negotiate their work roles in response to structural change. Women are important role models for their children as they learn how to farm and this is especially important for female youth.<p>Decision making on farms has traditionally been divided on the basis of gender, however, farm womens decision-making roles are expanding to reflect recognition of their contributions to the agrifamily household through labour and capital. Broadening roles and changing gender relations and identities in the agrifamily household have affected decision making for men as well. The research indicates there are many participants in major agrifamily household decisions and many roles that are played in the process of decision making. Nevertheless, female youth play a lesser role than any other household members having potentially repercussions for the future role of women in farming. <p>It is evident that Canadian farm women play significant roles in providing labour, capital and decision making to Canadian agriculture. However, these contributions have yet to be acknowledged at the macro level of agricultural organizations and government policy consultations.