An Evaluation of the Levels of Entrepreneurship and Competitive Advantages in Small Midwestern Agritourism Businesses

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2013-01-01
Authors
Chiang, Lanlung
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Liang Tang
Robert Bosselman
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Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management

The Department of Apparel, Education Studies, and Hospitality Management provides an interdisciplinary look into areas of aesthetics, leadership, event planning, entrepreneurship, and multi-channel retailing. It consists of four majors: Apparel, Merchandising, and Design; Event Management; Family and Consumer Education and Studies; and Hospitality Management.

History
The Department of Apparel, Education Studies, and Hospitality Management was founded in 2001 from the merging of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies; the Department of Textiles and Clothing, and the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.

Dates of Existence
2001 - present

Related Units

  • College of Human Sciences (parent college)
  • Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies (predecessor)
  • Department of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management (predecessor)
  • Department of Textiles and Clothing (predecessor)
  • Trend Magazine (student organization)

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Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management
Abstract

Agritourism is a business concept that merges two areas (e.g., agricultural and travel/tourism) to open up new profitable markets and provide travel experiences for the purpose of enjoyment, education, or active involvement in the activities of a farm or operation (e.g., Aronoff & Ward, 1995; Hegarty & Przezbórska, 2005). Bock (2004) stated that agritourism plays a significant support role for many agricultural enterprises, while Kunwar (2004) suggested that agritourism experiences are becoming a desirable option in today's leisure society. With an explicit need to generate tangible benefits (e.g., diversified income sources and increased public appreciation), farmers are expected to become increasingly entrepreneurial in their business approaches, including adopting business plans for agritourism; seeking professional advice; becoming involved in regional and larger-scale tourism marketing initiatives; and increasing profitability through diversification (Getz & Carlsen, 2000). However, a number of previous studies have indicated that many farmers are unsuccessful in running agritourism businesses due to their lack of understanding of entrepreneurship concepts and strategies (Colton & Bissix, 2005; McGehee & Kim, 2004). In addition to entrepreneurial motivations, some studies have addressed the characteristics and performance of the farm and agritourism entrepreneur (Gilmore, Carson, & Cummins, 2002; Russell & Faulkner, 2004). The study aims to answer three key questions: 1) How do the levels of locus of control, firm profitability, market-driven propensity, family connection, personal pursuits, and innovation/creativity influence farmers' entrepreneurial awareness in agritourism business; 2) How do the two types of business strategies (defender and analyzer) impact farmers' decisions in running agritourism business; and 3) Do entrepreneurship and strategies directly impact agritourism businesses' competitiveness (e.g, economic impact, joint marketing, environmental sustainability, and public/social awareness)? The results of the present study are of importance to both academics and industry practitioners.

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Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2013