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501. [Article] Tourism and community perceptions : an examination of Mount St. Helens' tourism as perceived by local residents
Since the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18,1980, the rural communities within its shadow have experienced tremendous change. Tourism has become a highly visible and somewhat controversial component ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Tourism and community perceptions : an examination of Mount St. Helens' tourism as perceived by local residents
- Author:
- Baker, Randal G.
Since the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18,1980, the rural communities within its shadow have experienced tremendous change. Tourism has become a highly visible and somewhat controversial component of change in the region, and its importance to local economies has increased. As a result of increased tourism development in these small communities conflict and competition for available resources, goods and services has steadily increased. Thus, management agencies and development planners have become increasingly concerned with attitudes and overall receptiveness of host populations toward further tourism development. Since its eruption Mount St. Helens has attracted millions of tourists to southwest Washington State. County, state and federal governments have spent millions of dollars in developing the region for tourism. The seasonal influx of visitors has a tremendous physical, economic and social impact upon the rural timber communities which neighbor the volcano. Communities which once catered to the needs of hunters, fishermen and other outdoor recreationists, are scrambling to satisfy the demands of tourists seeking to view the devastation. This research was designed to measure the attitudes and perceptions of those residents living in the rural communities near the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument toward tourism. Perceptions of the volcanic hazards associated with living near a volcano and the influence of those hazards on tourism were also surveyed. The research utilized informal interviews and a comprehensive questionnaire to develop a body of original data on resident perception of tourism's impact on their community. As the case study areas for this investigation, three communities located along the primary highways entering the monument were selected. Excluding differences in population, these unincorporated communities share similar economies, social attributes and physical characteristics. Questionnaires were mailed to over 1,000 households within the three communities. A combined response rate of 53% was achieved using the Diliman's Total Design Method (TDM). A variety of statistical techniques, including item analysis, rank score, chi-square and factor analysis, were used to analyze the data. Perhaps the single most important finding from the study was the general prevalence of positive attitudes toward tourism in all three communities. These optimistic attitudes were attributed to the nascent stage of tourism development coinciding with decades of exposure to recreationists and nature seeking tourists. A correlation between the residents' age and their perception of tourism was also identified. Tolerance levels varied from community to community. Attitudes and perceptions of tourism were most optimistic among the older residents. Cultural exchange between residents and tourists, and other economic rewards were the most predominant tourism benefits identified by respondents. Tourism was blamed for increased congestion on local highways and overcrowding in stores, restaurants and community parks. Future tourism development appears to be inevitable, and in some instances even desirable within the study communities. Due to the frequency of contact between residents and tourists, tourism planners, managers and public officials need to recognize the perceptions and attitudes of local residents, and incorporate them into regional development plans and management policies if tourism is to be successful.
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502. [Article] Consideraciones para la transformación del sistema de salud del Ecuador desde una perspectiva de equidad
This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and can be found at: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0124-0064&...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Consideraciones para la transformación del sistema de salud del Ecuador desde una perspectiva de equidad
- Author:
- Chi, Chunhuei, Ortega, Fernando, López-Cevallos, Daniel
This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and can be found at: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0124-0064&lng=en&nrm=iso.
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503. [Article] Carbon Footprint Calculations for Oregon State University and Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Panama
Accompanying presentation entitled: Progress to neutrality: framework adaptation of a CFC designed for Oregon State University population & lessons from a Panamanian case study on CF/ by Kimberly Melendez-Rivera, ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Carbon Footprint Calculations for Oregon State University and Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Panama
- Author:
- Melendez-Rivera, Kimberly
Accompanying presentation entitled: Progress to neutrality: framework adaptation of a CFC designed for Oregon State University population & lessons from a Panamanian case study on CF/ by Kimberly Melendez-Rivera, Frederick Colwell and R. Gonzalez
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504. [Article] Substance Use Among Women Who Have Sex with Women
Professional organizations in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy-related professions all require counselors and counseling students to work with a vast array of potential clients who may differ ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Substance Use Among Women Who Have Sex with Women
- Author:
- Dorn-Medeiros, Cort M.
Professional organizations in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy-related professions all require counselors and counseling students to work with a vast array of potential clients who may differ significantly from themselves. For example, these counselor and client differences can include one or several factors such as age, race, ethnicity, ability status, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. As part of building up counselor competency to work with diverse individuals, ethical standards require counselors and counseling students to seek out relevant literature as it relates to appropriate assessment, intervention and advocacy for their clients. Likewise, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) requires counselors and counselor supervisors within the substance use counseling specialty to attend to issues of diversity both within the counselor to client relationship but also the supervisor to supervisee relationship. Additionally, substance use counseling supervisors are required to provide or coordinate appropriate and relevant supervisee training as needed related to issues of diversity to empower counselors to better advocate for both individual client needs as well as organizational change when appropriate. As part of a commitment to explore issues related to multicultural counseling and contribute to relevant literature, the research presented in this dissertation sought to study a population that often goes unnoticed and slips through the cracks of researcher consciousness. Few research studies that explore issues related to substance use or substance use as it relates to sexuality focus exclusively on female-identified populations. As such, women who have sex with women (WSW) often go unnoticed within study populations and become an invisible minority. Evidence exists to suggest women who report same-sex partners may be at elevated risk for experiencing negative health effects from alcohol and tobacco use. Using substances such as alcohol and tobacco at higher rates and frequencies can result in significant negative medical, social and interpersonal outcomes. Important common factors appear numerous times in the literature base on problematic substance use within lesbian and bisexual populations. For example, women who report same-sex partners more commonly report being current or former smokers, are less likely to abstain from alcohol and report more frequent instances of being drunk and an overall higher rate of alcohol consumption. The current study first utilized multiple regression analyses to examine the predictability of known demographic and behavioral risk factors for increased substance use among a sample of WSW who participated in the New York City Community Health Survey ( NYCCHS). Age, annual household income, race and past or current history of depression were included in the regression analyses to determine the predictability of these variables on participants self-reported levels of alcohol and tobacco use. Results showed that within the sample of WSW, age and a past or current history of depression were significant predictors of alcohol use. Race was the only significant predictor of tobacco use. Next, drawing upon the same sample of WSW in the NYCCHS, three two-tailed t-tests for independent means were performed to determine if a difference exists on levels of alcohol and tobacco use between WSW and who have experienced interpersonal violence, as quantified by the reported experience of either intimate partner violence or unwanted sexual contact, and WSW who have not experienced interpersonal violence. For WSW who reported alcohol use within the last 30 days, results showed that there exists a significant difference between the number of alcoholic drinks consumed between WSW who also reported interpersonal violence and WSW who did not report interpersonal violence. For WSW who reported any lifetime use of alcohol, results also showed a significant difference between the number of alcoholic drinks consumed between WSW who also reported interpersonal violence and WSW who did not report interpersonal violence. There was no significant difference in tobacco use between the two groups of WSW. The primary implication that emerged from this study was that women who report same-sex partners might be at increased risk of experiencing negative life outcomes stemming from elevated alcohol use and, in some instances, tobacco use. This population of WSW often goes unnoticed both in the realm of research in psychology and related fields and also within the context of treatment-setting environments. Sexual behavior and sexual orientation are often conflated. As such, women who have same-sex partners but do not identify openly or otherwise as lesbian, bisexual or other sexual minority, can frequently fall victim to heteronormative expectations and assumptions in community counseling environments but also within the intimacy of the therapy room. Particularly in treatment setting specific to substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders, these results reinforce the importance of counselors not only inquiring about sexual orientation but also remaining mindful and sensitive to gendered language when exploring past and current client relationships.
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This study was designed (1) to examine credit usages as they relate to financial problems of young married couples, (2) to investigate the similarities of financial practices of two populations, (3) to ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- An investigation of credit usage among young married couples in western Oregon
- Author:
- Preisz, Lois Heesacker
This study was designed (1) to examine credit usages as they relate to financial problems of young married couples, (2) to investigate the similarities of financial practices of two populations, (3) to determine the sources of educational financial assistance and guidance used by young couples, and (4) to compare demographic characteristics of one sample known to have had financial difficulties and one group whose financial position was unknown at the time of the interview. The sample consisted of 30 young married couples who were being professionally counseled because of financial problems (group one) and 30 couples selected from a mailing list supplied by the Marion County Extension Service (group two). The total sample was drawn from the Salem, Oregon area. The couples were married at least one year and not more than five years, 11 months and the husbands were no more than 30 years of age. Data for the study were obtained through personal interviews. Hollingshead's Two Factor Index of Social Position, based on education and occupation of the head of household was used to classify the subjects into five social positions, by groups. The distributions for both groups were skewed heavily toward the lower social levels on the scale. The four null hypotheses that were set forth to assist in the organization of data were rejected. H₁ Young married couples in group one wit; show no differences in financial practices from those in group two. H₂ Married couples in group one will possess records with detail no greater than that in records possessed by group two. H₃ Formal educational training will not vary between group one and group two. H₄ Financial counseling sought by young couples will not differ between group one and group two. Analysis of the data indicated that couples in the uncounseled group kept records in a more readily accessable manner; they kept them in ledger or check stub form; and a larger percentage of group two kept track of how they spent their money. A higher number of husbands in group one took complete charge of financial management than the husbands in group two. There were inconsistencies in the responses of the wives in group one. Eighty-seven per cent of the respondents stated that they and their husbands combined their money. However, responses by 40 per cent of the wives in group one indicated that their husbands paid the bills and handled the finances. Couples in both groups used a variety of credit sources. Couples in group one held more credit cards, had a larger number of open charge accounts, more loans from banks and consumer finance companies, as well as a larger number of hospital, doctor and dentists bills than did the couples in group two. Department store and oil company credit cards were the two categories most frequently listed when respondents were asked about credit cards held. Both banks and consumer finance companies loaned to couples in group one, however, the consumer finance company had a higher incidence of repeat loans issued to these young couples than did banks. Ninety per cent of the young couples in the counseled group responded that they were being counseled and looked to the professional counselor for guidance in personal finance. The uncounseled group turned to parents most frequently as sources of information and guidance. Wives in group one perceived themselves as poorer users of credit or just equal when comparing themselves to their peers. It was apparent from this study that young couples feel inadquately prepared for the responsibilities faced in money management during the early years of marriage. With an affluent credit society predicted by many for the future, young people will need to use their total resources of time, energy and income in order to maintain financial solvency. Educators, both adult and secondary along with parents and all others interested in the welfare of families will need to be innovative in communicating sound personal finance principles.
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Child behavior disorders are the second most prevalent form of mental illness affecting children in the United States (Perou et al., 2013), with lifetime prevalence estimated at 10% (Nock, Kazdin, Hiripi ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Do Family Risk Classes Predict Attrition in Parent Child Interaction Therapy?
- Author:
- Hartman, Grace M.
Child behavior disorders are the second most prevalent form of mental illness affecting children in the United States (Perou et al., 2013), with lifetime prevalence estimated at 10% (Nock, Kazdin, Hiripi & Kessler, 2007). Negative outcomes associated with ODD during childhood and adolescence include conflict in families, poor peer relationships, peer rejection, and academic difficulties (Burke, Rowe & Boylan, 2013). Parent training programs are shown to be effective in reducing child behavior disorders (Thomas & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2011). One such program, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), is a widely disseminated intervention implemented in diverse settings with populations of at-risk families. PCIT is an intervention shown to be effective in preventing and reducing behavior disorders in children aged 2- to 7- years old (Brinkmeyer & Eyberg, 2003). However, a large barrier to treatment success is that families often dropout before therapy is completed (Fernandez & Eyberg, 2009). A small collection of studies specifically examining attrition in PCIT have explored family risks as treatment barriers. Models exploring the shared influence of multiple risk factors in the literature on PCIT attrition are uncommon, but given the co-occurring contextual risks often seen in families enrolled in PCIT, studies documenting the shared influence of multiple risks on attrition are important and have potential value in research and practice. Studies associating family risks with PCIT attrition have typically operationalized single variables and findings have been inconsistent. Although children and parents in parent-child therapies are known to have adverse family experiences (i.e. abuse, neglect, witnessing violence) (Kazdin, 1996), studies on the influence of adverse family experiences in PCIT attrition are few, and none have looked at the combined influences of family risks. To help address these gaps, the current study will examined the ways in which family risks operate in combination with one another to help explain attrition in PCIT. More specifically, this study examines whether or not families participating in PCIT differ not only in the number of risks they present, but also in the ways in which risks combine, forming distinct patterns of risks. To address this question, we conduct a Latent Class Analysis to identify family risk classes examining how two overarching types of risk; low-SES, and adverse family experiences. We addressed our main study aim by examining how the classes predicted the likelihood of dropping out of PCIT overall, and prior to the completion of the CDI component. To help address these gaps, the current study will examine the ways in which family risks operate in combination with one another to help explain attrition in PCIT. More specifically, this study examines whether or not families participating in PCIT differ not only in the number of risks they present, but also in the ways in which risks combine, forming distinct patterns of risks. The goals of the present study were to explore patterns of risks among families participating in PCIT, and to examine associations between these patterns and the likelihood of dropping out of PCIT, both prior to completing the first component (CDI) of the therapy and prior to completion of the full program. Findings pointed to three distinct patterns of risk but did not detect any significant associations between these patterns of risk and attrition in PCIT. These findings are important for guiding future research and provide preliminary information for practitioners to better understand the complexity of risks among families attending PCIT. Although the primary study aim was to examine links between classes of risk and attrition in PCIT, preliminary analysis detected two specific risk variables linked with PCIT attrition prior to completion of CDI: low parental education and having a mental health disorder in the household. There was also a trend toward low parental education being associated with attrition from PCIT overall
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The purpose of this study was to determine if occupants' satisfaction and problems with their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems. The four categories were: 1) south facing window, ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Occupants' satisfaction and problems among four categories of passive solar systems
- Author:
- Malroutu, Yamini Lakshmi
The purpose of this study was to determine if occupants' satisfaction and problems with their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems. The four categories were: 1) south facing window, 2) sunspace, 3) south facing window + sunspace, and 4) south facing window + sunspace + Trombe wall. The objectives were: 1) to determine if occupants' satisfaction with 12 features of their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems, 2) to determine if the occupants' overall satisfaction with features of their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems, 3) to assess if there were differences in occupants' reported occurrence of 18 problems among the four categories of passive solar systems, and 4) to assess if occupants' overall problem differed among the four categories of passive solar systems. The data were collected in a mail survey, Passive Solar Homes in Oregon, in 1986. The sample size for this study consisted of 273 passive solar houses in Oregon. Statistical analyses of the data were computed using frequency distributions, Chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance. The majority of the respondents in this study were young, around 45 years, lived in small households, were college educated, and owned their houses. Their mean gross family income was in the category of $ 40,000 through $ 49,999. The majority of the houses in this sample were single family detached built on one to two acres of land. The median size of the houses was in the category of 1,500 through 1,999 square feet, and they were located outside the city limits. The category of passive solar system used most in the design of the houses was the south facing window + sunspace system. The majority of the respondents were very satisfied with the following features of their houses: time and effort required in daily operation, exterior design of house, floor plan, interior decorating and general maintenance requirements. The problem of cleaning of high window or glass areas was reported by most respondents. There was a significant (p <̲ .05) difference in occupants' satisfaction with the general maintenance requirements (p = .008) among the four categories of passive solar houses. There was no difference (p <̲ .05) in occupants' satisfaction with 1) energy savings, 2) heat distribution, 3) cooling distribution, 4) humidity control, 5) exterior design of house, 6) comfort level, 7) effort and time required in daily operation, 8) performance of mechanical components, 9) floor plan, 10) internal noise level, and 11) interior decorating among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was no significant (p <̲ .05) difference in occupants' overall satisfaction among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was a significant (p <̲ .075) difference in occupants' reported occurrence with three problems: 1) high noise levels (p=.072), 2) inadequate weatherstripping or caulking (p=.058), and 3) coverings for sloped windows (p=.033) among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was no difference (p <̲ .075) in occupants' reported occurrence of 1) excessive glare, 2) excessive humidity, 3) condensation on windows, 4) extreme temperature swings, 5) nonresiliency of floors, 6) not warm enough, 7) excessive heat loss through aluminum windows, 8) inadequate shading of deciduous trees, 9) manual use of movable window insulation, 10) inadequate movement of heat, 11) high windows or other glass areas cleaned, 12) fading of furniture, walls, or coverings, 13) lack of privacy, 14) excessive drafts, and 15) rooms cool down too fast among the four categories of passive solar systems. Occupants also did not differ (p <̲ .075) in their overall problem among the four categories of passive solar systems. The findings of this research will be of use and interest to future consumers of passive solar houses and housing professionals involved with passive solar energy. Educators and researchers concerned with solar energy and policy makers dealing with energy issues will also benefit from the study.
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This study focused on the relationship between energy related behaviors prior to and following structural modifications of the residence. If energy saving structural modifications are made, will there ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- The effect of structural modifications on energy conservation behaviors
- Author:
- Beck, Becky Ohmer
This study focused on the relationship between energy related behaviors prior to and following structural modifications of the residence. If energy saving structural modifications are made, will there also be a concommitant change in energy conserving behavioral practices? The objectives of this study were: 1) to create a profile of the sample consisting of those who added one or more structural modifications between March, 1981 and March, 1983 and 2) to determine behavior changes for those respondents who added energy conserving structural features between March, 1981 and March, 1983. Two limitations of energy conservation research as identified by previous researchers in this field were addressed. The ability to address these limitations was accomplished through specific hypotheses testing and the use of data from the Western Regional Project W-159. Longitudinal data for Oregon were obtained by mail survey in March, 1981 and again in March, 1983 from a stratified (50% rural /50 % urban) random sample. With the exception of minor changes, the questionnaire sent in 1983 was identical to the questionnaire sent in 1981. The survey initiated in 1981 to 1,503 Oregon households yielded a 67.2 percent rate (834). In the 1983 survey, questionnaires were sent to the 1981 respondents and to 541 additional randomly selected individuals. Six hundred of the returned questionnaires from the original 834 respondents were usable, a return rate of 89.2 percent. Of the 600 respondents, 170 met two criteria for inclusion in the sample: 1) were homeowners and 2) had completed structural modifications after March, 1981 and prior to March, 1983. Of these 170 respondents, 93 were able to be identified longitudinally. For the present study, two detailed questions were selected from the questionnaire. These questions dealt with structural energy saving modifications which respondents had taken or planned to take in the future, whereas the second question asked what energy conserving behaviors respondents were taking. Six criteria were used to assess energy conserving behaviors, such as change the use of rooms to take advantage of sun-warmed or shaded areas and close off rooms. Nine housing structural modifications were used based on the number of energy conservation features the respondents had added to their homes, such as storm doors and floor insulation. Frequency distributions were used to develop descriptions of respondents and their homes. Males most often responded to the questionnaire. Respondents were characterized by an average age of 47.7 years, a median gross family income in the category of $25,000 through $29,000, some college education, and had an average of 4.4 investments. These respondents lived in homes characterized by an average value range and size range of $50,000 through $74,999 and 1001 square feet through 1500 square feet, respectively, and were most commonly constructed prior to 1945. The majority of homes were located in rural areas and utilized electricity for space heating. The fuel used for water heating was more equally distributed among electricity, oil, wood, and natural gas. Although the results of the t-test and analysis of variance were not statistically significant, possible behavior patterns which support and contradict previous studies related to structural modifications were found. First, the selection of structural modifications which were found to be related to an increase in conservation behaviors were also those which, comparatively, required a greater capital investment, an increased amount of physical labor, and had the greatest energy saving potential. Second, the behavior change scores for respondents who did not add the specific feature decreased from 1981 to 1983 for all features with the exception of weatherstripping and caulking, while behavior change scores for respondents who did add the specific feature decreased for: 1) weatherstripping and caulking, 2) storm doors, 3) glass doors on fireplaces, and 4) wood-burning stoves. Third, energy saving behaviors of respondents increased when insulation related features were added. Fourth, a degree of lifestyle preservation by those who actually made structural changes was suggested by two observations: 1) energy conserving behaviors decreased following structural modifications, and 2) respondents selected energy conserving behaviors which required little or no changes to lifestyle and/or comfort. This study documents patterns of behaviors which emerged following residential structural modifications. A better understanding of residential energy consumption patterns is important to consumers, educators, researchers, utility companies, government officials and others who influence energy programs and policies as well as the housing environment. Knowledge of these behavior patterns may be used by professionals: 1) to educate consumers of indicated behavior patterns and 2) as a basis on which policy decisions can be made to facilitate energy conservation. Only with knowledge of behavior patterns can effective programs and education curricula be planned which sufficiently inform consumers of efficient (effective) energy conservation methods.
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509. [Article] Homeownership : still the American Dream? Perceptions of homeownership in the post crisis era
"The American Dream" is an expression familiar to all Americans and the realization of the American Dream is tied closely to homeownership (Clinton, 1995). The recent financial crisis, with the housing ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Homeownership : still the American Dream? Perceptions of homeownership in the post crisis era
- Author:
- Micek, Thomas P.
"The American Dream" is an expression familiar to all Americans and the realization of the American Dream is tied closely to homeownership (Clinton, 1995). The recent financial crisis, with the housing and financial markets at levels not seen since the Great Depression, has resulted in widespread unemployment, continually dropping home prices, escalating home foreclosures, and tightened lending standards. Significant changes in the home buying behavior of Americans since the start of the crisis are clear but it is not clear if overall perceptions of homeownership have become more negative in the wake of this catastrophe (Joint Center for Housing Studies [JCHS], 2011). Might the marriage of homeownership and the American Dream be a thing of the past? The echo-boomer generation (defined as those born after 1980) comprises the largest group of Americans ever to reach their twenties—peak household formation years. They will play a critical role in the face of American housing in the years to come (JCHS, 2011). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether homeownership remains a goal for members of the echo-boomer generation. The population of interest for this study was college students in the United States who are members of the echo-boomer generation. A chain-referral sampling technique resulted in a non-random sample of 256 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 21. Participants were predominantly white non-Hispanic, single females who rented their residences. Most were undergraduate students representing 35 majors. An on-line questionnaire was used that included both closed and open-ended questions grouped around four primary research questions. (1) Do members of this population view homeownership as a safe investment? Simply put, yes. When asked directly, most participants responded "very safe" or "somewhat safe." Stepwise logistic regression was used to explore the predictor variables for this response. Predictor variables with p<.05 included participants’ expectation of the future direction of housing prices and of the economy, their preferred housing tenure, and whether homeownership was part of their own definition of the American Dream. (2) What is the preferred housing tenure form amongst members of this population? A large majority of participants indicated that they preferred homeownership to renting. Logistic regression analysis suggested strong association between preferred housing tenure and whether the participants viewed homeownership as a safe investment, as well as their belief about which housing tenure form made the most sense for them, and the adequacy of their income. (3) Is Homeownership in the Future Plans of College Student Echo-Boomers? The answer to this question was an emphatic yes. Ninety-three percent of current renters claim future plans to own their homes and 58% of current owners say that they will never rent. Logistic regression (p<.05) found that respondents' current tenure form and tenure preference, as well as their belief in the safety of investment in homeownership were predictors of future housing tenure intentions. (4) Do members of this population view homeownership as part of the "American Dream?" When asked explicitly whether owning a home is part of their own personal American Dream, a large majority of of respondents said yes. Logistic regression analysis found that predictors of this view (p<.05) included expectations of rent prices, age, preferred tenure form, and whether participants saw homeownership as a safe investment. This study was grounded in a social constructionist theoretical framework. Among the social constructions of housing is a deep-seated preference for homeownership as the ideal tenure form. Everyday discourse serves to accentuate the positive aspects of homeownership along with the negative aspects of renting (Gurney,1999). In spite of a deep financial crisis and the heightened role of housing in it, homeownership seems to continue as the preferred housing tenure form among the echo-boom generation. Importantly, homeownership as the embodiment of the American Dream seems to have been unaffected by the crisis.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the marketing strategies of custom clothing home-based business owners by identifying selected demographic characteristics, general business information, marketing ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Marketing strategies of home-based custom clothiers who were members of the Professional Association of Custom Clothiers, Oregon Chapter
- Author:
- Frisbie, ZoeDel E.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the marketing strategies of custom clothing home-based business owners by identifying selected demographic characteristics, general business information, marketing strategies, and current and potential future marketing support from members who were custom clothier home-based business owners affiliated with the Professional Association of Custom Clothiers in the Oregon Chapter. The PACC is an organization developed to assist custom clothier home-based businesses and commercial businesses that are in fields associated with the sewing industry. There is limited research developed exploring areas focused on the marketing of custom clothier home-based businesses. The custom clothier home-based business owner acts as the research and development manager, production manager, and accountant as well as the marketer of the business Therefore, as concluded in previous studies the examination of the marketing strategies used by custom clothiers and any marketing support offered by professional organizations that assist home-based businesses, required further investigation. A self-administered mail survey questionnaire was mailed to all members of the PACC organization in order to collect data for this study. Only members who owned a custom clothier home-based business were asked to participate. The data from 45 of the returned questionnaires were identified as useable and analyzed using a Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 7. Percents and frequencies were used to analyze the demographic characteristics, marketing strategies, and current and potential future marketing support from the PACC organization. Eighty percent of the respondents had been members of the PACC organization for three years or more. The greatest percentage of the respondents (13.33%) had owned their custom clothier business for 12 years. The majority of the respondents contribute fifty percent or less of the total household income. The respondents in the survey confirmed that word-of-mouth communication was the most effective method of promotion for the custom clothier home-based business owner. Networking was the most beneficial item of marketing support the respondents derive from membership in the PACC organization. A Likert Scale with the endpoints of "Very Beneficial and Not Very Beneficial" identified that the respondents also perceive product/service development at meetings as a very beneficial source of marketing support from the PACC organization. Future ideas for possible potential marketing support for the PACC organization included: 1) using the PACC referral service, 2) more publicity for the PACC organization, and 3) more exposure at the national level. Fisher's Exact Test was used to analyze data. Four separate two-by-two tables were developed to compare the respondents as two groups of 1) those respondents who had marketing experience and/or education to 2) those respondents who did not have marketing experience and/or education. Therefore, the column factor in the columns of the two-by-two tables was marketing experience and/or education and was indicated by the respondents on the questionnaire with a "yes" or "no" response. The row factors in each of the four separate two-by-two tables were: 1) geographic range of the clientele. 2) number of competitors in the local area. 3) requests for new fabrics, embellishments, or interfacings, and 4) satisfaction with the level of profits from the business. This investigation revealed that the proportion of the respondents who had marketing experience and/or education were inclined to have clientele outside the designated local area of a 50-mile radius within the location of the home-based business. The two-by-two table that compared the column factor of marketing experience and/or education and the row factor of satisfaction with the level of profits from the business revealed no significant differences between the two groups of respondents. Satisfaction of the business was not associated with either having marketing experience and/or education or not having marketing experience and/or education. Research investigating the marketing strategies of custom clothier home-based business owner is an important topic. The marketing of the custom clothier home-based business is often a complex process and is difficult to master and implement.