Hedonic, Distance, Sensitivity analysis, R0, Q5, C8,

C31, C51, D12, R21,

PurposeMuch of the research into the development of home within the business literature has looked at home as a setting or a construct instead of as a process. Additionally, extant research has explored the process of homebuilding within the context of homeownership, often defining home in terms of a place that is owned by the individual living in it. However, nearly 30 percent of all housing units in which people live are rented spaces that are owned by others not living there. The purpose of this paper is to examine homebuilding as a process that can and often does occur in properties that the individual does not own.Design/methodology/approachUsing a phenomenological approach, in‐depth interviews with renters lead to the development of a conceptual model of how renters build a sense of “home.”FindingsThe paper finds that though ownership does play a part in some individuals' sense of home, apartment dwellers often are able to build a “home” within an apartment context.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the research include the small sample size; however, the process resulting from a small size may be used to develop hypotheses for future quantitative research.Practical implicationsThe process outlined here may provide apartment communities and managers with insight into how they may retain tenants.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on an understanding of home that removes the notion of ownership from its definition, providing insight into how consumers build a sense of home in places they may not be able to physically alter.

R48, D01,

This study examines the effects of receipt of business assistance services from the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) on manufacturing establishment performance. The results generally indicate that MEP services have had positive and significant impacts on establishment productivity and sales per worker for the 2002 to 2007 period with some exceptions based on employment size, industry, and type of service provided. MEP services have also increased the probability of establishment survival for the 1997 to 2007 period. Regardless of econometric model specification, MEP clients with 1 to 19 employees have statistically significant and higher levels of labor productivity growth. The authors also observed significant productivity differences associated with MEP services by broad sector, with higher impacts over the 2002 to 2007 period in the durable goods manufacturing sector. The study further finds that establishments receiving MEP assistance are more likely to survive than those that do not receive MEP assistance.