Perceived efficacy of sustainability strategies in the US, Italian, and Spanish wine industries

Abstract

Purpose\ud – This purpose of this investigation is to compare the perceptions of competitive advantage through cost leadership and differentiation with sustainable practices of wineries from the USA, Italy and Spain.\ud \ud Design/methodology/approach\ud – Data are collected via self-report web-based surveys in California, Tuscany and Catalonia in 2010-2011 during a severe economic downturn in the wine industry.\ud \ud Findings\ud – Of the 260 respondents among the three country samples, over 75 per cent are family-owned and family-managed. Respondents indicate who has implemented a clear business case for an Environmental Management System (EMS) and who has not. Benefits and challenges of implementing sustainability practices are also addressed.\ud \ud Practical implications\ud – A comparable percentage of respondents across the three countries indicated a “clear business case for EMS”. Wineries in all three countries perceive that they have competitive advantage through implementation of EMS and commitment to sustainable practices. Top perceived benefits for respondents from the USA and Italy are focused on cost reduction strategies, while top perceived benefits for Spanish respondents are focused on differentiation strategies.\ud \ud Originality/value\ud – Activities that create competitive advantages for wine businesses in different countries are understudied; this research bridges that gap

Environmental Proactivity and Environmental and Economic Performance: Evidence from the Winery Sector

“…This is because it could provide wineries with competitive advantages as a result of cost reduction or product differentiation thanks to eco-labelling, for example, and through an improvement in the firm's reputation [26]. Consumers might consider products to be unique or innovative if they are produced in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way [73]. Previous studies, however, reveal that the personal environmental values of those responsible are also important for environmental proactivity in this sector [22].…”

“…Unsurprisingly, other factors do exist that determine and explain the economic results of wineries, such as label and designation of origin [27]. The importance of these results stems from the fact that wineries have traditionally ignored environmental concerns which they consider to be irrelevant since this is not one of most polluting sectors [73]. There is, however, evidence to suggest that such an approach is wrong.…”

“…In an increasingly competitive and more socially responsible setting, the generation of competitive advantages associated with sustainability is paramount for the survival of firms [6] in general and wineries in particular [73]. Sustainability is the path to finding economic, ecological, and social balance, resulting in prosperity and the capitalization of new resources [7].…”

Wine Tourism and Sustainability: A Review

“…The literature shows that, although the perception of green and sustainable issues in wine differs among countries [42] and some industries are greener than others [35], consumers give importance to environmental attributes when purchasing wine [43]. Yet, it is important to underline that differences among countries depend on the degree of involvement of associations, institutions, policy-makers and the cultural approach to green issues [35,37]; this set of factors influences the entrepreneurial attitude towards green issues [38].…”

“…Research carried out in the field of the wine business has shown that a multiplicity of drivers coexist with the aim of promoting a sustainable orientation among wine business stakeholders [34][35][36][37][38].…”