scholarly journals 522 Cost Analysis and Perceived Value of Selected Landscape Features

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 485B-485
Author(s):  
Jill Hardy ◽  
Bridget Behe ◽  
Susan Barton ◽  
Thomas Page ◽  
R. Thomas Fernandez ◽  
...  

For most residential home improvements, excluding landscapes, professionals can document return on investment. Our objective was to compare costs of installing landscapes with perceived home value, and determine return on investment. We administered surveys in eight selected U.S. cities in 1999. Self-selected participants from home and garden shows were asked to examine a photograph of a home without landscaping (base home), and were given its value estimated by local realtors. Participants were asked to view 16 additional photographs of the base home with different landscapes. Cost estimates for landscape materials and installation were calculated. Results showed that a sophisticated landscape with large and diverse plant material added up to 13% to the perceived value of a new $200,000 home. On average, any level of landscaping added value to the home. The increase in perceived value as a percentage of project cost was greatest for simple designs with small evergreen plant material. Complicated designs that included hardscapes and large, diverse plant material returned the least. In general, we found that return on investment for landscaping is comparable to the returns gained on several major home improvements, yet differed with respect to geographic region. We found that colored hardscape, developed from a red brick paver walkway, returned less than color from flowering annuals. Return on investment was greatest for annual plants added for color.

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 224-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Hardy ◽  
Bridget K. Behe ◽  
Susan S. Barton ◽  
Thomas J. Page ◽  
Robert E. Schutzki ◽  
...  

Abstract How much value do consumers place on a good landscape? Self-selected attendees to a Detroit, MI, flower show indicated that plant size was the most important factor in the perceived value of a landscape. Holding other factors equal, increasing from the smallest size plant generally available for installation to the largest size defined in our study increased perceived home value by 5.0%. Design sophistication was almost as important as size. Holding other factors equal, upgrading from a traditional foundation planting to a sophisticated design that incorporated multiple bed and curved bedlines increased perceived home value by 4.5%. The type of plant material used was the least important. The relative importance of plant material selection as a factor contributing value added to the home by the landscape was almost half that of plant size and over 40% less than design sophistication. The conjoint model produced from 158 survey responses predicted that from the least valued landscape to the most valued landscape the perceived value of the home increased 12.7%.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Bodendorf ◽  
Manuel Lutz ◽  
Stefan Michelberger ◽  
Joerg Franke

Purpose Cost transparency is of central importance to reach a consensus between supply chain partners. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the instrument of cost analysis which supports the link between buyers and suppliers. Design/methodology/approach Based on a detailed literature review in the area of cost analysis and purchasing, intelligent decision support systems for cost estimation are identified. Subsequently, expert interviews are conducted to determine the application possibilities for managers. The application potential is derived from the synthesis of motivation, identified applications and challenges in the industry. Management recommendations are to be derived by bringing together scientific and practical approaches in the industry. Findings On the one hand, the results of this study show that machine learning (ML) is a complex technology that poses many challenges for cost and purchasing managers. On the other hand, ML methods, especially in combination with expert knowledge and other analytical methods, offer immense added value for cost analysis in purchasing. Originality/value Digital transformation allows to facilitate the cost calculation process in purchasing decisions. In this context, the application of ML approaches has gained increased attention. While such approaches can lead to high cost reductions on the side of both suppliers and buyers, an intelligent cost analysis is very demanding.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheenam Jain ◽  
Malin Sundström

Purpose Today, customers’ perceived value does not only depend on the products, but also on the services provided by a firm. In e-commerce, it is important to shift the focus beyond the product and discuss the value of personalized services in the context of e-commerce fulfillment. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is twofold: to develop a conceptual framework proposing satisfaction through personalized services as a middle-range theory; and to suggest foundational premises supporting the theoretical framework, which in turn shape middle-range theory within the context of apparel e-commerce fulfillment. Design/methodology/approach In this theory-driven paper, the authors apply the scientific circle of enquiry, as it demonstrates the role of theorizing with the help of middle-range theory and empirical evidence and as such provides a methodological scaffolding that connects theory formulation and verification. The authors synthesize literature related to customer perceived value (CPV) and satisfaction, followed by abduction focusing on understanding the empirical domain as it occurred in practice from company cases. The presented case studies are based on semi-structured interviews with three Swedish online retailers within the apparel industry. The theory-driven analysis results in suggestions of foundational premises. Findings Based on the theoretical foundations and empirical generalizations, three propositions are suggested. The premises regarding satisfaction through personalized service applied in the domain of apparel e-commerce fulfillment are: to ensure customer satisfaction requires a value co-creation perspective using data during the pre-purchase phase; to ensure customer satisfaction and retention require added-value perspective during the post-purchase phase of the shopping journey; and to ensure satisfaction and convenience require an added-value perspective at the last mile. Practical implications The apparel firms lose a substantial amount of revenue because of poor online customer satisfaction, leading to e-commerce not reaching its full potential. To enhance customer value, online retailers need to find a resort in advanced technologies and analytics to address customer satisfaction, and it is suggested that retailers shift their focus beyond the products and find ways to improve personalized service offerings to gain market advantage, improve fulfillment, drive sales and increase CPV. Originality/value To consider personalized services as a source for improving e-commerce fulfillment and CPV, the main contribution of this study is conceptual as it presents a theoretical model developed from general theory, middle-range theory and verified with empirical claims.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Rodríguez-Díaz ◽  
Rosa Rodríguez-Díaz ◽  
Tomás Espino-Rodríguez

This study analyzes customers’ online social communication to rate lodgings and tourist destinations. A practical methodology is proposed to analyze the online reputation of lodgings as well as the main concepts rated by customers in their online social communication process. To this end, an empirical study was carried out by analyzing the online opinions expressed by customers on the Booking.com tourist lodging website. Based on the information available, three new variables were created and analyzed that represent clearly defined concepts in the minds of consumers. This includes “service quality,” “perceived value,” and “added value.” This study shows that perceived value and service quality are concepts evaluated by customers that are able to differentiate between lodgings in tourist destinations. Therefore, the results show that the online social communication that takes place through this portal has the capacity to guide potential customers by differentiating between the services offered by lodging companies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan A. Jensen ◽  
Patrick Walsh ◽  
Joe Cobbs

Purpose The achievement of a requisite return on investment (ROI) from a brand’s investment in sponsorships of sport events is becoming increasingly important. Consequently, evolving trends in the consumption of the live television broadcasts of such events (e.g. increased usage of second screens by consumers) are an important consideration. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of second screen use during sport broadcast consumption on important marketing outcomes (i.e. brand awareness and the perceived value and intrusiveness of sponsor brand integration), and whether effectiveness is dependent on the consumer’s level of identification with the sport being broadcast. Design/methodology/approach A 2×2 (experimental/control and high SportID/low SportID) between-subjects experimental design featuring the broadcast of a sport event as the stimuli was utilized to examine a potential interaction effect between sport identification and second screen use on three dependent variables important for sport sponsors. Findings Results confirmed that those with a high level of sport identification realized significantly higher levels of brand awareness for sponsors integrated into the broadcast. However, when consumers were asked to engage in second screen use, the experiment revealed a moderating effect of sport identification on the impact of second screen use, for both brand awareness and the perceived value of the brand integration. Originality/value Consumers with higher levels of sport identification are an important target of sport sponsorship activities by brand marketers. Given this, the implication that second screen use can reduce the effectiveness of important sponsorship-related outcomes such as brand awareness is a sobering result for marketers expecting a positive ROI from sponsorships of sport events.


2020 ◽  
Vol 106 ◽  
pp. 104515
Author(s):  
Margaret R. Kuklinski ◽  
Monica L. Oxford ◽  
Susan J. Spieker ◽  
Mary Jane Lohr ◽  
Charles B. Fleming

TEM Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1508-1513
Author(s):  
Alena Tažiková ◽  
Zuzana Struková ◽  
Juraj Talian ◽  
Anna Ficiková

The article deals with roof building structures that allow the use of solar energy in the segment of family houses. Modern technologies include photovoltaic roofing, which, in addition to the production of electricity, also fully replaces the roofing itself. It does not disturb the resulting aesthetic and architectural impression of the roof. The article analyzes the cost, return on investment and service life of four solar solutions that are applied to the roof structure of a family house. The use of solar energy is currently small in the segment of family houses in Slovakia despite state subsidies. As this is an ecological way of obtaining energy, there is a need for more discussion on this topic in order to ensure the sustainability of the planet.


Author(s):  
Ma. Teresa B. Lirag

The presence of cacao industry plays a critical role in the economic development of a country. A study was conducted to determine the cost, return and added value along the value chain stages of cacao in Camarines Sur, Philippines. Sixty-eight farmers served as respondents using purposive sampling technique and interviews/key informant surveys were conducted. Results of the study showed that cacao production has high return on investment of 77.89% and 160% for the farmer and processor, respectively but a low return on investment of 13% for traders. The value added from farmer to processor is Php 590.00/kilogram, and Php 125.00/kilogram from processor to trader. Various opportunities and prospects for cacao production had been identified such as increased technical and production support from the government, presence of R & D programs, increasing trend towards wellness & healthy lifestyle, and increasing businesses offering cocoa-based products. Recommendations include improvement in access and availability of processing facilities, improvement of market information for farmers, provision of trainings to enhance capability of farmers, strengthening of farmers’ groups to increase their access to technical and financial assistance from government and provision of infrastructure support and storage facilities.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Behe ◽  
J. Hardy ◽  
S. Barton ◽  
J. Brooker ◽  
T. Fernandez ◽  
...  

Abstract Little consumer research is available to help landscape design and installation businesses develop service marketing strategies. We investigated the effect of three components of a landscape design on the perceived value of a home. This information would be useful in marketing lawn and landscape services to prospective clients. Our objective was to provide a consumer perspective on the value of the components in a ‘good’ landscape and determine which attributes of a landscape consumers valued most. Using conjoint design, 1323 volunteer participants in seven states viewed 16 photographs that depicted the front of a landscaped residence. Landscapes were constructed using various levels of three attributes: plant material type, design sophistication, and plant size. Results showed that the relative importance increased from plant material type to plant size to design sophistication. Across all seven markets, study participants perceived that home value increased from 5% to 11% for homes with a good landscape.


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