Choice Experiment Approach Research Articles

Exploring the preferences of wildlife recreationists for features of boreal forest management: a choice experiment approach

This study uses stated preference methods to determine how Saskatchewan moose hunters and wildlife viewers would choose among hypothetical boreal forest management scenarios described by six attributes. The results suggest that preferences for these attributes differ between hunters and viewers and to a lesser extent among rural and urban residents participating in each activity. The preference models were applied to two management plans proposed by the Saskatchewan Forest Habitat Project to produce moose and woodland caribou habitat in a set of five areas visited by the wildlife recreationists in central Saskatchewan. The results suggest that the hunters would benefit from these plans more than the viewers. This information indicates that passive-use values rather than use values may play an important role in justifying forest management schemes which benefit wildlife species.

Exploring the preferences of wildlife recreationists for features of boreal forest management: a choice experiment approach

This study uses stated preference methods to determine how Saskatchewan moose hunters and wildlife viewers would choose among hypothetical boreal forest management scenarios described by six attrib...

A day in the city: Using conjoint choice experiments to model urban tourists' choice of activity packages

This paper introduces and tests a conjoint choice experiment approach to modeling urban tourists' choice of activity packages. The joint logit model is introduced as a tool to model choices between combinations of activities and an experimental design approach is proposed that includes attributes from multiple alternatives as well as interactions between attributes of different alternatives. Tests for possible differences in parameter values for attributes when introduced in different parts of the day are also supported. The proposed approach was implemented and tested in a case study on Dutch urban tourists' choices of activity packages for a weekend in Paris. Shopping and sightseeing were the activities evaluated most positively. A number of significant interactions between choices of activities for different parts of the weekend was observed, with a general preference for variation in activities, and no significant interactions between choices of evening and daytime activities. It was found that respondents in the case study did not evaluate activities differently depending on the period of the weekend in which they were introduced.

Consumer preferences for the quality characteristics of sorghum grain in Eastern Uganda: A choice experiment approach

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important staple food crop for millions of food insecure people in the Semi-Arid Tropics. However, the crop has not been fully exploited due to undesirable consumer characteristics. The objective of this study was to identify quality characteristics that consumers of sorghum prefer so as to increase its consumption in Uganda. Quality in this study was evaluated based on four sensory characteristics of atapa (atapa is a local name for sorghum paste in Eastern Uganda): colour, aroma, taste and texture; and grain size. A choice experiment was conducted to analyse consumer preferences for quality characteristics of atapa. The discrete choices obtained from the choice experiment were analysed using Mixed Logit models fitted in preference- and willingness to pay-space. Results revealed that sweet taste, good aroma, elastic texture and big grain size had positive effects on the consumer preference. In terms of magnitude, sweet taste had the largest effect on consumer preference followed by aroma. Grain size was important because consumers believed that the bigger the size, the more the flour that would be obtained after milling. None of the colours was found to be important; instead respondents associate the existing colours of different varieties with their known texture, taste and aroma. There were also significant positive implicit prices for the preferred (non-colour) attributes, implying that consumers were willing to pay a price premium for sweet taste, good aroma, elastic texture and big grain size. The highest premium would be paid for sweet taste (US$ 0.69) followed by good aroma (US$ 0.39). We also evaluated five hypothetical varieties (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) based on the implicit prices of the individual attributes that constitute the varieties. We found out that varieties with a good taste, good aroma, elastic texture and big grain size had larger total willingness to pay values than those missing any of these attributes. We conclude that sweet taste and aroma and elastic texture are the most important quality attributes of atapa. Thus, we recommend to sorghum breeders to consider these quality attributes in their breeding programmes if consumption of sorghum-based foods is to increase.