A heuristic model to identify and measure the perception of success in a nascent wine industry

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to identify the main factors which contribute to the perceptions of success in the wine industry of Nova Scotia, Canada. Commercial winemaking in Nova Scotia is a nascent industry. An investigation into this regional industry can certainly benefit the local winemakers and help indentify commonalities for further research in other similar regions. The data used in the study is based on 17 different case studies related to this regional industry. These case studies are in the form of interviews with winemakers, winery owners and industry stakeholders. Local demand, expansion opportunities and growing conditions are amongst the main identified factors. Using the identified factors, a heuristic model for determining an index for the success perception by the industry, was built. In addition to working out an index, the heuristic model can also help winery managers to perform what-if analyses by altering the weightings of the factors or compare their situation with other wineries. As part of the ongoing research, it is envisaged that further work to enhance this model will be carried out as part of ongoing research in this area.