- Email: [email protected]
Wine: A Global Business
1152
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
endnote references that add value to this resource. Gunn answers the question posed in his title with a possible resounding ‘‘yes!’’ Those in a position to make it a reality should certainly read this book; the rest of us ‹ will be watching hopefully as the saga continues. Daniel Erkkila: University of Minnesota Tourism Center, Grand Rapids MN 55744, USA. Email
Assigned 20 June 2004. Submitted 13 May 2005. Accepted 25 May 2005 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.05.002 Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 1152–1153, 2005 Printed in Great Britain 0160-7383/$30.00
www.elsevier.com/locate/atoures
Wine: A Global Business Edited by Liz Thach and Tim Matz. Miranda Press 2004, ix + 235 pp (references, index, illustrations) $39.95 Pbk. ISBN 0-9715870-2-7 Peter Williams Simon Fraser University, Canada Although many publications exist that eloquently describe the location and abundance of wineries, information concerning the strategic and operational characteristics of the wine industry is relatively limited. A growing glut of grapes, an explosion in new wineries and aspiring owners, an unprecedented number of corporate business mergers, an unimaginable increase in the number and distribution of global brands, and the emergence of wine tourism have all intensified the need for information concerning these trends and strategic approaches to addressing them. This book provides global and local perspectives on how businesses are strategically addressing competitive forces in the wine industry. It offers valuable insights into those strategies and practices being employed to create more sustainable and viable ventures. While organized around core components of traditional business management strategy, the book’s content is sufficiently focused on its themes to not be yet another business text. Each chapter illustrates how traditional business management principles are being adapted to the peculiarities of the industry. Topics discussed reach from global issues (such as emerging consumer markets) to winery taxation matters (winery capitalization strategy). Readers become acutely aware that while this business has a glamorous fac¸ ade, the success of individual operations is dependent on addressing some very challenging business realities. Almost all of the examples and perspectives presented are offered from a New World perspective, free from the burden of wine history and tradition. While this viewpoint is revealing and provides a good basis for comparative analyses, there is a
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
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worrying dismissive tone to the authors’ reactions to Old World practices. Indeed, the longer term benefits of New World consumer-designed versus Old World terroir -based wine production strategies have yet to be settled in the market place. Given the continued dominance of wine exports from Old World (a 64% market share in 2001), it may not be prudent to discount its approaches too soon. Despite the fact that wine tourism is noted as an important strategic option for wineries, surprisingly little direct attention is afforded to it in the book. Notwithstanding this deficiency, there are numerous discussions in the text that have indirect relevance to its management. In particular, the book’s discussion of approaches to product and market positioning, branding, diversification, and environmental management are applicable to a variety of wine tourism and other agritourism management situations. For researchers, the book’s most important insights are associated with descriptions of wine industry corporatization trends. The authors suggest that ongoing global consolidation trends are not only reshaping production and management practices, but are also reconfiguring the competitiveness of independent winery operations. As is frequently the case with corporate business practices, the uniqueness of geographic places and practices are increasingly being traded off for other business priorities to the detriment of local values and traditions. For example, if in the interests of economies of scale, risk reduction, and product distribution efficiencies, corporations promote the appeal of placeless global wine brands, the demand for locations with alluring terroir and unique wines may be jeopardized. Discussion of such implications is not mentioned in the book. Despite consisting of contributions of several authors, the editors have tightly integrated these contributions into a cohesive discussion. Each chapter is jammed full with relevant examples. Tables and figures are currently up to date and very informative. However, the rapidly changing nature of wine market performance and corporate business acquisitions will make some of them obsolete relatively soon. The authors are credible academic or professional practitioners, who have made this publication a quick and easy read. The book is particularly appropriate for students pursuing business management, viticulture, and entrepreneurship courses; wine industry operators developing more competitive management strategies; and rural development advisors promoting innovative forms of wine industry enterprise. Peter Williams: Centre for Tourism Policy and Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC, CanadaV7T 2G4. Email
Assigned 3 March 2005. Submitted 28 March 2005. Resubmitted 5 April 2005. Accepted 14 April 2005 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.04.006
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
endnote references that add value to this resource. Gunn answers the question posed in his title with a possible resounding ‘‘yes!’’ Those in a position to make it a reality should certainly read this book; the rest of us ‹ will be watching hopefully as the saga continues. Daniel Erkkila: University of Minnesota Tourism Center, Grand Rapids MN 55744, USA. Email
Assigned 20 June 2004. Submitted 13 May 2005. Accepted 25 May 2005 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.05.002 Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 1152–1153, 2005 Printed in Great Britain 0160-7383/$30.00
www.elsevier.com/locate/atoures
Wine: A Global Business Edited by Liz Thach and Tim Matz. Miranda Press
PUBLICATIONS IN REVIEW
1153
worrying dismissive tone to the authors’ reactions to Old World practices. Indeed, the longer term benefits of New World consumer-designed versus Old World terroir -based wine production strategies have yet to be settled in the market place. Given the continued dominance of wine exports from Old World (a 64% market share in 2001), it may not be prudent to discount its approaches too soon. Despite the fact that wine tourism is noted as an important strategic option for wineries, surprisingly little direct attention is afforded to it in the book. Notwithstanding this deficiency, there are numerous discussions in the text that have indirect relevance to its management. In particular, the book’s discussion of approaches to product and market positioning, branding, diversification, and environmental management are applicable to a variety of wine tourism and other agritourism management situations. For researchers, the book’s most important insights are associated with descriptions of wine industry corporatization trends. The authors suggest that ongoing global consolidation trends are not only reshaping production and management practices, but are also reconfiguring the competitiveness of independent winery operations. As is frequently the case with corporate business practices, the uniqueness of geographic places and practices are increasingly being traded off for other business priorities to the detriment of local values and traditions. For example, if in the interests of economies of scale, risk reduction, and product distribution efficiencies, corporations promote the appeal of placeless global wine brands, the demand for locations with alluring terroir and unique wines may be jeopardized. Discussion of such implications is not mentioned in the book. Despite consisting of contributions of several authors, the editors have tightly integrated these contributions into a cohesive discussion. Each chapter is jammed full with relevant examples. Tables and figures are currently up to date and very informative. However, the rapidly changing nature of wine market performance and corporate business acquisitions will make some of them obsolete relatively soon. The authors are credible academic or professional practitioners, who have made this publication a quick and easy read. The book is particularly appropriate for students pursuing business management, viticulture, and entrepreneurship courses; wine industry operators developing more competitive management strategies; and rural development advisors promoting innovative forms of wine industry enterprise. Peter Williams: Centre for Tourism Policy and Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC, CanadaV7T 2G4. Email
Assigned 3 March 2005. Submitted 28 March 2005. Resubmitted 5 April 2005. Accepted 14 April 2005 doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.04.006