Focus on Agricultural Economics
Award winner: Josef Penzinger
The submitted thesis is titled: “On the Utility Value of Price in the Purchase Decision of Daily Foods Determined Using Conjoint and Cluster Analysis Using Fresh and ESL Milk in Vienna as an Example”.
The reviewer, Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Alois Heißenhuber (TU Munich-Weihenstephan), noted in his laudatory speech that the thesis goes far beyond the usual requirements for a thesis. The thesis provides a comprehensive introduction to the foundation and methodological approach. Mr. Penzinger applies a sophisticated methodology, conjoint analysis and the subsequent cluster analysis. The thesis is also characterized by an extremely comprehensive and well-founded empirical application, with a survey of more than 400 consumers.
Focus on Agricultural Sociology
Award winner: DIinBarbara Enengel
The submitted thesis is titled: “Excursion and educational tourism as a contribution to integrated, sustainable regional development – A portfolio analysis of international offerings and their transferability to the Obst-Hügel-Land Nature Park”.
The reviewer, Ruth Rossier (ETH, Dipl. Agr., Socioeconomics Division), acknowledged the submitted work as being of a very high standard. The thesis creates a sustainability index and uses it to evaluate specific projects in a nature park. Local stakeholders are involved in the evaluation through focus groups, which allows for local acceptance to be determined. The chosen methodological approach is creative, efficient, and solution-oriented. The thesis serves as a model because it consistently implements a holistic approach to sustainability.
