Implementation of operational environmental practices in the Ontario (Canada) wine industry : perceptions, constructs, intent.

Abstract

Environmental sustainability is a topic of great interest in the Ontario (Canada) wine industry. Following the lead of several wine industries around the world, the Wine Council of Ontario launched a proactive plan for environmental sustainability that culminated with the release of the Environmental Charter for Winemaking Industry in 2007. The Charter outlines environmental best practices and establishes benchmarks for the grape and wine producers in Ontario. With some wineries pioneering the implementation of the recommended environmental practices and others taking a backseat and delaying it, this study’s purpose is to understand the intent to implement environmental practices as part of operational processes within the Ontario (Canada) wine industry by using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as the framework of analysis. A constructivist approach using multiple case study design is used to explore the determinants of intention. Twenty wineries are interviewed and repertory grid employed as the chosen technique of data collection. Cluster, content and principal component analysis are conducted with the results indicating that TPB is an appropriate frame of analysis for implementation intent. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this study proposes an updated model for intention applicable to environmental practices. As a practical contribution, recommendations and a list of motivators of implementation intent is developed. Further research to test the proposed model is suggested to alleviate case studies limitations.