Abstract
This thesis comprises three chapters focusing on Discrete Choice Experiments (DCEs). The topics include a background on DCEs, a study examining policy preferences for wildfire prevention and management in Greece, and a study examining consumer preferences for Tribally-branded agricultural products in the Pacific Northwest.Chapter 1 introduces DCEs by discussing their historical background, different models used, their suitability and limitations, applications across various disciplines, and best practices for designing and conducting DCEs.
Chapter 2 focuses on assessing policy preferences for wildfire prevention and management in Greece using a DCE. The survey used contains demographic questions, questions surrounding risk perceptions, and a DCE to analyze preferences for fire prevention policies. Findings reveal that respondents generally perceive themselves as somewhat vulnerable to wildfires. When comparing preferences for fire management entities, respondents express trust in national-level entities like the Greek Forest Service and the Greek Fire Service for fire management, as opposed to the Municipal Civil Protection Office or Local NGOs (non-profits). Awareness and education-based policies receive strong support, indicating a consensus among respondents. However, willingness to pay for fire interventions is limited, possibly influenced by factors such as the recent financial crisis and perceptions of government effectiveness.
Chapter 3 focuses on consumer preferences for Tribally-branded agricultural products in the Pacific Northwest using a DCE. The survey used contains demographic questions, attitude questions regarding health, environment, and diversity, and a DCE to analyze consumer preferences for three different products with varying food labels. Findings reveal that Tribal labels are preferred over no label and generate small price premiums for all products tested . Additionally, the USDA Organic label generates preference and price premiums across products, surpassing the estimates for Tribal labels. The Salmon-Safe label has mixed significance across products. These findings indicate potential demand for Tribally-branded agricultural products, suggesting opportunities for increasing Native food sovereignty and food security through agricultural production and marketing. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility of producing and marketing such products.