Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate and compare the perceptions of competitive advantage (cost leadership, differentiation, and performance) of those wineries which have implemented a clear business case for an environmental management system (EMS) and those which have not. Benefits and challenges of sustainability practices are also addressed. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected via self-report web-based survey. Of the 98 respondents, over 80 per cent were family-owned, family-managed. Findings -Those respondents with a clear business case for EMS exhibited significant differences in cost leadership and differentiation advantages over those without a clear business case for EMS. Those with a clear EMS derived significantly greater supply chain optimization and operational efficiencies than those without a clear EMS. Those with a clear EMS also felt that they gained an enhanced ability to enter new markets to a much greater extent than those without a clear EMS. Results of this study demonstrate a significantly higher level of commitment by those respondents with a clear EMS when addressing sustainability initiatives during a current economic down turn over those who did not. Those respondents who had a clear EMS indicated that they had somewhat increased their sustainability commitments, rather than conducting business as usual with no change or somewhat decreasing sustainability commitments as those who did not have a clear EMS. Originality/value -Activities that create competitive advantages for wine businesses are understudied; this research bridges that gap.

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Purpose\ud – This purpose of this investigation is to compare the perceptions of competitive advantage through cost leadership and differentiation with sustainable practices of wineries from the USA, Italy and Spain.\ud \ud Design/methodology/approach\ud – Data are collected via self-report web-based surveys in California, Tuscany and Catalonia in 2010-2011 during a severe economic downturn in the wine industry.\ud \ud Findings\ud – Of the 260 respondents among the three country samples, over 75 per cent are family-owned and family-managed. Respondents indicate who has implemented a clear business case for an Environmental Management System (EMS) and who has not. Benefits and challenges of implementing sustainability practices are also addressed.\ud \ud Practical implications\ud – A comparable percentage of respondents across the three countries indicated a “clear business case for EMS”. Wineries in all three countries perceive that they have competitive advantage through implementation of EMS and commitment to sustainable practices. Top perceived benefits for respondents from the USA and Italy are focused on cost reduction strategies, while top perceived benefits for Spanish respondents are focused on differentiation strategies.\ud \ud Originality/value\ud – Activities that create competitive advantages for wine businesses in different countries are understudied; this research bridges that gap

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Business school accrediting agencies and employers increasingly demand evidence that students are mastering information competency (IC) skills. The authors present an innovative approach to inculcate IC skills in the strategic management "capstone" class, integrating cross-departmental student training in using electronic information sources, pretests and posttests of student familiarity with such resources, an externally judged team case presentation sequence, and a unique research log component. Their results from the pretests and posttests show preliminary evidence of IC mastery, supported by anecdotal evidence from participants and judges. The authors also offer guidance for implementing and evaluating this exercise.