NCCC_OLD65: Social Change in the Marketplace: Producers, Retailers, Consumers
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCCC_OLD65: Social Change in the Marketplace: Producers, Retailers, Consumers
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The five-year goal for NCR-65 collaborators is to increase the overall quality, quantity and
competitiveness of research related to social change in the marketplace by initiating systematic
efforts to strengthen the research infrastructure for scientist in this area of inquiry. Researchers in
this area are under-represented in the competitive research funding arena. A greater number of
researchers in the field must receive external funding to generate knowledge related to social
change in the marketplace and move the research agenda forward in this critical and dynamic
area of inquiry. A programmatic effort spanning five years is proposed. Specifically, a series of
targeted workshops is planned to assist scholars of social change in the marketplace to increase
the quality and competitiveness of their research.
Workshops will address successful strategies for seeking and acquiring research funding.
Scholars from a diverse array of subject fields and institutions will be targeted. Workshops will
focus on developing high quality research and competitive proposals related to the following
CSREES
- Social change and development
- Economic development and policy
- Natural resources and the environment
The workshop sessions are planned to enhance scholars' ability to successfully acquire funding
for research support. We intend to include scholars in this project from a diverse array of subject
matter fields and institutions.
NCR-65 has served as a catalyst for two major regional research projects, NC 192. Rural
Retailing: Producer, Retailer and Consumers, and NC 222. Impact of Technology on Rural
Consumers Access to Food and Fiber Products. NCR-65 members planned and sponsored two
national conferences (1995, 1999), known as the Rural Retailing Conferences that brought
together diverse groups to report and discuss the latest research, technology and policies affecting
rural retailers. Participants discussed strategies for insuring consumer access to needed goods
and services in rural America.
NCR-65 also sponsored special topic sessions at the 1998 and 2000 meetings of the International
Textile and Apparel Association. The purpose of those sessions was to bring together faculty
from U.S. and foreign universities to discuss social changes occurring in the marketplace, and to
develop strategies for multi-institutional research beyond the Land Grant University system. The
result of those sessions was the identification of four priority topics that textiles and apparel
scholars are well positioned to address:
- Technology and Its Impact on Consumer/ Retailer/Producer Actions in the Marketplace
- Society's Impact on Appearance/Image and Consumer Apparel Choices
- Consumer Choices in the Marketplace and Implications for Health, Safety, and the Environment
- Societal and Government Pressures for Social Responsibility and Their Impact on Consumer/Retailer/ Producers Actions.
This effort by NCR65 to enhance the research infrastructure is dependent upon collaboration
among its multiple state members because the investigation of social change in the marketplace
is both national and global in scope. The NCR-65 members are multi-disciplinary in terms of
expertise in subject matter, research and outreach programs. In addition, each member has
experience with different types of funding sources. This diverse group will serve as a catalyst for
constructing, implementing and evaluating the infrastructure for research support and external
funding.
Objectives
-
Provide an opportunity for scholars to develop grantsmanship skills to secure federal funding.
-
Help workshop attendees develop skills necessary to attract private/industry support and initiate partnerships.
-
Develop a proposal in partnership with colleagues from 1890 institutions to support their faculty members' participation in the program.
-
Provide information on the development and management of a research program based on external funding.
-
Collect data to model processes of research program development through conducting a pre-test and post-test assessment of the workshops.
-
Examine the state of external funding received by workshop participants to assess outcomes of NCR-65 workshops.
Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- This project offers the potential impacts of strengthening the scientific base of the research program and increasing the effect of research on public policy. The research infrastructure related to social change in the marketplace will be strengthened by:<ul> <li>Increased numbers of proposals initiated and submitted to Federal and private/ industry sources by workshop participants. <li>Increased numbers of reviews received by participants. <li>Increased amount of external dollars received by participants. <li>Increased numbers of scientists working in this field on Federal project reviews and review panels. <li>Profiles and characteristics of successful proposals. <li>Increased numbers of manuscripts submitted to journals. <li>Increased numbers of scholars whose work is cited in leading research abstract indices. <li>Increased funding and research productivity on the part of ethnic minority researchers. <li>Development of model research programs related to social change in the marketplace.</ul>
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
NCR-65 members will organize a series of (fee-based, self-supporting)
workshops to be led by professional consultants. Evaluation of the impact of the workshop series
will include pre-workshop and post-workshop assessments to test knowledge gained through
workshop attendance. Follow-up contact with each of the workshop participants will be
conducted by NCR-65 members over the five year period.
Organization/Governance
The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. All officers are to be elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited