AERU Research
We conduct research in a number of areas, from economic contributions, to modeling and forecasting the impacts of economic, environmental and social policies.
We conduct research in a number of areas, from economic contributions, to modelling and forecasting the impacts of economic and environmental policy. The AERU uses cutting-edge methods to produce robust and comprehensible research, backed with academic rigour. For digital copies of all publicly-released AERU research, please visit the Lincoln University Research Archive (https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/7).
Strategies to maximize export returns for New Zealand's primary industries.
Rigorous examination of consumer preferences and willingness-to-pay, as well as digital media communication and marketing avenues to increase returns in target export markets for New Zealand's primary products.
For more information on this work, please click here.
Examples include:
Maximising Export Returns (MER): The use of digital media and smart technology in shopping and information gathering for food and beverages in markets relevant to New Zealand. Timothy Driver, Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther, Paul Dalziel and Paul Rutherford. AERU Research Report No. 337, December 2015.
Maximising Export Returns (MER): Consumer attitudes towards attributes of food and beverages in export markets relevant to New Zealand. Meike Guenther, Caroline Saunders, Paul Dalziel, Paul Rutherford and Timothy Driver. AERU Research Report No. 336, November 2015.
Maximising Export Returns (MER): Consumer attitudes to New Zealand food product attributes and technology use in key international markets. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther, Tim Driver, Peter Tait, Paul Dalziel and Paul Rutherford. AERU Research Report No. 333. May 2015.
Maximising Export Returns (MER): Communicating New Zealand’s credence attributes to international consumers. Nic Lees and Caroline Saunders. AERU Research Report No. 334,
Maximising Export Returns (MER): Consumer behaviour and trends for credence attributes in key markets and a review of how these may be communicated. Sini Miller, Tim Driver, Noelani Velasquez and Caroline Saunders. AERU Research Report No. 332.
Consumer attitudes towards attributes of food and the use of digital media and smart technologies to inform and purchase food. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther, Peter Tait and Paul Dalziel. Contributed paper prepared for presentation at the 89th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, 2015, University of Warwick, England.
Maximising Export Returns: An introduction to a three year MBIE research programme. Caroline Saunders, Peter Tait and John Saunders. Export NZ Food & Beverage Roadshow to primary sector food exporters, NZTE, Auckland, New Zealand, October 2014.
Strategic economic analysis of regions and wider New Zealand.
Regional reports consider key economic drivers in areas such as the natural environment, key industry sectors, infrastructure and education. Optimum economic development recommendations are made.
Examples include:
The Wheel of Water: The contribution of the agricultural sector in Selwyn and Waimakariri districts to the economy of Christchurch. Meike Guenther, Glen Greer, Caroline Saunders and Paul Rutherford. AERU Research Report No. 335, July 2015.
The Wheel of Water: Agricultural expenditure flows from Selwyn and Waimakariri districts into Christchurch. Meike Guenther, Caroline Saunders, Paul Rutherford and Peter Tait. Report prepared for Aqualinc, September 2013.
Economic Strategy Issues for the New Zealand Region in the Global Economy. Caroline Saunders, Paul Dalziel and Bill Kaye-Blake. AERU Research Report No. 317, December 2009.
Investigation of and recommendations for increasing personal and social wellbeing through economic means.
Periodic research defines and analyses the components of wellbeing economics and the wider social impacts and implications, as well as how people create "the kinds of lives they value and have reason to value".
Examples include:
Wellbeing Economics: Future Directions for New Zealand. Paul Dalziel and Caroline Saunders. BWB Texts: July 2014.
Four wellbeing elements of Canterbury freshwater: A choice experiment application valuing environment, social, financial and cultural attributes. Sini Miller, Caroline Saunders and Peter Tait. Waterways 2014 Postgraduate Student Conference, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand: November 2014.
Wellbeing economics: A policy framework for New Zealand. Paul Dalziel and Caroline Saunders. 55th Annual Conference of the New Zealand Association of Economists (NZAE), Auckland, New Zealand: July 2014.
Contribution of the conservation estate to New Zealanders’ prosperity and wellbeing: Three case studies. Stephen Espiner, Emma Stewart, Paul Dalziel and Caroline Saunders. Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) 58th Annual Conference, Port Macquarie, Australia: February 2014.
Wellbeing benefits of the Ngai Tahu Settlement. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther and Paul Dalziel. AERU client report prepared for Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu; Lincoln University, Christchurch, 2013.
Investigation and measurement of economic contributions and progress of sectors to identify factors that contribute to success and recommend future direction.
This includes cost-benefit analysis of local government initiatives and investments as well as forecasting sector growth and skills demand.
Examples include:
Valuing Biodiversity. Caroline Saunders, True-Cost Accounting in Food and Farming Conference, organised by the Sustainable Food Trust, Westminster, London, 4-5 December 2013.
Non-market valuation of New Zealand biodiversity. Peter Tait and Caroline Saunders. Kararehe Kino - Vertebrate Pest Research, Issue 24: June 2014.
The costs of Psa-V to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and the wider community. Glen Greer and Caroline Saunders. AERU Research Report No. 327, May 2012.
The economic and social value of sport and recreation to New Zealand. Paul Dalziel. AERU Research Report No. 322, September 2011.
Modelling and forecasting the impacts of economic, environmental and social policies through the application of the Lincoln Trade and Environment Model (LTEM); Cnaterbury economic development; bio-economic models and multi-agent simulation models.
Models can inform many economic and social problems, including identifying optimum industry growth areas; the likely impact of environmental elements on New Zealand's economy; and the likely impact of policy changes on industry behavior.
Examples include:
Assessing the environmental impact of liberalising agricultural trade – with special reference to EU-Mercosur. Brian Revell, John Saunders and Caroline Saunders. Contributed paper prepared for presentation at the 88th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, AgroParisTech, Paris, France, 2014.
Assessing consumer preferences and willingness to pay for NZ food attributes in China, India and the UK. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther, Peter Tait and John Saunders. Contributed Paper prepared for presentation at the 87th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, University of Warwick, United Kingdom 8 - 10 April 2013.
Consumer attitudes and willingness to pay for attributes of food, in particular from New Zealand. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther, Peter Tait and John Saunders. Contributed paper prepared for presentation at the 57th AARES Annual Conference, Sydney, New South Wales, 5th-8th February, 2013.
Impacts of changes in consumption, production and trade policies in China and India on trade and greenhouse gases emissions, particularly in New Zealand. Meike Guenther, 2014.
Modelling and investigation of the wider economic impacts of climate change and other climatic events.
AERU regularly uses advanced modeling techniques to determine possible impacts of environmental events on economic, social and political arenas.
Examples include:
The impacts of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme on economic and environment factors. Caroline Saunders, John Saunders and Bill Kaye-Blake. Paper presented to Agricultural Economics Society (AES) 84th Annual Conference 2011, 18-20 April, Warwick University, UK.
Modelling climate change impacts on agriculture and forestry with the extended LTEM (Lincoln Trade and Environment Model). Caroline Saunders, Bill Kaye-Blake and James Turner. AERU Research Report No. 316, December 2009.
Climate Change and Agriculture: The Economic and Environmental Implications of Extreme Weather Events and Bio-Energy Policy. Anita Wreford, Selim Cagatay and Caroline Saunders. Paper presented to Joint AESI/AES conference, Dublin, Ireland, 30 March-1 April 2009.
Development of indicators and monitoring of community, economic, social, environmental and cultural outcomes.
AERU monitoring is informed by constantly updated international trends and market knowledge.
Examples include:
High value nutrition: Consumer preferences for functional food attributes. Peter Tait. National Science Challenge High Value Nutrition Science Leadership Team, Palmerston North, New Zealand, May 2014.
Enhancing value for New Zealand farmers by improving the value chain. Caroline Saunders, Hugh McDonald and Tim Driver. AERU Research Report No. 324, November 2011.
Sustainability trends in emerging markets: Market drivers for sustainable consumption in China and India. Tim Driver, Caroline Saunders and Meike Guenther. Agriculture Research Group on Sustainability (ARGOS) Research Report No. 11/05, December 2011.
Sustainability trends in key overseas markets: Market drivers and implications to increase value for New Zealand exports. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther and Tim Driver. AERU Research Report No. 319, July 2010.
Engagement in transdisciplinary programmes for the development of indicators of sustainability in the agribusiness supply chain.
This includes the AERU's central involvement with projects such as The New Zealand Sustainability Dashboard, formerly Agriculture Research Group on Sustainability (ARGOS).
Examples include:
Introducing the social pillar into prototypes of the New Zealand Sustainability Dashboard. Lesley Hunt, Tim Driver and Noelani Velasquez. The NZ Sustainability Dashboard Research Report 14/02, September 2014.
Sustainability trends in key overseas markets to New Zealand and the KPI identification database. Caroline Saunders, Meike Guenther and Tim Driver. Agriculture Research Group on Sustainability (ARGOS) Research Report No. 13/04, June 2013.