State Policy and Public Administration Impacts on an Emerging Industry: The Wine Industry in Oregon and Washington

摘要

Oregon and Washington state administrative agencies’ impacts on economic development within the winery industry are examined. Policy cluster development appears to impact economic development programs differently in each state. The wine industry has flourished in both states since 1970, yet Oregon with 60% of Washingtonu27s population supports 10% more wineries. Oregon winery numbers continue to grow while Washington’s seem to have leveled out. From the literature and industry interviews, three variables were selected to be tested for their industry impacts: domestic consumption (state population times wine industry per-capita consumption); market domination (estimated from interviews and proportional market share); and net government intervention, an outgrowth of policy cluster analysis (policies cannot be examined in isolation, but must consider the impacts of direct and indirect collateral state agency policies as well). Comparisons between states were made. Multiple regression analysis determined these three variables accounted for approximately 95% of the variability of numbers of Oregon and Washington commercial wineries. Different equations were derived for each state. Of the three variables, Oregon’s number of wineries appears to be more influenced by government policy than in Washington. In Washington domestic consumption has more impact on winery numbers than in Oregon. No substantial impacts of oligopoly could be determined in either state.