THIS PROJECT EXAMINES THE FACTORS AFFECTING HOW BUYERS EVALUATE THE VALUE CREATED THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION IN RURAL MARKETS, AND THE WAYS IN WHICH COLLECTIVES CAN SHAPE THOSE PERCEPTIONS. THE PROJECT FOLLOWS PRIOR RESEARCH EXAMINING THE ROLE OF IDENTITY AND CULTURE IN FACILITATING COLLECTIVE ACTION BY AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURS/PRODUCERS. IN PARTICULAR, PAST WORK ASSESSED THE COHERENCE OF THE COLLECTIVE IDENTITY OF WINE TRAILS AND ARTISINAL CHEESE ASSOCIATIONS, IN TERMS OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS - WINERIES AND CREAMERIES. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO "CLOSE THE LOOP" BY EXAMINING HOW COLLECTIVE IDENTITIES/BRANDS ARE PERCEIVED AND EVALUATED BY EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS - CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS, AND THEN ASSESSING THE RELATIVE CONGRUENCE BETWEEN THE TWO VIEWS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT IDENTITY CONGRUENCE IS CRITICAL FOR EFFECTIVE BRAND-BUILDING AND COLLECTIVE MARKETING EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY, WE BELIEVE THAT IDENTITY CONGRUENCE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED BUYER EVALUATIONS OF LEGITIMACY AND VALUE ADDED. WE ALSO EXAMINE THE DEGREE TO WHICH CERTAIN OTHER FACTORS (E.G. ACCESS, LOCATION, PRODUCT SCOPE, PARTNERSHIPS, ETC.) MIGHT AFFECT CUSTOMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF VALUE, AND THE WAYS IN WHICH COLLECTIVES CAN ENHANCE THOSE PERCEPTIONS. WE BEGIN BY EXAMINING THIS MODEL WITHIN WINE TRAILS IN MISSOURI AND NEW YORK. WE THEN EXAMINE HOW THE DYNAMICS OF COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND COLLECTIVE ACTION OBSERVED IN WINE TRAILS COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH THOSE FOUND IN CHEESE ASSOCIATIONS IN NEW YORK AND VERMONT. FINALLY, WE CONDUCT AN INTEGRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INSIGHTS FROM THE TWO INDUSTRIES, TO IDENTIFY COMMON ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL COLLECTIVE MARKET DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE EXTENDED TO OTHER INDUSTRIES OR MARKET CONTEXTS. WE USE INTERVIEWS FOR COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA AND STRUCTURED SURVEYS FOR COLLECTING QUANTITATIVE DATA. PROJECT OUTPUTS INCLUDE SCHOLARLY PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS, AS WELL AS PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED WHITE PAPERS AND FEEDBACK SESSIONS.