Effects of village savings and loan association on agricultural value productivity in Northern Region of Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dawuni ◽  
Franklin Nantui Mabe ◽  
Osman Damba Tahidu
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Savings And Loan

PurposeAgriculture in Ghana is dominated by smallholder farmers in rural areas. Majority of these farmers are resource-poor and faced with serious challenges in accessing formal financial services towards farming needs attributed to the stringent requirements. To bridge this gap, village savings and loan associations (VSLA) have been promoted in rural areas as an alternative to meeting the credit needs of smallholder farmers. Credit plays a vital role in input acquisition among farmers for improved agricultural value productivity. This study assesses the contribution of VSLA to agricultural value productivity in the Northern Region of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is a primary cross-sectional data collected with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. This study, therefore, applied a propensity score matching (PSM) to assess the effects of VSLA on agricultural value productivity.FindingsResults from the PSM revealed that extension contact, contract farming, television set ownership, participating in “Planting for Food and Jobs” and nature of roads, including receiving VSLA information from members' increases participation decision of farmers in VSLA. Conversely, age of a farmer, household size, distance to output market and farmers in the Sagnarigu Municipality have negatively influenced VSLA participation. The propensity score matching estimates showed that members of VSLA obtained 38.2% higher agricultural value productivity than non-members.Originality/valueVillage savings and loans associations can be promoted among smallholder farmers as an effective alternative to formal financial service for inclusive development.

scholarly journals Effect of input credit on smallholder farmers’ output and income

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Iddrisu ◽  
Isaac Gershon Kodwo Ansah ◽  
Paul Kwame Nkegbe
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
On Farm

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of input credit on smallholder farmers’ output and income using Masara N’Arziki support project in Northern Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional primary data set was used to estimate the effect of project participation on farm output, yield and income using propensity score matching (PSM) methods. Findings The findings are that project participation is skewed towards experienced farmers with big-sized households and farms. The effect of project on outcomes is somewhat unsatisfactory in the sense that participation only raises output and yield, but not income. Research limitations/implications The paper only examined the project effect on farm outcomes among smallholder farmers participating in the programme in just one operational area in the Northern region. Future research should consider all the operational areas for an informed generalisation of findings. Practical implications Greater benefits to farmers from programme participation would require project management to review the contractual arrangement so that the high cost of input credit is significantly reduced. Originality/value The paper applied the PSM to estimate the effect of project participation on farm output, yield and income among smallholder farmers which is non-existent in the literature on the study area, at least as far as we know. This paper can inform future policy on the direction and nature of support for smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF MICROFINANCE ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN RWANDA: A CASE STUDY OF NYAMAGABE DISTRICT

AGROFOR ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eularie MUTAMULIZA ◽  
Edouard MUSABANGANJI
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Nearest Neighbor ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Nearest Neighbor Matching ◽  
The Government

Microfinance in Rwanda is considered as one of the most crucial mechanisms in the implementation of the Government program to reduce poverty and to increase economic growth. However, despite the effort made by the Government of Rwanda to put in place microfinance institutions in rural areas, little is known about the effects of microfinance on smallholder farmers’ income in Nyamagabe District of Rwanda. This study aimed at examining the contribution of microfinance services to the income of smallholder farmers in Nyamagabe District. Primary data were collected from 240 respondents randomly selected in 3 sectors of Nyamagabe District using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and Propensity Score Matching was used to assess the effect of microfinance on smallholder farmers’ livelihood. The results from descriptive statistics showing that 117 respondents were participants in microfinance services and 123 were nonparticipants and more men were committed to participate and to access microfinance services than women. Results from Propensity Score Matching Model using both Kernel Based Matching and Nearest Neighbor Matching showed that the households participating in microfinance services increased their total annual income by 256,674 Rwandan francs and 228,246 Rwandan francs more than non-participants, respectively. The study recommended that smallholder farmers should be encouraged to participate in microfinance services to increase their income and agricultural productivity. The use of SACCOs and microfinance services needs to be promoted in order to provide an instrument for mobilizing savings and extending credit.

Material weakness disclosures and restatements: value of external auditor attestation

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-380
Author(s):  
Binod Guragai ◽  
Paul D. Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the value of auditor attestation in internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) disclosures. The authors argue that internal control material weakness (ICMW) disclosures issued without auditor attestation by non-accelerated filers provide weaker signal to the impaired financial reporting quality compared to those issued with auditor attestation by accelerated filers. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates the differences in the association between ICMW disclosures and impaired financial reporting quality, as proxied by financial statement restatements, for accelerated and non-accelerated filers. The authors use propensity score matching to find control groups for both accelerated and non-accelerated filers. Findings The authors find that ICMW disclosures signal impaired financial reporting quality for both accelerated and non-accelerated filers, but such signaling is weaker for non-accelerated filers compared to accelerated filers. Research limitations/implications Although propensity score matching was used to match firms with and without ICMW disclosures, any unobservable fundamental differences between these groups may affect the results of this study. Originality/value This study shows that auditors’ involvement in the assessment of internal control effectiveness improves the signaling effect of ICMW disclosures on impaired financial reporting quality. As approved by the House Financial Services (HFS) Committee on November 4, 2009, non-accelerated filers are permanently exempt from auditor attestation requirement. This study provides some evidence that the exemption of non-accelerated filers from auditor attestation may have unintended consequences, and these results should be of interest to regulators and investors.

Does the Starbucks effect exist? Searching for a relationship between Starbucks and adjacent rents

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herman Donner ◽  
Tracy Hadden Loh
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Percent Level ◽  
Coffee Shop ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sectional Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the popular perception that the storefront location choices of premium brands are positively related to adjacent rents. Focusing on the case of Starbucks, a popular international coffee chain, the authors examine the association between Starbucks locations and rents in Manhattan, New York. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a multi-year data set for average rent per square foot for office and multifamily residential properties within 1/10th of a mile of several hundred coffee shop locations in Manhattan, controlling for vacancy, job density, overall amenity density (WalkScore), coffee shop density, transit accessibility, neighborhood and the Starbucks brand. The authors take two different methodological approaches to isolate potential statistical evidence for an association between Starbucks locations and adjacent rents: the authors run a pooled-cross-sectional model and apply propensity-score matching. Findings The authors find a statistically significant positive relationship between the presence of Starbucks and average office rents when applying the authors’ pooled-cross-sectional model and applying propensity-score matching. This finding is consistent with several potential causal hypotheses: Starbucks may be attributed to higher rent office locations; the “Starbucks effect” may cause higher rents in adjacent locations; or there may be a mutual reinforcing of positive feedback between Starbucks locations and office rents. The authors find no strong association between Starbucks and residential rents (one model indicates an effect of 2.3 percent on residential rent at 10 percent level of significance), which challenges the direct linearity of the consumption theory of gentrification popularly called the “Starbucks effect.” Originality/value In the literature, the existence, causality and directionality of a relationship between Starbucks locations and neighborhood change have been largely unstudied. In this paper, the authors test the hypothesis that there is a positive correlation between Starbucks locations and rents.

The Relationship between Dental Findings and Tongue Pressure: A Survey of 745 Community-Dwelling Adults and Elderly Persons in Japan

Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kensuke Tashiro ◽  
Sakiko Soutome ◽  
Madoka Funahara ◽  
Yumiko Kawashita ◽  
Masayasu Kitamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Grip Strength ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Tongue Pressure ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Number Of Teeth ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction: Reduced tongue pressure is one of the causes of dysphagia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dental findings and tongue pressure, and whether prosthetic treatment prevents reduced tongue pressure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were 745 community-dwelling adults and elderly persons in the Goto Islands in Nagasaki, who underwent a health checkup for residents in 2015 and 2016. Data were collected on gender; age; grip strength; hemoglobin; Creatinine (Cr); glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); history of stroke; smoking, drinking, exercise, and walking habits; number of teeth; wearing of removable dentures; functional units of natural teeth (n-FTUs), fixed prostheses (nif-FTUs), and removable dentures (t-FTUs); and tongue pressure. The associations between each variable and tongue pressure were examined using multiple regression analysis. Next, those with 3 or fewer n-FTUs were selected, and differences in tongue pressure were compared between those with 3 or fewer nif-FTUs and those with 4 or more nif-FTUs, using a propensity score matching method. Results: Male gender, weak grip strength, low HbA1c, no drinking, and a low number of teeth were independent factors significantly associated with lower tongue pressure. Among participants with 3 or fewer n-FTUs, the 43 with 4 or more nif-FTUs showed significantly higher tongue pressure than the 43 with 3 or fewer nif-FTUs after propensity score matching, although the number of t-FTUs was not associated with tongue pressure. Discussion/Conclusion: Tooth loss was significantly associated with lower tongue pressure. It was suggested that fixed prosthesis treatment might prevent the reduction of tongue pressure, but removable dentures did not have such an effect.

Healthcare utilization associated with adherence to antibiotics for abdominal surgeries in Japan: cross-sectional analysis of administrative database

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinobu Imai ◽  
Anna Kiyomi ◽  
Munetoshi Sugiura ◽  
Kiyohide Fushimi
Keyword(s):  
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy ◽  
Inguinal Hernia ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Healthcare Utilization ◽  
Treatment Duration ◽  
Prophylactic Antibiotic ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Antibiotic Selection ◽  
Therapeutic Guidelines

Abstract Background Since patients receiving surgery may experience surgical site infections, therapeutic guidelines for reducing hospitalization time and cost include appropriate antibiotic use. However, the association between adherence to therapeutic guidelines and healthcare utilization is currently unclear. Objectives This study aimed to confirm the positive association between the adherence to guidelines of antibiotic therapy and a reduction in the length of stay and cost of hospitalization, especially considering the high infection rates in abdominal surgery. Methods This cross-sectional study used administrative data (diagnosis procedure combination data) collected using the case-mix system implemented in acute-care hospitals in Japan. We assessed the length of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization for patients who received prophylactic antibiotic for abdominal surgeries consistent with therapeutic guidelines. The data of patients aged 15 years or older who received appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy or inguinal hernia repair were extracted. The appropriateness of antibiotic prophylaxis was evaluated in terms of the Japanese guidelines for antibiotic selection and treatment duration. To assess the mean difference in antibiotic costs and length of stay, we performed the propensity score matching by confounding factors. Furthermore, we assessed the progress in healthcare utilization of this therapy over a decade. Results Of the 302 233 patients who received single general surgery from April 2014 to March 2016, 198 885 were eligible for analysis after applying the exclusion criteria (143 975 in the adherence and 54 910 in the non-adherence group). Each group comprised 48 439 patients after propensity score matching. Inappropriate antibiotic selection and duration were observed in 9294 (9.8%) and 687 (0.7%) of inguinal hernia repairs, 6431 (25.3%) and 311 (1.2%) of appendectomies and 38 134 (48.5%) and 391 (0.5%) of laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases, respectively. After propensity score matching by operation type, average hospitalization length (6.5 [SD 3.8] and 7.3 [SD 4.8] days) and costs (536 000 [SD 167 000] JPY and 573 000 [SD 213 000] JPY) differed significantly between adherence and non-adherence groups. Conclusion The results revealed that unnecessary healthcare utilization was associated with failure to adhere to therapeutic guidelines for prophylactic antibiotic therapy in elective general surgeries. We concluded that the progress of reduction in length of hospitalization over the decade was successful. Notably, adherence to treatment duration was better than that was 10 years ago. In this decade, administrators in hospitals have attempted to reduce the duration of hospitalization by developing various clinical pathways for surgical procedures and quality indicators. However, 15 877 patients (8.7%) were prescribed oral antibiotics the day after surgery. These observations should be evaluated further.

scholarly journals Identifying the causal effect of child marriage on unmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy in Nepal: a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e043532
Author(s):  
Kazutaka Sekine ◽  
Rogie Royce Carandang ◽  
Ken Ing Cherng Ong ◽  
Anand Tamang ◽  
Masamine Jimba
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Child Marriage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Marginal Population ◽  
Modern Contraception

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate whether child marriage had causal effects on unmet needs for modern contraception, and unintended pregnancy, by estimating the marginal (population-averaged) treatment effect of child marriage.DesignThis study used secondary data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Applying one-to-one nearest-neighbour matching with replacement within a calliper range of ±0.01, 15–49 years old women married before the age of 18 were matched with similar women who were married at 18 or above to reduce selection bias.SettingNationally representative population survey data.ParticipantsThe sample consisted of 7833 women aged 15–49 years who were married for more than 5 years.Outcome measuresUnmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy.ResultsThe matching method achieved adequate overlap in the propensity score distributions and balance in measured covariates between treatment and control groups with the same propensity score. Propensity score matching analysis showed that the risk of unmet needs for modern contraception, and unintended pregnancy among women married as children were a 14.3 percentage point (95 % CI 10.3 to 18.2) and a 10.1 percentage point (95 % CI 3.7 to 16.4) higher, respectively, than among women married as adults. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the estimated effects were robust to unmeasured covariates.ConclusionsChild marriage appears to increase the risk of unmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy. These findings call for social development and public health programmes that promote delayed entry into marriage and childbearing to improve reproductive health and rights.

Does membership of local Chambers of Commerce networks enhance rural SME performance?: An empirical analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pattanapong Tiwasing ◽  
Sukanlaya Sawang
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chamber Of Commerce ◽  
Chambers Of Commerce

PurposeLocal Chambers of Commerce networks provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with an opportunity to access essential information and networking with other businesses, resulting in improved business performance. However, rural SMEs are less likely to participate in these networks and often possess lower performance. This paper aims to examine the relationship between being members of local Chambers of Commerce networks and rural SMEs’ performance by comparing business performance between rural SMEs who are members and non-members of local Chambers of Commerce networks. This paper also further explores difference in business growth plans between rural SMEs members and non-members.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis draws on cross-sectional data of 3,769 rural SMEs in England and Wales from the UK's Government Longitudinal Small Business Survey 2015. Propensity score matching (PSM) is applied to control for selection bias and variations in business characteristics before comparing business performance, measured in terms of annual turnover, sale growth and profitability, between rural SMEs that are members and non-members of local Chambers of Commerce networks.FindingsOur results show that rural SME members of local Chambers of Commerce networks are more likely to grow their sales than non-members. However, they perform as good as non-members in terms of turnover and profitability. The results also emphasise that local Chambers of Commerce networks are crucial for rural SMEs to develop the skills of the workforce and leadership capability of managers, new product/service development and new working practices. Therefore, to enhance rural SMEs' performance, tailoring the services of local Chambers of Commerce to support rural businesses' needs and encouraging rural SMEs to make use of business networks are recommended.Practical implicationsThe paper unpacks the relationships between being local Chamber of Commerce membership and business performance, offering lessons for rural SMEs to boost their business performance and growth through participating in local business association networks.Originality/valueThis paper is the first study that explores the comparative analysis of business performance and growth plans between rural SMEs that are members and non-members of the local Chamber of Commerce networks. We provide an empirical evidence-based analysis to existing literature regarding the advantages of being local Chamber of Commerce memberships to enhance business performance in rural areas.

Drivers for voluntary intellectual capital reporting based on agency theory

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoria Goebel
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Agency Theory ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Management Report

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers for voluntary intellectual capital (IC) reporting based on agency theory. This study responds to calls for critical investigations of IC reporting utilising Goebel’s (2015a) IC measuring approach to investigate the role of IC value and mispricing for IC reporting.Design/methodology/approachA mandatory management report offers a unique research setting in Germany. The content analysis results of 428 German management reports are used in a regression analysis with leverage, ownership diffusion, IC value and mispricing. Additionally, a propensity score matching approach examines the relationship between IC reporting and IC value.FindingsThe regression results show that companies use voluntary IC reporting to encounter mispricing. IC reporting is negatively associated with leverage, whereas ownership diffusion and IC value show no significant results. The propensity score matching approach is also not significant.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to strengthening and testing agency theory for IC reporting. As mispricing is identified to play an important role for IC reporting, IC research should account for mispricing.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest to reopen a discussion on the declared aims of the German management report and the international integrated reporting model to provide information on value creation, as IC value shows no link to IC reporting.Originality/valueThis study innovatively links IC reporting to IC value and mispricing to investigate drivers for voluntary IC reporting.

scholarly journals Impact of Oil Palm Expansion on Farmers’ Crop Income and Poverty Reduction in Indonesia: An Application of Propensity Score Matching

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Widya Alwarritzi ◽  
Teruaki Nanseki ◽  
Yosuke Chomei
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Average Treatment Effect ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Order Estimate ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Job Opportunity ◽  
Crop Income

<p>In order to solve serious problem on the lack of job opportunity and poverty in Indonesia, oil palm expansion driven by smallholders have been taken into the economic development agenda. The evidence shows that oil palm expansion by smallholders have a great performance for improving livelihood of rural community. Thus, this study aims to estimate the causal effect of oil palm expansion on farmers’ livelihoods in Indonesia. Using cross-sectional data from 271 households in Riau Province, the determinants of farmers’ decisions to expand oil palm farm size and the impacts of expansion are analyzed. Propensity Score Matching was employed in order to deal with self-selection biased in the evaluation of oil palm expansion impact. In the first step, logit model was applied to analyze the determinant of oil palm expansion. In the second step, each observation is matched with a similar propensity score value in order estimate the average treatment effect for the treated (ATT). Empirical results show that number of family members actively involved in oil palm cultivation, farmers’ financial assets, contract farming, and distance to the market are significantly associated with likelihood for expanding farm size. Positive and significant impacts of crop income from oil palm and <em>per capita </em>expenditures, confirms that oil palm expansion help reducing the problem of job opportunity and poverty in Indonesia. This study implicates that, to improve oil palm expansion practice in Indonesia, several schemes must be considered: enhancing human resources development, integrating oil palm marketing schemes, and improving infrastructure facilities.</p>

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