Determinants and impacts of outsourcing pest and disease management

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingqiang Sun ◽  
Michael Rickaille ◽  
Zhigang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Disease Management ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Control Cost ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rice Yields

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants and impacts of outsourcing pest and disease management on rice production in China. Design/methodology/approach A multinomial endogenous treatment effects model which accounts for selection bias was used. Findings The results show that outsourcing decisions are driven mainly by the size of the farm, the age of the household head and other household characteristics. Further, the authors find that outsourcing labor for pest and disease control has no significant effect on pest control cost and rice yields, though it reduces the number of pesticide applications. Conversely, outsourcing of professional services can increase rice yields by 4.1 percent, and at the same time it increases pest and disease control costs by 50.6 percent. However, it is found that outsourcing of professional services exerts no significant impact on the farm profitability. Practical implications This study suggests that households with large farm size are more likely to outsource professional services and, therefore, service providers and governments should target those farmers to provide incentives and create greater awareness of the benefits from the outsourcing of professional services. Moreover, the increase in yields along with the government subsidy justifies the outsourcing of professional services by farmers. However, service providers and policy makers have a lot of leeway to come up with cheaper methods for pest and disease management in rice production. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to simultaneously evaluate the determinants and impacts of outsourcing pest and disease management on rice production in China.

Empirical study of relationship value in industrial services

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Barry ◽  
Tamara S. Terry
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Culture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Industrial Services ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Relationship Value

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assist industrial service providers in building relationships that maximize value to their customers. The study aims to add to relationship value research by examining its dimensions, antecedents, outcomes, and cross‐culture relevance.Design/methodology/approachUsing structural equation modeling, the study examines the influence that relationship value has on commitment and intentions, as well as the determinants of value encompassing the core offering, sourcing process and buyer operations. The sample covers 42 countries for cross‐cultural perspectives.FindingsBy understanding the factors creating relationship value, providers are more likely to build enduring relationships with their buyers. Findings confirm that commitment and intentions are influenced by relationship value, which, in turn, is impacted by benefits such as performance, efficiency, and reliability as well as comparative costs and switching costs.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is oriented more towards industrial services. Further research is encouraged that extends the study domain to consumer and professional services.Originality/valueThe research demonstrates the mediating influence that relationship value has on behavioral outcomes. Especially important to global service providers, this knowledge is then extended beyond the traditionally studied single‐country settings to a world perspective, while extending the field of relationship value into the largely ignored industrial services sector.

Defective co-creation

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 238-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique A. Greer
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Dominant Logic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dominant Logic ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – This study aims to explore the scope of consumers’ defective co-creation behaviour in professional service encounters. One of the founding premises of service-dominant logic (Vargo and Lusch, 2004, 2008) is that consumers co-create the value they derive from service encounters. In practice, however, dysfunctional consumer behaviour can obstruct value co-creation. Extant research has not yet investigated consumers’ defective co-creation behaviour in highly relational services, such as professional services, that are heavily reliant on co-creation. Design/methodology/approach – To investigate defective co-creation in professional services, 164 critical incidents were collected from 38 health-care and financial service providers using the critical incident technique within semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Thematic coding was used to identify emergent themes and patterns of consumer behaviour. Findings – Thematic coding resulted in a comprehensive typology of consumers’ defective co-creation behaviour that both confirms the prevalence of previously identified dysfunctional behaviours (e.g. verbal abuse and physical aggression) and identifies two new forms of consumer misbehaviour: underparticipation and overparticipation. Further, these behaviours can vary, escalate and co-occur during service encounters. Originality/value – Both underparticipation and overparticipation are newly identified forms of defective co-creation that need to be examined within the broader framework of service-dominant logic (SDL).

scholarly journals Referrals for new client acquisition in professional services

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Grierson ◽  
Ross Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Client Referral ◽  
Referral Behavior

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the following research question: What are the perceptions of professionals and consumers regarding the antecedents of client referrals in the financial advice sector? Design/methodology/approach A total of 61 qualitative interviews were conducted, with the following three key groups: independent financial advisers (IFAs; 20 interviews), clients of IFAs (26 interviews) and consumers who manage their own financial affairs and do not use the services of an IFA (15 interviews). Findings The financial advisers interviewed believe that client referrals are important to their business success, that they can influence clients to become ambassadors who will consciously seek out new clients and that excellent service will motivate clients to provide referrals. However, the interviews with the clients painted a different picture. While advisers believe that they can influence client referral behavior, the clients did not believe that they were influenced by the adviser to make referrals. Research limitations/implications The sampling method was non-random and relied on the professional contacts of the principal researcher as a starting point, from which a network of contacts was established to identify interviewees. The study casts doubt on the ability of professional service providers to influence client referral behavior. This novel finding deserves further research investigation. Practical implications There is clearly scope for greater measurement in connection with referrals in professional service businesses. The propensity for clients to refer should be included as a metric in the performance measurement of professional service providers, in addition to standard financial measures. This would encourage the service provider to consider referrals during client interactions. Originality/value The study reports on a substantial qualitative study involving both professional service providers and their clients. While the providers believe that client referrals are critical to their business success, the evidence collected provides little or no support for this belief. Clients report they are not motivated to refer. Advisers do not explicitly measure referrals. The reality of referrals seems not to match the mythology.

scholarly journals Farmers’ Adoption of Organic Rice Production in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-79
Author(s):  
Suneeporn Suwanmaneepong ◽  
Chanhathai Kerdsriserm ◽  
Krichanont Iyapunya ◽  
Unggoon Wongtragoon
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Rice Farming ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Organic Rice

This study analysed the factors affecting the adoption of organic rice production in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire completed by 108 farmers: (58 organic rice farmers and 50 non-organic rice farmers) in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. A t-test was employed to investigate the differences in the demographics of organic and non-organic rice farmers, and percentage mean, and standard deviation was used to describe farmers’ attitudes. Logistic regression was employed to investigate factors influencing organic rice adoption, educational level, and farm size were significantly different between the organic and non-organic rice farmers. Education (positive), farming experience (positive), age of household head (negative) and farm size (negative) had highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) influences on organic farming adoption. The farmers’ attitude toward environmental concern was the most important reason for adopting organic rice farming. This research identified the factors affecting the adoption of organic rice farming; this information can be used to encourage farmers to practice organic rice farming in the targeted organic rice area in Thailand. In addition, the farmers’ attitudes toward organic farming systems could be used to help support farmers practicing organic rice farming. Keywords: organic rice adoption, organic rice production, organic farming adoption, farmer attitudes.

New services development: a study in the context of a health organization

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciene Eberle ◽  
Gabriel Sperandio Milan ◽  
Deonir De Toni ◽  
Fernanda Lazzari
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Health Plan ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to highlight the understanding of the consequent factors of new services development (NSD) in the literature owing to the impact on organizational competitiveness, especially in professional services, such as that investigated by health plan operators in the present study. Design/methodology/approach The sample (customer of family health plans) consisted of 255 valid cases. For the analysis of the data, multivariate statistical techniques were used through the modeling of structural equations. Findings The results found evidence of the significant relationships between the NSD considering the constructs, client orientation, reputation, professional competences and customer retention, as consequences of the NSD, which impact on the success of the new services launched by the health plan operator from the perception of the customer. Practical implications This implies that health plan operators need to develop new customer-oriented services by investing in new technologies and having more trained and qualified staff so that they can deliver superior services and, as a consequence, have a more profitable relationship with customers. Originality/value The new services may result in greater organizational performance and greater competitiveness for health service providers.

scholarly journals Exploring customers’ zone of tolerance for B2B professional service quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 380-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus Ho ◽  
Piyush Sharma ◽  
Peter Hosie
Keyword(s):  
Firm Size ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Zone Of Tolerance ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose – This paper aims to extend the current research on zone of tolerance (ZOT) and its antecedents, to the context of business-to-business (B2B) professional services from both client and service firms’ perspectives, with a modified ZOT framework including five client and service firms attributes as antecedents of desired (DSL) and adequate (ASL) service levels. Prior research on zone of tolerance (ZOT) and its antecedents mostly focuses on business-to-consumer services and customers’ perspective. The authors address these gaps with a modified ZOT framework with five attributes of client and service firms as antecedents of customer expectations, namely, desired service level (DSL) and adequate service level (ASL), for business-to-business (B2B) professional services. Design/methodology/approach – A combination of qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (online survey) research methods with managers of professional audit firms and their clients, using a reduced AUDITQUAL instrument with 39 items and seven dimensions. Findings – Professional firm size and fee premium have a positive effect on DSL; service tenure positively influences both DSL and ASL; client firm size has a negative effect on DSL; both client and service firm sizes positively moderate each other’s influence on the DSL; and DSL positively influences ASL. Research limitations/implications – The authors study a single B2B professional service (audit) in a single city (Hong Kong) from a single perspective (customers) that may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should validate the findings for other B2B professional services in diverse locations and also include service providers’ expectations and perceptions. Practical implications – Managers in professional service firms should understand the factors influencing different levels of expectations for their customers and develop suitable strategies (e.g. customer education and employee training) to manage these expectations more effectively. Originality/value – The authors extend current research on customer expectations and ZOT by identifying five unique attributes of professional service and client firms and testing their roles as antecedents of adequate and DSLs using AUDITQUAL instrument.

The mediating effects of customers’ intimacy perceptions on the trust-commitment relationship

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Ponder ◽  
Betsy Bugg Holloway ◽  
John D. Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Interactive Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Relationships

Purpose This paper aims to draw from intimacy theory in examining the mediating effects of interactive communication and social bonds on the trust–commitment relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study is conducted in the professional services context. Qualitative and quantitative data are gathered from respondents engaged in attorney–client and real estate–client relationships. Unstructured, in-depth interviews are first conducted for use in model development. Study hypotheses are examined and mediation tests are conducted utilizing the serial multiple mediator model proposed by Hayes (2013). Findings Study findings indicate that intimate relationships in the professional services context are characterized by interactive communication and social bonds, and that the variables act as full mediators of the trust–commitment relationship. Though trust has a positive and significant effect on commitment in isolation, this relationship becomes nonsignificant when simultaneously accounting for the effects of the two variables. Practical/implications Study findings suggest a need for programs designed to assist professional service providers in the development of intimate customer relationships. The importance of interactive communications and social bonding should be emphasized in these programs. Originality/value The study is one of the few empirical papers to investigate the role of intimacy in service relationships and the first to illustrate its mediating effects on the trust–commitment relationship.

Off-farm income and food expenditure of rural households in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1088-1100
Author(s):  
Yuying Liu ◽  
Alan Renwick ◽  
Xinhong Fu
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Expenditure ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of off-farm income on food expenditure, using survey data of 493 rural households from Gansu, Henan and Shandong provinces in China. Design/methodology/approach A two-stage least squares estimator is used to jointly estimate the determinants of off-farm income and the direct impact of off-farm income on food expenditure while controlling for the endogeneity issue associated with off-farm income variable. Findings The empirical results show that gender, education of household head, household size, farm size, the presence of children, smartphone use and asset ownership mainly determine off-farm income, and the off-farm income affects food expenditure of rural households significantly. In particular, the results show that a 1,000 yuan increase in per capita off-farm income increases per capita food expenditure by 61 yuan. Further estimations reveal that off-farm income has a larger effect on food expenditure of high-income rural households relative to their low-income counterparts. Originality/value Although poverty implications of off-farm income have been well documented, few studies have analysed the effects of off-farm income on food expenditure of rural households. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no studies on this issue that focus on rural China. Therefore, the present study attempts to provide a first insight into the association between off-farm income and food expenditure of rural households in China, with the aim of providing useful evidence for policymakers in their efforts to reduce rural and urban food consumption gap and further increase social welfare.

Ethnic stereotyping in service provision

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 520-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tripat Gill ◽  
Hae Joo Kim ◽  
Chatura Ranaweera
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
South Asians ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Performance Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethnic Stereotypes ◽  
Majority Group

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the expectations and evaluations of services provided by members of an ethnic minority using the lens of ethnic stereotypes. The authors also examine how ethnic service providers (ESPs) are evaluated by customers from the majority group vs the same ethnic group as the provider. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1, the authors measure the stereotypes about skills, abilities, and typical professions associated with different ethnic groups (i.e. Chinese, South Asians and white). The authors then measure the effect of these stereotypes on the performance expectations from ESPs in different professional services. In Study 2, the authors manipulate the service domain (stereotypical vs counter-stereotypical) and the level of service performance (good: above average performance vs mediocre: below average) of a Chinese ESP, and subsequently measure the evaluation of the ESP by the same ethnic group (Chinese) vs majority group (white) participants. Findings Performance expectations from ESPs closely match the stereotypes associated with the ethnic group. But the performance of an ESP (especially mediocre-level service) is evaluated differently by the same ethnic group vs majority group customers, depending upon the domain of service. A Chinese ESP providing mediocre service in a stereotypical domain (martial arts instructor) is evaluated more critically by same ethnic group (Chinese) participants as compared to white participants. In contrast, a Chinese ESP providing mediocre service in a counter-stereotypical domain (fitness instructor) is evaluated more favourably by same ethnic group (Chinese) participants as compared to white participants. There is no such difference when performance is good. Research limitations/implications It is a common practice to employ ESPs to serve same ethnic group customers. While this strategy can be effective in a counter-stereotypical domain even if the ESP provides mediocre service, the findings suggest that this strategy can backfire when the performance is mediocre in a stereotypical service domain. Practical implications The results demonstrate the need for emphasizing outcome (vis-à-vis interaction) quality where ESPs are employed to serve same ethnic group customers in a stereotypical service setting. However, when an ESP is offering a counter-stereotypical service, the emphasis needs to be more on the interpersonal processes (vis-à-vis outcome). Firms can gain by taking this into account in their hiring and training practices. Originality/value Prior research has primarily used cultural distance to examine inter-cultural service encounters. The authors show that ethnic stereotypes pertaining to the skills and abilities of an ESP can affect evaluations beyond the role of cultural distance alone.

Profitability analysis of rice production: a microeconomic perspective from northern Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham Zakaria ◽  
Shaibu Baanni Azumah ◽  
Gilbert Dagunga ◽  
Mark Appiah-Twumasi
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Profitability Analysis ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to estimate the profitability of rice production for irrigated and rain-fed farmers; determine the factors that influence farmers' decision to participate in irrigation and the impact of irrigation on rice farmers' profitability in northern Ghana.Design/methodology/approachUsing cross-sectional data collected from 543 rice farmers in northern Ghana, the study employed both non-parametric (cost benefit analysis) and parametric (endogenous switching regression) approaches to analyse the data.FindingsThe empirical results reveal a significant difference between the profits of irrigated (GHS 2442.30) and rain-fed farmers (GHS 576.20), as well as the cost-benefit ratios between irrigators (2.53) and rain-fed farmers (1.37). Also, participation in irrigation was found to be influenced by relatively small farm size and off-farm income; while profitability was influenced by membership in a farmer-based organization, access to agricultural extension services and perception of decreasing rainfall intensity. Irrigation also had a positive significant net impact on profitability of rice production.Research limitations/implicationsThe results provide justification for development partners and the government of Ghana through the “one-village-one-dam” policy, to invest in irrigation in northern Ghana in order to improve household welfare as well as build resilience for sustainable production systems.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its kind to provide a robust analysis of the difference in profits of rain-fed and irrigated rice farmers while estimating the determinants of Ghanaian farmers' choice of either of the regimes within a bias-corrected framework.

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