Ibrahim – the cassava starch processor

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Eugene Agboifo Ohu
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Cassava Starch ◽  
End Users ◽  
Executive Education ◽  
Local Market ◽  
End User ◽  
Investment Bank ◽  
Cassava Flour ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Farmers

Subject area AgriBusiness entrepreneurship Study level/applicability Post-graduate and executive education classes in agribusiness: MBA, Executive Education programmes for senior managers; entrepreneurial studies and workshops for SMEs. Case overview This case study is centred on Ibrahim, a businessman in Tanzania, who decided to start a business to process and sell cassava starch flour. Following a market survey, he realized that the demand for cassava starch surpassed the supply and planned to bridge this gap. To realize his business idea, he applied for and received a loan from an investment bank (Tanzania Investment bank), with which he bought processing machines and some acres of land for the cultivation of the crop. Unfortunately, he encountered a major setback because the sub-standard processing machine he bought stopped working after one week. He could neither repair his equipment nor buy new ones because the bank refused to extend his loan facility. Ibrahim was also having problems meeting a huge international and local demand for his cassava because of inadequate supply of cassava by local farmers. Expected learning outcomes This paper aims to understand the entire cassava value chain, which is made up of three major players: growers, processors and end-users; to understand the business case for opting to focus on one of the three areas, what arguments could be given for being a grower, a processor or an end-user; to understand that there are different types of end-user products: cassava starch flour, high-quality cassava flour, both of which can come from an intermediate product called “grates”; to understand the reason for the paradox, that there is (potentially) a high demand for cassava flour locally, and yet these end-users are not yet willing to patronize the local market because supply is low, and supply is low, not because farmers cannot produce more, but simply because they are not processing more – why is this?; to understand that the “processing” stage seem to be the rate-limiting-stage in the cassava starch production value chain – how can this process be improved?; to understand the case for aggregating local farmers into cooperatives to produce enough cassava roots to feed the need of industrial processors, and aggregators can also collect and pre-process into “grates” before selling to industrial processing companies; and to understand the importance of locating processing plants close to the farms. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Il mercato nazionale e locale per l'energia. Il servizio al consumatore finale quale ultimo step di un'unica filiera

2009 ◽  
pp. 153-163
Author(s):  
Barbara Antonioli
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Price Competition ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Energy Market ◽  
Local Market ◽  
End User ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
Real Price ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Critical Aspects

- The reorganization of the energy market, together with an increase in the mobility of resources and the evolution of supply, have reduced borders between national and local market, and both regulatory policies and players' strategies have to consider these renewed environment. The goal of this paper is to make some considerations about the dimension and the interactions between national and locals, up-stream and downstream energy markets, both in terms of value chain phases regulation and of the impact on firms' organization and on the industry as a whole. We want to highlight evident problems of coordination of different rules, the necessity to define a clear national industrial policy (not fragmented at local level), as well as the relevance of the end user prices regulation for liberalized market. In particular, this kind of regulation seems to represent a key point of the current discussion between operators and the energy Authority. The end users price regulation present some critical aspects related to its (contested) limited contribution to a real price competition but, on the other side, had to be considered as a strong protection for domestic customers, as well as a way to reduce information asymmetry.Key words: Energy, competition, regulation.JEL classifications: H1, K2.Parole chiave: Energia, concorrenza, regolazione.

scholarly journals Agro-food projects: analysis of procedures within digital revolution

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 648-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Maria Sagarna Garcia ◽  
David Pereira Jerez
Keyword(s):  
User Involvement ◽  
End Users ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
End User ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Digital Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
End User Involvement

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insights about the approaches and techniques of professionals that nowadays are designing Digital Products and Services (DPS) in the European agriculture. The emphasis is paid on the integration of end-users and participatory approaches such as agile, considering its current influence. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted to professionals of businesses and entities from 14 European countries. A balanced sample of replies was achieved between private–public background, size of the business or experience of experts. Afterwards, the collection of answers and the opinions of professionals were compared with the state of the art referred in the literature. It allowed checking its soundness and critically discusses the results. Findings From the raw analysis of responses, professionals show awareness about the importance of end-user involvement and they are eager to incorporate innovative farmers and early adopters to collect the best requirements for products and services. They also declare knowledge and uptake in their companies of new approaches, such as agile. Confronting results with literature, the discussion highlights some inconsistencies and possibilities for leveraging. Types of end-users considered should be enlarged. Their superficial participation must also be avoided. Originality/value There is a lack of research on procedures for projects in agro-food sector. Due to the momentum in the digital transformation of agriculture, there are many project teams working in developing DPS and are relevant to discuss about proper methodologies for improving success.

scholarly journals End-user involvement in rehabilitation virtual reality implementation research

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Proffitt ◽  
Stephanie Glegg ◽  
Danielle Levac ◽  
Belinda Lange
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Implementation Research ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
End Users ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
End User ◽  
Content Type ◽  
End User Involvement ◽  
Design And Methods

Purpose Despite increasing evidence for the effectiveness of off-the-shelf and rehabilitation-specific active video games (AVGs) and virtual reality (VR) systems for rehabilitation, clinical uptake remains poor. A better match between VR/AVG system capabilities and client/therapist needs, through improved end-user involvement (UI) in VR/AVG implementation research, may increase uptake of this technology. The purpose of this paper is to review four case examples from the authors’ collective experience of including end users in VR/AVG research to identify common benefits, challenges and lessons learned. Design/methodology/approach The authors apply knowledge and lessons learned from the four cases to make recommendations for subsequent user-engaged research design and methods, including evaluation of the impact of end UI. Findings A better match between VR/AVG system capabilities and client/therapist needs leads to improved end UI in all stages of VR/AVG implementation research. There are common benefits of increasing buy-in and soliciting early on the knowledge and skills of therapists as well as input from the ultimate end users: people participating in rehabilitation. Most settings have the challenges of balancing the technology requirements with the needs and goals of the practice setting and of the end users. Research limitations/implications Increasing end UI in VR/AVG implementation research may address issues related to poor clinical uptake. In the VR/AVG context, end users can be therapists, clients or technology developers/engineers. This paper presented four case scenarios describing the implementation of different VR/AVG systems and involving a variety of populations, end users and settings. Originality/value The set of recommendations for subsequent user-engaged research design and methods span the process of development, research and implementation. The authors hope that these recommendations will foster collaborations across disciplines, encourage researchers and therapists to adopt VR/AVGs more readily, and lead to efficacious and effective treatment approaches for rehabilitation clients.

scholarly journals Bottle house: utilising appreciative inquiry to develop a user acceptance model

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-583
Author(s):  
Arinola Adefila ◽  
Amal Abuzeinab ◽  
Timothy Whitehead ◽  
Muyiwa Oyinlola
Keyword(s):  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
End Users ◽  
Design Solution ◽  
End User ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Acceptance Model

PurposeThis paper develops a novel user-acceptance model for circular solutions to housing design. The model has been systematically developed from a case study of an upcycled plastic bottle building in a low-income community in Nigeria. It is common practice to use participatory approaches to consult end users in communities, typically after design concepts have been proposed and conceptualised. However, this often leads to critical socio-cultural or usability elements being overlooked and the design being substandard. Therefore, this paper develops a robust model for designers, specialists and activists involved in construction that can be used during all phases of a project. This approach demonstrates that user needs should be considered before building designs and plans are generated, providing a greater frame of reference for practitioners, consultants and end users. Enabling the integration of holistic needs of the community and the development of circular design solution.Design/methodology/approachA case study methodology has been employed to develop this model, uses appreciative inquiry methodology. This includes multiple methods to capture end users’ perception: focus groups, interactions with the local community and self-recorded comments. This case study is part of a broader research project to develop replicable low-cost self-sufficient homes utilising local capacity using upcycled, locally available materials.FindingsThe findings identify the challenges associated with designing circular solution housing without a robust understanding of interrelated factors, which ensure sustainability and user acceptance. The conclusions demonstrate why essential socio-cultural factors, usually unrelated to technical development, should be understood and contextualised when designing sustainable solutions in low/middle-income communities. The authors argue that without this holistic approach, undesirable consequences may arise, often leading to more significant challenges. Instead of referring to multiple frameworks, this distinctive model can be used to evaluate user acceptance for low-cost housing in particular and other dimensions of circular solution design that involve end-user acceptance. The model blends circular solution dimensions with user-acceptance concerns offering a guide that considers essential features that are both user-friendly and pragmatic, such as utility, technological innovation and functionality as well as their intersectionality.Research limitations/implicationsThe research relied on a single case study, which focussed on end-user engagement of upcycling waste materials as an application of circular solutions. The model will contribute to developing socially accepted circular solutions taking into consideration local context factors.Originality/valueThe paper is proposing a model for user acceptance of circular construction materials relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Life on the margin: US margin rules finalized at last

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-74
Author(s):  
Marc Horwitz ◽  
Claire Hall ◽  
Bradley Phipps
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Exchange ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
End Users ◽  
End User ◽  
Currency Options ◽  
Futures Trading ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Margin Requirements ◽  
The Us ◽  
Final Rule

Purpose To discuss the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC’s) final rule regarding margin for uncleared swaps (the CFTC margin rule) and an interim final rule exempting non-financial and certain other end-users who are eligible for the end-user clearing exception from the scope of the CFTC margin rule, both adopted in December 2015. Design/methodology/approach Compares the CFTC margin rule to the similar “Bank margin rule”; explains what trades and types of entities are covered, the treatment of inter-affiliate swaps, the initial margin and the variation margin requirements, the types of collateral that can be posted, the required documentation, how netting is applied, the custodian requirements and the compliance dates. Findings The margin rules apply to uncleared swaps including cross-currency swaps, non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards and currency options. Exempt foreign exchange swaps and deliverable foreign exchange forwards are not required to be margined. Non-financial end-users who rely on the end-user exception are exempt from margin requirements. Originality/value Practical guidance from experienced financial services lawyers.

Article delivery using ReadCube Access: a report on use in five US libraries

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark M England ◽  
Liza Weisbrod ◽  
Christy Jarvis
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
End Users ◽  
User Feedback ◽  
End User ◽  
Interlibrary Loan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nature Publishing Group ◽  
Publishing Group

Purpose – This paper aims to update information on ReadCube Access and briefly reviews its history. The study also reports on the use of ReadCube Access by five US academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach – A series of questions was distributed to selected academic libraries using ReadCube Access. Survey recipients were asked to describe the library and the institution served, how long ReadCube Access has been in use, how many journals from Nature Publishing Group (NPG) were licensed and how many journals were being provided using ReadCube Access. Participating libraries were also asked to provide information about the purchase options offered to end-users, were asked to report on ReadCube Access usage and were requested to compare that usage to interlibrary loan (ILL) requests for NPG journals. Finally, the libraries were asked to share any comments about ReadCube Access they wished, including end user feedback and comments from library staff. Findings – ReadCube Access is shown to be cost-effective and more heavily used than interlibrary loan. End-users are enthused by the instantaneous delivery of articles, and most libraries are generally pleased with the sustainability of this unmediated service. Some end-users are confused and annoyed by the differences in using ReadCube Access compared with the familiar use of subscriptions. A failing of ReadCube Access is that it only offers content from one publisher. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need for an update on ReadCube Access and a study on the experiences of various libraries using it.

Harnessing knowledge of building end-users: identifying knowledge brokers that matter

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-35
Author(s):  
Zehra Waheed ◽  
Stephen O. Ogunlana
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
End Users ◽  
User Needs ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Core Network ◽  
End User ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Brokers

Purpose This study aims to investigate projects as social exchange networks, focussing on identifying knowledge brokers within the project network where they are key holders and disseminators of end-user needs. The purpose is to augment current theory through a practice lens so that building end-user requirements can be better incorporated in evolving project ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach An interpretive, an inductive case study is used to map knowledge brokers during a complex construction and co-location project. During the wider study, a variety of methods including archival data, interviews and questionnaires along with social network analysis (SNA) were used. The mixed methodology used has been pivotal in the triangulation of data from various sources. However, the output of SNA presented in this paper relies mostly on interviews and questionnaires administered to the project’s core network. Network relationships were mapped with knowledge of user requirements, being the key determinant of the binary relationships between actors. Findings The research found certain roles to be central knowledge brokers of knowledge related to end-user processes, including real estate and strategic planning, building operations and management, human and environmental factors, planning and project management and facility and service delivery. The knowledge of the above roles, albeit in a contextually situated case study, augments current understanding of which roles to tap on during project execution for better representation of end-user needs. Practical implications The research site is representative of a complex network of construction project stakeholders, including several categories of end-users and their representatives. The study demonstrates the use of the project-as-practice approach, whereby project theory is seen to emerge directly from practice. This has impact on practice as emergent theory about knowledge transfer and knowledge brokerage is essentially practice-led and hence more useful and relate-able to practitioners. Originality/value Research presented here is novel in terms of its approach towards understanding end-user needs such as need for privacy, control, attachment and interaction during construction projects. This is done through the identification of relevant knowledge brokers. The study uses SNA as an analytical tool to map knowledge transfers through the project’s network. End-user requirements are usually captured in the front-end of projects as specifications and deliverables, as new challenges emerge during execution, changes are required to the project’s direction and outcomes. It is therefore imperative that end-user needs are re-identified through knowledge brokers holding key knowledge. This allows project managers to prepare appropriate responses to changing project ecosystems.

Factors in an end user security expertise instrument

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashanth Rajivan ◽  
Pablo Moriano ◽  
Timothy Kelley ◽  
L. Jean Camp
Keyword(s):  
Computer Security ◽  
Computer Skills ◽  
End Users ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
End User ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
User Comprehension ◽  
User Security

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify factors that determine computer and security expertise in end users. They can be significant determinants of human behaviour and interactions in the security and privacy context. Standardized, externally valid instruments for measuring end-user security expertise are non-existent. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire encompassing skills and knowledge-based questions was developed to identify critical factors that constitute expertise in end users. Exploratory factor analysis was applied on the results from 898 participants from a wide range of populations. Cluster analysis was applied to characterize the relationship between computer and security expertise. Ordered logistic regression models were applied to measure efficacy of the proposed security and computing factors in predicting user comprehension of security concepts: phishing and certificates. Findings There are levels to peoples’ computer and security expertise that could be reasonably measured and operationalized. Four factors that constitute computer security-related skills and knowledge are, namely, basic computer skills, advanced computer skills, security knowledge and advanced security skills, and these are identified as determinants of computer expertise. Practical implications Findings from this work can be used to guide the design of security interfaces such that it caters to people with different expertise levels and does not force users to exercise more cognitive processes than required. Originality/value This work identified four factors that constitute security expertise in end users. Findings from this work were integrated to propose a framework called Security SRK for guiding further research on security expertise. This work posits that security expertise instrument for end user should measure three cognitive dimensions: security skills, rules and knowledge.

scholarly journals Theoretical Aspects of the Concept of Value Chain Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 63-77
Author(s):  
A. P. Tyapukhin
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
End Users ◽  
End User ◽  
Flow Management ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Value Chain Management ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
The Creation

The purpose of the study is to clarify and complement the theoretical aspects of the formation of the concept of value chain management, which provides, along with the concepts of demand chain management and supply chain management, the creation of an integral concept of chain management.Methods of research are methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, as well as classification, and tools are binary matrices providing for the joint use of two classification features.As a result of the study, flow management sequences were developed in creating the value of the end user of products and/or services and the stages of transformation of flows of various types; proposed a classification of management situations related to the creation of value; identified the main options for obtaining and assessing the value of the end user of products and/or services; disclosed are processes for optimizing the value of the end user; harmonizing the parameters of value and flows of products and/or services; disseminating and transforming the values of end-users of products and/or services.These results, when further refined, will reveal the areas of interaction between suppliers and consumers in the framework of joint management of values, requirements and supplies; Create prerequisites for improving supply chain management and logistics terminology; Organize better flow management within different chain management concepts, eliminating or reducing cross-functional and other barriers to the creation and delivery of value to end-users of products and/or services.Further areas of improvement include the establishment of harmonized definitions of value chain management, value chain management and supply chain management to provide a basic definition of chain management; clarification of essence, content, causes of occurrence and methods of reduction of barriers on trajectory of movement of flows of control objects and reduction of time for their processing, movement and transformation.

“I give you some, and then you give me some”: automated ILL of end‐user requests via the Danish National Union catalogue

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders‐Henrik Petersen ◽  
Rikke Lose ◽  
Elva Einarsdottir
Keyword(s):  
User Interface ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
End Users ◽  
Technical Solution ◽  
End User ◽  
National Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Material

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain the efforts, methods and results of the automation of end‐user loan requests in the Danish union catalogue “bibliotek.dk” (library.dk).Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains the implementation of automation of end‐user requests and explains why it is necessary.FindingsThe implications for the user interface are explained, as well as the technical solution and the consequences for the participating libraries and for the end‐users.Originality/valueThe paper will be of interest to all librarians who are supplying end‐users with library material through union catalogues or portals.

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