Determinants of diversification by cocoa smallholders in Sulawesi

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1243-1263
Author(s):  
Iqbal Irfany ◽  
Peter John McMahon ◽  
Jenny-Ann Toribio ◽  
Kim-Yen Phan-Thien ◽  
Muhamad Amin Rifai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Durable Goods ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Credit Access ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
Income Sources ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Market Town ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate determinants of four diversification practises by cocoa smallholders in West Sulawesi, Indonesia: (1) growing other crops, (2) keeping livestock, (3) off-farm work for wages (4) off-farm self-employment, and the impact of diversification on welfare of community members.Design/methodology/approachHousehold interviews (n = 116) conducted in two subdistricts (Anreapi and Mapilli) of Polewali-Mandar District, West Sulawesi, provided quantitative data on household characteristics, crop and livestock production, income sources, expenditure and credit access. Two villages per subdistrict were included in the study, each producing cocoa as the main crop but differing in their proximity to a market town. Logistic regression was applied to identify determinants of diversification by households. Multiple linear regression (MLR) models evaluated the impact of diversification practices and other explanatory variables on two proxies of welfare (or household wealth): per capita value of durable assets (household assets other than land or livestock) and per capita expenditure for each household.FindingsMean per capita cocoa production in the sample was low (51 kg dry beans/annum). The mean dependency ratio (proportion of household occupants age <18 and >64) was 35%, with an average of five occupants per household. Household heads were predominantly male (95%), averaging 46 yo and 7 years of formal education. Most households (72%) depended on loans, but only 24% accessed formal loans. Significant determinants of diversification practices were access to formal credit for self-employment and subdistrict for livestock, with Mapilli subdistrict households more likely to keep livestock. Household predictors in the MLR accounted for 28% variation of the dependent, per capita value of durable goods. Off-farm self-employment and raising livestock significantly improved welfare, but growing other crops or off-farm work for wages had little effect. Other household variables demonstrated to have significant positive effects on welfare were education of the household head, proximity to a market town and land area per household.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was restricted to a relatively small sample size (n = 116). Studies including panel data or larger numbers of households could enable the identification of further determinants of diversification.Practical implicationsThe study demonstrates that diversification has the potential to improve rural livelihoods, but that obstacles, especially formal credit access, may deter poorer households from diversifying their income sources.Social implicationsPrograms and policies that facilitate access to formal finance by smallholders could encourage diversification into small business and improve livelihoods in cocoa-dependent communities.Originality/valueIn the light of the decline in cocoa farm productivity in West Sulawesi, the study demonstrates the potential benefits, as well as limitations, of income diversification by smallholders.

Rubber specialization vs crop diversification: the roles of perceived risks

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Min ◽  
Jikun Huang ◽  
Hermann Waibel
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Crop Diversification ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of farmers’ risk perceptions regarding rubber farming on their land use choices, including rubber specialization and crop diversification. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey data of some 600 smallholder rubber farmers in Xishuangbanna in Southwest China is employed. This paper develops a general conceptual framework that incorporates a subjective risk item into a model of farmers’ land use choices, thereby developing four econometric models to estimate the role of risk perceptions, and applies instrumental variables to control for the endogeneity of risk perceptions. Findings The results demonstrate that risk perceptions play an important role in smallholders’ decision-making regarding land use strategies to address potential risks in rubber farming. Smallholders with higher risk perceptions specialize in rubber farming less often and are more likely to diversify their land use, thereby contributing to local environmental conservation in terms of agrobiodiversity. The land use choices of smallholder rubber farmers are also associated with ethnicity, household wealth, off-farm employment, land tenure status, altitude and rubber farming experience. Originality/value This study contributes to a better understanding of the implications of farmers’ risk perceptions and shows entry points for improving the sustainability of rubber-based land use systems.

Modeling the implicit brand: capturing the hidden drivers

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 600-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Vriens ◽  
Alessandro Martins Alves
Keyword(s):  
Durable Goods ◽  
Implicit Attitudes ◽  
Response Style ◽  
Brand Attitudes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Explicit Attitudes ◽  
Brand Building ◽  
Implicit Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate modeling implicit attitudes as potential drivers of overall brand attitudes and stated behavior and investigate how the results are expected to be different from brand driver models that are based on explicit attitudes. Design/methodology/approach Data are collected via online surveys in five countries across 15 categories with sample sizes for each category/country combination in the range of about N = 1,000. Findings Implicit attitudes result in a higher number of significant effects than their explicit counterparts when used to explain behavioral intentions, brand closeness and brand usage in a multivariate situation with potential 12 brand attitude drivers. The authors also find fewer counter-intuitive effects in the implicit models. The results are consistent across 5 countries and across 15 categories (including CPG products, services and durable goods). They also show that implicit attitudes are less susceptible to response style effects (e.g. social desirability bias). Research limitations/implications The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation. Further research should look into the impact of using implicit data on finding different brand segmentation and brand mapping results. Practical implications The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation. Originality/value This paper contributes to the fast-growing field of implicit attitudes. The paper confirms and generalizes previous findings. This is the first paper to the authors’ knowledge that has investigated the impact of implicit attitudes on overall brand attitudes and stated behavior in a multivariate context.

Impact of training on entrepreneurial intention: an interactive cognitive perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fayçal Boukamcha
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cognitive Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Training ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to clarify the impact of the entrepreneurial training on a Tunisian trainee’s entrepreneurial cognitions and intention. An interactive cognitive perspective was adopted to test the interaction effect between the entrepreneurial cognitions: the perceived entrepreneurial self-efficacy, the perceived entrepreneurial feasibility and entrepreneurial desirability. A research model was built showing several relationships between entrepreneurial training, cognitions and intention. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 240 participants in four business incubators. The maximum-likelihood test was used as a structural equation modeling method to test the model. Findings – The results show the importance of the entrepreneurial training in the development of entrepreneurial cognitions. Further, the findings, to some extent, validate the interaction between the entrepreneurial cognitive patterns. However, entrepreneurial intention was only predicted through the entrepreneurial desirability. Several implications are discussed at the end of this paper. Practical implications – The findings seem interesting insofar, as they show the importance of entrepreneurial trainings in the entrepreneurial intention development through the enhancement of desirability. This process can be triggered by a training program that contains case studies, success stories and conferences to make the youth enthusiastic about self-employment. Originality/value – The significant impact of the entrepreneurial training on trainees’ cognitions should encourage governments and incubators to promote entrepreneurial training programs to enhance the youths’ willingness to create their own businesses. The findings in this paper seem interesting insofar as they show the importance of entrepreneurial trainings in the entrepreneurial intention development through the enhancement of desirability. This process can be triggered by a training program that contains case studies, success stories and conferences to make the youth enthusiastic about self-employment.

Does cooperative membership impact the yield and efficiency of smallholder farmers? Evidence from potato farmers in Mongolia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Ahado ◽  
Jiří Hejkrlík ◽  
Anudari Enkhtur ◽  
Tserendavaa Tseren ◽  
Tomáš Ratinger
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
Agricultural Cooperative ◽  
Education Participation ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of agricultural cooperative membership on potato production and technical efficiency.Design/methodology/approachA combination of propensity score matching technique and sample selection stochastic frontier framework that addresses potential selection bias due to observable and unobservable attributes is used to estimate the effect of participation between cooperative members and non-members. Using a stochastic meta-frontier approach, the technical efficiency of farmers was estimated and compared.FindingsThe empirical results show that the effect of participation in agricultural cooperatives is associated with increased yield and technical efficiency. A comparison of group-specific frontiers indicates that cooperative members perform better than non-members. Cooperative membership decisions is significantly associated with household and farm characteristics (e.g. education, participation in off-farm work, total farmland, distance to market and geographic location).Practical implicationsThe findings of this study demonstrate that cooperative organisations can be an important tool to enhance the productivity and efficiency of smallholder farmers. Successful cooperative models together with training programs designed to enlighten farmers on the importance and tangible benefits of collective action should be used to enlarge participation in cooperative organisations. In addition, governments and development agencies should implement targeted investment and capacity building programs related to irrigation management, gender-sensitive awareness and development of the internal institutional mechanisms in cooperatives for the transfer of knowledge and mutual learning so that all members benefit from cooperatives.Originality/valueDespite the pervasive evidence of the impact of cooperatives on productivity and technical efficiency in the Asian region, this study is probably the first attempt in the crop sector in Mongolia. It provides a rigorous empirical analysis of the impact of agricultural cooperative membership on potato production and technical efficiency through a counterfactual design.

Evolution of opportunities for early childhood development in Arab countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 256-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Hlasny
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Opportunities ◽  
Opportunity Gaps ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate opportunities for early childhood development (ECD) regarding children’s prenatal care, access to nutrition, health, parental care and cognitive-developmental activities, in 33 surveys from 13 countries. A total of 15 indicators for children’s opportunities are assessed including their typical level, inequality across demographic groups, and factors responsible. Design/methodology/approach Probability regressions estimate the effects of various household circumstances on children’s engagement in development opportunities. Dissimilarity indexes and human opportunity indexes are computed for each ECD dimension. To understand the impact of each household characteristic, Shorrocks-Shapley decomposition is performed. Findings ECD opportunities are poor but improving and becoming more equal across many countries. Progress is uneven. As may be expected, household wealth affects inequality for ECD opportunities facilitated by markets or governments, but not non-market opportunities. For preventive healthcare and preschool enrollment, access is deteriorating, reflecting low priority given to them in public policy. Children’s height falls behind in the first two years of children’s life, suggesting the need for targeted institutional interventions. Surprisingly, countries experiencing uprisings see conditions improving, while other Arab countries see them stagnating or deteriorating. Originality/value Local and national policy should tackle the identified opportunity gaps. Policymakers should allocate proper investment in medical and educational infrastructure and better coordinate support for disadvantaged families to ensure proper prenatal and ECD. International organizations should provide assistance with these programs.

A study of the relationship between employee wage and commercial banks efficiency in China

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-159
Author(s):  
Jiangtao Li ◽  
Jianyue Ji ◽  
Yanxia Wang
Keyword(s):  
Commercial Bank ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Calculated Data ◽  
Wage Structure ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Bank Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Efficiency of a commercial bank affects both its competitiveness and the role it plays in the process of economic development. Although great efforts have been exerted in developing the various aspects of banking efficiency, there seems to be a lack of research on examining the impact of the bank efficiency from the employee wage perspective. The mechanism of how employee wage affects commercial bank efficiency and the relationship between the two were analyzed in this paper. Based on the growing body of research on efficiency in banking, the aim of this paper is to examine if competitiveness of employee wages at any commercial bank has any impact on the bank efficiency score. Design/methodology/approach The method used was quantitative analysis, which was based on comparing the evaluated efficiencies of the banks with employee wages published in the bank reports. The empirical data in this paper were based on 16 Chinese listed commercial banks from 2004 to 2012. The per capita wage of commercial banks was selected as the wage indicator, and the efficiency value obtained by the slack-based measure (SBM) model was selected as the efficiency indicator. According to the calculated data, the Tobit regression model was built to analyze the relationship between employee wage and commercial bank efficiency. Findings The research results show that employee wage is the key variable that influences the efficiency of Chinese commercial banks, and the inverted U-shaped relationship between employee wage and commercial banks efficiency shows up. Practical implications The wage structure data of the composition of basic pay and bonus were not available at the time of conducting the research. Per capita wages were used instead to reflect the employee wage levels of Chinese banks. Originality/value This study can provide some help for the banking industry by analyzing the wage levels from the perspective of efficiency and also further enriches the theoretical system of the relationship between employee wage and bank efficiency.

Can labor productivity growth reduce carbon emission? Evidence from OECD countries and China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueli Chen ◽  
Wanshu Ma ◽  
Vivian Valdmanis
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Oecd Countries ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Ekc Hypothesis ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the challenges involved in the trade-offs of labor productivity and per capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emission.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, we used a balanced dataset of 36 OECD countries and China between 1990 and 2018. We examined the relationship between labor productivity and per capita CO2 emission for OECD countries and China based on an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Further, the fixed effects model of estimation was employed to examine the impact of variables during the sample period and explore the relationship between predictor and outcome variables within an entity while controlling for all time-invariant differences.FindingsThis study confirmed the existence of the N-shape EKC hypothesis in 36 OECD countries and China. This implies that at the initial development stage, per capita CO2 emission increased with labor productivity; however, after reaching certain threshold, per capita CO2 emission began to fall with rising labor productivity. Then the per capita CO2 emission rises again when labor productivity continually increases.Originality/valueIn this study, we explored the dynamic association between labor productivity and per capita CO2 emissions for 36 OECD countries and China under the EKC framework from 1990 to 2018 by using the labor productivity and per capita CO2 emission as economic and environmental indicators of one country respectively. This study’s contribution showed the following: first, the empirical findings confirmed the N-shape relationship between labor productivity and per capita CO2 emissions for 36 OECD countries and China; second, the findings demonstrated that the association among the underlying variables by testing through the fixed effect model.

scholarly journals Contextual and Compositional Risk Factors of Overweight and Obesity in India over Two Decades: An Analysis of National Demographic and Health Surveys

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1607-1607
Author(s):  
Jeswin Baby ◽  
Jithin Sam Varghese ◽  
Tinku Thomas ◽  
Shruthi Cyriac ◽  
Shivani Patel
Keyword(s):  
Health Surveys ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Participation Rate ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Labour Force Participation Rate ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Identify contextual (state characteristics) and compositional (individual characteristics) drivers of changes in overweight in women from 1998–2016 across 26 states of India. Methods Nationally representative data on individual socio-demographics and objectively-measured anthropometry for non-pregnant and ever-married women 15–49y were obtained from the Indian National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-2, 1998–99, n = 61,979; NFHS-3, 2005–06, n = 66,694; and NFHS-4, 2015–16, n = 387,732). Individual-level data were merged with year-matched state-level nutritional and economic indicators obtained from multiple national databases. State indicators included per capita consumption of cereals, oils and sugar, per capita gross state domestic product (GDP), literacy rates, labour force participation rate, and population proportion engaged in sedentary employment. Cross-classified generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) with random effects classified each woman by state and round of survey. Models examined overweight/obesity trends as well as estimated the adjusted odds ratios and 95% Bayesian credible intervals for overweight/obesity associated with contextual and individual factors. Results From 1998 to 2016, the prevalence of overweight/obesity increased in all states of India. Higher household wealth (Quintile 5 vs 1: 4.18 [4.06–4.30]), education (post-secondary vs pre-school or less: 1.55 [1.51–1.60]), were associated with higher adjusted odds of overweight/obesity. State average sugar (g; 1.04 [1.03–1.05]) and oil (g; 1.04 [1.03–1.06]) intake, log (GDP per capita) (2.18 [2.14–2.21]) and literacy rates (1.01 [1.01–1.01]) were positively and independently associated with higher odds of overweight. The impact of state characteristics on prevalence of overweight/obesity decreased across rounds. Conclusions While the role of state economic and nutritional context as a driver of overweight has waned over time, contextual indicators remain salient correlates of an individual adult's likelihood of being overweight. Findings suggest that rising overweight in India must be understood and addressed from a socio-ecological lens that considers context alongside individual risks. Funding Sources None.

Transboundary air pollution and respiratory disease mortality: evidence from European countries

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Spiteri ◽  
Philip von Brockdorff
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transboundary Air Pollution ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to quantify the impact of transboundary air pollutants, particularly those related to urban traffic, on health outcomes. The importance of focusing on the health implications of transboundary pollution is due to the fact that these emissions originate from another jurisdiction, thus constituting international negative externalities. Thus, by isolating and quantifying the impact of these transboundary air pollutants on domestic health outcomes, the authors can understand more clearly the extent of these externalities, identify their ramifications for health and emphasise the importance of cross-country cooperation in the fight against air pollution.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ panel data regression analysis to look at the relationship between emissions of transboundary air pollution and mortality rates from various respiratory diseases among a sample of 40 European countries, over the period 2003–2014. In turn, the authors use annual data on transboundary emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), together with detailed data on the per capita incidence of various respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The authors consider a number of different regression equation specifications and control for potential confounders like the quality of healthcare and economic prosperity within each country.FindingsThe results show that transboundary emissions of PM2.5 are positively and significantly related to mortality rates from asthma in our sample of countries. Quantitatively, a 10% increase in PM2.5 transboundary emissions per capita from neighbouring countries is associated with a 1.4% increase in the asthma mortality rate within the recipient country or roughly 200 deaths by asthma per year across our sample.Originality/valueThese findings have important policy implications for cross-country cooperation and regulation in the field of pollution abatement and control, particularly since all the countries under consideration form a part of the UN's Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), a transnational cooperative agreement aimed at curtailing such pollutants on an international level.

Financial development and self-employment

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-357
Author(s):  
Papar Kananurak ◽  
Aeggarchat Sirisankanan
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
Financial Development ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Random Effect Model ◽  
Direct Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose There are several different factors that can influence self-employment. However, there is little evidence stemming from direct examination of the impact of financial development (FD) on self-employment. This study aims to formulate empirical specification models to examine the effect of FD on self-employment. Design/methodology/approach Panel data analysis of 136 sample countries was performed during the period from 2000 to 2017. This study initially implemented the new financial index developed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to examine the impact of FD on self-employment. Panel data analysis including the pooled model, fixed effect and random effect model has been carried out. Findings The empirical results show that the financial institutions index has a negative significant impact on self-employment by a considerable magnitude, whereas the financial markets index does not show any statistical significance. The results also find that the government effectiveness index is negative and statistically significant on self-employment. Originality/value There are several different factors which can influence self-employment. Nevertheless, there is little evidence for the direct examination of the impact of FD on self-employment. This study investigated the impact of FD on self-employment by using the new FD index created by the IMF. The finding may help policymakers to implement FD along with other institutional policies to control self-employment.

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