scholarly journals Agricultural Advisors as Climate Information Intermediaries: Exploring Differences in Capacity to Communicate Climate

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tonya Haigh ◽  
Lois Wright Morton ◽  
Maria Carmen Lemos ◽  
Cody Knutson ◽  
Linda Stalker Prokopy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Extreme Precipitation Events ◽  
Information Intermediaries ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Different Types ◽  
And Shifts ◽  
Willingness To Use

Abstract Although agricultural production faces chronic stress associated with extreme precipitation events, high temperatures, drought, and shifts in climate conditions, adoption of climate information into agricultural decision making has been relatively limited. Agricultural advisors have been shown to play important roles as information intermediaries between scientists and farmers, brokering, translating, and adding value to agronomic and economic information of use in agricultural management decision making. Yet little is known about the readiness of different types of agricultural advisors to use weather and climate information to help their clients manage risk under increasing climate uncertainty. More than 1700 agricultural advisors in four midwestern states (Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan) completed a web-based survey during the spring of 2012 about their use of weather and climate information, public or private sector employment, and roles as information intermediaries in three advising specializations: agronomic, conservation, and financial. Key findings reveal that advisors who specialize in providing agronomic information are positively inclined toward acting as weather and climate information intermediaries, based on influence and willingness to use climate information in providing many types of operational and tactical advice. Advisors who provide conservation advice appear to be considering weather and climate information when providing tactical and strategic land-use advice, but advisors who provide financial advice seem less inclined to act as climate information intermediaries. These findings highlight opportunities to increase the capacity of different types of advisors to enable them to be effective weather and climate information intermediaries.

scholarly journals Why the use of weather and climate information is essential for SDG implementation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Griggs
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Climate Services ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Development Goals

<p>The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an ambitious plan for “people, “planet and prosperity”. At its core are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the achievement of which is critically affected by weather and a changing climate. To that end emphasis has been given to delivering weather and climate services, with information packaged in ways that support timely decision making.</p><p>Yet often these approaches tend not to address which decision-making processes need what information, why they need it, or what form they need it in. They have also tended to be focussed on specific situations and SDGs (such as SDG 14, 15) where the need for weather and climate information is clear and obvious.</p><p>In this presentation, we will look at how weather and climate information impinges on different decision making contexts, requiring that information to be tailored in new ways. In doing so we will identify key action areas that need to be addressed to improve integration of weather and climate information into SDG decision making. </p>

scholarly journals Definitions, components and processes of data harmonisation in healthcare: a scoping review

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bey-Marrié Schmidt ◽  
Christopher J. Colvin ◽  
Ameer Hohlfeld ◽  
Natalie Leon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Linkage Data ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Management Decision Making ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Data Harmonisation

Abstract Background Data harmonisation (DH) has emerged amongst health managers, information technology specialists and researchers as an important intervention for routine health information systems (RHISs). It is important to understand what DH is, how it is defined and conceptualised, and how it can lead to better health management decision-making. This scoping review identifies a range of definitions for DH, its characteristics (in terms of key components and processes), and common explanations of the relationship between DH and health management decision-making. Methods This scoping review identified relevant studies from 2000 onwards (date filter), written in English and published in PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL. Two reviewers independently screened records for potential inclusion for the abstract and full-text screening stages. One reviewer did the data extraction, analysis and synthesis, with built-in reliability checks from the rest of the team. We developed a narrative synthesis of definitions and explanations of the relationship between DH and health management decision-making. Results We sampled 61 of 181 included to synthesis definitions and concepts of DH in detail. We identified six common terms for data harmonisation: record linkage, data linkage, data warehousing, data sharing, data interoperability and health information exchange. We also identified nine key components of data harmonisation: DH involves (a) a process of multiple steps; (b) integrating, harmonising and bringing together different databases (c) two or more databases; (d) electronic data; (e) pooling data using unique patient identifiers; and (f) different types of data; (g) data found within and across different departments and institutions at facility, district, regional and national levels; (h) different types of technical activities; (i) has a specific scope. The relationship between DH and health management decision-making is not well-described in the literature. Several studies mentioned health providers’ concerns about data completeness, data quality, terminology and coding of data elements as barriers to data utilisation for clinical decision-making. Conclusion To our knowledge, this scoping review was the first to synthesise definitions and concepts of DH and address the causal relationship between DH and health management decision-making. Future research is required to assess the effectiveness of data harmonisation on health management decision-making.

scholarly journals Efficiency of Vegetables Produced in Glasshouses: The Impact of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in Land Management Decision Making

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Thomas Bournaris ◽  
George Vlontzos ◽  
Christina Moulogianni
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Data Envelopment Analysis ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Efficiency Score ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Management Decision Making ◽  
The Impact

Glasshouse farming is one of the most intensive types of production of agricultural products. Via this process, consumers have the ability to consume mainly off-season vegetables and farmers are able to reduce operational risks, due to their ability to control micro-climate conditions. This type of farming is quite competitive worldwide, this being the main reason for formulating and implementing assessment models measuring operational performance. The methodology used in this study is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which has wide acceptance in agriculture, among other sectors of the economy. The production protocols of four different vegetables—cucumber, eggplant, pepper, and tomato—were evaluated. Acreage (m2), crop protection costs (€), fertilizers (€), labor (Hr/year), energy (€), and other costs (€) were used as inputs. The turnover of every production unit (€) was used as the output. Ninety-eight agricultural holdings participated in this survey. The dataset was obtained by face-to-face interviews. The main findings verify the existence of significant relative deficiencies (including a mean efficiency score of 0.87) as regards inputs usage, as well as considerably different efficiency scores among the different cultivations. The most efficient of these was the eggplant production protocol and the least efficient was that used for the tomato. The implementation of DEA verified its utility, providing incentives for continuing to use this methodology for improving land management decision making.

scholarly journals The utility of weather and climate information for adaptation decision-making: current uses and future prospects in Africa and India

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandni Singh ◽  
Joseph Daron ◽  
Amir Bazaz ◽  
Gina Ziervogel ◽  
Dian Spear ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Adaptation Decision

scholarly journals Rhythms of Prediction in South Australian Water Resource Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Rayner
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Resource ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Australian Water ◽  
Millennium Drought ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Weather And Climate

Abstract In the complex institutional and physical infrastructure nexus of South Australia, weather and climate information is highly valued by freshwater managers and users. But different users focus on very different time scales. Recent changes in water rights and technology, driven by the Millennium Drought, enable agricultural users to focus on real-time monitoring and relatively short-term forecasts (3–5 days ahead). A wide range of users make extensive use of the full 7-day weather forecasts and there is awareness of, but not reliance on, seasonal outlooks. These are widely viewed as providing “background” indications and are seldom directly used in decision-making. While concern about climate change is driving scientific research on downscaling climate impact models for the region, there are different views among decision-makers about the usefulness of these for adaptation. All forms of weather and climate information appear to be best integrated into decision-making when incorporated into sector-specific models and decision-support tools alongside other relevant variables. However, there remains something of a mismatch between scientific aspirations to improve the skill of seasonal and long-term climate forecasting and the temporal rhythms of water-resource decision-making.

scholarly journals What Do Weather Disasters Cost? An Analysis of Weather Impacts in Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hellen E. Msemo ◽  
Andrea L. Taylor ◽  
Cathryn E. Birch ◽  
Andrew J. Dougill ◽  
Andrew Hartley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
National Level ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Climate Services ◽  
Socioeconomic Impacts ◽  
Marine Industry ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual

Weather-related disasters negatively impact livelihoods and socioeconomic activities and often lead to the loss of lives and homes. This study uses disaster data from the Disaster Management Department (DMD) in Tanzania to describe the spatial distribution of weather-related disasters, their socioeconomic impacts and highlight opportunities to improve production and uptake of weather and climate information by climate sensitive sectors. Between 2000 and 2019, severe weather accounted for ~69% of disasters in Tanzania. The Government spent over 20.5 million USD in response to these disasters, which destroyed over 35,700 houses and 1,000 critical infrastructures (roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals), affected over 572,600 people, caused over 240 injuries and 450 deaths. To reduce these impacts, it is important to understand the decision-making process in terms of what and how national guidelines create and enabling environment for integration of weather and climate information into disaster risk reduction strategies. For example, the National Transport Policy which is supposed to provide cross-sectorial guidelines on the use of weather and climate information addresses the use to marine industry but remains silent to other climate sensitive sectors and the public. Whilst weather warnings are available Tanzania continues to suffer from the impacts of weather-related disasters. There is a clear need to better understand the value of weather warning information at short timescales (1–5 days) and how this information can be better used in the individual decision-making processes of those receiving advisories and warnings. The review of policies to guide on cross- sectoral actions to foster the uptake of weather and climate services, decisions across climate sensitive sectors, both nationally and sub-national level is recommended.

scholarly journals Understanding the Influence of Climate Forecasts on Farmer Decisions as Planned Behavior*

2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1202-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikrom Artikov ◽  
Stacey J. Hoffman ◽  
Gary D. Lynne ◽  
Lisa M. Pytlik Zillig ◽  
Qi Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Planned Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Perceived Behavioral Control ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Derived Demand

Abstract Results of a set of four regression models applied to recent survey data of farmers in eastern Nebraska suggest the causes that drive farmer intentions of using weather and climate information and forecasts in farming decisions. The model results quantify the relative importance of attitude, social norm, perceived behavioral control, and financial capability in explaining the influence of climate-conditions information and short-term and long-term forecasts on agronomic, crop insurance, and crop marketing decisions. Attitude, serving as a proxy for the utility gained from the use of such information, had the most profound positive influence on the outcome of all the decisions, followed by norms. The norms in the community, as a proxy for the utility gained from allowing oneself to be influenced by others, played a larger role in agronomic decisions than in insurance or marketing decisions. In addition, the interaction of controllability (accuracy, availability, reliability, timeliness of weather and climate information), self-efficacy (farmer ability and understanding), and general preference for control was shown to be a substantive cause. Yet control variables also have an economic side: The farm-sales variable as a measure of financial ability and motivation intensified and clarified the role of control while also enhancing the statistical robustness of the attitude and norms variables in better clarifying how they drive the influence. Overall, the integrated model of planned behavior from social psychology and derived demand from economics, that is, the “planned demand model,” is more powerful than models based on either of these approaches alone. Taken together, these results suggest that the “human dimension” needs to be better recognized so as to improve effective use of climate and weather forecasts and information for farming decision making.

Quota Women Are Threatening to Men

2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klea Faniko ◽  
Till Burckhardt ◽  
Oriane Sarrasin ◽  
Fabio Lorenzi-Cioldi ◽  
Siri Øyslebø Sørensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Preferential Treatment ◽  
Public Sector Employees ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Women In Decision Making ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Two studies carried out among Albanian public-sector employees examined the impact of different types of affirmative action policies (AAPs) on (counter)stereotypical perceptions of women in decision-making positions. Study 1 (N = 178) revealed that participants – especially women – perceived women in decision-making positions as more masculine (i.e., agentic) than feminine (i.e., communal). Study 2 (N = 239) showed that different types of AA had different effects on the attribution of gender stereotypes to AAP beneficiaries: Women benefiting from a quota policy were perceived as being more communal than agentic, while those benefiting from weak preferential treatment were perceived as being more agentic than communal. Furthermore, we examined how the belief that AAPs threaten men’s access to decision-making positions influenced the attribution of these traits to AAP beneficiaries. The results showed that men who reported high levels of perceived threat, as compared to men who reported low levels of perceived threat, attributed more communal than agentic traits to the beneficiaries of quotas. These findings suggest that AAPs may have created a backlash against its beneficiaries by emphasizing gender-stereotypical or counterstereotypical traits. Thus, the framing of AAPs, for instance, as a matter of enhancing organizational performance, in the process of policy making and implementation, may be a crucial tool to countering potential backlash.

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