The centrality of organisational factors in the growth of new technology-based firms

PurposeNew technology-based firms (NTBFs) are a great potential source of job creation and economic growth. In France, strong heterogeneity of their growth trajectories is observed yet many of them remain small. A better understanding of these trajectories is thus necessary. The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of individual and organisational factors on 253 growth trajectories of NTBFs.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a Heckman ordered probit model to study explanatory factors of growth trajectories in NTBFs created between 1999 and 2012. This method allows them to study the determinants of the presence of a growth dynamics at the same time as the determinants of growth intensity.FindingsThe model shows that entrepreneurs play a weak role in understanding the growth trajectories of their company. Rather, it is organisational factors – such as the level of innovation and the governance structure – that explain initiation of a growth trajectory and the intensity of the growth.Originality/valueBy using an original methodology, the authors highlight the importance of organisational factors and encourage entrepreneurs to develop a governance structure focused on internal stakeholders to support growth.

Does Social Insurance Block the Inter-Generational Transmission of Poverty? Evidence from the 2018 China Family Panel Survey

In this research, we explored whether participation in pension insurance and medical insurance for children and fathers blocks the inter-generational transmission of poverty. Using data from the China Family Panel Survey of 2018, this paper took the average level of insurance participation of a sample group as an instrumental variable, applied the IV-probit model, and found that the participation of children in pension insurance and the participation of fathers in medical insurance significantly reduce the probability of the inter-generational transmission of poverty, but that the participation of children in medical insurance and the participation of fathers in pension insurance increase it. These results were robust. Furthermore, there was heterogeneity in household registration, geographical location, and marriage with regard to the impact of social insurance participation on the inter-generational transmission of poverty. These results could help the formulation of anti-poverty policies to address the inter-generational transmission of poverty.

What Drives Climate Change Adaptation Practices in Smallholder Farmers? Evidence from Potato Farmers in Indonesia

The potato is the third most consumed crop globally after rice and wheat, but climate change has often disrupted its production. Therefore, adaptation practices are needed to maintain potato productivity. This study investigates the determinants of on- and off-farm climate change adaptation practices among smallholder farmers in Indonesia, considering adaptation intensity, which has not discussed in previous literature. The cross-sectional data were collected from 302 smallholder potato farmers in East Java, Indonesia, analyzed by a multivariate probit model to estimate the determinants. An ordered probit model was subsequently employed to understand the intensity factors. The findings indicated that the significant factors that affect farmers’ choice of on-farm adaptations were the farmers’ education, their participation in farmers’ groups, agricultural-related infrastructure, and agriculture output prices. Meanwhile, the off-farm adaptations were significantly affected by the farmers’ education, employed family members, agriculture-related infrastructure, and livestock ownership. The ordered probit model also suggested that participation in farmers groups and agricultural-related infrastructure were the most significant factors that encouraged adaptation. Therefore, adaptation planning should consider these factors to optimally improve farmers’ adaptation capacity.

Impact of Value Perception on Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Farmland Fallow: A Case-Study in Major Grain-Producing Areas of Hubei and Hunan, China

The major grain-producing areas will be the key areas of future China fallow. It is important to explore the influence of farmers’ value perceptions on their fallow willingness in these areas. We analyzed this impact of value perception by using an ordered PROBIT model and survey data from the major grain-producing areas of Hubei and Hunan, China. The conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) A considerable proportion of farmers are willing to participate in farmland fallow, while a considerable proportion of farmers are neutral; (2) farmers’ value perceptions of farmland fallow have a significant positive impact on their fallow willingness; (3) farmers’ ages and education levels have a positive impact on farmers’ willingness to directly participate in farmland fallow, while per capita farmland area has a negative impact; (4) the key factors for successful fallow are solving the problem of non-agricultural employment of farmers and appropriately formulating fallow mode, scale, and subsidy standards. This study proposes that the government can develop farmers’ good value perceptions of fallow through appropriate subsidies and adequate publicity to strengthen their fallow consciousness.

The impact of COVID-19 on consumers' eating and purchasing habits of agricultural products in China: key determinants and policy implications

Background The study looks at a changed in consumer’s eating and purchasing habits during COVID-19 period. There are several modes of transmission but transmission through food as being speculated is one area that has not been confirmed through research. The study, therefore, looks at how speculations about COVID-19 spreading through food has affected consumers' eating and purchasing habits. This study through probit model analysed how consumers' eating and purchasing habits have been influenced. Results The result shows that age, gender and education have negatively influenced consumer’s eating and purchasing habits during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic period. The preference for imported food items, preference for frozen food, been infected or knowing someone who has been infected by the virus, and been infected through agricultural source or knowing someone who has been infected by the COVID-19 through agricultural source have negatively affected consumers' eating and purchasing habits compared to pre-pandemic period. The result, however, suggests that consumers who trust in the cold-chain food systems ability to limit the spread of the COVID-19 still maintain a positive eating and purchasing habits. Conclusions The study provides evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on consumer’s eating and purchasing habits. Therefore, there is the need to institute proper sanitary measures, especially at cold-chain food systems to help curb the spread and also boost consumers’ confidence.

Farmers’ choice of varieties and demand for improved cassava stems in Nigeria

In this study, we used a household level survey to assess choices of varieties and demand for improved cassava varieties. A multivariate probit model was used to examine the determinants of choice decisions of the farmers for different varieties preventing potential endogeneity and measurement error. A Linearized Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS) model was used to analyze the demand system for improved cassava varieties. The results of the (LA/AIDS) model indicated farmers were very price sensitive to changes in improved stem prices and incomes. We suggest that intervention program that will improve the purchasing power of the farmers should be targeted towards the smallholder cassava farmers to accelerate adoption of improved cassava varieties. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(2): 42-51, Dec 2021

City Size and Permanent Settlement Intention: Evidence from Rural-Urban Migrants in China

The location choice and livelihoods of rural-urban migrants are critical to the sustainable development of cities. By using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in 2017, this paper extant the Rosen–Roback’s model by adding factors of urban social network and air pollution to the function of the individual utility of migrants. Both the Probit Model and IV estimates imply evidence of an inverse U-shaped pattern of city size and migrants’ permanent settlement in urban China. This view proves that Chinese migrants like to settle permanently in large cities, but not mega-cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai. The internal mechanism is explained by the agglomeration economies and the crowing effect brought by city size. In mega-cities, the attractiveness of the city caused by wage premium cannot offset the combined repulsive force caused by the high housing price, bad urban social network, air pollution, and health deterioration. It is worth noting that air pollution has a significant negative impact on the settlement intention of migrants, such as health conditions and precipitation. Besides, there is heterogeneity among high-skilled migrants and low-skilled migrants in different city sizes. Our findings enhance the understanding of “Escape from megacities” in China and have implications for the reform of the housing security system and the exploration of the urbanization path.

Recycling Behaviour of Urban Households in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

This chapter is aimed at providing new insights into the perception and determinants of municipal solid waste behaviour. A quantitative data set was obtained and analyzed by directly interviewing 579 urban households in in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta stratified by urban-type level. Binary Probit model and OLS regression indicate the significant influences of urbanization level, organization membership, the concern to environmental status, and education level of households. Finally, results reveal that the municipal solid waste recycling level can be significantly increased by motivating urban households' incentives; therefore, policymakers in Vietnam as well as in developing countries should also provide more incentive to households by subsidizing the recycled materials (i.e., paper and unusable metal) and well-managed informal recycling systems including itinerant waste buyers.