bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Entrepreneurship Policy Programme: Implications and Expectations
Authors: Norrman Charlotte , Klofsten Magnus
Published: September 2010

This paper investigates the extent to which the expected outcomes from a public support programme match the real outcomes and whether the support given matches the needs of the receivers. The findings are drawn from a survey of 154 ventures supported by a major Swedish entrepreneurship policy programme. The results show that public support increases motivation and has a positive effect on product development processes. One major implication is that there is a mismatch between product development and market development. This should therefore be an important consideration for the designers of all types of public support programmes.
Expenditure-Based Segmentation and Visitor Profiling at the Quays in Salford, UK
Authors: Craggs Ruth , Schofield Peter
Published: September 2010

There is a substantial body of literature relating to tourism's economic impact at the macro level, but less is known about tourist expenditure at a micro scale. This paper reports findings from a survey of day-visitor expenditure by category at The Quays in Salford, UK. Expenditure is influenced strongly by the visitor's age, frequency of visitation and visit motivation. Heavy, medium and light expenditure segments and associated profiles are identified. ‘Heavy spenders’ are more likely to be female, in a family group and have shopping as the main motivation for the visit. The implications of the findings are discussed.
The Valuation of Skill and the Configuration of HRM
Authors: Riley Michael , Szivas Edith
Published: September 2010

This paper looks at the way skills and knowledge are valued by management in tourism and hospitality firms and at how that valuation is reflected in the configuration of human resources management (HRM) and the structure of labour markets. Based on a resource view of the firm and using the concepts of human resource architecture, it is argued that tourism and hospitality are not just examples of the internal spot-market mode in which acquisition dominates employment strategy, but rather constitute a special case in which the nature of labour productivity intervenes. The authors argue that labour is, in the main, separated from quantitative concepts of productivity and adds value only in qualitative terms. This sets up a dichotomy for human resource strategy between economic imperatives and the desire for quality. The resolution of that dichotomy, it is argued, is aggravated by the way individuals value their human capital, which has the effect of segmenting a general unskilled labour market and creating rigid occupational identities. This is the background against which modern ideas of HRM, such as employment flexibility, have to contend.
Proximity and Interactive Learning in University–Firm Relationships
Authors: Thune Taran
Published: September 2010

This paper addresses the question of whether proximity is always necessary for interactive learning, as proposed by recent European innovation theory. Recent research has provided a refined conceptualization of proximity, but there is little empirically-based knowledge about the actual role that proximity plays in relationships intended to foster interactive learning. The paper investigates how proximity actually impacts on interactive learning processes by examining collaborative research projects between firms and universities.
Outlook on Baranaaja: The Traditional Mixed Cropping System of the Central Himalaya
Authors: Ghosh Paromita
Published: September 2010

Among the primary needs of the central Himalayan region is a sustainable agriculture that will increase farmers' income through agricultural diversification while conserving biodiversity and achieving food self-sufficiency. The danger of losing a rich biodiversity has been realized and has been high on policy and research agendas for some time. However, much remains to be done to protect central Himalayan agro-biodiversity. This article describes the current status of agro-food cultivation in central Himalaya and examines the constraints and opportunities for the further development of the traditional agro-food cultivation involving resource-poor farmers.
Concerns of India's Farmers
Authors: Shankar K. Ravi , Maraty Pochaiah
Published: September 2010

This paper provides a critical insight into the different factors responsible for indebtedness and feelings of distress among farmers in India. Natural factors (drought, cyclones and floods), along with institutional factors (inputs, credit, markets, etc), contribute to the capital dependence of farmers. The situation of small, marginal and large-scale farmers is discussed. After elaborating on the existing conditions, the authors suggest measures that could be taken by government and offer recommendations for overcoming the crisis, such as forming farmers' groups, reducing input costs by adopting non-pesticidal management, rectifying market anomalies and providing counselling and confidence-building measures in distress‘hot spots’.
Optimal Grain Marketing Revisited
Authors: Loy Jens-Peter , Pieniadz Agata
Published: September 2010

Increasing grain price volatility over the last year has revived the discussion on optimal marketing strategies. Various models of optimal grain marketing have been proposed and simulated in the literature. In this study, an overview of these models is presented and critical aspects are discussed. Optimal strategies are then applied to the wheat market in Germany and Poland. The results show that gains from optimal marketing are rather small and uncertain in the real world, indicating that scientific assistance may be of limited importance when using only publicly available information. However, an understanding of optimization and price-generating processes is likely to improve farmers' decisions – in particular when additional (private) information to improve price forecasts is available.
Employing Knowledge Transfer to Support is Implementation in SMEs
Authors: Wynn Martin , Turner Phillip , Abas Hanida , Shen Rui
Published: September 2010

Information systems strategy is an increasingly important component of overall business strategy in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The need for readily available and consistent management information, drawn from integrated systems based on sound and upgradeable technologies, has led many senior company managers to review the business case for root-and-branch systems replacement. However, implementing new information systems (IS) is not easy and many projects fail or fall well short of expected outcomes. Key to successful implementation is getting the strategy right in the first place and then implementing it in a controlled manner to ensure the delivery of benefits. This article discusses three IS projects in different SMEs, where the UK's Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme has been used to transfer relevant expertise from the university sector to help with strategy development and systems implementation. The experience has led to an outline method for IS strategy development for SMEs and guidelines for the adoption and adaptation of mainstream project management and software package evaluation tools. It is hoped that this will help other SMEs to achieve IS strategy development and implementation more effectively in terms of timescale, cost control and benefits delivery.
Religion as an Explanatory Variable for Entrepreneurship
Authors: Dana Leo Paul
Published: September 2010

Religions are depositories of values. Reviewing literature from the past century, this article argues that there is considerable empirical support for the thesis that religion and related beliefs influence values and thus shape entrepreneurship. This article shows that: (1) various religions value entrepreneurship to different degrees; (2) different religions yield dissimilar patterns of entrepreneurship; (3) specialization along religious lines shapes entrepreneurship; (4) credit networks, employment networks, information networks and supply networks of co-religionists affect entrepreneurship; (5) religions provide opportunities for entrepreneurship; (6) religious beliefs may also hamper entrepreneurial spirit; and (7) religions have built-in mechanisms for the perpetuation of values. Regardless of whether a person is religious, he or she is influenced by the values propagated by religion.
‘Enterprise Values’ in the New Testament and Antecedent Works
Authors: Dodd Sarah Drakopoulou , Gotsis George
Published: September 2010

This paper contributes to the debate about religion and enterprise by analysing proto-Christianity's theology of enterprise values. It shows that the Galilean Jesus Movement (from around AD 24–30) exhibited considerable hostility to the pursuit of wealth, and that this stance became more pronounced still for the post-crucifixion Jerusalem Love Community (around AD 27–66), which also rejected individual property holding and labour. The Pauline school, which commenced with Paul's missionary journeys to Asia Minor in the late AD 40s, began the process of sanctifying labour. Nevertheless, a pronounced suspicion of the profit motive, and of a concern for trade, can be seen throughout the New Testament, in common with many of the antecedent Ancient Greek and Old Testament works by which it is influenced.
Predicting Quarterly Hong Kong Tourism Demand Growth Rates, Directional Changes and Turning Points with Composite Leading Indicators
Authors: Kulendran Nada , Wong Kevin K.F.
Published: September 2010

This study predicts numerical demand growth rates, directional changes and turning points in the growth rate using the single input leading indicator model and assesses its forecasting performance with the ARIMA model and the no-change model. To assess the forecasting performance from the March quarter of 2004 to the December quarter of 2006, models are fitted to the growth rates of Hong Kong inbound tourism demand from selected tourism markets (Australia, Japan, the UK and the USA). Composite leading indicators for the single input leading indicator model are constructed from selected national leading and lagged indicators. To avoid false signals in turning points, a method is specified to identify the correct turning points in tourism demand growth rates. The prediction performance of these models is then examined, based on the mean absolute percentage error, directional change error and turning point error. A statistical procedure is considered to determine whether the actual and predicted directional changes and turning points are independent or associated.
Reflexive Interactive Design and its Application in a Project on Sustainable Dairy Husbandry Systems
Authors: Bos A.P. , Koerkamp P.W.G. Groot , Gosselink J.M.J. , Bokma S.
Published: September 2010

Sustainable development in modern animal husbandry faces a multiplicity of challenges. If addressed separately, the solutions might well contradict one another. To avoid this conflict, there is a need for structural change in production and consumption systems. Such change cannot be attained by technological innovation alone, but demands a reorientation of the existing sociotechnical regime. This paper presents reflexive interactive design (RIO in Dutch) as a systematic approach towards that end, and shows the first steps of its application in a project to deliver designs for sustainable dairy production and to contribute to a reformation of the current dairy production system.
Developing Enterprising People through an Innovative Enterprise Degree
Authors: Brodie Jacqueline , Laing Susan , Anderson Maggie
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the perceptions and attitudes of mature students in relation to a ground-breaking one-year ‘top-up’ degree in business and enterprise, exploring how those perceptions and attitudes evolve during the students' studies. It concludes with a discussion of how entrepreneurship educators can best support the development of these novel students as enterprising individuals in businesses and organizations. A longitudinal approach has been adopted for the research. Students on the programme complete questionnaires at the beginning, halfway through, and at the end of the programme, enabling the researchers to identify changes in perceptions and attitudes over time. This paper is concerned with the first and second questionnaires in the research study, which indicate positive changes in the students' perceptions of themselves as enterprising and creative individuals. Additional benefits of the programme have also been identified, such as the development of students' networking skills, the raising of their confidence in expressing their ideas, and an improvement in their ability to motivate others to express their ideas. The implications for policy makers relate to how novel enterprise education schemes can support the development of an enterprising society. Similarly, entrepreneurship educators can gain insight into how innovative workplace-based learning, linked to organizations as well as personal objectives, can be delivered.
Enterprise Education: Learning through Personal Experience
Authors: Jones Colin
Published: September 2010

This paper outlines the development of a reflective process through which student feelings are brought to the surface to advance their learning outcomes. A key notion in relation to the capacity of student development is the ability of students to alter their collective habits of thought and in turn the nature of the learning environment. The paper examines student reflection in the context of students' heightened awareness of self and their potential influence on their environment. The notion of ‘surfacing feelings’ is used to describe the outcome of individual and group reflection through which several parties become aware of the active reflections of individual students, thereby increasing the potential depth of overall reflection. Finally, the author considers the transferability of the ideas discussed to other educational contexts.
Macroeconomic Effects of Changes in Tourism Demand: A Simple Dynamic Model
Authors: Schubert Stefan F. , Brida Juan Gabriel
Published: September 2010

This paper studies the macroeconomic effects of an increase in tourism demand due both to an exogenous increase in foreigners' income and to tourism marketing activities in a small country which specializes in tourism production. Using a dynamic general equilibrium model, the authors show that an increase in tourism demand leads to an increase in the relative price of domestically produced tourism services and increases tourism production. Because the dynamic transition is characterized by capital accumulation and a current account deficit, the economy ends up with a higher capital stock but a lower stock of net foreign assets. Higher foreign income has a welfare-increasing effect, whereas an increase in marketing expenditures has ambiguous effects on residents' consumption and welfare. The authors also discuss the effects of a temporary demand stimulus, which is nonetheless shown to have permanent effects on the country's net foreign asset position and agents' consumption.
Revenue Sharing in Community–Private Sector Lodges in Namibia: A Bargaining Model
Authors: Lapeyre Renaud
Published: September 2010

Taking tourism in Namibian rural areas as an empirical case study, this paper analyses the main factors that explain the economic outcome in a negotiation process in which local communities and private operators bargain over the distribution of income generated through a partnership lodge. While much research has focused on the required preconditions (especially property rights) and efficiency effects of tourism partnerships, a Nash bargaining model allows us to assess the distributive effects of such contracts. In particular, variables such as insecure community land tenure, and the resulting reduced value of land, the remoteness of lodges and the community's impatience and attitude towards risk could explain why rural communities have not so far captured the lion's share from tourism activities in communal lands. Finally, the paper shows that future research will be needed to complete the model in order to provide an account of the contractual problems that limit the efficiency of tourism partnerships in rural areas – transaction costs and underinvestment.
Overseas Technology Incubators for International Entrepreneurship
Authors: Li Jun
Published: September 2010

This paper examines a Chinese institutional innovation with respect to the use of overseas technology incubators in support of international entrepreneurship. It presents an overview of China's overseas technology incubator initiative in terms of its strategic considerations, aims and objectives, the structure of incentives and the characteristics of the seven such incubators in operation. The author also proposes a bridging network incubator model as a means of establishing the principles for evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of the initiative. Qualitative data were used for a tentative exploration of certain aspects of the initiative.
The Innovation Centre
Authors: Drori Gili S. , Yue Yujing
Published: September 2010

Technology and globalization have come to be intertwined forces, fuelled by present-day ideas about innovation and entrepreneurship. Among the outcomes of this process has been the institutionalization of innovation centres worldwide, particularly since 1985. The spread of innovation centres has interesting global patterns: some countries lead by size, others by pioneering this trend. Based on a comprehensive worldwide survey of innovation centres, the authors analyse the patterns of global diffusion of this institutional form.
Unified in Learning – Separated by Space
Authors: Rehm Martin
Published: September 2010

The growth of available online learning programmes has created a wide range of new ways for global organizations to train their staff effectively. Previously, global training entailed substantial costs for organizations – costs that had to be endured if the knowledge and skills of the workforce were to be updated. In this context, virtual ‘communities of learning’, defined as groups of people engaging in the collaborative learning and reflective practice involved in transformative learning, are of increasing interest for global organizations because of their potential usefulness in workplace practice and training. This article examines how a community of learning has been developed and implemented for 174 staff from 81 offices worldwide of a large international organization by facilitating the collaborative exchange of knowledge and experience. Based on the participants' perceptions, several key insights are provided that should be taken into account when engaging in community of learning initiatives.
Improving Dairy Production in India's Rainfed Agroecosystem: Constraints and Strategies
Authors: Misra A.K. , Rao C.A. Rama , Subrahmanyam K.V. , Ramakrishna Y.S.
Published: September 2010

A rainfed agroecosystem occupies 68% of India's cultivated area and supports 40% of the human and 65% of the livestock population. Dairy production is an important component of rural development programmes in rainfed areas to improve the livelihoods of farmers. The objective of the study was to characterize the status of smallholder dairy production systems in rainfed areas to generate information that would assist in designing strategies for dairy development programmes. These objectives were achieved by adopting a participatory system approach, which uses diagnostic survey and techniques of participatory rural appraisal. The dairy production systems in rainfed areas are complex and are generally based on traditional and socioeconomic considerations, guided largely by the available feed resources. A scarcity of feed and fodder resources (both quantity and quality), the low production potential of animals, the non-availability of critical inputs or services in time, along with access to capital and markets, were the primary reasons for the low productivity of dairy animals. The study suggests that farmer participation is essential for developing and promoting technical interventions. A favourable policy environment in terms of access to microcredit, assured market and veterinary services will have to be provided, and socioeconomic and technical constraints need to be addressed. Animal health camps and on-farm trials need to be conducted to create awareness among farmers about better dairy production practices.
What can Africa Contribute to Global Meat Demand?
Authors: Rich Karl M.
Published: September 2010

While Africa has traditionally been constrained in world markets by low productivity, animal diseases and high standards for animal health and food safety, the growing demand for meat and the emergence of alternative policy mechanisms for facilitating exports could increase Africa's importance as a global supplier of livestock products. This paper outlines Africa's current role in global meat markets and highlights constraints and opportunities. A key constraint that militates against large-scale exports from Africa is its lack of competitiveness vis-à-vis competitors such as Brazil and India. Africa will need to invest in market development, productivity measures, feed resources and infrastructure to reduce production costs and facilitate effective marketing efforts.
Diverse Enterprising Needs and Outcomes: A Case for Experiential Learning
Authors: Dorasamy Nirmala
Published: September 2010

Fundamental changes in how economies function and how organizations are structured and managed in a global environment have created a new imperative for enterprise education. Higher education has to concern itself with appropriate and effective programmes that develop enterprising graduates in an endeavour to drive forward a knowledge-based enterprising society. This paper explores the complexities associated with enterprise education provision which have influenced the emergence of diverse theories and diverse meanings. Given the diverse nature of enterprise education and the absence of a definite conceptual framework, it can be argued that higher education has to address a plethora of challenges to satisfy the different expectations of government, business and students within a global context while noting that these expectations can be conflicting. Apart from varied and conflicting expectations, broad interpretations of enterprise education add to the diversity of outcomes. The plausibility of reconciling different expectations for enterprise education has hindered its wider applicability and general consensual value. This paper makes a case for the use of an experiential learning model to adapt and amend learning outcomes for different purposes and priorities while not losing sight of the essence of being enterprising. The final section outlines briefly how the practice of experiential learning at Durban University of Technology attempts to address the challenges of enterprise education.
The Microfoundations of Corporate Entrepreneurship as an Organizational Capability
Authors: Salvato Carlo , Sciascia Salvatore , Alberti Fernando G.
Published: September 2010

The authors propose a conceptualization of corporate entrepreneurship as an organizational capability that allows firms to overcome internal constraints systematically so that they can reinvent themselves through novel business initiatives. The paper adopts the knowledge-based concept of absorptive capacity to identify the microfoundations of a firm's corporate entrepreneurship capability for opportunity recognition and exploitation. It advances a model that combines the individual-level role of entrepreneurial managers with firm-level efforts to strengthen entrepreneurial processes over time.
Networking Industry and Academia
Authors: Stephens Simon , Onofrei George
Published: September 2010

Graduate development programmes such as FUSION continue to be seen by policy makers, higher education institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as primary means of strengthening higher education–business links and in turn improving the match between graduate output and the needs of industry. This paper provides evidence from case studies. The findings indicate that the practical application of academic principles in real-world settings provides a useful learning vehicle for academics, graduates and SMEs. Key success factors and strategies for overcoming obstacles emerged from the case studies. In light of these findings, the authors make tentative recommendations to aid the future delivery of similar programmes.
Comparative Study of Agricultural Extension Systems
Authors: Azadi Hossein , Filson Glen
Published: September 2010

An increasing volume of literature deals with different meanings of the term ‘extension’ due to the many different agricultural extension systems (AESs) in use. Acknowledging the diversity of AESs, the authors recognize that there is usually a bias towards some specific aspect of these interventions that indicates a need to consider a systemic framework for comparative studies. The main purpose of this contribution is therefore to identify such a systemic view, which could be applied to comparative studies of AESs. Three levels of analysis should be scrutinized for considering a systemic view: micro (institutional), meso (national) and macro (international). At the most basic level, all AESs are involved in both intra-actions and interactions of the extension institution. For this reason, the aim of many studies has been to evaluate the institutional functions of extension practices. The functions at this lowest level are used to predict not only how extension professionals think and act, but how they react to their different target groups. The main question at the micro level is therefore to understand how a country can reach its agri-rural development goals through extension institutions and what institutional arrangements and funding trends help to achieve those goals. At the meso level, the most important considerations are national expectations, which lead to governmental support for or restrictions on the extension institution. Socioeconomic conditions and their consequences largely determine what the extension tasks should be. The main question at this level is why a country needs extension services, which define the different missions for them in different countries. Finally, at the macro level of analysis, it is important first to consider international components and their impact on the level of socioeconomic development of particular countries and, then, the extension missions. The main issue at this level is therefore to understand what international forces and considerations affect the present situation of a country and hence create new expectations of the extension system.
The Technical Efficiency of Wheat Farms in Bangladesh: A Non-Parametric Analysis
Authors: Kamruzzaman Mohd. , Manos Basil
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the technical efficiency of wheat farms in Bangladesh using cross-sectional farm level data and secondary time series data from a sample of 150 farms in the region of Khulna division, Bangladesh. To sharpen the efficiency estimates, the authors use window analysis, slacks variable analysis and data envelopment analysis (DEA) assuming constant and variable returns to scale with the application of input-orientation approaches. The estimated overall efficiency measures were regressed on the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers to identify factors influencing the technical efficiency of wheat farms through Tobit analysis.
Rural Small Businesses in Turbulent Times
Authors: Anderson Alistair R. , Osseichuk Ellina , Illingworth Laura
Published: September 2010

This paper explores differences in behaviour and performance between rural and urban small firms during the economic downturn. The authors had anticipated that the ‘thinness’ of the rural environment would have had adverse effects. However, their survey of 6,300 respondents showed that rural small firms were performing marginally better. Both groups were proactively striving to cope with falling demand, not waiting for things to get better, but rural firms had better sales and fewer price reductions. The authors attribute this to local embeddedness, a more stable customer base and less competition. They note too the relative independence of rural businesses.
Economics of Leisure and Non-Leisure Tourist Demand: A Study of Domestic Demand for Australian Tourism
Authors: Divisekera Sarath
Published: September 2010

This article analyses the economic determinants of demand for tourism goods and services by Australian households distinguished by the travel motives of leisure and non-leisure. Using tourist consumption data collected through quarterly national visitor surveys, two systems of demand equations are estimated, based on the almost ideal demand system and incorporating seasonality. The study aggregates itemized tourist expenditure data into five broad commodity groups: accommodation, food, transportation, shopping and entertainment. The estimated models obey the basic postulates of consumer theory – homogeneity and symmetry. Overall, demand for the five commodity aggregates is found to be price inelastic, while the degree of price sensitivity varies across the commodity aggregates and between the two types of tourists. In general, demand by leisure tourists is found to be more sensitive to price than demand by non-leisure tourists. The cross-price elasticities derived from both models reveal a gross complementarity of demand, implying that tourists' overall utility depends on the joint consumption of a bundle of goods and services. The observed price-inelastic demand, coupled with the apparent complementarity of demand, may reflect the possibility that latent price sensitivity is associated with tourist demand.
Post-Merger Stock Performance of Acquiring Hospitality Firms
Authors: Yang Jing , Kim Woo Gon , Qu Hailin
Published: September 2010

This study examines the long-term post-merger stock performance of acquiring hospitality firms between 2000 and 2006 in the USA. The Jensen measure is used to investigate the long-term financial performance of acquiring hospitality firms. A sample of 15 hospitality companies with 8 lodging REITs and 7 hotel/casino companies is analysed. The companies' stock performances are compared against indices of related hotel and REITs sectors and against the S&P 500 index. The study generates mixed findings. The results showed significant positive gains for the acquiring firms when compared to the S&P 500 index; yet, the acquiring firms failed to generate significant gains when compared to sector indices. Furthermore, the REITs firms performed less well than the hotel/casino firms when compared against both market and sector indices.
Indispensable Traits of High-Performance Advisory Committees
Authors: Newman Scott
Published: September 2010

Most US post-secondary and business leaders recognize the value of industry advisors and advisory committees, and the important roles they can play with respect to post-secondary educational programmes. Most such committees, however, fall far short of realizing their potential impacts. This article provides insights and practical recommendations for individuals and organizations interested in or involved with the development, facilitation and/or evaluation of high-performance advisory boards.
Improving the Efficiency of Domestic Vegetable Marketing Systems in East Africa
Authors: Lenné J.M. , Ward A.F.
Published: September 2010

The majority of smallholders growing vegetables in East Africa market their produce domestically. It is an important source of income for many poor smallholder households and those involved in vegetable value chains. This paper highlights the major constraints of and identifies potential opportunities for improving the efficiency of domestic vegetable marketing systems in two countries – Kenya and Tanzania. Emphasis is given to tomato and onion as commonly marketed and consumed vegetables throughout the region. The authors also look at indigenous vegetables marketed domestically. Finally, they consider the importance of the export vegetable subsector as a role model for improving the efficiency, growth and economic value of domestic vegetable marketing systems in East Africa. This analysis should guide policy makers towards key interventions to facilitate the development of efficient vegetable marketing systems, contributing to poverty reduction and fostering economic growth in East Africa.
Trends in Small Ruminant Meat Production–Consumption Gaps in West Asia and North Africa
Authors: Aw-Hassan Aden , Shomo Farouk , Iniguez Luis
Published: September 2010

This paper examines past trends in the small ruminant sector in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region; it explains the main driving forces of these trends and their implications for the livelihoods of the poor; and addresses technological, institutional and policy issues that should be considered in order to improve the sector's performance and reduce its environmental impact. There has been significant growth in the small ruminant population and production in WANA during the last three decades. However, there is a widening gap between production and consumption. The production growth in the small ruminant sector is attributable to improvements in veterinary services, the provision of feed subsidies and credit for producers, the increased use of alternative feed resources and the progressive intensification of production. Consumption growth results from increases in per capita real income, urbanization and population growth. The benefits of this economic boom, however, may bypass the small producers in the WANA exporting countries, who are often the poorest in the region. Producers and traders in these countries face a challenge in maintaining their share of export markets because of structural and technical constraints that affect their competitiveness. The environmental impacts associated with the expansion of small ruminant production, in terms of rangeland degradation, are another public concern. The challenges are heightened by increasing competition from other suppliers and trends towards lower government subsidies and greater international trade. Technological improvements and policy changes are necessary for the better performance of the small ruminant sector in WANA to ensure that poor small producers are not excluded from the dynamic markets in the region and beyond.
Quality Assurance: Enhancing or Threatening Higher Education?
Authors: Taousanidis Nikolaos I. , Antoniadou Myrofora A.
Published: September 2010

There is an increasing marketization of commodity services and, the authors argue, higher education is suffering heavily from this trend. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are currently subject to quality assurance and other externally imposed procedures that have been successfully applied in the private sector. This article analyses the threats of such assurance methods, which systematically ignore the notion of HEIs as sites of knowledge production, especially in less developed, emerging and developing countries with a small tertiary education sector. In such countries, public institutions cannot afford high investment without sacrificing other social and economic objectives, such as widening access, institutional diversity, community partnerships, cross-institutional collaboration and resource sharing, and knowledge transfer. The criticism in this article is directed mainly at the imposed external evaluation that is designed to compare and classify institutions, with the ultimate aim of reducing the number of HEIs receiving public funding, or at least of reducing the funding of one or more of the missions (teaching, research) in which HEIs excel. The authors conclude by suggesting that such governmental strategies simply reflect another attempt to control, and to shift the focus away from government policies that have led to the massification of higher education without the necessary injection of resources.
New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education
Authors: Papadourakis George M.
Published: September 2010

This special issue of Industry and Higher Education is devoted to a selection of papers, revised for publication, from the Sixth International Conference on ‘New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education’ held on the island of Santorini, Greece, in August 2009. In this introductory paper the author provides an overview of the conference, summarizes the most important presentations, and offers some reflections on the conference outcomes. The key objective of the NHIBE 2009 was to identify the impact of new technologies on education, business and industry. Special attention was drawn to the innovative approaches and experiences developed in education in an effort to adapt teaching methods to the new technological era. Furthermore, business strategies and worldwide educational strategies were emphasized. The major topics were: educational strategies; career counseling; new educational methods; industry and education; entrepreneurship; corporate finance and governance; and business strategies.
The Role of Trust in New SME Creation
Authors: Troilo Michael
Published: September 2010

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key to economic growth, and yet comparatively little research has examined the relationship between the level of societal trust and the motivations and opportunities of entrepreneurs starting new SMEs. The author tests the impact of trust on new firm formation using the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey data for 2001–2003. Trust is found to be significant for starting SMEs that pursue Schumpeterian opportunities. Trust is also significant for overall levels of entrepreneurship and for opportunity entrepreneurs in developing countries. These findings add nuance to previous literature suggesting that trust is significant for all forms of entrepreneurial activity.
Does Size Matter? Balancing Power in Dyadic Cooperation Relationships
Authors: Roessl Dietmar , Fink Matthias , Kraus Sascha
Published: September 2010

The authors examine the extent to which differences in dependency and power burden cooperative relationships between small and large companies. They also identify the consequences of the behaviour of the cooperation partners. For both small and large cooperation partners, the authors discuss various withdrawal and investment strategies as options for balancing dependency and power among the partners and they sketch possible development paths for such asymmetrical cooperation arrangements.
The Multidimensional Form and Role of Trust in the Small Capitalization Debt Finance Market
Authors: Saparito Patrick , Colwell Kenneth
Published: September 2010

The authors use a trust perspective to highlight the parallels between agency and sociological discussions concerning relationships between banks and small firms. Using the trust typology developed by Lewicki and Bunker (1996), the authors explore how the length and breadth of the bank–firm relationship and the bank's customer orientation influence three dimensions of a small firm's trust in its bank. The paper also explores how bank managers' trust orientations influence a small firm's satisfaction with credit access. The authors test the theoretical framework empirically using a matched sample of 867 small firm executives and the bank managers who had direct responsibility for their accounts.
Does Destination Image Influence the Length of Stay in a Tourism Destination?
Authors: Machado Luiz Pinto
Published: September 2010

This paper analyses the relationship between the image of a destination and demand duration, focusing specifically on Madeira. A seemingly unrelated discrete-choice duration model is adopted, with data from a questionnaire survey undertaken in 2008 on a sample of homeward-bound foreign individuals departing from Madeira's Funchal Airport. The paper discusses the policy implications of the research findings.
Persistence Change in Tourism Data
Authors: Andraz Jorge M.L.G. , Rodrigues Paulo M.M.
Published: September 2010

The authors apply recently proposed persistence change tests to inbound tourism series in order to evaluate whether their properties have changed over time. By using quarterly series of the number of overnight stays in hotel accommodation and similar establishments in the Algarve, from 1987:01 to 2008:03, they gathered evidence of persistence change in all series. In particular, a change from I(1) to I(0) was detected for some countries, while for others the direction change was not clear-cut. These results have implications from a policy perspective and shed light on the generally accepted conviction that policy decision processes should not ignore the fact that, in general, tourism inbound series display mean reverting behaviour, being only temporarily affected by external shocks.
Portugal's Minho–Lima Region as a Tourist Destination: Tourism Operators' Attitudes towards its Management and Promotion
Authors: Ribeiro José Cadima , Vareiro Laurentina Cruz
Published: September 2010

The success of tourism development depends on the capacity of a region's tourism agents to establish and sustain networks, involving both private-sector companies and the public sector. Creating an attractive destination able to compete with others that are better positioned and consolidated requires cooperative behaviour among the various agents involved. This behaviour will facilitate both external and internal competition, which in turn will assure better product quality, continuous product renewal, a strong offer of unique experiences and the efficient use of endogenous resources. In this paper, the authors discuss the results of a survey of restaurant owners and of interviews conducted with the main institutional agents concerned with tourism promotion and the economic development of the Minho–Lima region. Such an approach, the authors argue, can be valuable in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the area in question with regard to future tourism development. The authors work from the premise that the commitment of tourism agents constitutes a precondition for the success of the strategy to be defined. This is especially applicable to Minho–Lima, which to date has suffered from an absence of commitment and coordination on the part of those agents.
Livelihood Diversification and the Expansion of Artisanal Mining in Rural Tanzania
Authors: Kwai Beatrice , Hilson Gavin
Published: September 2010

This paper provides an extended analysis of livelihood diversification in rural Tanzania, with special emphasis on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Over the past decade, this sector of industry, which is labour-intensive and comprises an array of rudimentary and semi-mechanized operations, has become an indispensable economic activity throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, providing employment to a host of redundant public sector workers, retrenched large-scale mine labourers and poor farmers. In many of the region's rural areas, it is overtaking subsistence agriculture as the primary industry. Such a pattern appears to be unfolding within the Morogoro and Mbeya regions of southern Tanzania, where findings from recent research suggest that a growing number of smallholder farmers are turning to ASM for employment and financial support. It is imperative that national rural development programmes take this trend into account and provide support to these people.
Corporate Entrepreneurship as a Company Philosophy: The Case of ‘&samhoud’
Authors: Kraus Sascha , Rigtering Coen
Published: September 2010

&samhoud is an extraordinary, private, profit-based consultancy firm that focuses on an overall societal view and sees the economy as a subsystem of this societal view. Shaped by the visionary goals and ideas of the founder Salem Samhoud, &samhoud uses corporate entrepreneurship as a strategic tool for increasing employee satisfaction and innovative capabilities in the firm. Once established, &samhoud became entrepreneurially involved in society, bringing both entrepreneurial elements into society and societal elements into the company.
The Role of Research and Technology Organizations in Innovation Processes of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Roessl Dietmar , Kessler Alexander , Fink Matthias
Published: September 2010

The main challenge in innovation seems to be not a lack of ideas, but a deficit in the evaluation and transformation of ideas into new processes or products. Due to their specific characteristics and the fact that innovations of SMEs are application-oriented, SMEs depend on external know-how for fundamental research. They therefore need a support network that translates the knowledge necessary for successful innovation into their language. Technical feasibility studies provided by research and technology organizations (RTOs) are designed to promote this knowledge transformation and transfer to SMEs. In this paper, the authors examine whether or not technical feasibility studies can facilitate knowledge transfer between SMEs and RTOs. The results of a literature review and an empirical investigation of the Feasibility Studies Program of the Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund reveal evidence of a stimulating effect of technical feasibility studies on SMEs' innovative activities. They also identify prerequisites for SMEs to tap the full potential of their interaction with RTOs. First, there has to be a developed research scene that is willing and able to meet the needs of SMEs. Second, SMEs have to recognize the potential advantages of working together with RTOs in the innovation process and to overcome their common fear of contact with RTOs. The insights presented may enhance the quality of similar initiatives now and in the future.
Research Note: Evaluating Integrated On-Farm Tourism Activity after Rural Road Inauguration – the Case of Pick-Your-Own Fruit Farming in Gunma, Japan
Authors: Ohe Yasuo
Published: September 2010

This paper evaluates the performance of integrated on-farm tourism activity by focusing on pick-your-own fruit farming activity after rural road building in Gunma, Japan. First, conceptual considerations of the significance of rural road building in the development of on-farm tourism activity indicated that the demand-shift effect was more important than the supply-shift effect. It was considered that the higher the degree of integration of on-farm tourism activity, the greater was the realization of the demand-shift effect. Second, statistical evaluation using GIS data revealed that a distance of 1,000 m from rural roads was a referential benchmark by which to judge the effects of distance from roads on farmers' tourism activity. Third, it was clarified empirically that those farmers with broader perspectives – in terms both of a longer time horizon and consciousness of service marketing management such as diversification of the sales channel and targeted customer services – were more successful in integrating tourism activity.
Research Note: The Exchange Rate, Euro Switch and Tourism Revenue in Greece
Authors: Thompson Alexi , Thompson Henry
Published: September 2010

The exchange rate and switch to the euro may be thought to have lowered tourism revenue in Greece. These effects are examined with data from 1974 to 2006 in an error correction model of optimal tourist spending that includes source country income and air travel costs. The results may be relevant for touristic countries considering competitive devaluation or a monetary union.
Tourism Competitiveness and Corruption: A Cross-Country Analysis
Authors: Das Jayoti , Dirienzo Cassandra
Published: September 2010

No prior research has considered the role corruption plays in a country's ability to compete globally in the tourism industry. Using the 2008 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, a comprehensive measure of tourism competitiveness developed by the World Economic Forum, the 2006 Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International and data from 119 countries, this study provides evidence that a reduction in corruption levels impacts positively on the level of tourism competitiveness across nations. The study also finds that the marginal gain in tourism competitiveness from a reduction in corruption levels is greater for developing countries than for developed countries.