bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated Tree Crops–Ruminants Systems
Authors: Devendra C.
Published: September 2010

The integration of ruminants with tree crops (such as coconuts, oil palm and rubber) is neglected and undervalued among ruminant production systems. As a consequence, a potential means of increasing productivity from animals is being overlooked at a time when the supplies of animal proteins lag well behind projected requirements throughout the developing countries. The principal advantage of integration is the demonstration of total farm productivity and sustainable agriculture in the context of efficient natural resource management, together with attendant benefits of reduced weeding and fertilizer costs, improved soil fertility due to the return of dung and urine and value addition to the tree crop. These aspects are discussed with particular reference to the potential of integrating ruminants with oil-palm cultivation. Past research and development efforts indicate that these have focused mainly on characterization of the environment under oil palm and agronomic evaluation of herbage, suggesting the need for a major shift towards improved animal performance, assessment of the beneficial effects on soil and oil-palm yields, management regimes, and analyses of economic benefits. A major advantage of oil-palm cultivation is the availability of native herbage in the understorey of the trees, which provides a large proportion of the maintenance needs of the grazing animal in addition to a variety of principal and by-product feeds, promoting sustained in situ feeding and intensive production, reduced cost of production, and the expansion of feed-milling operations. Among these, oil-palm fronds, palm-press fibre, palm-oil mill effluent and palm-kernel cake are especially important for feeding ruminants. Discussion focuses on factors influencing improved integrated oil-palm production systems, development implications, business model, and economic considerations that relate to national and regional opportunities for marketing beef. Wider application of integrated systems will require interdisciplinary approaches, institutional and policy support that can enhance increased animal productivity, value addition to oil-palm production, expansion of the area under integrated systems, demonstrable economic impact and sustainable agricultural production.
Identifying Sustainability Issues Using Participatory SWOT Analysis
Authors: Mollenhorst H. , de Boer I. J. M.
Published: September 2010

The aim of this paper was to demonstrate how participatory strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis can be used to identify relevant economic, ecological and societal (EES) issues for the assessment of sustainable development. This is illustrated by the case of egg production in the Netherlands. Participatory methods are used to facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences and knowledge of all relevant stakeholders and to create a basis for implementation of the final results. It can be concluded that the combination of a brainstorming session and SWOT analysis with a heterogeneous group of stakeholders constitutes a useful tool to order and structure these listed aspects and to identify relevant issues for sustainable development. Final selection of EES issues from the SWOT analysis, however, required additional reviewing of the literature and consultation with experts from specific fields. Final EES issues selected in the case study of Dutch egg production include welfare and health, environment, quality, ergonomics, economics, consumer concerns, and knowledge and innovation.
Baranaaja: The Traditional Mixed Cropping System of the Central Himalaya
Authors: Ghosh P. , Dhyani P. P.
Published: September 2010

The authors describe the traditional cropping pattern of the central Himalayan region, known as ‘Baranaaja’. This mixed cropping pattern often involves 12 crops under low intensity and less frequent economic intervention. With improved scientific inputs this system can be ideal in terms of agronomic yields and soil fertility maintenance. The authors substantiate the characteristics of the traditional system by describing the advantages of similar cultural practices in agroecosystems around the world, with a view to establishing that this system, an example of ‘conservation agriculture’, can be useful in meeting food requirements and preserving agrobiodiversity.
Changing Cultural Attitudes towards Graduates in SMEs to Stimulate Regional Innovation
Authors: Bowen E. , Lloyd S. , Thomas S.
Published: September 2010

Studies show that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are reluctant to employ graduates and to up-skill existing employees. The cultural barriers exemplified by this unwillingness limit the ability of SMEs to exploit new knowledge and innovate. In conjunction with its goal of producing a ‘knowledge economy’ the UK government is committed to a dramatic increase in participation in higher education. A sharp increase in the supply of skilled labour may result in the under-utilization of graduate skills, especially if SMEs remain reluctant to employ graduates. This paper investigates a collaborative initiative designed to change the mindsets and attitudes of SMEs towards graduates and of graduates towards SMEs. The initiative enables graduates and SMEs to develop an appreciation of potential mutual benefits through an interdependent relationship.
Framework for a Technology-Watch Relay Station
Authors: Stokes C. A. , Palmer P. J.
Published: September 2010

At the centre of the PRIME Faraday Partnership's Technology Watch service is a growing series of technology and market reviews for managers and engineers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) producing ‘smart’ products. Its aim is to help them maintain their awareness of new technologies and markets and thereby seize opportunities to innovate they might otherwise miss. The service has attracted considerable interest among users and observers. In this paper the authors outline the process behind the development of Technology Watch's library of publications with a view to encouraging others to critique and adapt it for deployment in other industrial sectors.
Regime Change
Authors: Fowler Cary
Published: September 2010

The movement of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture has become a matter of practical concern and intense political controversy in recent years, with both denials of access and accusations of ‘biopiracy’ becoming commonplace. Two international laws now establish the international norms for access and benefit-sharing for these resources: the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The former, which grants authority to the ‘country of origin’, has encouraged bilateral and typically very restrictive approaches to access. Practically and legally, its applicability to agriculture is limited, although it has exerted tremendous ideological influence within negotiations on plant genetic resources at FAO, as well as in the broader scientific community. In contrast to the Convention, the new International Treaty establishes multilateral norms that should make exchange of genetic resources more routine. The structure and operating rules of this new, Treaty-established multilateral system for access and benefit-sharing are described and analysed.
Land Use and Soil Management Situations in Nigeria
Authors: Asadu Charles L. A. , Ezeaku Peter I. , Nnaji Godwin U.
Published: September 2010

The estimated land area of Nigeria is 904,000 km2 with a population of over 120 million. The use to which land is put differs from one location to another, especially when the immediate needs of the society or community concerned are not the same. However, the different uses of land revolve around agriculture (crop and animal production), industry (both oil and non-oil) and social needs such as the provision of infrastructure. This analytical review shows that about 65% of the land area of Nigeria is under various forms of food (crop and animal) production and forest plantation. This is categorized as follows: food crop production, 42%; extensive grazing and livestock projects, 21%; plantation (crop, forest, teak), <2%; and agriculture in denuded areas, <1%. From 1976–95 (the only available records) there were substantial changes in land area under intensive and floodplain agriculture (16%), extensive grazing and livestock projects (13%), plantation (>450%) and crop production in denuded areas (>150%). All the forest and grassland regions diminished in area over this period. These probably led to a >1,000% increase in areas under gullies and salty marsh, and >500% in area occupied by sand dunes. Even though these degraded areas occupy <10% of the land area of the country, the rates at which they encroach on more useful land are a dangerous omen for the country's land resources in general and agriculture in particular. Possible soil management solutions to avert these situations are discussed. The paper also highlights the fact that failures in implementation and/or fragmented approaches are the major problems of land use policy in the country, and that these need to be addressed for sustainable development to take off.
International Tourism in the Middle East; And Outbound Tourism from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Kester John G.C. , Carvao Sandra
Published: September 2010

In spite of the difficult climate, the WTO region of the Middle East has been one of the most dynamic regions in the past few years. Except for a minor setback in 2001, it has consistently shown higher than average and often double-digit growth rates in international tourist arrivals. According to preliminary estimates, the Middle East surpassed 30 million international tourist arrivals in 2003, corresponding to a gain of 6.5 million compared to 2000 (+27%). International tourism receipts are estimated at US$13 billion in 2002. Regional results are analysed over time, as well as by purpose of visit, means of transport and region of origin. Data on international arrivals and receipts for international tourism are reviewed for the Middle East region as a whole and for the constituent countries. The second part of this Databank article is devoted to a closer examination of the region's principal outbound market, Saudi Arabia.
Cultural Confusions of Enterprise and the Myth of the Bureaucratized Entrepreneur
Authors: Hendry John
Published: September 2010

In this paper the rise of enterprise culture is interpreted as part of a more general historical shift in the balance between the two dominant cultural elements of society, those of the market and the hierarchy. It is suggested, however, that the entrepreneurial identity that was fashioned by the advocates of enterprise was always a bureaucratically sanitized fiction that differed in critical respects from the real thing. Since the 1980s, the cultural balance has continued to shift in favour of the market, and the internal practices of business reflect this. Government, however, is nothing if not hierarchical, and it has responded to the threat of market culture in the only way hierarchies know: by an ever increasing and ever more desperate profusion of regulation.
Evolution of Incubation Models
Authors: Grandi Alessandro , Grimaldi Rosa
Published: September 2010

This paper addresses the role of incubators in supporting new venture creation. A mapping of four different types of incubator is proposed: corporate private incubators (CPIs), independent private incubators (IPIs), business innovation centres (BICs) and university business incubators (UBIs). This mapping is exemplified through case studies of one incubator for each of the four categories. The authors argue that one interpretative key to explain the dynamics of the incubation industry is the evolution of company requirements and consequently of the services offered by incubators. In this context, two different incubating models are described which provide incubators with useful indications as to how they should position themselves strategically.
Promoting ICT Entrepreneurship in the Campania Region of Italy
Authors: Corti Eugenio , Torello Rita Ilenia
Published: September 2010

The government of the Campania region in southern Italy has established a technology transfer centre for the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. The Regional Centre for ICT Competencies (RCICT) promotes the transfer of ICT to local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and encourages the creation of new knowledge-based companies in the ICT sector. The partners in the RCICT project are universities and public research centres of the Campania region. One of the RCICT's programmes is the establishment of 13 incubators for entrepreneurial ideas in the ICT sector – one for each partner organization. In addition to providing space, equipment and services, the incubators will form an online network for the dissemination of information and experiences, the exchange of views, and distance education. These activities will promote an entrepreneurial culture in the participating institutions, and the best entrepreneurial ideas will be developed in the new regional ICT company incubators. This paper describes the programme from organizational, managerial, financial and technical perspectives.
WTO World Tourism Barometer and Preliminary Results for International Tourism in 2003
Authors: Kester John G.C.
Published: September 2010

In 2003 WTO began to compile its WTO World Tourism Barometer, a thrice-yearly publication with the aim of monitoring the short-term evolution of tourism. Preliminary full-year data, as included in the January 2004 issue, show that in 2003 tourism went through the third difficult year in a row due to the Iraq conflict, SARS and the continuing weak world economy. A fourth determining factor in 2003 was the strong and rapid movement of exchange rates, causing above all a redirection of tourist flows. Closer analysis of the evolution of tourism over the last three years reveals that the tourism sector of the USA was exceptionally hard hit by the combination of economic downturn and geopolitical uncertainty. With the world economy improving and the geopolitical climate more relaxed, prospects for 2004 look more promising.
Social Structures and Entrepreneurial Networks
Authors: Jack Sarah L. , Dodd Sarah Drakopoulou , Anderson Alistair R.
Published: September 2010

The entrepreneurial context provides a fertile arena for the study of networks. This qualitative study critically examines the nature, content and process of strong ties, which are found to fall into three categories: family, business contacts, and suppliers, competitors and customers. These nodal categories each provide a specific range of support to the entrepreneur. Their appropriate and effective utilization greatly facilitates enterprise performance.
Grazing Management of Ruminant Animals in Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: DeRamus H. Alan
Published: September 2010

Ruminant grazing, properly managed, can provide an extremely resource-efficient and sustainable supply of protein to the global economy. Ruminants are unique in agro-ecosystems because of their ability to digest and use cellulose. As much as 90% of their diet is composed of roughage that cannot be digested by humans and most other non-ruminants. Ruminant grazing (1) enhances efficient use of solar energy, (2) improves soil nutrient cycling, (3) uses non-competitive renewable resources, (4) conserves soil and water, and (5) adds flexibility to most farming enterprises. Ruminants are an integral part of sustainable agriculture, providing high-quality, economical products with less environmental impact than non-ruminant alternatives. The economic and ecological efficiency of food production using ruminant species can be optimized by intensively managing the relationship between the grazer and the landscape.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation in e-Business
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: September 2010

This paper argues that a combination of entrepreneurship and innovation is a crucial factor for the long-term sustainability of e-commerce and e-businesses. Entrepreneurship and innovation are positively related to each other and interact to help an organization to flourish. The study takes an integrative approach to exploring the synergies between entrepreneurship and innovation and to analysing the factors that foster an interaction between the two. Case studies of entrepreneurial and innovative dot.com companies were conducted to complement a comprehensive literature review of entrepreneurship and innovation. This empirical study contributes to a better understanding of the existing theories and practices of entrepreneurship and innovation in organizations.
Creating Employability Skills in SMEs
Authors: Jones Colin
Published: September 2010

This paper is concerned with the degree to which the graduate skills required by industry are developed in Australian universities. Despite acknowledgement of the need to increase the graduate skills of students, it would seem that the stated intentions of Australian universities in this respect do not yet meet the expectations of industry. The establishment of an enterprise programme at the University of Tasmania provides, by way of example, support for the contention that the development of skills wanted by industry is possible alongside the desirable knowledge outcomes of a university. It is argued that lecturers and students must give and accept more responsibility for learning to enable the development of desirable graduate skills.
Farm Decision Making Using Climate Information
Authors: Selvaraju R. , Balasubramanian T.N. , Huda A.K.S. , George D.A.
Published: September 2010

The appropriate use of seasonal climate information in agricultural management requires systematic analysis of decision makers' (farmers') characteristics, needs and perceptions. An attempt has been made to characterize the decision-making approach and factors affecting them amongst 240 selected crop farmers in southern India (Coimbatore region). Farmers' perceptions about the importance of farm decisions in relation to seasonal climate information and their knowledge level were also analysed. About 39% of the farmers made decisions ‘alone’, indicating monopolization of decisions by one decision maker. However, other decision-making approaches, including the participation of family members (31.7%) and other farmers (14.6%), are still very common. Factor analysis indicated that those farmers with higher education and greater occupational status tended to decide themselves. More than 70% of the farmers perceived that the strategic decisions made before the start of the rainy season were more important than in-season tactical decisions. Decisions on sowing season and selection of crops and varieties are most important and will have considerable weight with associated seasonal climate information. However, the knowledge levels of farmers on those decisions were ‘poor’. The factor analysis grouped all the farmers (n = 240) into two dimensions representing ‘poor’ or ‘moderate’ levels of knowledge on decision making. Knowledge level was directly related to innovativeness (r = 0.373), which could be improved through enhancing change-agency contact and extension participation. Therefore, it is important to design ‘climate educational programmes’ based on the decision-making approaches, farmers' requirements (relevance of decisions) and their knowledge level on decision making using climate information.
Information and Communication Technologies in Turkish Agriculture
Authors: Sindir Kamil Okyay
Published: September 2010

In recent years, the Turkish agricultural sector has had serious problems, such as lower yields, higher input prices, higher production costs and loss of competitiveness in foreign markets, all leading to reductions in both crop and animal production. At the same time, measures such as curtailment of state financial support to farmers and farming businesses, coupled with the increasing costs of production inputs including seeds, fertilizers, sprays, machinery and decreasing crop prices have negatively affected the sector and primarily the farmers. But, besides taking measures affecting structural change, it is also necessary to establish ways of ensuring accurate information exchange between farmers, agri-food industries and institutions for research and development if productivity and improvements in the competitive power of Turkish farmers within foreign and domestic markets are to be assured. The paper outlines the current situation concerning information and communication technologies (ICT) and agriculture in Turkey and the challenges facing the rural sector in striving towards a knowledge society.
Collective Action in a Complex Institutional Environment
Authors: D'Haese Marijke , Van Huylenbroeck Guido , D'Haese Luc
Published: September 2010

The importance of social capital and institutional reform is increasingly recognized in current development reporting. This article illustrates the complexity of the institutional environment in which smallholders in developing countries operate and how institutional innovation can contribute to increasing farmers' incomes. A case study of small-scale farmers in the Transkei area of South Africa illustrates the success of new institutional arrangements via a project of the South African wool industry, which aims at improving the livelihoods of farmers by supporting wool production and securing market access. However, possibilities with respect to specialization are limited because of a peculiar institutional environment, in particular a communal land-tenure system.
Service Quality and Competitiveness in the Hospitality Sector
Authors: Campos-Soria Juan A. , García Luis González , García Miguel A. Ropero
Published: September 2010

This paper analyses and quantifies the main interrelationships between service quality and the competitiveness of hotels, distinguishing between external and internal effects. The external effects were evaluated according to customer satisfaction, its influence on the sales volume and the client's willingness to pay. The internal effects of quality on competitiveness were estimated using average direct costs. The sign and value of the estimated coefficients were used to examine a set of hypotheses for improving the competitiveness of hotels. The direct, positive effect of high service quality on competitiveness is a particularly important finding.
Modelling Country Risk and Uncertainty in Small Island Tourism Economies
Authors: Hoti Suhejla , McAleer Michael , Shareef Riaz
Published: September 2010

Small island tourism economies (SITEs) differ significantly from each other in many respects, such as their size, location, political systems, historical experience, economic prospects, ecological fragility, and vulnerability to ethnic conflicts, crime and the threat of global terrorism. Given these differences, a careful analysis of country risk (or uncertainty) and its components for SITEs is of substantial interest to private tourism operators and foreign direct investors in the tourism and hospitality industry, tourism commissions and governments. This paper provides a comparison of country risk ratings, risk returns and their associated volatilities (or uncertainty) for six SITEs for which monthly data compiled by the International Country Risk Guide are available. Monthly economic, financial, political and composite country risk returns are used to estimate univariate symmetric and asymmetric models of uncertainty. The empirical results provide a comparative assessment of the country risk returns and uncertainty for the six SITEs.
Economic Impacts of National Park Tourism on Gateway Communities: The Case of Kosciuszko National Park
Authors: Mules Trevor
Published: September 2010

Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) is a major tourist attraction for Australians, featuring the highest mountain on the Australian mainland (Mount Kosciuszko) and including popular ski resorts and wilderness. The region adjoining KNP includes townships with a total population of some 25,000 people, whose economic welfare is increasingly affected by tourism to KNP. This paper reports research that surveyed expenditure by visitors to KNP, which injects new activity into the adjoining regional economy. The paper uses the first round of an input–output process to model the impacts of such expenditure on the region, and also develops a spreadsheet model for allocating visitor expenditure between businesses within the park and businesses within the adjoining regional economy.
Agriculture, Food Insecurity and Agricultural Policy in Ethiopia
Authors: Khairo S.A. , Battese G.E. , Mullen J.D.
Published: September 2010

Since 1980, Ethiopia has been struggling to feed its growing population, despite the fact that agriculture is the mainstay of its economy. A number of government initiatives aimed at raising food production and ensuring national food security have made little progress in achieving their objectives. This paper identifies some of the implications of the new agricultural intensification programme, focusing on the technical efficiency and productivity of maize growers in the Harari region of Ethiopia for food insecurity and agricultural development policies. The paper concludes that there is scope to improve the technical efficiency of maize farmers and enhance their socioeconomic situation in the Harari region.
Reforming the Farming Sector in Russia
Authors: Franks J.R. , Davydova Irina
Published: September 2010

Following laws allowing the private ownership of land, a commercial private farming sector has emerged in Russia. The growth of this sector has been constrained by the difficult macro- and agricultural economic climate of the 1990s and mixed political signals over land ownership. These factors together resulted in the authorities continuing to make financial support available to underperforming large-scale enterprises (LSEs) through debt-restructuring programmes. This paper shows that, although stagnant in size, the considerable restructuring within the private farming sector has increased the number of options available to the authorities for maintaining economic activity in rural areas. Using case studies from interviews with farmers, municipal authority employees and agricultural economists, the paper reveals how these options are being implemented. Some possible consequences for the rural economy and communities are considered.
SMEs and Their E-Commerce
Authors: Beal Tim , Abdullah Moha Asri
Published: September 2010

One of the greatest challenges facing traditional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the world is that posed by the Internet. While the Internet offers great potential to SMEs, from improving and cheapening production processes through to reaching global customers, it also poses great problems. SMEs' resources, human and financial, are usually very limited. This article examines the use of e-commerce, particularly via Websites, among SMEs in Wellington, New Zealand on the basis of a 2003 survey of 106 firms. Almost all the SMEs surveyed used computer technology and about 67% had their own Website. Moreover, 83.1% had launched their Website within the last five years, reflecting the influence of the recent and rapid growth of information and communication technology in New Zealand and around the world. Enhancement of corporate image, reaching new markets, product checking by customers and better communications with customer and suppliers were among the main objectives of the SMEs in setting up their Websites. The survey findings also indicate a strong relationship between the use of a Website and a widening customer base and improvements in turnover. While the presence of a Website is of the utmost important to an SME's development, problems such as the lack of internal resources, technical expertise and maintenance skills are common. The study concludes that appropriately skilled workers (designers, IT specialists, etc), technical training programmes and the availability of advisory services relating to e-commerce and Website operation are of great importance to SMEs.
Multi-Level Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries
Authors: de Bruin Anne
Published: September 2010

This paper situates the context for entrepreneurship in the creative industries sector in New Zealand. Setting promotion of the creative industries against an overarching national context of the government's Growth and Innovation Framework, the focus of the paper is the screen production industry, mainly the film industry. Buoyed by The Lord of the Rings –The Return of the King's Oscar success and other acclaim, the industry appears to be surfing high waves, making it an interesting case to examine. Commencing with delineation of the nature of entrepreneurship in the creative sector, the discussion continues within an integrative multi-level entrepreneurship framework.
Strategic Creativity
Authors: Poettschacher Eric
Published: September 2010

Microbusinesses in the creative industries manage the tension between creativity and organization, money and meaning in many different ways. How this balancing act is accomplished depends on skills and competencies. But even more than that, it is a question of the personal values of the people who founded the organization. Instinct Domain, a private firm located in Vienna, conducted a series of in-depth interviews with business founders in the creative industries in order to explore the attitudes, values and beliefs that impact on the strategy, structure and culture of their organization at the deepest level. This article describes some of the outcomes from this project.
A Study of Network Typology in Relation to the Performing Arts
Authors: McCarthy Breda , Torres Ann M.
Published: September 2010

There is a substantial amount of work published on networking; however, analysis of network typology is rare and even rarer in the context of the performing arts. This paper proposes a typology, the ‘embedded-project’, and the study suggests that, although network members' skills and tasks are subject to change within a short timescale, they exist within a stable, permanent network. The paper describes the key dimensions of the typology, such as: objectives, flow of resources, specialization, redundancy, flexibility, access to network, distribution of power, governance mechanisms, interdependencies, durability and legitimacy.
Economic Impacts of Cultural Events on Local Economies: An Input—Output Analysis of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival
Authors: Tohmo Timo
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the economic impacts of Finland's Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. The impacts are calculated on output, demand and wages, employment and on national and regional taxes. The results indicate, first, that the effects of the festival on output are about ₠1.7 million. Kaustinen can also be seen as a good investment for the local municipality, as regional tax revenues increased by about ₠65,600 in the year studied, while the annual subsidy was ₠40,365. From the perspective of the Keski-Pohjanmaa region as a whole, the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival has a substantial impact on regional incomes through subsidies (about one-fifth of the costs of the festival is offset by subsidies from the Arts Council of Finland (Ilmonen et al, 1995) and the direct and indirect effects of consumption by festival visitors in different economic sectors. The impact on employment in the region is low (27 employees). The mobilization of voluntary labour, not measured in this study, is, however, considerable. Although the input–output method is laborious and statistically complex, it is very suitable for measuring the impact of tourism or cultural events on local economies. The method provides results that can be used in framing regional policy.
Destination Choice Modelling: What's in a Name?
Authors: Huybers Twan
Published: September 2010

Discrete choice modelling can be employed to analyse tourists' holiday destination choices. The data for a destination choice modelling analysis are often obtained from a survey in which prospective tourists indicate their choices in a series of hypothetical scenarios. In that context, an issue deserving investigation is the use of destination names in the stated choice task. Using the names of destinations to label the alternatives in a choice scenario would be expected to enhance the predictive validity of the choice model. On the other hand, the experimental design of the choice scenarios may yield destination descriptions that appear unrealistic to survey respondents. In this paper, the labelling issue is investigated using a choice modelling study of short-break destination choices by residents from Melbourne, Australia. The multinomial logit model is used to compare the results of labelled and unlabelled stated choice tasks. The comparative results are reported and discussed and implications for destination choice modelling applications are drawn.
Rainwater-Harvesting Agriculture and Water-Use Efficiency in Semi-Arid Regions in Gansu Province, China
Authors: Liu Famin , Wu Yanqing , Xiao glang , Gao Qianzhao
Published: September 2010

In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, the efficient use of water becomes increasingly important because water is a crucial limiting factor for increased food and fibre production to supply an ever growing number of people. Rainwater harvesting agriculture (RHA) is a system that has the potential to deal with the water constraints that farmers in China's semi-arid regions face. RHA can supply limited irrigation at the key stages of crop development by using rainwater stored in containers such as tanks or cellars. A number of tests of RHA in selected experimental sites confirm its potential for significantly increasing agricultural productivity. In test plots, average yields of maize (Zea mays) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) increased by over 50%. This paper reviews the development and performance of RHA, based on studies of the usefulness of rainwater for agriculture, theory and practice of RHA, improvement of crop yields and water-use efficiency (WUE) and its potential role in alleviating or eliminating poverty and land degradation in semi-arid regions of Gansu province. One concept, namely harvested rainwater-use efficiency (HWUE) is put forward, and the relationship between WUE and HWUE is analysed using schematic relationships between grain yield and evapotranspiration (ET). The value of HWUE is greater than that of WUE when the compensatory harvested rainwater is supplied at critical stages for water requirements in rainfed croplands. This is the basis of RHA theory. RHA has identified a new technical system that is characterized by the combination of terracing, plastic-film cover, varieties, fertilization, water storage in cellars or tanks and micro-irrigation for increasing dryland-farming productivity. It is suggested that RHA has great potential for enhancing water availability, reducing water loss, producing more with the same amount of annual rainfall and increasing agricultural productivity in north-west China. There is no doubt that the implementation of RHA techniques will expand, and can help local farmers to solve the problem of water shortage and to achieve self-sufficiency in grain.
Integrated Nutrient Management in the Farming Systems of the Savannas of Northern Nigeria: What Future?
Authors: Chianu Jonas Nwankwo , Tsujii Hiroshi
Published: September 2010

Integrated nutrient management (INM) is being promoted in Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors examined INM practices among farmers in the savannas of northern Nigeria in the hope of making suggestions to improve the impact of INM practices on soil fertility. The results indicate that, although the various components of INM are available in the farming systems, only a partial integration is occurring with limited impact on soil fertility. The major constraints include: the harsh savanna environment, lack of supportive institutions and labour, high fertilizer prices and inadequate availability of organic manure. Strip cropping of improved sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and dual-purpose cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) and integrated fertility management using neem foliage and half the recommended fertilizer rate have great potential. The study recommends more research, extension and policies to enhance the adoption and impact of INM practices.
Dating and Synchronizing Tourism Growth Cycles
Authors: Gouveia Pedro M.D.C.B. , Rodrigues Paulo M.M.
Published: September 2010

The authors use the non-parametric method proposed by Harding and Pagan (2003) to date tourism growth cycles. This study is among the first to use robust, transparent and replicable dating rules in the context of economic tourism activity cycles. On the basis of a cycle indicator function, the authors are able to establish a greater degree of cycle synchronization of tourism demand than that observed at the economic cycle level, and, by means of a recursive correlation coefficient, they conclude that this degree of cycle synchronization has increased over the years. To analyse the presence of a time lag between turning points of economic cycles and tourism demand, they suggest a lag concordance index. Observing cycles and producing dating indicator functions are important in examining potential asymmetric behaviour associated with tourism economic phases and are useful for forecasting purposes.
The Nature of Seasonality in Spanish Tourism Time Series
Authors: Cunado J. , Gil-Alana L.A. , de Gracia F. Péarez
Published: September 2010

This paper deals with the analysis of seasonality in the context of tourism time series. The authors present a general testing procedure that permits them to consider the cases of deterministic and/or stochastic (with integer and fractional differentiation) seasonality in a unified treatment. The procedure is applied to four Spanish tourism time series: the total (foreign and domestic) number of tourists, the number of domestic tourists, the number of nights spent in hotel accommodation by tourists, and the number of nights spent in hotel accommodation by domestic tourists. The results show that the series can be well described in terms of seasonally fractionally integrated models, with the orders of integration ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 in the case of white noise disturbances, and values slightly smaller with autocorrelated disturbances. Thus the standard practice of taking seasonal dummies (deterministic seasonality) or integer differentiation (seasonal unit roots) may lead to erroneous conclusions about the stochastic behaviour of the series. Moreover, the series seem to be mean reverting, implying that shocks affecting them disappear in the long run though at a very slow hyperbolic rate.
A Second-Order Factor Analysis Model for Measuring Tourists' Overall Image of Algarve, Portugal
Authors: Silvestre António Luís , Correia Antónia
Published: September 2010

Algarve is a tourism region in the south of Portugal. This paper develops and empirically validates a second-order factor analysis model to assess the overall image of Algarve held by tourists who visit it. The data are based on the opinions of a random convenience sample of tourists taken at Faro Airport. It is found that the observable variables define three first-order factors – that is, three image factors – and these are used as indicators of a unique second-order factor, which is the overall image held by tourists to Algarve. The main conclusion of the paper is that the ‘sun and sand’ factor is the most important determinant of tourists' overall image of the region.
Technology Transfer in HEIs
Authors: Gohir Tas , Palmer Grier
Published: September 2010

The UK's bioscience research base is one of the country's genuine long-term economic assets. It is critically important for the UK not to repeat past mistakes, when financial exploitation of innovative and groundbreaking bioresearch went overseas. This study reviews commercialization from the Department of Biological Sciences at Warwick University as a microcosm of the current state of technology transfer in academia. Its technology transfer operation is typical of many other such organizations. Warwick University does, however, have the benefit of being in the ‘Ivy League’ of UK universities and is regarded as a beacon of entrepreneurial flair. If the power of academic entrepreneurship is to be fully unleashed anywhere, Warwick is as well placed as any to capitalize on the opportunities. While the purpose of the study has been to consider how Warwick's enormous entrepreneurial prowess can be harnessed for the greater commercialization of its bioscience research, many of the conclusions and recommendations are applicable to other departments and academic institutions worldwide.
The Vegetable Export System
Authors: Lenné J.M. , Pink D.A.C. , Spence N.J. , Ward A.F. , Njuki J. , Ota M.
Published: September 2010

Vegetables are important crops in developing countries, recognized for their nutritional benefits and income generation for smallholder farmers. This paper compares the successful vegetable export system with the much larger but inefficient and low-yielding local vegetable subsector in Kenya and identifies opportunities to address the major technical and marketing constraints faced by the local subsector. The export system could be a useful role model for the development of improved, adapted vegetable varieties, sustainable seed-delivery systems, organized technical assistance and more efficient marketing systems in the local subsector. A productive and efficient local vegetable system is likely to enhance the livelihoods of the poor and economic growth in Kenya.
Full-Time and Part-Time Independent Inventors
Authors: Weick Cynthia Wagner , Martin James D.
Published: September 2010

Analysis of data from a survey of independent inventors showed that part-time and full-time inventors were similar in terms of age, gender, educational level and the types of inventions they pursued. However, sales levels achieved were significantly related to the combination of a full-time commitment to inventing and a willingness to invest in patent protection. Further interviews of successful inventors indicated that the transition from part-time to full-time inventing was driven by either unexpected events, a desire to change careers, or preference for working in a more creative atmosphere. The interviewees showed optimism for the future of independent inventors, who they believed would benefit from the creativity encouraged by unstructured environments. They were also optimistic about a broader customer base due to global expansion of market-based economies, and increased distribution opportunities.
Export Incentives and International Entrepreneurship in Malaysian Firms
Authors: Ahmed Zafar U. , Julian Craig C. , Majar Abdul Jumaat
Published: September 2010

This study explores Malaysian entrepreneurs' incentives to export when engaging in international business. The data gathered were based on a survey of 214 Malaysian manufacturing firms. Statistical analysis was carried out using one-way analysis of variance. With the exception of a ‘decline in the value of currency relative to foreign markets’, the results indicate no significant differences in the perceptions of exporters and non-exporters towards the various incentives to export. Thirteen of the export incentives tested in this study were deemed to be significant to Malaysian entrepreneurs. These were: reduction of tariffs in target countries; attractive export incentives provided by the home country government; the presence of export-minded management; expectation of economies of scale resulting from added volume of trade; favourable sales and profit opportunities in foreign markets; chance to diversify into new markets; receipt of voluntary orders from foreign buyers; availability of profitable ways to ship to foreign markets; eased product regulations in target countries; opportunity to reduce inventories; moves by domestic competitors to export; decline in the value of currency relative to foreign markets; and entry of foreign competitors into the domestic market.
Learning to See the (w)Holes
Authors: Burns Barbara A. , Jordan Thomas M.
Published: September 2010

Business managers are faced with complex decisions involving a wide range of issues – technical, social, environmental, and financial – and their interaction. Our education system focuses heavily on presenting structured problems and teaching students to apply a set of tools or methods to solve these problems. Yet the most difficult thing to teach is the defining of the problem itself. Unlike a jigsaw puzzle, in which the overall picture and the individual pieces are clearly defined, real-life business problems require managers to see the ‘big picture’ and define the dilemma. If they cannot see the ‘whole’, they cannot see the ‘holes' where information is lacking. The boundaries of the problem are too often based on what managers know, not on what they need to know. This paper reviews the roots of holistic systems thinking in the work of philosophers, psychologists and physical scientists. It looks at the extent to which the ability to see and develop models of whole systems is a natural skill of some people rather than a learned skill. It reviews efforts to measure the capability in individuals and the psychological influences on holistic thinking. It then discusses alternative ways in which the capability to see the (w)holes can be developed.
An Econometric Estimation of the Demand for Tourism: The Case of Russia
Authors: Algieri Bernardina
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the determinants of tourism revenues in Russia and gauges their impact on tourism demand over the period 1993:12 to 2002:10. The demand for tourism and the choice of tourist destinations are subject to significant swings for many reasons, including variations in income, exchange rates and prices, as well as unpredicted events such as relevant political changes. Therefore, reliable estimates of the elasticities of tourism demand become important for the formulation of efficient tourism policies. In this context a cointegration analysis of the demand for tourism in Russia within a VAR framework was carried out. The results suggest a robust and significant long-run cointegration relationship between Russian tourism receipts, world GDP, real exchange rates and air transport prices. In particular, the estimated income, cost of living and airfares elasticities are statistically significant and have the expected signs, and their values are in accordance with the empirical literature.
Measuring the Cost Efficiency of International Tourist Hotels in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Fei-Ching , Hung Wei-Ting , Shang Jui-Kou
Published: September 2010

This study employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the relative cost efficiency of 49 international tourist hotels in Taiwan. The study uses five different measures: overall efficiency (OE), allocative efficiency (AE), technical efficiency (TE), scale efficiency (SE) and pure technical efficiency (PTE). Applying efficiency measures derived from the DEA estimation, hotel efficiency determinants are evaluated using the Tobit regression model. A bootstrapping technique is applied to overcome the interdependency problem of the DEA efficiency scores adopted in the regression analysis. The empirical results demonstrate that the international tourist hotel industry in Taiwan is inefficient, with most efficiency losses attributable to technical inefficiencies, of which scale inefficiencies are the primary cause – the scale of operations of international tourist hotels in Taiwan being too small to enable the cost-savings associated with larger-scale operations. The Tobit regression results indicate that the proportion of foreign individual travellers (FIT), online transaction function (WEB) and franchising (HOTELTYPE) are related to a better performance of international tourist hotels in Taiwan. The number of years a hotel has been operating (AGE) is not significantly related to any of the efficiency measures.