bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fuel Ethanol Production from Indian Agriculture
Authors: Aggarwal P.K. , Joshi H.C. , Kumar Sujith , Gupta N. , Kumar Sushil
Published: September 2010

Fuel ethanol use is being encouraged in many countries, including India, to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and to reduce local pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to provide support to stagnating sugarcane-based industries. Indian public policy is to use a blend of 10% ethanol with petrol within the next few years. This translates into a large requirement for fuel ethanol. This paper examines the potential suitability of various carbohydrate-based agri-resources for ethanol production in India, and the resources required for this in different agroclimatic regions. The results show that sugarcane has the highest ethanol potential, followed by cassava, potato and cereals. On the basis of growing time (days) in the field, however, the large differences among crops disappear and their ranking at state and district level also changes. It was calculated that the biomass as well as land requirement for fuel ethanol for 2010–11 in India would be small, taking into account the total food grain production and land used for agriculture. Utilization of only 3–7 million tons of damaged food grains or surplus food stocks could meet the requirement for fuel ethanol up to 2010. This may, however, involve trade-offs with food security. Agricultural residues, especially rice straw, currently burnt in north-western India, and causing air pollution and global warming, could be a useful and cheap resource, if the technology for cellulose conversion is made available and is cost-effective. A proper auditing of costs involved in producing biomass for gasohol, their implications for energy security and the environment, and trade-offs with food security is required for policy consideration.
Structure and Play: Rethinking Regulation in the Higher Education Sector
Authors: Harman Kerry , Bohemia Erik
Published: September 2010

This paper explores possible tactics for academics working within a context of increasing regulation and constraint. One suggested tactic is to move outside of a creativity–conformity binary. Rather than understanding creativity and conformity as separable, where one is seen as excluding the other, the authors consider the potential of examining the relationships between them. The theme of ‘structure and play’ illustrates the argument. In the first part of the paper, using various examples from art and design – fields generally associated with creativity – the authors explore the interrelatedness of creativity and conformity. For example, how might design styles, which are generally understood as creative outcomes, constrain creativity and lead to conformity within the design field? Is fashion producing creativity or conformity? Conversely, the ways in which conformity provides the conditions for creativity are also examined. For example, the conformity imposed by the state on artists in the former communist bloc contributed to a thriving underground arts movement which challenged conformity and state regulation. Continuing the theme of ‘structure and play’, the authors recount a story from an Australian university which foregrounds the ongoing renegotiation of power relations in the academy. This account illustrates how programmatic government in a university, with its aim of regulating conduct, can contribute to unanticipated outcomes. The authors propose that a Foucauldian view of distributed power is useful for academics operating in a context of increasing regulation, as it brings into view sites where power might begin to be renegotiated.
The Development of Work-Based Learning as Part of Post-Qualifying Education
Authors: Owens Denise , Rutherford June
Published: September 2010

This paper describes the conception and progress to date of the development of work-based learning as part of post-qualifying education in the School of Nursing at the University of Salford. There is a changing culture in the university in relation to the delivery of programmes via non-traditional routes. In this context, work-based learning is a radical change from current teaching and learning strategies in the School of Nursing and in the university as a whole. This creative approach contrasts significantly with the more traditional methods of teaching and learning in higher education. The paper reports on the development, introduction and evaluation of a work-based learning module as a pilot project. It then outlines the development of a work-based learning degree using the lessons learnt from the pilot.
Creative Universities and Their Creative City-Regions
Authors: Powell James
Published: September 2010

Salford University led and coordinated a thematic network known as C5U, which involved a consortium of seven European universities. This was part of a European University Association (EUA)/Socrates programme of work known as ‘Creativity in Higher Education’. The aim was to understand how universities were increasingly seeking to be creative in their relationships with their cities and regions. The consortium identified how universities had contributed to, and benefited from, the creativity of their city-region for socially inclusive wealth creation. Success occurs when both the university and their partners have a high commitment to working together through creative leadership, and through the implementation of ‘virtuous knowledge sharing’ – a two-way, deep and iterative discussion, rather than the traditional one-way technology transfer typical in university reach-out. As a result of their deliberations, the C5U partners have suggested a new model for those engaged universities wishing to embrace their creative city-regions to the full – styled as ‘Universities for Modern Renaissance’. The characteristics of such universities are discussed in some detail in the paper.
The Establishment Strikes Back? The Life and Times of Takafumi Horie
Authors: Warren Lorraine
Published: September 2010

This paper uses newspaper articles to construct an account of the meteoric rise and eventual fall from grace of Takafumi Horie, a Japanese Internet entrepreneur. This trajectory is explored through a qualitative methodology that analyses the content of articles in international newspapers reporting key events in Horie's story. Tracking the representation of Horie as the story develops uncovers the ambiguous nature of the concept of entrepreneurship in Japan, where the enactment of entrepreneurship takes place within and at times against the mainstream of significant change in the nature of work in Japan. The paper concludes by linking Horie's story to the temporal construction of the entrepreneur in a social context in which bureaucratic challenge leads eventually to entrepreneurial marginalization through the likelihood of a jail term. Overall, the paper adds to the literature concerning the mutable and contested nature of the term ‘entrepreneur’.
A Note on Indian Livestock Products and their Global Competitiveness
Authors: Raju S.S.
Published: September 2010

The trade liberalization process began in India in the early 1990s and was meant to give a boost to trade by removing barriers between various countries. Because India was a signatory to the so-called Dunkel Draft, opportunities were expected to be better for Indian agricultural exports, including livestock products, because of cheap labour in the country. This paper examines export earnings from various livestock products to assess the impact of liberalization on trade in livestock products and their competitiveness. The results revealed a significant change in export earnings from various livestock products, but the growth of trade over a decade does not seem to have been significant. The failure to remove barriers to trade, along with phytosanitary standards and infrastructure bottlenecks, have been assumed to be the reasons for not achieving global competitiveness for livestock products. In order to take advantage of expanding global markets, the efficiency of production of livestock products has to be improved – together with safety and quality – which are essential in international markets.
Rice for Food and Income
Authors: Mwaseba Dismas L. , Kaarhus Randi , Johnsen Fred H. , Mattee Amon Z. , Mvena Zebedayo S.K.
Published: September 2010

This paper assesses the impact of rice research on household food security in Tanzania. The adoption of research-based innovations in rice farming, on which the impact of rice research is assumed to depend, is outlined. Rice production and consumption levels are presented. The paper shows that farmers produce rice for meeting a range of livelihood outcomes, including food security. However, meeting household needs such as education, health and building good houses are as important as food security. In this context, it is argued that food security should be understood within the framework of household livelihood strategies rather than being seen as dependent on household rice production.
The Restructuring of Agrifood Supply Chains in CEE and the CIS
Authors: Gorton Matthew , White John
Published: September 2010

The recent restructuring of relationships between farmers and the buyers of agricultural output (principally processors and retailers) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is reviewed. The interconnected growth of contracting, multiple food retailers, imposition of private standards and foreign direct investment have contributed to the internationalization of agri-food markets in the CEE–CIS region. The restructuring of supply chains is profoundly affecting the opportunities available to farmers in CEE and the CIS. The paper advocates that public support to the agricultural sector should be geared to enabling domestic farmers to have access to restructured food supply chains, in contrast to much of the assistance to develop market infrastructure in the 1990s, which was geared to commodity spot markets, which in many cases are now in decline.
Aggregate Efficiency and Productivity Analysis in the Tourism Industry
Authors: Peypoch Nicolas , Solonandrasana Bernardin
Published: September 2010

This paper presents a new methodology for analysing efficiency and productivity in the tourism industry in an aggregate context. More precisely, by using the directional distance function, an aggregate Luenberger productivity indicator for a group of tourist firms is proposed. Moreover, the possibility of the reallocation of inputs and outputs between the individual tourist firms in the group is considered. Finally, this new performance measure is illustrated by considering a group of hotels.
Are Malaysia's Tourism Markets Converging? Evidence from Univariate and Panel Unit Root Tests with Structural Breaks
Authors: Lean Hooi Hooi , Smyth Russell
Published: September 2010

Over the past 25 years, the tourism sector has emerged as an important source of foreign exchange for Malaysia. This paper applies univariate and panel Lagrange multiplier (LM) unit root tests with one and two structural breaks to examine whether Malaysia's ten most important tourist markets are converging. The study finds strong evidence that Malaysia's tourism markets are converging. Based on these findings, implications are drawn about the success of the marketing strategies of Tourism Malaysia and the prospects for the continuing contribution of tourism to the Malaysian economy.
The Hybrid Structures of International New Ventures
Authors: Berg Magne Sivert , Aspelund Arild , Sørheim Roger
Published: September 2010

This paper gives a social capital perspective on the internationalization process of new firms. The point of departure is international new ventures (INVs) and their frequent use of hybrid structures for government of international activities. The purpose is to shed new light on the INV phenomenon by studying the role of social relationships in the establishment, management and performance of international governance structures and access to resources for international market expansion. By combining knowledge from the international entrepreneurship literature with social capital theory, the authors construct several propositions on the relationship between properties of social capital embedded in the new firm and their ability to form effective international market channels and deliver high long-term performance. This conceptual study suggests that social capital is indeed conducive to the overall performance of INVs. However, empirical research is desirable – and, based on the propositions from this study, the authors propose a research agenda emphasizing the need for a longitudinal study of INV organizations with regard to the role of social capital in attracting and controlling international market resources.
Seed Funding for Innovative Ventures
Authors: Norrman Charlotte , Klofsten Magnus
Published: September 2010

This paper focuses on public innovation support for ventures in their early stages of development. Based on quantitative analysis of programme-specific data, the authors explore and discuss what mechanisms have influenced a public sector actor in selecting ideas for funding. The main findings show, first, that the ‘legal form of the firm’ and the ‘type of industry’ are the main factors that discriminate among firms that have gained public financial support and, second, that explicit and tacit selection criteria affect the process that determines which ideas are to receive support.
Global Environmental Consequences of the Livestock Sector's Growth
Authors: Gerber P.J. , Steinfeld H.
Published: September 2010

The growth of the livestock sector is being achieved at substantial environmental cost. Today, livestock represent a major stress on the global environment, occupying a quarter of emerged land (a third of agricultural land), contributing to a fifth of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, using 8% of water resources and threatening a wide range of endangered species. At the same time, livestock constitute a crucial engine of rural growth and an asset for improving food security. Policies are required to guide the sector in achieving contrasting developmental objectives. Potential pathways include encouraging resource efficiency, correcting environmental externalities and accelerating technology change.
Opportunities and Challenges of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Niamey, Niger
Authors: Graefe Sophie , Schlecht Eva , Buerkert Andreas
Published: September 2010

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) provide about 10% of the global food supply and have a significant potential to reduce poverty and increase food security in urban households. To characterize UPA types and intensities and to assess their resource use efficiencies, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 130 households actively involved in UPA in Niamey, Niger. The survey data indicated high use of livestock manure for vegetable gardening and to a lesser extent for the production of staple food. The UPA livestock component depended heavily on the supply of live animals and feed from the rural hinterland. The application of organic and inorganic fertilizers in combination with the indiscriminate use of nutrient-loaded wastewater for irrigation purposes led to important nutrient surpluses in UPA gardens. First calculations of partial nutrient balances indicated that gaseous emission of nitrogenous compounds as well as leaching of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the groundwater might be large. Insect attack and the lack of irrigation water or high labour needs for irrigation were identified respectively as major constraints to UPA gardening activities. Despite this, gardening proved to be the most economically beneficial occupation of the three main UPA activities. Lack of workforce and lack of cash to hire labour and purchase inputs constituted major constraints to millet farmers, as against soil fertility, which, in contrast to researchers, only a few farmers viewed as a major problem.
Research into Use: Managing Achievements for Impact
Authors: Lenné J.M.
Published: September 2010

The Research into Use (RIU) programme was initiated in July 2006 as part of the Department for International Development (DFID)'s Strategy for Research on Sustainable Agriculture 2006–2016. This new programme is founded on the substantial achievements and lessons learned from the previous DFID Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy implemented from 1995–2006. The main objective of this paper is to capture the strategic and innovative thinking that enabled the smooth transition to the RIU approach. It is hoped that wider understanding of this process will benefit international and national natural resources research and development programmes as well as donors. Widespread use of the best approaches to get research into use is a desired legacy of the RIU programme with potential for a far-reaching impact on reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth.
Is Agriculture a Key Sector in the European Economies?
Authors: Cristóbal José Ramón San
Published: September 2010

The geography of the European Union (EU) is predominantly rural. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has existed for more than 40 years as one of the most important pan-European policies. Its budget represents a large proportion of the overall EU budget and expenditure. However, few studies show the specific economic role that agriculture plays in the European economies. The main objective of this paper is to measure, through input–output methodology, the role of the agricultural sector in 10 countries of the EU and to ascertain whether this one sector can be considered a key sector. The data show that the only countries where agriculture can be considered a key sector are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden. In these countries, agriculture is stimulated by overall industry growth and has a greater impact on the national economy than other sectors. In the remaining countries, agriculture may be stimulated more than other sectors by an increase in the national economy's production, but agricultural output is no more affected than other sectors.
Research Note: Millennium Development Goals – What is Tourism's Place?
Authors: Christie Iain T. , Sharma Amit
Published: September 2010

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) bring together a large coalition of partners with the common goal of reducing the greatest threats to people and our planet, including poverty and social and environmental challenges. The first five-year review showed that, at the present pace of change, the ambitious goals set for 2015 would not be met. Spearheaded by the UN, the attainment of MDGs requires both public interventions and private sector leadership. While tourism is contributing in multiple ways, this paper explores why it can, and should, do more. It also suggests how resolving challenges linked to achieving MDGs will resolve tourism development bottlenecks.
Regional Economic Contribution and Net Economic Values of Opening Access to Three Colorado Fourteeners
Authors: Keske Catherine M. , Loomis John B.
Published: September 2010

Climbing ‘Fourteeners’, peaks whose summits rise above 14,000 feet, is a popular recreational activity in Colorado. Access to these popular peaks has been jeopardized by liability issues on privately owned peaks and by overuse on publicly owned peaks. To date, there has been little analysis on the economic benefits provided by Fourteeners. This study finds that opening access to three closed peaks presents an infusion into local and state economies of 25 and 45 jobs, respectively. Access to the peaks is worth US$167 per person each trip; a relatively high value in the context of the recreation economics literature.
Hiking in the Alps: Exploring Substitution Patterns of Hiking Destinations
Authors: Thiene Mara , Scarpa Riccardo
Published: September 2010

Tourism in the Alps used to rely on a network of facilities maintained in part by the military Alpine Corps. Hiking has been growing in popularity, while the national draft is no longer compulsory. This situation calls for a renewed approach to management of the maintenance of alpine facilities. The authors explore the use of destination choice models which allow for various substitution hypotheses and highlight how single mountain sites can be substitutes for others, although located in a different geographical area. The results supply helpful information for local policy decision makers as they provide insights about the redistribution of visits following the implementation of different policy scenarios. The authors investigate such redistributions following the variation of availability to hikers in terms of alpine shelters, length of trails, site access and the application of access fees. They also estimate changes in welfare for selected variations of alpine facilities and availability of destinations. The findings highlight the sensitivity of results to the use of different specifications of demand models to guide local policy strategies.
What do Animal Nutritionists Expect from Plant Breeding?
Authors: Flachowsky Gerhard
Published: September 2010

The‘wish list’ from animal nutritionists to plant breeders can be summarized in terms of global nutritional security and resource efficiency, along with the increasing improvement/safety of the quality of feeds of plant origin. Reductions in the content of undesirable substances are more important than increases in the content of value-determining components of the plants. The following are also noteworthy: (a) studies with the target animal species are necessary to evaluate the nutritional value and safety of the changes induced in the plants; (b) cooperation among plant breeders and animal nutritionists should be a necessary element from the early stages of breeding programmes to evaluate the changes induced; and (c) life-cycle assessments (eco-balances, documentation of inputs and outputs) should be conducted to compare and evaluate the consequences of breeding programmes.
Land-Use Management and Wet-Rice Cultivation (Jebi Aji) by the Apatani People in Arunachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Kala Chandra Prakash , Dollo Mihin , Farooquee Nehal A. , Choudhury Drupad C.
Published: September 2010

The traditional knowledge and expertise of the Apatani group of villages in the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India were evaluated in terms of the cultural and social cohesiveness associated with managing the land, water and agro-biodiversity. Unlike other tribal communities in north-east India, who mainly practise shifting cultivation, the Apatani depend mainly on perennial wet-rice cultivation. They successfully grow 16 varieties of rice in the waterlogged paddy fields by means of organic farming and appropriate use of diverse natural resources. The traditional wet-rice farming system is functional even today and is modified by the community as and when required. Apatani land-use management is conducted using well tried traditional land law systems, and land is classified into 10 major categories on the basis of traditional uses. The paper also highlights the traditional irrigation technology and techniques for maintaining soil fertility and storing grain.
Pasture-Based Dairy and Water Hyacinth (Eichornia Crassipes) for Reduced Biological Oxygen Demand in Dairy Discharge Water
Authors: Poudel D.D. , Simon M.J.
Published: September 2010

Degradation of surface water quality through point and non-point source pollution is a major problem worldwide. Elevated biological oxygen demand (BOD5) in a waterbody results in the depletion of dissolved oxygen and subsequently adversely impacts on aquatic life. Discharge water from a dairy facility is enriched with oxygen-demanding substances such as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) or organic carbon, and has elevated BOD5. Therefore, it is important to have a sufficiently reduced BOD5 concentration in dairy discharge water prior to discharging it to the natural streams or waterways. The authors compared BOD5 in discharge water from confined dairy and pasture-based dairy, and assessed the effectiveness of the water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) for BOD5 reduction in dairy discharge water at UL Lafayette Research Farm in Cade, Louisiana. The dairy wastewater treatment system consisted of a first anaerobic lagoon and a second facultative lagoon. From 1985 to 2005, water samples were collected at least once a month by the grab method at the outlet of the facultative lagoon. These were analysed for BOD5, total suspended solids (TSS) and pH as per the compliance requirements of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. In 2003, the second pond was divided into two halves and water hyacinths were introduced into one half of the pond. Water samples were collected for one year in seven sampling events by the grab method from the following four locations: inlet and outlet of the first pond, and each outlet of the divided second pond. Water samples were analysed in the lab for BOD5, TSS, total combustible solids (TCS), TN, nitrate/nitrite-N (NO3/NO2-N) and TP; while pH and temperature were determined in the field. Wastewater inflow data and dairy herd data were obtained from the records. The average BOD5 concentration of discharge water from pasture-based dairy was 28% lower compared with the confined dairy. Water hyacinths reduced BOD5 concentration by 30.2%, TN by 44% and TP by 19.4% compared with the pond without water hyacinths. Pasture-based dairy and the introduction of water hyacinths in the dairy wastewater treatment system show the potential for reducing BOD5 and oxygen-demanding substances, as well as minimizing surface water pollution and related environmental degradation from a dairy operation.
Building Sustainable Academic Research in a ‘Teaching and Learning’ Intensive Environment
Authors: Jerrams Steve , Betts Tony , Carton Janet
Published: September 2010

Academic research is increasingly interdisciplinary, inter-institutional and international. In this context, creating and maintaining the balance in the nexus between research, teaching and learning and industry interaction is central to the operation and reputation of a university-level institute. In seeking sustainability, the perennial contradiction between encouraging and expecting all academics to engage in research or some other scholarship and the need to support leading researchers working in internationally recognized research clusters must be resolved. Research reputations are built on peer-reviewed publications, citations, competitive funding achieved and postgraduate completions. The leading universities are not known for research excellence in more than a handful of niche disciplines, so creating a research-informed environment where many are carrying out research, a few are excelling, but all receive support, is an unavoidable challenge for a senior management team. Faculty structures are important components in meeting this challenge. Heads of Research and proactive Faculty Research Boards have critical roles to play. R&D centres benefit from belonging in or across faculties, but individual researchers must have scope to build teams that can grow to form centres of excellence or be part of research clusters with partners having complementary strengths. External rigorous and periodic reviews of research are important in placing research in national and international contexts and ensuring that focus and direction are maintained. Institutional research strategies are paramount and should set out how a research environment and infrastructure can be developed and how impediments to research activity are removed. Setting targets for key metrics that are demanding but achievable will expose shortcomings in any strategy or its application. Policies and actions for building and supporting research activity are described, along with the strategies and structures that frame them. Each higher education institute is unique, but some effective measures are universally applicable.
Empowerment in Tertiary Education: A Strategic Source of Learning Advantage
Authors: Nicolaidis Christos S. , Koutroumpezi Evangelia
Published: September 2010

This paper examines empowerment as a strategy, from the resource-based perspective, for the development of Greek tertiary education. As the literature suggests, empowerment enables individuals to make decisions and simultaneously take responsibility for their actions. Moreover, it increases the quality of research and teaching procedures as well as amplifying educators' and students' satisfaction and performance. In this respect, the paper uses the well-known Whetten and Cameron questionnaire for empowerment in a survey conducted among students studying in the B, D, F and H semesters at a Greek university operating in Thessaloniki. The principal component factor analysis of a sample 395 students revealed the existence of four dimensions of student empowerment: meaning/self-efficacy, self-determination, trust and personal control. After discussion of the findings, a number of recommended tactics and policies concerning the enhancement of student empowerment conclude the paper.
Evaluating Work-Based Learning
Authors: van Rensburg Estelle
Published: September 2010

This article outlines an illuminative evaluation study of the work-based module in a vocational qualification in Animal Health offered for the paraveterinary industry by a distance education institution in South Africa. In illuminative evaluation, a programme is studied by qualitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of its ‘instructional system’, its intended teaching arrangements, as well as its ‘learning milieu’, the actual sites of learning interaction. This results in a rich description of the programme that allows ‘matches’ and ‘mismatches’ between the instructional system and learning milieu to be uncovered. In this study, this approach provided useful information relevant to the quality assurance of the module, and also generated significant insights about the design and delivery of work-based learning in vocational qualifications in general.
Research Programmes That Promote Novel, Ambitious, Unconventional and High-Risk Research: An Analysis
Authors: Prendergast P.J. , Brown S.H. , Britton J.R.
Published: September 2010

Many governmental agencies and private foundations provide funding programmes that aim to stimulate high-risk research which is often unconventional and from which a high social and/or economic gain is expected. In this paper the authors survey the availability of such grants in Europe. In particular, they are interested in what funding agencies hope to achieve by funding such research, and whether or not the criteria used for evaluation of research proposals is compatible with such objectives. Some definite trends are found, such as the importance given to ‘originality’ and the lack of favour afforded to ‘speculative’ projects. Similarly, ‘track record’ is considered important. Therefore, it would seem that the risk-taking expected of proposers is not always matched by risk-taking on the part of the funding agencies. The authors discuss the wider implications of carrying out risky and unconventional research in an academic environment.
Engineers: Going Global
Authors: Feest Tim
Published: September 2010

This article demonstrates the need for engineering courses in UK higher education to give a higher priority to global and sustainability issues. In support of this case, the author summarizes and assesses evidence from a recently-concluded study by the Institute of Education, University of London, and Engineers Against Poverty, a specialist international development non-governmental organization working in the field of engineering and international development. It is argued that engineering does and can play a major role in combating global poverty, and that higher education needs to prepare engineers for these challenges. Tim Feest, Executive Director of the UK's Occupational Standards Council for Engineering, considers the report of the study and the effect its recommendations, if implemented, would have on engineering undergraduate curriculum content in UK higher education institutions.
Entry and Exit by European Low-Cost and Traditional Carriers
Authors: Gil-Moltó Maria José , Piga Claudio A.
Published: September 2010

The authors analyse the entry and exit activity in the UK–Europe airline markets and study the differential traits of three main airlines (British Airways, EasyJet and RyanAir) during1997–2004. They find that entry and exit are more likely in large markets and in markets with a high number of incumbents. Already operating in the city-pair enhances the probability that the same firm will enter another route in the same city-pair. The existence of charter flights generates both entries and exits, while high seasonality generally discourages entry. Also, the level of service quality provided by the incumbents matters.
Developing a Web-Based Tourism Demand Forecasting System
Authors: Song Haiyan , Witt Stephen F. , Zhang Xinyan
Published: September 2010

Tourism demand is the foundation on which all tourism-related business decisions ultimately rest and so accurate forecasts of tourism demand are crucial for tourism industry practitioners. From the functional point of view, a tourism demand forecasting system (TDFS) is a forecasting support system capable of providing quantitative tourism demand forecasts and allowing users to make their own ‘what-if’ scenario forecasts. From the technical point of view, a TDFS is an information system consisting of a set of computer-based modules or components that support tourism demand forecasting and scenario analysis. This paper establishes a widely accessible Web-based TDFS which not only takes advantage of advanced econometric tourism demand forecasting techniques but also incorporates the real-time judgemental contribution of experts in the field. Furthermore, scenario forecasts are permitted within the system. Built on Web-based technology, the system provides advanced information sharing and communication and brings considerable convenience to various stakeholders engaged in tourism demand forecasting at different locations. In attempting to generate more accurate tourism demand forecasts, the system is designed to incorporate a two-stage forecasting methodology, which integrates judgemental adjustments with statistically based forecasts. The software architecture, detailed components and development environment of the Web-based TDFS are described in detail. A three-tiered client–server architecture is employed, which offers great flexibility, reusability and reliability. The prototype system has been developed and screen shots of interaction with the system are presented using Hong Kong tourism as an example.
Research Note: Effects of Price on Tourist Satisfaction
Authors: Campo Sara , Yagüe María J.
Published: September 2010

This study analyses the influence of price on the formation of tourists' satisfaction with the purchase of a package tour. The academic literature affirms that the relationship between the two variables is negative. However, when the authors attempt to estimate by using linear models, the relationship turns out to be nonsignificant. This is due to the two-sign effect that price exercises on satisfaction: one positive (as an indicator of product quality) and the other negative (as an indicator of sacrifice).
Research Note: Tourism Expenditure and all-Inclusive Packages – the case of a Mature Mediterranean Destination
Authors: Alegre Joaquín , Pou Llorenç
Published: September 2010

Nowadays, all-inclusive packages represent one of the top holiday choices for tourists visiting mature Mediterranean sun-and-sand destinations. Compared to other types of board, all-inclusive packages suppose a change in the way tourists purchase services. This research note analyses the changing patterns of expenditure caused by all-inclusive packages. For that purpose, an empirical analysis is applied to the case of the Balearic Islands, one of the leading Mediterranean destinations. The main findings are twofold: first, compared to other types of board, all-inclusive packages lead to a reduction in the destination's revenue from tourism. Second, all-inclusive packages are causing a significant change in the distribution of tourist expenditure among economic agents. In particular, compared to other types of board, spending in the country of origin is higher for all-inclusive tourists, while spending in the destination is substantially lower.
Contrasting the Management of Livestock Manures in Europe with the Practice in Asia
Authors: Burton Colin , Martinez José
Published: September 2010

There are similarities between livestock farming in Europe and Asia. There is close coupling of intensive agriculture with industrialization and there are environmental impacts caused by the production of very large amounts of organic wastes in limited areas. There are also differences deriving from geographical, climatic and cultural factors, which have led to particular problems in each region. In Europe, there is still a lack of appreciation of the full agronomic value of the manures produced, although most are spread in an organized way. In Asia, solid dung is more likely to be valued and sold as a product for fish farms and vegetable or fruit production. However, land on which organic waste can be spread is limited and less accessible, and river pollution is commonplace. In both regions, effective treatment options are available but, in the absence of financial support, they are rarely popular unless a financial return is implied, as in biogas schemes.
Prospects for Voluntary Group Marketing of Livestock in Rural Uganda
Authors: Kyeyamwa H. , Verbeke W. , Van Huylenbroeck G.
Published: September 2010

Although the desirability of collective action in the marketing of agricultural products is widely recognized both in the academic literature and in government policy, not much has been done to find out why some farmers do or do not wish to take part. The present study measured the attitudes of farmers (n = 284) towards voluntary group marketing (VGM) in rural Uganda, and how they influenced farmers' intentions to join VGM. The findings show that, overall, farmers are favourably disposed to participating in VGM. Perceived benefits are the strongest predictor for this intention. Recommendations from extension agents, government officials, NGOs and close associates (such as farming peers and immediate family) also have significant correlations with the likelihood of farmers participating in collective marketing initiatives. The perceived disadvantages do not appear to play a major role in a farmer's choice to participate, and the perceived lack of market and of benefits also has a negligible relationship with the likelihood of participating in VGM. It is recommended that collective marketing is promoted by increasing farmers' expectations objectively about the positive outcomes of VGM. In addition to extension agents, farming peers and family members should be involved in the process of promoting these notions.
Management of Pests and Diseases of Oilseed Crops in India Using Indigenous Plant Products
Authors: Gahukar R.T.
Published: September 2010

Pests and diseases attacking oilseed crops are generally controlled by synthetic pesticides. As an effective, economical and eco-friendly alternative to these chemicals, plant products in the form of crude materials (water/solvent extract, oil, cake) and formulations (commercial pesticides) prepared from indigenous plants have been recommended for plant protection. A product may act as an antifeedant, repellent, oviposition deterrent, growth regulator or as a contact pesticide for the life stages of insects. The inhibition of spore germination and the growth of pathogens constitute an important mode of action against disease infection. Improvements in the quality of seed, production of chemical-free oil and an increase in crop productivity are possible benefits to farmers. In India, 33 plants have been exploited to extract bioactive components whose bioefficacy against pests and diseases of oilseed crops is equal to or greater than that of chemicals. Extension activities and government support for the use of botanicals in plant protection would benefit farmers and consumers, and would also encourage international trade.
Research Practices in Entrepreneurship
Authors: Anderson Alistair R. , Starnawska Marzena
Published: September 2010

The dominant paradigm of entrepreneurship research practices, positivism, has brought about a fundamental paradox: researchers often try to analyse a phenomenon that cannot properly be defined. As a result, much entrepreneurship research is fragmentary and focuses narrowly on aspects of entrepreneurship. Nonetheless, there are very rich descriptive data on what people mean when they talk about ‘enterprise’. The argument is developed that interpretative methodologies – new lenses for seeing entrepreneurship – such as social constructionism, are required to extend people's understanding. If the fragmentary positivistic approaches are imagined as pieces of a jigsaw, it can be seen how a social constructivist approach can provide an overview of how the pieces match, fit and come together. Following this way of thinking, the authors propose Giddens's structuration as an orienting framework for these interpretative lenses.
Tourism as an Economic Growth Factor: A Case Study for Southern European Countries
Authors: Proença Sara , Soukiazis Elias
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the importance of tourism as a conditioning factor for improving the host population's standard of living. In so doing, the well-known conditional convergence approach of Barro and Sala-i-Martin is used to test for convergence in per capita income among four Southern European countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain), each with a long tradition as a tourist destination. The empirical analysis uses panel data techniques to estimate growth equations, combining time-series and cross-sectional data for the four countries, from 1990 to 2004. The results indicate that tourism contributes significantly to the improvement of the standard of living in these countries and acts as a factor of convergence.
Impact of Tourism on Economic Growth and Development in Africa
Authors: Fayissa Bichaka , Nsiah Christian , Tadasse Badassa
Published: September 2010

During the 1990s, Africa experienced a rise in tourist arrivals from 8.4 million to 10.6 million and a growth in receipts from US$2.3 billion to US$3.7 billion. According to the World Tourism Organization, the tourism industry in sub-Saharan Africa enjoyed a robust annual market share growth rate of 10% in 2006. In spite of this, there are few empirical studies that investigate the contributions of tourism to the economic growth and development of African economies. Using panel data of 42 African countries for 1995 to 2004, this study explores the potential contribution of tourism to the economic growth and development within the conventional neoclassical framework. The results show that receipts from the tourism industry contribute significantly both to the current level of gross domestic product and to the economic growth of sub-Saharan African countries, as do investments in physical and human capital. The authors' findings imply that African economies could enhance their short-run economic growth by strengthening their tourism industries strategically.
Reorientation of China's Agriculture over the Next Two Decades
Authors: Huajiao Qiu , Fusuo Zhang , Wanbin Zhu , Haibin Wang , Xu Cheng
Published: September 2010

Arable (cereals, pulses and tubers) production has been the most important object of Chinese agriculture. China has long insisted on‘self-reliance on grain’, often at the expense of resources and the environment. The impact of globalization and its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) require China to reorient its agriculture over the next two decades so that it is based on ecological and economic principles. The alternatives are: (1) to increase grain imports to about 10% of total consumption; (2) to develop horticulture, livestock and aquaculture with their greater comparative advantages; (3) to expand the notion of agriculture by, for example, developing‘energy farming’. The real future challenge for grain production will come from the rapid development of livestock production and its requirements, rather than growing edible grains for human consumption. To address this new type of livestock revolution, there will be a need to promote Chinese ecological agriculture (CEA) as well as to improve feed efficiency. The measures taken must focus on increasing farmers' incentives to help bring about the changes and on achieving the sustainable development of agriculture.
The US Mission in Italy's ‘Partnership for Growth’
Authors: Spogli Ronald P. , Truhn J. Patrick
Published: September 2010

This paper first examines key differences between the traditional approaches of the USA and Italy in relation to innovation and entrepreneurship. The authors then turn to the specific example of southern Italy, which has experienced higher rates of unemployment, lower US investment and fewer educational and cultural exchanges than the rest of the country. After setting out various reasons behind the relative lack of development of the Italian South, the authors describe how cross-cultural programmes can help such regions to realize their potential for economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship. Using the case of the US Mission in Italy's ‘Partnership for Growth’ programme and brief case studies of outstanding research commercialization in southern Italy, they show how the aims and activities of the programme fuse with the potential of research in the region which has traditionally been underexploited.
Transferring Chemical Research to a Spin-off Initiative in Health Care: The Lipidomic Approach
Authors: Ferreri Carla , Chatgilialoglu Chryssostomos , Ferreri Rosaria
Published: September 2010

Lipidomics is an emerging discipline in life sciences related to the lipid metabolism of living organisms. In the last decade chemical and biological research has attributed very important roles to membrane phospholipids in relationship to free radical stress and metabolic situations. An entrepreneurial initiative for diagnostic tools and health care products in the field of lipidomics started two years ago in Italy as a spin-off company of the National Council of Research. This paper presents an overview of the lipidomic approach applied in the company with regard to the metabolic and functional status of cell membranes, including the development of medical diagnostic tools and an innovative consultancy for nutraceutical companies. The authors also comment on the entrepreneurial experience of the Italian researchers.
Role of University–Industry–Government Linkages in the Innovation Processes of a Small Catching-up Economy
Authors: Varblane Urmas , Mets Tõnis , Ukrainski Kadri
Published: September 2010

During the transformation process from a command economy, the extraordinary statist university–industry–government (UIG) linkages model was replaced by an extreme version of laissez-faire relationships. A more modern interaction-based UIG model could be implemented only by changing the whole national innovation system of catching-up economies. The national innovation systems of countries with a command economy past share common problems that prevent them from developing the UIG linkages. The still-dominating linear innovation model should be replaced with the interactive and learning-based approach as these countries need to improve their levels of innovation diffusion management and networking. In addition, a symbiotic approach to the balance of high-tech and low-tech industries is needed. Managerial and organizational competence should be improved and treated at the same level of importance as technological competence.