bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Representations of librarianship in the UK press
Authors: Shaw Leah 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe image of the library and information professional has been a source of professional anxiety for many years. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this long‐standing issue by studying the portrayal of librarianship in UK national newspapers during a period of rapid technological change. It also proposes to examine the representation of the professional role, determined by the skills and competencies depicted and the topics associated with librarianship.Design/methodology/approachThe approach takes the form of a content analysis of a sample of 264 newspaper articles taken from The Times and The Mirror between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2008.FindingsThe findings reveal a lack of representation of skills and duties performed by librarians. The usefulness and relevance of those depicted are overshadowed by the reported value of libraries. When professional duties are depicted, however, the results appear positive: librarians were seen as having an expert knowledge of content, technological competence and skills in collection development. The reporting of negative behavioural traits was infrequent and it was found that newspapers were not perpetuating negative stereotypes.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough The Times and The Mirror are important publications in terms of circulation, their depiction of the library and information profession does not form a complete picture of the representation of librarianship in the UK press.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to debates about the image of the profession, and raises awareness about the skills and competencies that practitioners and professional bodies need to promote for the library and information profession to flourish.
A Malawian school library: culture, literacy and reader development
Authors: Anderson Johanna , Matthews Paul 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the success and suitability of a Western‐donated school library in furthering the aims of literacy and reader development in Malawi.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative, case study approach was taken using extensive interviews with school teachers and a library assistant at a primary school in Malawi.FindingsContrary to a common discourse that libraries are of limited value in a predominantly oral culture, the research revealed a valuable role in providing sources for sharing knowledge by young readers with the non‐literate. Limitations of the library under study included insufficient attention to reader development and inappropriateness of materials for the local context.Practical implicationsThe work reveals important shortcomings in furthering global literacy targets through current practice in African primary school libraries supported by international donors and non‐governmental organisations. Recommendations to improve impact are given.Originality/valueThis research is original in representing the voices of school teachers in the debate over the suitability of libraries for the African context and in evaluating the overseas book donation model currently practised in many locations.
Developing work‐based learning for library and information science
Authors: Chelin Jacqueline 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to disseminate information about the development of a work‐based learning (WBL) honours degree top‐up in Library and Information Sciences (LIS), focusing on the motivation for this development.Design/methodology/approachThe context for the work is explained. The characteristics of work‐based learning (WBL) are explored in terms of the relevance to LIS learning and teaching. The rationale for the development of the WBL top‐up is proposed and considerations that need to be borne in mind in the implementation are offered.FindingsA synergy between the ethos of the existing approach to the education and development of LIS students at the University of the West of England and that of WBL was discovered.Practical implicationsThere are implications for the training and development of teaching staff to engage fully and excel in a WBL approach, and for the institution to support this approach. There are also implications for advising employers and potential learners as to the benefits of WBL, and to ensure that it fits appropriately into the professional framework.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is in the sharing of an approach to developing a positive new way of working, how this fits with different government, local and professional agendas and the implications it has for all concerned.
Practitioner involvement in teaching LIS at UWE
Authors: Richardson Amanda 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to review the practitioner‐based teaching model for the MSc in Information and Library Management (ILM) at the University of the West of England (UWE). With input from students, practitioners and academics it considers the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and questions whether this is indeed the way forward for LIS education.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is used with views gained from students, practitioners and academic staff involved in the course. These views were gained from a combination of informal focus groups, informal interviews and a short e‐mail questionnaire asking current students their views on practitioner involvement in the course.FindingsFindings reveal a model of practitioner‐based learning on the MSc ILM at UWE, which is meeting student and employer needs in terms of the skills they require in their future roles. Findings also raise questions as to how one can best ensure the involvement of practitioners in the future of the course; whether practitioner input is needed from a broader range of roles outside the library and information service; and how one can best maintain a balance of academic and practical skills.Practical implicationsThe study suggests that more thought may be needed on securing practitioner involvement in the development and delivery of LIS education and further consideration on whether some of that involvement should be from a wider range of roles.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the need to consider how to best ensure the ongoing involvement of practitioners in LIS education, particularly those outside academic libraries, whilst maintaining the balance of academic rigour. It is valuable to those involved in designing and delivering course content and to those thinking about getting involved.
Explaining index‐based livestock insurance to pastoralists
Authors: McPeak John , Chantarat Sommarat , Mude Andrew 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the methods and findings of an experimental game designed to extend the concept of index‐based livestock insurance in northern Kenya, and analyze patterns of game play. The paper is designed to inform others who may be attempting something similar to this work in other developing country agricultural settings.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents the following: descriptive context of the issue, explanation of the game design to match the conditions in the area, details of how the authors explained the game, and regression analysis of play by participants.FindingsGames designed to reflect key elements of the local production system can be an effective way of explaining financial products to rural producers in developing countries.Research limitations/implicationsIt remains to be seen if the extension effort leads to more informed consumers of insurance products, which the authors hope to address in future work. Also, the approach described in this paper is very labor intensive, which could limit use in a wide ranging extension program.Social implicationsThe authors were able to explain the idea to groups that were mixed: female and male. It will be interesting to see if there are any gender dimensions to insurance use. In addition, with competing claims to livestock with complex property rights, there is a need to monitor how insurance interacts with social ideas of livestock ownership.Originality/valueThis is a completely new idea in the area of arid and semi‐arid livestock production, the challenge is pronounced, and as insurance becomes more important in the development economics toolkit, the authors believe others can benefit from seeing what they have done.
The credit advantage of farm and rural small business ownership
Authors: Briggeman Brian C. , Akers Maria M. 
Published: November 2010

PurposeNonfarm small businesses are an integral part of the US economy, and access to credit is crucial to their success. In rural America, a significant proportion of these businesses are owned by farm households. The purpose of this research is to compare farm households that operate a nonfarm business to other farm households as well as to rural and urban households operating a small business; and identify key factors that differentiate these businesses in their access to credit.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a unique data set to draw comparisons between farm households (from Agricultural Resource Management Survey data) and rural and urban small businesses (from Survey of Small Business Finances data). Each of these data sets asks similar financial, demographic, and access to credit questions. Combining these data provide a unique way to analyze the financial health of farm households that operate nonfarm businesses.FindingsThe paper finds that farm households with a nonfarm business tend to have more household income and assets than other rural and urban small businesses and farm households without a nonfarm business. However, rural small business owners as well as farmers were able to access credit more freely than their urban counterparts.Originality/valueMany studies have looked at the farmer's decision to work or invest off the farm. However, no study has considered the impact of owning a nonfarm business on the financial health and creditworthiness of a farm household.
Retirement planning by Dutch farmers: rationality or randomness?
Authors: van Asseldonk M.A.P.M. , van der Veen H.B. , van der Meulen H.A.B. 
Published: November 2010

PurposeIn self‐directed retirement plans, farmers are responsible for selecting the types of risky investments toward which the funds in their retirement plan are allocated. Furthermore, farmers do not necessarily purchase sufficient annuities with their savings upon retirement. There is little empirical evidence on the level of income sought or obtained. The purpose of this study is to analyze the long‐term investment behavior with respect to retirement planning.Design/methodology/approachTwo types of data were merged for the analysis: data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) cross‐sectional dataset, and subjective data collected by a questionnaire survey. A response rate of 39 percent was achieved enabling analysis of 440 farm records. By means of regression analysis, the impact of subjective elements, for example level of income sought, as well as farm structure and financial farm characteristics on income obtained at the time of retirement were revealed.FindingsBy decomposing the underlying decision alternatives, it was shown that the long‐term investment behavior differed substantially among farmers, but the alternative decisions made were hardly affected by structural and objective parameters. The current study reveals the dilemma faced by any farmer who has the option to invest in his own business. Off‐farm retirement investments simply provide an alternative destination for investible funds and it is a rational decision to invest these funds in their own business, thus making the farm itself their retirement “nest‐egg”. However, a discrepancy between the level of income sought and obtained was found.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need to study how farmers can be encouraged to use existing options for obtaining a more comprehensive retirement plan.Practical implicationsIn the investigated case, farmers are entitled like all residents to receive retirement benefits provided by the state, referred to as state pension. The use of three alternative retirement plans complementing the state‐sponsored retirement benefits is investigated. Perceptions about whether or not the state pension was sufficient to rely on as the sole source of income did not affect participation in a retirement plan. This stresses the importance that the contributions made and assets reserved should be regularly evaluated and reviewed (via, for example, extension or internet tools) to ensure that the available capital will meet the future income sought.Originality/valueIt is a challenge to identify the adequacy to attain retirement readiness by self‐directed investment plans. The strategic choices to be made are complex, while the outcome is risky. In the current study, the long‐term investment behavior with respect to retirement planning is analyzed by decomposing the underlying decision alternatives.
Evidence of land hoarding behavior in US agriculture
Authors: Adelaja Adesoji O. , Hailu Yohannes G. , Tekle Ahadu T. , Seedang Saichon 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to test how land owners respond to the appreciation of land values in the presence of speculation. This paper introduces the concept of “land hoarding,” which is land owners' response to higher land prices by selling more land up to a point beyond which accelerated land price appreciation would lead to land hoarding. Specifically, this paper examines the effect of land value appreciation higher than the opportunity cost of selling the land (measured by treasury‐bill (T‐bill) rate) on land sale and land hoarding.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical framework is developed to understand the demand for agricultural land retention with and without speculation, the former informing land hoarding behavior. A linear regression model was introduced and estimated using ordinary least square (OLS) method. A panel data model and analysis is also introduced, and following appropriate model selection tests, a fixed effect panel data estimation method is implemented. Data from 48 states, spanning from 1950 to 2004, are utilized.FindingsAn inverse relationship is found between the rate of land value appreciation and the demand for land by farmers, suggesting that the standard direct relationship between appreciation and land supplied to development holds. However, the additional finding of an inverse relationship between the rate of land value appreciation in excess of the risk‐free rate of return and agricultural land development confirms the existence of an identifiable speculative demand component that involves land hoarding.Practical implicationsTo the extent to which the findings are broadly applicable, one policy implication is that enhanced land retention can be achieved through market mechanisms. For example, the notion that reduced T‐bill rates can actually result in market triggered land preservation is an interesting policy related finding. Equally interesting is the notion that policies that can trigger increases in the rate of appreciation of farmland may also potentially result in the agricultural hoarding of land. Obviously, enhanced profitability in agriculture due to programs targeting viability, commodity price support, reduction of regulation or market expansion programs can potentially affect land retention.Originality/valueThis paper introduces the “land hoarding hypothesis.” High rates of land appreciation can be expected to signal that holding the land may yield better returns than selling it, suggesting that if rates of land appreciation become significantly high enough, farmers may begin to hoard land, not sell it, to maximize long‐term returns. This concept can be valuable to market‐based agricultural land retention programs at the urban fringe. By linking speculative behavior, land demand and existence of a hoarding behavior under some conditions, this paper adds value and originality to the literature.
Prediction markets: an experimental approach to forecasting cattle on feed
Authors: Karina Gallardo R. , Wade Brorsen B. , Lusk Jayson 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use prediction markets to forecast an agricultural event: United States Department of Agriculture's number of cattle on feed (COF). Prediction markets are increasingly popular forecast tools due to their flexibility and proven accuracy to forecast a diverse array of events.Design/methodology/approachDuring spring 2008, a market was constructed comprised of student traders in which they bought and sold contracts whose value was contingent on the number of COF to be reported on April 18, 2008. During a nine‐week period, students were presented three types of contracts to forecast the number of COF. To estimate forecasts a uniform price sealed bid auction mechanism was used.FindingsThe results showed that prediction markets forecasted 11.5 million head on feed, which was about 1.6 percent lower than the actual number of COF (11.684 million). The prediction market also fared slightly worse than analysts' predictions, which on average suggested there would be about 11.795 million head (an over‐estimate of about 1 percent).Originality/valueThe contribution of this study was not to provide conclusive evidence on the efficacy of using prediction markets to forecast COF, but rather to present an empirical example that will spark interest among agricultural economists on the promises and pitfalls of a research method that has been relatively underutilized in the agricultural economics literature.
Evaluation of the reference yield calculation method in crop insurance
Authors: Rejesus Roderick M. , Goodwin Barry K. , Coble Keith H. , Knight Thomas O. 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThis article seeks to examine the reference yield calculation method used in crop insurance rating and provides recommendations that could potentially improve actuarial performance of the Federal crop insurance program.Design/methodology/approachConceptual, numerical, and statistical analysis is utilized to evaluate the reference yield calculation method used in the US Federal crop insurance program.FindingsThe results suggest that reference yields, which at the time of this study are calculated using National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) data, do not accurately represent the average actual yields of the insured pool of producers in the Federal crop insurance program. In addition, it is found that not regularly updating these NASS‐based reference yields exacerbates this problem because these reference yields do not appropriately represent the current state of technological progress.Practical implicationsThe empirical analysis leads this paper to recommend a reference yield calculation procedure that utilizes county‐average yields from the risk management agency (RMA) participation database and an approach that uses spatially aggregated average yields in cases when data for a particular county are sparse.Originality/valueNo previous study has investigated the reference yield calculation method in the Federal crop insurance program using both RMA and NASS data sets. Moreover, this study contributes to the small literature that examines various aspects of the actual production history (APH) rating platform and suggests refinements to improve actuarial performance.
Are social and environmental practices a marketing tool?
Authors: Gallego‐Álvarez Isabel , Prado‐Lorenzo José‐Manuel , Rodríguez‐Domínguez Luis , García‐Sánchez Isabel‐María 
Published: November 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyse whether CSR practices performed by European companies (both those CSR practices related to marketing‐based strategies and those that are not) create value. That value creation will be gauged through two variables: reputation and shareholder value creation.Design/methodology/approachTo carry out this research, the 120 biggest European companies whose CSR practices have been analysed by Deloitte and Kinchhoff in The Good Company Ranking were taken. European firms have adopted an active stance on CSR and their organisational aspects and responsibilities related to sustainability are better‐founded compared with other companies. Financial data and reputation were obtained from the Forbes and Fortune websites, respectively.FindingsThe findings obtained show that all CSR practices, especially those linked to enhancing a company's image, have a positive effect on shareholder value creation, given that investors are able to detect the level of corporate commitment to sustainable development. On the other hand, none of the typologies of CSR practices undertaken have a relevant influence on corporate reputation.Originality/valueThe results of this study advise managers to design their CSR strategies with an orientation to increasing corporate reputation through large investments in CSR which prevent them from being imitated by direct rivals.
Corruption not an end
Authors: Agatiello Osvaldo R. 
Published: November 2010

PurposeEconomic theory and practice profess that corruption is a crime of calculation, normally perpetrated for economic gain. Policy responses, as a consequence, revolve around the restrictions and incentives needed to curb economic opportunities and restrain impulses leading to corruption. Nevertheless, the sciences of politics and management have long brooded over it, noting that power can corrupt, corruption can empower, corruptors can wield manifold instruments, and the satisfaction of pride is one of them. This paper aims to focus on corruption not as an end but as an instrument of power.Design/methodology/approachThis paper aims at analysing the deeper nature of corruption and the tools made use of to explain and address it. Accordingly it explores the limits of political integrity, the notions of democracy, the constraints of economic theory to fully interpret corruption and its variegated manifestations, and the alleged singularity of the ethics of politicians.FindingsPolitical authorities in liberal democracies are expected to act with the consent of their constituencies and as a consequence of it. Constituencies in turn cannot disown what their authorities decide and do, at least in the long run. However, although certain prerogatives can be delegated on authorities, the responsibility of electorates cannot be delegated. Awareness of this double‐sided, principal‐agent co‐responsibility is what gathers together in mature societies mounting preoccupation for the integrity of political and administrative authorities.Originality/valueThe paper concludes that honesty and corruption in political authority and civil service are counter figure and reflection of the material organisation of power in a given society, time and geography. Public politics, through constant scrutiny of political and administrative actors, processes and actions, puts individual innocence to the test. That is, societies cannot be excused for the performance of their representatives because, by selecting some candidates for public office and some courses of action over others, they are also deciding on a collective story that stands as an evolving moral narration.