Learning the master's trade: Apprenticeship and human capital in Ghana

This paper explores the institution of apprenticeship in Ghana. A model is presented where apprenticeship training is idiosyncratic, increasing an individual's productivity in the current firm, but not in any other firm. Still, individuals are willing to fund apprenticeships as they can reap the returns to the specific training of apprenticeship if they manage to acquire the capital required to start their own firms, and replicate the technology and business practice of the apprenticeship firm. Predictions of the model for the productivity and remuneration of different workers are developed and tested using both a linked employer–employee survey of manufacturing firms and a national household survey.     

The Determinants of REIT Institutional Ownership: Tests of the CAPM

This study examines the determinants of institutional investment demand for REIT common stock. We estimate the demand function for financial institutions using the mean return and CAPM risk measures (beta and standard error) for REIT stocks. The objective is to determine whether institutional investment decisions are influenced by CAPM model attributes. In addition, we examine the predicatability of REIT institutional ownership based on the factors in our model. We employ conventional OLS forecasting techniques, as well as two neural network models in order to deal with possible nonlinearities in the relationships.     

Bayesian spatial probit estimation: a primer and an application to HYV rice adoption

Increasingly, spatial econometric methods are becoming part of the standard toolkit of applied researchers in agricultural, environmental and development economics. Nonetheless, applications in discrete‐choice settings remain few and despite its appeal, applications of the Bayesian paradigm in these settings are still fewer. We provide a primer to the Bayesian spatial probit with the objective of making accessible to non‐users a class of iterative estimation methods that have become fairly routine in Bayesian circles, offer an extremely powerful addition to applied researchers toolkits, and are essential in Bayesian implementation of spatial econometric models. We demonstrate the methods and apply them to estimate the ‘neighbourhood effect’ in high‐yielding variety (HYV) adoption among Bangladeshi rice producers. We estimate the strength of this relationship using a standard, spatial probit model and compare the policy conclusions with and without the neighbourhood effect included.     

Modelling the impacts of policy on entry into organic farming: Evidence from Danish–UK comparisons, 1989–2007

This paper analyses organic farming entry decisions using a piece-wise linear depiction of policy. Our goal is to ascertain, from the available but limited information, whether Danish and UK policy measures toward organic agriculture have affected participation. Despite considerable interest in the growth of organic farming there has been little systematic analysis of it, although it is commonly believed that enhanced income levels have played a part. Whilst analyses of organic farming policy have provided extensive reviews of instruments applied, generally speaking, the spirit of those enquiries takes as datum that organic policies have had the desired impacts. Yet such conjectures remain mostly untested. Hence, there is a need to examine systematically if there exist relationships between the introduction of organic farming policies and the growth of organic farming, and whether particular policy measures are more effective than others. Here, we take a first step in this endeavor by undertaking an econometric analysis of the relationship between 14 organic farming policy measures and participation rates in Denmark and the UK during 1989–2007. Using two response variables – the numbers of farmers converted to organic production and the total land area under organic practice – we implement a simple, Bayesian methodology and evaluate the stepwise-linear impacts of policy. Extensions for future work are discussed. Six policy measures in the two study countries were found to be significant influences on participation, five of them direct supply-side instruments. For the UK, all of the policies are annual subsidies for organic farmers once conversion was complete. For Denmark, the policies are the introduction of organic subsidies for non-dairy farms, the extension of subsidies beyond 1997 and support for the costs of marketing services.     

Explosion in a nitric acid tail gas duct

This article relates the events leading to an explosion in the tail gas duct exit the expander, the probable explanation which allowed the formation of nitrites and the steps taken to ensure future safe operation.     

An Approach to Examining Relative Efficiency in the Canadian Livestock Slaughtering Industry

In order to identify possibilities for enhancing economic efficiency, levels of relative performance in subsectors of the Canadian livestock slaughtering industry are examined. A variant of the transcendental logarithmic profit function is used to compare relative economic, technical and allocative efficiency between groups of plants of different size, and groups of plants with different degrees of product specialization. Large plants are found to be more technically efficient than small plants, and plants producing both fresh and processed products are found to be more technically efficient than those producing only fresh products. All categories of meat processing plants are found to be relatively and absolutely allocatively efficient. Further research is necessary at an individual firm level to establish specific efficiency characteristics. Afin ?identifier les possibilités ?accroissement de ?efficacité économique dans ?industrie canadienne de ?abattage, les niveaux de performances relatives des sous-secteurs sont analysés. Une variante de la forme logarithmique transcendantale de la fonction de profit est utilisée afin de comparer ?efficacité relative, technique et allocative entre groupes ?abattoirs de différentes tailles et de différents degrés de spécialisation. Cette comparaison montre que les abattoirs de grande taille sont techniquement plus efficaces que ceux de taille modeste. Les abattoirs mettant en marché à la fois des produits frais et transformés sont techniquement plus efficients comparativement aux abattoirs spécialisés dans le produit frais. Toutes les catégories de transformateurs sont relativement et de façon absolue allocativement efficients. Une recherche plus poussée est nécessaire afin ?établir les caractéristiques ?efficience individuelles.     

Extending the Boundaries: An Assessment of the Integration of Extended Producer Responsibility Within Corporate Social Responsibility

The paper examines how extended producer responsibility (EPR) as an environmental policy approach and, more broadly, product management strategies are characterized within corporate social responsibility (CSR). The author summarizes the key concepts and arguments for sustainable product management strategies with an emphasis on the collection of discarded products at end of life, and identifies primary tools for recognizing and advancing product management strategies within CSR such as sustainability reporting and product standard and certification programs. The article analyzes 121 CSR reports for references to EPR and, more broadly, end‐of‐life management strategies for discarded products. It concludes with recommendations as to how CSR practices can more effectively recognize product management strategies as well as how EPR policy can be enhanced to further embed product end‐of‐life management strategies and activities within the CSR activities of firms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Potato Research and Extension from Private Industry: Potato Production,Genetically Engineered Varieties,Pest Control and Fertility Regimes

Potato producers and processors aim to profitably improve potato yields and quality. Cultural inputs (varieties, fertility, irrigation, storage regimes) have a strong impact on the yield and quality of potatoes for chips andfrench fries. Cavendish Farms, a french fry company in P.E.I., conducts evaluations on numerous inputs. The research program is used for grower education through plot tours and workshops. A complete “on farm” extension service and crop scouting service is provided. Experimentation by Cavendish Farms has revealed favourable results from transgenic potatoes produced by Nature Mark®. Stable resistance to Colorado Potato Beetles and virus diseases (Potato Virus Y & Leaf Roll Virus) has been placed into the Shepody and Russet Burbank varieties. Evaluations of Roundup (glyphosate) herbicide resistant potatoes indicate that this trait will provide an option for post emergence weed control. The Shepody and Russet Burbank varieties account for the majority of the raw product used for french fries in the North East potato producing areas of Canada and USA. Approximately 40 new seedlings/varieties are included in screening trials each year for assessment of yield and processing quality. Preliminary findings indicate that irrigated potatoes (Shepody and Russet Burbank varieties) can be produced with considerably lower amounts of nitrogen fertilization than “dry land” potatoes. Les producteurs et les transformateurs de lapomme de terre cherchent à méliorer de façon rentable le rendement et la qualité de lew production. Les intrants au niveau de la culture (variétés, fertilité, irrigation, régimes de conservation) influent fortement sur le rendement et la qualité des pommes de terre destinées àêtre transformées en croustilles ou en frites. Cavendish Farms, société productrice de frites de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard, évalue de nom-breux intrants. Elle contribue par son programme de recherche à la formation des producteurs en organisant des ateliers et des visites de parcelles. Elle offre un service complet de vulgarisation <à la ferme >et de dépistage phytosanitaire en culture. Dans les expériences faites par Cavendish Farms, on a obtenu de bons résultats avec les pommes de terre transgéniques produites par NatureMark. On a confirmé qu'une resistance stable au doryphore et à des viroses (virus Y et virus de 1'enroulement) avait été introduite dans les variétés Shepody et Russet Burbank. On a également évalué des pommes de terre résistantes à l'herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) et constaté que ce traitfournissa. it une nouvelle option pour le désherbage de postlevée. Dans les zonesproductrices du Nord-Est du Canada et des États-Unis, les variétés Shepody et Russet Burbank représented la majeure partie des pommes de terre transformées enfrites. Une quarantaine de nouveaux plants/nouvelles variétés sont soumis à des essais de sélection chaque année pour évaluer le rendement et l'aptitude technologique (pour la transformation). Des résultats préliminaires indiquent que les pommes de terre irriguées (variétés Shepody et Russet Burbank) demandent une fertilisation en azote beaucoup moins importante que les pommes de terre de < terrain sec >.