Investment Spikes in Dutch Greenhouse Horticulture

The presence of investment cycles demonstrates the long‐run policy of firms investing in particular periods (investment spikes) with lower or zero investment levels in between, which contradicts the smooth pattern predicted by a convex adjustment model. This paper investigates the spells between investment spikes in a discrete‐time proportional hazard framework to estimate the probability of observing lumpy investment and factors underlying lumpy and intermittent patterns of investment. Duration models were estimated on two datasets: on an unbalanced panel and on average data of 10 ‘firm size’ groups of Dutch greenhouse firms over the period 1975–1999. Two specifications of the model were estimated: one includes only theoretically grounded variables, and the other specification is extended by empirically grounded variables. Theoretically based models can explain the occurrence of investment spikes. Both specifications of model show an investment cycle of six years. This is also confirmed for the average firm, which exhibits a higher hazard ratio in the 6th, 12–13th and 21st years of duration.     

Explaining the Decline in UK Agricultural Productivity Growth

This paper reports the results of a study of total factor productivity (TFP) growth in UK agriculture, from 1953‐2000. It shows that prior to 1984 TFP grew at 1.68% per annum and after that date at only 0.26%. International comparisons show that the UK has fallen far behind the leading EU countries. Yield growth declined even more and only labour productivity continues to grow rapidly. In part, the result is due to better data that incorporates more quality adjustment, but the real decline can be explained mainly by cuts in R&D, less patents, less growth in farm size and the demise of public extension. There are other negative factors, which have not been quantified, including asset fixity, convergence and ozone pollution, and a background argument that recent growth rates cannot be sustained.     

Energy Productivity Growth in the Dutch Greenhouse Industry

Profitability of Dutch greenhouse firms is largely dependent on energy costs, and policy makers focus on reducing the use of energy by these firms. This article uses Russell measures of TE to develop indicators of energy productivity growth. Results show that energy productivity grew by 2.8% annually in the period 1976–95, with technical progress being the key factor driving the process of productivity growth. From this we conclude that policies aiming at enhancing the adoption of technological innovations are more effective, if due attention is paid to measures for improving TE.     

我国家族企业的成长模式及其选择

家族企业并不都要成长演变为非家族企业 ,家族企业的成长路径也不止一条。我国家族企业可选择的成长模式主要有内部创新型和外部联网型两大类。家族企业在选择成长模式时要充分考虑行业特征、人文网络环境、企业所处的发展阶段、以及内外部经营资源状况等因素 ,并遵循因地制宜、吸收和借鉴、与市场经济协同进化、内部创新与外部联网相结合等原则。     

The Source of Productivity Growth in Dutch Agriculture: A Perspective from Finance

In corporate finance, the impact of capital structure on firm performance has been widely studied. This article extends the capital structure study to the situation in agriculture, explicitly addressing the difference between family farms and corporate firms. We use the Malmquist productivity growth index as a proxy for performance to study the impact of capital structure (debt) on farm performance. We compare the results with those from the traditional performance model that uses profitability (e.g., return on equity (ROE)) as performance measure. Using data from Dutch arable farms, results show that debt has no effect on ROE, whereas it has a positive effect on productivity growth.     

Export Barriers in the Western Australian Horticulture Industry

This study was designed to identify perceived barriers to exports specific to Australian horticulture industry and the relative impact of these barriers on firms' export decisions. Specifically the study attempted to examine the differences, if any, in perceived export barriers by non-exporting and exporting firms. The analysis suggested seven major export barrier factors/variables. These barriers are somewhat different to barriers identified in recent studies suggesting that export barriers may be industry and country specific. The perceived seriousness of some of the barriers was significantly different for non-exporters and exporters. A discriminant analysis suggested, however, that it was not possible to predict whether a firm will be an exporter or not based on their perceptions of export barriers. The implications of the findings for the management of Australian horticulture exports are discussed.     

Reducing Pesticide Use and Pesticide Impact by Productivity Growth: the Case of Dutch Arable Farming

This paper employs a dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to measure the composition of productivity growth of pesticides and the environmental impacts of pesticides. The application focuses on panel data of Dutch arable farms over the period 2003–07. A bootstrap regression model is used to explain farmers' performance, providing empirical evidence of the impact of producer‐specific characteristics and environmental factors. The results show that Dutch arable farms have substantial inefficiency in the use of pesticides and high pesticide environmental inefficiency, and appear rather unconcerned about the environmental impacts of their current pesticide use decisions on next period's production environment.     

Explaining gender differentials in agricultural production in Nigeria

This article uses data from the General Household Survey Panel 2010–2011 to analyze differences in agricultural productivity across male and female plot managers in Nigeria. The analysis utilizes the Oaxaca‐Blinder decomposition method, which allows for decomposing the unconditional gender gap into: (i) the portion caused by observable differences in the factors of production (endowment effect) and (ii) the unexplained portion caused by differences in returns to the same observed factors of production (structural effect). The analysis is conducted separately for the North and South regions, excluding the west of the country. The findings show that in the North, women produce 28% less than men after controlling for observed factors of production, while there are no significant gender differences in the South. In the decomposition results, the structural effect in the North is larger than the endowment at the mean. Although women in the North have access to less productive resources than men, the results indicate that even if given the same level of inputs, significant differences still emerge. However, for the South, the decomposition results show that the endowment effect is more important than the structural effect. Access to resources explains most of the gender gap in the South and if women are given the same level of inputs as men, the gap will be minimal. The difference in the results for the North and South suggests that policy should vary by region.     

The decline in Dutch agricultural tenancy

The strict regulation of the land tenure system in the Netherlands since the second world war has lessened the economic and political strength of landowners. This article outlines the situation for tenant farmers and examines current policies. The author concludes that short-term policies which are meant to help tenant farmers are actually forcing landowners to sell their land; tenancy is thus declining at a rate of 2% per year. Unless policies change, the tenancy system will continue to contract.     

Explaining National Border Effects in the QUAD Food Trade

Using a ‘structural’ gravity‐like model, this paper first provides estimates of bilateral ‘border effects’ in food trade among the QUAD countries (the US, Canada, Japan and the EU) at the ISIC (International Standard Industrial Classification) four‐digit level (18 food sectors). It then investigates the underlying reasons for border effect, assessing the role played by policy barriers (tariffs, non‐tariff barriers to trade (NTBs) and domestic support) with respect to barriers unrelated to trade policy, such as information‐related costs, cultural proximity and preferences. In contrast to several previous findings, our results show that policy trade barriers, especially in the form of NTBs, are part of the story in explaining national border effects. Interestingly, in all country pair combinations, NTBs significantly dominate the trade reduction effect induced by tariffs. However, results show that elements linked to information‐related costs and consumer preferences matter a great deal in explaining the magnitude of border effects. These findings have implications for the economic and welfare‐related significance of national borders.     

Measuring and Explaining Technical Efficiency in UK Potato Production

Technical efficiency in UK maincrop potato production is measured through the estimation of a stochastic frontier production function using cross section data for the 1992 crop year. Variations in the technical efficiency index across production units are explained through a number of managerial and farm characteristic variables following Battese and Coelli (1995). The technical efficiency index across production units ranges from 33 to 97 per cent. Irrigation of the potato crop and storage of potatoes after harvest are positively correlated with technical efficiency. Number of years of experience of growing potatoes, small scale farming practice and chitting of seed potatoes are all negatively correlated with technical efficiency.     

Input Disposability and Efficiency in Dutch Arable Farming

This paper develops a test for disposability of individual inputs based on non‐radial efficiency measures. Furthermore, the paper analyses the impact of congestion on overall technical efficiency for individual inputs. The application uses panel data from Dutch cash crop farms over the period 1989–1992. A significant difference between the efficiency measures under different assumptions on input disposability is detected by a t‐test, indicating that all inputs are weakly disposable. Analysis of the composition of overall technical efficiency reveals that weak disposability constitutes the largest component of inefficiency. Moreover, congested farms on average have a less effective management and operate on a larger, though less efficient, production scale.