Food imports of developing countries

The trend of food imports of developing countries and its interpretation are discussed. The author presents an analysis across countries of changes in the food supply balances and cereal imports from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. Changes in food energy supplies have not corresponded closely with changes in domestic food production per head, and the increase in imports tends to be greater in middle income than in low income countries. The balance of payments implications are examined, and the article concludes with a consideration of the reliability of international market supplies.     

Food insecurity,gender, and international migration in low- and middle-income countries

The determinants of migration have been widely studied but research has rarely addressed the roles of food insecurity and gender in the migration decision process. To address these gaps, we examine these relationships for 135,078 individuals across 94 low- and middle-income countries. We use a series of binary-choice models with sample selection and data from the 2014–2015 waves of the Gallup World Poll Survey, which includes the first global measure of individual-level food insecurity. Results, which are robust, indicate that food insecurity is an important determinant of both migration intentions and preparations, and the probability of migration intentions increase monotonically with the severity of food insecurity, and the probability of migration preparations decrease. These relationships also differ significantly by gender and level of gross national income. Evidence suggests a need for increased coordination between the international food security and migration policy agendas.     

Food value chain transformations in developing countries: Selected hypotheses on nutritional implications

We examine how the transformation of food value chains (FVCs) influence the triple malnutrition burden (undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and over-nutrition) in developing countries. We propose a FVC typology (modern, traditional, modern-to-traditional, and traditional-to-modern) that takes into account the participants, the target market, and the products offered. Next, we propose selected hypotheses on the relationship between each FVC category and elements of the triple malnutrition burden. The primary finding is that the transformation of FVCs creates challenges and opportunities for nutrition in developing countries. For example, Modern FVCs may increase over-nutrition problems and alleviate micronutrient deficiencies for urban people with relatively high incomes. However, they have little nutritional impacts among rural residents and urban poor people, who primarily depend on traditional FVCs to access adequate quantities of calories and micronutrients. In addition, modern food manufacturers are leveraging traditional distribution networks (modern-to-traditional FVCs), substantially increasing access to low-priced processed/packaged foods in rural areas and low-income urban neighbors with mixed impacts on the triple burden of malnutrition. Further research should focus on the influence of FVC transformation on reduction of micronutrient deficiencies, on modeling demand substitution effects across food categories and the attendant policy implications for malnutrition.     

Telecommunications in developing countries

The conditions in which telecommunication services are established and expanded in the developing countries are very different from those experienced in the industrial nations. The author provides insight into the peculiarities of the telecommunication sector in developing countries, discussing characteristics related to the structure of the sector, system size and quality, telecommunications as a business, limitations to faster growth, and some particular problem areas, including the impact on economic development, especially in rural areas, training and education directed towards high technical and managerial positions, and the manufacture of equipment.     

国外食品包装动态

针对食品包装制定行业新标准 　　包装安全越来越为世界各国重视,不少国家对进口食品包装均作了相关管理规定：     

Marketing to firms in developing asian countries

The Newly Industrialized and Developing Asian countries represent a substantial and growing market for capital goods and for industrial components. Industrial buyer behavior among firms in these countries is different from that exhibited by firms in the advanced, industrialized countries. Therefore, different marketing strategies are required to penetrate NIC and LDC markets. This article discusses industrial buyer behavior in the NICs and LDCs and makes recommendations for marketing strategies.     

Improving food retailing in developing Asian countries

The adoption of horizontal and vertical integration in retail systems in the marketing of food in developing countries has long been the recommendation of researchers in this field. The author suggests that such proposals may not achieve the desired results for the poorer consumers in low-income Asian countries. An alternative approach, based upon the strengthening and improvement of traditional methods, is suggested as a more appropriate course of action in those countries.     

Demand for telecommunication services in developing countries

Living standards and economic growth in developing countries are invariably linked to the availability and use of telecom services. Effective policy decisions require the best estimates of the drivers of these services. In this paper, telecommunications demand is estimated in models for residential mainline and mobile telephone service for developing countries for the period 1996–2003. The paper tests for cross-price effects between mainline and mobile service and its findings have important policy implications. It finds residential monthly price elasticity to be insignificant for developing countries, but the connection elasticity is larger than generally found in the literature. Mobile monthly price elasticities are very large. A new and important empirical finding is that although wireline phones are substitutes in the mobile market, the contrary is not true—mobile phones are not substitutes in the wireline market, and in fact may be considered complements. This lack of symmetry has important implications for properly defining telecom markets. Universal service subsidies and competitive market initiatives should be reevaluated in light of the paper's elasticity estimates. Increased competition, income growth and enhanced education may be the ultimate universal service promoters.     

Privatizing agriculture : Policy options in developing countries

This paper examines the background to, and options for, privatization of state-owned enterprises in the agricultural sector in developing countries. It identifies areas of the sector where privatization is feasible and those likely to remain under government control. It is concluded that, while there is some scope for privatization, it is unlikely to be as extensive as in other sectors since much of the production is already in private hands, there is limited capacity to pay for services and the capability of the private sector is currently low.     

Marketing challenges of technical industries in developing countries

A rapidly changing technology-based industry such as electronics in the environment of a developing country has many unique problems in organizational marketing. The problems and possible strategies under such conditions are discussed in this article.     

Strategies for high-technology equipment manufacturing in developing countries

The authors present a methodology to establish local manufacturing in a developing country with a modest telecommunications industry. The main focus of the article is on the analysis of high-technology equipment that can be applied to a large variety of computing, communications, and control systems. They conclude that with strategic planning the import content of electronic equipment can be reduced if the country in question shows potential for local manufacturing. This strategic planning requires commitments with local industry for technical assistance and three to five year purchasing programmes. For countries with a limited industrial background a manufacturing effort could be initiated through the establishment of assembly factories which in general make use of low local labour cost. A requirement for the transfer of technology to local industry must be established with these factories.     

Small-scale food industries : Improving performance in developing countries

This article reviews the role of small-scale food processing industries in the socioeconomic growth of developing countries, with particular reference to sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the productivity of a model enterprise and identifies inadequate planning and availability of raw materials as major causes of low levels of performance. The contributions which university-related small-scale industrial facilities such as the model could make towards improving operations of the sector are discussed.     

Factors affecting the sustainability of telecentres in developing countries

Due to rapid technological changes, governments in developing countries have paid special attention to sustainability. However, understanding insights into the sustainability of telecentres remains an open question. This paper aims to fill this gap. We conducted a case study in Vietnam by using both qualitative and quantitative data. We used the Kumar and Best's (2006) model as our theoretical lens to analyse the sustainability of telecentres in Vietnam. The paper finds that telecentres have shifted their concept to provide a wide range of services, both online and offline. The paper indicates that technological, political, and social sustainability are important for the sustainability of telecentres. The paper recommends that we should take the role of state-owned enterprises and the digital transformation into consideration to sustain telecentres. Furthermore, the paper indicates the mutual relation between political and technical sustainability with social sustainability that has not been yet unveiled in the prior literature.     

Interconnection regulation in India: Lessons for developing countries

Interconnection is not only a major competition issue per se, it is also a critical element of the basic telecommunications agreement of the WTO. An important issue in interconnection regulation is interconnection charging especially in the context of a dominant incumbent. Most regulators in developing countries face challenges in setting interconnection prices in the absence of market information on the incumbent's or entrant's costs, competition or demand and models suited for developing countries that also adhere to the WTO guidelines. There are few papers that illustrate the challenges faced by regulators in such a context. This paper attempts to bridge the gap by highlighting the nature of interaction between the regulator, incumbent, judiciary and the political environment, the role of formal models in setting interconnection charges and the implications of rapid technological changes in a developing country context through a case study of India.The case study highlights the point that besides independence, it is important to vest enforcement powers in the regulatory agency for it to be credible. Incorporating the WTO interconnection guidelines within a developing country context has implications for network growth and poses challenges to the regulatory processes.Although Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) started with a distortionary, inefficiently priced network providing low coverage and quality, it has meandered its way to a more reasonable network access pricing regime. The decreasing cost of technology and increasing incomes in India and political interventions in regulation have put pressure on TRAI to provide lower interconnection charges and faster telecom growth. Thus, it is pragmatic for regulators to start with a “quick and dirty” estimate, provided that they can signal the downward trend in interconnection pricing, rather than wait for the “correct” estimates.Adoption of future looking strategies (interconnection exchanges), use of a variety of formal models, and strengthening of regulatory capacity are all necessary steps in fostering a competitive environment. Interconnection regimes set up early in the reform process require a review. For successful competition, effective dispute resolution mechanisms and institutions are also important.     

Food scare crises and developing countries: The impact of avian influenza on vertical price transmission in the Egyptian poultry sector

A bivariate smooth transition vector error correction model is applied to monthly poultry price data to analyze the effects that avian influenza has had on price transmission along the Egyptian poultry marketing chain. In order to reflect consumer awareness of the crisis, an avian influenza food scare information index is developed and used within the model as a transition variable. Our results suggest that price adjustments to deviations from the market equilibrium parity depend on the magnitude of the avian influenza crisis. Further these adjustments are found to have very different implications for market equilibrium: during the crisis retailers use their market power to increase marketing margins. In contrast, wholesaler margins are found to decline. Results also suggest that food safety information indices contribute to understanding the economic effects of food scare crises in developing countries.     

Impact of technology transfer on process engineering in developing countries

Imperfect o r total lack of any effective technology transfer was a major reason for the very limited usefulness of many post-war aid programmes. The paper describes the more sensitive regions of oil refining, petrochemicals and industrial chemicals process design, plant installation and operation which bear on the success or failure of the transfer. The first requirement is a satisfactory availability of technical manpower. In sectors where there is a large investment per unit of production a good deal can 'be left' t o external engineering organizations but where, as in plastic fabrication, the investment of capital is low the demand on indigenous engineering and science skills will be higher. Some technologies, such as refrigeration or desalination are key ones for seeding the local development of engineering skills. Moreover, with manpower development in mind, the investment programme should be staggered to ensure integration with related sectors. Mechanical engineering is a key skill and plans to develop this in the educational system and investment programme of the receiving country should be part of the strategy. Two very important common failings are inattention to critical detail during the initial stages of a project and the fallacy that the process must be designed to minimize capital investment. Plant reliability in a hostile climate and with poor maintenance is a more important consideration than costs. The paper concludes with lists of critical off-site and on-site features and decisions needing attention in the design stage and gives useful guidelines for the selection of plant managers and staff.     

Value conflicts in computing developments: Developed and developing countries

The author examines the value conflicts engendered by computing developments in two different institutional settings: electronic funds transfer systems and instructional computing in primary and secondary schools. While specific values depend upon culture and upon the character of the particular institutional setting studied, these two cases can serve as instructive points of departure for examining the value conflicts which generally accompany different modes of computerization in other developed and developing countries. In particular, computing developments in Brazil illustrate some of the parallels and contrasts between developed and developing countries.