The impact of biofuel growth on agriculture: Why is the range of estimates so wide?

The rapid expansion of biofuel production has generated considerable interest within the body of empirical economic literature that has sought to understand the impact of biofuel growth on the global food economy. While the consensus within the literature is that biofuel emergence is likely to have some effect on future world agricultural market, there is a considerable range in the estimated size of the impact. Despite the importance of this topic to policy makers, there has been no study that has tried to reconcile the differences among various outlook studies. This paper undertakes an in-depth review of some key outlook studies which quantify the impacts of biofuels on agricultural commodities, and which are based on either general-equilibrium (GE) or partial-equilibrium (PE) modeling approaches. We attempt to reconcile the systematic differences in the estimated impacts of biofuel production growth on the prospective prices and production of three major feedstock commodities, maize, sugar cane, and oilseeds across these studies. Despite the fact that all models predict positive impacts on prices and production, there are large differences among the studies. Our findings point to a number of key assumptions and structural differences that seem to jointly drive the variations we observe, across these studies. The differences among the PE models are mainly due to differences in the design of scenarios, the presence or absence of biofuel trade, and the structural way in which agricultural and energy market linkages are modeled. The differences among the GE models are likely to be driven by model assumptions on agricultural land supply, the inclusion of the byproducts, and assumptions on crude oil prices and the elasticity of substitution between petroleum and biofuels.     

Curse or Cure? Why Was the Enactment of Britain's 1909 Trade Boards Act so Controversial?

The Trade Boards Act of 1909 was introduced in Britain to counteract sweating. Associated with long hours, insanitary work conditions and inadequate pay — with the accent falling on low wages — sweating probably afflicted some 30 per cent of Edwardian Britain's labour force. Trade boards supporters as diverse as Winston Churchill and R. H. Tawney heralded the legislation as marking a significant break in economic and social thought. Opponents declared that the enactment of the legislation would be ruinous for Britain. The future Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, and his wife denounced trade boards as pallid reformism and campaigned for the licensing of home workshops. On the other hand, proponents of a subsistence minimum wage, such as Sidney and Beatrice Webb, were disappointed that the legislation did not go further. Initially, it encompassed less than a quarter of a million workers. The rates set were not based on the cost of living but on what the individual trade could bear. On their own, trade boards were insufficient to eradicate Britain's long and historical tradition of being a low-paying economy. Trade boards (and their successors, wages councils) were trapped in their collective laissez-faire origins. However, despite its sanctioning of a statutory national minimum wage in 1998, the British state is still far from being interventionist in the labour market. If Britain is to break with the past, she must also implement a comprehensive framework of minimum rights. Otherwise, the principle of collective laissez-faire will still remain triumphant over the Webbs' alternative conception of a comprehensive labour code.     

Co-management of purchasing and marketing: Why,when and how?

This article discusses the theoretical and conceptual foundations for the co-management of purchasing and marketing and thereby provides some answers to the questions, why, when and how purchasing and marketing should be co-managed. It develops a conceptual framework distinguishing between internal and external co-management of purchasing and marketing. Improving value creation and value capture is identified as a necessary “pull factor” driving the co-management of purchasing and marketing. Based on resource dependence theory (RDT), we argue that dependence on critical resources is another important “push factor” for the emergence of external co-management. We present a RDT-based typology of co-management constellations showing that co-management is not a one-size-fits-all approach and summarize our findings in five propositions on the co-management of purchasing and marketing. In sum, we conceptualize co-management of marketing and purchasing as a bridging strategy that allows a focal firm to accommodate dependence on critical upstream and/or downstream resources and improves value creation within the supply chain.     

This is what you came for? University–industry collaborations and follow-on inventions by the firm

The positive impact of university–industry collaborations on firms' innovative performance is well recognized. However, to date, the existing heterogeneity within university–industry collaboration processes and the sources of value creation underlying the resulting inventions are left underexplored. As a result, our understanding as to why some of the joint inventions resulting from such collaborations turn out to present a more fertile source of follow-on developments and value for the collaborating firm than others is limited. The present paper sheds light on this question through the application of a knowledge recombination perspective. Hence, we open the black box of innovation and put a spotlight on the knowledge components that make up the joint inventions resulting from university–industry collaborations. We evaluate how the nature—scientific versus technological—and origins—internal versus external to the collaborating partners—of these knowledge components relate to the inventive impact of the partners' joint invention. Examining a sample of 9102 USPTO co-patents, joint inventions created through university–industry collaborations are shown to be most fertile as a source of firm follow-on inventions when they are the result of a recombination process that includes technological knowledge components stemming from both collaborating partners. This effect is most pronounced when the partners' technological knowledge contributions are moderately similar. In contrast, when the joint technology development takes place in a technology domain that is novel to the firm, the resulting joint inventions are most fertile as a source of firm follow-on inventions when the university contributes through the input of technological knowledge components situated in exactly this technology domain that is novel to the firm. Remarkably, no evidence for such direct effects is found regarding the partners' scientific contributions. Together, these findings provide important insights for firms who intend to spur their internal technology development through collaboration with a university partner.     

Why is the food traceability system unsuccessful in Taiwan? Empirical evidence from a national survey of fruit and vegetable farmers

Food traceability systems allow the consumers or administrative authorities to trace the origins or ingredients of food products. Given the expressed concerns for food safety, the promotion of food traceability systems has occurred in many countries. Although a considerable body of literature has examined the consumer responses in regard to food traceability, relatively little is known about the producers’ adoption behaviors. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper investigates Taiwanese farmers’ participation decision in relation to the Taiwan Agriculture and Food Traceability (TAFT) program; special attention is paid to understanding the roles of the farmers’ program awareness and pesticide residue testing adoption in regard to TAFT participation. Using a national representative sample of the fruit and vegetable farmers in Taiwan, the results indicate that program awareness and pesticide residue testing adoption are the significant determinants of TAFT participation. An awareness of the government’s promotion of the TAFT program and adoption of pesticide residue testing has significantly reduced TAFT non-participation by 28.2% and 21.9% points, respectively.     

Why is South Korea at the forefront of 5G? Insights from technology systems theory

South Korea became the first country in the world to launch a nationwide 5G network and commercialize 5G services. The Korean government played an essential role in the development of 5G, creating a tailored institutional arrangement that allowed South Korea to be at the forefront of 5G. In particular, the government set up a detailed time plan on how to go about 5G deployment and commercialization. The government also facilitated collaborative work between companies, research institutes, and academia, and strongly promoted R&D work for the development of 5G equipment, devices, and applications, providing financial and administrative support, opportunities for field trials, and various forms of incentive, including tax benefits to companies. This study analyzed the 5G socio-technical system in South Korea through the lens of technology systems theory, identifying and discussing crucial factors that have propelled 5G development and major latent aspects, such as the lack of killer applications for consumers and in vertical industries, which may potentially hinder the further growth and stabilization of the 5G system in South Korea.     

The decoupling between labour compensation and productivity in high-income countries: Why is the nexus broken?

During the last decades, mature economies have tended to experience a divergence between labour compensation and productivity growth. Interpretations of this trend are still under debate. Our article aims at contributing to a sound, evidence-based understanding. We estimate the magnitude of this decoupling for a panel of 22 high-income economies (1970–2018) and empirically assess the role of a variety of factors. After providing evidence that casts doubt on the impact of technical change, we adopt a ‘political economy’ standpoint and focus on the structural effects on real compensation growth of several macroeconomic and institutional dimensions. Our findings indicate that labour market slack and the weakening of pro-labour institutions have acted as important wage-squeezing factors. A negative effect is also found for trade openness and international capital mobility, while most financialization variables are not significant. The robustness of our results is supported by a range of tests and specifications.     

Viewpoint: Water,agriculture & poverty in an era of climate change: Why do we know so little?

Understanding the complex relationship between water, agriculture and poverty (WAP) is essential for informed policy-making in light of increasing demand for scarce water resources and greater climatic variability. Yet, our understanding of the WAP nexus remains surprisingly undeveloped and dispersed across multiple disciplines due to conceptual (biophysical and economic) and measurement issues. We argue that water for agriculture will need to be better managed for it to contribute to reductions in poverty and vulnerabilities. Moreover, this management will need to consider not just quantities of water, but the quality of the water and the multiple agricultural and non-agricultural uses. For this reason, expanding research in WAP needs to involve interdisciplinary efforts. We identify three key knowledge gaps in WAP that are particularly pressing in light of greater climatic variability. These are climate change adaptation, over-abstraction of groundwater, and water quality.     

The deployment and penetration of high-speed fiber networks and services: Why are EU member states lagging behind?

One of the most controversial regulatory issues in Europe (and elsewhere) is whether the emerging next-generation access (NGA) infrastructure should be subjected to cost-based access regulation or whether at least a temporary removal of ex ante obligations (“regulatory holidays”) should be granted. Likewise, the role of NGA-specific state aid policies is increasingly capturing the attention of policy makers and the academic literature.     

Network resource stocks and flows: how do alliance portfolios affect the value of new alliance formations?

We examine how new network resources accessed through alliance formations interact with network resources present in a firm's alliance portfolio. We test our theoretical model using event study methodology and data from the global air transportation industry. We find that the market rewards firms forming alliances that contribute resources that can be synergistically combined with firms' own resources as well as with network resources accessed through their alliance portfolios. Our results also indicate that the market penalizes firms entering into alliances that create resource combinations that are substitutes to resource combinations deployed by existing alliance partners. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

What is the intrinsic value of fertilizer? Experimental value elicitation and decomposition in the hill and terai regions of Nepal

We use Becker-DeGroot-Marshak value elicitation methods to derive the intrinsic value that farmers in Nepal place on fertilizers. Eliciting values under three distinct procurement scenarios, we are able to decompose the total intrinsic value of fertilizer into a willingness-to-pay (WTP) to travel to procure fertilizer, a WTP for assured fertilizer supplies, and a WTP for the productivity benefits of fertilizer. Disaggregating our sample according to location (hills versus terai), we are able to estimate differences in total intrinsic value as well as value components along these geographical dimensions. While farmers in the hills are generally willing to pay more for urea than their counterparts in the terai, the total amount they are willing to pay is, on average, less than the market price for urea. We explore heterogeneity in valuations and discuss the implications of our findings on fertilizer procurement and distribution policies, as well as direct support policies that the Nepal government may consider. While support policies such as subsidies may encourage increased utilization of fertilizers, policies that lower barriers to private sector entry and increase the density of fertilizer retailers could also increase fertilizer utilization.     

Why am I ostracized and how would I react? — A review of workplace ostracism research

Ostracism is an important issue in the workplace and studies on this issue are diverse and large. This paper comprehensively reviews the literature related to workplace ostracism in five aspects. First, in discussing why ostracism occurs, it outlines that individuals are ostracized due to their dispositions, ability and skills, behavioral features, and perpetrators’ ostracism motives. Second, in investigating the consequences of ostracism, it outlines that victims would respond with affective and attitudinal, physical, and behavioral tendencies, and these reactions can be either positive or negative. Third, in describing specific mechanisms for ostracism to take effect, it summarizes that threat-to-needs as well as affective and cognitive responses play important roles. Fourth, regarding the mixed findings of ostracism’s impact, it points out that extant inconsistencies lie in individual differences, temporal effects, and situational cues. Last, in recommending future research areas, it suggests several promising directions, particularly the role of culture in shaping victims’ responses to ostracism. We hope this article will be a good foundation for management researchers in Asia Pacific regions to conduct indigenous studies of workplace ostracism relevant to their own contexts.     

How widespread is undernourishment?: A critique of measurement methods and new empirical results

Programmes against hunger require the identification of the undernourished. For this purpose a cutoff point is fixed which partitions the population of a region into two groups: those with insufficient access to food and those whose food needs are satisfied. We describe the standard method used to set the cutoff point. We explain how the choice of a unique cutoff point for a group of people may underestimate or overestimate undernourishment when requirements vary between people. Furthermore, we present corrected estimates of the proportion of the undernourished for a large sample of developing countries. Our results reveal that the estimation error of the standard method can be large.     

Why co‐creation experience matters? Creative experience and its impact on the quantity and quality of creative contributions

This article introduces ‘virtual design competitions’ as a new means of opening up the innovation process and enriching the companies, ‘design‐ideas’ by utilizing the creativity of a multiplicity of external designers and enthused consumers all over the world. The ‘Swarovski Enlightened^? jewellery design competition’, explored in this study, demonstrates the enormous potential of virtual co‐creation platforms. It further highlights the importance of the co‐creation experience and its impact on the quantity and quality of designs submitted. First, we introduce the idea of virtual co‐creation platforms and the requirements on the design of such a platform. Second, we explore the impact of the co‐creation experience on the content contributed by participants. Our study shows that co‐creation experience significantly impacts the number of contributions by consumers as well as the quality of submitted designs. Our paper contributes to a better theoretic understanding of the impact of a participant's perceived autonomous, enjoyable, and competent experience, as well as participants' perceived sense of community on their experience. From a managerial perspective, it provides guidance in designing successful idea and design competitions. While innovation managers may be interested in creative contributions, for participants, it is the experience which matters. Fully featured community platforms rather than single idea submission websites are required to attract creative users to submit their ideas and designs.     

Why do business groups continue to matter? A study of market failure and performance among Indian manufacturers

This paper explores the nature of the influence that business groups exert in shaping performance outcomes in emerging economies. Set in India, this study used a longitudinal research design to assess the independent and collective performance impact of group affiliation and diversification both before and after economic reforms were introduced in the country. Consistent with the institutional theory perspective, results show that in the pre-reform period the group structure exerted an important positive moderating effect on the diversification-performance relationship. However, these group benefits appear to persist even after many of the sources of market failure had started to decline rapidly. This persistence of group effect may be indicative of the continued relevance of non-diversification benefits of the group structure in emerging economies. It may also be indicative of the fairly slow process of building institutional infrastructure in emerging economies where reforms are seldom introduced en masse but more a series of continuing measures as was the case in India.     

Why sustainable and ‘nutritionally correct’ food is not on the agenda: Western Sydney,the moral arts of everyday life and public policy

Within a context of delivering food security into the future, dietary guidelines are being reframed, corporations are replacing unsustainable products, and consumers are being encouraged to become ecological citizens. While there is a growing literature on the food practices of ‘alternative’ consumers, ‘mainstream’ consumers are less well understood. This paper describes qualitative research undertaken in a socio-economically disadvantaged area of Sydney, Australia, which aimed to uncover consumer views towards sustainable and healthy diets. Most participants indicated a discrepancy between their desired and actual behaviours: while they want to support Australian, or local, food producers they gravitate towards cheap and tasty food from ‘anywhere’; and while they associate nutritious food with fresh food, they will buy processed foods which can be less expensive, appeal to children and are prone to less waste. Reflecting mainstream Australian political culture, participants were compromising household food budgets in order to pursue a socially acceptable standard of living (including decent housing, car-reliance). They were also incorporating the pleasure and desires of family members as part of ‘the moral arts of everyday life’. Using social theories of consumption and practice sociology we argue that food choices and practices – easy or not – need to be interpreted as part of the role that consumption plays in political citizenship and moral subjectivity. In the Western Sydney context, food practices are essentially household budget and family nourishment practices rather than nutrition and sustainability practices; a position which is not addressed in the government’s new food policies or wage determination processes.     

Convergence and unbundling of corporate R&D in telecommunications: is software taking the helm?

This paper presents a view of the changing structure of corporate R&D in telecommunications – one that is close to Adam Smith’s insightful and enduring idea of division of labor – that perhaps we are witnessing the beginnings of vertical disintegration and unbundling of important segments of the industry’s R&D activity. The paper maintains that the emergence of an independent software industry – aided by the convergence of computer, telecommunications and imaging technologies – and the rapid growth of technology-based alliances are at the heart of this trend. So extensive is the vertical disintegration of R&D that, in 1997, the top 10 independent software vendors in the US spent more on R&D than the combined spending by AT&T and Lucent whose sales were well over three times as large. It appears that the source of future innovation in the telecommunications industry lies not in its services segment but rather in telecommunications and Internet equipment firms and independent software firms. Increasingly, the fortunes of large service providers like AT&T will depend less on innovation and more on their ability to configure and market complete one-stop-shopping solutions to customers by combining internal resources with outsourced technologies, products and services.     

When communication quality is trustworthy? Transactive memory systems and the mediating role of trust in software development teams

While the importance of communication frequency to transactive memory system (TMS) development has well been established, few studies have been done examining the relationship between communication quality and transactive memory systems in software development teams. This study empirically tests the relationships between communication quality and TMS, and the effect of TMS on team effectiveness. We also examine the mediating effect of trust on the link between communication quality and TMS. By investigating 86 software development teams in China, the results suggest that: (1) communication quality has a positive effect on TMS; (2) the link between communication quality and TMS is mediated by benevolence‐ and competence‐based trust; and (3) TMS has a positive impact on team performance. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study findings are discussed.     

Whose Image is it Anyway?: Some Considerations of the Curricular Importance of Subject Image in Secondary School Design and Technology Education

This paper explores the idea that a sense of school subject image is a necessary feature of curriculum management and a potent force for change. The discussion centres on the view that all school subjects have an image and that if those intimately involved with the subject do not control the image then someone else does! In such circumstances the image is the product of past encounters and old euphemisms and is unlikely to hold the changed realities.The UK developments in Design and Technology education (the term Design and Technology is used to denote the school subject defined under this heading by the UK National Curriculum, 1995) have created something of an image problem which has interesting international parallels. Some of these problems are due to clearly discernible internal tensions and an ambiguous relationship with other subject areas.Through greater attention to subject image internal controversies might be acknowledged and resolved, relationships with other subject areas can be more meaningfully understood and practitioners can be helped to make sense of curriculum change.