PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH IN AGRICULTURE (REVISITED): A MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK AND SOME EMPIRICAL RESULTS

This paper explores the methodology of sectoral productivity growth measurement within the framework of input-output analysis. A method which ensures that sectoral productivity growth rates are consistent with productivity growth rates for the economy as a whole (as well as allowing for external trade) is suggested. New estimates are presented on total factor productivity in UK agriculture using a Tornqvist index procedure. In addition, new estimates of agricultural labour productivity growth are presented, taking account not only of labour employed in agriculture but also of labour employed in ancillary industries on the supply side. The empirical results confirm that part of the labour previously employed on farms has shifted “upstream” to industries providing agriculture with fertilises, machinery and other inputs.     

A NOTE ON DISTRIBUTED LAG MODELS OF MAIZE AND WHEAT PRODUCTION RESPONSE: THE KENYAN CASE*

In this note the supply responses in maize and wheat production are estimated from distributed lag models. The Nerlove model and the Fisher distributed lag model fit Kenyan data but more complicated models, like the polynomial lag model, do not. The calculated price elasticities suggest that Kenyan large-scale farmers are highly responsive to price changes. Some policy implications are drawn from the analysis.     

Consumer information on Distributor and Manufacturer Brands of food

Consumer information affirms that distributor brands of food are less expensive than corresponding manufacturer brands¹ and that these brands are equal in quality [2, p. 8]. The price difference between these two types of brands thus represents a real gain to the consumer purchasing distributor brands rather than just a case of paying less for lower quality products. Furthermore, one source has estimated that ten per cent of the grocery bill can be saved through purchasing distributor brands [6]. The credibility of this information is open to question however, as few statements concerning the price and quality of these types of brands have been carefully documented in Canada. In the light of the limited empirical support and the substantial consumer benefit involved, the purpose of this study is to test the reported relation between the price and quality of distributor and manufacturer brands. Establishing a working definition for quality is a key problem encountered in price-quality analysis. Food quality is multidimensional and its various dimensions may be classified into two broad categories: subjective or sensory attributes such as taste, aroma, appearance; and objective attributes located below the threshold of perception such as nutrients and freedom from harmful micro-organisms. Because the sensory attributes are more amenable to measurement by non-food scientists and to variation in hidden attributes being controlled by law, this paper focuses on sensory quality. The quality and preference concepts overlap to some extent, as the subjective attributes of food are common to both quality and preference. To ensure that “sensory quality” is well distinguished from overall quality, “sensory quality” is referred to as “sensory preference”. Having gone some distance towards establishing an operational definition of quality, the principal objectives are: Summary The findings, though tentative and focused on the sensory component of quality, can scarcely be regarded as providing empirical support for the price-quality information referred to earlier. Distributor brands were notably less expensive for three-quarters of the products surveyed. As well, the manufacturer brand was rated significantly higher than at least one distributor brand for four of the ten products subject to sensory evaluation. The results therefore suggest that there is a very general tendency for distributor brands to be priced lower than manufacturer brands and to be of equivalent quality.     

Making a play in the policy and politics arena: nursing and the national election

With health care surfacing in political campaigns across the country and referencing virtually every one of the policy topics discussed here, nurses have an important opportunity to share their views regarding both policy substance as well as engage in the political arena. For those nurses not yet ready to run for elective office, participating in grassroots efforts of campaigns, on advisory panels, and making financial contributions to preferred candidates are important opportunities not to be missed. Given the interest in and challenges ahead associated with health care broadly and nursing specifically, there is a great deal at stake.     

A model for forecasting wheat production

A model for forecasting production of wheat considering the effects of irrigation, fertilizer application, high yielding varieties, rainfall, labour and farm machinery is derived. Applicabilitty of this model is tested for Indian conditions and is found satisfactory. Strength and limitations of this model can be applied successfully to other national conditions also. This model has been applied to the prediction of wheat production using two growth relations.     

Some economic effects of standards—Comment

The bulk of the literature on the empirical validation of the purchasing power parity (PPP) has been based on cointegration, although on rare occasions band-spectrum analysis has also been used. The former is tied down to the use of ‘notional’ time in the analysis of systems away from equilibrium, and the latter is circumscribed by the Slutzky-Yule effect. Both these drawbacks are sought to be remedied in the present paper, which seeks to bring to bear upon the PPP a new approach derived from the concept of a time-varying spectrum. Both absolute and relative versions of the doctrine are tested for ten advanced economies over the post-1973 period. Uniform rejection of the PPP occurs with the US $ as base, but with centring on the DM, the evidence seems to be supportive of the PPP (in its relative version) for three European countries.     

Regional welfare loss meaures of the 1973 oil embargo: a numerical methods approach

A simple exercise of time-series analysis shows that the presence of the phonomenon of temporal aggregation in quarterly consumption data can substantially alter the empirical inference about Hall' mocel of consumption behaviour. This fact has received almost no attention in the econometric research in this field.     

RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY: TOWARDS A CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS

This paper describes an investigation into some of the apparent similarities between what certain kinds of researchers and consultants do in organizations. Using a facet analysis approach (Foa, 1965), an instrument was devised with the purpose of identifying and delineating overlaps between organizational research and consultancy. Sixty-six British researchers and consultants took part in the study. The results highlight certain specific similarities and suggest that these may represent aspects of research and consultancy which are crucial to their success. The facets of the two activities which emerged from the study as being common are described by reference to the qualitative data which were generated by participants. A number of important implications for the successful conduct of research and consultancy are discussed with particular reference to the process of managing the relationship between investigators and those with whom they work.