Linking small farmers to modern retail through producer organizations – Experiences with producer companies in India

Since the early 2000s, India’s agro-food sector has undergone rapid transformations towards greater market share of modern food retail. This has impacted Indian agriculture and farmers as supermarkets re-organize supply chains towards more explicit forms of coordination. Compared to other developing countries, little has been said in the Indian context about what role farmer organizations can play to help smallholder farmers specifically, improve their position in those emerging value chains. In this paper, I address this gap and demonstrate that producer companies are a promising tool to strengthen famers’ position in their relationship with supermarket chains in India, but one which needs further improvement.     

Renaissance of case research as a scientific method

Since the seminal article by Eisenhardt (1989), scholarly interest in case research has mushroomed in operations management and organization sciences. Volumes of methodological texts are matched with a massive amount of empirical research that seeks to apply and further develop case research as a scientific method. What is missing from this literature is a treatment of the methodological diversity of case research. In this paper, we seek to unveil this heterogeneity by describing three distinct methodological accounts of case study: theory generation, theory testing, and theory elaboration. Each approach has its own idiosyncrasies, in particular when it comes to the interplay between theory and empirics. A typical case research incorporates both existing theories and empirical data to varying degrees. In light of this heterogeneity, we re-interpret key aspects of extant contributions and discuss guidelines for future case research. We propose that ultimately, case research rigor is determined by attention to idiosyncrasy and transparency of reasoning. We conclude by arguing that we have witnessed in the past 25 years in organization research what amounts to the Renaissance of case research.     

End user preferences for USDA market information

Buyers and sellers of agricultural commodities benefit from public provision of information in decision-making processes. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of current preferences for public agricultural information. Results indicate preference for farm level reports by Extension agents and leading economic indicators by agribusiness or market analysts. Implications are outlined for ongoing discussions regarding maintenance of public investment in an era of tightening U.S. federal budgets.     

关联理论话语理解等级与外语语用能力培养

Sperber和Wilson的关联理论的核心是交际与认知。在以示意一推理为核心的言语交际中,说话人的主体认知能动性都得以发挥和运用。交际就是示意过程与推理过程不断交替进行并以获得最大关联为目的言语交流行为,本文拟以关联理论为出发点,通过对具体例子的分析,将话语理解中的各个层次细化,以提高话语理解的效率,一方面有助于英语学习者的语言实践交际,对于培养其语用能力、避免交际过程中的语用误解具有很好的教学指导意义。     

Organizing coopetition for innovation: The case of wireless telecommunication sector in Europe

Prior research highlighted the prevalence of coopetition as a strategy for innovation in high-tech industries for several reasons but the link between forms of coopetition and innovation is still understudied. In order to fill this gap in the literature, this study attempts to answer the following question: which form of coopetition favors which type of innovation? The results of an embedded case study approach of five Celtic-Plus projects (European Eureka Program) in the wireless telecommunication sector show that two forms of coopetition exist: multiple and dyadic. While multiple coopetition is successfully pursued for radical innovation, dyadic coopetition is more suitable for incremental innovation. Different innovation objectives lead to different levels of value creation/appropriation tensions between coopetitors. In order for competitors to pursue radical or incremental innovation successfully, different levels of social capital related to different choices of partners are needed. The role of social capital levels as a moderating factor between value creation/appropriation tensions and innovation type is discussed in detail. The study proposes a conceptual model that links coopetition strategy motives to the types of coopetition and their results in terms of radical or incremental innovation. Finally, a framework that helps firms to balance between multiple/dyadic–vertical/horizontal collaboration according to the levels of value creation/appropriation tensions and social capital is proposed.     

The intermediator role in value co-creation within a triadic business service relationship

This study aims to enhance the knowledge of the roles played in value co-creation adopted by parties to triadic service business relationships. We approach the research issue through theoretical considerations and explore it empirically with a qualitative case study of triadic service relationships in the property maintenance business.     

To buy or not to buy: Impact of labeling on purchasing intentions of genetically modified foods

This study conducted a partial test of the Theory of Planned Behavior [Ajzen , I., 1985. From intentions to action: a theory of planned behavior. In: Kuhl, J., Beckmenn, J. (Eds.), Action Control: From Cognition to Behavior. Springer, New York, pp. 11–39; Ajzen, I., 1989. Attitude structure and behavior. In: Breckler, S.J., Greenwald, A.G. (Eds.), Attitude Structure and Function. Lawrence Erlbaum, Springer, Hillsdale, NJ, New York, pp. 241–274; Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50, 179–211] by assessing an individual's attitude toward labeling of genetically modified (GM) foods on the individual's purchasing intentions. Data collected from 16,078 participants across 15 European Union member countries from the EUROBAROMETER 53 were examined. Using Univariate ANOVA, the results indicate that: (1) many (roughly 73% of the sample) of the individuals residing in the 15 European countries are less likely to purchase a food product with a label indicating the existence of a GM ingredient; (2) women were less likely to purchase the GM product than men; and (3) those individuals who are more likely to purchase a GM food believed it is unnecessary to include complete information pertaining to the use of GM organisms in the production of food products. Specifically, individuals were significantly more likely to purchase the product if they stated that (a) it is unnecessary to show information on a label pertaining to the use of GM organisms in the production of the food product, even if those GM organisms are present in some of the ingredients; (b) it is unnecessary to include information regarding the use of GM organisms in the product on a label if the GM organisms are present in the end product; and (c) the information regarding the use of a GM organism does not have to be clear. Future directions regarding research on GM foods are presented.     

Constructing useful theory: The case of Six Sigma

Organizational practices related to Six Sigma are believed to have resulted in improved organizational outcomes. The academic community, however, continues to lack understanding of the constructs and causal relationships underlying Six Sigma. Hence, discussion of Six Sigma is buffeted by anecdotal experience reported from practice. We evaluate Six Sigma through the lens of literature on theory development to explain why the Six Sigma constructs, assumptions, and causal relationships are inconsistent with theory development principles. Dr. Anilkumar N. Kharkar has retired from Corning Incorporated.     

消费者金融中个人信用信息的经济价值

在消费者金融发达的国家,伴随日趋完备的个人信用信息在消费者贷款授信领域的广泛应用,对于个人信用信息的“经济价值”的研究也在推进。在对美国关于个人信用信息经济价值的先行研究成果进行简单梳理的基础上,分析了消费者金融市场的效率与信用信息共有的基础设施的关联性,进而对构建中国个人征信体系中应关注的几个问题进行了探讨。     

取得时效制度存废论——兼评取得时效制度在我国物权法中的缺失与构建

大陆法系诸国普遍承认的取得时效制度除了在《中华人民共和国民法（草案）》中昙花一现外，只有在学说著作和学者建议稿中方可觅其踪影；刚生效的《中华人民共和国物权法》对取得时效制度亦没有作出规定。取得时效制度在我国本土化的艰难过程，表明了立法者对其价值功能和立法技术的存疑和困惑。从整体上看，规定取得时效制度利大于弊，应在物权立法中有所体现。