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This paper utilizes controversies over the role of a set of insecticides in mass honey bee die-offs in two different national contexts – France and the United States – in order to understand the science-state nexus in a comparative manner. On the one hand, the French government in 1999 and 2004 suspended the commercial use of the insecticidal products that beekeepers suspected of causing the honey bee declines. On the other hand, the US government has to date refused to heed beekeepers’ calls to limit the usage of the very same set of insecticides. We examine why the governments of France and the United States came to contrasting conclusions regarding broadly similar technoscientific issues. The divergent outcomes, we argue, are not simply the result of predetermined differences in the two states’ regulatory paradigms (with France being “precautionary,” and the United States adhering to a “sound science” approach), but are underpinned by divergent forms of beekeepers’ resistance. The paper further sheds light on non-state actors’ use of science and state to contest state (in)action by analyzing how historically influenced differences in state structures, the relational dynamics of beekeepers’ and farmers’ organizations, and the epistemic cultures of honey bee knowledge production, shaped different forms of resistance and influence in France and the United States.

The main purpose of this study is to create a complete physico‐chemical characterisation of Romanian heather honey.

A total of 30 samples of heather honey were harvested from three different geographical areas (Fântânele, Călăţele, Mărişel) from Transylvania region (Romania). This study contains a complete characterization of heather honey regarding its physico‐chemical composition, total phenols content, flavonoids content, antioxidant activity (expressed as radical scavenging activity – RSA) and micro‐ and macroelements content.

The results obtained for the total phenols content and total flavonoids demonstrate that honey samples have good bioactive properties and the antioxidant activities are similar to those of dark honeys. Heather honeys normally have a high content of minerals, having their origin in soil. All quantified minerals in heather honey presented values higher that those reported for other types of honey.

Heather honey is a very important type of honey for consumers, which due to its features has a high price on the local market. This study provides the main analytical methods for honey quality determination, which is very important for the students.

For the first time in Romania a complete study of heather honey was done.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the emerging literature stream of family business (FB) internationalisation. Its purpose is twofold: first, to provide empirical evidence on the motives, facilitators and obstacles and second, to understand different pathways and entry modes of FB internationalisation.

The authors employ a multiple case study design that draws on various sources of data and examines eight Greek companies in the apiculture sector.

The case study evidence brings to the fore the existence of various motives, facilitators and obstacles to FB internationalisation in Greece. Moreover, it fleshes out the “e-born global” FB that employs a digital entry mode and heavily relies on new technologies in order to identify international opportunities and reduce information asymmetries in foreign markets. Such an entry mode allowed the investigated firms to achieve a speedy entry to foreign countries and compete in geographically distant markets.

Understanding FB internationalisation may assist governments in adopting policies for stimulating outward activities of domestic firms.

The results provide important insights into how FBs enter foreign markets and use technology in their internationalisation efforts.

Honey is a product that has been consumed for thousands of years owing to honey's nutritional value and unique properties. This survey aimed to assess factors affecting consumer behaviour for honey in countries of the Balkans and Western Europe, on a comparative basis.

The high importance of honey consumption along with findings from previous surveys on consumer behaviour are included in the introduction chapter. Based on these, and focussing on the fundamental consumer behaviour theories (stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model, theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and health belief model (HBM)), a questionnaire was designed and answered by 2,113 individuals from the Balkans and Western Europe, of which 2,088 were honey consumers. Principal component analysis (PCA) analysis was used to interpret the results.

According to the analysis, both Western Europeans and Balkans consume honey weekly, whilst only a few consume honey daily. A crucial difference between the two samples is that Western Europeans consider honey to be an expensive product, whilst Balkans considers honey's price acceptable. In general, men consume more honey than women, and households with children purchase honey more often and in more significant quantities. In conclusion, the main reason affecting European honey consumption is the health impact, which is related to therapeutic properties and high nutritional value of honey.

PCA results clarified the factors affecting honey consumption, whilst at the same time, consumer profiles of Balkan and Western European consumers were outlined and compared with each other, outlining a more detailed description of honey consumption in Europe.

Over the last 15 years, articles about the base of the pyramid (BOP) have begun to appear in scholarly business journals. Although attention was driven initially by claims that corporations could earn a fortune selling to these consumers, it became clear that this is difficult. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

To move beyond this difficulty, the authors emphasize the iterative boundary capabilities built by local, for profit enterprises as the key to creating markets at the BOP.

The authors argue that the evolution of the business models to permit firms to earn profits and have positive social impact requires building iterative boundary capabilities and support this claim by reviewing two cases of community based non-profits.

Future research should demonstrate that the process the authors observed in these two cases applies in other contexts. Scaling social impact will require sharing knowledge about iterative boundary capabilities and developing best practices that can help effective allocation of patient capital to share best practice and guide public policy.

Social entrepreneurs can conceptualize their own enterprises in terms of iterative boundary capabilities. Social investors can use the framework to assess and advise enterprises in which they may or have invested. Policy makers can enact laws and other legal actions to facilitate the formation of iterative boundary capabilities.

The authors see the framework as part of a broader move toward business models that pursue both positive social impact and profits.

The authors link a structuring approach with an institutional perspective to enhance business models that pursue profit and create positive social impact in BOP communities.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of integrated rural development scheme on livelihood and rural housing condition in selected rural areas in Osun state. This is prompted by the need to develop effective strategy for improving the rural housing condition in Nigeria.

The impacts of the scheme were measured through survey of 344 participants obtained from 28 active communities out of the 36 communities’ coverage by Rural Development Programme of Justice Development and Peace Makers’s Centre through a multi-stage sampling. Both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained from the respondents. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, correlation and regression analysis.

The result revealed that the mode of operation of the integrated scheme is to educate farmers on best farming practices. The integrated scheme had contributed positively to the livelihood of the respondents by providing stable source of finance than any other available finance source options, and it increased assets and skill acquisition and ability to have more combination of livelihood options as a result of the intervention. In addition, the number of respondents without personal accommodation also decreased at a significant proportion after the intervention. Also, notable numbers of respondents have increased access to domestic housing facilities such as, well, pit toilet and electricity. The result of the correlation analysis showed further that respondents with more livelihood assets and larger household size most often have a better housing condition, whereas the regression analysis revealed that change in the household size and change in livelihood assets lead to change in the housing condition. The paper suggest that integrated scheme could be used as a self-financing strategy for both qualitative and quantitative improvement of rural housing in Nigeria if the scheme enjoys the requisite government support in terms of adequacy of finance and more government agency participation for wider coverage.

The paper is one of the pioneering studies in Nigeria.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that affect farmer’s decision to allocate credit for livestock production. The results are expected to contribute to the understanding of what motivates smallholders to allocate credit to agricultural production in general and livestock production in particular. A better understanding of the farmers’ behavior in allocating credit for livestock would provide useful information for project implementers and financial institutions that work with small-scale livestock producers.

A cross-section data set collected in 2014 from 5,000 households and 497 rural communities in the major highland regions of Ethiopia is examined. The authors developed a conceptual framework for credit allocation decision. Percentiles, means, and standard deviation as well as t, χ² and Fisher’s exact tests for association and Cramer’s V measure for strength of association have been used to describe the status of farmer’s access to credit and analyze credit utilization, while a three-stage probit model with double sample selection is used to identify factors that affect household’s decision to allocate credit for livestock production.

After controlling for potential selection biases, sex and literacy status of household head, land size, wealth and access to livestock centered extension service are found to have a statistically significant effect on farmers’ decision to allocate credit to livestock production. The results showed female-headed households, wealthy farmers, farmers with small plot of land and farmers that have access to livestock centered extension services are more likely to allocate the credit for livestock production. The results suggest that policies aimed at improving access to credit together with access to livestock focused extension service are more effective in increasing livestock production.

The study’s findings should be viewed with perspective and caution, as only households with excess demand for credit were the subject of the research.

The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it is one of a very few empirical studies that try to identify factors that affect households credit allocation to livestock in systematic way that removed confounding effects using three-stage probit models. Given the emphasis on financial constraints in livestock development, new empirical insights on household credit allocation are essential to better inform development interventions. Second, the analysis relies on a comprehensive data set that represents the major agricultural system of the country.

Kosovo is a transition country, and family businesses are seen as the best way to ensure its existence. The purpose of this paper is to determine the importance of beekeeping entrepreneurship in the country and the factors that affect entrepreneurship in this sector.

This research was developed through a case presentation where interviews with beekeepers from different cities of Kosovo were conducted. Because this research was conducted during the pandemic situation COVID-19, a total of 32 beekeepers agreed to give interviews, of which 30 were males and 2 were females. The interviews were conducted from March to May 2020. All interviews were recorded to obtain all the relevant details during data processing. All respondents agreed that their names could be made public. The interviews were conducted in Albanian language, and their duration was from 32 min to 1 h and 40 min. The questionnaire for the interview in total contained 25 questions.

Beekeeping in Kosovo runs entirely as a family business. Only 12 out of 32 respondents inherited the business from their families, while others started this business mostly out of curiosity. 59% of the respondents consider beekeeping as their primary income, while 32 percent as the only source of income. Only 9% of the respondents have less than 30 hives, and the beekeeping income does not have a big impact on their total income. Beekeeping is considered a dangerous business that forces beekeepers to have a second job. The most common risks are climate change and bee diseases. However, although they have a second job, their highest income derives from beekeeping. Education has the biggest role in the development of this business, while experience and technology do not play a significant role.

The number of respondents is small compared to the total number of beekeepers in Kosovo, so a larger number of beekeepers could give more accurate results. In addition, there is no general data on the impact of the beekeeping sector on the economy, especially on the role of this sector in reducing the unemployment rate.

The study adds value to the importance of artisan family businesses. Knowing the importance of family businesses, this study makes a great contribution to determining the factors that affect the development of beekeeping entrepreneurship as family business.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a global health crisis that is attracting focussed attention from healthcare, public health, governmental agencies, the public, and food producers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the work in Washington State to combat resistance and promote antimicrobial stewardship from a one health perspective.

In 2014, the Washington State Department of Health convened a One Health Steering Committee and two workgroups to focus on AR, the One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship work group and the One Health Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance work group. The group organized educational sessions to establish a basic understanding of epidemiological factors that contribute to resistance, including antibiotic use, transmission of resistant bacteria, and environmental contamination with resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues.

The authors describe the varied uses of antibiotics; efforts to promote stewardship in human, and animal health, including examples from the USA and Europe; economic factors that promote use of antibiotics in animal agriculture; and efforts, products and next steps of the workgroups.

In Washington, human, animal and environmental health experts are working collaboratively to address resistance from a one health perspective. The authors are establishing a multi-species resistance database that will allow tracking resistance trends in the region. Gaps include measurement of antibiotic use in humans and animals; integrated resistance surveillance information; and funding for AR and animal health research.