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Discusses moral and philosophical questions raised in the lead paper by Thapisa.

Drawing on network and fiscal federalism theories, we investigated central government patronage and donor aid as antecedents of budget performance in local government (LG). A mixed methods design with data collected from 18 LGs, two ministries, and four donor agencies in Uganda was employed. Results revealed that both central government patronage and donor aid predict budget performance. Moreover, autonomy does not mediate the interactions as initially hypothesized. Implications for theory and practice are discussed and future research direction is provided.

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) and organic foods with a broader list of control variables that includes green attitudes, impulsive purchasing, concerns about privacy, religiosity, birth order, and political preferences.

US internet panelists were asked about their preferences for purchasing non-GM produce, non-GM cereal, and organic products even if they cost a little more. They were also asked if genetically engineered foods are safe to consume. Responses to these four questions were dependent variables in binary logistic regressions. The sample size was 725 adults.

Attitudes toward non-GM produce and non-GM cereal were linked with different variables. Green attitudes were positively linked with non-GM and organic food attitudes. Impulsive purchases, a religiosity factor, and a privacy concern factor were linked with non-GM but not organic food attitudes. Social desirability bias was also significant. The genetically engineered food model identified some unique linkages with the control variables, suggesting that these terms may not improve consumer confidence with food.

New measures and several variables that researchers independently found to be significant were tested together in models and found to be linked with organic and non-GM food attitudes. Some expected relationships were not found. The results provide better profiles of consumers who have strong attitudes toward GM and organic foods.

Understanding farmers’ perceptions of how the climate is changing is vital to anticipating its impacts. Farmers are known to take appropriate steps to adapt only when they perceive change to be taking place. This study aims to analyse how African indigenous vegetable (AIV) farmers perceive climate change in three different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) in Kenya, identify the main differences in historical seasonal and annual rainfall and temperature trends between the zones, discuss differences in farmers’ perceptions and historical trends and analyse the impact of these perceived changes and trends on yields, weeds, pests and disease infestation of AIVs.

Data collection was undertaken in focus group discussions (FGD) (N = 211) and during interviews with individual farmers (N = 269). The Mann–Kendall test and regression were applied for trend analysis of time series data (1980-2014). Analysis of variance and least significant difference were used to test for differences in mean rainfall data, while a chi-square test examined the association between farmer perceptions and ACZs. Coefficient of variation expressed as a percentage was used to show variability in mean annual and seasonal rainfall between the zones.

Farmers perceived that higher temperatures, decreased rainfall, late onset and early retreat of rain, erratic rainfall patterns and frequent dry spells were increasing the incidences of droughts and floods. The chi-square results showed a significant relationship between some of these perceptions and ACZs. Meteorological data provided some evidence to support farmers’ perceptions of changing rainfall. No trend was detected in mean annual rainfall, but a significant increase was recorded in the semi-humid zone. A decreasing maximum temperature was noted in the semi-humid zone, but otherwise, an overall increase was detected. There were highly significant differences in mean annual rainfall between the zones. Farmers perceived reduced yields and changes in pest infestation and diseases in some AIVs to be prevalent in the dry season. This study’s findings provide a basis for local and timely institutional changes, which could certainly help in reducing the adverse effects of climate change.

This is an original research paper and the historical trends, farmers’ perceptions and effects of climate change on AIV production documented in this paper may also be representative of other ACZs in Kenya.

This paper aims to increase the integrity of the planning process with the executive process by simulating the Last Planner System (LPS) technique using building information modeling.

A five-dimensional model was prepared, and after specifying the number of physical conflicts on the plans, all the scenarios of the starting points in the expert contractors’ plans were analyzed. Accordingly, the best scenario was determined by LPS technique. To assess the performance of the study, it was implemented on several tasks of a construction project.

The results of this research indicate that if this method is used in the planning process, the time conflicts between the expert contractors who are in the critical path are reduced, and the total delay of the scheduled time reaches zero. In addition, the conflicts between contractors whose suspension will cause no incentive and increase the daily cost overruns will reduce to the lowest point.

By simulating LPS in the planning process, time-physical conflicts are considered at the lowest point. Using this approach, conflicts are detected before the execution process, resulting in a significant reduction in the delays and cost overruns in construction projects.

Disputes are now considered endemic in the construction industry. They often arise from the poor resolution of claims in the course of construction projects. Efforts have been geared towards reducing the incidence of claims. These efforts are of two kinds: those that seek answers from basic principles and legal issues at the pre‐construction phase and those that attempt to solve the problems through claims management procedures at the construction phase. This paper reviews the developments in claims management and highlights the deficiencies in current claims management approaches. It focuses on the need for improvement of the efficiency of claims negotiation and suggests the use of multiagent systems as an approach to achieve it. The potential benefits of the suggested approach are discussed in the concluding section of the paper.

This study aims to explore the relative efficiency of the working capital management (WCM) for Emirati firms before and during the coronavirus crisis. Next, this study explores the potential impact of WCM on the likelihood of financial distress.

A data envelopment analysis (DEA) was applied to assess the relative efficiency of the WCM. This study uses the emerging market Z-score model to predict the likelihood of financial distress. The logistic regression was applied to investigate the impact of the efficiency of WCM on firms’ financial distress.

The results of this study model showed a negative and significant influence of the efficiency of WCM on firms’ financial distress likelihood.

The findings have important implications for many stakeholders, including decision makers, WC managers, financiers, investors, financial consultants, researchers and others, in increasing their awareness of firms’ WCM performance before and during the crisis. Further, the results could have implications for trading strategies as investors seek attractive economic gains from their investment in firms that care about WCM.

The implications of WCM performance on social interests would cause firms’ decision makers to operate efficiently and achieve the best practices to minimise the probability of firms' financial distress.

This study advances a novel contribution to the literature by introducing a novel model to assess WCM based on DEA technology.

The main purpose of this research is to examine the basic motives in making a decision to buy an organic food. The preferences in the type of food – conventional, organic and GMO between people from different countries in former Yugoslavia region, as well as the main motives for buying an organic food, are also determined. Differences in the main motives for buying organic food depending on the gender and age of the respondents are also examined.

The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original. Questionnaire, which was specially constructed for the needs of the main purpose of this research, is to examine the basic motives in making a decision to buy an organic food. The preferences in the type of food – conventional, organic and GMO between people from different countries in former Yugoslavia region, as well as the main motives for buying an organic food, are also determinated. Differences in the main motives for buying organic food depending on the gender and age of the respondents are also examined. The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original. Questionnaire, which was specially constructed for the needs of the research, was applied (Cronbach α = 0.77). The research was conducted online, via the Google Forms questionnaire. Data were processed by the SPSS program. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to determine the significance of the obtained differences in scores between groups of subjects. The results show that the conventional food is still the most common type of nutrition in people from these areas. The main reason for buying organic food is health, while there are no differences in scores between respondents of different gender, age and country they live in. Mandatory of this paper refers to show relevant information of main motives in purchasing organic food from people, which itself has broader social (raising awareness of the importance and significance an organic nutrition), as well as practical implications, which may be important for organic food producers and traders. The results of the research have a satisfactory level of reliability (Cronbach α = 0.77). The research was conducted online, via the Google Forms questionnaire. Data were processed by the SPSS program. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to determine the significance of the obtained differences in scores between groups of subjects.

The results show that the conventional food is still the most common type of nutrition in people from these areas. The main reason for buying organic food is health, while there are no differences in scores between respondents of different gender, age and country they live in.

An unequal number of male and female respondents, as well as respondents from different countries.

Mandatory of this paper refers to show relevant information of main motives in purchasing organic food from people, which may be important for organic food producers and traders.

Social implications refers to raise an awareness of the importance and significance an organic nutrition for people health.

The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of flexibility in loan products offered to smallholder farmers in Siaya County in Kenya and to examine the effect of flexibility on access to credit.

The paper uses primary survey data from a sample of smallholder farmers in Siaya County in Kenya who had borrowed from various lending institutions within the study area. The paper develops an index variable of loan flexibility using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) technique. The model is estimated using both OLS and truncated regression analyses. Access to credit is measured as the amount of loan borrowed by each farmer.

The authors find that the level of flexibility of loans offered to farmers is low. Furthermore, the authors find that the level of flexibility is not significantly correlated to access to credit. Further analysis using individual components of flexible loans show that refinancing and lines of credit are more likely to improve access to credit when farmers are more educated and wealthier, respectively. The age of a farmer, the type of lender, the type of loan, education and household wealth are the main determinants of access to credit.

The paper adds to the debate on access to credit by showing that theoretically, while loan flexibility should lead to higher credit access, this is not a key determinant of access to credit in this context.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensory properties and chemical composition of corn and sorghum flakes manufactured using 25, 50, 75 and 100 per cent date syrup (DS), instead of sugar.

Ten individuals assessed the overall acceptability, taste, texture and aroma of flakes. The chemical composition of each type of flake was determined, and these characteristics compared with those of control corn and sorghum flakes (without DS).

The overall acceptability of sorghum flakes ranged from 6.3 (100 per cent DS flakes) to 6.8 (25 per cent DS flakes); however, the difference was not significant. Values for taste, texture and aroma of sorghum flakes ranged from 5.3 (taste of 100 per cent DS flakes) to 7.2 (texture of 25 per cent DS flakes). For corn flakes, values ranged from 6.20 (aroma of 100 per cent DS flakes) to 7.20 (texture of 25 per cent DS flakes). For both sorghum and corn, the colors of 25-100 per cent DS flakes were significantly different from controls (p = 0.0002). The total carbohydrate, fat, protein and ash contents were 81.669 per cent, 1.545 per cent, 13.27 per cent and 3.52 per cent for corn flour, and 83.38-85.78 per cent, 1.7-2.0 per cent, 10.02-12.13 per cent and 2.36-3.92 per cent for sorghum flour, respectively. The total carbohydrate, fat, protein and ash contents were 81.63 per cent, 5.75 per cent, 9.80 per cent and 2.82 per cent for corn, and 86.31-84.99 per cent, 3.15-4.27 per cent, 7.64-7.94 per cent and 2.92-2.79 per cent for sorghum flakes, respectively.

Corn and sorghum flakes produced with DS are acceptable to consumers, and their nutrient values indicate potential health benefits.