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1 – 10 of 43Vikas Mishra, Ariun Ishdorj, Elizabeth Tabares Villarreal and Roger Norton
Collaboration in agricultural value chains (AVCs) has the potential to increase smallholders’ participation in international value chains and increase their benefits from…
Abstract
Purpose
Collaboration in agricultural value chains (AVCs) has the potential to increase smallholders’ participation in international value chains and increase their benefits from participation. This scoping review explores existing collaboration models among stakeholders of AVCs in developing countries, examines enablers and constraints of collaboration and identifies policy gaps.
Design/methodology/approach
We systematically searched three databases, CAB Abstracts, Econlit (EBSCO) and Agricola, for studies published between 2005 and 2023 and included 59 relevant studies on AVC collaboration.
Findings
The primary motivations for collaboration are to enhance market access and improve product quality. Key outcomes of collaboration include improvements in farmers’ welfare, market participation and increased production; only a few studies consider improved risk management as an important outcome. Robust support from government and non-governmental entities is a primary enabler of collaboration. Conversely, conflicts of interest among stakeholders and resource limitations constrain collaboration possibilities. Collaboration involving high-value crops prioritizes income increases, whereas collaboration involving staple crops focuses on improving household food security.
Research limitations/implications
This study may have publication bias as unsuccessful instances of collaboration are less likely to be published.
Originality/value
This study is unique in highlighting collaboration models’ characteristics and identifying AVC policy and programmatic areas where private firms, farmers’ groups, local governments and donor agencies can contribute.
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Armand Fréjuis Akpa, Cocou Jaurès Amegnaglo and Augustin Foster Chabossou
This study aims to discuss climate change, by modifying the timing of several agricultural operations, reduce the efficiency and yield of inputs leading to a lower production…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to discuss climate change, by modifying the timing of several agricultural operations, reduce the efficiency and yield of inputs leading to a lower production level. The reduction of the effects of climate change on production yields and on farmers' technical efficiency (TE) requires the adoption of adaptation strategies. This paper analyses the impact of climate change adaptation strategies adopted on maize farmers' TE in Benin.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses an endogeneity-corrected stochastic production frontier approach based on data randomly collected from 354 farmers located in three different agro-ecological zones of Benin.
Findings
Estimation results revealed that the adoption of adaptation strategies improve maize farmers' TE by 1.28%. Therefore, polices to improve farmers' access to climate change adaptation strategies are necessarily for the improvement of farmers' TE and yield.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study contribute to the policy debate on the enhancement of food security by increasing farmers' TE through easy access to climate change adaptation strategies. The improvement of farmers' TE will in turn improve the livelihoods of the communities and therefore contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 13.
Originality/value
This study contributes to theoretical and empirical debate on the relationship between adaptation to climate change and farmers' TE. It also adapts a new methodology (endogeneity-corrected stochastic production frontier approach) to correct the endogeneity problem due to the farmers' adaptation decision.
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Tongzheng Pu, Chongxing Huang, Haimo Zhang, Jingjing Yang and Ming Huang
Forecasting population movement trends is crucial for implementing effective policies to regulate labor force growth and understand demographic changes. Combining migration theory…
Abstract
Purpose
Forecasting population movement trends is crucial for implementing effective policies to regulate labor force growth and understand demographic changes. Combining migration theory expertise and neural network technology can bring a fresh perspective to international migration forecasting research.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a conditional generative adversarial neural network model incorporating the migration knowledge – conditional generative adversarial network (MK-CGAN). By using the migration knowledge to design the parameters, MK-CGAN can effectively address the limited data problem, thereby enhancing the accuracy of migration forecasts.
Findings
The model was tested by forecasting migration flows between different countries and had good generalizability and validity. The results are robust as the proposed solutions can achieve lesser mean absolute error, mean squared error, root mean square error, mean absolute percentage error and R2 values, reaching 0.9855 compared to long short-term memory (LSTM), gated recurrent unit, generative adversarial network (GAN) and the traditional gravity model.
Originality/value
This study is significant because it demonstrates a highly effective technique for predicting international migration using conditional GANs. By incorporating migration knowledge into our models, we can achieve prediction accuracy, gaining valuable insights into the differences between various model characteristics. We used SHapley Additive exPlanations to enhance our understanding of these differences and provide clear and concise explanations for our model predictions. The results demonstrated the theoretical significance and practical value of the MK-CGAN model in predicting international migration.
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Muhammad Waresul Hassan Nipun, Md Ashik-Ur-Rahman, Sharmin Yousuf Rikta, Afshana Parven and Indrajit Pal
The effects of population growth in the developing world and climate change have increased the stress on available water resources. The majority of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh, is…
Abstract
Purpose
The effects of population growth in the developing world and climate change have increased the stress on available water resources. The majority of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh, is facilitated with groundwater withdrawal. As Bangladesh is a country of monsoon climate, reserved rainwater can be contributed as an alternative to extracted groundwater. This study aims to develop a framework for rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) for domestic purposes and estimate the appropriate size of the storage tanks and their costs required to fulfill the annual drinking and cooking water demands through RRWH in Rajshahi city of Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 100 single-story residential dwellings with varying rooftop areas were surveyed for the projection of RRWH potential. The relationship between the size and cost of a water tank and the rooftop areas of different houses is expressed using a general mathematical equation. Cost estimates for the proposed RRWH system for all houses have been completed, and a cost model illustrating the relationship between rooftop or catchment area and associated cost of RRWH system has been developed.
Findings
This study reveals that a maximum of 110.75 m3/year rainwater can be collected from a 100 m2 rooftop area of Rajshahi city. Moreover, this study finds that such harvesting of rainwater can reduce municipal water supply to the extent of almost 75%. Water samples collected from rooftops also revealed that if germs were removed through bacteria treatment, the collected rainwater potentially can be used for drinking and cooking purposes.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is that it focused mainly on how significant RRWH can be to meet people’s daily required amount of water for household purpose and ascertain the cost reduction using the RWH method. This paper also is unique as it assessed the volume of the storage tank that is sufficient to distribute the necessary amount of water for drinking and cooking purpose as a sustainable alternative source in the dry season.
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Sabiha Afrin and Md. Khaled Saifullah
As women perform most household chores and other nonproductive work, gender-based division of labor in the home has now been identified as a barrier to gender equality. The…
Abstract
Purpose
As women perform most household chores and other nonproductive work, gender-based division of labor in the home has now been identified as a barrier to gender equality. The objective of this study is to assess the effects of gender distribution of housework especially for women and investigate the factors influencing the total hours spent on house chores in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a quantitative approach based on survey data obtained from 200 households in the Madaripur and Gopalganj districts of Bangladesh. To analyze the obtained data, the partial least squares (PLS) regression was used.
Findings
According to this study, demographic and socioeconomic factors of women, and gender are influencing the total hours spent in housework. Women were observed to have a positive relationship with empowerment but a negative relationship with social perception. Social perception was further observed to have a significant impact on the total number of hours expended by women on house chores.
Practical implications
The study suggests that the importance of sharing the burden of household work be taught in schools and community-based awareness programs so that it becomes ingrained as a social and cultural practice. Furthermore, the government should conduct a proper assessment that recognizes unpaid housework by women as an important factor in inclusive sustainable development.
Originality/value
Issues of inequality in the division of labor in household activities are barely recognized in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study collected primary data to assess the effects of gender on the distribution of housework. The findings of the study will help policymakers and academicians to better understand the gender-based division of household labor.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-03-2023-0195.
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Paresh Kumar Sarma, Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Ismat Ara Begum and Sheikh Mohammad Sayem
This study aims to investigate the determinants of the food security status of participants and non-participants of livestock extension services living under similar socioeconomic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the determinants of the food security status of participants and non-participants of livestock extension services living under similar socioeconomic conditions as livestock farming households in the Feed the Future zone of Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
Cross-sectional data of 906 farm-households extracted from a total of 2064 from the Feed the Future representative Bangladesh Integrated Households Survey 2018 were used. A triple hurdle model combined with a structural equation model were used to analyze the data. The causal relationship between food security status, livestock extension services, technology adoption and women's empowerment was investigated by estimating structural equation modeling with second-order latent factors.
Findings
The results indicate that livestock extension services have increased livestock technology adoption and have a positively significant (p < 0.01) relationship with household wealth, food security, welfare and women's empowerment.
Originality/value
The results suggest that livestock extension services have an impact on new technology adoption and enhancing women's empowerment; thus, the services should be widely made available in the region.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2021-0647.
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Adetumilara Iyanuoluwa Adebo, Kehinde Aladelusi and Mustapha Mohammed
This study aims to examine the mediating role of social influence on the relationship between key predictors of E-pharmacy adoption among young consumers based on the unified…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the mediating role of social influence on the relationship between key predictors of E-pharmacy adoption among young consumers based on the unified theory of adoption and use of technology (UTAUT).
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a quantitative correlational research design. Based on cluster sampling, data was collected from 306 university students from three public universities in southwestern Nigeria. Data was analysed using partial least square structural equation modeling.
Findings
The primary determinant driving the adoption of e-pharmacy is performance expectancy. Social influence plays a partial mediating role in linking performance expectancy to e-pharmacy adoption. In contrast, it fully mediates the relationship between effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and the adoption of e-pharmacy services.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides theoretical clarity on recent issues within the UTAUT framework. Findings highlight the complexity of how social factors interact with individual beliefs and external conditions in determining technology acceptance.
Practical implications
Research includes information relevant to access the impact of e-pharmacy services on healthcare accessibility, affordability and quality in developing countries.
Originality/value
The findings extend the adoption of technology literature in healthcare and offer a new understanding of adoption dynamics. The results emphasize the importance of performance expectancy in driving e-pharmacy adoption, providing a clear direction for stakeholders to enhance service quality and user experience of e-pharmacy. Additionally, the mediating effect of social influence highlights the significance of peer recommendations, celebrity endorsements and social media campaigns in shaping consumer adoption of e-pharmacies among young people.
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S.M. Sohel Rana, Sheikh Mohammad Fauzul Azim, Arifur Rahman Khan Arif, Mohammed Sohel Islam Sohel and Farhana Newaz Priya
The tech savvy generation Z consumers constitute a significant market of online shopping. Understanding their shopping behavior is thus a pressing need to expand the e-commerce…
Abstract
Purpose
The tech savvy generation Z consumers constitute a significant market of online shopping. Understanding their shopping behavior is thus a pressing need to expand the e-commerce business. Under this backdrop, the study aims to predict the online shopping behavior of generation Z customers in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used the theory of consumption values (TCV) along with shopping enjoyment to understand the online shopping behavior of generation Z. A structured set of questionnaire was used to gather the responses on a five point Likert scale. A total of 411 valid responses were considered after discarding incomplete responses. The collected data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach with the help of smart PLS 4.0 software.
Findings
The statistical findings reveal that functional value is the most significant determinant of online shopping behavior among generation Z followed by social value, conditional value and epistemic value. The study also reveals that relationship between emotional value and online shopping behavior and relationship between conditional value and online shopping behavior is moderated by shopping enjoyment.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the consumer behavior literature as the findings provide a comprehensive model from values perspectives to understand online shopping behavior among Gen Z customers in a developing country like Bangladesh. The findings of this study offer important insights to the marketers also since it reveals the values consumers consider while shopping online. The findings might help practitioners develop their online strategies to expand the business.
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Guoqing Zhao, Jana Suklan, Shaofeng Liu, Carmen Lopez and Lise Hunter
In a competitive environment, eHealth small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) barriers to survival differ from those of large enterprises. Empirical research on barriers to…
Abstract
Purpose
In a competitive environment, eHealth small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) barriers to survival differ from those of large enterprises. Empirical research on barriers to eHealth SMEs in less prosperous areas has been largely neglected. This study fills this gap by employing an integrated approach to analyze barriers to the development of eHealth SMEs. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data through semi-structured interviews and conducted thematic analysis to identify 16 barriers, which were used as inputs into total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) to build interrelationships among them and identify key barriers. Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) was then applied validate the TISM model and classify the 16 barriers into four categories.
Findings
This study makes significant contributions to theory by identifying new barriers and their interrelationships, distinguishing key barriers and classifying the barriers into four categories. The authors identify that transcultural problems are the key barrier and deserve particular attention. eHealth SMEs originating from regions with cultural value orientations, such as hierarchy and embeddedness, that differ from the UK’s affective autonomy orientation should strengthen their transcultural awareness when seeking to expand into UK markets.
Originality/value
By employing an integrated approach to analyze barriers that impede the development of eHealth SMEs in a less prosperous area of the UK, this study raises entrepreneurs’ awareness of running businesses in places with different cultural value orientations.
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