Search results

An investigation into the viability, sustainability and future developments of farmers’ markets in North West England was carried out in 2001. For this purpose, the attitudes of consumers, traders and organisers were surveyed. A primary research study was developed specifically to study North West farmers’ markets and to survey consumer attitudes to other direct selling initiatives. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data collection. A total of 34 farmers’ markets were active in the North West .The highest density was found in Cumbria. Over half of the markets in the North West were thriving or developing. However, more than 60 per cent of those in Lancashire were classified as surviving. Findings showed that customer loyalty was a key factor. A lack of funding for promotion and low produce diversity were identified as major problems. The study concluded that there appears to be a potential for growing and sustainable farmers’ markets, provided that the problems identified by this study are addressed.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the volume and quality of information and communication channel use at various stages of the malt barley value chain (MBVC) in Ethiopia and to investigate how metrics of these variables influence the extent of integration of the chain.

The study is based on survey data collected from 320 farmers and 100 traders and interview responses compiled from 76 respondents. Descriptive statistics and ordered logistic regression were used for data analysis.

The descriptive statistics show a lower volume and poor quality of information is being shared at farmer-trader interface and that value chain integration (VCI) is weak at all studied interfaces. Results of ordered logistic regression show that information volume and quality positively influence VCI, whereas a positive relationship between channel use and VCI was found only at farm level interfaces. Evidences found suggested that inconsistent information systems, lack of information sharing plans, low level of members’ awareness about the value of information, and lack of trust to share information were factors that inhibited information sharing in the MBVC.

The study offers pioneering evidence of the relative role of information volume and quality and channel use as factors that influence the extent of integration of the value chain.

While traders of agricultural products are known to often exercise market power, this power has rarely been quantified for developing countries. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

In order to derive a measure, the authors estimate the traders’ revenue functions and calculate the marginal value products directly from them. The authors subsequently find the determinants affecting their individual market power.

Results show that market power at the traders’ level exists and is substantial. This market power is amplified in situations of extreme remoteness, and weakens with increasing market size.

An exceptional data set with detailed information on the business practices of rubber traders in Jambi, Indonesia is employed with an innovative methodology to directly estimate revenue functions.

Marine fisheries are one of the few economic activities present everywhere along the Kenyan coastline. The local population is involved mainly in artisanal fishing which uses small non‐motorized fishing crafts that stay close to shore. Some of the catch is destined for local consumption but most is for sale. The purpose of this paper is to question whether fish traders in artisanal fisheries along the Kenyan coast earn enough money from only fish trading to support a household.

Fish traders were surveyed at two landing sites at each of five coastal tracts. Structured questionnaires, informal interviews and participatory observations were used in collecting data.

Average income for the fish traders from only fish trading was Ksh 1,268 per week; only 20.3 percent of the households was at or above the poverty line. However, there was a large difference between male and female traders in earning. Men earned Ksh 1,693 per week and women Ksh 795 per week. The poverty line for households was reached by 30.8 percent of the male traders but only by 8.8 percent of the female traders.

Livelihood diversification could greatly help improve the income. It was estimated that when earnings other than from fish trading (from the traders or someone else in the household) were added to that of fish trading, 27.4 percent of the households was at or above the poverty line. For men traders, it was 54 percent of the households but for women it was only 15 percent.

The analysis focuses on the perspective of overall strategic fit in the supply chain of onion seed in Nepal. The purpose of this paper is to analyze current status of onion seed sector in Nepal from the perspective of selected functional strategies that fit in supply chain, and also identifies how various actors involved coordinate among each other.

The integrated approach has been used. It is an actor-oriented approach used to trace product flows. Supply chains generally include several actors for the onion seeds supply chain in Nepal, all those actors may or may not be applicable. However, initial approach would be to first look for these actors then subsequently identify existing supply and its actors. Some traditional methods of product and market analysis isolate operational costs along various stages of production. But, this paper used more comprehensive methodology that has taken into account an entire spectrum of associated activities and inputs.

Result revealed that the market actors of supply chain are taking significant benefit of value addition due to more investment in value creation. Vertical coordination is completely absent and the existence of horizontal coordination is in fragile form. The functional strategies in the upstream as well as the market side are not properly matching with the preference of the downstream actors of supply chain. It is suggested that the supply chain activities should work with different functional strategies such as proper drying and storage of seed and production of preferred varieties to satisfy the need of end consumers.

It covers a single crop.

The findings and methodological discussions aim at providing practical guidance for supply chain researchers on how to analyze the strategic fit in supply chain.

This study aims to identify the key indicators for quality enhancement in an educational institute which affect student’s outcome in terms of employability and entrepreneurship. These indicators can be used for improving the quality of engineering institutions imparting technical education.

Review of conceptual and empirical literature has been done to establish a linkage between institutional factors and quality output. The paper further identifies existing quality gaps in engineering education that make their students misfit to the requirements of market.

The relevant literature reviewed suggests that quality of technical institutions can be viewed form two perspectives: first, students’ achievement in the form of placements, entrepreneurial output, enrollment in higher studies and university ranks. Second, faculty research output in the form of publication in refereed journals, consultancy projects and patents. The study concludes by stating that when these two important stakeholders are provided with the infrastructural support and environment to showcase their skill, the quality of technical institutions improves automatically.

The study is conducted on technical institutions engaged in providing engineering education. This research can be extended to other disciplines.

The framework proposed in the study will help technical institutions in evaluating their service quality levels which will further help them in improving the same.

Rice is staple food for Bangladeshi people. Although rice markets were liberalized in 1992, the government continued to intervene in this sector. This study examines the farmers’ and private traders’ response in liberalized rice marketing system in two regions. 40 farmers and 20 traders were interviewed by using a structural questionnaire for collecting the necessary information. The liberalization of the rice market, in particular, has been embraced more by the private traders then by the farmers. Although there has been a rapid emergence of private traders, the emergence of a vibrant trading sector that would fill the gap left by the state has been slow. The rice market is segmented with the private traders supplying different market circuits. Farmers on the other have not responded positively due to the lack of capital, lack of storage facilities, lack of market information, dominance of intermediaries and low price during the harvest period. Most of the farmers are unwilling to expand their acreage due to the family requirements of other crops. In rural remote areas where the road infrastructure is poor, private sector marketing activities have not yet emerged. Thus government can foster private participation and market integration by improving the road and storage infrastructure. Furthermore, government needs to take measures that strengthen the agricultural price and marketing information system targeted at both farmers and traders.

Claims use of legislation and government regulations as a means of protecting consumers has been subject to considerable controversy in many countries over recent years. Examines the UK's efforts to encourage voluntary self‐regulation by business — the most important manifestation of this has been the adoption of codes of practice in numerous trades — a code of practice being a statement of desirable trading practices. Says that data for analysis here is based on monitoring studies and other reports produced by the Office of Fair Trading and Consumers' Association and also direct interviews with trade associations and companies, supplemented by a postal questionnaire survey. Further discusses the rationale and lists and examines the most likely criteria to be used. Concludes that, overall, codes of practice are likely to have been beneficial, this does not necessarily imply that they are the best means of attaining the consumer policy objectives they embody.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of mobile phones on the micro‐trading activities of traders in Ghana. The study aims to develop a conceptual model analyzing the impact of mobile phones on pre‐trade, during‐trade and post‐trade activities.

A mixed methods approach consisting of a descriptive survey of 136 traders and a case study of two traders was adopted.

The findings suggest that traders primarily use mobile phones to monitor goods and pricing strategies, scheduling deliveries, and addressing inquiries and complaints in during‐trade activities. Traders, including those with no formal education, also use mobile phones as calculators in post‐trade activities. This innovative use of mobile phones is a function of their pre‐knowledge which may have been developed through formal education and/or social networks. Improving information management through mobile phones directly or indirectly contributes to the economic empowerment of the trader.

The paper proposes a conceptual framework that extends the transaction cost theory to consider transaction benefits and effects in micro‐trading. The study develops four propositions which can guide future research.

The study provides practitioners with a “theoretically‐inspired” framework which goes beyond examining design and adoption to identify needs and assess impact in mobiles for development initiatives.

The conceptual framework extends the work on transaction cost theory in information systems and may inform future research in mobile phones and micro‐trading activities.