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1 – 10 of 12Yuxin Wang, Qing Liu, Yanrui Wu and Huaqing Wu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of the village relationship influence different types of public goods provision in rural China.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of the village relationship influence different types of public goods provision in rural China.
Design/methodology/approach
The three components (clan-based relationship, neighborhood relationship and external relationship) were derived by employing factor analysis. The simultaneous discrete choice model was used to estimate the influence of these components on public goods provision, using the survey data from the China Household Income Project conducted in 2007.
Findings
The findings indicate that considering different components of village relationship allows for a better understanding of the public good provision. The results indicate that the neighborhood relationship has a significantly positive effect on rural public goods provision, particularly on water conservancy and irrigation, while the external relationship has a significantly positive effect on all types of public goods.
Practical implications
Local public goods provision is the core of the new rural construction in China. These findings imply that relationship in villages plays a vital role in the provision of public goods and is necessary in the construction of the new harmonious countryside in China. The results also have implications for rural public goods provision in other developing countries.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to quantitatively model the impact of different relationships on public goods provision at the rural level. A consideration of the different components in village relationship allows for a more precise understanding of the pubic goods provision in the village.
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Ruomei Xu, Yanrui Wu and Jingdong Luan
Genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly GM grain crops, have been controversial since their commercialization in 1996. However, only a few studies have investigated farmers’…
Abstract
Purpose
Genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly GM grain crops, have been controversial since their commercialization in 1996. However, only a few studies have investigated farmers’ attitudes toward adopting GM grain crops in China. The purpose of this paper is to explore farmers’ willingness to adopt GM insect-resistant rice prior to its commercial release in China and determines the factors that affect farmers’ prospective adoption decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The data are collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze the farmers’ potential willingness to adopt GM rice and level of awareness of GM rice and socioeconomic characteristics. Ordered and binary probit models are applied to identify the key factors that affect the farmers’ decision to adopt GM insect-resistant rice.
Findings
Descriptive statistics show that most farmers have little knowledge of GM rice, approximate 35.5 percent of farmers could plant GM rice, and over half of the respondents are uncertain whether or not they will adopt the new crops. The results of econometric analyses show that increasing output and income, and simplicity in crop management, have positive effects on prospective adoption, whereas the high-seed price of GM rice has a significantly negative effect. Health implications also have a significantly positive effect on the farmers’ decision to adopt GM grain crops. A comparative analysis of ordered and binary probit models demonstrates that farmers are more deliberate in their decisions when they have fewer choices. Aside from the above-mentioned variables, the following factors are also statistically significant in the probit model: government technicians’ recommendations, neighbors’ attitudes, level of environmental risks, and the farmer’s age.
Originality/value
Information on the major risks and benefits of GM rice was provided to the farmers in the questionnaire. The farmers were then asked to choose from the three ordered alternative answers, namely, “accept,” “uncertain,” and “reject”. Both ordered and binary probit models were applied to comparatively analyze the collected data. This study is one of a handful of studies that employ these econometric models to identify and explain the underlying factors that affect farmers’ decisions. The relevant findings have important implications for future agricultural policy in China.
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Dora Marinova, Xiumei Guo and Yanrui Wu
This paper aims to examine recent trends and China's role in the emerging global green system of innovation (GGSI) and present the major achievement in China's R&D sectors and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine recent trends and China's role in the emerging global green system of innovation (GGSI) and present the major achievement in China's R&D sectors and major challenges faced by the country. The authors use China's role in the clean development mechanism (CDM) as a case to demonstrate the country's willingness to adopt new technology and green innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to understand China's transformation towards the GGSI, the approach used in this study is a review of innovation systems literature combined with analysis of statistical data from various sources. The authors also build an innovation model for the emerging global green system of innovation to demonstrate the building blocks which allow for transformational system failures to be avoided. The clean development mechanism (CDM) is used as a case example as to how GGSI works.
Findings
This paper puts into perspective some recent developments in innovation and argues that there is enough evidence to claim that the world is re‐orienting towards a global green system of innovation in which China is already one of the most significant players.
Originality/value
Through building a new innovation model, this study demonstrates the complexity and the development of innovation in the context of China's transformation towards the GGSI.
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Economic reforms and the subsequent growth in income have brought great changes in the distribution of wealth and consumers’ behaviour in China. In particular, the emergence of…
Abstract
Economic reforms and the subsequent growth in income have brought great changes in the distribution of wealth and consumers’ behaviour in China. In particular, the emergence of the “new rich” has important social and economic implications for China as well as the rest of the world. Examines the level of wealth and spending patterns in Chinese households, and more particularly aims to investigate the level of affluence and consumption patterns of China’s new rich. The main issues dealt with include the assessment of China’s per capita income; the spending patterns and sources of income of the new rich; consumption patterns of Chinese rural and urban households; and international comparisons of household consumption patterns.
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Fung Kwan, Yanrui Wu and Shuaihe Zhuo
This paper aims to contribute to the pool of studies of rural underemployment in China. It is devoted to the conceptualization and measurement of surplus labour.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to the pool of studies of rural underemployment in China. It is devoted to the conceptualization and measurement of surplus labour.
Design/methodology/approach
The agricultural labour requirement function is estimated by the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) with China's prefecture‐level data. Surplus labour or inefficient labour is obtained by subtracting the required labour from the actual labour participated in agriculture.
Findings
The authors' analysis indicates that the existing size of agricultural surplus labour in rural China is still significantly large with the continued practice of the household registration system and China's WTO membership. However, the size has been decreasing over the last decade.
Research limitations/implications
Quality of data might affect the authors' estimates.
Practical implications
The phenomenon of the coexistence of surplus agricultural labour and shortage of workers in non‐agricultural production in urban China was discussed in line with the authors' research findings, as this has important impacts on the policies of rural industrialization in China.
Social implications
This paper further argues that China is probably experiencing the second stage of the Lewis‐Fei‐Ranis dualistic economic framework.
Originality/value
The authors' paper is probably the first to use prefecture data and SFA for panel data study of surplus agricultural labour in China. The analysis is essential to the understanding of the rural labour market during its rapid transition.
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The objective of this paper is to examine chemical fertilizer use efficiency at the household level and provide an assessment of the causes of efficiency variation.
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this paper is to examine chemical fertilizer use efficiency at the household level and provide an assessment of the causes of efficiency variation.
Design/methodology/approach
A stochastic frontier production function approach is employed to estimate fertilizer use efficiency at the household level.
Findings
It is estimated that on average about two‐thirds of the chemical fertilizers utilized are excessive in China. This has serious consequences as the excessive chemicals like nitrogen and phosphate either remain in the soil or flow into rivers and underground water systems or evaporate into the atmosphere.
Originality/value
This study is probably first of its kind in the field and is based on the latest household survey data.
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Regional disparities in China have recently attracted the attention of economists both inside and outside China. In particular, researchers and policy makers are concerned with…
Abstract
Regional disparities in China have recently attracted the attention of economists both inside and outside China. In particular, researchers and policy makers are concerned with how economic reforms have affected regional disparities in China. As a result, there has been a boom in the literature. However, the exploding literature has so far presented conflicting results. The aim of this paper is to review the literature in this field and to present new evidence on income disparities in China’s regional economies. This study is based on the application of regional GDP figures covering the period of 1953‐1997. It attempts to assess and consolidate the findings from previous studies and hence contributes to the current debate.
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Mahipal Singh, Rajeev Rathi and Mahender Singh Kaswan
This paper aims to uncover the significance of capacity, capacity utilization (CU) and its role in the quality and productivity improvement in an industrial environment. Besides…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to uncover the significance of capacity, capacity utilization (CU) and its role in the quality and productivity improvement in an industrial environment. Besides, the current study is also aiming to explore the various ways to estimate CU and its status across the world.
Design/methodology/approach
In the present study, a comprehensive literature review on capacity and CU is carried out to expose the research direction in the field of CU. This work is primarily focused on capacity, CU and their estimation methods based on the research in various industries of different countries and current status in present scenario across the world.
Findings
The literature reveals that CU estimation is carried out by some government/central agencies at the national or sector level rather than the industry level in most of the productive nations. As far as industrial growth is concerned, capacity management should be carried out at a particular industry level so that engineering managers can be able to find out loopholes for huge capacity waste within the plant. It is observed that CU in the industrial sectors mainly computed by time series method, survey method, economic approach and engineering approach worldwide.
Research limitations/implications
This paper tries to cover almost all research work in the field of CU in various industrial sectors. However, the organizations which are producing the product with limited demand may get benefit inadequately.
Practical implications
This paper provides a vision to management toward productivity improvement through optimal utilization of available resources. As in most organizations, CU issues are much neglected areas.
Originality/value
This paper provides valuable insights on capacity and CU in the industrial sector across the world. Besides, it focused on comprehensive literature of capacity and various methods to estimate CU in industrial sectors.
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Yanrui Michael Tao, Farzana Quoquab and Jihad Mohammad
There is a dearth of research in the field of social marketing that attempts to understand why consumers prefer to use plastic packages when using online food delivery services…
Abstract
Purpose
There is a dearth of research in the field of social marketing that attempts to understand why consumers prefer to use plastic packages when using online food delivery services. In addressing this issue, this study aims to investigate the role of moral disengagement, myopia and environmental apathy in the young generations' intentions to use plastic bags while ordering food online. It also examines the mediating role of moral disengagement and the moderating role of guilt in the context of the online food delivery service industry in China.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was designed to collect data, which yielded 256 usable responses. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique (SmartPLS 4.0) was used to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicate that environmental apathy, myopia and moral disengagement exert significant negative effects on consumer intention to use plastic. In addition, moral disengagement was able to mediate the links between “environmental apathy”, “myopia” and “plastic usage intention”. Lastly, consumers’ guilt was found to be a significant moderator in the link between moral disengagement and plastic usage intention.
Practical implications
This research holds significant importance for social marketers in the online food delivery service industry. Particularly, by understanding consumers' negative behavioural aspects, social marketers can implement marketing strategies that emphasise green practices for environmental well-being.
Originality/value
This is a pioneer study that focuses on the negative aspects of consumer behaviour, such as myopia, environmental apathy and moral disengagement, to understand what drives young consumers to use plastic. Additionally, this study investigates several new relationships in the social marketing field, such as the mediating effect of moral disengagement between myopia, environmental apathy and plastic usage intention. It also tests the moderating effect of guilt on the link between moral disengagement and use intention.
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