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Small-scale farmers are highly heterogeneous with regard to their types of farming, levels of technology adoption, degree of commercialization and many other factors. Such heterogeneous types, respectively groups of small-scale farming systems require different forms of government interventions. This paper applies a machine learning approach to analyze the typologies of small-scale farmers in South Africa based on a wide range of objective variables regarding their personal, farm and context characteristics, which support an effective, target-group-specific design and communication of policies.

A cluster analysis is performed based on a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative survey among 212 small-scale farmers, which was conducted in 2019 in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. An unsupervised machine learning approach, namely Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM), is applied to the survey data. Subsequently, the farmers' risk perceptions between the different clusters are analyzed and compared.

According to the results of the cluster analysis, the small-scale farmers of the investigated sample can be grouped into four types: subsistence-oriented farmers, semi-subsistence livestock-oriented farmers, semi-subsistence crop-oriented farmers and market-oriented farmers. The subsequently analyzed risk perceptions and attitudes differ considerably between these types.

This is the first typologisation of small-scale farmers based on a comprehensive collection of quantitative and qualitative variables, which can all be considered in the analysis through the application of an unsupervised machine learning approach, namely PAM. Such typologisation is a pre-requisite for the design of more target-group-specific and suitable policy interventions.

The study aims to analyze the impact of market participation on small paddy farmers' income and consumption expenditure. The study also estimates various determinants affecting the market participation of smallholders. Further, the study computes the efficiency of different paddy marketing channels and identifies the determinants that impact the marketing channel selection of paddy growers in Eastern India.

The study used the propensity score matching (PSM) approach to measure the impact of market participation on farm income and per capita consumption. Further, the study employed Acharya and Aggarwal's composite index approach to estimate the marketing efficiency of various paddy marketing channels. Further, a multinomial logit model was used to determine the marketing channel selection constraints.

The outcomes indicate that market participation positively impacts farm income and consumption expenditure. Education, membership in farmers' organizations, price information and distance to the marketplace significantly affect farmers' market participation. The results show that the producer–retailer marketing channel is the most efficient compared to others. However, most paddy farmers sell paddy to farmgate collectors due to a lack of market information, vehicle ownership, storage system, and inability to take the risk of venturing out of the farmgate into markets.

The study uses primary data and captures only farmers' perspectives to measure the impact of market participation, marketing channel efficiency and determinants for market channel selection. The other stakeholder's perceptions can be included in future studies.

Rarely does any study identifies the efficiency of different marketing channels for paddy farmers in India and includes cognitive factors like risk perception and trust in buyers as constraints for market channel selection.

Environmental dynamics affect all sectors, and retailing is no exception. Scholarships reveal that, in such turbulent times, entrepreneurial characteristics are essential for business. In academic research, entrepreneurial characteristics like entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial competence (EC) are seldom evaluated for retailers. This study aims to decode the impact of small retailers’ EO and EC on firm business performance (BP). It also traces the mediation effect of EC in the relationship between EO and BP.

The study executed among 740 small retailers is a pioneering work to trace EO’s efficacy via EC on the retailer’s BP. The present research is a primal work in the Indian context. This work redesigns the EC scale to suit the retail context and evaluate its mediation role in the EO and BP relationship.

Examining the mediation model through structural equation modelling (SEM) adds empirical evidence to entrepreneurial value creation (EVC) theory and throws light on the indispensable qualities required for small business retailers. The outcomes of the SEM model portray that there is an association between the EO, EC and BP.

This study, though carried out methodically, it is constrained by the ensuing intricacies. The investigation was limited to the small- and medium-retailers engaged in retailing with a floor space from 500 to 5,000 square feet. All three constructs used in the study are measured using the self-reported perceptual scale, which infuses the subjectivity in the data. Exploring the EO and EC of widely dispersed retailers, examining the entrepreneurial character of large-format independent retailers and evaluating financial performance measures through retailers will add value to the study in future.

The study verified the central role of EC in the intangible resource-reward relationship. Among the five pillars of EVC theory, the role of intention and external finance are not considered in this work. The present work explored the EO and EC of existing retailers, and hence intention is excluded. The study concentrates on small retailers, and the role of external financing is not explored. Mishra and Zachary (2014b) opined that the EVC process should be studied in different context and listed out several prepositions. Considering the role of intention and external financing and studying several prepositions spelt out in the theory in varying contexts will throw more lights on the EVC process.

The study aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) to understand the current status of research on social media usage among the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). The purpose of this study is to identify the research gaps in this domain and review future research agendas by using theory, context, characteristics and methods [TCCM] framework.

An SLR, keywords co-occurrence and TCCM analysis were used to analyse and synthesize insights from 44 studies gained from Web of Science and Scopus databases.

The findings suggest that the USA and India are popular contexts for studying BOP. The BOP population uses social media to gain utilitarian, hedonic and social values. Further, social media can help BOP explore “entrepreneurship” opportunities, value co-creation and bring innovations.

This study expands the intellectual boundaries of social media at BOP and suggests multidisciplinary research. Additionally, adopting novel theoretical lenses helped determine social media's impact on BOP.

The choice of a sales channel for fresh vegetables is an important decision a farmer can make. Typically, the farmers rely on their personal experience in directing the produce to a sales channel. This study examines how sales forecasting of fresh vegetables along multiple channels enables marginal and small-scale farmers to maximize their revenue by proportionately allocating the produce considering their short shelf life.

Machine learning models, namely long short-term memory (LSTM), convolution neural network (CNN) and traditional methods such as autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and weighted moving average (WMA) are developed and tested for demand forecasting of vegetables through three different channels, namely direct (Jaivasree), regulated (World market) and cooperative (Horticorp).

The results show that machine learning methods (LSTM/CNN) provide better forecasts for regulated (World market) and cooperative (Horticorp) channels, while traditional moving average yields a better result for direct (Jaivasree) channel where the sales volume is less as compared to the remaining two channels.

The price of vegetables is not considered as the government sets the base price for the vegetables.

The existing literature lacks models and approaches to predict the sales of fresh vegetables for marginal and small-scale farmers of developing economies like India. In this research, the authors forecast the sales of commonly used fresh vegetables for small-scale farmers of Kerala in India based on a set of 130 weekly time series data obtained from the Kerala Horticorp.

This study examines handmade clothing consumption as a means of self-expression by exploring the interrelationships between consumers' self-expression, brand love and word of mouth.

Using a descriptive research design, data were collected from 295 respondents in South Africa who posted about fashion on social media and who had bought handmade clothing in the 6 months prior to data collection. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the interrelationships between consumers' self-expression, brand love and word of mouth.

Brand love intervenes between consumers' self-brand connections and word of mouth about handmade clothing. More specifically, brand love strengthens positive word of mouth online and mitigates negative word-of-mouth intentions following a handmade clothing product failure scenario.

The study enlightens scholarly understanding of consumers' self-expression motivations for using ready-made handmade clothing that results in brand love and positive word of mouth.

Handmade clothing marketers who tap into consumers' self-expression and who can establish brand love among consumers can similarly create beneficial consumer–brand relationships.

Consumers often use handmade clothing for the purpose of self-expression, which provides subsequent spin-offs for brands in the form of brand love and positive word of mouth. Objective self-awareness theory provides a parsimonious lens to reveal the important role that brand love plays as a mechanism to explain the linkage of consumers' self-brand connections to word of mouth about handmade clothing.

The aim of the quantity study is to investigate the cost of living and food security nexus in Ghana. Time series secondary quarterly data from 2012Q1 to 2018Q4 were examined.

The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) to cointegration bound test was employed for the econometrics analysis. Time series secondary quarterly data from 2012Q1 to 2018Q4 were examined. Food security data based on the Global Food Security Index score were employed.

The result revealed that the variables are cointegrated in the long run. The study also revealed that the cost of living worsens food security in Ghana both in the short run and the long run. This could imply that people may not have enough money to afford adequate and nutritious food, which can lead to food insecurity. As the cost of living increases, people may have to spend more of their income on basic necessities such as housing, healthcare and transportation, leaving less money for food. This can result in people choosing cheaper and less nutritious options, or even skipping meals, which can have negative impacts on their health and well-being.

For policy implications, it is recommended that effort should be made by the Ministry of Finance Ghana, financial analysts and other economic agents to stabilize prices of goods and services in the country.

The study is among the few to have investigated the nexus between the cost of living and food security in non-Western economy using the secondary data.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2023-0309

This study explores value-added food products in smallholder dairy farming in developing countries by analyzing external pressures, supply chain learning, farmer innovation, education level, and food safety compliance.

We employed a quantitative approach by surveying 418 smallholder dairy farmers in three districts of Pakistan using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data analysis involved confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that external pressure significantly affects value-added smallholder dairy farms. This relationship is mediated by supply chain learning and farmers' innovative behavior, and moderated by farmers' education level and compliance with food safety standards.

Further research is required to explore the drivers of value addition at the supply chain level.

This study contributes to the understanding of smallholder dairy farming dynamics and provides practical implications for improving value addition by managing the interplay between antecedents and promoting best practices in the industry.

The present paper aims to focus on the role which German controllers play so far in the process of sustainable transformation in for-profit organizations, the current obstacles to a wider engagement here and ways to overcome these obstacles.

The analysis combines two qualitative study designs. Empirical data is generated via a job advertisement analysis and an explorative survey with 107 subjects from management accounting/controlling and sustainability management. The generated data is interpreted against the background of the theory of institutional logics and Abbott’s (1988) theory of professional jurisdiction.

We find that controllers are in a state of tension. On the one hand, the pressure to integrate sustainability into companies is increasing. On the other hand, they seem to be rather reluctant to get involved. The institutional logics that shape their profession play an important role here, as does an unclear relationship with the sustainability department, which has its own claims here. Based on these observations, we identify the core obstacles to the transformation of the controllers’ profession and discuss solutions which can guide the transformation of this profession.

The present paper provides insights from a unique combination of different quantitative study designs and different perspectives on the possible role that controllers can play in advancing sustainable transformation in companies.

The aim of this paper was to analyze the role of the Cooperative of Farmers and Fishermen of the Lago do Cuniã Extractive Reserve (COOPCUNIÃ) in the inclusion of residents in the caiman meat value chain in Porto Velho, Brazil.

A total of six interviews were conducted with key actors to investigate the research problem in the Lago do Cuniã EXRES, namely the president and project advisor of the cooperative, two extractivist members of the cooperative and two non-member residents. The key actors were selected based on the following criteria: being over 18 years old, residing within the reserve and having participated in some stage of the caiman meat value chain.

The results demonstrate that the cooperative contributes to the inclusion of extractivist residents in the value chain, income generation and poverty reduction, enabling the production and marketing of caiman meat. Additionally, it overcomes challenges and improves the quality of life of the local population.

This study emphasizes the social and economic benefits for isolated regions with low productive development. For public policymakers, the results demonstrate that inclusion has enabled access to technology and markets. For the cooperative, it showcases actions oriented towards development, social inclusion and quality of life.

The originality of the article lies in the analysis of the role of a value chain within an environmental protection area in the Amazon, balancing economic, social and environmental factors.

O objetivo foi analisar o papel da Cooperativa dos Agricultores e Pescadores da Reserva Extrativista Lago do Cuniã (COOPCUNIÃ) na inclusão dos moradores na cadeia de valor da carne de jacaré em Porto Velho, Brasil.

Foram realizadas 06 (seis) entrevistas com atores-chave para investigar o problema de pesquisa na RESEX Lago do Cuniã, a saber: o presidente e o assessor de projetos da cooperativa, dois extrativistas cooperados e dois moradores não cooperados. Os atores-chave foram selecionados com base nos seguintes critérios: ser maior de 18 anos, residir na reserva e ter participado de alguma etapa da cadeia de valor da carne de jacaré.

Os resultados demonstram que a cooperativa contribui para a inclusão dos extrativistas na cadeia de valor, com a geração de renda e redução da pobreza, viabilizando a produção e comercialização da carne de jacaré. Além disso, supera desafios e melhora a qualidade de vida da população local.

Este estudo enfatiza os benefícios sociais e econômicos para regiões isoladas e com baixo desenvolvimento produtivo. Para os formuladores de políticas públicas, os resultados demonstram que a inclusão possibilitou o acesso à tecnologia e aos mercados. Para a cooperativa, mostra ações voltadas para o desenvolvimento, inclusão social e qualidade de vida.

A originalidade do artigo está na análise do papel de uma cadeia de valor dentro de uma área de proteção ambiental na Amazônia, equilibrando fatores econômicos, sociais e ambientais.