DETERMINANTS OF PART-TIME FARMING AND ITS EFFECT ON FARM PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY

Little attention has been given in the agricultural economics literature to the impact of off-farm work on farm productivity and efficiency. More knowledge about what determines part-time farming and whether farm productivity and efficiency are affected by part-time farming could help policy makers introduce better targeted rural development policies. This paper aims to fill the above-mentioned gaps by first analysing factors that influence the choice of off-farm work; and then examining how off-farm work influences productivity and technical efficiency at the farm level. An unbalanced panel data set from 1991 to 2005 from Norwegian grain farms is used for this purpose. The results show that the likelihood of off-farm work and the share of time allocated to it increase with increasing age (up to 39 years), and with low relative yields (compared to others farms in the surrounding area/region). The level of support payments is not significantly associated with the extent of off-farm work. Large-scale farms and single farmers tend to have a lower likelihood of off-farm work. Average technical efficiency was found to be 79%. Farmers with low variability in farm revenue were found to be more technically efficient than farmers with high revenue variability. We did not find any evidence of off-farm work share affecting farm productivity − the predicted off-farm work share was not statistically significant. In other words, we did not find any systematic difference in farm productivity and technical efficiency between part-time and full-time farmers.off-farm work, productivity, efficiency, unobserved heterogeneity, panel data, Farm Management,

Personality traits, motivation and knowledge worker productivity

Thesis (M.Com. (Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2016.In an economic environment where knowledge based-work is the strategic component of value creation and competitive advantage, knowledge workers have become the engine that drives sustainability and profitability. Knowledge workers are described as workers with high degrees of education, expertise and whose primary task is to create, distribute and apply knowledge. With the increasing demand and number of knowledge workers in the work force, the productivity of knowledge workers has become an imperative management task as well as a decisive economic factor. Despite the continuous stream of research on knowledge worker productivity, knowledge worker productivity continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing managers today. Knowledge worker productivity refers to ability of knowledge workers to effectively collect, create and use inherent knowledge to produce goods and services. Inherent knowledge is highly personal and cannot be separated from the person who holds it. Further, inherent knowledge is closely related to the technical skills that an individual has and are only known to the person who possesses those skills. If organisations wish to leverage this inherent knowledge to their competitive advantage, they need to know how to engage and stimulate the deepest parts of the human mind. However, no two individuals are the same. Personnel psychology literature has long stressed that meaningful differences exist between people. These individual differences influence individual work performance and behaviour. Although several studies have addressed the issue of personality predicting job performance, there is a lack of knowledge of the relationship between personality, motivation and knowledge worker productivity, specifically in the South African context. This study attempts to address this lack of knowledge through a quantitative study of the relationship between personality, motivation and knowledge worker productivity. The study investigated whether the intrinsic personalities of knowledge workers and motivation predict knowledge worker productivity. Although several studies have directly addressed the issue of personality predicting job performance, few studies have directly investigated whether motivation mediates the relationship between personality and specifically knowledge worker productivity. Consequently, there is limited evidence to support the arguments of the present study. The theoretical and practical implications for knowledge worker productivity are discussed

Digital Tactics: Resolving Emerging Sociotechnical Tensions in the Digital Worksplace

Knowledge professionals are increasingly facing various tensions in their digital workplace brought by emerging lightweight IT and existent heavyweight IT and the processes and practices they support and enable. In this paper, we uncover five digital tactics, which knowledge professionals utilize daily to resolve these tensions when carrying out and ameliorating their productivity and well-being at work. While existent IS-research recognizes these socio-technical tensions as an IS-strategic phenomenon that managers resolve by deploying various strategic responses, we illuminate how digital tactics on individual, employee level is an equally important element in resolving these tensions and reaching strategic goals during digital transformation. Based on data from group interviews with 22 knowledge professionals, we abstracted five different digital tactics of improvisation, accountability, maneuvering, fostering a both/and culture and acceleration, that employees adopt to resolve tensions. Going forward, we suggest broadening our understanding of the socio-technical realm with the concept of digital tactics

Agricultural Extension for the Invisible Actors in Hunger Drama in Rural Nigeria

It is now an undisputable fact that rural women farmers produce more than half of all the food grown in Nigeria. They are mainly responsibility for providing food for their families as they plant, harvest and fish, gather fuel wood, fetch water, cook as well as process and sell foodstuffs. This paper describes them as invisible actors in the hunger drama because though they feed the nation, they have little or no access to factors of production that boost productivity such as extension services. Indeed, while the dominance of women in rural areas are evident, policy makers, planners and extension officials often behave as if women did not exist, as if the situation and needs of all farmers were the same, whether men or women. Agricultural extension is one of the main tools for increasing agricultural productivity because it bridges the gap between technical knowledge and farmers practices. Thus, it is fundamental to rural women's ability to feed the nation in a sustainable way. The main objective of this paper therefore, is to highlight some evidences to support the contention that rural farmers in general and women in particular are not being well served by existing extension systems in Nigeria. The findings are from a pilot survey of women farmers in Abuja, Nigeria. The results suggest that failure to reach women farmers is part of an overall problem related to lack of support and resources. With about one or two extension workers being assigned to work with as many as 1000 farm families, the need for policy review is obvious. The paper recommends that gender targeting of extension services is crucial to the fight against hunger in rural Nigeria and the ability to feed the nation in a sustainable way. The paper is organized in five sections.Agricultural Extension, Women Farmers, Rural Nigeria, Labor and Human Capital, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Socio-technical analysis and design of digital workplaces to foster employee health

Recent socio-technical developments caused by ongoing digitalization (e.g., robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, anthropomorphic systems) or the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., an increasing number of remote working employees and hence, increasing number of virtual collaboration) change the work environment and culture. Digital and smart workplace technol-ogies facilitate business processes and provide tools for efficient communication and (virtual) collaboration, “increasing the productivity of the workforce in the information age” (Attaran et al. 2019, p. 1). Especially in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies play a crucial role in keeping us socially close, connected, and collaborative while increasing the phys-ical distance between humans. However, this development affects the health of employees (Tarafdar et al. 2013). In research, for example, it has long been known that the increased usage of digital technologies and media (DTM) may cause stress, leading to potentially harmful reac-tions in individuals. Research has noted this specific form of stress as technostress (Ayyagari et al. 2011; Tarafdar et al. 2007; Tarafdar et al. 2011; Tarafdar et al. 2019), which is an umbrella term for causes, negative organizational outcomes, and negative humanistic outcomes resulting from the use of DTM at work. The simultaneous consideration of humanistic (e.g., well-being, equality) and organizational outcomes (e.g., efficiency, productivity) is an integral part of a socio-technical system (Beath et al. 2013; Mumford 2006), which is at the core of the IS discipline (Bostrom et al. 2009; Chiasson and Davidson 2005). However, a review from Sarker et al. (2019) regarding published research articles in one of the top journals within the IS community revealed that most reviewed studies (91%) had focused exclusively on instrumental goals. They conclude that “many IS researchers have forgotten or ignored the premise that technologies need to benefit humankind overall (Majchrzak et al. 2016), not just their economic condition” (Sarker et al. 2019, p. 705). Especially as humanistic outcomes can lead to even more positive instrumental outcomes. Hence, Sarker et al. (2019) call for focusing on the connection between humanistic and instru-mental outcomes, enabling a positive synergy resulting from this interplay. For this reason, this dissertation adopts a socio-technical perspective. It aims to conduct re-search that links instrumental outcomes with humanistic objectives to ultimately achieve a healthier use of DTMs at the digital workplace. It is important to note that the socio-technical perspective considers both the technical component and the social component privileging nei-ther one of them and sees outcomes resulting from the reciprocal interaction between those two.Therefore, the dissertation focuses on the interaction while applying pluralistic methodological approaches from qualitative (e.g., semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions) and quantitative research (e.g., collection from a field study or survey research). It provides a theo-retical contribution applying both behavioral research (i.e., analysis of cause-and-effect rela-tionships) and design-oriented research (i.e., instructions for designing socio-technical information systems). Overall, this work addresses four different areas within the reciprocal interaction between the social and technical components: the role of the technical component, the role of the social component, DTMs fostering a fit between the technical and social compo-nents, and the imminent misfit between these two due to ongoing digitalization. First, to contribute to an understanding of the technical component’s role, this thesis presents new knowledge on the characteristics and features of DTM and their influence on employee health and productivity. Research on the design of digital workplaces examined different design approaches, in which information exchange and sharing documents or project support were regarded (Williams and Schubert 2018). However, the characteristics of DTM also play an es-sential role in the emergence of technostress (Dardas and Ahmad 2015). This thesis presents ten characteristics of DTM that affect technostress at an individual’s workplace, including a measurement scale and analysis on how these characteristics affect technostress. Besides, also, the provision of functional features by DTMs can affect instrumental outcomes or humanistic objectives. For example, affording users with certain kinds of autonomy regarding the config-uration of DTM while they work towards their goals could have a tremendous effect on pursu-ing goals and well-being (Patall et al. 2008; Ryan and Deci 2000). Therefore, this thesis presents knowledge regarding the design of DTM on the benefits of affording users with autonomy. Furthermore, it shows that merely affording more autonomy can have positive effects above and beyond the positive effects of the actualization of affordance. Second, to contribute to an understanding of the social component’s role, this thesis presents new knowledge on contextual and individual factors of social circumstances and their influence on employee health and productivity. In this context, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the intensity of technostress among employees is considered, as work became more digital almost overnight. Therefore, this thesis provides empirical insights into digital work and its context in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on employees’ well-being, health, and productivity. Furthermore, measures to steer the identified effects if the situation in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic persists or comparable disruptive situations should re-occur are discussed. On the other hand, this research takes a closer look at the effect of an individual preference regarding coping styles in dealing with upcoming technostress. A distinction is made between the effects of two different coping styles, namely active-functional and dysfunctional, on strain as a humanistic outcome and productivity as an instrumental outcome. In the course of this, evidence is provided that coping moderates the relationship between the misfit within the socio-technical system and strain as proposed by the psychological theory of job demands-resources model (Demerouti et al. 2001). Third, to contribute to a successful fit between the technical and social components, this thesis presents frameworks and guidelines on the design of DTM, which understand the social com-ponent (here the user and her/his environment) and adjust accordingly to the needs of their users. Therefore, the thesis provides knowledge on the design of DTMs that support users in applying stress management techniques and build the foundation for stress-sensitive systems (i.e., systems that aim to mitigate stress by applying intervention measures on the social and technical component (Adam et al. 2017)). As a matter of fact, a framework for collecting and storing data (e.g., on the user and her/his environment) is developed and experiences with im-plementing a prototype for life-integrated stress assessment are reported. The experiences from this and the existing knowledge in the literature will finally be aggregated to a mid-range design theory for mobile stress assessment. To contribute to the fourth and last aspect, the imminent misfit within the socio-technical sys-tem due to ongoing digitalization, this thesis presents new knowledge regarding digital work demands that potentially affect both employees’ health and instrumental outcomes. The current version of technostress’s theoretical foundation was introduced more than ten years ago by Tarafdar et al. (2007). However, the interaction with and use of DTM has considerably changed along with the societal and individual expectations. Therefore, this thesis puts the current con-cept of technostress to test. As a result, a new theory of digital stress, as an extension of the concept of technostress, is proposed with twelve dimensions – instead of five dimensions within the concept of Tarafdar et al. (2007) – that could be hierarchically structured in four higher-order factors. This theory holistically addresses the current challenges that employees have to deal with digitalization. To sum up, this dissertation contributes to the IS community’s knowledge base by providing knowledge regarding the interaction between employees and their digital workplace to foster the achievement of humanistic and instrumental outcomes. It provides both behavioral research and design-oriented research while using pluralistic methodological approaches. For this pur-pose, this thesis presents knowledge about the different components within the socio-technical system, design knowledge on DTMs fostering the fit between these components, and an under-standing of an upcoming misfit due to the ongoing digitalization. Overall, this research aims to support the successful change towards a healthy digital workplace in the face of digitalization

Bridging the Technical Issues for Successful Research: Role of Librarians in Bangladesh

Very simply, research is the systematic investigation to explore new knowledge for scientific achievement. Research comprises creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications” (OECD, 2015). Research carried out by scientists and researchers has made an enormous impact on the world over the centuries specially for developing countries like Bangladesh. Research can make a significant contribution to the growth and development of any nation. Research and the library are closely interconnected with one another. Libraries especially academic and special libraries responsible for research support that is treated as central pillar in their mission. A “researcher life cycle” approach was applied to identify researcher information needs. Librarians continue to play a central role in conducting successful research and are expanding beyond their traditional duties for delivering high quality information services to engage themselves more as educators, technological guides, and communicators. Librarians should pace more and more into a leadership role develop major initiatives and conduct training to increase research reproducibility. The present paper focuses on the basic technical issues of efficient research skills and highlights the librarians’ competencies for research support of Bangladesh for guiding researchers for conducting successful research and ensuring a better work environment to do research. This paper mainly explores the proper referencing and citations, submission of manuscript in impact journals, find out predatory journals and selection for publishing articles in open access journals. This study also highlights the use and impact of various online databases such as Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus in order to explore citation status, h index and research performance of an individual author, country and institution. The study also investigates the role of the library in addressing present and future challenges to bridge technical issues of conducting research in Bangladesh. An attempt has been made to identify the major problems for submission manuscripts in high impact journals and to indicate some possible solutions for developing research information management systems, and efforts to improve training and support for researchers to enhance the research productivity of researchers in Bangladesh. Finally, the study illustrates a real picture of scientific outputs of renowned organizations in Bangladesh using Scopus database

Value-adding in forestry at the farm and community level

Subsistence farmers have long recognized the importance of trees as a source of many goods, services and amenities. However, central to tree growing activities should be the development of opportunities for farmers to generate and improve their income by value adding. A variety of value-adding activities are undertaken in small-scale forestry in Leyte. This includes production of fuelwood, charcoal, lumber, furniture and novelty items. By increasing forestry revenue, value-adding encourages smallholders to plant more trees. Community forestry, as an alternative to individually owned forestry, allows smallholders to work together to increase productivity and creates opportunities for value adding. Since smallholders lack resources and other needed technical knowledge, the role of support organizations such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are crucial for value-adding. These agencies can help smallholders in the processing of papers to make the venture legal and in establishing market linkage for the product that they will produce

Apparel manufacturing & merchandising- Interstoff Apparels Ltd.

This internship report is submitted in a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration,2014.Cataloged from PDF version of Internship report.Includes bibliographical references (page 37).By means of practical knowledge it's not possible to apply the theoretical knowledge in the practical field. For any technical education, practical experience is almost equaled important in association with the theoretical knowledge. The industrial attachment is the process which builds understanding, skills and attitude of the performer which improves his knowledge in boosting productivity and services. University education provides us vast theoretical knowledge as well as more practical attachment in despite of all these industrial attachments help me to be familiar with technical support of modern machinery and skillfulness about various processing stages. It also provides us sufficient practical knowledge about production management, work study, efficiency, industrial management, purchasing, utility and maintenance of machinery and their operation techniques etc. The above mentioned cannot be achieved successfully by means of theoretical knowledge only. This is why it should be accomplished with practical knowledge in which it is based on. Industrial attachment makes us reliable to be accustomed with the industrial atmosphere and improve courage and inspiration to take self-responsibilities. Garments study cannot be completed without factory based training because this industrial training minimizes the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge and makes us accustomed to industrial environment. I got an opportunity to complete three-month long industrial training at Interstoff Apparels Ltd. which is a 100% export-oriented composite industry. It has well planned & equipped fabric dyeing-finishing and garments units in addition to facilitate knitting and knitwear manufacturing.Md. Mahmudul HasanM. Business Administratio

Integrated pest management in vegetable production: a guide for extension workers in West Africa

Indigenous and exotic vegetables are central to most nutrition, food security and poverty reduction programmes around the world. However, in most of West Africa, the economic opportunities offered by vegetables are often undermined by production and trade constraints (i.e. pest damage, inappropriate pesticide usage, absence of environmental safeguard policies and/or stringent food safety standards). Extension workers and, in places, farmers groups and local community organizations, are working towards helping farmers to increase their yields in sustainable ways that create wealth and reduce the risks to productivity. All too often, extension workers do not know the cause of common pest problems in the crops they work with. Pest problems usually arise when the biological, ecological and sociological processes which underpin agriculture are disrupted. This guide helps to fill that information gap. It is one of many responses by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) which enables such workers to develop and use technologies. It focuses on accurate identification and better understanding of biodiversity in the development and application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options against vegetable pests. IPM is a knowledge-intensive approach to enhance profitability of agricultural systems, while minimizing threats to human health and the environment. The technical knowledge and skills in this guide can be used to look for, develop and apply effective vegetable IPM options. The IPM options outlined here are in harmony with the environment, sustainable, simple to apply, and cheap to maintain. The guide addresses IITA’s strategic aim of increasing the quality and usefulness of IPM research in support of reducing food security and poverty. It draws heavily on IITA’s experiences in Africa, with a particular emphasis on vegetable agroecosystems in Benin. Given the substantial economic costs of pest infestations in vegetable agroecosystems, the use of this guide in Africa is expected to improve incomes and overall agricultural productivity in the long-term. Peter Hartmann Director General International Institute of Tropical Agriculture March 2010 ForewordThis guide has been produced by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), Cotonou, Benin, with support from the CGIAR Systemwide Program on Integrated Pest Management (SP-IPM), to improve the quality and usefulness of pest management research. This publication was part funded by the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA)

Improving the Yields in Higher Education: Findings from Lumina Foundation's State-Based Efforts to Increase Productivity in U.S. Higher Education

In 2008, Lumina asked SPEC Associates (SPEC) to evaluate the foundation's grant making aimed at improving the productivity of higher education through statewide policy and program change. The initiative was initially known as Making Opportunity Affordable and later became known more broadly as Lumina's higher education productivity initiative. Eleven states received planning grants in 2008 and a year later seven of these states received multi-year grants to implement their productivity plans. In 2009, Lumina published Four Steps to Finishing First in Higher Education to frame the content of its productivity work. In 2010, the foundation, working with HCM Strategists, launched the Strategy Labs Network to deliver just-in-time technical assistance, engagement, informationsharing and convenings to states. Lumina engaged SPEC to evaluate these productivity investments in the seven states through exploring this over-arching question: What public will building, advocacy, public policy changes, and system or statewide practices are likely to impact higher education productivity for whom and in what circumstances, and which of these are likely to be sustainable, transferable, and/or scalable