UNDERSTANDING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION THROUGH SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELING: IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT

This work demonstrates the utility of sophisticated simulation tools in aiding agribusiness managers' decision making. The system dynamics model developed here provides insight into the use of such models to evaluate potential adoption rates and diffusion patterns of yield mapping and monitoring technologies. The model allows for comparative analyses of the possible effects of different profit assumptions on adoption and diffusion.Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

When to Replace Machinery Under Accelerated Deprecation Laws

The last several years have seen tax law changes that provide accelerated depreciation for farmers. The most recent tax law is the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002. Accelerated depreciation laws seem to be designed to help stimulate the economy by encouraging farmers to purchase more machinery and to replace machinery more often. Farmers do benefit because lower taxes this year are probably better than lower taxes in future years (as long as marginal tax rates are the same). Less clear, however, is whether farmers should actually replace machinery more frequently. In other words, is the optimal lifespan of an asset reduced due to new. This paper tests for the optimal replacement age under conventional and accelerated deprecation laws and finds that accelerated deprecation laws appear to help farmer

Optimal Machinery Replacement under Accelerated Depreciation

The last several years have seen tax law changes that provide accelerated depreciation for farmers. Accelerated depreciation laws seem to be designed to help stimulate the economy by encouraging farmers to purchase more machinery and to replace machinery more often. Farmers do benefit because lower taxes this year are probably better than lower taxes in future years (as long as marginal tax rates are the same). Less clear, however, is whether farmers should actually replace machinery more frequently. In other words, is the optimal lifespan of an asset reduced due to new. This paper tests for the optimal replacement age under conventional and accelerated deprecation laws and finds that accelerated deprecation laws appear to help farmers. However, the optimal year to replace is not different. This paper introduces stochastic elements into the decision mode

Optimal Machinery Replacement under Accelerated Depreciation

The last several years have seen tax law changes that provide accelerated depreciation for farmers. Accelerated depreciation laws seem to be designed to help stimulate the economy by encouraging farmers to purchase more machinery and to replace machinery more often. Farmers do benefit because lower taxes this year are probably better than lower taxes in future years (as long as marginal tax rates are the same). Less clear, however, is whether farmers should actually replace machinery more frequently. In other words, is the optimal lifespan of an asset reduced due to new. This paper tests for the optimal replacement age under conventional and accelerated deprecation laws and finds that accelerated deprecation laws appear to help farmers. However, the optimal year to replace is not different. This paper introduces stochastic elements into the decision modelFarm Management,

The Xylia Toolkit: Editing XML with Java

This paper presents an overview of the Xylia software library, this library is being designed for the development of user friendly visual editors for the eXtensible Markup Language (XML)[1]. XML is a standard for markup languages. Each language conforming to XML is similar in structure to HTML, but has its own set of permissible tags, and rules about how they may relate. XML is designed to store structured data in a standardized, cross-platform, textual format. The Java programming language and the Swing toolkit from Sun Microsystems [2] are being used to build the library, which is suitable for application developers who wish to create simple, easy to use, robust editors for specific XML languages. Since both technologies are intended to promote cross-platform and cross-application interoperability, they are a good match for each other. 1. Overview The world is embracing the Internet, and the World Wide Web, at an incredible pace. The last 10 years has seen the Internet grow from a small community of mainly academics and governmental institutions, into a world-wide commercial and recreational phenomenon. The possibility of reaching a global audience is more and more a common occurrence. The troubles this brings, while not overpowering the benefits, are diverse and myriad. Simply by the user visiting a web page, software from one Internet source may b

The Role of Farmland in an Investment Portfolio: Analysis of Illinois Endowment Farms

The recent financial crisis has renewed interest in alternative asset classes such as farmland. Previous work has shown that farmland may provide expected return premiums while adding little additional risk to a diversified portfolio. However, these studies have been based on relatively short time periods and aggregated data on farmland returns. This analysis contributes to this literature using farm-level data from the University of Illinois endowment farms, providing additional evidence that farmland could play a favorable role within an investment portfolio. The implications of these results extend to the use of farmland within general investment portfolios

UNDERSTANDING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION THROUGH SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELING: IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT

This work demonstrates the utility of sophisticated simulation tools in aiding agribusiness managers' decision making. The system dynamics model developed here provides insight into the use of such models to evaluate potential adoption rates and diffusion patterns of yield mapping and monitoring technologies. The model allows for comparative analyses of the possible effects of different profit assumptions on adoption and diffusion

A Study of the San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP): Family, School, and Community Committee:

This dissertation is dedicated to my father, Slater Hunter King, who inspired me to work for the educational betterment of all children. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many people that I would like to recognize who inspired me to move down the path of pursuing my career in Higher Education. First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife Esther, who supported me from the very start, and continued to provide me with unconditional love, encouragement, and sustenance during the hard times and the lean times. Her steadfastness in supporting me during this period was the foundation on which our family rested. I am eternally indebted to her for the sacrifices that she made to keep our family safe and secure while I was away on school and business trips. I am especially grateful to my Mother who was always a source of spiritual strength and guidance to me during my tenure as a graduate student. Her special knack of getting me to see the end in the beginning enabled me to enjoy the process of being a student again, as well as kept my eyes fixed on the prize of finishing my coursework in a timely manner