Cloud Computing As a Tool for Enhancing Ecological Goals?

Cloud computing has been introduced as a promising information technology (IT) that embodies not only economic advantages in terms of increased efficiency but also ecological gains through saving energy. The latter has become particularly important in view of the rising energy costs of IT. The present study analyzes whether necessary preconditions for accepting cloud computing as a new infrastructure, such as awareness and perceived net value, exist on the part of the users. The analysis is based on a combined research framework of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) in a cloud computing setting. Two consumer surveys, the one to elicit beliefs and the second to gain insight into the ranking of the variables, are employed. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the hypotheses. The results indicate support for the proposed research framework. Surprisingly however, the ecological factor does not play a role in forming cloud computing intentions, regardless of prior knowledge or experience. Empirical evidence of this study suggests increasing efforts for informing actual and potential users, particularly in respect to possible ecological advantages through applying the new IT infrastructure

Agricultural contracts, adverse selection, and multiple inputs

A significant and growing share of US agricultural output is produced under a production or marketing contract. An important controversy regarding agricultural production contracts is the control of non-labor inputs. Over time, contracts have tended to place more inputs under the buyer’s control and fewer under the farmer’s. This analysis examines the welfare effects of this trend. In the framework considered here, returns are reduced for some farmers and left unaffected for others. Returns to the buyer increase. The net effect on total surplus has two components. Output is higher when the buyer controls the input, due to lower information rents accruing to more productive farmers. However, this reduction distorts input use away from the production cost-minimizing level, which is costly. The net effect on total surplus depends primarily on the elasticity of substitution between inputs. Given the limited substitutability between labor and non-labor inputs in many agricultural activities, the analysis suggests that greater control of non-labor inputs by the buyer increases total surplus. The increase in returns to the buyer is consistent with the growing share of output produced under vertical coordination and the tendency to specify a greater number of production activities rather than allowing farmers to make their own decisions. The reduction in the returns obtained by some farmers is consistent with farmers’ opposition to such requirements

Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in Asian Tourism and Hospitality Research: A Systematic Review

During the recent years, a growing number of tourism and hospitality researchers have used partial least squares structural equation modeling in their studies. However, little is known about the application of PLS-SEM in Asian tourism and hospitality research. This chapter was conducted to fill this research gap by assessing to what extent Asian research in tourism and hospitality has followed the guidelines recommended by the most prominent literature on PLS-SEM. Sixty-four partial least squares structural equation modeling studies conducted by Asian researchers and/or on Asian contexts that were published in 66 tourism and hospitality journals from 2000 to the end of February 2017 were systematically reviewed. The results identified some weaknesses in conducting the analysis which should be addressed in future empirical studies. The results of this systematic review provide tourism and hospitality researchers with best practice guidelines for conducting partial least squares structural equation modeling in their studies

Host coexistence in a model for two host\u2013one parasitoid interactions

Building from a continuous-time host\u2013parasitoid model introduced by Murdoch et al. (Am Nat 129:263\u2013282, 1987), we study the dynamics of a 2 host\u2013parasitoid model assuming, for the sake of simplicity, that larval stages have a fixed duration. If each host is subjected to density-dependent mortality in its larval stage, we obtain explicit conditions for the existence of an equilibrium where the two host species coexist with the parasitoid. However, if host demography is density-independent, equilibrium coexistence is impossible. If at least one of the 1 host\u2013parasitoid systems has an oscillatory dynamics (which happens under some parameter values), we found, through numerical bifurcation, that coexistence is favoured. Coexistence between the two hosts may occur along a periodic solution even without density-dependence. Models of this type may be relevant for the use of parasitoids as biocontrol agents of insect pests