Crop Flexibility in Dryland Corn and Soybeans Using Predicted Yields and Prices

Crop Production/Industries,

Inculcating employability skill sets in Undergraduates through employability embedded courses: students experience anatomisation

Embedding employability skill sets into management education is important yet the experience student stakeholder gains on employability embedded courses remains unclear. We examine undergraduate student experience of the learning outcomes of workrelated employability course. The survey results suggest mode of delivery and problems encountered with the course content are factors that sum up their total experiences. The results also indicate a triad consisting of difficulty of the course content, student’s work experience and satisfaction with the course content are strongly associated in determining students’ experiences. We discuss the implications of these findings for employability embedded curriculum development theory and practice

Ecology of emergency care in lower-tier healthcare providers in Ghana: An empirical data-driven Bayesian network analytical approach

The healthcare landscape in Ghana is primarily composed of lower-tier providers, which serve as the initial point of contact for most medical emergencies. This study aimed to assess the emergency care preparedness and readiness of primary healthcare providers using a robust evaluation approach. A multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 460 healthcare facilities using the standardised Health Facilities Emergency Preparedness Assessment Tool (HeFEPAT). Data were analysed via Bayesian Belief network. Emergency preparedness was associated with facility location, type, ownership, and in-charge personnel. Over 70% of facilities lacked specialised emergency/critical care personnel. Although 65% of in-charges reported protocol knowledge, only 7.8% could execute cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 90% of facilities lacked onsite defibrillators, and over 80% had no cerebrovascular accident medications. Road traffic accident protocols were largely unavailable, with an estimated 53% probability of lacking such protocols. Private-owned facilities were more likely to lack protocols for road traffic accidents (76% vs 20% probability) and general acute care (62% vs 32%) compared to government-owned facilities. Significant gaps in emergency preparedness were identified across the studied health facilities, indicating limited capacity to manage critical situations effectively. Urgent investments in emergency medicine training, essential resources, and evidence-based protocols are needed. Standardised emergency preparedness assessments should be implemented for accreditation and quality improvement. Further research can inform the development of national guidelines and targeted interventions to strengthen emergency response capacities

Use of rainfall indices to analyze the effects of phosphate rocks on millet in the Sahel

Two critical factors that explain low crop productivity in the Sahelian agro-ecozone are inadequate moisture and poor soils, particularly phosphorus (P) deficiency. The purpose of this long-term study was to explore the use of both local phosphate rock (PR) and inorganic P on yields and risk of millet returns under the uncertain rainfall regimes in the Sahel. Using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Percent Confidence Limits (PCL) of the mean rainfall, the 10-year experimental period was grouped into rainfall classes. Results showed that the inorganic P fertilizers, that is, single superphosphate and triple superphosphate (SSP+N and TSP) gave the highest average yields. Also, millet yield increased with increasing P rates. However, typical farmers in the Sahel barely use P rates above 20 kg ha-1 in view of the high cost of imported fertilizers. A low application rate of the local PR, 10 kg P ha-1, increased millet yield between 44 and 67%. Stability analysis using yields from 15 farmers’ fields indicated that the traditional method of growing millet was the least stable (s.e. = 225) and had the lowest yield (314 kg ha-1). Generally, millet responded to P better when the preseason (May-June) were wet than dry, except where the non-acidulated PR (PRA) was applied every year (R2=0.99, P < 0.01) for both dry and wet preseasons. Risk analysis showed that acidulated PR regardless of rates gave the highest millet returns over variable cost of P fertilizer. The study recommends the promotion PR in order to guarantee stable yields and income for small farmers in the Sahel

Trend and stability analyses of millet yields treated with fertilizer and crop residues in the Sahel

Pearl millet (Penisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) is a major food crop grown on impoverished sandy soils in the Sahel. A 9-year long-term study was undertaken in the Sahel to test the hypothesis that integrated use of millet crop residues retained on farm fields after harvest and mineral fertilizers results in greater and more sustainable yields and conserve soil fertility better than either the use of residue or fertilizer alone. The four treatments compared were: (1) control (crop residue removed and no fertilizer applied), (2) crop residue alone, (3) 30 kg N+13 kg P ha-1 (fertilizer) alone and (4) crop residue+fertilizer. Use of crop residue+fertilizer increased grain yield fourfold over the control; use of fertilizer doubled millet yield relative to the control and crop residues resulted in 1.2 times more yield than the control. Crop residues significantly improved nutrient-use efficiency of the applied fertilizer. Sustainability yield index (SYI), a measure of an upward trend in yield over time, was greatest in crop residue+fertilizer plots as are soil organic carbon, available P and pH. Stability analysis indicated that crop residue+fertilizer treatment gave in greater yields and returns over fertilizer cost in the various seasons than either crop residue or fertilizer

Towards a Framework for Understanding Ethnic Consumers' Acculturation Strategies in a Multicultural Environment: A Food Consumption Perspective

© Bidit Lal Dey, Sharifah Alwi, Fred Yamoah, Stephanie Agyepongmaa Agyepong, Hatice Kizgin andMeera Sarma. Purpose – While it is essential to further research the growing diversity in Western metropolitan cities, little is currently known about how the members of various ethnic communities acculturate to multicultural societies. The purpose of this paper is to explore immigrants’ cosmopolitanism and acculturation strategies through an analysis of the food consumption behaviour of ethnic consumers in multicultural London. Design/Methodology/Approach – The study was set within the socio-cultural context of London. A number of qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observation and photographs were used to assess consumers’ acculturation strategies in a multicultural environment and how that is influenced by consumer cosmopolitanism. Findings – Ethnic consumers’ food consumption behaviour reflects their acculturation strategies, which can be classified into four groups: rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment. This classification demonstrates ethnic consumers’ multi-directional acculturation strategies, which are also determined by their level of cosmopolitanism. Research implications/limitations – The taxonomy presented in this paper advances current acculturation scholarship by suggesting a multi-directional model for acculturation strategies as opposed to the existing uni-directional and bi-directional perspectives and explicates the role of consumer cosmopolitanism in consumer acculturation. The paper did not engage host communities and there is hence a need for future research on how and to what extent host communities are acculturated to the multicultural environment. Practical implications – The findings have direct implications for the choice of standardization versus adaptation as a marketing strategy within multicultural cities. Whilst the rebellion group are more likely to respond to standardization, increasing adaptation of goods and service can ideally target members of the resistance and resonance groups and more fusion products should be exclusively earmarked for the resonance group. Originality/Value – The paper makes original contribution by introducing a multi-directional perspective to acculturation by delineating four-group taxonomy (rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment). This paper also presents a dynamic model that captures how consumer cosmopolitanism impinges upon the process and outcome of multi-directional acculturation strategies

Simulated weather variables effects on millet fertilized with phosphate rock in the Sahel

The Sudano–Sahelian agroecological zone is characterized by low and variable rainfall regimes and P deficiency. The present study complements previous research efforts and the objective was (i) to use the Newhall Simulation Model (NSM) to characterize three ICRISAT research sites, and (ii) to use output of NSM to develop an empirical model to guide efficient use of rainfall and fertilizers. The results show that length of the periods that rainfall exceeded evapotranspiration was larger in Bengou than in Gobery and Sadoré. Total positive moisture balance during the three growing seasons was 85.7 mm at Bengou and 19.7 mm at Sadoré. The model explained 52% of the variability in millet yields based on curvilinear response to P fertilizer, standardized May–June (Rmj) rainfall, and the number of wet days in the year (BW3). Yields appear more sensitive to BW3 than to Rmj. Their respective elasticity coefficients (E c ) were 0.62 and 0.09. Assessment of the model using R2=0.76 and the D-index = 0.85 showed reasonable agreement between model estimation and actual field yields. The study demonstrates the application of simulation models as a cost-effective means in terms of time and funds to agronomic researc

Enhancing life cycle product design decision-making processes: insights from normal accident theory and satisficing framework

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a computational tool used in sustainable product design decision making, faces challenges in the interpretation phase, where conclusions are drawn for improvement recommendations. This necessitate the need to incorporate into LCA management-relevant theoretical underpinnings to strengthen decision-making processes. Comparative LCA case studies of lead-based piezoelectric material (lead zirconate titanate – PZT) and lead-free alternatives (potassium sodium niobate – KNN, sodium bismuth titanate – NBT), was employed to demonstrate how two theoretical lenses, namely Normal Accident Theory (NAT) and Satisficing Framework, are used inductively to enhance decision making regarding unintended consequences in the value chain revealed by LCA outputs. The environmental analysis reveals NAT attributes of interactive complexity and tight coupling in piezoelectric materials, based on systems’ predictability, observability, and applicability, leading to the introduction of Environmental Impact Accident (EIA) as a new concept. EIA facilitates early assessment of the associated complexities influencing the sustainability credentials of piezoelectric materials, informing mitigation strategies. However, a conundrum is created when considering multiple objectives that conflict or trade-off between alternative piezoelectric materials with different environmental and health impacts across the value chain but was resolved using the Satisficing Framework. The paper concludes by proposing theoretical and practical policy options for incorporating LCA into product life cycle decision making

Enhancing life cycle product design decision-making processes : insights from normal accident theory and the satisficing framework

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a computational tool for enabling sustainable product design decision making, faces challenges in the interpretation phase, where conclusions are drawn for improvement recommendations. This necessitate the need to incorporate into LCA management-relevant theoretical underpinnings to strengthen decision-making processes. Comparative LCA case studies of lead-based piezoelectric material (lead zirconate titanate – PZT) and lead-free alternatives (potassium sodium niobate – KNN, sodium bismuth titanate – NBT), was employed to demonstrate how two theoretical lenses, namely Normal Accident Theory (NAT) and the Satisficing Framework, are used inductively to enhance decision making regarding unintended consequences in the value chain. By operationalising NAT, which has hitherto focused on the consequences of physical accidents, as a life cycle engineering-based methodology, NAT attributes of interactive complexity and tight coupling was revealed in piezoelectric materials, based on environmental systems’ predictability, observability, and applicability. This led to the introduction of Environmental Impact Accident (EIA) as a new concept, facilitating an early assessment of the associated complexities influencing the sustainability credentials of piezoelectric materials whilst informing mitigation strategies. However, when considering multiple objectives that conflict or trade-off between alternative piezoelectric materials with different environmental and health impacts across the value chain, a conundrum is created but resolved using the Satisficing Framework. The paper concludes by proposing theoretical and practical policy options for incorporating LCA into product life cycle decision making

Small Sums, Big Impact: Corruption and Microfinance Institutions

Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have been promoted worldwide as developmental platforms that can help eliminate some of the major global challenges such as poverty and economic development. The effectiveness of using MFIs to fulfill such expectations depends on their performance, which can be affected by a range of institutional factors such as corruption, rule of law and financial sector development. However, there is a lack of clarity on whether these factors are performance inhibitors or promoters. Using gender as a mediating factor, this study develops and tests these relationships on MFI performance, with the aim of contributing to research on institutions and corruption in the Global South. Drawing on the MFI performance model, the study uses data on MFIs operating in 33 African countries. The results reveal that the control of corruption reduces MFIs’ operating expenditure, while the control of corruption increases MFIs’ operating income. Drawing from the essentialist perspective of the theory of Social Construction of Gender, it is argued that female borrowers from MFIs are shown to have a mediating impact on the relationship between the variables tested (such as control of corruption) and MFI performance. The study also has public policy relevance for nations seeking to use MFIs as means of fostering entrepreneurship and economic development