Impact of Technology on the Competitiveness of the Indian Small Manufacturing Sector: A Case Study of the Automotive Component Industry

small-scale enterprises, competitiveness, technology, production function

Is nutritional improvement a cause or a consequence of economic growth? Evidence from Mauritius

Sustained economic growth in Mauritius has resulted in changes in nutrition patterns. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence and direction of causality between calories intake and economic growth. Our results as opposed to findings from the literature, supports the neutrality hypothesis, implying an absence of causality running in either directions. Therefore nutrition policies that are based on reducing calories intake can be envisaged, without negatively impacting on economic growth.

Ozone Externalities on Crop Production: Insights from UK Farm Level Data

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant thought to reduce crop yields across Europe. Much experimental scientific work has been completed or is currently underway to quantify yield effects at ambient ozone levels. In this research, we seek to directly evaluate whether such effects are observed at the farm level. We use both primal (production function) as well as dual (profit function) methods, with ozone as a fixed input, to explore the extent to which output and profits are affected by ozone in the UK. A panel dataset on UK farms is intersected with spatial data on ozone, and panel data production and profit function estimation methods are used. The production function does predict a statistically significant negative effect of ozone on wheat yields at the farm level. However, this elasticity is small, and indicates that ozone is unlikely to result in the imposition of substantial external costs on wheat production. The profit function implications regarding ozone are less clear. Although the estimates indicate that ozone depresses wheat farm profits and wheat supply, the elasticities are statistically insignificant, and few definite conclusions can be drawn. We conclude that the farm-level evidence does not show a substantial ozone effect in the UK, and that it may be wise to interpret economic valuations based upon experimental results with some caution.ozone, wheat, crop production, production function, profit function, Crop Production/Industries, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q4, P2,

Will rising household incomes solve China's micronutrient deficiency problems?

Rapid economic growth in China has resulted in substantially improved household incomes. Diets have also changed, with a movement away from traditional foods and towards animal products and processed foods. Yet micronutrient deficiencies, particularly for calcium and vitamin A, are still widespread in China. In this research we model the determinants of the intakes of these micronutrients using household panel data, asking particularly whether continuing income increases are likely to cause the deficiencies to be overcome. Nonparametric kernel regressions and random effects panel regression models are employed. The results show a statistically significant but relatively small positive income effect on both nutrient intakes. The local availability of milk is seen to have a strong positive effect on intakes of both micronutrients. Thus, rather than relying on increasing incomes to overcome deficiencies, supplementary government policies, such as school milk programmes, may be warranted.

Determinants of Firm-level Export Performance: A Case Study of Indian Textile Garments and Apparel Industry

Drawing on international trade and industrial organisation theories, this paper identifies variable affecting (a) export decision function i.e. to export or sell in domestic market, and (b) export performance function i.e. share of exports in output. These functions are estimated for Garment and Apparel producing units in Delhi. Form of business organisation reflecting access to capital turns out to be a key determinant in both functions. Estimated marginal impact of identified variables (scale and share of sales expenses) on the probability of exporting in estimated Probit model declines sharply in making from single proprietorship to partnership and further to limited companies. On the other hand, every single determinant (scale, share of wages, share of sales expenses and technical efficiency) has found to have increasing marginal impact on export performance in estimated Tobit model in moving across the three forms of business organisation. Empirical results suggest two policy changes to boost export performance. One, given the importance of scale for exports, the existing policy of reserving garments and apparel for exclusive production in small scale units needs to be scrapped. Simultaneously, it is also necessary to amend current labour legislation applicable to large scale factory units as it introduces labour market inflexibility and hence serves as an impediment to expansion of existing units and entry of new units.Tobit Model, Business Organization, Economies of Scale

Preliminary Assessment Of Conditions Influencing Agrobacterium Rhizogenes- Mediated Transformation Of Eurycoma Longifolia Jack. Somatic Embryos

Effective propagation of in vitro callus, shoot, plantlet and somatic embryo cultures of Eurycoma longifolia was achieved using micropropagation technique. In vitro shoots, somatic embryos and plantlet cultures were used for conducting histological and SEM analysis, chemotaxis assays and transformation with four different Agrobacterium rhizogenes disarmed strains. Histological analysis and SEM observations revealed that somatic embryos of Eurycoma longifolia share similar traits with zygotic embryos. Positive chemotactic responses of A. rhizogenes towards somatic embryo explants were detected using swarm plate assay. In vitro shoot and plantlet cultures were used to obtain leaves, stems and rachis explants for transformation. Hairy root-like structures were seen emerging from in vitro stem explants co-cultivated with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain AR14. However, the number of explants expressing these hairy root-like structures was too low to be confirmed using GUS assay or PCR based detection of transgenes. Transformation optimisations with somatic embryo explants were conducted by analysing the effect of four different factors on the GUS positive frequency. It was ascertained that AR12 is the most virulent and suitable Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain for transformation of E. longifolia somatic embryos