Effect of noncognitive skills on young peoples’ outcomes in England

This thesis adds to the current literature on the importance of noncognitive skills, namely locus of control and effort in determining short-term and longer-term educational and labour market outcomes, of young people in England. We use a cohort study ‘Next Steps’ that follows millennials born in 1989 to 1990 from age 13/14 until they are 25 to examine the effect of locus of control and effort at age 14/15 in determining short-term outcomes of pathways of further education, employment or ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’ (NEET) after compulsory schooling in Chapter 4, and NEET duration in Chapter 5, and longer-term outcomes of employment, earnings and well-being outcomes in adulthood in Chapter 6. We found that effort is more important compared to locus of control in determining short-term outcomes of pathways of young people at age 16/17 and age 18/19 in Chapter 4. The result is rational as our measures of noncognitive skills effort capture the self-rate ability of hard work of young people staying in further education, employment or NEET. Locus of control is more significant compared to effort in determining NEET duration at age 16/17 to age 19/20. We are only looking at young people who are NEET, and as such, it may explain why locus of control is more significant when looking at this outcome. Most importantly, locus of control and effort are both significant in deciding longer-term outcomes of educational, employment, earnings and well-being at age 25. Effort is significant in determining educational, and well-being, and locus of control is significant in determining all long-term outcomes. Thus, this thesis contributes to the literature by providing consistent evidence of significance of noncognitive skills throughout different stages of the life of young people

Technical efficiency estimates of paddy farming in peninsular Malaysia : a comparative analysis

Estimating technical efficiency of production techn ology is important for policy purposes, particularl y for a sector which has strategic importance in self sufficiency level such as paddy farming. This study compared te chnical efficiency of paddy farming in east coast and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia by using data envelopm ent analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). Prima ry data were collected using a set of structured qu estionnaire from 230 farmers in east coast and west coast of Pe ninsular Malaysia. The data are analyzed by using D EA and SFA. The results indicated that the differences in methodologies employed produced different efficienc y estimates. The DEA result showed that efficiency score for Pen insular Malaysia is 56%, which is lower from the ef ficiency score obtained using the SFA at 69%. Due to the lar ge differences in technical efficiency results, rec ommendation for policy purpose should not depend on only one me thod as it is inaccurate

Construct validation of supply chain management in cooperative

This study attempts to analyze construct in supply chain and to determine which construct contribute to performance of agricultural cooperatives in Malaysia. The primary data is collected via questionnaire from top level management of agricultural cooperatives using 5-item Likert scale. Factor analysis and structural equations modeling were used to analyze the data. Findings show that cooperatives places importance on quality and technology, logistic, supplier and governance. As a whole, supply chain is significance in determining performance. However, governance alone is not significant in determining performance. The empirical result could be used to improve further studies in supply chain management.Agricultural cooperatives; supply chain management model

Acreage response of rice: A case study in Malaysia

This paper serves as preliminary study to investigate the relative impacts of various factors on acreage response of rice in Malaysia. The findings provide mixed signals which are different from other rice production countries. Hence, future studies are deemed essential to probe the issues with justifications by looking at the connection of Malaysian paddy production and economic theory, as well as implications to policymakers.Acreage response, rice, paddy

Supply and Demand Model for the Malaysian Cocoa Market

This paper investigates a system of supply, demand, and price equations for Malaysian cocoa using annual data over the period 1975-2008. Theoretically, in supply and demand models, the price variable is treated as endogenous. However, Hausman specification test result indicates that there is no simultaneity problem in the model. Thus, we estimate the system of equations utilizing the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) estimation technique which might be considered a more efficient estimator for supply and demand model of the Malaysian cocoa. The results suggest that the Malaysian cocoa production is mainly affected by the previous year production, price of cocoa beans at lag two as well as the harvested area. In the export demand equation, the real effective exchange rates is statistically significant determinant while the index of industrial production of advanced economies and the world price of cocoa are found to be insignificant. The results also suggest that both Malaysian industrial production index and domestic price of cocoa beans are key determinants of domestic demand for cocoa beans in Malaysia. Finally, the domestic price of cocoa beans is highly sensitive to its domestic consumption, lagged domestic price, and its world price.Supply and Demand; Malaysian Cocoa; SUR technique

Malaysian Cocoa Market Modeling: A Combination of Econometric and System Dynamics Approach

The Malaysian cocoa sector has undergone dramatic changes during the last few decades. In the early years of 1970s, this sector has maintained an upward trend in the area and consequently the production. However, the trend reversed in the late 1980s due to factors such as declining world prices, higher labour costs, widespread of cocoa pod diseases and the pull of more lucrative crops (in particular palm oil). By 2008 only about 19,976 hectares were planted with cocoa compared to a peak of 414,236 ha in 1989. Production of cocoa beans has trended down accordingly. The study combines the econometric and system dynamics approach in modeling the Malaysian cocoa market. A first order system was developed to capture the interdependencies of the major structural elements of the markets such as production, local and export demands, inventory and imports. Nevertheless, the model provides an understanding of the interrelationships between the system components and allows the simulation of policy variables changes. Future work will involve a detail examination of the interaction cocoa supply chain system (from farm to export) to provide a much more comprehensive representations of the dynamics of the market.Econometric methods; system dynamics; Malaysian cocoa market

Construct validation of supply chain management in cooperative

This study attempts to analyze construct in supply chain and to determine which construct contribute to performance of agricultural cooperatives in Malaysia. The primary data is collected via questionnaire from top level management of agricultural cooperatives using 5-item Likert scale. Factor analysis and structural equations modeling were used to analyze the data. Findings show that cooperatives places importance on quality and technology, logistic, supplier and governance. As a whole, supply chain is significance in determining performance. However, governance alone is not significant in determining performance. The empirical result could be used to improve further studies in supply chain management

Determining the elements in supply chain model of the Malaysia agricultural co-operatives

In Malaysia, cooperatives are viewed as a developing sector, yet agricultural cooperatives are still lagging behind in terms of a number of factors mainly in supply chain system. Thus, this study attempts to examine the elements contributing to the supply chain model in Malaysian agricultural cooperatives. The primary data is collected via survey using questionnaire from agricultural-based cooperatives, farmers' cooperatives and fishermen's cooperatives. Factor analysis and structural equations modeling were used to analyze the data. Findings show quality, technology and marketing, logistic, governance and quality of workforce, suppliers and optimum level of production, quality work life and efficient technology and experienced and trained worker are significant in determining the supply chain of Malaysian agricultural cooperatives

Acreage response of rice: A case study in Malaysia

This paper serves as preliminary study to investigate the relative impacts of various factors on acreage response of rice in Malaysia. The findings provide mixed signals which are different from other rice production countries. Hence, future studies are deemed essential to probe the issues with justifications by looking at the connection of Malaysian paddy production and economic theory, as well as implications to policymakers

Acreage response of rice: A case study in Malaysia

This paper serves as preliminary study to investigate the relative impacts of various factors on acreage response of rice in Malaysia. The findings provide mixed signals which are different from other rice production countries. Hence, future studies are deemed essential to probe the issues with justifications by looking at the connection of Malaysian paddy production and economic theory, as well as implications to policymakers