Factors Affecting the Competitiveness of the Greek Wine Enterprises and Cooperatives

The present paper investigates the effect of certain economic factors on the competitiveness of Greek Wine Enterprises and Unions of Agricultural Cooperatives (UACs). Data on 41 wineries and 10 UACs of Greece was collected for a period of three years (2004-2006). Financial analysis results were used with the help of a fixed effect model-panel data technique- using profitability as dependent variable in order to measure the competitiveness of wineries. The results indicated that the size of the enterprise as well as the square of the capital intensity have a positive influence on the winery’s profit.competitiveness, profitability, wineries, agricultural cooperatives, Agribusiness,

Potential on Using Cultural Syndromes for Explaining Differences in Attitudes in Northern and Southern EU Countries

Nowadays, it is more realistic to view the development of a new technology as a result of a complex social system of interactions and decisions. Understanding the public's range of views on biotechnology is important for decision makers, in order to be able to anticipate potential acceptance problems or, one step further, to take consumer or public desires and concerns into account so that desirable applications can be developed. Previous work from the same research group, using data from Eurobarometer surveys, was trying to explore the attitudes of the European consumers towards genetic modification of food. Emerging differences in attitudes towards genetically modified food have not been explained adequately in most cases using only sociodemographic variables. In addition strong national differences lead to the idea that cultural differences should also be taken into account, despite the difficulties in formulating specific hypotheses that can be tested empirically. In this paper, in an effort to approach culture in a more clear way, we try to track down and analyse the specific units (customs, traditions, beliefs, and other social norms) that comprise cultures. The notion of cultural syndromes as approached by Triandis is tackled. Furthermore applying data from the European Social Survey (ESS) to Schwartz's value system, our objective is to validate empirically the potential utilisation of Schwartz values to further explain existing differences in attitudes towards GM food among European countries. Further research can lead to a deeper and more precise understanding of cultural differentiation as well as to a more valid cross-cultural theory of attitude formation.attitudes towards genetically modified food, attitude formation, cultural differentiation, cultural syndromes, Consumer/Household Economics,

The adoption of water saving irrigation practices in the Region of West Macedonia

The use of irrigation water for agricultural production requires innovative and sustainable research and an appropriate transfer of water saving technologies. The main aim of this paper is to explore the irrigating behaviour of farmers examining factors affecting their decision to adopt novel water saving practices. In order to achieve the above aim both summary statistics and multivariate methodologies are employed. In particular, a two-step cluster analysis was used to explore the different adoption levels of water saving practices and a categorical regression model was estimated to explain this variation. Data were collected through a survey addressing 400 irrigators, carried out in 2008 in a typical Greek rural area. Results show that although respondents have already adopted several water saving practices the current irrigated agriculture cannot be sustained in a sustainable manner.adoption-diffusion, extension, irrigation, water saving, water policy, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

Understanding Farmers’ Behavior towards Sustainable Practices and Their Perceptions of Risk

Farmers, as the first link in the agri-food value chain, are key in assuring its sustainability. Farmers’ behavior and attitudes towards implementing sustainable farm practices is influenced by their perceptions of risk affecting the farm and their household, either directly or indirectly. In this study, we elicit farmers’ perceived risk perception and preferences and test their robustness and validity using a sample of Greek smallholder farmers since they represent the majority of Greek holdings. Results suggest that farmers exhibit risk aversion in most situations of farm-level decision making. In many situations, farmers will prefer on-farm environmental sustainability strategies over other risk mitigation strategies. More specifically, higher age, higher education, farm size, proportion of rented land, and the existence of a farm succession plan reveal an increase in farmers’ preference for on-farm environmentally sustainable strategies and suggest reduced incentives towards implementing other on-farm or off-farm solutions

Crop biodiversity repercussions of subsidized organic farming in Greece

This paper analyzes the impact of CAP financial assistance on crop biodiversity under uncertainty. A stochastic production function is employed and estimated to assess whether risk-averse farmers hedge risk by diversifying their portfolio of crops, thus increasing crop biodiversity. The model is applied to farm-level data of organic crop farms in Greece. Organic farming financial assistance poses a double-edged sword: even though it is considered agrobiodiversity enhancing as a cultivation method, subsidizing it can become agrobiodiversity reducing, since farmers may select to cultivate only the subsidized crops. The study shows that risk aversion leads to crop biodiversity conservation. However, providing CAP financial assistance on certain crops appears to decrease the relationship between revenue risk management and crop biodiversity, indirectly resulting in crop biodiversity loss

Using Value Priorities to Explain Differences in Attitudes towards Genetically Modified Food

During the last few years the public has become in general more ambivalent towards new technologies and while expecting technological innovation to make their life better, they still old concerns about possible adverse effects deriving from the use of these technologies. The present paper offers a comparative approach on two European member countries concerning attitudes towards genetically modified food. The paper focus on values because previous research has shown that socio-economic factors can only partially explain differences in attitudes towards genetically modified food. Strong national differences lead to the idea that cultural differences should also be taken into account. Following the approach of Schwartz, the scope of this research paper is to analyse cultural priorities concerning genetically modified food at the individual level. Using data collected in Germany and Greece, the suitability of values to express continuous processes of cultural and individual changes is explored in relation to genetically modified food

Potential on Using Cultural Syndromes for Explaining Differences in Attitudes in Northern and Southern EU Countries

Nowadays, it is more realistic to view the development of a new technology as a result of a complex social system of interactions and decisions. Understanding the public's range of views on biotechnology is important for decision makers, in order to be able to anticipate potential acceptance problems or, one step further, to take consumer or public desires and concerns into account so that desirable applications can be developed. Previous work from the same research group, using data from Eurobarometer surveys, was trying to explore the attitudes of the European consumers towards genetic modification of food. Emerging differences in attitudes towards genetically modified food have not been explained adequately in most cases using only sociodemographic variables. In addition strong national differences lead to the idea that cultural differences should also be taken into account, despite the difficulties in formulating specific hypotheses that can be tested empirically. In this paper, in an effort to approach culture in a more clear way, we try to track down and analyse the specific units (customs, traditions, beliefs, and other social norms) that comprise cultures. The notion of cultural syndromes as approached by Triandis is tackled. Furthermore applying data from the European Social Survey (ESS) to Schwartz's value system, our objective is to validate empirically the potential utilisation of Schwartz values to further explain existing differences in attitudes towards GM food among European countries. Further research can lead to a deeper and more precise understanding of cultural differentiation as well as to a more valid cross-cultural theory of attitude formation

Comparing Consumer Attitudes towards Genetically Modified Food in Europe

As biotechnology evolves new methods of genetic engineering are now being applied to the production and processing of foods. This paper is trying to explore the attitudes of the European consumers towards genetic modification of food. Using survey data of the EU member countries the proposed research paper is planned to have a threefold output: 1) providing a comparative ranking of the EU member countries in relation to the prevalence of rejection of genetically modified food, 2) uncovering intra-european differences in genetic food engineering rejection as being based on socio-demographic and informational resp. knowledge based differentials between EU countries and 3) specifying the importance of socio-economic and informational determinants of a potential defender of genetically modified food by estimating the partial effects of age, gender, education, income, family status, size of household, knowledge on genetical food engineering and information use behavior in a multivariate model of the attitudes towards genetically modified food. This causal approach will be followed in selected EU countries representing extreme positions in the EU attitude ranking. By these empirical results the paper is trying to reveal intra-EU differentials of consumer attitudes towards genetically modified food, which is a necessary baseline for adequate and efficient policies in order to satisfy consumer needs for quality and security. The results will also prove helpful to the food industry providing differential information for marketing decisions and focusing adjustments in different EU food markets

Mobile telephony as a change drivers in rural areas

The aim of the paper is to reveal the most important causes of mobile telephony use by rural residents. In particular, the examination of the expected changes due to use of mobile phones and the assessment of the major causes that drive rural residents to desire mobile telephony access constitute the main objective of the paper. In addition, the study extends the employment of binomial econometric methodologies into rural development issues. Interesting results are revealed from the three discrete segments of rural populations regarding the drivers of mobile phone use. The majority of the users belong to the so-called “farmers”, where the dominant causes of mobile phone use are different from the rest ones. More specifically, causes such as region and number of young persons resisting in the households were among the main reasons that compel them to obtain mobile telephony subscription and use