Capital Productivity Research Articles

The Impact of Fertilizer Subsidy Policies on The Profits and Welfare of Rice Farmers: Lessons from Sumbawa West District

The objectives of this study were to analyze the impact of fertilizer subsidy policies on production, profits, and surplus of rice farmers, and to compare productivity, profits, and surplus of rice farmers. The study was conducted in Brang Rea District, West Sumbawa Regency. The respondents in this study were farmers who owned rice farmers with details of 30 farmers who received fertilizer subsidies and 30 farmers who did not receive fertilizer subsidies. Data were collected through observation, surveys, and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using the optimization of the Cobb-Douglas production and profit functions. The results of the study concluded that the impact of fertilizer subsidy policies on production was positive and significant, while the impact on profits was positive but not significant. There was a significant difference between productivity and capital costs or production facility costs between the group of farmers who received fertilizer subsidies and the group of farmers who did not receive fertilizer subsidies, but there was a difference in labor costs and profits but not significant. The level of farmer welfare in the group of farmers who received subsidies was higher than the group of farmers who did not receive subsidies.

An Evaluation of the Public Service of the Integrated Municipal Management of Urban Solid Waste in the Galapagos and the Amazonian Region of Ecuador

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation has become an issue for local governments due to the growing population and rising consumption. The aim of the present study was to assess the public service of SW in relation to technical, environmental, economic, social, legal, and quality indicators. Additionally, this research aimed to ascertain the waste generation and per capita production (PPC) of the municipal administration of the cantons of Loreto, Francisco de Orellana, Aguarico (province of Orellana, Ecuadorian Amazonian lowland), and Santa Cruz (Galapagos Islands). Additionally, the tariff model for small-category cantons were determined. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, along with a field visit, were used. As a result, from the evaluation, it was determined that the technical aspects of the municipal administration of the canton Loreto were found to have a 41.30% Conformity (C), 28.26% Minor Non-Conformity (NC−), and 30.44% Major Non-Conformity (NC+). Likewise, the canton of Francisco de Orellana showed 29.5% (C), 37.21% (NC−), and 33.29% (NC+), while the canton of Aguarico presented 25.6% (C), 43.83% (NC−), and 31.74% (NC+). Finally, the canton of Santa Cruz showed 71.74% (C), 28.26% (NC−), and 0% (NC+). Furthermore, in relation to the other aspects, the municipal administration presented Major Non-Conformity (NC+), since the final disposal phase was poorly handled. This phase is the most crucial because it pollutes the environment if it is not controlled technically. In terms of the production of municipal solid waste (MSW), the cantons of Francisco de Orellana, Loreto, and Aguarico produced 83.97 tons per day and 0.85 kg/inhab/day, 19.5 tons per day (MSW) and 0.7 kg/inhab/day, and 18.60 tons per day with 0.911 kg/inhab/day, respectively. In conclusion, this study made it possible to provide the groundwork for a management model for small-category canton municipalities that is based on the inclusive circular economy and the tariff system. This model could be used to uphold sustainability and improve the all-inclusive municipal management service of MSW in small municipalities.

Who is the best insurance buyer? Financing the capital-constrained manufacturer with trade credit insurance

Reverse factoring is a widely used finance solution for capital-constrained upstream enterprises. To effectively avoid the risk of unpaid debt, the integration of trade credit insurance (TCI) into factoring finance, encompassing reverse factoring, has gained increasing popularity. Motivated by the practice that both manufacturers and factors can act as TCI buyers, this study examines the decision analysis in two TCI schemes, i.e. the manufacturer-insured TCI (MI) and the factor-insured TCI (FI), on optimal decisions and profits of supply chain participants through game analysis. We find that when the manufacturer is highly capital-constrained, compared with the benchmark scenario without insurance, both MI and FI can generate higher profits for the retailer and the manufacturer. Through comparative analysis, we show that the manufacturer’s initial capital and unit production cost affect participants’ preferences in insurance options. Specifically, the retailer prefers MI if the unit production cost is high and prefers FI otherwise, and the factor chooses MI if the unit production cost is relatively low and the capital constraint is relatively high and prefers FI otherwise. Furthermore, FI scheme can achieve Pareto improvement for all participants if the manufacturer’s capital constraint is at a medium level.

Las máquinas deseantes de la cuentística regionalista centroamericana, 1930-1950

This comparative work approaches five regionalist short stories from the Central American canon of the first half of the twentieth century. I propose to read the afflictions their main characters suffer as a metaphysical dissidence against the effects of the colonial-imperialistcapitalist complex in Central American society. To this end, I identify pairs of antithetical images that disconnect the land from the regionalist characters, on the one hand, and that reconnect them with nature, on the other. Based on the notion of desiring machines by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, I approach these images as the production of literary machines that produce flights of desire in the social production of capitalism.

Σχολή and otium: receptions of the ancient understanding of leisure for the modern world

The article is devoted to the analysis of the phenomenon of leisure in the ancient Greek and Roman philosophical tradition. The need for this analysis comes from the current situation of leisure, which turns out to be included in the processes of capitalist production. The alienation of leisure by capital puts a person in a situation where a person does not have time that belongs to him. In the light of this problem, it is proposed to rethink the concept of "leisure" based on ancient Greek and Roman authors. In the course of the study, it turns out that these two traditions are united by the interpretation of leisure as time devoted to intellectual and spiritual improvement, reflection leading to a virtuous lifestyle. At the end of the article, an attempt is made to shift this interpretation to modern social reality. The conclusion of the article is the hypothesis that leisure as a certain intellectual effort helps an individual to reorient his active life, filling it with real, meaningful and creative content.

Exploration of the Impact of Digital Labor on the Capital Production Process based on Big Data Algorithms

In the era of digital economy, the computing and storage capabilities of computers drive the rapid development of digital technologies such as big data algorithms. Digital capital relies on digital technology to establish digital enterprises, making digital labor a new form of labor. However, there is controversy in academia over whether digital labor creates value and surplus value. This article analyzes the impact of digital labor on capital production from the perspective of big data algorithms, and finds that although digital labor changes the premise of capital production, it still belongs to "productive labor" and can create value and surplus value. On the surface, digital enterprises provide free and flexible work, but in reality, they are conducive to capital production. By monitoring workers through big data algorithms, they ensure production efficiency and quality. This "zero cost" form of employment breaks the capital limit of increasing the number of employees and enables the rapid proliferation of digital capital. Therefore, digital labor has not changed the essence of capital production, but has made digital labor production appear "technologically invisible" through the use of digital technology.

Chasing a Mirage? A Quest for Food Security through Commercial Farming Schemes in the Pandamatenga Region of Botswana, 1983–2000

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the efforts of the Botswana government to support commercial grain farming as a strategy to achieve long-term food security, largely through increased agricultural productivity. It examines the possibilities for achieving greater food security between 1983 and 2000 through a state-sponsored model of large-scale capitalist production of grain crops at Pandamatenga village, a borderland hamlet in Chobe District in north-western Botswana. The article traces the development of the first attempt at commercial farming by selected indigenous farmers and how the project later collapsed, necessitating recruitment of experienced white expatriate farmers. It argues that, although commercial farming provided possibilities for improved productivity and a modicum of food security as well as expanded employment and the transfer of skills, it was limited by the fact that it was dominated by expatriate growers, excluding indigenous farmers in the area, and the fact that food insecurity is itself the result of inequality and constrained purchasing household levels.

The impact of digitalization on economic activity in Sub-Saharan Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between digitalization and economic activity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study also aims to discuss the effects of digitalization on human capital, financial development, institutional quality and firm-level productivity and how these channels matter for the relationship between digitalization and economic activity.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs two-stage least squares (2SLS) on an unbalanced panel data set comprising 33 SSA countries over the period from 1996 to 2019. This methodology addresses the potential endogeneity between digitalization and economic activity.FindingsThe results indicate that digitalization has a statistically significant positive effect on the level of per capita GDP in SSA countries. Specifically, a one percentage point increase in the digitalization index is associated with a 2.13% increase in gross domestic product per capita. The study discusses some of the channels through which this effect manifests.Originality/valueThe study comprehensively examines the impact of digitalization on economic activity in SSA. The study also attempts to address the potential endogeneity issues in the relationship and discusses the mechanisms at work.

Analysis of Carbon Emission Reduction Potential in the Pilot of a "Zero-free City" in Chongqing

The construction of "zero-free cities" is an effective plan to achieve the carbon peak plan, reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and promote a circular economy. Based on the WARM model and Emission factor method, the total carbon emission reduction of solid waste sources and disposal in each field during the implementation of the zero-free city policy in Chongqing （2017-2021） was calculated, and the total carbon emission reduction of solid waste in each field in 2025 was predicted by scenario. The results showed that： ① After the implementation of cleaner production and green manufacturing policies in Chongqing, the generation intensity of general industrial solid waste decreased to 0.20 t·（104 yuan）-1 in 2021, and the carbon emission reduction in the industrial sector had been increasing since 2020. Due to the growth of the economy and living level, the per capita production of food waste, domestic waste, and e-waste increased, failing to reduce emissions at the source in these areas. In addition, the promotion of green food and organic agricultural products and the restriction of the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides could be strengthened to further reduce source emissions in the agricultural field. ② General industrial solid waste, construction waste, and straw were the key areas to achieve carbon emission reduction, and their carbon emission reductions were predicted to increase to 2 796.64×104, 538.54×104, and 99.07×104 t in 2021. Respectively, reducing the landfill volume in the above fields is the key to emission reduction. In the field of daily life, the collection and transportation of solid waste should be improved, the sorting process and disposal facilities should be refined, and the resource recycling rate should be improved to reduce its carbon emissions. Due to the improvement of the collection level and the application of straw feed and fertilizer, the carbon emission reduction of straw and agricultural film is generally rising, and the proportion of straw and livestock manure directly returned to the field should be reduced in the agricultural field, and the allocation of biomass disposal facilities to promote the co-disposal of the two may be the best means of carbon emission reduction. ③ In 2025, the predicted carbon emission reductions in Chongqing under the BAU scenario and the PLAN scenario were 2 289.78×104 and 2 750.31×104 t, respectively, indicating that the upgrading and transformation of local industries and the large-scale scale of the renewable resources industry have achieved good carbon reduction benefits. With the construction and improvement of various waste disposal facilities in 2025, the carbon emission reduction of the solid waste disposal process in various fields will continue to increase, but the carbon emissions of hazardous waste, municipal sludge, and livestock and poultry manure will still be in a state of growth due to the possible increase in total output in the future.

Nature, activity, and social drivers of mental resilience: a test with mid-life women surfers

ABSTRACT Nature exposure improves mental health, human capital, and economic productivity. Outcomes are well established, drivers and mechanisms less so. Thrill + skill activities, additional to exercise and nature, are least studied. We analyse their effects for 40 mid-life women surfers in 16 countries, contrasted with 16 women hikers. We use an 11-year ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis under interpretive grounded theory. The surfers perceive that surfing strongly improves their mental resilience to stress, irrespective of any concurrent clinical therapy. They identify three drivers and mechanisms: nature, creating happiness or joy; activity, creating thrill, triumph and self-esteem; and social, support and friendship from other women surfers. They perceive these as building a cumulative buffer of gratitude for life, which provides resilience against setbacks. In large-scale implementation of nature-based mental healthcare, both nature-only and nature + adventure products are valuable. The outdoor recreation sector provides practical options.

The Production Scale of the Coconut Sugar Commodities in Purbalingga Post Covid-19 Pandemic

Coconut sugar has become a leading commodity in Purbalingga Regency. It is a substitute product for granulated sugar with a low glycaemic index, so it is a product with high demand. This research aims to analyse (1) coconut sugar productivity and (2) coconut sugar production scale. The analysis methods include multiple regression analysis using the Cobb-Douglas function approach to analyse productivity and return to scale analysis to analyse production scale (CRS, IRS, or DRS). The research results show that (1) capital and coconut sap production have a positive effect on coconut sugar production, while the number of labours has no effect and (2) the scale of coconut sugar production shows decreasing return to scale (DRS). These findings are proof that the Covid-19 pandemic is still having a big impact on their business. Therefore, the local government must take a major role in supporting this leading industry, such as providing technical and financial assistance along with intensive mentoring so that their businesses return to normal.

Tax evasion and debt dynamics with endogenous growth

Abstract In this note, we study the relationship between tax evasion and economic growth in a model where public expenditure allows to improve private capital productivity, and it is financed by both taxes and public debt. Here, we define debt to be sustainable if the debt/GDP ratio resulting from agents optimization converges toward a finite equilibrium that is endogenous to the model. We show that: (i) the level of public expenditure which maximizes growth does not depend on audit parameters, (ii) evasion reduces the range of parameters for which the debt/GDP ratio is sustainable, and (iii) the debt/GDP ratio is sustainable if the total factor productivity is sufficiently high.

Материально-техническая база ИАПФ: организация и эффективность

The article is devoted to the study of issues of organizing the material and technical base of integrated agro-industrial formations (IAIF). The features of the formation of the optimal structure of the material and technical base of the integrated enterprises of the Voronezh Region are revealed. The analysis of the cost of fixed assets in large integrated structures of the Voronezh Region for 2018-2022 is given. It has been established that the material and technical base (MTB) is updated more dynamically in integrated agro-industrial formations; the heads of the integrated enterprises of the Voronezh Region, when making management decisions, rely mainly on expanded reproduction and implementation of innovations. At the same time, the level of the technical and technological base of integrated structures in the region is not the same, uneven development is traced, as a consequence, differentiation of the innovative potential. An assessment of the efficiency of fixed assets is given. Calculations of capital provision, capital-labor ratio, capital productivity and profitability of fixed assets of large integrated enterprises of the Voronezh Region for the period 2018-2022 are made. In the integrated structures of the region an increase in the coefficients of capital provision and capital-labor ratio was revealed. In addition, their return on assets increases and the efficiency of using fixed assets increases.

Determinants Of Economic Growth In Central Java 2018 - 2023

The economy of a region is assessed based on its economic growth, which is a measure of the success of development in the region. Economic growth is a long-term increase in per capita production that reflects the dynamics of the economy. Evaluating economic growth is an important metric to assess the progress of a region, where the economy of a region will be better if its economic growth is faster. This study aims to analyze four factors that influence economic growth, namely: 1) the influence of the labor force, 2) the influence of years of schooling, 3) the influence of population density, and 4) the influence of the Human Development Index (HDI). This research is a quantitative study using secondary data from BPS for the period 2018-2023 and panel data regression analysis with Eviews 12. The results showed that: 1) the labor force has a significant positive effect on economic growth, 2) length of schooling has a significant positive effect on economic growth, 3) population density has a significant negative effect on economic growth, and 4) HDI has a significant positive effect on economic growth.

The Effect of Business Capital on Business Performance with Product Innovation as a Mediating Variable in Kendari City Micro Businesses

Kendari City''s micro-enterprises struggle with limited capital and low product innovation, with 60% facing difficulties accessing capital. This study aims to examine the relationship between business capital and micro-enterprises'' performance, with product innovation strengthening this relationship. Policy support is crucial for improving competitiveness and sustainability. This study investigates the effect of business capital on business performance in micro enterprises in Kendari City, focusing on product innovation as a moderating variable. Data was collected from 50 respondents using the Slovin formula and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The study validated and tested the data for reliability and validity, providing an overview of the relationship between business capital and performance. Business capital significantly influences business performance, product innovation, and overall performance. Its Path Coefficient is 0.011, with a T-Statistic value of 9.875, above the threshold of Z α 0.05. Product innovation also positively influences business performance, with a Path Coefficient of 0.004 and a T-Statistic value of 2.855. Business capital''s influence on product innovation is fairly large, exceeding the threshold. Business capital significantly impacts the performance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kendari City, enhancing product innovation, competitiveness, and market competitiveness. A synergistic strategy utilizing sufficient capital fosters innovative capabilities, resulting in improved performance.

Explaining New Product Performance Through Structural Social Capital: Mediation of Knowledge Assimilation and Marketing Capability in Tourism Destinations

ABSTRACT Given the contradictory antecedents of the relationship between structural social capital and new product performance, a research gap has emerged that leads us to propose the research objective of determining the indirect effect of knowledge assimilation and architectural marketing capability on the relationship between structural social capital and new product performance. The empirical study was conducted on a sample of 300 tourism firms in Arequipa (Peru). The results reveal that knowledge assimilation and architectural marketing capabilities have indirect effects on the relationship between structural social capital and new product performance. The findings have implications for the interest of academics at the theoretical level and practical implications for firms.

The efficacy of Agricultural Financing on Agricultural Production in Zimbabwe

This research investigates the effectiveness of agricultural financing in enhancing agricultural production in Zimbabwe. This study explores the key drivers of agricultural production in Zimbabwe and specifically assesses the influence of agricultural loans, foreign direct investment (FDI), and domestic agricultural capital on agricultural output within the country. The study seeks to gain a better understanding of how these financial resources contribute to agricultural output and assesses their overall effectiveness in stimulating agricultural productivity. The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) to analyse the short-term and long-term relationship among agricultural output, agricultural loans, foreign direct investment (FDI), and domestic agricultural capital. The findings indicate a robust positive correlation between agricultural loans and agricultural output. Increased access to financing enables farmers to invest in inputs, machinery, and technology, leading to significant boosts in productivity. While FDI has the potential to introduce advanced technologies and capital, the findings suggest a non-significant direct impact on production. However, it may indirectly contribute through improved infrastructure and market access. Additionally, the research confirms a significant positive link between domestic agricultural capital and agricultural production. Sufficient availability of capital, for land improvement, irrigation, and modern techniques, is strongly linked to increased production. The study highlights the critical role of agricultural financing in driving agricultural growth in Zimbabwe. It also emphasizes the need for strategic investments and supportive infrastructure to maximize the benefits of FDI.

Promoting sustainable performance of smallholder oil palm farmers: an analysis of key determinants and strategic priorities

PurposeThis study investigates the factors affecting the performance of smallholder oil palm farmers in Indonesia, with an emphasis on sustainable productivity.Design/methodology/approachThe study involved interviews with regulators, practitioners and experienced farmers in Riau, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and the Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. A confirmatory and explanatory approach was used to explore the relationships among farmer competency, social capital, institutional support, sustainable productivity and overall performance. Data from 757 farmers were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), while the analytical network process (ANP) method identified strategic priorities.FindingsThe results indicate that the sustainability of oil palm farming was low. Social capital, institutional support and sustainable productivity are the key performance factors. Sustainable productivity mediates these relationships. Farmers’ competence indirectly affects performance through sustainable productivity, social capital and institutions. Institutional support needs to be improved.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suggests expanding sustainability indicators by following the latest standards of RSPO principles and criteria, simplifying language for better farmer understanding and assessing sustainability before and after policy implementation.Practical implicationsThe proposed policy framework emphasizes social capital, institutional support and sustainable productivity to improve sustainability and effectiveness.Social implicationsThis study highlights the critical role of social capital, institutional support and sustainable productivity in enhancing Indonesian palm oil farmers’ sustainability and performance.Originality/valueThis unique integrated approach combining PLS-SEM and ANP methodologies provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting smallholder performance and data-driven strategic priorities for policy interventions.

CONSTRUCTAL LAW AND FREE ECONOMIC MARKET

Constructal law is a rapidly expanding field in physics, biology, technology, economics, and social sciences. It states that everything that flows and moves does so with an evolutionary design. Flow configurations, patterns, and rhythms change over time to provide greater access to their streams, allowing for easier flow. The rule of law and government describe movement "with design" on Earth. In a free market system, each person freely follows their interests, ultimately maximizing the interests of society as a whole. This means that free people can choose and trade, leading to increased growth in the country. In other words, in a free market system, individual freedom is a crucial principle for the country's progress; as the Constructal law states, " for a flow system to survive over time, it must evolve freely." In this paper, we will illustrate that when economic freedom increases, the per capita production of countries rises. In other words, economic freedom leads to welfare in society.

Sector trends of total factor productivity: where is the growth potential?

Objective: to identify industry trends in aggregate factor productivity, labor productivity and capital productivity in economic sectors. The hypotheses are: there is a continuing slowdown in aggregate factor productivity in the Russian economy sectors; there is a gap in aggregate factor productivity in various complexes of industries. Methods: Cobb–Douglas production function, multiple regression, Domar aggregation, Gini coefficient, graphical visualization. Results: the study revealed a more efficient use of labor resources in contrast to capital, the latter being accumulated everywhere. The highest increase in labor productivity was noted in financial and insurance activities, manufacturing industries, professional, scientific and technical activities. There is a cyclical dynamics of aggregate factor productivity, its most stable growth and a positive cumulative technological shift marked from 2017 until 2021. They are observed in the manufacturing and investment complexes of the Russian economy (financial and insurance activities), and in agriculture.A decrease in total factor productivity was found in the mining industry, transportation and storage, hotels and catering, construction, education, and healthcare. Scientific novelty: it consists in a change in the total factor productivity and the total technological shift in the context of sectors and complexes of sectors of the Russian economy from 2011 to 2021. Practical significance: the study results can be used for the policy of stimulating internal sources of economic growth, to improve sectoral recommendations of innovation policy.