Differences In Resource Endowments Research Articles

Simulation analysis of the spread of a supply crisis based on the global natural graphite trade network

In recent years, the application potential of graphite materials in new energy and new materials has gradually developed. Thus, graphite has become increasingly regarded as a necessary strategic resource for the development of new energy and has gradually been considered seriously by various countries. However, at present, an imbalance between the increased demand and tighter supply of graphite resources is very likely to lead to a supply crisis for graphite. To understand the transmission process and impact of this supply crisis in various countries and to identify countries with important statuses in the graphite trade, in this paper, we construct the global natural graphite trade network. We set each country as a source of crisis transmission. Then, a computer is used to simulate the spread of the crisis through a cascade failure process, and the influence of these source points is analyzed in the real network. The results show that China, the United States, Germany, and India, have larger impacts. Moreover, the scope of influence of a country is related to its region of the country in addition to its GDP and its export volume. Second, the entire cascade propagation process emerges with the diffusion characteristics with which it first begin to spread in the same region. Most of the directly infected countries are in the same region as the initial outbreak country. In addition, by simulating the changes in the avalanche size when China's graphite export volume declines by varying degrees, we find that China has a strong impact, and a small reduction in its export volume can affect the graphite trade in certain countries. Finally, based on differences in resource endowment, economic strength and the consumption in different countries, relevant policy suggestions are proposed for different countries.

A Comparative Study on the Typical Models of International Innovation-Type Regional Development

The differences in resource endowment and economic and cultural back-ground in different cities form different types of innovative urban development models gradually. From the perspective of major innovative cities development practices abroad, depending on the different industry, the innovation-oriented city construction can be divided into high-tech innovation-oriented city, traditional industrial manufacturing innovation-oriented city, service industry innovation-oriented city and cultural industries innovation-oriented city (Hospers, 2003). The study selects the strategies and measures of regions of Boston in America, London in UK, Tokyo in Japan, Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany to analyze, compare, and summarize their experience of development, and accordingly analyzes its enlightenment to the other innovation-type provinces construction of China.

Location information acquisition and sharing application design in national census of Chinese medicine resources

In literature, there are many information on the distribution of Chinese herbal medicine. Limited by the technical methods, the origin of Chinese herbal medicine or distribution of information in ancient literature were described roughly. It is one of the main objectives of the national census of Chinese medicine resources, which is the background information of the types and distribution of Chinese medicine resources in the region. According to the national Chinese medicine resource census technical specifications and pilot work experience, census team with "3S" technology, computer network technology, digital camera technology and other modern technology methods, can effectively collect the location information of traditional Chinese medicine resources. Detailed and specific location information, such as regional differences in resource endowment and similarity, biological characteristics and spatial distribution, the Chinese medicine resource census data access to the accuracy and objectivity evaluation work, provide technical support and data support. With the support of spatial information technology, based on location information, statistical summary and sharing of multi-source census data can be realized. The integration of traditional Chinese medicine resources and related basic data can be a spatial integration, aggregation and management of massive data, which can help for the scientific rules data mining of traditional Chinese medicine resources from the overall level and fully reveal its scientific connotation.

Characterisation of adopters and non-adopters of dairy technologies in Ethiopia and Kenya.

While there is a general consensus that using dairy technologies, such as improved breeds of dairy cows, can substantially increase farm productivity and income, adoption of such technologies has been generally low in developing countries. The underlying reasons for non-adoption of beneficial technologies in the dairy sector are not fully understood. In this study, we characterised adopters and non-adopters of dairy technologies in Ethiopia and Kenya based on farmers' resources ownership in order to identify why many farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya have not adopted improved dairy technologies. As compared to non-adopters, farmers who adopt dairy technology own relatively more farm resources. The result signals that differences in resource endowments could lead to divergent technology adoption scenarios. Results show that a higher proportion of sample smallholders in Kenya have adopted dairy technologies than those in Ethiopia. Except for the use of veterinary services, fewer than 10% of sample farmers in Ethiopia have adopted dairy technologies-less than half the number of adopters in Kenya. The higher level of dairy technology adoption in Kenya can be ascribed partly to the long history of dairy development, including improvements in the value chain for the delivery of inputs, services and fluid milk marketing. Interventions that deal with the constraints related to access to farm resources and input and output markets could facilitate uptake of dairy technology in developing countries.

Investigating the Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Uganda

Women comprise 50 percent of the agricultural labor force in Sub-Saharan Africa, but manage plots that are reportedly on average 20 to 30 percent less productive. As a source of income inequality and aggregate productivity loss, the country-specific magnitude and drivers of this gender gap are of great interest. Using national data from the Uganda National Panel Survey for 2009/10 and 2010/11, the gap before controlling for endowments was estimated to be 17.5 percent. Panel data methods were combined with an Oaxaca decomposition to investigate the gender differences in resource endowment and return to endowment driving this gap. Although men have greater access to inputs, input use is so low and inverse returns to plot size so strong in Uganda that smaller female-managed plots have a net endowment advantage of 12 percent, revealing a larger unexplained gap of 29.5 percent. Two-fifths of this unexplained gap is attributed to differential returns to the child dependency ratio and one-fifth to differential returns to transport access, implying that greater child care responsibilities and difficulty accessing input and output markets from areas without transport are the largest drivers of the gap. Smaller and less robust drivers include differential uptake of cash crops, and differential uptake and return to improved seeds and pesticides.

Diversity in crop residue management across an intensification gradient in southern Africa: System dynamics and crop productivity

Crop residues are important for livestock feed and nutrient cycling among many other functions on smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to assess differences in resource endowment, crop productivity and crop residue management in selected sites in southern Africa. Three sites were selected along a gradient of intensification of crop production; Murehwa, Zimbabwe and Ruaca and Gorongosa, central Mozambique. Murehwa and Ruaca have mixed crop-livestock systems with more intensive crop production in Murehwa. Gorongosa is predominantly crop based with small livestock that do not impact on crop production. A combination of land size and cattle ownership was the major attribute that defined wealth status among farmers in mixed crop-livestock systems whereas land size and labor availability were important under crop-based extensification systems. Farm systems were more diverse where livestock was more important. The wealthiest farmers (resource group—RG1) in Murehwa produced an average of 2.2tha−1 maize crop residues, and productivity decreased with decrease in resource ownership with the poorest (RG4) achieving only 0.8tha−1. In Ruaca 1.3 and 0.5tha−1 was produced by RG1 and RG4 respectively, whereas in Gorongosa 0.4 and 0.2tha−1 was produced by RG1 and RG4. These crop residues are insufficient to achieve the minimum threshold of soil cover (30%) required for the practice of conservation agriculture. However, they can provide sufficient feed to sustain livestock of RG1 farmers in Murehwa for 63 days and 54 days for RG2 farmers. In Ruaca, they can feed cattle for 37 days for RG1 and 17 days for RG2 farmers. The product of livestock×population density determined the extent and manner in which crop residues are used. The population density limited the extent of the grazing area, increased grazing frequency and reduced the grazing quality leading to the need to supplement animal feed with crop residues. Farmers preferentially allocate crop residues to livestock where labor is available. The crop residues fed to animals allow farmers to increase manure quantity and quality which explains the major differences in crop productivity between the different resource groups. In the absence of cattle, crop residues are burned before the cropping season to facilitate land clearance. In conclusion, land size, cattle ownership and labor availability largely define the intensity of crop production and the fate of crop residues on smallholder farms in southern Africa.

Evaluating Impacts of Watershed Development Program on Agricultural Productivity, Income, and Livelihood in Bhalki Watershed of Bardhaman District, West Bengal

Summary Watershed development facilitates in reducing the vulnerability of farm income to weather-induced shocks in rain-fed lands in India. The present paper estimates homogeneous as well as non-homogeneous effects of watershed development on farmers demonstrating a huge discrepancy in estimated values between two. It shows that initial differences in resource endowments, access to formal credit, education level, and caste membership can result in inequalities in the impact of watershed development programs on targeted parameters. The analysis also establishes the sensitivity of the estimates to the general level of multivariate imbalance as well as univariate imbalance in confounding covariates.

Energy policy: European, national, regional?

When it comes to energy policy, EU countries go their own way with little regard for other member states. What strategies exist in the EU Commission to coordinate and integrate energy markets? Are these strategies consistent with national plans currently in action? Is it too late to establish a unifi ed energy policy? What can be achieved in a unifi ed energy policy given the considerable differences in resource endowment and political preferences in energy strategies? Can the effectiveness of EU energy policy objectives be enhanced through policy coordination at the regional scale? This Forum seeks to provide answers to these questions.

Farm typologies, soil fertility variability and nutrient management in smallholder farming in Sub-Saharan Africa

Farm typologies are a useful tool to assist in unpacking and understanding the wide diversity among smallholder farms to improve targeting of crop production intensification strategies. Sustainable crop production intensification will require the development of an array of nutrient management strategies tailored to farm-specific conditions, rather than blanket recommendations across diverse farms. This study reviewed key literature on smallholder farm typologies focusing on three countries (Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe), to gain insights on opportunities for crop production intensification, and the importance of developing farm-specific nutrient management practices. Investigations on farm typologies have done well in highlighting the fundamental differences between farm categories, with 3–5 typologies often adequate to represent the wide differences in resource endowment. Resource-endowed farmers have ready access to large quantities of manure and mineral fertilizers, which contribute to higher soil fertility and crop productivity on their farms. Resource-constrained households use little or no manure and mineral fertilizers, and have limited capacity to invest in labour-demanding soil fertility management technologies. These farmers often have to rely on off-farm opportunities for income that are largely limited to selling unskilled labour to their resource-endowed neighbors. The variability in management practices by farmers has resulted in three main soil fertility classes that can be used for targeting soil fertility management technologies, characterized by potential response to fertilizer application as: (1) low-responsive fertile fields that receive large additions of manure and fertilizer; (2) high-responsive infertile fields that receive moderate nutrient applications; (3) poorly responsive degraded soils cultivated for many years with little or no nutrient additions. The main conclusions drawn from the review are: (1) resource constrained farmers constitute the widest band across the three countries, with many of the farmers far below the threshold for sustainable maize production intensification and lacking capacity to invest in improved seed and fertilizer, (2) farm sizes and livestock ownership were key determinants for both farmer wealth status and farm productivity, and (3) soil organic carbon and available P were good indicators for predicting previous land management, that is also invariably linked to farmer resource endowment.

Aiming to be Environmental Leaders, but Struggling to go Forward: Sweden and Norway on Energy System Transformation

To achieve the needed 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, almost all energy consumed globally will have to stem from low-carbon sources, not least from renewable energy. Sweden and Norway have long sought to become world environmental leaders, institutionalizing policies on environmental and climate issues as well as taking ambitious positions in the global climate negotiations. They are comparably well placed to become carbon-neutral societies, with large renewable energy resources and substantial financial and institutional capacity to invest in reaching this target. Focusing on the production of new renewable energy in their energy system transformations from 1960 until the present, this paper investigates why the two countries have pursued such different paths, and what might be learned. The method used is the ‘most similar systems design’; data sources are public documents and 16 interviews with key persons in Sweden and Norway. The results show that politics and public policies have had profound impacts on which renewable energy sources have been developed, when and how. Sweden, lacking access to new cheap hydropower after 1970, has generally implemented more ambitious and comprehensive policies, leading to much higher production of new renewable energy than in Norway. Differences might thus be explained by differences in resource endowments, long-term research and innovation efforts, combined with creation of markets and predictable policies. Enhanced new renewables production has boosted energy security and stabilized the energy systems in both countries. The Swedish-Norwegian green certificate market has mainly contributed to expansion of already cost-competitive or nearly cost-competitive technologies: small-scale hydropower in Norway and biopower and wind power in Sweden.

Technical Efficiency and Producers’ Individual Technology: Accounting for Within and Between Regional Farm Heterogeneity

Differences in resource endowment between regions influence the technologies applied in agriculture and cause location-specific effects on production and technical change. Access to technologies may also differ within regions because producers may apply different technologies in production due to different characteristics. Within this setting, we extend the existing literature by considering that producers face region- and farm-specific production frontiers. The treatment of essentially heterogeneous technical efficiency (TE) is performed following a two-step procedure. First, a random coefficient specification of the production technology is used to measure the interactions of technology adoption with time, input factors, and output. Second, linear programming techniques are employed to envelop the optimal level of technology. This procedure is applied to household-level data from eastern, central, and western provinces in China. Our results provide evidence that TE is significantly affected by farm heterogeneity. This factor influences TE directly as a producer-specific input, and indirectly through interaction with observable inputs such as land, labor, capital, and intermediate inputs. Our results also prove the assumption that farming technology exhibits region-specific characteristics. Furthermore, there is a disparity of TE across provinces that narrows over the study period and is driven by the shifts of production to the metafrontier.

Asia's role in mitigating climate change: A technology and sector specific analysis with ReMIND-R

We use the ReMIND-R model to analyze the role of Asia in the context of a global effort to mitigate climate change. We introduce a novel method of secondary energy based mitigation shares, which allows us to quantify the economic mitigation potential of technologies in different regions and final energy carriers.The 2005 share of Asia in global CO2 emissions amounts to 38%, and is projected to grow to 53% under business-as-usual until the end of the century. Asia also holds a large fraction of the global mitigation potential. A broad portfolio of technologies is deployed in the climate policy scenarios. We find that biomass in combination with CCS, other renewables, and end-use efficiency each make up a large fraction of the global mitigation potential, followed by nuclear and fossil CCS. We find considerable differences in decarbonization patterns across the final energy types electricity, heat and transport fuels. Regional differences in technology use are a function of differences in resource endowments, and structural differences in energy end use. Under climate policy, a substantial mitigation potential of non-biomass renewables emerges for China and other developing countries of Asia (OAS). Asia also accounts for the dominant share of the global mitigation potential of nuclear energy. In view of the substantial near term investments into new energy infrastructure in China and India, early adoption of climate policy prevents lock-in into carbon intensive infrastructure and thus leads to a much higher long-term mitigation potential.

Rural residential CO2 emissions in China: Where is the major mitigation potential?

Despite high-speed economic growth in recent decades, rural China is still confronted with persisting poverty, alongside energy shortages and environmental degradation. In tackling climate change, carbon emissions from rural energy use have been given little attention up till now. This paper provides an analysis of rural residential CO2 emissions in China based on diverse accounting methods, and employs the geographic information system (GIS) to map emissions of each province. Identifying the major emission sources could provide a basis for understanding the potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction and proposing related policy recommendations. The results showed that the largest GHG mitigation potential can be found at traditional biomass use among residents. Four emission reduction policy strategies are identified: (i) shifting to commercial energy; (ii) furthering the use of decentralized renewable energy options; (iii) commercializing biomass energy via biomass power generation, biomass briquettes and biogas production; (iv) improving the combustion efficiency of traditional biomass use in household appliances. Differences in resource endowment and local economic conditions created varied levels of rural residential greenhouse gas emission, the related mitigation potential, and the kinds of strategies and policies that need to be developed in the Chinese provinces.

Resource endowments and responses to regulatory pressure: Publications of economics, management, and political science departments of Turkish universities in indexed journals, 2000–2008

This paper investigates how differences in resource endowments of universities shape variation in their response to regulatory pressures. Earlier research on higher education institutions tends to conceive regulatory rules as the primary basis of action and does not attend to differences in the salient characteristics of universities. This paper is based on the premise that satisfying regulatory demands requires resources that are compatible with these demands, making resource endowments of universities a potentially significant source of variation in their responses to regulatory pressures. We empirically investigate the relationship between human resource characteristics of economics, management, and political science departments of Turkish universities and how these departments responded to the intensifying regulatory pressure to publish more in indexed journals. Findings reveal that departments which predominantly employ researchers trained in North American universities published significantly more in indexed journals between 2000 and 2008. These departments are better endowed with respect to resources that are necessary for publishing in indexed journals, most importantly knowledge of theory, methodology, and style sought by indexed journals. The paper shows that attending to differences in resource endowments of universities as well as regulatory goals and tools facilitates understanding of how regulation-driven processes unfold.

Factors Determining Differences in Local Hunting Lease Rates: Insights from Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition

Factors determining local hunting lease rates, and differences between rates across Mississippi regions, were analyzed using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition procedures. Per acre rates were 26% greater in west versus east Mississippi. Depending on the decomposition procedure employed, differences in resource endowments accounted for 43% to 69% of the gap. Differences in habitat quality were primarily responsible. Lessors in east Mississippi can improve their rates by reducing lease sizes and shortening contract lengths. Information about differences in local lease rates and the sources of those differences is critically needed by landowners, outfitters, hunters, financial institutions, and natural resource managers. <i>(JEL Q23, Q26)</i>

Sustaining Superior Performance through an Entrepreneurial Boom and Bust: Inter-Firm Differences in the E-Consulting Industry (1997-2001) and the Investment Management Industry (1927-1931)

This study explores the effect of strategic choices and resource combinations on new-venture survival during an Entrepreneurial Boom and Bust (EBB) period. An EBB is a period of rapid expansion of an industry in terms of number of players, fueled by expectations of high returns occasioning a considerable infusion of resources, followed by a sudden change in industry prospects and consequent reallocation of those resources. The result is that in an EBB a large proportion of new business organizations fail shortly after being formed. Although considerable research has been conducted at the industry level as to why the boom-and-bust phenomenon exists, we do not yet understand the mechanisms by which some firms deal successfully with this acute environmental shift while others fail. An in-depth study of 104 e-consulting firms from 1997 to 2001 and 85 investment management firms from 1927 to 1931, combining range of data sources and analytical tools-archival and interview-based data, cluster analysis, multilogit models, probit regression models - yields insights on new-venture strategies at industry inception and the effects of the strategies and initial endowments on venture success. First, the study identifies a typology of new-venture entry strategies. In the e-consulting industry, it finds that firms followed four strategy archetypes - Conservative Growers, Focused Consultants, Expansionists, and Aggressive Acquirers. Further, differences in strategic behavior reflect differences in resource endowments, and these differences are systematically associated with differences in performance. Whereas Conservative Growers and Focused Consultants were most successful in weathering the contraction phase, Expansionists and Aggressive Acquirers were the most susceptible to failure. A parallel analysis of the investment management industry during the 1920s yields strikingly similar results; the few differences may reflect structural differences between the two industries. Second, the study shows that resource configuration and strategic patterns in both the expansion and decline phase of the industry influence a firm's ability to adapt to the sudden environmental change. Strategies that offer a wide range of services ensure a better chance for survival; moreover, industry knowledge rather than entrepreneurial experience is crucial to the survival of a firm in such turbulent times.

International Integration and the Structure of Exports in Central Asian Republics

Two European political economists examine the restructuring of external relations of the Central Asian republics (CARs) after the disintegration of the Soviet Union by focusing on the structures of exports based on evidence provided by past balances of payments and trade data disaggregated at a relatively high level. The authors' investigation identifies shifts in the commodity composition of exports since the CARs' independence, both in terms of the share of major commodity groupings (e.g., toward raw materials) and in the quality/valueadded of goods within specific commodity groups, as well as the spatial pattern of export destinations. The paper also addresses differences in the CARs' trade performance during the post-Soviet period, which remain small despite the substantial differences in resource endowments and policy orientations. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F14, F40, O11, P50. 1 figure, 11 tables, 40 references.

Factor Endowments and the Returns to Skill: New Evidence from the American Past

Existing skill-biased technical change theory predicts that differences in factor endowments will affect technology adoption and the return to skill. We document regional variation in endowments in the American past. We then estimate the returns to education using a new data source: a report from the Commissioner of Education in 1909. We find significant variation in the returns to schooling aligned with differences in resource endowments, with large (within-occupation) returns in the Midwest and Southwest but much lower returns in the South and West. Our results appear generalizable to broader returns to education in the United States.

Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: Analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework

Smallholder farmers in Africa recognise the important role of manure in maintaining soil fertility. For smallholder farmers who use little fertiliser, efficient management of nutrients in manure is key for crop production. We describe a simple model to analyse the effect of manure management on the efficiency of mass and nutrient retention. We used on-farm data on manure excreted and manure management, experimental results, literature and fuzzy logic to model losses during manure storage. The model was used to analyse N cycling efficiency (NCE) within smallholder farms in western Kenya. Simulations showed that manure management during collection and storage had a large effect on the efficiency of C and nutrient retention. Differences in NCE between farmers of different wealth classes arose due to differences in resource endowment. For poorer farmers, large N losses occur at all stages of manure recycling. Urinary-N losses occurred on all farms but their impact on NCE for poor and medium-class farmers was larger due to the smaller amount of N recycled. With current management the poor farmer recovered < 1 kg N y − 1 in composted manure from 15 kg N y − 1 excreted. Improved manure storage had little effect on increasing overall NCE for the poor farmer due to large losses before storage. For the wealthier farmer improvement of manure storage increased NCE and allowed recycling of 30% of N excreted (ca. 30 kg N y − 1 ) with small investment in infrastructure. Covering manure heaps with a polythene film reduced mass and N losses considerably. For the poor to increase overall NCE, investment in cattle housing and recycling of urinary-N is required. Increasing cattle numbers or improved feeding would have a larger effect on manure availability but this is constrained by feed scarcity and investment capacity. The absolute amounts of N recycled (1–6, 4–17 and 7–18 kg N y − 1 for poor, medium and wealthier farmers) were small compared with maize N demand (> 50 kg N ha − 1 ), but significant given the small farm sizes (0.1–1.1 ha). Although absolute amounts of N recycled with improved manure management may have little immediate impact on crop productivity, manure is often the only input available. Manure provides other nutrients for crops and maintains soil organic matter — both vital to guarantee efficient use of fertiliser N — which justifies the search for interventions to assist farmers make better use of manure.

Multi-scale analysis of agricultural development: A modelling approach for Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Decisions and policies that have implications on allocation of resources are made at different levels. Goals at different scales may be conflicting and decisions at one scale have consequences for those at other scales. Performing analyses at more than one scale is, therefore necessary in analysing future options for resource use. This paper illustrates the use of a multi-scale method enabling assessment of multi-purpose natural resource management options. Three examples of analyses that it allows are presented for Ilocos Norte province in the Philippines, at the farm household, municipal (Batac municipality) and provincial levels. Results show that: (1) Differences in resource endowments of farm households strongly affect the potential adoption rates of five well-defined alternative technologies. (2) Limited markets, inadequate infrastructure and resource endowments of farm households have large effects on resource use and goal achievement in the municipality. Not including these factors in a resource use analysis results in a so-called aggregation bias. As these are significant, ignoring them may result in misleading simulation results and policy conclusions. The aggregation bias resulting from assuming spatially fixed input and output prices is significant for Batac, which has poor farm-to-market roads. This suggests large potential benefits from improving infrastructure. The factors investigated suggest that aggregate income in the municipality is most strongly affected by the size of the market for some vegetables. (3) The differences in resource allocations resulting from prioritizing objectives at different levels reveal potential conflicts. The municipal income was highest with crops which pose more risk to farmers; our farm household analysis shows that farmers tend not to select too much of these crops. Similarly, the provincial income is highest when resources in the province are allocated such that more of the staple crop rice and less of the highly profitable cash crops are cultivated in Batac, resulting in lower income for the municipality. It is anticipated that the presented multi-scale approach will provide valuable information for joint-learning, policy discussions and decision-making regarding agricultural land use.