Government Institutional Support Research Articles

Anti-drought measures and their effectiveness: A study of farmers’ actions and government support in China

In China, the principal actors that are involved in combating drought in agricultural production are farmer households and the government. Prevailing research rarely focuses on both actors. At the same time, the effectiveness of anti-drought measures has been largely evaluated through farmers’ anti-drought initiatives. But it is unclear from this literature if such initiatives result in better economic livelihoods. This paper will examine: (i) indicators of government and farmer activities that impact the latter’s anti-drought actions, and (ii) the effect of anti-drought actions on farmers’ agricultural income. Based on over 1000 household surveys conducted at major grain production areas in the North China Plain, two findings emerge. First, farmers’ participation in local village organizations, government financial assistance, local government institutional support, and disaster warnings through multiple media channels positively influence farmers’ anti-drought actions. Second, the combined efforts of both farmers and government in mitigating drought as well as labor, factors of production and social capital (local cooperative membership, phone contacts) are significant determinants of agricultural income. This study contributes to the ecological indicators literature by assessing the effectiveness of anti-drought metrics.

Assessment of challenges faced by the coastal women due to the impact of climatic change in selected coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, India

The present study investigated the challenges faced by women in coastal villages in selected districts of Tamil Nadu due to impact of climatic changes. One hundred coastal women beneficiaries from coastal districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam were selected for the study. Descriptive statistics and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis were used to examine the data. Results of the study revealed that gender, age and community of the respondents had influence over the access to different sets of resources and livelihood assets. Drudgery of women increased after migration of men to urban areas in search of job. It is understood that livelihood patterns of women have changed considerably. Strengths expressed were knowledge, leadership qualities, self confidence and group cohesiveness, while the weaknesses identified were lack of knowledge, lack of technical knowledge, male migration, social taboos and beliefs as well as poor health status. The opportunities were government institutional support as well as research organisation support The threats identified were unusual rainfall, floods, cyclone and change in water quality. It is understood that women need access to training, credit and skillsdevelopment programmes to ensure their full participation in climate change initiatives. Participation of women in negotiations, policy actions and initiatives towards environmental change will help governments and coastal communities to maintain and build adaptive measures towards the effects of climate driven environmental changes in the coastal villages.

The impact of social grant-dependency on agricultural entrepreneurship among rural households in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

Developing entrepreneurship is key to achieving the rural poverty reduction goals in South Africa. The concern that social grants, which benefit millions of the poor, may inhibit the growth of entrepreneurship among rural households should be empirically investigated. This study assess the extent to which dependency on social grants influences the development of agricultural entrepreneurship among rural farming households. The study adopts the competency approach in understanding agricultural entrepreneurship, as this approach is readily applicable to firms that are smaller in size and dominated by the entrepreneur such as smallholder farming units. A total of 513 rural farming households were randomly selected in three purposively chosen districts of KwaZulu-Natal. The data were analyzed using the factor score regression method, which was estimated in two steps. The first step involved generating the agricultural entrepreneurship index using principal component analysis, while the second step involved using the computed agricultural entrepreneurship index as a dependent variable in a linear regression. The empirical results indicated that dependency on social grants, in line with the disincentive hypothesis, was negatively associated with agricultural entrepreneurship. This suggests that social grants are spilling-over to unintended groups, creating disincentive effects which inhibit entrepreneurial development among the rural farming households. The study results further indicated that the household's risk-bearing ability through asset endowment (land size, livestock size), access to government support services (extension, credit and training), and institutional and/or infrastructural support (tenure security, market access and irrigation access) had positive effects on agricultural entrepreneurship. The disincentives effects of social grants on entrepreneurship have negative implications on the government's drive to increase production and commercialization levels of smallholder farmers. Given that the entrepreneurial competencies can be learned and changed, the study identified a number of policy variables to enhance agricultural entrepreneurship. In particular, the study recommends that policy-makers should prioritize increasing the risk-bearing abilities of households as well as access to government support services to increase agricultural entrepreneurship.

Developing Albanian Tourism

This paper examines the development pattern of Albania’s tourism and the effect that this industry will have in the country’s economic development. I will attempt to demonstrate that tourism is an indispensable industry in the developing countries like Albania furthermore if it develops through a precise strategy with the government and other institutional support it can contribute to the development of the country. Firstly I will give a general overview of this industry and its capabilities which are relevant in understanding Albania’s tourism and its actual situation. In the second part I will describe the strategy that will be implemented by the Albanian government in the tourism sector until 2021 and analyze its overall contribution to this industry. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p279

Women Entrepreneurs and Determinants of their Growth: An Empirical Study

Women entrepreneurship has been recognized as an important source of economic growth. However, they still represent a minority of all entrepreneurs. Looking into the reason of the minority representation, this study aims at determining the factors affecting the growth of Women Entrepreneurs. The study is descriptive in nature, factor analysis was used to find out various determinants influencing the success of Women Entrepreneurs in MSEs of Dharavi, Mumbai and results of the factor analysis were put through the Cronbachs Alpha reliability test. The analysis indicates that economic factor is the principal factors affecting the growth of women entrepreneurs, other factors which play important role in the success of women entrepreneurs are social and personal factors, followed by legal and administrative factors. The findings of the study will give right direction to Government and other Institutional networks and support agencies to design effective programmes and policies to help these women entrepreneurs flourish in future.

Firm Patenting, Innovations, and Government Institutional Support as a Double‐Edged Sword

In 2012,China was ranked fourth in patent filing by region of origin. However, firm innovation quality is not comparable to such quantity. Evidence of this is that noChinese organization was named as aThomsonReuters 2011 or 2012 Top 100 Global Innovators. This paradox of firm patenting and innovations inChina challenges the traditional understanding of the role of government in industrial innovation.This paper provides a theoretical lens through which to examine traditional protective and strategic patenting motives. Based on institutional theory and the ultimate goals of patenting motives, the paper posits that protective patenting motives are directly law‐based while strategic patenting motives are largely law‐derived. The paper also aims to empirically examine three questions: (1) What is the relative importance of various patenting motives to firm patenting behaviors? (2) What effects do patenting behaviors have on firm product and process innovations? (3) How, if at all, does governmental institutional support affect firm patenting and innovations?This paper uses dominant analysis, structural equation modeling, and regression analysis to analyze the survey data collected from a sample of 270 firms inChina. The empirical results provide new evidence about firm patenting, innovations, and government institutional support. First, the order of relative importance of patenting motives to patenting behaviors was found to be (in the descending order of importance) reputation, exchange, blocking, and protection. Second, patenting behaviors were more relevant to product innovations than to process innovations. Third, more importantly, while government institutional support can enhance the effects of protective patenting motives on patenting behaviors, it can mitigate the effects of strategic patenting motives on patenting behaviors. Moreover, government institutional support reduces the positive effect of patenting behaviors on product innovations. These findings suggest that firm patenting and innovations are distinct activities, and that government institutional support acts as a double‐edged sword in firm patenting and innovations: On the one hand government institutional support—an extralegal formal institution—may work alongside the patent system—a law‐based formal institution—to advance science and technology, but on the other hand government institutional support may distract firms from commercializing patented knowledge into new products.This paper primarily contributes to institutional theory, new product development literature, and innovation management practice by revealing the dynamics between two different types of formal institutions—patent system and government institutional support—by establishing an institution‐based view of patenting motives, by empirically distinguishing firm patenting and innovations, and more interestingly by uncovering a double‐edged role of government institutional support in firm patenting and innovations.

Factors Affecting the Growth of Women Entrepreneurs in MSEs of Dharavi, Mumbai

The study aims at determining the factors affecting the growth of woman entrepreneurs, and is descriptive in nature. Factor analysis was used to find out various determinants influencing the success of woman entrepreneurs in MSEs of Dharavi, Mumbai and results of the factor analysis were put through the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test. The analysis indicates that economic condition is the principal factor affecting the growth of woman entrepreneurs. Other factors which play important role in the success of woman entrepreneurs are social and personal factors, followed by legal and administrative factors. The findings of the study will give right direction to Government and other institutional networks and support agencies to design effective programmes and policies to help woman entrepreneurs flourish in future.

애프터시장(판매후시장) 활성화를 위한 국내외 법률 및 표준에 대한 연구

To overcome the ecosystem-crisis of resource depletion and climate change, we should maintain and develop a 'Sustainability' of our society. 'After-market' is defined like this : any market where customers who buy one product or service are likely to buy a related follow-on product. This is related to a automotive, electric and electronic, and remanufacturing industry. 'After-market' will be helpful for reuse and recycling of resources aspects, cost and economic efficiency, low-carbon, climate protection, and new industries and job creation effects, To promote 'After-Market', we need to guarantee the quality of products. In this regard, we refer and introduce a new standard, for example, BS8887, PAS141 and ISO20245 etc. In order to promote 'After-Market', first of all, product quality assurance and safety must be demonstrated in the process of reuse. Second, many aspects of a device that protects the rights of consumers to be provided. And third, the related laws and standards should be reviewed. Finally, original manufacturer's awareness for environmental protection and resource conservation and government's institutional support are needed.

A Century of Differential Evolution of Housing Co-operatives in Mumbai and Chennai

Since their inception at the beginning of the 20th century, the evolutionary paths of housing co-operatives have diverged in Mumbai and Chennai. Housing co-operatives in Mumbai have been principally Tenure co-operatives (i.e. for collective ownership and management). In Chennai they have been mainly Finance co-operatives (i.e. for providing loans to members). This paper makes a comparative institutional analysis of the two cities to examine the divergent evolution. The examination is important for informing the institutional conditions that enable co-operatives to flourish. Four institutional aspects are examined in this context: the local housing market, local housing policies, role of state government and co-operative institutional support structures.

Institutional support for investment in domestic technologies: An analysis of the role of government in India

India has emerged as an increasingly important producer of technology-based products especially in information technology (IT) and biotechnology. This paper analyses the Indian government's institutional support for domestic technology. Three support foci are investigated, namely, (i) overall policy framework; (ii) availability of skilled manpower and (iii) financial instruments, such as tax incentives, research grants, concessional loans and venture capital. The paper analyses the outcomes of Indian policy using a standard indicator and reviews the current status of the three policy foci. Finally, appropriate policy actions are suggested.

SUBSISTENCE AQUACULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AMONG DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

ABSTRACTSubsistence‐level and small‐scale aquaculture systems dominate the aquaculture industry of most developing countires. Characterized by low material and management inputs, low level of technology, and low output, subsistence‐level aquaculture is a system of farming that gives an inadequate economic return to the operator.It is argued that subsistence‐level and small‐scale aquaculturists must be given adequate government attention and institutional support: first, because these farming systems can be greatly improved; second, because they provide employment opportunities for the rural poor; and third, because aquaculture is a potential significant source of protein food for the poorer majority.The status of aquaculture in several developing countries is reviewed. Small‐scale fishfarming characterized by traditional practices predominates in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The pattern is similar in some African countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and the Sudan.A socioeconomic profile of the small fishfarmer is drawn. Aside from his low level of application of production and management inputs and his low output, he is highly susceptible to the vagaries of the market. His capacity to acquire improved technology on his own is low. To augment his earnings, he works in non‐aquaculture occupations.The paper calls for a policy as well as a research and development bias for the subsistence fishfarmer. An aquaculture industry development support model is presented and a pilot‐scale implementation scheme of this model is described.Finally, a mechanism is described for the transfer of local and borrowed aquaculture technology within a given country and among countries.