Outsourcing Research Articles

Self-Owned or Outsourced? The Impact of Farm Machinery Adoption Decisions on Chinese Farm Households’ Operating Income

Using farm machinery plays a significant role in easing the issue of slowing growth of operating income among farm households in China. Drawing data from CFPS2018, this study adopts a multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) to analyze the factors influencing farm households’ choices regarding self-owned farm machinery and outsourced machinery services, as well as their subsequent impact on operating income. The results of the study show that the characteristics of the head of household, family, village, and region have a significant impact on the farm households’ selection of whether to use self-owned machinery or outsourced services. Furthermore, the exclusive use of self-owned farm machinery and the combined use of both self-owned and outsourced machinery substantially enhance farm households’ operating income. An additional analysis indicates that these two types of machinery are complementary, and their combined use generates a superimposed effect that further boosts income. These findings suggest that the combined use of self-owned and outsourced machinery is optimal for farm households who wish to expand their operating income.

Formulation of Boilerplate Clauses in Outsourcing Agreement that is Constanted by the Parties in Give Legal certainty

This research analyzes the formulation of boilerplate clauses in outsourcing agreements, focusing on how these clauses ensure legal balance and certainty for all parties involved. It reviews critical components such as Choice of Law, Language Clauses, and Severability Clauses, identifying their roles in achieving fair and enforceable agreements. Utilizing a normative legal research method, this study examines Indonesia's Employment Law No. 13 of 2003 and Government Regulation No. 35 of 2021, which outline the guidelines for outsourcing, including the legal requirements for contracts with outsourced workers. Findings suggest that incorporating boilerplate clauses within outsourcing agreements strengthens legal certainty and balance between the outsourcing agency, employer, and outsourced workers, addressing potential issues of norm ambiguity and ensuring adherence to national labor standards. The research emphasizes the importance of these clauses in upholding the principle of legal balance and protecting the rights of outsourced employees.

Cultivating Organizational Commitment among Outsourced Workers: A Resource-Based View Perspective

This study aims to identify and analyze the construction of organizational commitment among outsourced workers through the perspective of Resource-Based View (RBV) theory. Organizational commitment is employees’ orientation towards the company, linking one's identity with the organization. It is crucial due to its strong relationship with employee performance and turnover. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method with a case study approach, focusing on outsourced employees at PT. Mitra Karya Prima. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and processed using qualitative data analysis techniques. The findings indicate that work environment, individual characteristics, and perceived organizational support (POS) are critical to forming individual commitment. These empirical findings are expected to contribute to developing a model for organizational commitment among outsourced employees and provide managerial insights for formulating policies to enhance field workers’ commitment to the company.

Evidence for endogenous hydrogen peroxide production by E. coli fatty acyl-CoA dehydrogenase.

Aerobic organisms continuously generate internal superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, which can damage enzymes and impair growth. To avoid this problem cells maintain high levels of superoxide dismutases, catalases, and peroxidases. Surprisingly, we do not know the primary sources of these reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living cells. However, in vitro studies have shown that flavoenzymes can inadvertently transfer electrons to oxygen. Therefore, it seems plausible that substantial ROS may be generated when large metabolic fluxes flow through flavoproteins. Such a situation may arise during the catabolism of fatty acids. Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (FadE) is a flavoprotein involved in each turn of the beta-oxidation cycle. In the present study the catabolism of dodecanoic acid specifically impaired the growth of strains that lack enzymes to scavenge hydrogen peroxide. The defect was absent from fadE mutants. Direct measurements confirmed that the beta-oxidation pathway amplified the rate of intracellular hydrogen peroxide formation. Scavenging-proficient cells did not display the FadE-dependent growth defect. Those cells also did not induce the peroxide stress response during dodecanoate catabolism, indicating that the basal defenses are sufficient to cope with moderately elevated peroxide formation. In vitro work still is needed to test whether the ROS evolve specifically from the FadE flavin site and to determine whether superoxide as well as peroxide is released. At present such experiments are challenging because the natural redox partner of FadE has not been identified. This study supports the hypothesis that the degree of internal ROS production can depend upon the type of active metabolism inside cells.

CD169+ Macrophages Mediate the Immune Response of Allergic Rhinitis Through the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 Axis.

CD169+ macrophages are a newly defined macrophage subpopulation that can recognize and bind with other cells through related ligands, playing an essential role in antigen presentation and immune tolerance. However, its role in Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is still unclear. To investigate the characteristics of CD169+ macrophages in AR, this work first detects their expression patterns in the nasal mucosa of clinical patients. These results show a significant increase in CD169+ macrophages in the nasal mucosa of patients with AR. Subsequently, this work establishes an animal AR model using CD169 transgenic mice and compared the advantages of the two models. Moreover, this work also demonstrates the effects of CD169 knockout on eosinophils, Th cells, Treg cells, and the migration of dendritic cells (DCs). In addition, this metabolomic data shows that CD169+ macrophages can upregulate alanine production and increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. This process may be mediated through the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. In addition, this work also finds that SLC38A2 plays an essential role in the process of CD169+ macrophages promoting alanine uptake by DCs. This study confirms that CD169+ macrophages can upregulate their internal alanine production and increase ROS levels through the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis, playing an irreplaceable role in AR.

Driving Forces of Strategic Outsourcing in Telecommunication Companies in Tanzania

Abstract This article aims to evaluate the driving forces of outsourcing strategies on the organizational performance of mobile network operators in mainland Tanzania. The objectives are to identify the driving forces of outsourcing and determine the challenges of outsourcing in telecommunication companies. The article adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The selection of mobile companies is based on high market share and operation period. Findings show that customer needs for high-quality services, high-rated change in service, reduction of operational expenditure, and accessing the world’s capability are among the major driving forces for outsourcing. Dependability, loss of security, hidden costs, and selection of competent partners to mention a few are the challenges faced by telecom companies. It is noted that outsourcing enables network operators to advance their organizational performance in terms of operating cost, productivity, profitability, and market share. However, customer satisfaction suffers due to the inconsistency of the quality of service offered. Therefore, it is advised that mobile operators closely monitor outsourcing service providers to ensure that agreed service levels are met, thereby, safeguarding the reputation of the company to customers.

Increasing labour productivity by providing innovative activities in when repair and service sector in livestock industry

At present, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are significantly behind the developed countries in terms of labor productivity and the share of domestic companies implementing technological innovations in the main sectors of the economy (especially in agriculture). One of the significant factors of this lag is the underestimation in past years of the promising potential of various innovative technologies and, as a consequence the very limited and slow implementation of breakthrough innovations in the most signifi cant sectors of the domestic economy. The decisive turn of the state economic policy of neighboring states in the area of deep technological transformation of all sectors of the economy is aimed at an innovative breakthrough and reaching advanced growth rates in the technological and economic development of fraternal countries. However, along with the introduction of the latest technologies the creation of completely new modern high-tech industries, which will require colossal fi nancial investments, the task of comprehensively and thoroughly exploring internal production reserves, searching for new forms and methods of improving the effi ciency of labour organization at existing enterprises, which will also bring a noticeable economic effect, remains relevant. This article describes in sufficient detail practical activities to improve and streamline accounting, planning, certifi cation, rationalization of workplaces of animal husbandry technical service organizations under the current conditions of the developing market. The results of the studies show that certifi cation and rationalization of workplaces are eff ective tools in fi nding internal production reserves to improve the use of labour resources, fi xed production assets, promotes the replacement of obsolete equipment, improves the relationship between workplaces, improves working conditions, and optimally balances the need for labour with the number of existing workplaces. This will significantly increase the overall efficiency of activities and competitiveness of service enterprises in the fi eld of animal husbandry.

Improving Productivity and Reducing Costs in an IT Service Provider: Applying the Lean Six Sigma Methodology

Objective: to present the use of the Six Sigma framework as a framework for IT Governance, in a multinational company that operates in the market of IT outsourcing services, with a view to assisting in the improvement of productivity, in its consequent significant reduction of costs and a better operational performance in the processes of the company providing outsourced IT services. Theoretical Framework: The study addresses concepts of the Lean philosophy, as well as the Six Sigma framework and the marriage of Lean and Six Sigma as a way to obtain advantages from the application of its methods, meeting the needs of the organization. Method: In this study, quantitative and qualitative methods were used from a descriptive research. A literature review and associated issues were carried out and a case study was applied from the results obtained through a project in a large multinational company that provides IT outsourcing services. Outcome and Discussion: The combination of Six Sigma with the business process offered the company an opportunity for cost reduction and improved its competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive and quality-driven market. Regarding the implementation of the incident governance process, a reduction of 24% was obtained; Regarding actions to reduce the number of overtime, a reduction of 40% was obtained. A total monthly reduction of US$ 5,589 was obtained and annually the reduction amount plus benefits reached US$ 67,068. Research Implications: Research contributes to the improvement of quality and significant cost reduction with the application of the Six Sigma framework, properly tested and demonstrated in an organization. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by using the Six Sigma framework as a framework for IT Governance in order to help improve productivity with consequent significant cost reduction and better operational performance in the processes of an outsourced IT service provider. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by the demonstration of the benefits obtained in the environment of the company under analysis.

Sticky Floor, Broken Ladder, and Glass Ceiling in Internal Medicine Academic Ranking, Leadership, and Research Productivity.

Despite more women entering medicine, substantial gender disparities remain in various medical disciplines. This study explores the extent of these disparities in Canadian academic internal medicine, particularly in academic ranks, leadership positions, and research productivity. Cross-sectional. Faculty physicians within internal medicine and subspecialties. Data on faculty physicians with Medical Doctorate (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), or Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees were compiled from 17 internal medicine programs listed in the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). Research metrics were obtained using Elsevier's Scopus, and analyses were performed with Stata v14.2. Among 5099 physician faculty members in internal medicine, 34% were women, and 66% were men. Among the faculty members holding leadership positions, 68% were men, and 32% were women. There was a significant difference in h-index between men and women physician faculty members (p ≤ 0.001), with men having a higher research output. Across all academic ranks, men faculty had higher median h-index values: Assistant Professor (12 vs. 9), Associate Professor (20 vs. 16), and Professor (40 vs. 30). Women were underrepresented in the procedural specialties, while only a few internal medicine subspecialties, such as palliative medicine and geriatrics, had a women predominance. Our study underscores existing gender disparity within academic internal medicine in Canada, aligning with global trends. Women remain disproportionately underrepresented in academic ranks, leadership positions, and research productivity. Addressing these disparities necessitates a systemic and multifaceted approach, encompassing policy reforms, mentorship, and fostering an inclusive work environment.

Corporate Communication In The Digital Era: Challenges And Opportunities For PT Binajasa Abadikarya

The digital era has significantly transformed corporate communication, presenting both challenges and opportunities for organizations. PT Binajasa Abadikarya, a leading manpower and outsourcing services provider in Indonesia, is no exception to these changes. This research aims to explore the challenges PT Binajasa Abadikarya faces in maintaining effective corporate communication and to identify the opportunities available to enhance its communication strategies in the digital age. The study employs a descriptive qualitative research method, using primary data collected through interviews with key stakeholders within the company, and secondary data sourced from relevant articles, journals, and books. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo software to systematically organize and interpret the qualitative data. The findings reveal that PT Binajasa Abadikarya faces significant challenges, including maintaining consistency in messaging across digital platforms, managing crisis communication in real-time, and overcoming content saturation. However, the research also identifies substantial opportunities for the company, such as leveraging digital tools for broader stakeholder engagement, utilizing data analytics for personalized communication, and implementing an omnichannel communication strategy. These insights provide PT Binajasa Abadikarya with strategic directions to enhance its corporate communication and maintain its competitive edge in the digital era

Economic and legal regulation of resident activities of Diya City

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of economic and legal support for the activity of an enterprise that is a resident of Diya City. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that in the conditions of the digital economy there can be economic systems in which there are intra-system organizational economic legal relations and intra-economic legal relations. In intra-system organizational economic relations, their participants are legally equal, therefore management in the form of coordination within the system will be implemented on the basis of economic dominance, which ensures mutually beneficial interaction between the participants of this system. A resident of Diya City, created in the form of a company with limited or additional liability on the basis of an economic contract, can transfer the powers of the executive body to another legal entity. It is expedient to define the requirements for such a legal entity as fully as possible in the Diya City resident statute. The contract for the performance of the powers of the executive body of the resident of Diya City must contain the following essential conditions: subject, price, term of the contract, financial and economic indicators that must be achieved by the resident of Diya City as a result of management, deadlines for their achievement, conditions for control and reporting, grounds for early termination of the contract. Before concluding an agreement on the transfer of powers to the executive body of the resident of Diya City to comply with the legal economic order on the basis of the previous agreement, it is advisable for the parties to organize mutual checks: audit, compliance, due diligence, etc. On the basis of an economic outsourcing contract, including an IT outsourcing contract, a resident of Diya City can involve professional, highly specialized companies in his own economic system. Such a feature of outsourcing as the duration of the relationship between the parties in this relationship will be optional, as it may arise for the implementation of a certain project. Digitization allows the enterprise to move from such organizational forms as management, regulation, control mainly to coordination, because with digitalization, the enterprise creates digital structural units and digital management bodies, and digital (virtual) workplaces become the basis.

Cybersecurity Compliance Frameworks- a pragmatic view with an IT outsourcing company case study

Cybersecurity Compliance Frameworks- a pragmatic view with an IT outsourcing company case study

EVOLUTIONARY TRANSFORMATION OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM OF DEFENSE GOODS, SERVICES AND WORKS IN UKRAINE

It is inadvisable to limit the quality assurance system for defense-related goods/services/works solely to a set of mechanisms; it must necessarily encompass vertical and horizontal connections both among the relevant functional blocks (subsystems) and between the entities involved in their operation. In the context of not only geopolitical challenges but also the ongoing daily struggle against an aggressor state, it is critically important to establish an effective and efficient system for controlling the quality of defense-related goods/services/works. This article is dedicated to the systematization of the characteristics of transformational changes and the outlining of methodological foundations for the effective functioning of the quality assurance system for defense- related goods, works, and services in Ukraine. A conceptual three-level model of the quality assurance system for defense-related goods, services, and works has been formulated by distinguishing the essential parameters of their operation at the global, national, and micro levels. The peculiarities of forming a quality assurance system for defense-related products at both the micro and macro levels have been justified. It has been emphasized that the effectiveness of the evolutionary transformation of the quality assurance system for defense-related products at all levels of its representation should be characterized by the penetration of market forces into the mechanism of its operation. Attention has been drawn to the substantive directions for implementing the requirements of NATO standards in the AQAP series (AQAP 2110) within the framework of a corporate quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001. Since there are no legal or legislative requirements mandating the implementation of quality management systems, the enhancement and improvement of the efficiency of internal business and production processes should be a direct concern of the enterprise itself, driven by market forces. At the same time, the state should create stimulating mechanisms, for instance, by employing soft regulation; in military procurement specifications, it should mandate the presence of a certificate of compliance with AQAP requirements for the enterprises involved. The expected effects of the transformation of the studied system include economic, organizational, and worldview effects. A comparative analysis of the evolutionary transformation of the quality assurance system for defense-related goods, services, and works has been conducted based on the following criteria: the object and subject of control; the function performed by the control subject; the breadth of the controlling institution’s functionality; the perimeter of the controlling institution’s authority; the level of depth of control; and the level of subordination of the controlling institution to the Ministry of Defense. Despite the complexity of the task declared at the state level regarding the functioning of the state guarantee system for the quality of defense-related products, which is influenced not only by objective factors but also by worldview factors, its implementation has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of Ukraine’s defense products and substantially improve Ukraine’s rankings in terms of transparency, institutional maturity, and the ecological soundness of economic relations in the defense sector.

ІНКРЕМЕНТНИЙ ПІДХІД ДО ПЛАНУВАННЯ РОБОТИ СТУДЕНТІВ НАД СПІЛЬНИМ ПРОГРАМНИМ ПРОЄКТОМ

As of today, well-known product and outsourcing IT companies use Agile models for the software development life cycle (SDLC), the advantages of which include rapid adaptation to changes, continuous feedback, improved product quality, increased team engagement, focus on customer value, transparency and control, as well as the reduction of internal and external risks. All Agile models are iterative, meaning the development process is divided into separate, similar iterations, which have different names in different models. Familiarization with and practical application of modern Agile models by students at the first (bachelor’s) level of higher education in the field of information technology is an important task for future IT specialists. To achieve this task, the most popular Agile model, Scrum, was chosen, which is also incremental, meaning that each iteration delivers additional functionality that is ready for use. The main roles of participants and their responsibilities, artifacts, and ceremonies of the Scrum process are reviewed. The article proposes applying the Scrum model for iterative and incremental software development that will solve a multi-criteria optimization problem using a game-theoretic approach. The formulation and general algorithm for solving the multi-criteria optimization problem using a game-theoretic approach are presented, as well as an example of formulating the Product Backlog, which contains twelve functional requirements to be implemented by the student Scrum team over twelve iterations (sprints). The recommended process for dividing students into Scrum teams and assigning roles to participants is described. An example of incremental implementation based on the Scrum model of the SDLC for solving the multi-criteria optimization problem using a game-theoretic approach is also provided.

School health services in the Southern District of Israel—between privatization and nationalization

BackgroundFor decades, Israel’s economic policy has favored either outsourcing or privatization of public services, including healthcare, generating an ongoing and prolonged debate of this approach. In 1997 school health services (SHS) for elementary and middle school pupils was outsourced to a sub-contractor firm, reducing budget, but also standards, for nurses and physicians. Consequently, the service has dwindled and was focused more and more on vaccinations. Between 2007 and 2012, under full private contractor delivery, SHS quality diminished substantially, leading to a significant decline in vaccination coverage in the Southern District. In 2012, a decision was made to return SHS to state control.MethodsThis study analyzes the delivery parameters of SHS between the period when the service was operated by a private contractor from 2011to 2/2012, and the subsequent provision of the service directly by Ministry of Health (MoH) between 3/2012 and 2013. We compared the rates of vaccination coverage, screening tests and health education programs.ResultsA statistically significant increase in SHS delivery for vaccinations and screening was observed in the Southern District of MoH after the transfer of service from contractor. The increase was variable in different population subgroups, and especially notable in the Bedouin schools of the District, where the MMRV vaccination rose from 19.3% to 96.8%. However, a substantial and significant reduction in health education activities was also noted, overall from 24.9% to 5.0%.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that substantial benefits can be derived from direct provision of SHS by MoH and its regional offices, especially in the areas of reduced accessibility and lower socio-economic status. The case study of SHS in the Southern District of Israel can serve as an important example highlighting the impacts of privatization vs nationalization, with potential implications in other fields. These insights should be integral to future discussions of healthcare service provision.

Strategic priorities for digitalization of the mining sector of Kazakhstan

Global uncertainty has transformed the economy of Kazakhstan, which is striving to become a center of innovative development in Central Asia. According to the authors, one of the reasons for the raw material orientation of the country's economy, along with the predominance of energy-intensive types of production, is the technological backwardness of the mining sector. The article shows that the strategic goal of the Kazakhstan mining complex to integrate into the world economy involves a focus on innovative development. PEST analysis of the most important micro- and macroeconomic factors made it possible to assess the current situation of enterprises. It was revealed that one of the significant reasons for the innovative lag in the mining sector of Kazakhstan is the lack of a strategic vision of digital transformation and change management mechanisms among enterprises. The authors conclude that the continuous complication of mining and geological conditions and the growing demands of stakeholders require enterprises to build internal production processes, promote R&D, improve the organization of analytical work based on an engineering and economic approach to the selection of tools for the digital basis of production, and active interaction with external partners and startups. It is substantiated that for further progress an integrated approach to the creation of intra-production digital competencies is necessary; enterprises should focus on organizational and technological transformation, including changes in the organizational structure and transformation of the business model. The results of the study are of interest to industrial enterprises when they develop proactive innovative strategies focused on reorganizing operational activities and increasing investment to promote business.

Factors Influencing Outsourcing Of Valuation Services By Financial Institutions In Lagos State

This paper examines the factors that influence outsourcing of valuation by Financial Institutions (FI) in Lagos State, this with a view to enhance valuation services delivery. Primary data used for the study were obtained from the questionnaires administered on 101 financial institutions found within the scope of well-structured financial institutions and accessed through their head offices. A total of 78 questionnaires were retrieved and found useable for this study. The data were analyzed with the aid of inferential statistics such as mean rating using 5 points Likert scale. The study showed that ‘’ Reduce Management burden’’, ‘’ Allow Management to concentrate on core business’’, and ‘’Improve Accountability’’ are the top three related factors influencing outsourcing of Valuation services while ‘’to improve quality of work’’, ’to improve speed of work’’ and ‘’ to improve productivity’’ are the three least factors influencing valuation outsourcing and are even insignificant as the least three have mean rating less than 2.5. The study concluded that Estate Valuers are not known for quality work, in other word Estate Surveyors and Valuers are engaged by FI not really to improve quality of work, improve speed of work or to improve productivity but for FI to be able to concentrate on the core business. It is therefore essential for Estate Valuer to improve on their quality and speed of their work so as to enhance desired productivity for them to be able to compete favourably with their counterpart in the developed nations. The efficient service delivery will add value to financial institutions operations, better the lot of stakeholders and subsequently improve national economy

Research on the Impact of Agricultural Production Outsourcing on Farmers’ Fertilizer Application Intensity: An Inverse U-Shaped Relationship

Agricultural production outsourcing services encourage a shift in the way crops are grown in developing countries and make it easier for small farmers to join the social division of labor in agriculture. This makes production more efficient and has a big effect on the inputs used in agriculture, especially fertilizer. This paper empirically tests the impact of production outsourcing on farmers’ fertilizer intensity using the instrumental variables method with non-planar panel data from the 2020–2022 China Land Economy Survey (CLES) of farm plots. The results showed that there was a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between the degree of agricultural production outsourcing and the intensity of fertilization on farmers’ plots. Mechanistic analysis shows that agricultural production outsourcing affects the fertilizer intensity by changing the labor allocation of farmers. Especially as the degree of agricultural production outsourcing increases, the intensity of farm labor inputs by farmers gradually decreases, and the impact of fertilizer intensity on the plots showed a tendency to be promoted first and then suppressed. The moderating effect showed that plot size was a major moderating factor. This means that the bigger the plot, the flatter the inverted U-shaped curve became, and the same level of outsourcing could lead to less fertilizer application. This happened by moving the inflection point of the inverted U-shaped curve to the left, which stopped the fertilizer application at a lower level of outsourcing. Heterogeneity analysis showed that participation in technology-intensive production outsourcing was beneficial in terms of reducing fertilizer intensity, and that an increased degree of agriculture production outsourcing was beneficial for farmers with large plot sizes and younger heads of household.

Designing a Service Provision Website Using the Design Thinking Method

Berkarya Abdi Sejahtera is a company that operates in the field of Outsourcing services such as Administration, Data Input, Operator, Warehouse, Labor, Security, Office Boy/Grill, Driver, Technician, Mechanic, and others. One way to increase company development is by using the website. Websites are increasing rapidly along with the number of websites that are used as a tool to promote companies to make them better known. Based on previous research conducted regarding Thrifdoor Business Website Design Using the Design Thinking Approach Method, it states that the creation process uses the Design Thinking method. The aim of this research is to create a website design by innovating using the Design Thinking method. and it is hoped that the design of this website will make it easier for companies to introduce their company. Observation is a process of observing and then recording systematically, logically, objectively and rationally regarding various phenomena in real situations, as well as artificial situations. The author collects and reviews data obtained by direct review and monitoring. Interviews are conducted to obtain data and information in the form of questions and answers from people who are directly involved with the system that is the object of research. Interviews will be conducted with members of PT Berkarya Abdi Sejahtera at the design stage. The 5 stages of design thinking: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test.

Combine harvester outsourcing services and seasonal rural non‐farm employment in Myanmar

AbstractPrior research on mechanization outsource services has not explored seasonal variations in drivers and outcomes of adoption by smallholders. These omissions are important because seasonality of crop cultivation may influence intensity of demand for machines, while seasonality of demand for non‐farm labor may influence the availability and cost of agricultural workers and the opportunity costs of on‐farm self‐employment. We analyze seasonal correlates of combine harvester outsource service use in Myanmar. Surprisingly, adoption is not associated with lower labor costs or higher net margins from paddy cultivation. Rather, using combines releases family labor into more remunerative dry season non‐farm employment.