eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 3 9 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.03-09 440-1 article Peter FANDEL This study investigates the productivity change in the production of cereal and oilseed crops in Slovakia with special emphasis on technical change analysis. It employs a non-parametric distance function approach to measure Malmquist productivity index which is decomposed into technical efficiency change and technical change. Technical change is further decomposed into technical change magnitude and input- and output-bias indices. The productivity change components provide more detailed information about character of productivity change itself and its sources. Our results indicate that productivity in the analysed sector decreased approximately by 20% within the examined period of 1998-2007. The decrease was caused mostly by worsening the technical change (-41,6%). Indices of input- and output bias of technical change were various from unity what suggests that technical change was not Hicks’- neutral. Results of further analysis of the direction of technical change bias indicate that farms in average tend to apply fertilizers-using/seed-saving, seed-using/labour-saving, and fertilizers-using/labour-saving technical change bias over the whole sample period, as well as in the EU pre-accession and EU post-accession periods. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Fandel.pdf Malmquist index technical efficiency change technical change output bias input bias magnitude of technical change eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 10 16 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.10-16 440-1 article Raymond K. DZIWORNU Daniel B. SARPONG This paper applied the stochastic profit frontier model to estimate economic efficiency of 199 small-scale commercial broiler producers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Farm-level data was obtained from the producers through a multi-stage sampling technique. Results indicate that broiler producers are not fully economically efficient. The mean economic efficiency was 69 percent, implying that opportunity exist for broiler producers to increase their economic efficiency level through better use of available resources. Age of producer, extension contact, market age of broiler and credit access were found to significantly influence economic efficiency in broiler production. Policy measures directed at these factors to enhance economic efficiency of broiler producers are recommendable. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Dziwornu_Sarpong.pdf economic efficiency stochastic profit frontier broiler production Ghana eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 17 21 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.17-21 440-1 article Lukas CECHURA Heinrich HOCKMANN Zdenka MALA Michal MALY The paper deals with the analysis of productivity and efficiency differences between Czech and Slovak milk producers. The estimate of stochastic metafrontier multiple output distance function revealed that both Czech and Slovak milk producers highly exploit their production possibilities. On the other hand, productivity differences were pronounced. The Slovak regions were found being falling behind. Only the West Slovak regions can keep pace with competitors. The Central Bohemia and Moravian-Silesian regions are the most productive regions. We found that technical efficiency and management component are the most important factors determining the regional differences. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Cechura_et_al.pdf milk production productivity efficiency metafrontier analysis SFA eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 22 31 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.22-31 440-1 article Gohar BADALYAN Thomas HERZFELD Miroslava RAJCANIOVA Provision of efficient, reliable, and affordable infrastructure is essential for economic growth. Transportation infrastructure in particular, is vital to the prosperity of regions. To investigate the relationship and the direction of causality between transport infrastructure, investment in infrastructure and economic growth, we use panel cointegration analysis and panel causality analysis for three countries Armenia, Turkey, and Georgia. We use annual data of Armenia, Turkey and Georgia for the period 1982-2010.The tests proved the existence of more than one cointegrating vector indicating that the system under examination is stationary in more than one direction. The VECM results showed that gross capital formation and road/rail goods transported have a positive and statistically significant impact on economic growth in the short- run. Overall, the existence of bidirectional causality between economic growth and infrastructure investment, and between road and rail passengers carried and infrastructure investment was indicated in both the short and long-run. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Badalyan_et_al.pdf economic growth transport infrastructure panel cointegration VECM eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 32 37 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.32-37 440-1 article Pavel SYROVÁTKA Pavel ŽUFAN This paper is focused on the supply of the Czech producers of bottled quality white wine. Namely, a dependence of their sales of this wine category on the market price of bottled quality white wine was examined. Monthly data from the CZSO and SZIF database, years 2004–2012, were used for the price-supply analysis. Price-supply reactions of the Czech wine producers were investigated through two-stage cointegration method developed by Engle and Granger. Short-term and long-term price elasticity of studied market supply was based on the error correction model designed and statistically verified by the authors. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Syrovatka_Zufan.pdf Czech wine market market supply quality white wine price-supply cointegration error correction model price-supply elasticity eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 38 44 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.38-44 440-1 article Radek ZDENĚK Jana LOSOSOVÁ The most important for the stability of Europe and Czech milk market is to remain competitive in world markets, as the main way for balance on the internal market is based on successful export of dairy products to third countries. Price volatility and environmental sustainability are seen as the most serious current problems in the dairy industry and dairy farming. The aim of this paper is to assess the development of the production and milk prices in the EU and assess the main factors that affect labour productivity. The number of cows per worker is one of the most important factors affecting labour productivity. Effect of prices on labour productivity in monetary expression is not as significant as is usually assumed. The technical equipment of labour should be an important factor influencing the number of cows per worker. The hypothesis that higher technical equipment of labour should create better conditions for higher productivity could be assumed. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Zdenek_Lososova.pdf labour productivity milk price milk yield eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 45 48 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.45-48 440-1 article Trevor Uyi OMORUYI Grazyna REMBIELAK Agnieszka PARLINSKA International students’ contribution to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) tends to be considered from different aspects. There is an inadequate substantiation base that would allow academics, researchers and other stakeholders understand the importance of overseas students in the UK Business Schools. This paper investigates the contribution of international students to Business School in the UK HEIs. The research was exploratory and part of a bigger project on how and why Business Schools in the UK use Relationship Marketing to retain international students. It employed semi-structured interviews with 18 members of staff from four Business Schools in the North of England. Findings indicate that international students’ definition tends to differ amongst staff members within the Business Schools. Business Schools’ management perceive overseas students as an integral part of their institutions, especially as their overall contributions cannot be over-emphasised. The sample size and use of semi-structured interviews, as a single data gathering strategy, does not allow broad generalisation of findings. The obtained evidence can still be used as a platform for further research in this area. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Omoruyi_et_al.pdf Higher Education International students Business Schools United Kingdom eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 49 64 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.49-64 440-1 article Philip Kofi ADOM This study tested for spatial integration in the rice market and the substitution of imported rice for local rice in Ghana. It is established that the markets for domestic imported rice are well-integrated, but not complete. The imperfect spatial integration of domestic foreign rice markets implies that the market provides opportunities for arbitrage. Price leadership roles are found to be determined by the kind of sub-inter-regional-trade network defined. However, in all, the Accra market emerged as a dominant market leader in the domestic foreign rice market. There is evidence of significant regional substitution of foreign rice for local rice in the long run, but the result is mixed in the short run. The result that local rice is not a perfect substitute for imported rice implies that price disincentive measures such as increasing the import tariffs on foreign rice will only produce a mild effect on increasing the producer price faced by local rice farmers, but aggravate the burden on households’ budget. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Adom.pdf Spatial integration Commodity substitution Ghana Rice market eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 65 73 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.65-73 440-1 article Tomáš RATINGER Lenka HEBAKOVÁ Tomáš MICHÁLEK Adam TOMKA Ilona MRHÁLKOVÁ Olga ŠTIKOVÁ The sustainability challenges such as depletion of finite resources stem largely from an explosion in consumption. So far, most attention has been paid to socially efficient use of resources in production. However, the recent increase in demand for biomass and food followed by soaring food prices calls for reconsidering our approach and focusing on consumption too. This includes consuming less but mainly differently, and reducing and recycling wastes. Since food consumption is integrated with our life style it is important to understand socioeconomic and cultural contexts, the formal and informal institutions and government policy which form our food consumption behaviour. The paper refers to our ongoing research carried in the 7FP project PACITA on the technology assessment. We show main patterns and trends in food consumption and buying habits in the Czech Republic and initiatives promoting sustainable consumption in the country and in the selected EU member states. Possible reasons for so poor attention to sustainability of food consumption in the Czech Republic is discussed. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Ratinger_et_al.pdf sustainable consumption food consumption food waste social practice diffusion institutions food and sustainability policies eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 74 77 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.74-77 440-1 article Ola BAREJA-WAWRYSZUK Jarosław GOLEBIEWSKI It is observed that quality of mass produced and highly processed food forces consumers to change their consumption habits and become more interested in locally available food products. Consumers are becoming aware of negative consequences of global food systems. As an alternative, Local Food Systems are gaining on popularity because short food supply chains offer fresh, healthy and not modified products. The popularity of Local Food Systems is reflected in the need for analysing impact and significance of those systems. Thus, this paper presents main benefits of acting locally. Local Food Systems has been reviewed in case of positive economic, environmental and social influence on the region. What is more, the paper presents consumers’ attitude to Local Food Systems. As a conclusion authors justify significance of development and investment in Local Food Systems as an alternative to agriculture networks. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Bareja-Wawryszuk_Golebiewski.pdf local food systems short food supply chains sustainability alternative agriculture networks eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 78 83 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.78-83 440-1 article S. Susela DEVI Edward WONG SEK KHIN Ratnam ALAGIAH This paper introduces action research as a possible new method to reduce the distance between idealism and accounting practice, thus contributing to the accounting literature. The source of this paper is an on-going large research project. The project has three objectives. Firstly, to provide evidence of the utilisation of accounting methods in the Malaya plantation industry from its earliest beginnings through to the introduction of accounting tools such as budgets, leading to the creation of a social and economic underclass in Malaysia. Secondly, to examine the extent to which accounting information provided in the Annual Reports of Malaysian plantation companies is used in determining the wages of plantation workers on the grounds that workers in the plantation industry have been and still are, among the most poorly paid in Malaysia, and perhaps the world. Interestingly, the wages of plantation workers are determined through a negotiation process between the National Union of Plantation Workers and the Malaysian Agricultural Producers Association. This paper draws from this research project and explicates the utilisation of the Action Research methodology in reporting the “lived experiences” of those affected by Management Accounting budgets and demonstrating how the parties to wage negotiation, the employers, union and employees, can better derive value from accounting information provided within the annual reports of Malaysian plantation companies. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Devi_et_al.pdf Accounting IAS Case Study Action Research Ground Theory eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 84 87 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.84-87 440-1 article Dušan DRABIK Miroslava RAJČÁNIOVÁ This paper discusses recent developments in the market for agricultural land in Slovakia related to the new law on land acquisition. The stated objective of this law is to protect agricultural land from non-agricultural use. We analyze land-related data as reported by sellers in the newly established Registry of offers of agricultural land administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Our results show that the regions with the most fertile soils are not the ones with the highest average land prices. Moreover, we show that the average regional prices are very sensitive to price outliers. For example, the average price for agricultural land in Slovakia is 27,200 EUR per hectare. However, this price falls down to 6,300 EUR per hectare if only observations with prices below 10,000 EUR per hectare are considered. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Drabik_Rajcaniova.pdf agricultural land prices market law Slovakia eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 88 91 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.88-91 440-1 article Anchal ARORA In 2006 the state government of Andhra Pradesh reduced the Bt cotton seed prices from Indian Rs1600 to Rs750 in order to make the technology affordable and accessible to small and marginal farmers in the state and also to prevent the monopolistic market structure in the seed market. The drastic reduction in seed prices, on the other hand could affect the profitability of seed providing companies and curb their incentives to innovate in future. Recent literature has also examined the impact of price controls on diffusion of technology, revenue and profitability of seed providers. It suggests that price controls have positively impacted the diffusion of technology in India, and were also successful in increasing the revenue of seed providers in the short run. However, the impact of price controls on profitability would depend on cost conditions. In the light of the above discussion, this article attempts to discuss the debate behind price controls and draws certain policy implications pertaining to pricing of Bt seeds, which has an international policy relevance. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Arora.pdf Bt cotton seed price reductions policy eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 92 102 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.92-102 440-1 article Anouk GEVAERT Stefan Jonathan KUPERS Wim HEIJMAN Although it has been recognised that a stakeholder approach is important in effective landscape planning, a lack of objective methods which include stakeholder opinions in planning projects exists. In this paper we describe a new experimental method for creating landscape planning maps based on stakeholder opinions. During interviews, stakeholders are asked to rate the suitability of individual landscape elements and to visualise their ideal landscape plan. The results of the interview are then used to create a new landscape plan for the area. This method is illustrated by means of a case study in the Netherlands in which four stakeholders were included: the municipality, an agricultural organisation, the water board and a nature conservation organisation. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed in order to determine the robustness of the proposed method. Changing weights given to the individual stakeholders did not have a significant influence on the resulting landscape plan, indicating that this is a promising method for participatory landscape planning. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Gevaert_et_al.pdf landscape planning participatory planning stakeholder approach bottom-up approach eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 103 112 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.103-112 440-1 article Meerim SYDYKOVA Carlos RODRÍGUEZ In most developing countries, where agriculture is the main economical source, clusters have been found as a booster to develop their economy. The Asian countries are now starting to implement agro-food clusters into the mainstream of changes in agriculture, farming and food industry. The long-term growth of meat production in the Kyrgyz Republic during the last decade, as well as the fact that agriculture has become one of the prioritized sectors of the economy, proved the importance of livestock sector in the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. The research question is “Does the Kyrgyz Republic has strong economic opportunities and prerequisites in agriculture in order to implement an effective agro cluster in the livestock sector?” Paper focuses on describing the prerequisites of the Kyrgyz Republic in agriculture to implement livestock cluster. The main objective of the paper is to analyse the livestock sector of the Kyrgyz Republic and observe the capacity of this sector to implement agro-cluster. The study focuses on investigating livestock sector and a complex S.W.O.T. The analysis was carried out based on local and regional database and official studies. The results of research demonstrate the importance of livestock cluster for national economy. It can be concluded that cluster implementation could provide to its all members with benefits if they could build strong collaborative relationship in order to facilitate the access to the labour market and implicitly, the access to exchange of good practices. Their ability of potential cluster members to act as a convergence pole is critical for acquiring practical skills necessary for the future development of the livestock sector. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Sydykova_Rodriguez.pdf development livestock cluster agriculture eng Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics 1336-9261 2014-11-15 17 2 113 117 10.15414/raae.2014.17.02.113-117 440-1 article Nsikan E. BASSEY C.J. ARENE B.C. OKPUKPARA The study examines and compares the capital structure and efficiency of capital employed between listed and unlisted agro-based firms in Nigeria. Data collected from 88 agro-based firms using random sampling technique for the period 2005-2010 were analysed using Z-test, Capital Structure Ratio (CSR) and Return on Capital Employed Ratio (ROCE) analysis as well as descriptive statistics. The result revealed significant differences between the capital structure of listed and listed agro-based firms. Listed agro-based firms recorded the highest debt to equity ratio than their unlisted counterpart. Short term debts also constituted a greater percentage of the total debt ratios of both sample groups. Unlisted agro firms were more efficient than listed firms in terms of return on capital employed. Accordingly, series of recommendations have also been offered. https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/RAAE_02_2014_Bassey_et_al.pdf Capital Structure Agro-based firms Capital Employed