Department: Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
18 matches in the database.
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1.
Bean, Molly K.
Consumer support for local and organic foods in Ohio.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2008, Ohio State University
► Discourse on consumption is growing and one significant focus is food consumption.…
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▼ Discourse on consumption is growing and one significant focus is food consumption. In fact green buying, such as purchasing organic and local foods is booming. As this type of consumption flourishes, an increasing number of sociologists are grappling with better understanding the role of consumption and theorizing about consumers as political actors. Some sociologists observe contemporary consumption patterns are not as easy to decipher using old frameworks dependent on social class and price as explanatory factors. An increased emphasis on reflexive concerns as primary motivators associated with modern consumption is emerging. I examine the effect of class and reflexive concerns on support for local and organic foods. Factors associated with support for organic foods are examined more than support for local foods. Few studies have compared the two. I fill this gap by examining the significance of a number of factors associated with local and organic support. The findings do not support the hypothesis that class is positively associated with support for local and organic. Particular reflexive concerns are associated with local versus organic support. There are a number of shared reflexive concerns positively associated with both. Attitudinal support for local is not significantly associated with behavioral support for organic foods and vice versa. These results indicate a possible decoupling of local and organic. To further explore support for these foods, a typology of consumers is developed. Class is not associated with support for these foods and there are some distinct reflexive concerns across types. Consumers most supportive of local and organic are more reflexive and those least supportive are less reflexive. The organically inclined is more agroenvironmentally concerned and health conscious than the locally inclined group, which reports higher agrarian sentiment. The most supportive type based on the typology is subsequently compared to a group known to be engaged in food system issues. The known supportive group (KSG) is more educated and reports higher household income. The KSG is more reflexive than the general population group. Price and convenience are more important among the general population group. These findings have implications for food system activism and theory building associated with consumption.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sharp, Jeff.
Keywords: local foods, organic foods, consumption, consumers, reflexivity, social class, sustainable agriculture, alternative food systems
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2.
Biteye, Mamadou.
Outreach and Sustainability of Rural Financial Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of the CNCA-Senegal.
Degree: MS, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► The thesis measures the performance of the Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole…
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▼ The thesis measures the performance of the Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole du Senegal (CNCAS) in terms of outreach and self-sustainability. Outreach is measured the value of loans disbursed by economic sector. The subsidy dependence index is used to assess the degree of financial sustainability. The subsidy dependence index is complemented by a financial-ratio analysis to explore the specific problem areas of the CNCAS.We found that the CNCAS has not generated any additionality in outreach. Since a reduction was observed in the value of loans disbursed and in the number of clients served, outreach actually declined. The CNCAS was not profitable for the last five years. Indeed it has been accumulating losses, therefore sustainability has not been achieved. The CNCAS is heavily dependent on subsidies provided by government and donors, both through below market interest rates, grants, and the reimbursement of part of its operating expenses.The environment of risk and uncertainty, in which the CNCAS operates, and the heavy intervention of the government are found to be the primary reasons for the poor performance of this institution. Remedial solutions are formulated in the recommendations for the government and donors, and for the CNCAS.
Advisors/Committee Members: Graham, Douglas H.
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3.
Cockerill, Coreen H.
Exploring the vested interest perspective as it applies to public involvement in watershed management planning: lessons from an Ohio watershed.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2006, Ohio State University
► Due to shifts in U.S. environmental policy initiatives and improvements in scientific…
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▼ Due to shifts in U.S. environmental policy initiatives and improvements in scientific understanding of ecological systems, watershed management decisions have begun to rely increasingly more on input from the general public. Proponents of this decentralized approach adhere to broad assumptions regarding the benefits of public involvement, suggesting local participation can increase public acceptance of environmental responsibilities, improve perceived legitimacy of government agencies, and increase representation of more diverse public interests, leading to the enhancement of related environmental quality indicators. This research sought to critically examine these assumptions by taking a closer look at public motivations and public expectations for involvement. A survey of 1190 residents of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) in eastern Ohio was used to evaluate public interest in participating in watershed management planning activities. Participants were asked to respond to a variety of questions designed to measure public attitudes towards MWCD practices, frequency of resource use, and level of awareness associated with watershed development planning options. A theoretical model representative of the vested interest perspective was constructed using influences from risk perception and social exchange theories and was used to explore research hypotheses. The implications of the study findings regarding the role of vested interests as factors facilitating participation are discussed. Results suggest that awareness of MWCD programs and activities may significantly influence participation. Analysis of the multivariate model suggests the need to further explore dimensions, indicators, and situational applicability of the vested interest concept.
Advisors/Committee Members: Napier, Ted L.
Keywords: watershed; watershed management; environmental policy; natural resource management; public participation; vested interest; risk; muskingum watershed; muskingum watershed conservancy district
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4.
Dellien, Hans.
Household Savings and Deposits in Rural Honduras.
Degree: MS, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► This thesis explains savings and deposit behavior of rural and urban households…
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▼ This thesis explains savings and deposit behavior of rural and urban households in Honduras. Three models are estimated with data from a survey of 484 households: two logit models explain the probability of a head of household being a saver and a bank depositor and a multinomial logit model explains the probabilities of holding cash, bank deposits, cooperative deposits, and non-financial assets.Separate estimations for rural and urban households highlight the seasonality and volatility of incomes and limited bank branches in rural areas. Dependent variables are the states of being a saver or a depositor. Several explanatory variables are significant. In urban areas, the probability of being a saver is increased by sector of economic activity (agriculture, trade, and services) and education and decreased by gender (male) and dependency ratios. Wealth is not significant: poor and rich have the same probability of being savers. In rural areas, this probability is increased by wealth, education, and being a borrower.Education increases the probability of being a bank depositor in rural but not urban areas. Urban households with monthly incomes are more likely to deposit than are rural workers with daily incomes. Transaction costs influence this probability in both areas, as do the condition of bank borrower and expectation of getting future loans. The attractiveness of interest rates is not significant, which suggests that transaction costs are more important for the net return on deposits. Wealth increases the probability of being a depositor, as wealthier households more easily overcome limitations of the supply of deposit services.Transaction costs influence the choice between bank deposits and cash in rural but not urban areas. When transaction costs are lower, cooperatives attract depositors from banks. Loan expectations and being a borrower increase the probability of being a depositor rather than holding cash at home. Being male increases the probability of holding bank deposits or non-financial assets rather than cash. Holdings of non-financial assets increase with wealth.The thesis discusses difficulties of deposit mobilization in rural areas due to small deposits and low population density. Small financial organizations may not be prepared for this task. Appropriate prudential supervision is recommended.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gonzalez-Vega, Claudio.
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7.
Karim-Sesay, Peter Abdul.
A vested interest approach to the understanding of agriculture and environmental attitudes in the state of Ohio.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2004, Ohio State University
► The current diversity in the rural population of America creates problems for…
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▼ The current diversity in the rural population of America creates problems for the proper interpretation of attitudes towards agriculture and related environmental issues. Most previous sociological studies of perceptions or attitudes about agriculture and the environment have been largely descriptive and have attempted to distinguish varying perceptions based on rural and urban residence alone. No major studies have attempted to examine the place of vested interest and social distance in understanding these attitudes. This dissertation goes beyond mere descriptive analysis of empirical data, by evoking the middle-range conception of Robert K. Merton, which incorporates both a theoretical dialogue and empirical evidence to analyze varying attitudes about agriculture and related environmental issues. Based on a vested interest approach, this study draws from functionalist and conflict theories as well as rational choice and exchange theory. The data used in this study is derived from a 2002 statewide survey of 4031 Ohio households. The results of this study suggest that residence, social connections and social activities play an important role in the formation of perceptions and attitudes about agriculture and related environmental issues. In this study, age and social activities are the strongest predictors of vested interest. However, although the statistical results have not explained great proportions of variance, the study provides a framework for further studies based on a vested interest approach. There is a need for further exploration of the concepts involved in vested interest. Future studies might benefit from incorporating general values orientation such as agrarianism and consumerism, in order to restore the role of consumption in agricultural production.
Advisors/Committee Members: Flinn, William.
Keywords: Agricultural attitudes; Environmental attitudes; Vested interest; Social distance; Middle-range theory; Social activities
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8.
Mascaro-Franjul, Yira J.
A Profit Frontier Estimation of Bank Efficiency after Financial Reform in the Dominican Republic.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► This dissertation assesses the profit efficiency of commercial banks in the Dominican…
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▼ This dissertation assesses the profit efficiency of commercial banks in the Dominican Republic after a 1991 financial reform that liberalized interest rates and introduced a universal bank (multibanco) charter. A restricted profit efficiency frontier is fitted to panel data for 1991-1994. Technical and allocative inefficiency are evaluated from the assumption of maximization of profits restricted by regulatory constraints, on the basis of shadow prices that differ from actual prices. The distortion coefficients from the parametric estimation of allocative inefficiency capture the net effects of regulation, managerial behavior, and market power. A cost frontier is also estimated, and a financial ratio analysis add robustness to the results.Using a fixed-effect model, technical inefficiency is estimated as bank-specific, and allocative inefficiency is estimated as netput-specific. Banks are ranked using the technical inefficiency estimates relative to the best-practice bank. Profit-frontier, cost-frontier, and financial-ratio rankings are compared, and a high Spearman correlation coefficient is found among the rankings.Group means are compared and, when two outliers at the most efficient end are excluded, multibancos are found to be less technically inefficient than non-multibancos. Because economies of scope could not be estimated, technical inefficiency rankings do not provide sufficient information that multibancos are more efficient than non-multibancos.Due to allocative inefficiency, banks were found to produce more investments and less loans than is optimum. On the input side, banks hold too many deposits per employee. Since the parameters are measured relative to labor, fitted shadow shares were evaluated at the geometric means to estimate the difference between optimal shares and shadow shares. Estimated shadow shares are larger than optimal for investments and labor and smaller than optimal for loans and deposits. Large shares for labor reflect the discretionary power of managers, while large shares for investments reflect a monetary policy of forced placement of bonds with the banks. Small loan shares are the net result of tighter prudential regulation, learning processes for more strict lending, and the possibility of market power. Shadow profits were found to be 3 percent larger than optimal profits, suggesting some degree of market power.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gonzalez-Vega, Claudio.
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9.
Masuku, Micah B.
Attitudes and Loyalty of Farmers toward Cooperatives in the State of Ohio.
Degree: MS, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► Cooperative organizations are competing for both producers and markets. Since the support…
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▼ Cooperative organizations are competing for both producers and markets. Since the support of producers is important for the survival of cooperatives, it is imperative that cooperatives understand and have knowledge of the attitude and loyalty of the producers in cooperative organizations. A survey of the attitudes and loyalty of farmers in the State of Ohio was undertaken. This survey was examined the attitudes of farmers toward cooperatives and identified the factors that affect the loyalty of farmers to cooperatives.Respondents comprised all farmers in the State of Ohio. Data were collected by administering a mailed questionnaire in November 1994. Out of 4200 questionnaires sent to respondents, 2300 were returned and 1204 were usable. The statistical procedures used include frequency distribution, descriptive statistics, chi-square, analysis of variance, t test, correlation and multiple regression.The study found that farmers in the State of Ohio had a positive attitude towards statements about markets, management and finance. However, farmers had an overall neutral attitude towards cooperatives. Cooperative member farmers had a more favorable attitude towards cooperatives than nonmembers. There was no significant difference between the attitude of commercial farmers and part-time farmers.Farmers were slightly loyal to cooperatives. Comparison of the loyalty of commercial farmers and part-time farmers indicated that part-time farmers were more loyal to cooperatives than part-time farmers. There was no significant difference in the loyalty of cooperative members and nonmembers. The loyalty of farmers was explained by membership, farming experience, level of education and statements on market competition (cooperatives keep agricultural markets competitive), different price/charge (to stay competitive cooperatives should pay/charge different prices to different members), educating members (cooperatives generally do a good job in educating their members about the unique structure and operation of cooperatives), products and service quality (proprietary firms provide higher quality products and services than cooperatives), better management (proprietary firms are generally better managed than cooperatives), and financial difficulties (proprietary firms are more likely than cooperatives to have financial difficulties that hurt farmers).
Advisors/Committee Members: Hahn, Dr. David E.
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10.
McGuire, Craig D.
Collaboration and social organization of the Yaque del Norte Watershed Management Project.
Degree: MS, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1996, Ohio State University
► Social scientists and policy makers argue that inter-institutional collaboration among the public…
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▼ Social scientists and policy makers argue that inter-institutional collaboration among the public and private sectors is essential for effective management of natural resources. The problem is that organizations within each of these sectors have very little experience working together and sharing ideas, resources, and decision-making. This research utilized a qualitative case-study design to explore and describe the social organization and collaboration within the Yaque del Norte Watershed Management Project. Negotiated order theory and institutional theory were integrated to develop a model of collaboration that guided the study. data from in-country fieldwork indicate a lack of social organization and collaboration within the project. Contextual factors have impeded the emergence of inter-institutional collaboration. Recommendations of this study are to give greater emphasis and commitment of resources to developing a sense of community and ownership among the stakeholders participating in the project.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hansen, David O.
Keywords: Watershed; YAQUE DEL NORTE; ISA; stakeholders
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11.
Nguyen, Thi-Dieu-Phuong Genevieve.
Food Insecurity and the Evolution of Indigenous Risk-Sharing Institutions in the Sahel.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1998, Ohio State University
► In semi-arid Africa, income fluctuations pose a critical problem of food security…
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▼ In semi-arid Africa, income fluctuations pose a critical problem of food security for rural households. In the absence of complete insurance markets, households have developed a broad range of market and non-market institutions to smooth their consumption.Standard neoclassical economic theories predict that in the presence of a complete market for state-contingent claims, transfers are made across individuals so that individual consumption responds to aggregate income shocks only. A formal test of the perfect risk-sharing was conducted using household panel data from Burkina Faso. The null hypothesis of perfect risk-sharing was rejected at the 5 percent significance level.Further statistical analyses were undertaken to classify households along a consumption scale. Results also showed that extended households offer better insurance coverage than nuclear households by state-contingent contracts and intertemporal transfers, and that family labor and the size of livestock herd are positively correlated with the household's level of food consumption. Starting from a situation where all nuclear households are organized in extended households, the current picture of agro-pastoral economies displays an apparent dysfunctional social insurance scheme.A static stochastic semi-cooperative model of an extended household was derived to show that the extended household viewed as a risk-sharing institution is not sustainable for certain conditions. Simulation results suggested that nuclear households improve their welfare by participating in the household risk-sharing scheme, but that large aggregate shocks and unequal endowments of labor and assets reduce significantly the space of feasible insurance contracts.A dynamic version of the same household model was then developed and solved using the Chebychev polynomial projection method to capture the time dimension of consumption smoothing. When households are heterogeneous, unequal endowments of labor and assets and unequal redistribution of common surpluses give the better-endowed member an incentive to either leave the household or to shirk by accumulating less resources in the long run and consuming more today.The decline of traditional insurance institutions is a critical issue due to the individualized effects of this disappearance on household welfare, in an environment where well functioning markets and public interventions are rare.
Advisors/Committee Members: Graham, Dr. Douglas H.
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12.
Schreiner, Mark Joseph.
A Framework for the Analysis of the Performance and Sustainability of Subsidized Microfinance Organizations with Application to Bancosol of Bolivia and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► In the next ten years, society will spend more than $20 billion…
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▼ In the next ten years, society will spend more than $20 billion on microfinance organizations (MFOs). Are MFOs the best way to help the poor? Will donors see MFOs as a good development gamble? Will MFOs reward workers well? Will investors buy MFOs and start new ones from scratch? I suggest a framework to help answer these questions with numbers.Performance is meeting goals. Sustainability is meeting goals now and in the long term. An MFO has six groups of stakeholders: society, the poor, poor customers, donors, workers, and investors. Each group constrains the rest. Each group has its own goals and thus its own measures of performance.For society, a good MFO makes more social benefits than social costs.For the poor, a good MFO is the best use of the funds in the budget earmarked to help the poor. It costs more to measure benefits than to measure costs. Cost-effectiveness analysis can help to judge whether unmeasured benefits could exceed measured costs.For poor customers, a good MFO gets repeated use.For donors, a good MFO uses public funds to attract market funds.For the workers of an MFO, a good MFO means a good job. Such an MFO would not shrink if donors withdrew support.For investors, good performance means a market return.I use the framework with two of the best MFOs in the world, BancoSol in Bolivia and Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. I judge both to have been worthwhile. They used public funds to help the poor more than the best other unfunded or underfunded development project. Their customers repeat, and their workers have good jobs. BancoSol attracts market funds, and Grameen does not. Investors may buy the best MFOs once start-up costs are sunk. But investors do not start the best MFOs, and much less the worse MFOs, from scratch.At least the best MFOs are worthwhile. The rest may still waste public funds meant to help the poor. Cost-effectiveness analysis is a cheap tool to help judge.
Advisors/Committee Members: Graham, Douglas H.
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13.
Shao, Renyuan.
The Design and Evaluation of Price Risk Management Strategies in the U.S. Hog Industry.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2003, Ohio State University
► During recent years, more U.S. hog producers and meat packers are involved…
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▼ During recent years, more U.S. hog producers and meat packers are involved in marketing contracts to enhance net revenue and to limit downside price risk. This research explores new ways to efficiently price a subset of these contracts, window contracts, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these contracts to help producers and packers enter contracts that more effectively satisfy their preferences. A Monte Carlo simulation model in which thousands of paths for hog, corn and soybean meal prices are simulated is developed. These commodity prices are assumed following a random walk with drift. Futures prices are used to calibrate the means of the expected joint distribution of these three spot prices. To calibrate volatility of prices, the forecasting power of several frequently used volatility forecasting methods are examined; implied volatility is used to forecast volatility for near term and historical volatility is used for longer term horizons. Historical correlation is introduced to capture the co-movement of the three price series. Alternative basis forecasting approaches are also compared. The futures spread model performs best for short-term while a five-year historical average is best for long-term forecasting. The window contracts are decomposed into a portfolio of long Asian-Basket put and short Asian-Basket call options. A projected breakeven price is used to determine the floor price, and then the Monte Carlo simulation method is applied to price both a moving and a fixed window contract. These methods provide unbiased pricing of fixed and moving window contracts of one-year duration. A moving window contract may be preferred by contract issuers who value volatility reduction and due to cumulative performance issues. This same Monte Carlo method is also used to forecast net revenue for hog producers. Based on this forecasting model and the assumption of a mean-variance utility function, the prospective evaluation, which utilizes the Monte Carlo simulation methods described above, is compared with retrospective evaluation, which uses only past performance of the risk management strategy, for a net revenue and a utility maximizing producer. Prospective evaluation is marginally better than retrospective evaluation in terms of net revenue enhancement and risk reduction.
Advisors/Committee Members: Roe, Brian.
Keywords: HOG; contracts; window contracts; PRICE; net revenue; volatility; forecasting
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14.
Smith, Eric Campbell.
Farm Management Practices and Environmental Effluents in the Western Lake Erie Basin of Ohio: An Economic Optimization of Farm Systems.
Degree: MS, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 1997, Ohio State University
► Agricultural production has been determined to be a major source of ground…
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▼ Agricultural production has been determined to be a major source of ground water and sediment pollution in the Western Lake Erie basin of Ohio. Before conservation practices to reduce farm pollutants can be required or even encouraged, there must be an investigation that provides reliable information detailing relationships between agricultural production and environmental impacts. Such an investigation must provide alternative management practices with comparable profit levels and long term stability in producing major crops for the individual farm producer.Conventional, conservation, and no-till management systems were compared in a bioeconomic model maximizing returns above total costs. Crop budgets were established for various management systems comprised of three tillage systems, three fertilizer and chemical input levels, and four rotations of corn, soybeans, and wheat. The Erosion/Productivity Impact Calculator (EPIC) simulated crop yields and farm effluents of soil erosion, organic nitrogen, nitrates, phosphorus lost in sediment, and pesticides runoff. An integer programming model then selected the optimal management system and determined farm size by the selecting the most profitable and efficient user of limited field time. In addition, optimal farm level results were scaled to model a regional adoption of conservation and no-till management systems.No-till management systems were found to be the most profitable, and on average contributed the least environmental pollution. The regional comparison indicated that a no-till dominated region would earn 43 percent more profit on Hoytville soil and 19 percent more profits on the Blount-Glynwood-Pewamo soil association than the same region dominated by conventional management systems. At the same time, environmental impact, measured by the average percentage change in effluent leaving the field, would decrease by 19 and 20 percent when converting from the conventional dominated region to the no-till dominated region. Environmental tradeoffs would occur in the transition from conventional to no-till management. Effluents related to soil particles such as organic nitrogen, phosphorus, and soil erosion would decrease up to 47 percent, while effluents lost in water runoff such as pesticides and nitrates would increase up to 20 percent.The average farm size would grow as the region moves to no-till and the number of farm producers in that region decrease. Low and medium fertilizer and chemical inputs were determined to be more profitable than high input levels.
Advisors/Committee Members: Forster, D. Lynn.
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15.
Sperling, Richard.
Estimating Oligopsony Power in the United States Market for Slaughter Hogs: An Error Correction Approach.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2002, Ohio State University
► Agricultural industrialization, the application of modern production methods to agriculture, has fundamentally…
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▼ Agricultural industrialization, the application of modern production methods to agriculture, has fundamentally altered the structure of the U.S. pork industry. While consumers have benefitted, more extensive vertical integration and higher industry concentration raise questions about the competitiveness of first-handler markets for slaughter hogs. In this study we estimate the market power of pork processing firms by adapting to the oligopsony case the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) model of Steen and Salvanes (1999). They estimate oligopoly power by reformulating within an error correction framework the model developed by Just and Chern (1980), Bresnahan (1982), and Lau (1982). This approach, by accounting for short-run deviations from long-run equilibrium, makes more complete use of the information in the data to yield short- and long-run estimates of market power. The results of our model provide no statistically or economically significant evidence that pork processing firms engaged in anticompetitive conduct during the period from 1988 to 2000.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sheldon, Ian M.
Subjects: Economics, General
Keywords: Oligopsony; Market power; New Empirical Industrial Organization; Error correction model; Unit roots; Cointegration; U.S. Pork industry; Hogs
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17.
Wakoko, Florence.
Microfinance and women's empowerment in Uganda: a socioeconomic approach.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2003, Ohio State University
► In the 1990s Ugandan farmers became increasingly interested in microfinancial resources (MFRs)…
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▼ In the 1990s Ugandan farmers became increasingly interested in microfinancial resources (MFRs) that were being promoted nationally as important means for poverty alleviation and for women’s empowerment. In Arua and Mukono, households diversified their income generating strategies through formal, semi-formal and informal financial institutions. However, little has been done to neither assess the position of women in credit/savings initiatives nor to assess the capacity of MFRs in empowering women. There have been no studies in Uganda that have used a methodology that adequately defines and measures women’s empowerment. Available studies tend to focus only on defining a set of factors that affect women’s access to microfinance, and they give the impression that women are a homogenous group for whom microfinance would provide automatic and uniform benefits. The present study examines the nature of women’s empowerment as measured by decision-making power, in relation to various types of MFRs. It recognizes the multidimensional nature of empowerment as a process involving personal, social, economic and political dimensions. This study focuses on decision-making power as the basis for transforming lives at the household level and in the wider society. Data were derived from a questionnaire survey of a sample of 527 women and men farmers in the two regions. Causal analysis was attempted using Multiple Logistic Regression to determine the effects of microfinancial use on women’s decision-making power in agricultural activities and household income use. The study establishes that participation in informal financial groups is the most important microfinancial resource promoting women’s empowerment in Ugandan rural households. Both women and men use informal financial groups more than any other source of microfinance. However, the benefits are significantly influenced by other sociocultural factors. For example, participation in informal financial groups increases women’s decision-making power over non-traditional matters –household income control, but not over women’s traditional issues – agricultural production. On the other hand, rural men’s empowerment is associated with their use of informal loans from individuals – friends, relatives or merchants. For women, individual-level factors such as occupation (farming, trading), and household level factors, notably household headship, have a profound influence on women’s empowerment in both traditional and non-traditional spheres of decision-making. In contrast, rural men’s empowerment is mainly associated with their gender rather than with household level conditions. The study recognizes the limits of the transformative capacities of MFRs, especially of the more formal sources of credit, and it shows that financial empowerment does not necessarily lead to a transformation in gender relationships. It concludes by advocating an integrated approach to microfinance delivery in Uganda, since the integrated informal sources offer the best opportunities for rural farmers in general and women in particular.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lobao, Linda M.
Keywords: Rural Women; Microfinance; Empowerment; Uganda; Agriculture; Aura and Mukono; Globalization; Gender Stratification; Women, Men and Houshold Economy
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18.
Wang, Chia-Hsing.
Three essays on economics of quality in agricultural markets.
Degree: PhD, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 2004, Ohio State University
► I simulate growth and quality changes for pens of cattle and derive…
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▼ I simulate growth and quality changes for pens of cattle and derive the value of pre-harvest sorting and genetic selection under grid pricing in a deterministic setting featuring animals with heterogeneous growth and quality maturation paths. The key findings are: 1) both pre-harvest sorting and increased genetic uniformity could substantially affect an individual cattle feeder’s net revenues; 2) one could expect higher marginal revenue gains from the genetic uniformity than from pre-market sorting; 3) both methods exhibit diminishing marginal returns and 4) aggregate beef supply may increase as improving uniformity typically leads to later optimal marketing dates and, hence, heavier animals at slaughter. Post-slaughter quality-based pricing of cattle is increasingly common. This quality, however, is dependent upon unobservable quality characteristics of the feeder cattle used as inputs and unverifiable effort exerted by feedlot managers. Through stochastic simulation I construct incentive compatible quality risk-sharing contracts based upon final grid-quality schedules in feeder cattle markets. Darby and Karni suggest branding as means of solving the potential fraudulence problems in the credence good market. Umbrella branding is a common marketing practice to promote new product and bond the product quality to the brand reputation. However, while umbrella branding works well in the experience good market, no evidence shows it would work in the credence good markets. I set up a framework for discussing the effect of umbrella branding on the quality provision of credence good. The results show that brand reputation, product similarity, probability of detection, punishment severity, and exogenous quality noise all play important roles in determining a firm’s decision on umbrella branding and fraud.
Advisors/Committee Members: Roe, Brian.
Keywords: Cattle; genetic uniformity; growth curve; optimal marketing date; simulation; sorting; feeder cattle; incentive compatible contract; premium sharing; double-sided moral hazard; umbrella branding; credence good; auto repair; advertising
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