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on Efficiency and Productivity |
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Issue of 2016‒08‒28
four papers chosen by |
| By: | Ramamoorthy, Dr. R. Ravikumar; A, Mr Jagan Gopu |
| Abstract: | Precision farming uses a system approach to provide a new solution to contemporary agriculture. In Tamil Nadu, precision farming was implemented under the Tamil Nadu Precision Farming Project (TNPFP) in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts on about 400 ha from 2004-05 onwards. Most parts of the Krishnagiri district are semi-arid tracts with low rainfall and low productivity. In this context, there is a need for studying the impact of technological innovations like precision farming on resource-poor regions and underprivileged farm households. Specifically, the study has looked into the productivity, income and employment at farm level. Hence, Krishnagiri district was selected as the study area. As per the report of the government of Tamil Nadu, the number of precision farmers was high in Krishnagiri district. The study covered 168 precision farmers and 84 non precision farmers as the sample respondents to collect data. Thus the total size of the sample came to 252. The study found that the share of cost in the case of precision farmers was highest for human labour 27.17 per cent because to increase yield more labour required especially at the time of harvesting or cutting of the vegetables and flowers. Found that farmers used four types of fertilizer they are, straight fertilizer (urea, potash), farm yard manure (FYM - cow dung, poultry manure and vermin compost), bio-fertilizer (trichoderma) and water soluble fertilizer (19-19-19, Multi K) in the study area. Furhter observed that the FYM and bio- fertilizers involve high cost due to scarcity of cattle and awareness about the importance of FYM on soil quality. |
| Keywords: | Key Words: Precision Farming, Cost, Production, Fertilizers and Employment. |
| JEL: | Q1 Q15 |
| Date: | 2016–08–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:73273&r=eff |
| By: | Michael Beckmann (University of Basel) |
| Abstract: | This paper empirically examines the impact of self-managed working time (SMWT) on firm per-formance using panel data from German establishments. As a policy for the decentralization of decision rights, SMWT provides employees with extensive control over scheduling individual working time. From a theoretical viewpoint, SMWT has ambiguous effects on both worker productivity and wages. Based on the construction of a quasi-natural experiment and the combination of a differences-in-differences approach with propensity score matching as an identification strategy, the empirical analysis shows that up to five years after introduction, SMWT increases firm productivity by about 9% and wage costs by about 8.5%. This implies that SMWT improves both individual and firm productivity, and supplemental evidence shows that these productivity enhancements can primarily be explained by incentive effects associated with decentralization policies in general. |
| Keywords: | Self-managed working time, job autonomy, firm performance, treatment effect, quasi-natural experiment |
| JEL: | J24 J81 M50 |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bsl:wpaper:2016/01&r=eff |
| By: | Philip Gunby (University of Canterbury); Yinghua Jin; W. Robert Reed (University of Canterbury) |
| Abstract: | Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been linked to economic growth in a number of countries. Productivity spillovers at the firm level have been identified as a key element in the process by which FDI stimulates economic growth. Moreover, there is evidence of FDI-related productivity spillovers in China. Whether these spillovers have been of sufficient size to affect growth at the aggregate level, however, is an empirical question. We apply meta-analysis to the corresponding empirical literature to find an answer. Our main finding is that the effect of FDI on Chinese economic growth is much smaller than one would expect from a naïve aggregation of existing estimates. Publication bias and a profusion of estimates based on less preferred study and sample characteristics have served to inflate observed estimates. Once these effects are accounted for, the estimated effect of FDI on Chinese economic growth is reduced to statistical insignificance. This suggests that the cause(s) of the Chinese “economic miracle†likely lie elsewhere. |
| Keywords: | Meta-analysis, FDI, China, economic growth |
| JEL: | O11 O53 F21 |
| Date: | 2016–07–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cbt:econwp:16/15&r=eff |
| By: | Julia Bachtrögler (Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business) |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the heterogeneity of European NUTS-2 regions with regard to their ability to take advantage of European Union (EU) structural funds aimed at convergence. It considers a concept of absorptive capacity based on regional policy design, and additionally accounts for the programming period 2007-2013 in the empirical analysis. A fuzzy regression discontinuity design allowing for heterogeneous treatment effects is applied to evaluate convergence funds in 250 NUTS-2 regions from 2000 (and 1989) to 2013. The main results suggest a positive conditional impact of funds payments on regional GDP per capita growth. However, based on a time-varying treatment effects model, we are able to identify a deterioration in the effectiveness of convergence funds during the programming period 2007-2013. Furthermore, the analysis reveals an inverted U-shaped relationship between the share of committed funds paid out and GDP per capita growth. The latter finding indicates that the marginal benefits from EU convergence funds might be decreasing. |
| Keywords: | Structural Funds, Heterogeneous Treatment Effects, Regional Heterogeneity, Absorptive Capacity, Cohesion, European Union |
| JEL: | C21 F35 H77 R11 R58 |
| Date: | 2016–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwwuw:wuwp230&r=eff |