Agribusiness degree programs train managers to make decisions in complex business environments. Curriculum designers generally look to the offerings of peer institutions for guidance. Decision science (DS) topics are important parts of agribusiness curricula, and students should learn about these areas. Measuring faculty members’ perceptions of the current inclusion and importance of teaching DS topics is a necessary step in developing a prioritized list of teaching needs. Leaving curriculum design to undocumented or random processes would be a poor start to training our nation’s future agribusiness managers. This research used a correlational ex post facto design to analyze faculty members’ perceptions of topic importance and inclusion. A random sample of faculty members was emailed a link to an online four-part questionnaire. Forced Likert-type scales measured the perceptions of importance and inclusion of 18 selected DS topics. Borich’s (1980) model of weighted discrepancy scores was used to develop a rank order of DS topic curricular needs. Forced-entry multiple regression was used to describe how the variation in the dependent variables measuring perceived importance was partitioned among sets of predictor variables. Teaching DS topics in a faculty member’s coursework was significantly correlated with faculty members’ overall perception of the importance of DS topics in the agribusiness curriculum, albeit at a low level. Although most dedicated DS courses were taught in agribusiness departments, no significant relationship existed between department and overall perceived importance of teaching DS topics. Faculty members who had earned a business degree did not rate DS topics as more important compared to those who had not earned a business degree. Respondents from departments with industry advisory councils did not rate the importance of DS topics higher than those from departments without such councils. Of the 18 DS topics studied, Project Management was identified as the one most needed to be added to agribusiness curricula. Forced-entry multiple regression was used for explaining variation among variables. Of the 18 importance-related dependent variables, those for Linear Programming and Material Resource Planning had no significant relationship with any independent variables. The remaining models explained at most 13.9% of the variations, and frequently much less.

Orientador: Nelson Russo de Moraes / Resumo: Para lidar com um cenário de complexos processos produtivos, cada vez mais técnicos e competitivos, surgiu a necessidade de uma expansão do ensino superior com o viés operacional, pronto a satisfazer as necessidades do mercado. Com o argumento de combater às desigualdades e aumentar a competitividade na economia global, a Europa consolidou suas políticas educacionais no chamado Processo de Bolonha. Essas políticas educacionais possuem elementos neocolonizadores e sua análise perpassa o debate sobre a colonização do conhecimento e do poder, já que exportam modelos educacionais pautados no eficientismo e no capital humano, não nas particularidades dos países. Dessa forma, em virtude da complexificação do mundo do trabalho, da alta tecnificação da educação e das desigualdades geradas pela fase neoliberal do capitalismo, esse trabalho buscou responder a seguinte questão-problema: como ocorreu a influência do Processo de Bolonha na estruturação das políticas públicas de educação de nível superior tecnológico nos cursos de agronegócio dos Institutos Federais (IF) no Brasil e nos Institutos Politécnicos (IP) em Portugal? À luz desta problemática foi possível estruturar o seguinte objetivo geral: Analisar como o Processo de Bolonha influenciou a estruturação das políticas públicas de educação de nível superior tecnológico nos cursos de agronegócio dos Institutos Federais (IF) no Brasil e nos Institutos Politécnicos (IP) em Portugal. Para o alcance desse objetivo geral, foi necessário... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

This thesis outlines the theoretical factors impacting dairy profitability. The theoretical portion includes: a general review of production and profit maximization theory, a review of related studies, and an outline of the variables impacting dairy profitability. An empirical study follows using data gathered from three applied technology centers in Utah in conjunction with dairy herd improvement production records for the farms where these data were available. The empirical section includes a synopsis of the methods and procedures used to collect and analyze the data. Regression analysis was used to determine the significant production and financial factors influencing returns per cow; returns to labor, capital, and management; and return on assets. The results indicate that both revenue and cost variables are significant factors of dairy profitability as are various financial measures. The overall most significant variables were dollars of milk sold, price of milk, labor costs, feed cost per cow, and herd size.

A atividade bancária envolve em suas operações diversas formas de riscos. Dentre esses riscos está o risco de crédito, ou risco de inadimplência, presente em transações em que a instituição se torna credora. Sua mensuração exige que se tenha conhecimento da probabilidade de inadimplência associada a cada classificação. Neste trabalho são apresentadas as principais metodologias de quantificação do risco de crédito como Credit Metrics, KMV, Credit Portfolio View e CreditRisk+. Esta última metodologia, juntamente com o conceito de RAROC (Risk Adjusted Return on Capital), é aplicada a um portfólio de financiamentos rurais e agroindustriais à pessoa jurídica, evidenciando o capital econômico alocado (CEA) e o spread necessário para cobrir as perdas esperadas e inesperadas. Esse portfólio totaliza R$ 1,42 bilhões referentes ao mês de março de 2003. São construídos dois cenários com diferentes índices de inadimplência associados a cada classificação. O primeiro aproxima os percentuais de provisionamento definidos pelo Banco Central do Brasil (BACEN) para índices de inadimplência e o segundo utiliza os percentuais obtidos por uma matriz de migração de clientes vinculados às atividades rurais e agroindustriais para o período de 2000 a 2002. Observa-se como resultado que ocorre uma maior alocação de capital econômico para setores rurais e agroindustriais que possuem risco concentrado como o setor de fumo, com total de financiamentos em R$202,9 milhões e CEA de R$78,9 milhões e R$114,0 milhões para o cenário 1 e cenário 2, respectivamente. As modalidades de financiamentos rurais e agroindustriais de custeio e desconto de Nota Promissória Rural (NPR) são responsáveis por cerca de 75% do total do portfólio. No entanto, estas modalidades apresentam a necessidade de um spread menor para cobrir as perdas esperadas e inesperadas com crédito, sinalizando uma composição de clientes com melhor classificação. Observa-se também que os menores spreads ocorrem nos setores de industrialização, principalmente na indústria de cigarros, laticínios, soja e derivados, e resinas de fibras e fios sintéticos. Já os setores como fumo, moagem de trigo e abate de aves, tiveram maiores spreads. / The banking activity involves several forms of risk in its operation. Among these risks, there is one called the credit risk, or the default risk. Its measurement requires that the financial institution owns knowledge about the default probability associated with each rating class. In this research, four models of credit risk are discussed: Credit Metrics, KMV, Credit Portfolio View, and CreditRisk+. The last model, the CreditRisk+, associated with the concept of Risk Adjusted Return on Capital (RAROC) is applied to a financial portfolio to the farm and agribusiness sectors. Under this analysis, the indicators of allocated economic capital and spreads are discussed with respect to the expected and unexpected losses. The data used in this analysis are unique and represent the total amount of loans as of March 2003, R$ 1.42 billions, made by a specific commercial bank to the commercial farms and agribusiness companies. Two scenarios are evaluated considering different level of default risks associated with each rating class. The first scenario uses the provisional indexes defined by the Brazilian Central Bank. The second scenario uses a computable migration matrix over the period 2000 through 2002. The results show that the higher amount of allocated economic capital occurs in the tobacco sector in which the total amount of loans is R$ 202.9 millions. The total amount of allocated economic capital is R$ 78.9 million and R$ 114 million under scenarios 1 and 2 respectively. The data used in this study show that seventy-five percent of the totals of loans has as a purpose for operating expenses and discount of agribusiness promissory notes. These loans show the lowest spreads to cover expected and unexpected losses with the credit operation. The lowest spread is observed at the following processing sectors: tobacco industries, milk and soybean processors, and fiber resins and synthetic fibers. On the other hand, the sectors that show the highest spreads are: tobacco farms, wheat processors, and poultry slaughter houses.

A atividade bancária envolve em suas operações diversas formas de riscos. Dentre esses riscos está o risco de crédito, ou risco de inadimplência, presente em transações em que a instituição se torna credora. Sua mensuração exige que se tenha conhecimento da probabilidade de inadimplência associada a cada classificação. Neste trabalho são apresentadas as principais metodologias de quantificação do risco de crédito como Credit Metrics, KMV, Credit Portfolio View e CreditRisk+. Esta última metodologia, juntamente com o conceito de RAROC (Risk Adjusted Return on Capital), é aplicada a um portfólio de financiamentos rurais e agroindustriais à pessoa jurídica, evidenciando o capital econômico alocado (CEA) e o spread necessário para cobrir as perdas esperadas e inesperadas. Esse portfólio totaliza R$ 1,42 bilhões referentes ao mês de março de 2003. São construídos dois cenários com diferentes índices de inadimplência associados a cada classificação. O primeiro aproxima os percentuais de provisionamento definidos pelo Banco Central do Brasil (BACEN) para índices de inadimplência e o segundo utiliza os percentuais obtidos por uma matriz de migração de clientes vinculados às atividades rurais e agroindustriais para o período de 2000 a 2002. Observa-se como resultado que ocorre uma maior alocação de capital econômico para setores rurais e agroindustriais que possuem risco concentrado como o setor de fumo, com total de financiamentos em R$202,9 milhões e CEA de R$78,9 milhões e R$114,0 milhões para o cenário 1 e cenário 2, respectivamente. As modalidades de financiamentos rurais e agroindustriais de custeio e desconto de Nota Promissória Rural (NPR) são responsáveis por cerca de 75% do total do portfólio. No entanto, estas modalidades apresentam a necessidade de um spread menor para cobrir as perdas esperadas e inesperadas com crédito, sinalizando uma composição de clientes com melhor classificação. Observa-se também que os menores spreads ocorrem nos setores de industrialização, principalmente na indústria de cigarros, laticínios, soja e derivados, e resinas de fibras e fios sintéticos. Já os setores como fumo, moagem de trigo e abate de aves, tiveram maiores spreads. / The banking activity involves several forms of risk in its operation. Among these risks, there is one called the credit risk, or the default risk. Its measurement requires that the financial institution owns knowledge about the default probability associated with each rating class. In this research, four models of credit risk are discussed: Credit Metrics, KMV, Credit Portfolio View, and CreditRisk+. The last model, the CreditRisk+, associated with the concept of Risk Adjusted Return on Capital (RAROC) is applied to a financial portfolio to the farm and agribusiness sectors. Under this analysis, the indicators of allocated economic capital and spreads are discussed with respect to the expected and unexpected losses. The data used in this analysis are unique and represent the total amount of loans as of March 2003, R$ 1.42 billions, made by a specific commercial bank to the commercial farms and agribusiness companies. Two scenarios are evaluated considering different level of default risks associated with each rating class. The first scenario uses the provisional indexes defined by the Brazilian Central Bank. The second scenario uses a computable migration matrix over the period 2000 through 2002. The results show that the higher amount of allocated economic capital occurs in the tobacco sector in which the total amount of loans is R$ 202.9 millions. The total amount of allocated economic capital is R$ 78.9 million and R$ 114 million under scenarios 1 and 2 respectively. The data used in this study show that seventy-five percent of the totals of loans has as a purpose for operating expenses and discount of agribusiness promissory notes. These loans show the lowest spreads to cover expected and unexpected losses with the credit operation. The lowest spread is observed at the following processing sectors: tobacco industries, milk and soybean processors, and fiber resins and synthetic fibers. On the other hand, the sectors that show the highest spreads are: tobacco farms, wheat processors, and poultry slaughter houses.

El presente plan de negocio analiza la viabilidad financiera de desarrollar una línea de negocio para la exportación de arándanos frescos, ya que reconoce una oportunidad en el hecho del cultivo y la comercialización del fruto, con múltiples beneficios para los diversos actores en la exportación hacia un mercado de alta demanda. El mayor importador de arándanos es los EE.UU. con una participación superior al 50% de las importaciones totales a nivel mundial, siendo esto una cantidad por encima de las 214,000.00 toneladas (ITC-Trade Map, presentado en la publicación de la DGPA-MINAGRI); conociendo que se mantiene una tendencia creciente tanto para la producción como la importación en los EE.UU. hace atractivo a los principales exportadores del arándano el mercado norteamericano. El arándano pertenece a la familia de los berries, y existen múltiples especies, el arándano tiene propiedades beneficiosas para la salud humana, una de las principales es el alto contenido de antioxidantes, que contribuye a prolongar la esperanza de vida de los seres humanos, donde hoy en día la tendencia a consumir productos que favorecen la buena salud, cada vez es más adoptada a nivel mundial. Para Perú, el destino de las exportaciones está concentrada principalmente en EEUU, Holanda (Países Bajos), Reino Unido y China, donde los principales exportadores son, Camposol y Talsa; también se debe mencionar que el negocio de la exportación cumple una estacionalidad, que mantiene picos entre los meses de septiembre a diciembre. Estos atributos están incentivando el consumo de arándanos en EE.UU, Europa y Asia; mercados que demandan productos que contribuyan a mejorar la calidad de vida. / The present business plan analyzes the financial viability of developing a line of business for the export of fresh blueberries, recognizing an opportunity in the fact of the cultivation and marketing of fruit, with multiple benefits for the different actors in the exportation to a market of high demand. The largest importer of blueberries is US with a share greater than 50% of the total imports worldwide, which represents an amount above the 214,000.00 tons (ITC-Trade Map, presented in the publication of the DGPA-MINAGRI). Considering that in the U.S. there is a growing trend for both the production and import, the North American market becomes attractive to the leading exporters of blueberry. The blueberry belongs to the family of berries, and there are multiple species. The Blueberry has beneficial properties for human health, one of the main is the high content of antioxidants, which contributes to prolonging the life expectancy of human beings, in a context where the tendency to consume products that promote good health is increasingly adopted worldwide. For Peru, the destination of exports is concentrated mainly in the U.S., Holland (The Netherlands), the United Kingdom and China, being the main exporters “Camposol” and “Talsa”. It should be also mentioned that the export business has a steady season, which maintains peaks among the months of September and December. These attributes are encouraging the consumption of blueberries in the U.S., Europe and Asia; markets that demand products that contribute to improve the quality of life. / Trabajo de investigación

This study uses ordered logistic regression models with data collected from eighty-six online surveys completed by small-scale producers in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming to assess factors which most contribute to the overall success and profitability of small-scale diversified farms. Results indicate success and profitability may be partially explained by the number of acres owned/leased, use of wholesale outlets, farming as a primary occupation, years of experience, and use of outside business related services. Results may be useful as they indicate producer and operation characteristics that are lead to more profitable and successful operations and thus indicate areas in which a producer may most improve his or her business.

This study was designed to determine the relative profitability of sugar beet production relative to other enterprises competing with sugar beets for limited resources and to estimate a production response of sugar beet growers in the beet producing areas of Utah. Sugar beet producing areas in Utah were delineated. Representative farm units for beef-crop, dairy-crop, and all- crop farms were synthesized. Enterprise budgets were formulated and analysed to ascertain the relative profitableness of sugar beets compared to competing enterprises in each production area. Linear programming was used to develop the supply response portion of this study. An aggregated supply curve was derived showing the acreage response of sugar beet producers at varying sugar beet prices. Rotation for nematode control restricted annual sugar beet production to 25 percent of available sugar beet land. The price range over which it would be profitable to include sugar beets in the optimum combinations was $9.98 per ton to $14.19 per ton.

The purpose of this study was to assess the perception held by managers of feed and farm supply stores in Texas regarding the contribution of employee training to the competitiveness of the firm, determine if managers of feed and farm supply stores perceive that employee training can improve their competitive strength, and to determine if they will invest in employee training in order to gain a competitive advantage. The objectives of this study include: describe the operating environment of feed and farm supply stores in Texas; describe feed and farm supply store managers? perception of employee training?s contribution to their firm?s competitive advantage; identify barriers to employee training in feed and farm supply stores; determine Internet availability and potential use for employee training in feed and farm supply stores; and describe the willingness of feed and farm supply store managers to engage in employee training delivered via the Internet. This study employed a descriptive and correlational research design. A selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample frame of 305 feed and farm supply stores randomly selected from 1,487 stores in Texas. These stores operate in a demanding, competitive environment that is changing at a rapid pace. They perceive that employee training improves customer satisfaction, contributes to business growth, improves productivity, and increases profits. The skills needed by their employees are increasing and they need training in sales, communication skills, technical knowledge, time management, retail merchandising, marketing, and business management to help the business stay competitive. Barriers to training include not being able to see immediate results, cost, difficulties created when key employees are not on the job, travel distances to attend training, and a lack of training programs relevant to their needs. Over 80 percent of these stores have both computers and Internet access. Managers will allow employees to use these resources for training purposes, encourage participation in online training, and allow their employees to participate in training during business hours. It is recommended that Internet based training programs be developed in sales, communication skills, technical knowledge, time management, retail merchandising, and business management for these small agribusinesses.

No description available.