Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1973. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis explores how, and to what extent, farm businesses are responding to changing demands on agriculture in terms of resource efficiency, entrepreneurship and understanding the role of soft technology in supporting these strategies. This is in response to a changing business environment which is challenging farming income streams and profitability. The research questions in this thesis are resolved by adopting a multi-method research strategy. This includes a survey of 738 Welsh Upland hill farmers from a population of 7,500, 10 semi-structured interviews and action research in the design, development and implementation of decision support systems. Together the methods address the issues of strategic stance, and technology adoption in agriculture. The study findings are intended to be useful for farm decision-makers, support and advisory bodies, and for informing policy in terms of farming approaches, technology infrastructure and farm resource management. The research outcomes presented in the main chapters provide, individually and in synthesis, a better understanding of farming strategies and the role of technology in assisting such strategies. Collectively, the multi-phased approach to the research topic identifies many important farm responses to the economic and political tensions facing agriculture. Farmers can decide on entrepreneurial and efficiency driven strategies whilst making the best use of resources and technology. The findings also show that the strategic objectives of farm decision makers are far more influential in technology adoption than the technology itself and therefore leadership and market maturity are key factors that must be considered as influencing the degree of technology adoption. Additionally, insights are provided regarding wider issues of ICT adoption amongst farmers with particular regard to barriers to technology adoption.

Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / ""This thesis aims to develop a better understanding of the adoptive behaviour of grain growers, through identifying socio-economic factors that influence adoption processes, and the identification of farmer typologies based upon a market segmentation approach. This study has established a clear understanding of the behavioural characteristics associated with the target population in terms of adaptive behaviour, production capabilities, information seeking characteristics and innovativeness. This study has clearly identified characteristics of agricultural knowledge systems, including the influence of information providers, the quality and credibility of information, and social influences. This study has identified a range of farming typologies on the basis of the identification of the relationships between the measured characteristics of the target population, using a series of highly robust approaches involving principal component analysis and k-means cluster analysis." -- from Abstract. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1288064 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2007

Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / ""This thesis aims to develop a better understanding of the adoptive behaviour of grain growers, through identifying socio-economic factors that influence adoption processes, and the identification of farmer typologies based upon a market segmentation approach. This study has established a clear understanding of the behavioural characteristics associated with the target population in terms of adaptive behaviour, production capabilities, information seeking characteristics and innovativeness. This study has clearly identified characteristics of agricultural knowledge systems, including the influence of information providers, the quality and credibility of information, and social influences. This study has identified a range of farming typologies on the basis of the identification of the relationships between the measured characteristics of the target population, using a series of highly robust approaches involving principal component analysis and k-means cluster analysis." -- from Abstract. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1288064 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2007

A system dynamics model is developed to study the technology adoption process (TAP) of modern agriculture input technology such as the biotechnologies. The work shows that the system dynamics approach is appropriate to integrate the different components considered in the TAP conceptual framework elaborated in this work. The conceptual framework illustrates the different system components found important in the literature, portfolio decision-making, learning, information gathering, uncertainties and economics perceptions and their involved relationships. / The model is first calibrated and validated using the case of soybeans adoption versus corn uses in Quebec from 1987 to 1998. Validation is performed through five tests, namely visual, statistical and sensitivity, modularity and extendibility are performed to show the relevancy of the approach. / The model is then applied to the case of four input biotechnology crops. Again three types of validation tests are carried out. Results show that the model predicted the shape of the curve for all application fields.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-226).

The world population is projected to rise, and there is a growing concern of future food availability. Precision agriculture technologies are one solution to this problem as they aim to produce more food on less land. This study examines the adoption and intensity of precision agriculture technology usage by producers in North Dakota. Data from a North Dakota State University survey was collected and analyzed using an econometric double-hurdle model. Results of the study describe which producers adopt precision agriculture technologies, which technologies complement each other, and what affects the intensity of technology usage. Several technologies were found to have complementary effects on each other, larger farms are more likely to adopt PATs, and crop choices have varying impacts on the adoption and usage of PATs. Most of these findings agree with previous literature, although new light was shed on some new findings and predictions.

<p> </p> <p>This paper examines the relationship between the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) participation and technology adoption patterns, using farm-level data from the</p> <p>United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). Participation in the federally subsidized crop insurance program may be correlated with technology adoption and other various risk management practices. Existing studies indicate that the subsidized FCIP may disincentivize producers from utilizing technology as a risk management tool. Empirical results indicate that producers enrolled in federal crop insurance programs may be more likely to have adopted PATs earlier than producers who were not enrolled in the FCIP. This could indicate that producers may not view the FCIP as a substitute for other risk management options, or that these producers may not view these technologies in the same risk-reducing lens as they may view the FCIP.</p>

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