Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Brian C. Briggeman / Farmer cooperatives have contributed to the vitality and sustainability of many communities across rural America. Since the passage of the Capper-Volstead Act in 1922, cooperatives have not only served the needs of members, but also provided economic support, employment, and wages in rural communities. The objective of this research is to measure the total economic contribution of grain and farm supply cooperatives to the Kansas economy. Economic contribution results are often calculated utilizing the Input-Output and/or Social Accounting Matrix framework. IMPLAN, an economic analysis software, provides necessary data and the framework to quantify economic and employment contributions. The software enables total contribution to include the direct effects of farmer cooperatives, the indirect effect of the industry’s economic relationships, and the additional spending of wages and income by households and governments. This analysis utilized survey results of Kansas cooperatives, the CoBank Risk Analyst database, and the Kansas Department of Labor’s quarterly census of employment and wages. Modeling considered both local ownership and single-level taxation, two characteristics of cooperative businesses. Two economic contribution analyses depict industry variation based on degree of local ownership. The sample of cooperative survey respondents confirm a relatively high level of Kansas ownership. The actual contribution of the Kansas cooperative sector is likely closer to the upper bound total contribution results. The total direct, indirect, and induced results for the Kansas cooperative sector assuming completely localized ownership includes 9,940 jobs, $631.7 million in labor income, $1.1 billion in total income and $1.8 billion in output. Valuing the economic contribution of cooperatives to the Kansas economy can provide useful insights into the industry and its contribution to rural economic welfare. As consolidation and rapid growth has characterized the grain marketing and farm supply cooperative landscape, the results can inform discussion related to market influence, community support, and public policy.

4 pp. / The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension SNAP-Ed program contributes to the Arizona economy by bringing funds from outside the state and utilizing them to encourage healthy eating and active living for people in low-income households. Purchases made for conducting this work generate a ripple of economic activity in other Arizona industries. Economists call these the indirect and induced multiplier effects. This report summarizes the total economic contribution of SNAP-Ed spending, including multiplier effects, on the Arizona economy for the years 2011 and 2012.

This research provides a comprehensive picture of the economic status of the U.S. catfish industry through investigating several critical economic aspects such as technological progress, functional production relationships in intensive systems, regulatory costs, and economic contribution of the industry. The use of primary data is a unique aspect of this work reflecting the economic realities of catfish farms. Primary data collected through extensive in-person farm surveys covered over two-thirds of the catfish production areas in the U.S. The results of the study provided evidence of intensification in the U.S. catfish industry through increased adoption of two relatively new alternative production systems viz; intensively aerated ponds (6,315 ha) and split ponds (1,176 ha). The use of complementary technologies such as hybrid catfish on 53% of the catfish producing area and increased fixed-paddlewheel aeration rate of over 7.8 kW/ha also provided proof of technological progress on U.S. catfish farms. This study also identified critical factors contributing to productivity in increasingly adopted alternative production systems through two distinct production function models. Feed fed, as well as stocking biomass were found to be significant variables in both production functions. Results indicated further room for improvement in the use of inputs to increase production, especially in feed management. Along with identifying the nuances in the catfish industry, the study quantified regulatory costs on U.S. catfish farms at $45 million. Although faced with several hardships on the production front, the U.S. catfish industry contributes over $1.9 billion to the regional economy, supports more than 9,100 jobs, and generates over $78 million in tax revenues. The findings of the study serve a multitude of stakeholders including aquaculture farmers, researchers, Extension specialists, and policymakers who work towards improving the economic sustainability of the catfish industry as well as the U.S. aquaculture industry.

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This thesis is dedicated to the potential of pharmaceutical industry targeting an increase in EU world competitiveness. Pharmaceutical industry plays an important role in world economy, both from the social and economic point of view. In particular, this thesis is focused on macroeconomic contribution of pharmaceutical industry into world economy emphasizing the situation of EU. Particularly, the thesis consists of evaluating the situation, importance and barriers of development of pharmaceutical industry in EU and it, also, points out the main directions towards positive development of this sector, including the international and national cooperation. Pharmaceutical industry is the key sector in the EU competitiveness increase.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2006 / The study entitled The Role of Women’s Economic Contribution in the informal sector of the economy: A case study of women in Mankweng area in the Limpopo Province focuses on the participation of educated women in the Informal Sector of the economy. The participation of women in the economic development has been found to benefit a lot of families headed by women, Black women in particular. In Mankweng, the study found evidence of increased number of women’s participation in the economic development. This mini-thesis is comprised of four chapters. Chapter 1 This chapter is mainly introduction to the study. The chapter includes the problem statement, motivation for the study, aims and objectives and the importance of the study. The chapter also outlines the methodology of the study, the definition of key concepts used in the study and the limitations of the study. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 comprises the literature background for the study. The literature focuses largely on women in the informal sector, their employment opportunities, marginalization in economic activities and constraints on growth that are faced by women in small business enterprises. The literature also reflects on the challenges and limited achievements of women in their respective trading occupations. Chapter 2 looks at the state of women in the economy. The labour market segment theory attempts to explain gender inequalities in employment on the basis that the labour market is compartmentalized. The chapter also looks at the definition of the informal sector. The division of labour and the informal sector focuses on the areas women concentrate in the labour market. Positioning women in the informal sector and the labour market focuses on the role women play in the informal sector. The last part of the chapter deals with the challenges women are faced with and the opportunities available for them in the informal sector. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 focuses on data analysis and interpretation of the findings of the study. The analysis focuses on the respondents’ personal background and their economic activities as recorded during interviews. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 concludes the study by discussing and presenting a summary of the findings of the study and the implications thereof. A conclusive report is made and recommendations for improving the informal sector and for further research are made.

Literature indicates that events like a wine festival have many role players involved that need each other for them to be successful. The more role players there are, the more complex the event becomes, as in the case of the Wacky Wine Festival which is spread over 48 wine farms. The most important role players are the visitors and wine farmers that represent the demand and supply side of the festival. Local enterprises, wine farmers and the festival organisers put a lot of effort into the event, such as their time, money and skills. It is essential for these role players to know that they will get a return on their investment and for the host community to know that the festival will make a contribution to their local economy. Furthermore, literature indicates that the festival can improve the economic position of the role players by targeting the high spending market through intensive marketing that focuses on this particular segment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of the Wacky Wine Festival to the local economy and to compile a profile of the heavy spender. To achieve the latter, a quantitative study was carried out by means of two surveys via questionnaires that were handed out to both the visitor and wine farmer. The data was then captured in Microsoft© Excel©. In Article 1 (Chapter 2) the sales multiplier effect and an analytical framework were used to determine the contribution of the festival to the host community. In Article 2 (Chapter 3) different tests and analyses were used to compile a profile of the heavy spender such as the K–means clustering, Chi–Squared, the Mann–Whitney non–parametric test and an ANOVA analysis. The results from Article 1 (Chapter 2) showed that the Wacky Wine Festival had an positive economic contribution of an estimated R29.9 million to the host community`s economy. From a demand and supply point of view, the visitors contributed R15.4 million and the wine farmers R6 million. From the results, it could be derived that the festival had low leakages in comparison with other festivals. iii The results from Article 2 (Chapter 3) indicated that the heavy and low spenders differ in terms of gender, language, age, occupation, number of people paying for in travelling group, residence and number of days spent at the festival. It was clear from the results that if the festival organisers and wine farmers focus marketing strategies on the high spending segment, this can lead to a R10 million increase in the Wacky Wine Festival’s revenue, thus improving the economic contribution of the event to the local economy of Robertson. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Literature indicates that events like a wine festival have many role players involved that need each other for them to be successful. The more role players there are, the more complex the event becomes, as in the case of the Wacky Wine Festival which is spread over 48 wine farms. The most important role players are the visitors and wine farmers that represent the demand and supply side of the festival. Local enterprises, wine farmers and the festival organisers put a lot of effort into the event, such as their time, money and skills. It is essential for these role players to know that they will get a return on their investment and for the host community to know that the festival will make a contribution to their local economy. Furthermore, literature indicates that the festival can improve the economic position of the role players by targeting the high spending market through intensive marketing that focuses on this particular segment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of the Wacky Wine Festival to the local economy and to compile a profile of the heavy spender. To achieve the latter, a quantitative study was carried out by means of two surveys via questionnaires that were handed out to both the visitor and wine farmer. The data was then captured in Microsoft© Excel©. In Article 1 (Chapter 2) the sales multiplier effect and an analytical framework were used to determine the contribution of the festival to the host community. In Article 2 (Chapter 3) different tests and analyses were used to compile a profile of the heavy spender such as the K–means clustering, Chi–Squared, the Mann–Whitney non–parametric test and an ANOVA analysis. The results from Article 1 (Chapter 2) showed that the Wacky Wine Festival had an positive economic contribution of an estimated R29.9 million to the host community`s economy. From a demand and supply point of view, the visitors contributed R15.4 million and the wine farmers R6 million. From the results, it could be derived that the festival had low leakages in comparison with other festivals. iii The results from Article 2 (Chapter 3) indicated that the heavy and low spenders differ in terms of gender, language, age, occupation, number of people paying for in travelling group, residence and number of days spent at the festival. It was clear from the results that if the festival organisers and wine farmers focus marketing strategies on the high spending segment, this can lead to a R10 million increase in the Wacky Wine Festival’s revenue, thus improving the economic contribution of the event to the local economy of Robertson. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

After facing the economic recession, the South–African and global business sectors started revaluating their human capital and the positions they represent within an organisation. Each individual now had to prove that they contributed towards the organisation’s bottom line, as each and every cent had to be counted and accounted for. Some functions within organisations could easily prove their contribution towards the bottom line by providing production or sales outputs. The public relations practitioners and the corporate communication efforts they offered, however, faced a bleak future, as their contribution towards the tangible assets was very rarely recognised (Kim, 2000:276). The financial services sector however, in which an advisor’s contribution towards the organisational bottom line is easily quantified, started to acknowledge the need for this sector to improve upon its ‘softer’ intangible assets such as client communication and client relationships. The sector believes that communication establishes relationships, and sound client relationships is the only way to sell financial products and services, as people seldom entrust their life earnings or financial dreams to strangers (Christiansen & DeVaney, 1998:7). Public relations practitioners know how to use communication optimally in the quest for building client relationships, and financial services need those skills in order to sell their products and contribute towards the bottom line. These two functions could thus work together towards the achievement of their goals - public relations to prove their bottom line contribution, and the financial services sector towards improving client relationships. These statements led to the general Research Question of this study: “What is the nature of the relationship between (i) corporate communication efforts, (ii) client communication satisfaction and (iii) client relationship satisfaction, and these concepts’ relationship to (iv) client economic contribution, within a financial services organisation?” This Research Question is answered from the systems theory as meta–theory with the support of the strategic communication, excellence and relationship management theories, and Futurum Financial Group (FFG) services as the financial services organisation for this study. A qualitative and quantitative research approach was followed to establish the constructs, and the relationships between the constructs. The Financial Advisors and public relations practitioner in FFG have a good understanding of the need for strategic communication efforts, and a relationship between their efforts and the client communication satisfaction and client relationship satisfaction could therefore be indicated. A further relationship between the client communication satisfaction and client relationship satisfaction and the client economic contribution was also established. Recommendations to improve the situation within FFG included a better focus on database administration, corporate communication consistency, Financial Advisor diligence, and providing clients with more frequent updates regarding their financial situation. The greatest strengths were client–advisor trust and corporate communication professionalism. This study thus contributes to the argument that communication efforts add tangibly, by means of client economic contribution, to the organisation’s bottom line, within the financial services industry. The study furthermore provides some recommendations for the financial services industry to improve their communication skills in order to build client relationships. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

After facing the economic recession, the South–African and global business sectors started revaluating their human capital and the positions they represent within an organisation. Each individual now had to prove that they contributed towards the organisation’s bottom line, as each and every cent had to be counted and accounted for. Some functions within organisations could easily prove their contribution towards the bottom line by providing production or sales outputs. The public relations practitioners and the corporate communication efforts they offered, however, faced a bleak future, as their contribution towards the tangible assets was very rarely recognised (Kim, 2000:276). The financial services sector however, in which an advisor’s contribution towards the organisational bottom line is easily quantified, started to acknowledge the need for this sector to improve upon its ‘softer’ intangible assets such as client communication and client relationships. The sector believes that communication establishes relationships, and sound client relationships is the only way to sell financial products and services, as people seldom entrust their life earnings or financial dreams to strangers (Christiansen & DeVaney, 1998:7). Public relations practitioners know how to use communication optimally in the quest for building client relationships, and financial services need those skills in order to sell their products and contribute towards the bottom line. These two functions could thus work together towards the achievement of their goals - public relations to prove their bottom line contribution, and the financial services sector towards improving client relationships. These statements led to the general Research Question of this study: “What is the nature of the relationship between (i) corporate communication efforts, (ii) client communication satisfaction and (iii) client relationship satisfaction, and these concepts’ relationship to (iv) client economic contribution, within a financial services organisation?” This Research Question is answered from the systems theory as meta–theory with the support of the strategic communication, excellence and relationship management theories, and Futurum Financial Group (FFG) services as the financial services organisation for this study. A qualitative and quantitative research approach was followed to establish the constructs, and the relationships between the constructs. The Financial Advisors and public relations practitioner in FFG have a good understanding of the need for strategic communication efforts, and a relationship between their efforts and the client communication satisfaction and client relationship satisfaction could therefore be indicated. A further relationship between the client communication satisfaction and client relationship satisfaction and the client economic contribution was also established. Recommendations to improve the situation within FFG included a better focus on database administration, corporate communication consistency, Financial Advisor diligence, and providing clients with more frequent updates regarding their financial situation. The greatest strengths were client–advisor trust and corporate communication professionalism. This study thus contributes to the argument that communication efforts add tangibly, by means of client economic contribution, to the organisation’s bottom line, within the financial services industry. The study furthermore provides some recommendations for the financial services industry to improve their communication skills in order to build client relationships. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.