There have been a number of support initiatives rendered to the small-scale sugarcane farmers in Mpumalanga but the sugarcane production there has remained low. This raised some questions on the efficient use of available resources and the fruitfulness of the Producer Development Initiatives (PDIs). Justification for further assistance to the small-scale farmers requires empirical evidence of efficient resource use. This study employed the stochastic frontier production function to calculate the technical, allocative and cost efficiency. This study provides insight into three issues: the levels of technical, economic and allocative efficiencies of small-scale sugarcane farmers; the relationship between efficiency level and various farm/farmer specific factors; and implications of policy and strategies for improving small-scale sugarcane production. The technical, allocative and economic efficiencies of small-scale sugarcane farming were estimated in order to identify the potential increase in production without incurring additional costs. The study used data obtained from a field survey covering 231 small-scale sugarcane farmers in the Nkomazi region for the 2009/2010. sugarcane production season. According to the stochastic frontier production function using the Cobb-Douglas model, labour, herbicides and fertilizer showed significant positive effects on sugarcane production. The results also indicated that the small-scale sugarcane farmers suffer from considerable lack technical, allocative and cost efficiency. The mean technical, allocative and cost efficiency estimates are 68.5%, 61.5% and 41.8% respectively. A Tobit regression was used to analyse the impact of the farm/farmer characteristics on efficiency. The impact analysis revealed that age, level of education and gender are significant determinants of technical efficiency. On the other hand, level of education, off-farm income, land size and experience are significant determinants of allocative efficiency. In so far as cost efficiency is concerned, the significant determinants are level of education, land size and experience in sugarcane farming. The findings of the study justify the need for improved agricultural partnerships between the sugar mills and the sugarcane farmers. An example of such collaboration would be if millers were to not only give credit to the farmers, but also give technical guidance to small producers in return for the delivery of a specific quantity and quality of cane at a stipulated time. The collective efforts of these farmers and millers, once harmoniously co-ordinated, can enhance production efficiency and economic prosperity. Also, appropriate policy formulation and implementation is an effective instrument to improvement in farm efficiency and productivity which promotes overall growth of the economy. Therefore, there is need for all stakeholders (both private and public sector) to make combined efforts to remove the bottlenecks that have constrained effective policy implementation in, and its accrued benefits to, South African agriculture. / Dissertation MSc (Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Magister Commercii - MCom / This study analyses the extent to which stock returns provide forecasts of changes in interest rates and inflation for the South African market. The period under investigation, January 1966 - February 1989, is characterised by structural changes in the South African economy, especially in the financial markets. The earnings yield on shares is used as a measure of the return on stocks. Stock returns of 10 specific industries are used in addition to the overall market return. Monthly inflation series were constructed by employing both the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI). Before examining that relationship, tests were done to examine the relationship between nominal stock returns and expected inflation. The relation between the stock market and expected inflation is estimated by using three measures of expected inflation. The results appear to suggest that the stock market reacted positively to expected inflation during the 1966 - 1982 period. Two proxies of expected inflation. Best results inflation are used to were obtained with measure future the Fama-Gibbons measure. In addition, the results suggest that stock returns provide additional information of future inflation to that contained in the Fama-Gibbons and interest rate models. Returns for specific industries, used in this study, appear to provide marginally better forecasts of inflation than the overall market return. The results also suggest that stock returns provide forecasts of changes in interest rates and inflation. There is no evidence that the specific industries used, provide consistent better forecasts of interest rate changes than the overall market.

The research aims at reviewing how mobile phone producers in the EU are approaching individual obsolete phone collection from private households in terms of the information provided on their websites, in addition to the collective schemes that they may be part of for complying with the WEEE Directive. In this study, competitive benchmarking was used to differentiate the accessibility level of take-back offers among the selected producers. The availability of the take-back offer and the penetration rate in the EU states are examined into a five-level metrics. The results reveal that producers have extreme offers on the availability aspect and diverging information coverage in different countries. It is inferred that a producer’s attitude toward the product take-back affects the accessibility of their take-back offers, which can be explained by several economic concerns; however, different methods in future research is needed to further investigate the reasons behind different producers’ choices.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第19156号 / 地環博第131号 / 新制||地環||27(附属図書館) / 32107 / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)准教授 森 晶寿, 教授 劉 徳強, 准教授 吉野 章 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

Den här studien fokuserar på att undersöka workflow hos musikproducenter för att kunna identifiera konkreta tips som förbättrar effektivitet och hantverk i musikskapande. Genom kvalitativa intervjuer med sex erfarna musikproducenter i Berlin och en i Stockholm har en lista med tio konkreta tips för att förbättra sitt workflow skapats. Resultaten visar bland annat att balansera effektivitet mot hantverk utefter produktionens / låtens ändamål är nyckeln till ett bra workflow. För att validera tipsens effektivitet skapades tre musikproduktioner som var väldigt olika varandra, där tipsen testades. Efter att de konstnärliga verken var färdiga analyserades valet av workflow och arbetsmetoder till dessa produktioner för att bedöma påverkan på musikens uttryck och sound. / This study focuses on investigating the workflow of music producers in order to identify concrete tips that improve efficiency and craftsmanship in music creation. Through qualitative interviews with six experienced music producers in Berlin and one in Stockholm, a list of ten tips to improve your workflow has been created. The results show that balancing efficiency with craftsmanship according to the purpose of the production/song is the key to a good workflow. To validate the effectiveness of the tips, three very different music productions were created, where the tips were tested. After the artistic works were completed, the choice of workflow and working methods for these productions was analyzed to assess the impact on the expression and sound of the music.

Första och andra världskrigen medförde stora importrestriktioner för bensin och diesel och Sverigestod inför en potentiell kris. Lösningen till drivmedelsbristen var gengas som produceras genom attförbränna träd eller kol i en syrefattig miljö. Med dagens kontinuerligt stigande bensin, diesel ochelpriser står Sverige inför en liknande situation och nya lösningar för att kompensera för de högapriserna söks. Detta kandidatarbete undersöker potentialen med att använda gengas som ett alternativ för attbedriva fordon och småhus för att sänka kostnaden. Arbetet tittar på hur gengas kan användas i treolika fall; i en taxi, lätt lastbil samt ett småhus över ett års tid där kostnadsvinsten beräknas genom attbestämma hur mycket ved som krävs utifrån hur mycket energi som krävs vid användning. Resultatettyder på att med dagens elpriser är el det billigare alternativet för bostäder. Däremot går det att se attdet kan vara ekonomiskts fördelaktigt att använda gengas istället för flytande bränsle när vedprised är billigt. / The First and Second World Wars imposed major import restrictions on gasoline and diesel andSweden faced a potential crisis. The solution to the fuel shortage was producer gas, which isproduced by burning trees or coal in a low-oxygen environment. With today's continuously risinggasoline, diesel and electricity prices, Sweden faces a similar situation and new solutions tocompensate for the high prices are being sought.This bachelor thesis examines the potential for using producer gas as an alternative to power vehiclesand small houses to reduce the cost. The thesis looks at how producer gas can be used in threedifferent cases; in a taxi, light truck and a small house over a years time where the cost benefit iscalculated by determining how much wood is required based on how much energy is required in use.The results indicate that with current electricity prices, electricity is the cheaper option for poweringhouses. However, it can be seen that it can be economically advantageous to use producer gas instead of liquid fuel when the price of wood is cheap.

Följande studie är en induktiv kvalitativ studie baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer. Syftet var att synliggöra europeiska naturvinsproducenters föreställningar om en certifiering av naturvin reglerad av EU. Studiens bakgrund belyser komplexiteten av begreppet naturvin samt certifieringar och deras effekt på marknaden. Även studiens teoretiska ramverk, Conscious Capitalism presenteras. Insamlade data transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av en induktiv tematisk analys. Diskussionen använder det teoretiska ramverket för att lyfta resultatet i relation till marknaden och sedan certifieringar. Autenticitet, frihet och kontroll är några av de begrepp som resoneras kring. Resultatet visar på differenser i vinmakarnas föreställningar om naturvin vilket skapar svårigheter i att enas om en definition och certifiering. Möjligheten för en EU-reglerad certifiering av naturvin är utifrån producenternas föreställningar och drivkrafter begränsad som följd av deras varierande åsikter och arbetssätt. / The following study is an inductive qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews. The purpose was to explore European natural wine producers' perceptions of a certification of natural wine regulated by the EU. The background of the study illuminates the complexity of the concept of natural wine, as well as certifications and their effects on the market. Additionally, the study's theoretical framework, Conscious Capitalism, is presented. Collected data was transcribed and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. The discussion utilizes the theoretical framework to contextualize the findings in relation to the market and certifications. Authenticity, freedom, and control are among the concepts that are reflected upon. The results reveal variations in the participants' perceptions of natural wine, which pose difficulties in reaching a consensus on a definition and certification. The possibility of an EU-regulated certification of natural wine is limited based on the producers' beliefs and motivations as a result of their varying opinions and working methods.

The following document provides insight into the uncharted process of producing a micro-budget feature length film. This paper aims to document my growth as an artist in terms of storytelling and filmmaking as well as the development and production process. Red Tide: A Feature Length Motion Picture includes elements from each phase of the production process, from story and script development to marketing and distribution. This document reflects on the obstacles we faced and the solutions we implemented during the process of creating a feature length motion picture on an undersized budget.

No description available.

Yes / In this paper we consider four restricted cases of the generalised communicating P systems and study their computational power, by providing improved results, with respect to the number of compartments involved. We illustrate the expressive power of these devices by modelling several problems, such as producer/consumer, work ow patterns, broadcasting problem and comparative operations. We also present some relationships between generalised communicating P systems and P colonies, tissue-like P systems with very simple components. / MG and FI were supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0688, CSVE by grant No. 120558 of the National Research, Development, and Innovation Office, Hungary.