A avicultura de postura no decorrer dos anos 2000 apresenta crescentes modificações no seu ambiente competitivo. Por um lado, a abertura dos mercados na década de 1990 proporcionou a modernização e a inovação do setor produtivo, mas também inseriu o granjeiro em uma competição internacional na aquisição de insumos. A estabilidade da demanda, aliada com a maximização da capacidade instalada das firmas, estabeleceu um ambiente com maior competitividade e rivalidade para a conquista de parcelas de mercados, principalmente na região onde se encontra a maior praça de produção e consumo: a Região Sudeste. É com o objetivo de identificar a evolução dessas modificações do ambiente estrutural que este trabalho se delineia. Analisou-se a evolução da estrutura do setor produtivo, identificando as percepções dos granjeiros quanto às principais barreiras estruturais e as principais condutas e deslocamentos da produção, ressaltando quais os principais fatores que resultam no lento crescimento e desenvolvimento do setor. Por meio dos índices de Herfindahl-Hirschman e Razão de Concentração, análise qualitativa da percepção dos empresários da microrregião de São Lourenço quanto à intensidade das barreiras à entrada de novos concorrentes, e análise do deslocamento regional da produção de ovos, foi possível identificar que a estrutura do setor produtivo, representado pelas firmas líderes nacionais, se situa tangenciando a concentração moderada com estabilidade em todos os anos do período analisado (2002 a 2011), apresentando diferentes comportamentos antes e após o ano de 2006. Há divergências de concentração entre as regiões brasileiras, ressaltando a importância desta para a região Sudeste, onde se concentram 48,7% do alojamento de aves regional, entre as 11 maiores firmas líderes analisadas. As percepções dos entrevistados desta região manifestam-se nas barreiras relativas à especificidade dos ativos envolvidos na produção e na economia de escala mínima exigida para a sobrevivência da firma no setor. Consolidando, uma consequente rede de barreiras, que culmina com o impacto na acessibilidade dos canais de distribuição, sinalizando uma estrutura regional oligopsônia. No entanto, condutas de introdução de inovação tecnológica no setor produtivo, aquisição das firmas “não líderes” por firmas líderes, deslocamentos da produção e alojamento para regiões produtoras de grãos e próximas ao consumidor são delineadas pelas firmas com o intuito de sobreviver neste setor produtivo. As condutas encontradas podem justificar a estabilidade da evolução estrutural do setor, o seu lento crescimento e modernização, principalmente antes do ano de 2006, comumente julgados pelos profissionais do setor resultantes de uma resistência cultural à entrada da modernização. / The Brazilian Laying Poultry, since the year 2000 has faced some changes in its competitive environment. The opening of markets in the 1990s brought modernization and innovation to the egg production sector, but also placed the egg producer in an international competitive market to buy grains, mainly corn, tackling high prices and volatility. The stability in the demand, combined with high costs and the rise of productive company capacity created this economic atmosphere in which there is a high level of rivalry for market share among companies, meanly on regions where the highest concentrations of companies and the largest production and consumption indexes are: The Southeast. This research focuses in the development of these structural atmosphere, trying to identify the evolution of the egg production sector structure. Therefore, concentration indexes were analyzed comprehending the period between 2002 and 2011, taking into account the level of barriers to enter the market according to the egg producers’ perceptions and supported by the behavior observed in the egg production sector. Herfindahl-Hirschman and market share indexes proved low concentration in some values in 2009, 2010 and 2011, with different growth among the companies after 2006. 48.7% of southeast laying hens are lodged in eleven leading companies, featuring the second largest concentration region. The perception of the barriers to enter this market is based on the specificity of physical assets and the minimum scale economy, culminating in a net of secondary barriers, those with oligopsony structure hampers the distribution channel accessibility. However, the introduction of innovation in technology, the acquisition of non-leader companies by the leader ones, and the displacement to crop producing areas and to the consumers are important measures for companies to survive in an economic atmosphere with strong limitation barriers. All those conducts help to explain the stability of the structural evolution and its slow growth and modernization, usually regarded as cultural resistance.

A cadeia produtiva do leite no Brasil se caracteriza pela carência na utilização de ferramentas de gestão e financeiras para o controle da atividade. Atualmente algumas linhas de pesquisa estão trazendo para o meio rural a utilização de indicadores de origem econômica e financeira para complementarem os já utilizados de origem técnica como indicadores de produtividade, escala de produção etc. Este trabalho objetivou correlacionar indicadores técnicos, econômicos e financeiros de propriedades produtoras de leite localizadas em Minas Gerais para buscar quais seriam os de eleição para acompanhamento e quais estariam mais relacionados à rentabilidade e retorno financeiro. Foram coletados dados mensais de 15 propriedades mineiras do período correspondido entre julho de 2012 e junho de 2013, além de visita e aplicação de questionário às mesmas. Os dados obtidos foram utilizados para o cálculo de índices técnicos, econômicos e financeiros e também para caracterização das propriedades. Sobre os indicadores foram aplicados os testes de Kruskal Wallis e Wilcoxon para comparar as médias entre as propriedades em relação aos três níveis de retorno sobre o Investimento da propriedade. Em seguida aplicou-se o teste de correlação de Spearman para cálculo dos indicadores de correlação de todas variáveis em relação aos indicadores de cunho econômico financeiro. Os indicadores econômicos e financeiros revelaram altos índices de correlação e diferenças entre médias entre si. Dos demais se destacaram, a relação de gasto com mão de obra /receita bruta e a perda com morte de animais. De acordo com os testes de correlação, a variável MARGEM DE EBITDA foi a que mais se correlacionou com os demais indicadores relacionados ao retorno financeiro da atividade e por isso foi a considerada a principal no controle financeiro das atividades produtivas. / Milk production chain in Brazil is characterized by deficiency in the use of financial management and to control the activity tools. Nowadays some researches are bringing to the rural environment the using of indicators of economic and financial source to complement those already used from technical origin as indicators of productivity, production scale etc. This study aimed to correlate technical, economic and financial indicators of milk-producing farms located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, to find what indicators would be elected to follow and which would be more related to profitability and financial returns. Monthly data of 15 properties from Minas Gerais was collected between July 2012 and June 2013, as well as visiting and apllying questionnaire to all of them. The data were used to calculate the technical, economical and financial ratios and also to characterize the properties. The indicators were compared using Kruskal Wallis and Wilcoxon tests to compare means between the properties on three levels of return on investment. Then the Spearman correlation test was applied to calculate the indicators correlation of all variables in relation to financial end economical indicators. The economic and financial indicators showed high levels of correlation and mean differences between each other. The others that stood out was the ratio of spending on labor/gross income and losts with animal death. According to the correlation tests, the variable MARGIN OF EBITDA was more correlated with other indicators related to the financial return of the activity and therefore was considered the main financial control to use on productive activities.

A cadeia produtiva do leite no Brasil se caracteriza pela carência na utilização de ferramentas de gestão e financeiras para o controle da atividade. Atualmente algumas linhas de pesquisa estão trazendo para o meio rural a utilização de indicadores de origem econômica e financeira para complementarem os já utilizados de origem técnica como indicadores de produtividade, escala de produção etc. Este trabalho objetivou correlacionar indicadores técnicos, econômicos e financeiros de propriedades produtoras de leite localizadas em Minas Gerais para buscar quais seriam os de eleição para acompanhamento e quais estariam mais relacionados à rentabilidade e retorno financeiro. Foram coletados dados mensais de 15 propriedades mineiras do período correspondido entre julho de 2012 e junho de 2013, além de visita e aplicação de questionário às mesmas. Os dados obtidos foram utilizados para o cálculo de índices técnicos, econômicos e financeiros e também para caracterização das propriedades. Sobre os indicadores foram aplicados os testes de Kruskal Wallis e Wilcoxon para comparar as médias entre as propriedades em relação aos três níveis de retorno sobre o Investimento da propriedade. Em seguida aplicou-se o teste de correlação de Spearman para cálculo dos indicadores de correlação de todas variáveis em relação aos indicadores de cunho econômico financeiro. Os indicadores econômicos e financeiros revelaram altos índices de correlação e diferenças entre médias entre si. Dos demais se destacaram, a relação de gasto com mão de obra /receita bruta e a perda com morte de animais. De acordo com os testes de correlação, a variável MARGEM DE EBITDA foi a que mais se correlacionou com os demais indicadores relacionados ao retorno financeiro da atividade e por isso foi a considerada a principal no controle financeiro das atividades produtivas. / Milk production chain in Brazil is characterized by deficiency in the use of financial management and to control the activity tools. Nowadays some researches are bringing to the rural environment the using of indicators of economic and financial source to complement those already used from technical origin as indicators of productivity, production scale etc. This study aimed to correlate technical, economic and financial indicators of milk-producing farms located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, to find what indicators would be elected to follow and which would be more related to profitability and financial returns. Monthly data of 15 properties from Minas Gerais was collected between July 2012 and June 2013, as well as visiting and apllying questionnaire to all of them. The data were used to calculate the technical, economical and financial ratios and also to characterize the properties. The indicators were compared using Kruskal Wallis and Wilcoxon tests to compare means between the properties on three levels of return on investment. Then the Spearman correlation test was applied to calculate the indicators correlation of all variables in relation to financial end economical indicators. The economic and financial indicators showed high levels of correlation and mean differences between each other. The others that stood out was the ratio of spending on labor/gross income and losts with animal death. According to the correlation tests, the variable MARGIN OF EBITDA was more correlated with other indicators related to the financial return of the activity and therefore was considered the main financial control to use on productive activities.

A avicultura de postura no decorrer dos anos 2000 apresenta crescentes modificações no seu ambiente competitivo. Por um lado, a abertura dos mercados na década de 1990 proporcionou a modernização e a inovação do setor produtivo, mas também inseriu o granjeiro em uma competição internacional na aquisição de insumos. A estabilidade da demanda, aliada com a maximização da capacidade instalada das firmas, estabeleceu um ambiente com maior competitividade e rivalidade para a conquista de parcelas de mercados, principalmente na região onde se encontra a maior praça de produção e consumo: a Região Sudeste. É com o objetivo de identificar a evolução dessas modificações do ambiente estrutural que este trabalho se delineia. Analisou-se a evolução da estrutura do setor produtivo, identificando as percepções dos granjeiros quanto às principais barreiras estruturais e as principais condutas e deslocamentos da produção, ressaltando quais os principais fatores que resultam no lento crescimento e desenvolvimento do setor. Por meio dos índices de Herfindahl-Hirschman e Razão de Concentração, análise qualitativa da percepção dos empresários da microrregião de São Lourenço quanto à intensidade das barreiras à entrada de novos concorrentes, e análise do deslocamento regional da produção de ovos, foi possível identificar que a estrutura do setor produtivo, representado pelas firmas líderes nacionais, se situa tangenciando a concentração moderada com estabilidade em todos os anos do período analisado (2002 a 2011), apresentando diferentes comportamentos antes e após o ano de 2006. Há divergências de concentração entre as regiões brasileiras, ressaltando a importância desta para a região Sudeste, onde se concentram 48,7% do alojamento de aves regional, entre as 11 maiores firmas líderes analisadas. As percepções dos entrevistados desta região manifestam-se nas barreiras relativas à especificidade dos ativos envolvidos na produção e na economia de escala mínima exigida para a sobrevivência da firma no setor. Consolidando, uma consequente rede de barreiras, que culmina com o impacto na acessibilidade dos canais de distribuição, sinalizando uma estrutura regional oligopsônia. No entanto, condutas de introdução de inovação tecnológica no setor produtivo, aquisição das firmas “não líderes” por firmas líderes, deslocamentos da produção e alojamento para regiões produtoras de grãos e próximas ao consumidor são delineadas pelas firmas com o intuito de sobreviver neste setor produtivo. As condutas encontradas podem justificar a estabilidade da evolução estrutural do setor, o seu lento crescimento e modernização, principalmente antes do ano de 2006, comumente julgados pelos profissionais do setor resultantes de uma resistência cultural à entrada da modernização. / The Brazilian Laying Poultry, since the year 2000 has faced some changes in its competitive environment. The opening of markets in the 1990s brought modernization and innovation to the egg production sector, but also placed the egg producer in an international competitive market to buy grains, mainly corn, tackling high prices and volatility. The stability in the demand, combined with high costs and the rise of productive company capacity created this economic atmosphere in which there is a high level of rivalry for market share among companies, meanly on regions where the highest concentrations of companies and the largest production and consumption indexes are: The Southeast. This research focuses in the development of these structural atmosphere, trying to identify the evolution of the egg production sector structure. Therefore, concentration indexes were analyzed comprehending the period between 2002 and 2011, taking into account the level of barriers to enter the market according to the egg producers’ perceptions and supported by the behavior observed in the egg production sector. Herfindahl-Hirschman and market share indexes proved low concentration in some values in 2009, 2010 and 2011, with different growth among the companies after 2006. 48.7% of southeast laying hens are lodged in eleven leading companies, featuring the second largest concentration region. The perception of the barriers to enter this market is based on the specificity of physical assets and the minimum scale economy, culminating in a net of secondary barriers, those with oligopsony structure hampers the distribution channel accessibility. However, the introduction of innovation in technology, the acquisition of non-leader companies by the leader ones, and the displacement to crop producing areas and to the consumers are important measures for companies to survive in an economic atmosphere with strong limitation barriers. All those conducts help to explain the stability of the structural evolution and its slow growth and modernization, usually regarded as cultural resistance.

La question de la rationalité socioéconomique propre aux paysans canadiens-français occupe dans l'historiographie canadienne du Québec rural préindustriel une place de choix, ayant été invoquée tour à tour pour glorifier ou condamner une population aux pratiques jugées à bien des égards différentes de celles des société anglo-saxonnes nord-américaines. Néanmoins, aussi importante soit-elle, cette problématique a rarement été abordée de front par les historiens, qui ont plutôt choisi de l'inclure en filigrane d'interprétations plus ciblées de réalités connexes. Dans cette optique, nous nous proposions dans ce mémoire de dégager, par le biais de l'analyse critique d'un échantillon de productions historiques représentatives des courants plus généraux dont elles sont issues, les principales représentations de la rationalité socioéconomique paysanne véhiculées par les historiens canadiens (tant francophones qu'anglophones) depuis 1960, de les expliquer à la lumière des particularités des contextes dans lesquels elles ont été produites ainsi que d'en retracer le parcours historiographique. Cette démarche nous a permis de constater clairement l'existence de trois paradigmes interprétatifs ayant successivement dominé le discours historique sur la question depuis 1960. Cette évolution, si elle s'accorde bel et bien au rythme du progrès méthodologique de la science historique, présente toutefois plusieurs originalités fermement ancrées dans les particularités du contexte dans lequel elle s'est déroulée, dont les principales sont la question nationale, la dichotomie ethnolinguistique de l'historiographie canadienne et la portée sociale significative des interprétations proposées. / The issue of French-Canadian peasants' socio-economic rationality holds a place of choice in the Canadian historiography of rural Quebec, having been used both to glorify and condemn the behavior of a population considered to be in many respects different from its Anglo-Saxon neighbors. However, as important as it may be, this subject has rarely been addressed directly by historians, who instead chose to study it indirectly as part of more targeted interpretations of its related realities. We therefore aim in this study to identify, through the critical analysis of a number of historical productions we believe to be representative of the broader currents from which they derived, the main representations of the French-Canadian peasants' socio-economic rationality conveyed by Canadian historians (both anglophones and francophones) since 1960, to explain them in the light of the particular contexts in which they were produced , as well as to trace their historiographical fate. This approach allow us to clearly see the existence of three interpretative paradigms that have successively dominated the historical discourse on the issue since 1960. This trend, even though it indeed follows the rhythm of methodological progress in history, is also firmly rooted in the peculiarities of the context in which it took place, the main ones being the omnipresence of the national debate, the ethnolinguistic dichotomy of Canadian historiography and the significant social impact of the proposed interpretations.

<p>The challenge of alleviating poverty, especially of the rural poor, is a universal one. Mozambique is also faced with this challenge as well the challenge of redressing the inequality exacerbated by civil war. Among the many strategies suggested for addressing poverty is improving poor people&rsquo / s access to land. In Mozambique, all land is owned by the state, yet informal land markets do exist. A theoretical review of the models on informal markets in developing countries reveals that economy of rural family depend greatly on land resources, and that often formalisation of land markets leads to land concentration and speculation rather than to the promotion of economic development. The overall objective of the study was to analyse the economic, institutional and social dynamics and determinants of informal land markets in rural Mozambique and how they impact on the livelihoods of poor people. Due to the largely unexplored nature of the topic, this study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. Research methods included a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. To achieve these objectives, a strategy comprising two approaches was used. Firstly, a theoretical review was undertaken, to discuss both international and African debate on informal land markets models with regard to different views on Mozambican informal land markets. This theoretical review also covered the political economy of land in Mozambique. Secondly, empirical evidence was systematized in the form of a case study of the perceptions of determinants on informal land markets that was undertaken in Mogovolas district. The lack of clear policy regarding the informal land market in Mozambique produced a complex range of problems, between local people, between locals and new investors, between new investors, and between all these groups and the state. The large majority of smaller localised conflicts were, and continue to be, resolved by traditional authorities and local social-control mechanisms. Conflicts between local people and investors have proved much more complex. The role of the state has been unclear from the start and the state is still dysfunctional due to a lack of transparency, inefficiency, and corruption in management of land.</p>

<p>The challenge of alleviating poverty, especially of the rural poor, is a universal one. Mozambique is also faced with this challenge as well the challenge of redressing the inequality exacerbated by civil war. Among the many strategies suggested for addressing poverty is improving poor people&rsquo / s access to land. In Mozambique, all land is owned by the state, yet informal land markets do exist. A theoretical review of the models on informal markets in developing countries reveals that economy of rural family depend greatly on land resources, and that often formalisation of land markets leads to land concentration and speculation rather than to the promotion of economic development. The overall objective of the study was to analyse the economic, institutional and social dynamics and determinants of informal land markets in rural Mozambique and how they impact on the livelihoods of poor people. Due to the largely unexplored nature of the topic, this study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. Research methods included a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. To achieve these objectives, a strategy comprising two approaches was used. Firstly, a theoretical review was undertaken, to discuss both international and African debate on informal land markets models with regard to different views on Mozambican informal land markets. This theoretical review also covered the political economy of land in Mozambique. Secondly, empirical evidence was systematized in the form of a case study of the perceptions of determinants on informal land markets that was undertaken in Mogovolas district. The lack of clear policy regarding the informal land market in Mozambique produced a complex range of problems, between local people, between locals and new investors, between new investors, and between all these groups and the state. The large majority of smaller localised conflicts were, and continue to be, resolved by traditional authorities and local social-control mechanisms. Conflicts between local people and investors have proved much more complex. The role of the state has been unclear from the start and the state is still dysfunctional due to a lack of transparency, inefficiency, and corruption in management of land.</p>

Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS) / The challenge of alleviating poverty, especially of the rural poor, is a universal one. Mozambique is also faced with this challenge as well the challenge of redressing the inequality exacerbated by civil war. Among the many strategies suggested for addressing poverty is improving poor people&rsquo;s access to land. In Mozambique, all land is owned by the state, yet informal land markets do exist. A theoretical review of the models on informal markets in developing countries reveals that economy of rural family depend greatly on land resources, and that often formalisation of land markets leads to land concentration and speculation rather than to the promotion of economic development. The overall objective of the study was to analyse the economic, institutional and social dynamics and determinants of informal land markets in rural Mozambique and how they impact on the livelihoods of poor people. Due to the largely unexplored nature of the topic, this study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. Research methods included a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. To achieve these objectives, a strategy comprising two approaches was used. Firstly, a theoretical review was undertaken, to discuss both international and African debate on informal land markets models with regard to different views on Mozambican informal land markets. This theoretical review also covered the political economy of land in Mozambique. Secondly, empirical evidence was systematized in the form of a case study of the perceptions of determinants on informal land markets that was undertaken in Mogovolas district. The lack of clear policy regarding the informal land market in Mozambique produced a complex range of problems, between local people, between locals and new investors, between new investors, and between all these groups and the state. The large majority of smaller localised conflicts were, and continue to be, resolved by traditional authorities and local social-control mechanisms. Conflicts between local people and investors have proved much more complex. The role of the state has been unclear from the start and the state is still dysfunctional due to a lack of transparency, inefficiency, and corruption in management of land.</p> / South Africa

L’histoire de l’olivier et de l’huile d’olive est indissociable de l’histoire de l’agriculture corse. La réalité historique de la culture de l’olivier et de la production d’huile a été appréhendée à partir de la fin du XVIe siècle jusqu’à la veille de la première guerre mondiale. Le paysage oléicole a connu un grand développement à l’époque moderne sous l’impulsion de la Sérénissime République de Gênes ; il s’est poursuivi au XIXe siècle sous l’autorité de l’administration française. L’étude de l’ensemble des microrégions de l‘île a mis en évidence le rôle majeur joué par les communautés dans l’économie oléicole insulaire. On parle d’une diversité et non d’une unicité de l’olivier en Corse : diversité des variétés, des pratiques culturales, des modes d’extraction de l’huile, des paysages… L’impact économique de cette culture durant la période étudiée a été très important pour la Corse. L’olivier est au cœur des préoccupations des hommes, il a transformé partiellement l’agriculture, les paysages, les infrastructures de transports, l’architecture rurale et a participé à l’émergence d’une société microrégionale originale. / The olive tree and olive oil's history is inseparable from the History of the Corsican agriculture. The real nature of the culture of the olive tree and the production of the olive oil have been comprehended from the end of the XVIth century to the eve of the first world war. The olive landscape knew a great development during the modern age with the Serene highness Republic of Genoa; it pursuded on the XIXth century under the authority of the French administration. The study on the whole microregions of the island higlights the main part played by the comunities in the oleicol economy of the island. Concerning the olive tree in Corsica we notice an important diversity of trees not an uniquiness: diversity of the sorts of trees, of the cultural pratices, of ways to extract the oil, of landscapes... the economic impact of this culture during the era studied had been really important for Corsica. The olive tree is at the heart of the humans' concerns, it partially transformed the agriculture, the landscapes and the substructure of the transports, the rural architecture and took part in the emergence of an original regional micro society. / A storia di l'alivu è di l'oliu d'aliva hè propiu ligata à a storia di l'agricultura corsa. A realità storica di a cultura di l'olivu è di a produzzione d'oliu hè stata studiata da a fine di u XVIe seculu finu à a prima guerra mundiale. U paisaghju d'alivi hà cunnisciutu un grande sviluppu durante l'epica muderna per via di l'abbrivu datu da a Republica di Genuva. S'hè perseguitu durante u XIXe seculu sottu à l'autorità di l'admministrazione francesa. U studiu di l'inseme di a rughjoni di l'isula hà dimustratu a funzione maestra di e communità in l'ecunumia à partesi di a cultura di l'alivi. Si parla d'una diversità è micca d'un'unicità di l'alivu in Corsica : diversità di e varietà, di e pratiche culturale, di e manere per fragne l'alive, di i paisaghji... U pesu ecunomicu di sta cultura durante u periodu studiatu hè statu assai impurtante per a Corsica. L'alivu face parte di e riflessione di l'omi. Hà cuntribuitu à transfurmà l'agricultura, i paisaghji, l'infrastrutture di i trasporti, l'architettura campagnola è hà participatu ancu à a nascita d'una sucetà micro regiunale originale.

The past two decades have witnessed significant growth in home-based work (HBW), particularly home-based business (HBB) activity and self-employment. These phenomena are attributed to factors such as flexible organization of production. While some empirical accounts on HBW and HBB activity in Canada do exist, they have mostly been conducted at the national or urban level rather than in rural areas. This thesis, therefore, places greater emphasis on rural HBBs in Saskatchewan where out-migration of people is threatening the viability and sustainability of rural and small communities. It is argued that rural sustainability largely depends on economic viability. The study area for the research includes the City of Saskatoon and the countryside surrounding this city. <p>The overall goal of this research is to contribute to the discussion of rural sustainability by considering HBBs as a potential strategy to achieve sustainability in rural areas and small communities. Therefore, the primary objectives of the dissertation are to examine the nature and degree of relationships of home business activity between rural, rural-urban fringe and urban areas, and the implications on links for sustainability of rural households and communities; to examine the relationship of HBB activity to the concept of rural entrepreneurship and business development; and to assess the contributions of rural and small town HBBs to the sustainability of households and communities in Saskatchewan. <p>A combination of the concept of sustainable community development, the von Thunen model and the competitive strategy model (i.e., cost-leadership, differentiation, focus) provide the theoretical framework of the thesis. Through snowball sampling and mail questionnaire surveys, primary data on HBBs were obtained from Saskatoon and its surrounding regions in Saskatchewan for micro-level analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed to analyze the data. <p>Major findings of the thesis include the linkages that HBBs create among places and the impact of links on community sustainability; and the apparent spatial variations in HBBs, motivations, competitive strategies, and benefits of home businesses from the urban core to the limits of the rural hinterland. It was also found that home businesses contribute positively to the sustainability of households and communities in rural Saskatchewan. Specifically, they generate significant revenue and employment opportunities for people, while supporting local economies through their networks, purchasing and selling of goods and services locally as well as keeping managers and members of their households in rural areas and small communities for considerable number of years. Indeed home-based occupation is a vital component of the mechanisms for rural sustainability. Also, this thesis proposed a rural-urban HBB model for future social science research. <p>Major conceptual underpinnings of the research include rural-urban relations; regional and community economic development, sustainable community development; rural entrepreneurship, home-based work, home business, self-employment, competitive strategy, and the von Thunen Isolated State model.