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• Food and nutrition security as gendered social practice

  59-66

  Anke Niehof

  Views:

  525

  In many parts of the world, the food security of households and the nutrition security of individual household members, in particular that of children, are still at risk, in spite of the progress made in combatting hunger at the global level. The prevailing opinion among scientists and development practioners alike is that women’s empowerment is the key to household food security and good nutrition of children. Similarly, it is thought that gender inequalities manifest themselves in dietary discrimination of women resulting in their lesser access to sufficient and nutritious food. To investigate the credibility of these ‘common truths’, empirical evidence on women’s roles in the social practices that aim at realizing household food security and good family nutrition was reviewed. It can be concluded that women definitely yield and wield power through their involvement in and responsibility for these practices, but that – at the same time – enhancing women’s capabilities by improved access to critical resources would benefit their household’s food security and their children’s nutrition. Furthermore, except for the region of South Asia, gender inequalities do not visibly result in a gender gap in nutrition, although women’s specific dietary needs in relation to pregnancy and motherhood are not always recognized.

• Methodological and integration aspects of ABC-method application in trade organizations

  49-52

  Guzaliya S. Klychova

  Ilya V. Bagaev

  Views:

  264

  In conditions of declining consumer demand and deficit of credit resources more and more managers of Russian companies think of necessity of introducing effective methods and systems of cost management. One of the most relevant is method of “Activity Based Costing” (ABC-method). Since, in western experts’ opinion sectors of service and trade are adjusted to use of ABC-method even more than production, we should refer once more to the main methodological and integration aspects of ABC-method application and consider it from position of trade organization.

• THE INVISIBLE HANDS IN THE PRODUCTION OF GHANA’S PREMIUM COCOA: WOMEN AS KEY CONTRIBUTORS

  Tania Ayine Akolgo

  John-Eudes Andivi Bakang

  Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum

  Views:

  279

  So often, what women do especially in relation to productive work is ignored by various researchers. This study tries to bring to the limelight the extent to which women are contributing to the production of Ghana’s premium cocoa which is an envy all over the world. A cross-sectional data from 400 women cocoa farmers in Mampong and Tepa Cocoa Districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana was taken. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as percentages, mean, standard deviations, frequencies, multiple linear regression were used for the data analysis. Findings from the study showed that women cocoa farmers play enormous role in the production of cocoa. They play roles in both the pre-harvest stage, and in the post-harvest stage. The results show that women in partnership with their spouses play more active role in cocoa production than women who are sole owners. Marital status, farming experience and educational level are the key factors influencing women farmers production roles. Again, marital status, pre-planting and harvesting activities influence women farmers’ access to resources, privilege, power, and control. Women farmers in partnership with their spouses face the challenge of support from their husbands while women operating as sole owners face the challenge of high cost of labour. Results prove that women cocoa farmers must be massively supported by key stakeholders in the cocoa value chain in order to make them count.

• Price risk management using by a specified futures model

  97-101

  László Kozár

  Views:

  245

  The principal achievement of this paper is to introduce the operation of a specified ‘Futures’ model and it’s practice for decision makers of financial institutes through an example based on the price data’s of grain futures market from EU assessment 2004 to these days in Hungary. Based on a theoretical foundation, the calculation model was developed in order to assist short and long-term marketing decisions. The economical basis of the model is the combinative use of two market institutions: public warehousing and futures market. This electronically developed and working model ‘using excel background ‘allows all of the participants of the market: producers, consumers,banks and traders, to use this model in immediate calculations. In addition it helps in order to establish the own business strategy. The model can be used to analyze price influencing factors therefore; it can also be used for policy-making decisions for market participants as well as banks dealing with trade financing activity.

• Motivation solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Southern Transdanubian Region

  39-46

  Bettina Boldizsár

  Veronika Bardóczky

  Orsolya Szigeti

  Views:

  433

  The singularity of human resources and the complex interests in the world of work are a constant challenge for business executives and HR colleagues. While the difference between the performance of a motivated and an unmotivated employee can be up to twice as much at almost the same cost level, the motivation strategy is typically either absent from the business life, or operates on a reactive concept based on an unconscious design. Although the mere presence of motivation and its various levels are less quantifiable in exact terms with direct tools, a performance which is much weaker than possible is measurable in the short and long term, and its negative economic results are clear. The aim of the research is to examine the motivational practices of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Southern Transdanubian Region. Involving 300 businesses we evaluated the applied wage system, the role of money among the motivational tools, the extent and causes of fluctuation, the system of employee training, the way of performance evaluation, the reasons for underperformance, the importance of motivation, the company motivation strategy and the efforts to retain the key people. The employee motivation can be increase in several forms, but the priority of needs and claims is constantly changing. Updating this motivational matrix is a real leadership challenge, but this effort can pay off multiple times. According to the results it can be stated that the motivation strategy – as a key economic issue – is not given sufficient attention in business practices.

• The assessment of intellectual capital in Polish regions

  101-105

  Urszula Bronisz

  Wim Heijman

  Johan van Ophem

  Views:

  425

  In a knowledge-based economy intangible assets are indispensable to achieve competitive advantages. Resources like intellectual capital are perceived as crucial factors especially for regional growth. Intellectual capital is comprehended as a multidimensional concept, defined and explained in many various ways, depending on the context and further application. The purposes of this article is to consider the role and importance of the intellectual capital for regional development and competitiveness and to try to use it for an estimation of regional advance progress. On the basis of literature review the article provides a framework to analyse the intellectual capital and its main components. The central attention of the paper focuses on the evaluation of the intellectual capital in Polish regions and its influence on regional performance. The paper surveys the empirical examination of 16 Polish regions in terms of intellectual capital and simultaneously assesses the level of intellectual capital in rural areas. The article provides the insight into the role and value of the intellectual capital in Polish regions.