Farm sustainability issues are diverse but interconnected and complex. Many organizations
have begun to promote packaged sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs). Some of these
bundled SAPs (i.e. organic agriculture and integrated pest management) have long been
employed by farmers, and studied by scientists seeking to understand their response to these
alternative agricultural approaches. This paper reviews and synthesizes recent research in this
area. It identifies key explanatory factors, which frequently lead to the adoption of bundled
SAPs. Vote count analysis reveals that variables implying economic motivation and facilitation
regularly explain farmers’ behaviour. In addition, a new finding emerged, in which factors
inferring higher learning and superior management capacity provided further indicators to
adoption. In particular, the training that provided by non-governmental organizations and rural
institutions complements change agents (i.e. public extension services). While this finding is
novel, more research is required to generate better understanding of farmer reaction to bundled
SAPs, particularly dynamic ones (i.e. private standards) in which farm business sustainability
depends upon good agricultural practices being implemented.
In competitive markets, agribusiness firms have embarked on improving their service quality for building and maintaining a profitable relationship with their customers. However, such impact of service quality on business commitment has not been empirically investigated. To fill this gap, this study explores the relationship between service quality and commitment, using a case of supplier selection of fresh produce by hotel, restaurant, and catering (HORECA) sector in Malaysia. Using SERVQUAL as the main component of the conceptual framework, the relevant information was collected from 195 random HORECA operators and analyzed using partial least squares. The results indicate that service quality explains little of HORECA’s decision to stay with their current suppliers. While most service quality factors were insignificant, “responsiveness” in term of providing delivery service had a statistically significant positive impact on HORECA’s contractual arrangement with their current suppliers. These findings imply that quality service is being seen as a supplement; economic factors (e.g., prices and their stability, credit term) are likely to be the key drivers affecting buyer-seller relationships. If suppliers want to stay on course, they have to improve their service quality and focus more on delivery service. In addition, more research is needed in this relatively new area.
Understanding blood donation behaviours is pivotal to recruiting and retaining blood donors. Despite rich literature, this is the first study investigating the content and structure of motivations that underlie blood donation using a means-end chain approach. Based on soft laddering interviews with 227 respondents (31 first-time blood donors and 196 repeat blood donors) in the Klang Valley of Malaysia, we identified that their blood donation was primarily driven by the attribute 'help people', the consequences 'increase blood supply' (as perceived by first-time blood donors) and 'indirect downstream reciprocity' (as perceived by repeat blood donors) associated with the attribute and the belief that the consequences can lead to the fulfilment of the value 'humanitarianism'. Understanding of such hierarchical links between motivators is crucial in developing self-relevant communications. The resultant outcomes are likely to be more effective than the traditional approaches in behavioural change.