Smallholder paprika farmers in Zimbabwe contribute to local economies and food security but face supply chain challenges like limited market access and poor infrastructure which lead to post harvest losses and unpredictable prices. To survive, these farmers must adopt sustainable value networks to reduce operational costs and improve performance. This study sought to establish the effect of sustainable value networks on the operational performance of smallholder paprika farming in Zimbabwe. This study, using a positivist research philosophy and a quantitative approach, surveyed 288 smallholder paprika farmers in Zimbabwe. Exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling were used to validate the constructs and test the hypothesised relationships. Results demonstrate a moderate level of implementation of value networks in smallholder paprika farming characterised by successes and challenges. The findings illustrated resource sharing among smallholder farmers, facilitated by initiatives, such as recycled seed exchanges and financial support through village savings and loan associations. However, results show that challenges persist, particularly with market access and financial support. Results indicate that there is a significant awareness and implementation of green supply chain management practices among smallholder paprika farmers even though they do not have access to resources and live in rural areas. The findings demonstrate that value networks significantly influence the adoption of green supply chain management practices, which in turn positively impact operational performance, environmental performance, and social performance. Green supply chain management practices were found to mediate the relationship between value networks and environmental performance, social performance, and operational performance, underlining the critical role of sustainable practices in enhancing performance outcomes. While environmental performance showed a positive effect on operational performance, the direct influence of social performance on operational performance was found to be statistically insignificant, suggesting the need for further exploration of the factors linking social benefits to operational efficiency. The research contributes to both theory and practice by presenting a sustainable value network model for smallholder paprika farmers, integrating value network, green supply chain management practices and environmental performance to enhance operational performance. Practical implications include policy recommendations to strengthen collaboration between smallholder farmers and other stakeholdersand address power imbalances with intermediaries. Future research should extend the study to other agricultural sectors and incorporate more diverse stakeholder perspectives to validate and generalise the proposed sustainable value network model.
Molybdenum (Mo) is considered and described as an essential element for living organisms' development. Until now, no studies have been performed on genes involved in the Mo transporter in ancestral Ipomoea species. This study aimed to identify potential Mo genes in Ipomoea trifida and I. triloba genomes using bioinformatics tools. We identified four Mo transporter genes, two in I. trifida and two in I. triloba. Based on the RNA-seq datasets, we observed that Mo genes are expressed (in silico) and present different mechanisms between the tissues analyzed. The information generated in this study fills missing gaps in the literature on the Mo gene in an important agronomic crop.
This investigation derives formulas to predict the mixed convective surface conductance of a flat isotropic surface roughness having a convex perimeter in a Newtonian fluid with a steady forced flow in the plane of that roughness. Heat transfer measurements of a 30.5 cm square rough plate with forced air velocities between 0.1 m/s and 2.5 m/s were made by the present apparatus in two inclined and all five orthogonal orientations. The present work’s formulas are compared with 104 measurements in twelve data-sets. The twelve data-sets have root-mean-square relative error (RMSRE) values between 1.3% and 4% relative to the present theory. The present work’sformulas are also compared with 78 measurements in 28 data-sets on five vertical rough surfaces in horizontal flow from prior work. The five stucco data-sets have RMSRE values between 2.5% and 6.5%; the other data-sets have RMSRE values between 0.2% and 5%.
Communicative language is an important part of daily communication, and mastering its usage proficiently can leave a good impression on people. There are significant differences in the greetings between China and Japan. These differences also reflect the different cultures of the two countries. Focusing on the greetings of the first meeting in daily life, this paper selects TV plays with more daily exchanges, collects language materials of TV play types related to social life, friendship, schools, companies, etc., and makes a comparative analysis of the performance and functions of Japanese and Chinese greetings, and makes a study of Sociolinguistics.
Entrepreneurial resilience in regions is essential for enabling the entrepreneurial ecosystem to overcome natural disasters, catastrophes, wars, and various crisis situations it may face. However, this phenomenon has been underexplored in the literature despite its critical importance for business development, and consequently, for social progress. Therefore, the objective of this article is to conduct a systematic literature review to identify the antecedents of regional entrepreneurial resilience in situations of adversity. To achieve this goal, a qualitative, descriptive research approach was employed. Specifically, a systematic literature review was carried out following the PRISMA method, which included a total of 231 scientific articles retrieved from high impact journals. Of these, only 12% (27 documents) focused on regional entrepreneurial resilience. Five key antecedents of regional entrepreneurial resilience were identified: action orientation, the region’s historical precedents, opportunity exploitation, collaboration, resources, and preparedness. Additionally, it is suggested that future research should focus on understanding the impact of crises, identifying agile response models to crises, defining roles for each member of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to achieve economic recovery in regions, and analyzing the design of public policies that contribute to overcoming adversity. The study concludes that when a region is resilient, it is more likely to overcome crises and adversity.
This paper applies Nida's dynamic equivalence theory to the appreciation of Hardy's masterpiece Tess of the D 'Urbervilles, discusses the translation of the meaning and spirit of the source text in terms of dialects, idioms and annotations from the perspective of functional equivalence theory, and further explores whether the spirit and value felt by the readers of the target text is dynamically equivalent to that felt by the readers of the source text. Finally, this paper shows the clever application of this theory and the determination to promote cultural exchange through Tess of the D 'Urbervilles.
Copyright © by EnPress Publisher. All rights reserved.