This discussion paper deals with the estimation of a random coefficient model. The virtue of this approach is that it considers firm heterogeneity, which conventional SFA models do not. Applying the model to Polish farms, the results indicate that the conventional random and fixed effect models...

This Discussion Paper contains the greater part of the contributions to the Young Scientists Workshop on Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO, September 4-5, 2006). After last years' positive response, the workshop has been organized for the fourth time and has a solid...

The current discussion regarding the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is challenging due to the varying needs and interests of the old and new member states (NMS) of the European Union (EU). The NMS still display tremendous disparities in most structural and socio-economic...

For quite some time long-only index funds have been suspected of being responsible for price increases in agricultural futures markets. This suspicion has prompted demands to drastically limit long-only index funds' scope of activity. Such demands and their underlying diagnoses, however,...

Long-only-Indexfonds stehen seit geraumer Zeit unter Verdacht, für die Preisanstiege an landwirtschaftlichen Warenterminmärkten verantwortlich zu sein. Hieraus wird die Forderung abgleitet, den Aktivitätsradius dieser Indexfonds drastisch einzuschränken. Allerdings stehen solche Forderungen...

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Als Heranführungsinstrument verfolgen die nationalen SAPARD Programme zwei Zielsetzungen. Zum Ersten sollen sie den Aufbau wettbewerbsfähiger Strukturen in den Agrar- und Ernährungssektoren der Beitrittsländer unterstützen, indem die Investitionstätig-keit...

Theoretical literature suggests that social capital, respectively the underlying social networks, facilitate access to otherwise lacking production factors such as financial resources. In addition, the manifestation of different dimensions of social capital is suggested to facilitate collective...

Problem and objectives. Non-farm rural diversification is gaining prominence in the debate on rural development since the end of the 1990s. The expansion of non-farm employment and the diversification of incomes are important policy objectives because they offer a solution to the employment and...

Seit den 1990er-Jahren befindet sich die Ukraine in andauernden Umgestaltungen des politischen und ökonomischen Systems. Durch die institutionellen, strukturellen und wirtschaftlichen Reformen und Integrationsbemühungen veränderte sich unter anderem die Produktions- und Handelsstruktur...