AGRICOLA IND 90019481, Technical change is dynamic, recursive, and endogenous to the economic system. However, empirical studies usually treat technology as exogenous, defining technical change in terms of its end result: changes in some production possibilities set. An endogenous view of technical change is necessary to understand, anticipate, and perhaps alter the development and use of new technologies and their associated problems. This article outlines a conceptual framework in which technical change is endogenous. The framework accounts for the dynamic and recursive interactions between research and development activities, the adoption and diffusion of new innovations, and the regulatory and institutional environment. As an example, the development of glyphosate-tolerant crops is discussed to show how the framework can be used to identify, organize, and understand the important variables and relationships for a specific case of technical change.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: D05788
Notes:
Paper presented in the Agricultural Communications Section of the annual conference of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Atlanta, Georgia, January 31-February 1, 2015. 24 pages.
20 pages, Knowledge of agricultural practices has declined in recent years, resulting in consumers becoming uncertain of where and how their food has been produced and the marketing tactics used to promote the product. Historically, the U.S. population’s rich agricultural heritage coincided with higher levels of agricultural literacy. Some scholars, however, have maintained that U.S. culture has begun to lose touch with its agricultural foundations. More recent evidence has demonstrated that consumers acquire knowledge about their food from various media, most notably the Internet and social media. Often these sources use incorrect information and promote food and agricultural marketing trends that may not be grounded in scientific data. In response, this historical narrative analyzed a reform effort that occurred in U.S. food labeling policy and practice in the 1900s, which contributed to food labeling issues and consumer distrust in the agricultural industry. Based on the findings of this investigation, we concluded that food labels were initially intended to provide consumers with more profound knowledge of the food they purchased. However, key legislative acts such as the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act shifted the food labeling movement into a branding device to differentiate products and brands. We recommend that agricultural practitioners explore new ways to communicate their message more effectively. We also call for producers to incorporate more personal and emotional appeals when marketing agricultural products to better compete with third-party branding efforts.
Damhorst, Mary Lynn (author), Lennon, Sharron J. (author), Kim, Minjeong (author), Johnson, Kim K.P. (author), Jolly, Laura D. (author), and Jasper, Cynthia R. (author)
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Date:
2007-04
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C30221
Damhorst, Mary Lynn (author), Lennon, Sharron J. (author), Kim, Minjeong (author), Johnson, Kim K.P. (author), Jolly, Laura D. (author), and Jasper, Cynthia R. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2007-04
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C30541
