A Study on Factors Affecting High Quality Fruit Tomato Production in a Greenhouse by Utilizing Low Cost Smart Agriculture Framework

In this paper, we present an examination of factors affecting the sweetness degree of fruit tomato by utilizing a low-cost smart agriculture framework. Japanese consumers are willing to pay a sky-high price for particularly high sweetness degree of tomato, known as fruit tomato. Japanese farmers would like to produce sustainable fruit tomato, yet only some of the veteran farmers with tens of years of experience or big industrialized farms can produce it. Small scale farmers still struggle to produce sustainable fruit tomato. Many of them would like to know what factors affecting the sweetness degree of tomato. This study aims to clarify factors affecting the sweetness degree production by using a low-cost smart agriculture framework installed in a fruit tomato farmer in Nara prefecture, a western part of Japan. The data used were automatic data gathered from the sensor network, i.e. temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure as well as CO2; and manually input cultivation records, namely, fertilizers (Ca, NO3), pH, EC (electrical conductivity), harvesting record (yield and sweetness degree) as well as cropping calendar. We gathered data from June 2017 to December 2019. We then conducted a statistical analysis using the R statistical computing language. We found that the most significant factor for a high sweetness degree of fruit tomato is the growing time, that is the longer the growing time, the higher the sweetness degree of fruit tomato. The growing time is likely to be affected by season, as in summer growing time is faster than in wintertime. Consequently, summer is not the best time to grow fruit tomato.

Competing for Bachelor’s Degrees: Are Community Colleges Cutting Into the Market Share of 4-Year Institutions?

To address local workforce needs and expand access to affordable bachelor’s degrees, some states allow community colleges to offer bachelor’s degree programs. Despite concerns that community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs will duplicate efforts and cut into the market share of nearby 4-year institutions, extant literature has yet to examine the impact of CCB adoption on bachelor’s degree program enrollment and bachelor’s degree production at 4-year institutions. Using program-level data, our findings show that local CCB degree programs have a negative effect on overall bachelor’s degree enrollment and bachelor’s degree production at 4-year institutions, but this effect is concentrated primarily within for-profit 4-year institutions. This study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the impact of CCB degree programs on neighboring 4-year institutions.

Production Functions Small Enterprises and Microenterprises: Russian Regions Data for 2018

The entrepreneurship started in Russia during the process transformation of state economy into market economy, beginning from 1992. The aim of the study was to assess the production functions that describe the volume of production small enterprises in all Russian regions. This functions explain dependence of the amount of release of small enterprises and microenterprises on the salary of their workers and investments in fixed capital. During the research was made assess of two-factor degree production functions that describe the dependence of the volume of production small enterprises on the wages of their employees and investments in fixed assets. Evaluation of functions was made on methods of regression analysis and linearization. The research was based on official empirical territorial data describing the work of small enterprises and microenterprises. In the paper we used statistical information on 82 regions, territories, areas of Russian Federation for 2018. We proved the high quality of approximation of the initial data by the two-factor production functions. Evaluated production functions have increasing return to scale. Proved that economy of Russian regions has not reached saturation with products of small enterprises and microenterprises. They have significant reserves for further development. That is, in all regions there are opportunities to increase the number of enterprises and the number of employees in them. Results of the study and tools for evaluation production functions can be applied in the studying of Russian entrepreneurship, in explanation of the development plans for this economic sector. Such information can be used by governments, regional authorities and municipal management. The methodic and software that were applied in the study process can be used in making analogous studies in various countries with a considerable amount of territories.

The Impact of Community College Baccalaureate Adoption on Associate Degree Production

Background/Context As of 2018, a total of 19 states allow at least one community college to offer baccalaureate degrees. Previous researchers have suggested that community college baccalaureate (CCB) adoption will lead to a host of unintended consequences, including decreases in associate degree production. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This study empirically examines the impact of CCB adoption on associate degree production and adds to conversations surrounding the consequences of CCB adoption. Research Design We use a quantitative quasi-experimental research design to examine the effect of CCB adoption on associate degree production. Findings/Results When comparing adopting and non-adopting community colleges within the state of Florida, the authors find that the adoption of CCB degree programs has a positive impact on overall associate degree production, but this impact varies considerably according to the type of academic degree program. Conclusions/Recommendations Opponents of CCB legislation have argued that giving community colleges the authority to confer baccalaureate degrees will detract from the sub-baccalaureate institutional mission of community colleges, but our results suggest that the adoption of a CCB degree program is associated with an overall increase in associate degree production. Findings from this work should be an important consideration for policymakers seeking to increase baccalaureate degree production in addition to—not at the expense of—associate degree programs.

The Financial Benefits and Burdens of Performance Funding in Higher Education

Performance funding in higher education is intended to incentivize increased degree production at American colleges and universities by linking state funds directly to institutional outcomes. However, many critics suggest that such funding arrangements create systems of “winners and losers” by rewarding some institutions over others. Using a difference-in-difference methodology, this article explores the impact of performance funding on state appropriations and investigates the heterogeneous treatment effects across institution types. I find that performance funding consistently benefits high-resource institutions and imposes financial burdens on low-resource institutions. The theory of social construction and policy design illuminates the findings.

Shifting Profile of Leadership Preparation Programs in the 21st Century

Purpose: A substantial research base focuses on principal preparation program standards, design, and effectiveness. Little is known, however, about which institutions are preparing principal candidates and how many candidates they have produced since 2003. Our study provides the field with a better understanding of the overall preparation landscape and addresses issues of principal supply and demand. Research Methods: We use several national datasets in this exploratory study to track changes in educational administration degree production at the national, state, and university level from 2000 to 2014 as well as how these compare with changing K-12 student populations and principal demand. Findings: Key findings include (a) the number of institutions granting degrees in educational administration increased by 72% this century, (b) the total number of leadership degrees granted doubled over this time period and is substantially larger at all award levels (i.e., postbaccalaureate, master’s, specialist, doctorate) in 2014 than 2000, and (c) the types of institutions offering educational leadership degrees and their production rates have changed dramatically over this time period. Implications: The supply of principal candidates far exceeds the number annual principal openings offering school systems greater choice among candidates. Further research is needed on the issues of readiness and career intentions of the candidates. The majority of growth in program offerings and degrees granted has been generated in less-resourced and less selective institutions. Researchers in the field have argued that adequate resources are critical to providing program components for effective principal preparation thus raising questions about the quality of program candidates.

Community College Teacher Education Baccalaureate Programs: Early Evidence Yields Mixed Results

Faced with declining numbers of students in teacher education programs, policymakers in many states are considering new actions that might increase teacher supply. One approach that has gained increasing popularity is community colleges beginning to offer 4-year degrees in teacher education. This study explores state adoption of these programs and its effect on the number and diversity of students earning bachelor’s degrees in teacher education. Overall, we find no effect of these programs; however, in the limited case of a state with widespread use of community college baccalaureate (CCB) teacher education programs we find that degree production increased, yet the diversity of the graduates declined.

An Examination of the (Un)Intended Consequences of Performance Funding in Higher Education

Previous studies have shown that state performance funding policies do not increase baccalaureate degree production, but higher education scholarship lacks a rigorous, quantitative analysis of the unintended consequences of performance funding. In this article, we use difference-in-differences estimation with fixed effects to evaluate performance funding in Indiana. We find that performance funding did not increase the number of graduates and instead led to declining admission rates and increased selectivity at Indiana’s public universities. When compared with surrounding states, we find limited evidence that the effects of performance funding could disproportionately limit college access for Indiana’s low-income and minority applicants.