The neurodiversity movement takes a societal view of individual differences by suggesting that people should be respected and not necessarily medically treated based on personal attributes. This commentary article discusses how human differences in intellectual capacities should be considered as another form of diversity with the requirement for medical intervention needing to be considered in terms of overall social change. As a significant portion of the overall workforce could be considered as people with some form of neurological disability this article analyses how co-creation processes occur meaning neurodiverse individuals should be accepted in society regardless of their differences. This article contributes to societal discussions around managing diversity as in society the socio-demographic categories such as age and gender are well established, but newer categories such as neurodiversity are required.

Sustainable Product Development (SPD) enables the systematic incorporation of sustainability into product development and can be achieved by implementing a number of management practices. An industry survey was conducted to investigate the capability of manufacturing companies to apply a consolidated set of 61 SPD management practices. The results indicate that despite the high interest for SPD, the uptake of SPD practices in industry is still behind the state-of-the-art literature. Hence, a greater improvement opportunity exists in the industrial uptake in SPD.

The objectives of this research were (1) to study different factors affecting milk total bacterial count (TBC) and (2) to estimate the economic value associated with TBC in Holstein dairy herds in Iran. The relationships between bulk tank TBC and farm management and economic factors were examined on 56 randomly selected intensive dairy farms. Herd management factors associated with bulk tank TBC were determined using mixed linear models. The median bulk tank TBC for the sample herds was 299 (range 81–1185) × 103 cfu/ml. The average economic premium opportunity from bulk tank TBC was US$ 1.32 per ton of milk ranging from US$ 0.02 per ton of milk for herds applying wet tissue procedures as teat cleaning material and washing the water troughs three times per day to US$ 5.20 per ton of milk for herds with dirty barns. Results showed that the following management factors were associated with low TBC and high economic value: frequency of cleaning water troughs, teat cleaning material, the frequency of milk delivery to the processor, bedding material, herd size, education level of workers, udder washing material, material of milking parlor wall, frequency of disinfection of the calving area, presence of veterinarian, water quality control, having a hospital pen and barn hygiene. In conclusion, our findings highlight the need to pay more attention to farm management issues, particularly farm hygiene practices to reduce milk TBC and so reduce the economic burden of TBC in dairy herds in Iran.

Sesame is an oilseed crop and source of income for small-scale farmers, particularly in developing countries. In Benin, sesame production is poorly developed and the underlying reasons are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the sesame management practices, socio-demographic factors and ethnobotanical knowledge associated with sesame production, as well as the production constraints across four agroecological zones in Benin. In total, 370 farmers were surveyed based on a structured interview. Qualitative and quantitative data including socio-demographic parameters, management practices and knowledge associated with the crop, were recorded. A binary logistic regression was performed to explain the effects of socio-demographic parameters on management practices. The farm typology was generated through a principal component analysis followed by a cluster analysis. Cultivars were classified based on the seed coat colour and size. To assess the ethnobotanical knowledge related to sesame, use value, plant part used value and fidelity level were calculated. Our results showed that older farmers were more likely to practice intercropping than young farmers. In addition, male farmers applied more fertilisers and used more pesticide than female. Five distinct farm typologies were recorded in the four agroecological zones. Five different cultivars were recorded across the four agroecological zones. Sesame is mostly produced for local consumption as sauce and seed appetiser (mentioned by at least 73.23% of respondents). The seeds were the most used part of the crop. The lack of improved seeds, road impassability to the field, rarity of rain, non-availability of cultivable land for sesame production, lack of cash for farm operations were the main constraints to wide sesame production. We discussed the differences among farm typology and their productivity and proposed future research actions for expanding sesame production in Benin.

We investigate how the relevance of the Lean Production System (LPS) as perceived by employees of a Russian bank depends on whether LPS practices are labeled with transliterated original Japanese words or translated Russian words. Building on organizational translation scholarship contextualized to Russia, we formulate hypotheses about the mechanism through which labels affect the perceived relevance of practices. The results of an experimental study situated in a Russian bank show that transliterated Japanese labels have a negative impact on the perceived relevance of LPS practices by Russian employees. Further analysis reveals that this negative perception is fully mediated by the label's semantic fit, that is, the extent to which the label complies with the linguistic codes of the Russian language. Specifically, we find that, on average, the transliterated Japanese labels have a lower semantic fit than the translated Russian labels, and this difference in semantic fit explains the Japanese labels’ lower relevance as perceived by the bank's employees. By unpacking the causal effect of the labels used for management practices on the practices’ perceived relevance, this study advances our understanding of how organizations could influence employees’ acceptance of foreign management practices.

The objective of this research was to describe proportional differences across time and region in management practices among southern cotton farmers who experienced glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds on their farms earlier than those who experienced them later and among farmers who were closest to one of four historical outbreak epicenters: Lauderdale County, TN; Macon County, GA; Edgecombe County, NC; and Terry County, TX. A mail survey was conducted with cotton farmers in 2012 from 13 southern, cotton-producing states. Survey responses on practices used by farmers were classified into three broad categories of labor, mechanical/tillage/chemical (MTC), and cultural. Proportions of respondents using practices from each category were identified by time and region; across which, proportional-difference tests were conducted. Results indicated respondents encountering GR weeds earlier were more likely than farmers who experienced them later to use the three broad-category practices (labor, 98 vs. 92%; MTC, 95 vs. 89%; and cultural, 86 vs. 76%) and specific practices, including hooded sprayers (76 vs. 58%), in-season herbicide change (83 vs. 60%), and field-border management (60 vs. 35%). Also, respondents closest to Lauderdale County were more likely than farmers closest to Edgecombe County to use broad-labor practices (99 vs. 91%) and specific practices, including hand hoeing (96 vs. 84%), hand spraying (49 vs. 31%), spot spraying (76 vs. 59%), wick applicator (13 vs. 11%), and field-border management (58 vs. 39%). Education programs on weed management can be developed and tailored according to the time and regional differences to provide effective information and communication channels to farmers.

The CGIAR research programme on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with several partners is testing a portfolio of interventions to address the threat of changing climatic conditions for smallholder farming communities living beside river flood plains, grouped into “Climate Smart Villages” (CSVs). We present characteristics of farms in CSV in relation to small ruminant (SR) production and the scenario for a breeding and improvement programme. Information was collated using participatory systems research methods from 140 households in seven CSVs in Nyando basin, Kenya. Although most households were headed by men, there were a higher proportion of adult women within the communities, and literacy levels were moderate. A total of 58 percent of the population owned <1 ha of land for growing crops and rearing on average 6.96 ± 3.35 Tropical Livestock Units comprising different species of animals. Women headed households owned more sheep which were mainly crosses of unspecified local breeds, than Goats which were mainly the Small East African breed-type. Mating among the SR was random, with no control of inbreeding as flocks mixed in grazing fields and at water points. Farmers desired large and resilient animals for better market prices; however, growth rates were slow. The SR flocks were dynamic with 31 percent of the animals moving in and out of flocks in a year. A community breeding programme optimally using available resources and incorporating gender integrated innovative technologies could be implemented for the CSV, alongside strong capacity development on animal husbandry, health and marketing of products.

The article reviews the literature for the key markers of high growth firms, which create the majority of new jobs. From the review, a template is developed comprising the key markers. They include: training and experience in entrepreneurship and management; and strategies that emphasise innovation, marketing and employee and organisational learning. High growth firm owners take steps to access management skills that complement theirs through employment of a management team, outsourcing management tasks or making decisions with oversight from an informal board. Good reward structures, which may include ownership interests, are essential to performance of the management team. Access to resources, especially finance and human capital is critical to growth but abundant resources could compromise efficiency. The article finds that personality characteristics of owners and postgraduate education in management are not effective identifiers of high growth firms. Some of the barriers to identifying high growth firms are presented and suggestions made to overcome them.

Using USDA's Agricultural Resource Management Survey data, factors leading to the adoption of technology, management practices, and production systems by U.S. beef cow-calf producers are analyzed. Binary logit regression models are used to determine impacts of vertical integration; region of the U.S.; farm size, diversification, and tenure; and demographics on adoption decisions. Significant differences were found in adoption rates by region of the U.S., degree of vertical integration, and size of operation, suggesting the presence of economies of size and vertical economies of scope. Results also indicate high degrees of complementarity among technologies, management practices, and production systems.

Binary logit regression models were used to estimate factors affecting adoption of recommended management practices. Variables analyzed include aspects of farm structure, human capital, farm objectives, and production system employed by the producer. Results reveal that operation size and dependency upon income from the stocker operation, in particular, influence the adoption of recommended practices. Older producers and those pursuing a year-round production strategy were found to lag in adoption.

Most technology adoption research has focused on crops. Primary data were used to determine differences in management practices among two groups of Oklahoma cow-calf producers based on herd size and cattle income dependence. Significant differences were noted between two groups of producers (smaller operations with less dependence on cattle versus larger with more dependence on cattle) in 79% of the management practices examined. Logit models determined factors influencing the probability of adopting 17 recommended practices. Important factors included the firm goal to choose practices that reduce labor, income dependence on cattle, human capital, and size of operation.

Few studies have described the combined effect of age, gender, management and control programmes on helminth prevalence and egg shedding in grazing equines. Here, fecal samples collected from 1221 Thoroughbred horses, residing at 22 studs in the UK, were analysed. The distribution of strongyle eggs amongst individuals in relation to age, gender and management practices was investigated. Fecal worm egg counts (FWECs), described as the number of eggs per gramme (epg) of feces, were determined using a modification of the salt flotation method. The FWEC prevalence (mean%) of strongyles, Parascaris equorum, tapeworm spp. and Strongyloides westeri was 56, 9, 4 and 8%, respectively. Strongyle, P. equorum, tapeworm spp. and S. westeri infections were detected on 22 (100%), 11 (50%), 9 (41%) and 8 (36%) of studs, respectively. Within all age and gender categories, strongyle FWECs were highly over-dispersed (arithmetic mean = 95 epg, aggregation parameter k=0·111) amongst horses. Animal age, last anthelmintic type administered and management practices (for example, group rotation on grazing) most strongly influenced strongyle prevalence and level of egg shedding (P < 0·05). Overall, 11% of equines (range: 234–2565 epg) were responsible for excreting 80% of the strongyle eggs detected on FWEC analysis. The results confirm that the judicious application of targeted treatments has potential to control equine strongyle populations by protecting individual horses from high burdens, whilst promoting refugia for anthelmintic susceptible genotypes.

This study aimed at determining the socio-economic roles, traditional management practices and production constraints of the Fipa cattle, was conducted in Rukwa region of South-Western Tanzania, using a structured questionnaire. The results indicate that most (90.8 percent) of the respondents depended on crop and livestock production for household income and food security. The Fipa cattle were preferred to other cattle strains by most (91.6 percent) of the farmers owing to their multiple socio-economic functions, adaptive qualities and low management requirements. The Fipa cattle were essentially kept for provision of draught power, income, manure, meat and security against uncertainties. Herded grazing on communal land was practiced by most (99.2 percent) of the farmers all the year-round without any supplementation. However, most (87.5 percent) farmers utilized crop residues in situ during the dry season, after harvesting cereal crops. Kraals made of untreated thorny bushes were the predominant shelters used for Fipa cattle by most (95.8 percent) of the respondents. The majority of respondents mentioned diseases/parasites (94.2 percent) and feed shortages (61.7 percent) during the dry season as the main production constraints. The farmers’ preference for Fipa cattle coupled with the multiple roles of the cattle and traditional management practices used by farmers should be used as the entry point for improvement and sustainable utilization of the strain.

The poultry industry in Nigeria constitutes an important agricultural enterprise to the nation, contributing substantially to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This paper will assess certain poultry management practices and disease recognition by poultry farmers in Maiduguri in the Borno State of Nigeria, with the view of improving poultry production in this part of the country. The assessment was carried out by questionnaire, which sought information on poultry management systems, flock size, housing, vaccination, use of antibiotics and disease recognition. Two hundred and fifty copies of the questionnaire were distributed to poultry farmers in Maiduguri via day-old-chick sellers, poultry-feed sellers, and staff of poultry units at the State Veterinary and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospitals. The results of the questionnaire showed that small-holder farmers made up the majority of producer (24.3%), whilst farmers who maintained flock size of greater than 500 chickens were in the minority (13.3%). Most of the farmers (82.7%: N = 173) in Maiduguri use deep litter rearing systems. Half zinc, half wire mesh open–sided poultry houses formed the greater proportion (47.7%) of poultry housing maintained by poultry farmers in the study area. Furthermore, non-adherence to full vaccination schedules (56.7%) and use of multiple antibiotics (72.3%) for chemoprophylaxis in poultry were common. Diarrhoea (39.9%), ruffled feathers (31.8%) and respiratory rales/panting (27.2%) were common signs observed by poultry farmers as part of their disease recognition. The poultry industry in Maiduguri still faces serious constraints due to management practices, such as bad housing, inadequate vaccination and high mortality possibly due to multiple antibiotics resistance resulting from multiple antibiotics usage.

Bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) is a frequently used parameter to estimate the subclinical mastitis prevalence in a dairy herd, but it often differs considerably from the average SCC of all individual cows in milk. In this study, first the sampling variation was determined on 53 dairy farms with a BMSCC ranging from 56 000 to 441 000 cells/ml by collecting five samples on each farm of the same bulk tank. The average absolute sampling variation ranged from 1800 to 19 800 cells/ml. To what extent BMSCC represents all lactating cows was evaluated in another 246 farms by comparing BMSCC to the average herd SCC corrected for milk yield (CHSCC), after the difference was corrected for the sampling variation of BMSCC. On average BMSCC was 49 000 cells/ml lower than CHSCC, ranging from −10 000 cells/ml to 182 000 cells/ml, while the difference increased with an increasing BMSCC. Subsequently, management practices associated with existing differences were identified. Farms with a small (<20%) difference between BMSCC and CHSCC administered intramuscular antibiotics for the treatment of clinical mastitis more often, used the high SCC history when cows were dried off more frequently and had a higher number of treatments per clinical mastitis case compared with farms with a large (⩾20%) difference. Farms feeding high-SCC milk or milk with antibiotic residues to calves were 2·4-times more likely to have a large difference. Although sampling variation influences the differences between BMSCC and CHSCC, the remaining difference is still important and should be considered when BMSCC is used to review the average herd SCC and the subclinical mastitis prevalence.

Soil management and cropping systems have long-term effects on agronomic and environmental functions. This study examined the influence of contrasting management practices on selected soil chemical properties in eight long-term cropping system studies throughout the Great Plains and the western Corn Belt. For each study, soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), particulate organic matter (POM), inorganic N, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil pH were evaluated at 0–7.5, 7.5–15, and 15–30 cm within conventional (CON) and alternative (ALT) cropping systems for 4 years (1999–2002). Treatment effects were primarily limited to the surface 7.5 cm of soil. No-tillage (NT) and/or elimination of fallow in ALT cropping systems resulted in significantly (P<0.05) greater SOC and TN at 0–7.5 cm within five of the eight study sites [Akron, Colorado (CO); Bushland, Texas (TX); Fargo, North Dakota (ND); Mandan, ND; and Swift Current, Saskatchewan (SK), Canada]. The same pattern was observed with POM, where POM was significantly (P<0.05) greater at four of the eight study sites [Bushland, TX, Mandan, ND, Sidney, Montana (MT), and Swift Current, SK]. No consistent pattern was observed with soil EC and pH due to management, although soil EC explained almost 60% of the variability in soil NO3-N at 0–7.5 cm across all locations and sampling times. In general, chemical soil properties measured in this study consistently exhibited values more conducive to crop production and environmental quality in ALT cropping systems relative to CON cropping systems.

A survey was conducted in the native tract of the Punjab Brown breed of chicken to study management practices, as well as morphological, performance and egg quality parameters. The study covered the three districts of Gurdaspur district in Punjab, and Ambala and Yamunanagar districts in Haryana, and included 532 birds and 61 families. Twenty-six microsatellite loci were used to assess genetic variability. The Punjab Brown is a multi-purpose breed, yielding good quality meat and eggs. Birds are reared in the backyard system and shelter is provided only during the night in the form of small enclosures mostly made up of mud and sometimes of wood. Average flock size is 8.7. Plumage colour is mostly brown and the pattern is usually solid but is sometimes spotted or striped. Males in particular have black spots/stripes on their neck, wings and tail. The comb is red, of single type and erect in position. The average weight of cocks and hens is 2.15±0.94 and 1.57±0.04 kg respectively. Hens start laying eggs at the age of about five to six months. Clutch size is about four to five. Average egg production is around 60–80 eggs per year. Eggshell colour is mostly light brown and average egg weight is 46.0±1.91g. The average weight of shell, albumin and yolk were 5.4±0.21, 24.4±0.63 and 16.2±0.48g respectively. Yolk index, albumin index and Haugh units were 0.41±0.005, 0.10±0.006 and 82.80±0.98 respectively. A total of 218 alleles were observed. The number of alleles per locus varied from 4–14. The mean PIC value for all the loci was 0.744. Twenty-four loci were found to be neutral (P<0.05) using Ewens Watterson test of neutrality. The exact test revealed that 15 loci deviated from Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium. The population has not undergone any recent bottleneck as revealed by quantitative and graphical qualitative tests.