Ehud Gelb | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (original) (raw)
Papers by Ehud Gelb
Information Economics and Policy, 2009
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) investments are the driving force behind the resur... more Information and Communication Technology (ICT) investments are the driving force behind the resurgence of growth in the developed countries during recent years. They are also the main reason for the increased growth rates of Total Factor Productivity (TFP). In this paper, we examine whether these relationship also hold for Greece. We use a neoclassical growth accounting model to identify the sources of growth and more specifically the role of ICT investments. We find that the contribution of ICT investments has increased during the period 1988-2003, but that this contribution is still lower than in the United States. During 1996-2003, ICT capital services contributed 0.75 to the total growth rate. We also examine the role of ICT investments at the industry level; we find that ICT investments have most benefited the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services industries, and the Wholesale and Retail Trade industries. Finally, our results show that growth rates of TFP have also risen, a necessary condition to maintain the high growth rates of productivity in the future.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 1998
Summary Effective adoption of Internet for extension in agriculture is elusive despite substantia... more Summary Effective adoption of Internet for extension in agriculture is elusive despite substantial investments in human capital and other resources. To better understand the process EUNITA (a concerted EU project www.eclipse.it/EUNITA/main.html), INEA (the Italian National Institute of Agricultural Economics - www.inea.it) and the Toscana Extension service sponsored a workshop in Alberese, Italy, to evaluate its adoption's critical success factors and failures. A summary of participant's opinions indicated general agreement on benefits such as: Updated and comprehensive information; availability of new types, “Just in time”, more and competing information sources; “One stop information shopping”; ease of exchange of information and/or ideas and facilities to discuss them; easier collaboration and/or access to peers, other farmers and experts; a ranked list of useful information such as updated market lists, weather information, plant protection regulations, recommendations and products, news, bulletins, a...
In this paper we report an experiment conducted to assess the contribution of a computer system i... more In this paper we report an experiment conducted to assess the contribution of a computer system in the milking parlor to detection of mastitis and estrous (udder infection and the time to inseminate the cow). The experiment was carried out in a 700 cow herd in Israel. It was found that the computer system contributed significantly to productivity and profitability of the dairy enterprise.
The paper examines some steps in the process of agricultural information networking in the countr... more The paper examines some steps in the process of agricultural information networking in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and in some eastern and south-eastern contiguous regions, with special emphasis on AgroWeb (AW) network. It looks at circumstances that brought about the idea the need for a specialised network. AW was launched by organisations, groups and individual agricultural specialists, with special representation of library and information centres in order. These groups desired to develop an information exchange platform based on common principles in the region that had historically shared many common socio-economic characteristics. This paper explores the role of international partners, such as IAALD and FAO. The AW is comprised of national sub-portals, thematic knowledge networks, and sub-regional portals AW SEE (South East Europe), and AW CAC (Central Asia and Caucasus). A webometric analysis of web citations of the AW international links is presented. L...
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
IAALD Quarterly Bulletin, 1999
2022 IST-Africa Conference (IST-Africa)
Understanding and alleviating the constraints to ICT adoption are currently at the forefront of I... more Understanding and alleviating the constraints to ICT adoption are currently at the forefront of ICT for agricultural production and rural development. EFITA 1 is conducting since 1999 a survey to gain such understanding. The 2004 symposium of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) offered a unique opportunity to compare the EFITA survey results to symposium participant’s perspectives. The following were identified as comparable adoption constraints: end user (ICT) proficiency, ICT benefit awareness, time, cost of technology, system integration, and software availability. The following constraints were mainly indicated by respondents originating from “developed” countries: no perceived economic benefits, do not understand the value of ICT and not enough time to spend on technology. The respondents from developing countries stressed the importance of cost of technology and lack of technological infrastructure suggesting that infrastructure and cost of technology ar...
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
Effects of a number of information technology applications were quantified empirically which were... more Effects of a number of information technology applications were quantified empirically which were implemented on Dutch and Israeli dairy farms. Data comprised annual farm performances from 1987 to 1996, and included both adopters and nonadopters as well as farm results before and after adoption. Significant effects were estimated, making a differentiation between the different technologies.
Ma'ayan is a software package developed by the Israeli extension service. The package was de... more Ma'ayan is a software package developed by the Israeli extension service. The package was developed under the assumption that extension has a comparative advantage in bridging the gap between farmers' need for innovative farm management practice, managerial information and software to support it. Farmers producing a wide range of products adopted Ma'ayan. In many cases the adoption process had to overcome various barriers such as: insufficient knowledge using a PC, conservatism, cost benefit considerations, etc.. This review details the results of successful implementation of Ma'ayan as a case study of adoption of a software package for farm-management.
Research Policy, 1982
... remarks The empirical estimates testify, we believe, to the existence of economic regularity ... more ... remarks The empirical estimates testify, we believe, to the existence of economic regularity in the participation of farmers in the financing of agricultural ... Perhaps the most intriguing of them is the effect of the involvement of farmers on the duality of research direction: is farmers ...
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 2008
A less than expected rate of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption by farmers a... more A less than expected rate of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption by farmers and extension is a major concern of all agricultural sectors. Although the economic benefit of successful ICT adoption is recognized there remains a considerable variation in adoption rates between countries, branches of agricultural production, perception of benefits, national ICT infrastructures for rural areas, inter-regional digital divides, costs and ICT policies. A concerted effort to evaluate ICT adoption constraints following a six-year series of studies was focused towards a symposium and questionnaire held and carried out at the June 2001 EFITA (European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture) conference in Montpellier. It is summarized here. Their immediate benefit was designed to serve "ICT in agriculture" professionals as a tool to calibrate their experience, evaluate their observations and fine-tune their future activities and decisions. The summary results are descriptive and do not represent "farmer's opinions". They do however reflect a very wide range of opinions suggested by professionals dealing with farmers, from many countries and extension. The replies from the Montpellier symposium and questionnaire were essentially EU biased. This paper broadens the scope of replies. All of the results including the EFITA conference results, additional farmers' opinions and comments will continue to be evaluated continuously and will include additional studies based on the Bonn and Montpellier questionnaire methodology.
Information Economics and Policy, 2009
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) investments are the driving force behind the resur... more Information and Communication Technology (ICT) investments are the driving force behind the resurgence of growth in the developed countries during recent years. They are also the main reason for the increased growth rates of Total Factor Productivity (TFP). In this paper, we examine whether these relationship also hold for Greece. We use a neoclassical growth accounting model to identify the sources of growth and more specifically the role of ICT investments. We find that the contribution of ICT investments has increased during the period 1988-2003, but that this contribution is still lower than in the United States. During 1996-2003, ICT capital services contributed 0.75 to the total growth rate. We also examine the role of ICT investments at the industry level; we find that ICT investments have most benefited the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services industries, and the Wholesale and Retail Trade industries. Finally, our results show that growth rates of TFP have also risen, a necessary condition to maintain the high growth rates of productivity in the future.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 1998
Summary Effective adoption of Internet for extension in agriculture is elusive despite substantia... more Summary Effective adoption of Internet for extension in agriculture is elusive despite substantial investments in human capital and other resources. To better understand the process EUNITA (a concerted EU project www.eclipse.it/EUNITA/main.html), INEA (the Italian National Institute of Agricultural Economics - www.inea.it) and the Toscana Extension service sponsored a workshop in Alberese, Italy, to evaluate its adoption's critical success factors and failures. A summary of participant's opinions indicated general agreement on benefits such as: Updated and comprehensive information; availability of new types, “Just in time”, more and competing information sources; “One stop information shopping”; ease of exchange of information and/or ideas and facilities to discuss them; easier collaboration and/or access to peers, other farmers and experts; a ranked list of useful information such as updated market lists, weather information, plant protection regulations, recommendations and products, news, bulletins, a...
In this paper we report an experiment conducted to assess the contribution of a computer system i... more In this paper we report an experiment conducted to assess the contribution of a computer system in the milking parlor to detection of mastitis and estrous (udder infection and the time to inseminate the cow). The experiment was carried out in a 700 cow herd in Israel. It was found that the computer system contributed significantly to productivity and profitability of the dairy enterprise.
The paper examines some steps in the process of agricultural information networking in the countr... more The paper examines some steps in the process of agricultural information networking in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and in some eastern and south-eastern contiguous regions, with special emphasis on AgroWeb (AW) network. It looks at circumstances that brought about the idea the need for a specialised network. AW was launched by organisations, groups and individual agricultural specialists, with special representation of library and information centres in order. These groups desired to develop an information exchange platform based on common principles in the region that had historically shared many common socio-economic characteristics. This paper explores the role of international partners, such as IAALD and FAO. The AW is comprised of national sub-portals, thematic knowledge networks, and sub-regional portals AW SEE (South East Europe), and AW CAC (Central Asia and Caucasus). A webometric analysis of web citations of the AW international links is presented. L...
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
IAALD Quarterly Bulletin, 1999
2022 IST-Africa Conference (IST-Africa)
Understanding and alleviating the constraints to ICT adoption are currently at the forefront of I... more Understanding and alleviating the constraints to ICT adoption are currently at the forefront of ICT for agricultural production and rural development. EFITA 1 is conducting since 1999 a survey to gain such understanding. The 2004 symposium of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) offered a unique opportunity to compare the EFITA survey results to symposium participant’s perspectives. The following were identified as comparable adoption constraints: end user (ICT) proficiency, ICT benefit awareness, time, cost of technology, system integration, and software availability. The following constraints were mainly indicated by respondents originating from “developed” countries: no perceived economic benefits, do not understand the value of ICT and not enough time to spend on technology. The respondents from developing countries stressed the importance of cost of technology and lack of technological infrastructure suggesting that infrastructure and cost of technology ar...
Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption i... more Since 1970 rural IT companies pioneered Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in Israeli rural areas. Company records and performance provide a unique information set enabling evaluation of technological innovation and ICT adoption. Adoption in turn facilitated spillovers with derived benefits credited to the adoption process. This process evaluation highlights critical success factors and constraints. They provide a better understanding of the source of innovation, ICT adoption, spillover processes and the role of ICT as an enabling factor for regional development. This review outlines a successful model for ICT adoption in rural areas and possibly planning criteria.
Effects of a number of information technology applications were quantified empirically which were... more Effects of a number of information technology applications were quantified empirically which were implemented on Dutch and Israeli dairy farms. Data comprised annual farm performances from 1987 to 1996, and included both adopters and nonadopters as well as farm results before and after adoption. Significant effects were estimated, making a differentiation between the different technologies.
Ma'ayan is a software package developed by the Israeli extension service. The package was de... more Ma'ayan is a software package developed by the Israeli extension service. The package was developed under the assumption that extension has a comparative advantage in bridging the gap between farmers' need for innovative farm management practice, managerial information and software to support it. Farmers producing a wide range of products adopted Ma'ayan. In many cases the adoption process had to overcome various barriers such as: insufficient knowledge using a PC, conservatism, cost benefit considerations, etc.. This review details the results of successful implementation of Ma'ayan as a case study of adoption of a software package for farm-management.
Research Policy, 1982
... remarks The empirical estimates testify, we believe, to the existence of economic regularity ... more ... remarks The empirical estimates testify, we believe, to the existence of economic regularity in the participation of farmers in the financing of agricultural ... Perhaps the most intriguing of them is the effect of the involvement of farmers on the duality of research direction: is farmers ...
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 2008
A less than expected rate of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption by farmers a... more A less than expected rate of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption by farmers and extension is a major concern of all agricultural sectors. Although the economic benefit of successful ICT adoption is recognized there remains a considerable variation in adoption rates between countries, branches of agricultural production, perception of benefits, national ICT infrastructures for rural areas, inter-regional digital divides, costs and ICT policies. A concerted effort to evaluate ICT adoption constraints following a six-year series of studies was focused towards a symposium and questionnaire held and carried out at the June 2001 EFITA (European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture) conference in Montpellier. It is summarized here. Their immediate benefit was designed to serve "ICT in agriculture" professionals as a tool to calibrate their experience, evaluate their observations and fine-tune their future activities and decisions. The summary results are descriptive and do not represent "farmer's opinions". They do however reflect a very wide range of opinions suggested by professionals dealing with farmers, from many countries and extension. The replies from the Montpellier symposium and questionnaire were essentially EU biased. This paper broadens the scope of replies. All of the results including the EFITA conference results, additional farmers' opinions and comments will continue to be evaluated continuously and will include additional studies based on the Bonn and Montpellier questionnaire methodology.