Abstract: This paper focuses on the location of areas that can competently serve as global or regional supply centers in Europe and particularly in Turkey. In this context it analyses the subsequent polarization process introduced by the supply centers gravitational forces and the impact of key strategic features of European transport networks on the geo-economic dynamics of Europe and Turkey during the period 2000-2014. The main conclusion of this paper regards the establishment of France and Germany in western Europe and Turkey in the eastern Europe as the main geo-economic powers of it. In particular, southwestern Germany and eastern France accommodated all social and economic single gravity centers of Europe for all types of scale economies. Furthermore one basic characteristic of the single location gravity system is its remarkable intra-time locational stability. Regarding the dual gravity systems of Europe, during the period 200-2014 northeastern France retained a geo-economic dominance over the western group of gravity centers whereas Turkey was the dominant geo-economic power in the eastern group of gravity centers. During the same period the social subsystem of the triple gravity systems of Europe exhibited remarkable stability whereas the economic subsystem of them remarkable instability. Throughout this period Turkey was the dominant geo-economic power in the eastern Europe accommodating all gravity centers of the eastern pole of the triple gravity systems of it.Abstract: This paper focuses on the location of areas that can competently serve as global or regional supply centers in Europe and particularly in Turkey. In this context it analyses the subsequent polarization process introduced by the supply centers gravitational forces and the impact of key strategic features of European transport networks on the geo-eco...Show More
Abstract: This study is concerned with analysis of factors affecting loan repayment performance of smallholders in East Wollega zone Nekemte town. As credit is one of the most important factors required for smallholders input utilization, its repayment to the lender is also of paramount importance to have sustainable agricultural development and financial institutions. Different agricultural development programs and strategies were implemented in the country in the past three decades. Secondary data from relevant institutions were used just to highlight on different approaches used in different decades regarding agriculture and agricultural credit development strategies. In the course of this study primary data were collected from 120 randomly selected farm household borrowers of fertilizer credit using structured questionnaire. These respondents were drawn from six Peasant association and two Saving and Credit service in the study area. For the analysis of farm data, descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and percentages were used to describe socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Partial correlation coefficient and variance inflation factor (VIF) were calculated to detect multi-co linearity and association among the continuous and discrete variables, respectively. Then, a multivariate tool, linear discriminate analysis, was used to identify the most important variables attributed to discriminate between non-defaulters and defaulters of fertilizer credit for 2018 production season. The result of the analysis showed that the frequency of contact with development agents, livestock ownership in livestock unit and celebration of occasional ceremonies were statistically significant factors responsible for the optimum discrimination rule between the two groups. Another multivariate tool, multiple linear regression analysis, was used to identify critical variables that contributed to timely repayment of loan for non-defaulter respondents. Experience in own farm, experience in credit use, proportion of area under pea, beans and wheat production, annual farm revenue, number of draught oxen owned, ownership of livestock in livestock unit, number of contacts with development agents.Abstract: This study is concerned with analysis of factors affecting loan repayment performance of smallholders in East Wollega zone Nekemte town. As credit is one of the most important factors required for smallholders input utilization, its repayment to the lender is also of paramount importance to have sustainable agricultural development and financial in...Show More