A common and driving assumption in agricultural research is that the introduction of research trials, new practices and innovative technologies will result in technology adoption, and will subsequently generate benefits for farmers and other stakeholders. In Lao PDR, the potential benefits of introduced technologies have not been fully realised by beneficiaries. We report on an analysis of a survey of 735 smallholder farmers in Southern Lao PDR who were questioned about factors that influenced their decisions to adopt new technologies. In (...) this study, we have constructed measures or states of adoption which identify key elements of an adoption decision-making nexus. Analysis was conducted to statistically group explanatory factors of adoption. The key explanatory factors represented attributes of the farmer, the factors considered when undertaking production decisions and elements of the agricultural value chain that present as opportunities or constraints. We describe the combination of farmer’s personal attributes, perceptions of the value chain, and the introduction of new technologies by external actors as an “agricultural research value chain”, where agricultural research activities intervene to derive greater benefits for local farmers. A generalised linear model, via Poisson regression analysis on the identified explanatory factors, was applied to explore how they influence adoption measures and we found several significant relationships. (shrink)

This paper presents an empirical study examining how professionals in contemporary workplaces interpret and apply Stoic philosophy to shape their ethical conduct. Conceptualised as ‘Neo-Stoic’ philosophy, the study contributes to scholarly understanding of how an ancient ethical tradition informs contemporary social-ecological systems (SES) thinking and practice. The exploratory study included a mixed qualitative/quantitative survey of professionals practicing Stoicism in their work setting, with more detailed follow-up interviews with participants recruited through the survey. Drawing on these data, the paper presents instances (...) representative of the intention, contribution and ethical guidance of Stoic philosophy in professional practice through the reported experiences of practitioners navigating workplace challenges. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: ‘being Stoic’ in a contemporary workplace; contribution to a ‘common good’; and providing guidance to others. The findings reveal how the ancient philosophy of Stoicism has been adapted to contemporary workplaces, particularly through the attention paid to the broader SES implications of (Neo-) Stoic practitioners’ pursuit of the common good. Neo-Stoic practices are seen to promote a ‘beyond compliance’ ethics-as-practice and aspire to address SES sustainability issues, particularly in circumstances of unrest and crisis, such as experienced through the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper demonstrates how Neo-Stoic practices can inform professional workplace responses to SES sustainability imperatives. (shrink)