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The purpose of this study is to analyze the competitiveness of exported agricultural products through theoretical and empirical studies, estimation methods and determinants. Not only summarizing the competitiveness theories of agricultural products exported from previous studies, the article also clarifies the concept of competitiveness of agricultural products at the level of products/services, firms/ farms, industry..., thereby helping firms from agricultural countries - which rely heavily on agricultural production and agricultural products export to find the right ways to identify definitions and concepts, then choose the right methods of measurement, compare itsexport agricultural products competitiveness. Since, the study also proposed the use of synthetic indicators to measure the competitiveness of agricultural exports which is an important basis for the state agencies in the study and propose their export policy of agricultural products in the near future.

Key words: agricultural product competitiveness, agri - product competitiveness concepts, competitiveness concepts.

There has been a steady transformation of state economy towards the non-farm sector, resulting in declining share of the agriculture sector to GDP.In a general context of an increase in the non-farm sector and urbanization in Tamil Nadu, this paper would like to analysis the nature of rural non-farm sector in two villages in Tamil Nadu. The transformation in rural Tamil Nadu whether are households shifting to completely to the non-farm sector or are one is plural households increasing in rural areas? Plural households are identified as one where one member of the household is in the farm sector and another may be in the non-farm sector. There is decline of both traditional occupations both in the villages. In both villages landless, small and marginal landholders moving towards nonfarm sector shows distress led diversification.There is increase in plural households in rural Tamil Nadu.Males in the large number are shifting from dry village in distress led transformation.The availability of employment opportunities in the rural towns has strong influence in the migration of labourers from villages.

Keywords: Agriculture, diversification, employment, farm sector, non-farm sector, plural household.

JEL Codes: J21, J43, Q15.

The objective of this survey, quantitative and empirical based descriptive research, undertaken in Tirunelveli city of Tamil Nadu State, India, is to analyze perception of the sanitary workers towards various long working hour related factors and its association with their heavy workload. In order to achieve the objective, the study sampled 80 sanitary workers from the leading private multi-speciality hospitals using both convenience and purposive sampling techniques. From the chosen respondents, the primary data were directly collected using schedule method of data collection with the help of structured self-made questionnaire. The secondary data were collected from journals, projects and dissertations. The result of the study analyzed by administering percentage method found that, majority of the respondents strongly agreed that, long working hours related factors causing heavy workload to sanitary workers are long and unsocial working hours, rigid rules of the hospital with regard to working hours, inability to relieve from the duty on time, arrival and admission of the patients at the time of relieving from the duty, irregular shift work, inadequate rest in duty and challenges in travelling.

Keywords: Long working hour, sanitary worker, heavy workload, private mutli-speciality hospital, Tirunelveli city.

Most of Indian farmers live near the edge of famine especially the vulnerability is more among small and marginal farmers. There is the multitude of such ‘distress’ or unproductive loans. The sources of institutional credit are rural co-operatives, commercial banks in India and Tamil Nadu. The objective of the paper is to examine the agriculture credit and banking sector in Tamil Nadu. The secondary data has collecting from Trend and Progress of Banking India, District Potential Credit Linkage Plans (PLPs), and State Level Banker Committee (SLBC). The paper is divided into five sections. The first section is introductory in nature; it contains the background, objectives. The second section describes review of literature. Third section was deals with data base and methodology analyses. The fourth section examines the results and discussion and lastly provides the summary and conclusions.

The percentage share of agriculture credit by commercial banks in the state is shows as 20 percent (Rs.174404 crore) during March ended 2019. The percentage shares of agriculture credit by nationalized banks are issued 56 percent of total agriculture credit. Followed by private banks are issued 24 percent of credit and 13 percent credit issued by State Bank of India. Nationalized banks, Private Banks and State Bank of India are issued the credit worth of Rs. 98040, crore, Rs. 41040 crore and Rs.22292 crore respectively. The percentage share of agriculture by Canera Bank, Indian Bank and SBI are recorded single largest issuer of Rs. 29407 crore, Rs.25982 crore and Rs. 22292 crore, respectively. On other hand, Punjab and Sindhi Bank, Dena Bank and Bank of Maharashtra are recorded lowest issue of credit to the farmers.

Key Words: Agriculture credit, Banking sector, Farmers, Institutional credit, Tamil Nadu

This paper investigates the relationship between inflation and exchange rate in Tunisia. However, inflation is just one factor among many that combine to influence a country’s exchange rate. To this aim we use a time series data focus specifically in annual data during the period 1984-2018. To understand more this relationship, we choose to use the Auto Regressive Distributive Lag model to explain the direct relationship between inflation and exchange rate.

Keywords: inflation, exchange rate, time series, ARDL model

The ICT revolution is already a reality for firms in advanced countries and many emerging countries, especially since there is now strong evidence on improving productivity and growth. However, the ICT penetration rate remains low in African firms. Using data on industrial firms in Cameroon, this study identifies the factors responsible for ICT adoption. The results from OLS and Heckman models show that the size, the human capital of employees, the proportion of staff who know how to use ICT, the organizational practices, the regional effect and the characteristics of the leader determine the level of ICT adoption in firms. However, the discriminatory effect of these factors narrows over time. These results make it possible to draw some lessons for the development of a policy of ICT diffusion not only in the Cameroonian firms, but also in other similar African countries that have a weak process of ICT diffusion.

Keywords: ICT adoption, firms, Cameroon.

JEL Classification: L6, L7, O33

Statistical analysis is an essential technique that enables a medical research practitioner to draw meaningful inference from their data analysis. Improper application of study design and data analysis may render insufficient and improper results and conclusion. Converting a medical problem into a statistical hypothesis with appropriate methodological and logical design and then back-translating the statistical results into relevant medical knowledge is a real challenge. This article explains various sampling methods that can be appropriately used in medical research with different scenarios and challenges.

In this paper, the basic elements related to the selection of participants for a health research are discussed. Sample representativeness, sample frame, types of sampling, as well as the impact that non-respondents may have on results of a study are described. The whole discussion is supported by practical examples to facilitate the reader’s understanding.

Keywords: Design, study, Dermatology, Epidemiology and biostatistics, Epidemiologic studies, Sample size, Sampling studies.

The considerable heterogeneity exists in population aging across nations and among regions. Most developed countries have large elderly consisting of 20% of population aged 60+, which is projected to increase to more than 30% by 2050. Migration also plays a role in determining age structure as immigrants tend to be young workers in working age. Therefore, problem of population aging is viewed to be solved by changes immigration policy. There have been massive waves of migrants across the South and North in this ‘age of migration’, which is causing social and economic shocks in host countries. In 2013, 3.2% of world’s population lives outside their country of origin and European countries host a large number of immigrants to tune of 72 million. The international migration is considerable in countries that experienced declines of fertility and rapid population aging. Europe has been attracting significant immigrant flows between 1.15 and 2.03 million per annum recently, which need a labour force due to its aging population. Overall, immigrants have been significant impacts on labour markets. Therefore, robust policy and institutional reforms should be implemented for the smoother transition of aging population and transforming challenges of an aging population into opportunities for demographic change.

Keywords: Population aging, Immigration, Labour Force, Labour Market Outcomes

JEL Codes: J11; J15; J18; J31