External actors’ role in solving local collective action problems in a post-conflict setting: A case study of Turkish Cypriot beekeepers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15355/epsj.9.2.19Keywords:
Cyprus, post-conflict, beekeepers, collective actionAbstract
In addition to legal constraints and social-psychological barriers, in a post-conflict setting mutually beneficial economic transactions might not occur due to the widening gap between the health, quality, and environmental standards of the parties. A lack of incentives during the years of conflict prevent the members of the weaker party, the one economically isolated from the rest of the world, from engaging in the collective learning necessary to upgrade the health and packaging standards of their commodities. In this study, we detail the technical, political, and legal challenges external actors must consider in order to successfully help small businesses in a post-conflict environment. Specifically, we explain how the EU helped Turkish Cypriot beekeepers by supplying funds to support training and educational programs, and upgrade the equipment used by the beekeepers. We demonstrate that third parties, like the EU, can provide the impetus for domestic institutions—such as producers associations, chambers of commerce, and cooperatives—to overcome their collective action problem. [JEL codes: D74, H56, O1]
References
[BCMAFF] British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. 2001. “Honey Production Startup—250 Hives. British Columbia.” http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/budgets/budget_pdf/specialized_ls/honey_production_summer2001.pdf [accessed 9 May 2014].
[CIA] Central Intelligence Agency. 2013. The World Factbook. Cyprus. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cy.html#Econ [accessed 9 May 2014].
Collier, P., A. Hoeffler, and M. Söderbom. 2008. “Post-Conflict Risks.” Journal of Peace Research. Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 461-478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022343308091356
[FAO] UN Food and Agriculture Organization. 1996. “Value-Added Products from Beekeeping.” FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin.
Fisher, R.J. 2001. “Cyprus: The Failure of Mediation and the Escalation of an Identity-Based Conflict to an Adversarial Impasse.” Journal of Peace Research. Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 307–326. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022343301038003003
Gokcekus, O. 2008. The Economics of the Isolation of Turkish Cypriots. Kyrenia, Cyprus: Freebirds.
Gokcekus, O. 2014. “Mersin Kapısı.” Havadis Gazetesi. http://www.havadiskibris.com/Yazarlar/omer-gokcekus/mersin-kapisi/4299 [accessed 9 May 2014].
Gokcekus, O., J. Henson, D. Nottebaum, and W. Wanis-St.John. 2012. “Impediments to Trade Across the Green Line in Cyprus: Classic Barriers and Mistrust.” Journal of Peace Research. Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 863-872. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022343312452286
Hamdan, K. 2011. “American Foulbrood Bee Disease.” http://www.countryrubes.com/images/American_Foulbrood_AFB_pdf.pdf [accessed 9 May 2014].
Kameda, T., T. Tsukasaki, R., Hastie, and N. Berg. 2011. “Democracy under Uncertainty: The Wisdom of Crowds and the Free-Rider Problem in Group Decision Making.” Psychological Review. Vol. 118, No. 1, pp. 76-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0020699
Kerr, N. L., and Tindale, R. S. (2004). Group performance and decision making. Annual Review of Psychology 55, 623–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142009
Ker-Lindsay, K. 2011. The Cyprus Problem: What Everyone Needs to Know. New York: Oxford University Press.
Knack, S. and P. Keefer. 1997. “Does Social Capital have an Economic Payoff? A Cross-Country Investigation.” Quarterly Journal of Economics. Vol. 112, No. 4, pp. 1251–1288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/003355300555475
Malaa, D., G.A. Muluh, and F. Kamajou. 2012. “Pricing Strategy and Profitability of Honey Marketing Organizations in the North West Province of Cameroon.” ftp://ftp.fao.org/upload/Agrippa/pricing strategy.doc.
Olson, M. 1965. The Logic of Collective Action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Pecorino, P. 1998. “Is there a Free-Rider Problem in Lobbying: Endogenous Tariffs, Trigger Strategies, and the Number of Firms.” American Economic Review. Vol. 88, No. 3, pp. 652–660.
Pearson, F.S. 2001. “Dimensions of Conflict Resolution in Ethnopolitical Disputes.” Journal of Peace Research. Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 275–287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022343301038003001
La Porta, R., F.L. de Silanes, A. Shleifer, and R. Vishny. 1997. “Trust in Large Organizations.” American Economic Review. Vol. 87, No. 2, pp. 333–338.
Reybroeck, W. 2012. “Report on TAIEX Mission on the Inspection of Honey.” Nicosia, Cyprus.
Reybroeck, W. 2013. “Results of the Sampling of September 2012.” Nicosia, Cyprus.
Solsten, E. 1993. Cyprus: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series: Library of Congress Federal Research Division. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress.
Zak, P. and S. Knack. 2001. “Trust and Growth.” Economic Journal. Vol. 111, Iss. 470, pp. 295–321. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-0297.00609
