Staff Directory - Dr Daniel May

Dr Daniel May

BSc; MA; MSc; PhD; DPhil

Senior Lecturer in Applied Farm and Rural Economics

Teaching Duties

Leading the module entitled Economic Policy and Rural Development.

Contribute to modules related to economics, international trade and farmers' strategic behaviour

Research Interests

International Trade Systems and Macro-Policy Shocks (with focus on AHDB/DEFRA co-funded frameworks); Strategic and Behavioural Economics of Agricultural Producers and Consumers; Quantitative Modelling of Complex Socio-Ecological Systems; Dynamic Landscape Analysis and Spatial Analytics (ArcGIS Pro and Gephi networks); Long-Term Territorial Stabilisation and Climate/Economic Shock Propagation.

Research Summary

My research program operates at the vanguard of Complex Rural Systems, investigating how global economic pressures, behavioural micro-foundations, and territorial configurations co-evolve. To uncover and model the critical feedback loops that are conventionally omitted in linear agronomic assessments, my agenda relies on a rigorous Mixed Method Approach. This framework bridges advanced computational modelling with qualitative and cognitive behavioural insights, organised around three highly integrated and internationally validated pillars:

International Trade Networks & Global Shocks: Developing network-based mathematical models and empirical trade frameworks to simulate the transmission of international price shocks, trade liberalisation agreements (e.g. post-Brexit UK-USA/UK-Australia), and market buyer power dynamics. This line builds on strategic project pipelines co-funded and validated by organisations such as the AHDB in collaboration with DEFRA.
Strategic Behaviour & Producer Cognitive Drivers: Deploying behavioural approaches and mixed quantitative-qualitative methodologies to evaluate decision-making processes under institutional uncertainty. This includes modelling farmers' political behaviour (e.g. Brexit voting) and the micro-foundations of sustainable innovation adoption. The global policy impact of this line is reflected in high-level international invitations, such as presenting my framework on youth rural migration for the Central Bank of Colombia.
Rural Landscapes as Dynamic Socio-Ecological Systems: Analysing landscapes as complex adaptive systems full of non-linear feedbacks. By integrating landscape archaeology, cognitive/phenomenological fieldwork, network models, least-cost path modelling (Pandolf metabolic cost surfaces), and non-linear dynamic systems (Lotka-Volterra configurations calibrated through Cointegrated Error Correction Models - ECM), my work explores how heritage infrastructure acts as a stabilising mechanism against contemporary commercial and environmental transitions. My established authority in this domain is recognised through invitations to serve as an External PhD Examiner for doctoral landscape works.

Comparative Analytical Diversity as a Methodological Necessity:

To validate the universal properties of landscape stabilisation and shock propagation within complex systems, my research architecture relies on a robust comparative analysis contrasting territorial realities. By evaluating the highly regulated, historically structured landscapes of the United Kingdom alongside the dynamic, geographically abrupt, and transition-exposed rural of Latin America, the framework captures high socio-ecological variance. This dual-lens approach is methodologically necessary: it allows for the empirical verification of non-linear feedbacks across divergent scales and environmental baselines, transforming mixed-methods localised observations into scalable, globally competitive predictive models of rural resilience.

Participation in Research Projects

AHDB. (currently). Project 2020-464. Quantiative modelling for post EU Exit trade deals (UK agricultural industry). Principal investigator.

QR project (currently). Incorporation of LCA and IAFTN models. Principal investigator.

AHDB. (2020). Farm Business Programme - a high level evidence scoping review. Colaborator.

Department of Economics Exeter University. (2012). Agricultural Trade Liberalisation. Pricipal Investigator.

DEFRA. (2011). FFG 1008: “Assessing the environmental impact of liberalising agricultural trade – with special reference to EU Mercosur”.

DEFRA (2011). FO0415: “Energy dependency and food security”. Contribution: estimation of demand elasticities for selected agricultural goods using an Almost Ideal Demand.

Professional Memberships

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Academic Department: Harper Adams Business School

Research: Global Institute for Agri-Tech Economics (GIATE)

Research: Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems

Research: Informing Sustainable Policy, Planning and Professional Practice (IS4P)

Office: AC11 Aspire Centre

Research profile:

Publications

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Other publications

May, D.E. (2025) A Brief Discussion of Research Philosophies for Higher Education Students European Journal of Education 60(1): e70027
May, D.E., Soza-Amigo, S., and Tremma, O. (2025) A theoretical assessment of informal agricultural cooperation under distrust: implications from a network perspective Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization (in press)
Soza-Amigo, S. and May, D. (2025) Participación laboral por género desde una perspectiva multisectorial y regional: El caso de los Macroterritorios Norte Chico y Patagonia en Chile durante el período 2008-2018. Revista De Métodos Cuantitativos Para La Economía Y La Empresa. 39: 1-28
Wambui Mumbi, A., Arancibia, S., May, D., Pittson, H., Behrendt, K., Akindoyin Awomuti, A. and Vriesekoop, F. (2025) Exploring consumer acceptance of grass-derived proteins in the UK: A structural equation modelling approach Food Quality and Preference (in press)
May, D.E. (2025) Exploring the Rural Landscape of the Marches of the Welsh Borders in Roman Times Through Intervisibility Analysis Land 17(4): 728
May, D.E. (2024) Mixed Methods in Landscape Archaeology: An Application to Explore Identity Formation in the Romano-British Period, Shropshire Region Journal of Mixed Methods Research 19(2): 165-190.
May, D. and Tremma, O. (2023) Effects of Sustainable Regulations at Agricultural International Market Failures: A Dynamic Approach Sustainability 15(3): 2419
May, D.E., Arancibia, S., Wang, C., Hill, N., and Behrendt, K. (2023) Understanding young Chinese consumers' preferences for foreign clothing brands: a behavioural approach Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics 35(12): 3032-3051
May, D.E. (2023) The development of Landscape Archaeology in Britain, present conflicts and possible new directions. Landscape History 44(2): 109-118.
May, D., Arancibia, S. and Manning, L. (2021) Understanding UK farmers’ Brexit voting decision: A behavioural approach Journal of Rural Studies 81: 281-293
May, D.E., Arancibia, S., Behrendt, K., and Adams, J. (2019) Preventing young farmers from leaving the farm: investigating the effectiveness of the young farmer payment using a behavioural approach Land Use Policy 82: 317-327.
May, D.E. (2017) Understanding Farmers’ Incentives to Innovate in Different Business Environments International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics 5(3): 35-46
Arancibia, S., May, D.E., and Moya, G. (2016) Exploring the Relationship between Collaboration and Farmers’ Satisfaction at Work IDESIA 34(6): 7-16
May, D.E. (2016) International Trade Networks under Global Treaty Stability Bulletin of Economic Research 68(S1): 171-181
May, D.E. (2015) Inefficient Stable International Trade Networks Studies in Microeconomics 3(1): 12-34
May, D.E (2015) Export Instability when International Agricultural Markets Operate Under Oligopoly International Journal of Trade and Global Markets 8(2): 142-151.
May, D.E. (2015) Behavioural Drivers of Business Competitiveness in Agriculture Agricultural Economic Review (in press)
Rodríguez, J., Werther, K., and D.E. May (2014) Analysing the Incidence of Labour Cost on Organic Production: Implications on Competitiveness Quarterly Journal of Business Studies 1(4): 141-148.
May, D.E. (2013) Explaining Family Farm Run Businesses’ Capacity to Develop Dynamic Capabilities International Journal of Sustainable Economies Management 2(1): 12-25
May, D.E., Tate, G.J., and L. Worrall. (2012) Economic vs. non-economic determinants of diversification and specialisation in agriculture International Journal of Applied Behavioural Economics 1(1): 12-28.
May, D.E. (2012) Addressing Biodiversity Loss when International Markets of Agricultural Commodities are Oligopolistic Economics and Business Letter 1(1): 53-57.
May, D.E. (2012) How Distrust Affects the Formation of Collaborative Alliances in Agriculture? Journal of International Business and Economic Affairs 3(1): 53-63.
May, D.E. (2012) Non-Economic Drivers Influencing Farmers’ Incentives to Cooperate: Do they Remain Robust Through Policy Changes? Journal of Rural Cooperation 40(2):
May, D.E. (2011) Agricultural trade liberalization under bilateralism: an international network perspective Portuguese Economic Journal 10(1): 23-34.
May, D.E. (2011) Incentives of Small Countries to Participate in a Global Free Trade Agreement in Agriculture: a Theoretical Analysis Revista Economía Agraria 15: 27-33.
May, D.E., Tate, G.J., and L. Worrall. (2011) Understanding innovation in a dynamic agricultural business environment: a multivariate approach International Journal of Agricultural Management 1(1): 7-15.
May, D.E., Collins, A.R., and Hollins, P.D. (2011) Identifying determinants of residential property values in South London Review of Economic Perspectives 11(1): 3-11.
May, D.E., and G.J. Tate. (2011) Exploring economic and social-psychological factors in explaining farmers’ willingness to participate in cooperative alliances International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances 2(4): 329-346.
May, D.E. (2011) Collaborative alliances in agriculture under distrust Journal of Business and Economics 2(2): 219-227.
May, D.E, and G. Tate, and L. Worrall. (2011) Understanding the formation of networks by small agricultural firms International Journal of Economic Behaviour 1(1): 3-14.
May, D.E., and L. Worrall. (2010) Are Domestic Support and Political Bias Really Harmful to the Agricultural Trade System? New Perspectives from the International Social Network Literature International Journal of Economic Research 7(2): 237-243.
May, D.E. (2010) Collaborative Alliances in Agriculture under Distrust Journal of Business & Economics 2(2): 219-227.
May, D.E. (2009) An international network analysis of the environment Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting and Economics 16(3): 271-284.
May, D.E., and G.J. Tate. (2009) The bias danger of incorporating business risk into biophysical-economic models: a critical review of the existing economic approaches Aspects of Applied Biology 93: 99-105.
May, D.E. (2008) Is bilateralism consistent with Global Free Trade? International Journal of Business and Economics 7(2): 137-152.

Additional Information

Editor-in-Chief of the Scientific Journal of Agricultural Economics: http://www.eco-ena.ca/SJAE.html
Associated Editor of the International Journal of Applied Behavioral Economics:

ARTICLES PRESENTED IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

May, D.E. 2023. Identifying past economic organisation through the rural landscape. The 9th Annual Conference of Economic Forum of Entrepreneurship & International Business. ECO-ENA, Oxford University, UK.
May, D.E. and McCorriston, S. 2022. Predictions for the UK-Australia trade agreement: an approach with market power. 96th Annual Conference of The Agricultural Economics Society, KU Leuven, Belgium.
May, D. and McCorriston, S. 2021. The impact of intermediaries on agricultural trade liberalisation. XVI EAAE Congress. Prague, Czech Republic (accepted).
May, D.E. 2020. Assessing non-economic determinants of farmers' willigness to produce healthy and safe food products. 8th Annual Conference of Economic Forum of Entrepreneurship & International Business. ECO-ENA, Oxford University, UK.
May, D. and McCorriston, S. 2018. The role of Centrality in Preventing Free Trade of Processed Agricultural Goods under Imperfect Competition. 30th International Conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists. Vancouver, Canada.
May, D.E. 2018. Undertanding the effects of the young payment on young farmers' intention to exit the farm. 4th Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. ECO-ENA, University of Cambridge, UK.
May, D.E. 2017. A theory of crop allocations. 3rd Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, ECO-ENA. Oxford, UK.
May, D.E. 2016. Assessing the Robustness of Drivers Influencing Farmers´ Incentives to Innovate through Different Business Environments. 26th Annual IFAMA World Conference. Aarhus, Denmark.
May, D.E. 2016. A Contribution to Network Analysis. Second European Conference on Social Networks. Paris, France.
May, D.E., and McCorriston, S. 2015. Global Agreements in Agriculture: A Network Approach with Market Intermediaries. 29th International Conference of Agricultural Economics. Milan, Italy.
May, D.E. 2014. "A Theory of Global Agreements in Agriculture". IAMO Forum 2014. Halle (Saale), Germany.
May, D.E. 2014. "International Trade Agreements in Agriculture: An International Network Approach". First Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, ECO-ENA. University of London, England.
May, D.E. 2014. "Business Competitiveness in Agriculture: a Behavioural Approach". Rural Entrepreneurship Conference. 天美视频, England.
May, D.E. 2013. "An International Trade Network Analysis of Global Agreements in Agriculture". International Workshop on Networks and Trade. Leuven Centre for Irish Studies, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
May, D.E. 2013. "Behavioural Drivers of Business Competitiveness". International Conference on Competitiveness Evaluation and Conceptual Aspects (ICCECA). Lima, Peru.
May, D.E. 2013. "Export Instability when International Agricultural Markets Operate Under Oligopoly". 18th International Farm Management Congress. Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland.
May, D.E., and Paratori, S. 2013. "A Review on Farmers' Behaviour Modelling". Third Annual Conference of Economics Forum of Entrepreneurship & International Business. Oxford University, England.
May, D.E. 2013. "Does the representative farmer really exist?". 87th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society. Warwick University. England.
May, D.E., and Paratori, S. 2012. Understanding farmers' willingness to produce healthy and safe products". Third International Conference on Safety, Health and Welfare in Agriculture and Agrofood Systems, Ragusa SHWA 2012. Ibla Campus, Ragusa, Sicily, Italy.
May, D.E. 2012. “Do non-economic drivers explaining farmers’ incentives to cooperate remain robust through policy and market changes?”. Second eRNAC (Electronic Research Network for Agricultural Cooperatives) conference on Cooperative values in internationalized operations. Helsinki, Finland.
May, D.E. 2012. "Can small family run firms develop dynamic capabilities?". The 11th World Congress of the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management. Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
May, D.E. 2012. "Agricultural Trade Liberalisation". Economics Annual Conference, Business School, University of Exeter. England.
May, D.E. 2012. "Studying the Stability of Global Free Trade in Agriculture". 25th University of Wolverhampton Business School Research Conference. Wolverhampton, UK.
May, D.E. 2011. “Bilateralism in Agriculture when Countries use Distorting Domestic Policies”. XIIIth Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. Zurich, Switzerland.
May, D.E. 2011. “Negative effects of unilateral environmental policies on local biodiversity when international markets are oligopolistic”. 6th Annual Green Economics Institute Conference. University of Oxford, England.
May, D.E. 2011. “Understanding innovation in dynamic agricultural business environments: a multivariate approach”. 18th International Farm Management Congress. Christchurch, New Zealand.
May, D.E. 2011. “Effects of distrust on the formation of collaborative alliances in agriculture: a social network approach”. Annual Conference of Economic Forum of Entrepreneurship and International Business. Cairo, Egypt.
May, D.E., Tate, G.J., and L. Worrall. 2011. “Effect of policy reforms on farmers’ incentives to specialise”. Annual Conference of Economic Forum of Entrepreneurship and International Business. Cairo, Egypt.
May, D.E. 2011. “Origins of social repression in small institutionalized groups: the case of the intellectual forum”. Euro American Conference in Academic Disciplines, Austria.
May, D.E. 2010. “Agricultural trade liberalisation under bilateralism: an International Network perspective”. 4th Meeting of the Portuguese Economic Journal, Faro, Portugal.
May, D.E., Tate, G.J., and L. Worrall. 2010. “Explaining the formation of network innovations by small agricultural firms: the case of the case of the ex-sugar beet farmers of the UK”. The International Conference on Economics and Administration, Faculty of Administration and Business, University of Bucharest, Rumania.
May, D.E. 2009. “The effects of environmental considerations on the International Trade System”. The 2009 APJAE Symposium on Trade, Environment and Resources, City University of Hong Kong, School of Business, Hong Kong.
May, D.E., and G.J. Tate. 2009. “The bias danger of incorporating business risk into biophysical-economic models: a critical review of the existing economic approaches”, The 2009 Applied Biologists Association Conference in Integrated Agricultural Systems, SAC, Edinburg, Scotland.

BOOKS

May, D.E. 2002. Microeconomics and their Application to the Perishable Agricultural Products. Central University of Chile.

Research projects

Farm Business Management Tools and Techniques - Researcher
Impact of agri-environmental schemes and the emerging biodiversity and carbon credit markets on farm resilience - Advisor
Pasture to Plate - Researcher
Quantitative modelling for post EU exit trade deals (UK Agricultural Industry) - Lead Researcher & Analyst

Modules

You can contact Dr Daniel May if you would like to discuss any of the following course modules:

Strategic Business Analytics (R7006HF)

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