Food System Dynamics (E-Journals)
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Corporate Responsibility in the Food Chain: The Criteria and Indicators
Get PDFCorporate responsibility (CR) is becoming a key issue in the food chain. In order to make sense of this phenomenon, a seminal aper by Maloni and Brown (2006) called for further empirical investigation on the criteria of responsibility in the food supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to answer the call by identifying the criteria for defining CR and develop indicators for measuring the responsibility performance of the food chain.The study was based on interactive and participatory stakeholder dialogues with diverse experts, corporate representatives and other stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governmental bodies. Through an iterative research process we identified the criteria and developed the indicators. Our findings enable business leaders to evaluate and manage their operations towards more responsible business praxis
The Resilience Approach Contribution to Rural Communities Social Assessment for Social Sustainability Based Strategies Implement.
Get PDFEvaluating the rural communities capacity to manage changes is of paramount importance for effective Social Sustainability strategies identification. The aim of the present study is to analyze if social resilience can be integrated into the social assessment of rural communities, with the aim of implementing sustainability-oriented policies and strategies.A literature review was carried out on the Resilience approach definition and its application to the Social Assessment in rural areas. The analysis showed that the Resilience approach enriches the Social Assessment by focusing on the specific capabilities of the communities in managing changes. The Resilience perspective embraces the dynamic character of communities and human-ecosystem interactions providing a deeper understanding of how a community’s positive response to change can be strengthened and supported. Moreover, the specific focus on rural communities highlights how strongly social and ecological resilience are intertwined in guaranteeing social sustainability which, in turn, is strictly interrelated with environmental and economic sustainability
Sustainability Management in Agribusiness: Challenges, Concepts, Responsibilities and Performance
Get PDFThe idea of sustainable management has recently gained growing attention in the agribusiness sector. This is mainly due to a widespread discontent with the industrialization of agricultural production and food processing and growing public pressure on agribusiness firms to implement more sustainable management practices. In this paper we present the results of an explorative empirical study of sustainability management in German agribusiness firms. The study shows that agribusiness firms have developed a broad understanding of sustainability management and perceive a multi-facetted spectrum of societal demands they have to meet. The most important arguments for implementing more sustainable management practices are that companies have to make sure that they are trusted by society in the long run and that the perception of a company by external stakeholders has become more and more important. The companies surveyed know quite a number of sustainability programmes and standards, but the number of companies that actually participate in these initiatives is much smaller. Nonetheless, the majority of the respondents feels that their company is more successful with regard to sustainability management than industry average
Using Supermarket Loyalty Card Data to Inform Better Promotional Strategies
Get PDFThis paper reports the use of loyalty card data from one of the biggest retailers in the world – Tesco - to analyse the impact of promotions. The aim is to demonstrate how such data can bring significant benefits to retailers and manufacturers when deciding promotional strategies, over and above traditional scanner datasets, which the majority of existing research is based around (E.g. Raju, 1992; Macé and Neslin, 2004; and Martínez-Ruiz et al. 2006). Regression analysis is used to compare the effects of different promotional mechanics upon different cuts and tiers of product across the fresh beef category in Tesco; using both scanner data and loyalty card data. The results show that using loyalty card data, which enables us to control for shopper life-stage and region (something which cannot be achieved using scanner data), produces more statistically significant results and provides a more detailed picture of how promotions influence sales
Network Experiences Lead to the Adaption of a Firm’s Network Competence
Get PDFNetworks become increasingly important as external sources of innovation for firms. Through networks firms get incontact with different actors with whom they can exchange information and collaborate. A firm’s ability to be asuccessful network actor depends on its network competence. This term can be defined as having the necessaryknowledge, skills and qualifications for networking as well as using them effectively. In this paper we investigate thelink between a firm’s network competence and the benefits resulting from it in a two‐way direction. First, thenetwork competence of the firm facilitates the adoption of information from other network actors which may leadto innovation success. Second the perceived network benefits shall in their turn influence the network competenceof the firm. Consequently, firms will adapt their network strategy corresponding their experiences. The objective ofthis paper is to investigate the dynamics of networking and its influence on the firm’s network competence. For thisexploratory research 3 Belgian networks are examined. In‐depth interviews are used in combination with semistructuredinterview guides to conduct the research. Our results indicate that some firms perceive benefits fromtheir network efforts, for others it is more a burden. Furthermore, in some of our cases we found that positiveexperiences with clear benefits motivate the firm to enhance its network competence. This is illustrated by the factthat collaborations are more frequently initiated, trust is more easily build, firms are more open to communicateinformation and the confidentiality threshold is overcome
How Do Different Countries Use Labeling Standards: A Case Study Comparing Wisconsin Real Cheese to Parmigiano-Reggiano
Get PDF Product labeling is an important dimension in food retailing. The evolution of Protected Geographic Indicators (PGI) and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the European Union are used to identify products grown in a specific region or food products produced using a specific technology. The United States has followed a different path with the use of certifyca-tion/trademarks to identify either product origin or other differentiable characteristics. The divergence of the two approaches has led to trade disputes and WTO lawsuits. In this paper, the main attributes of the two approaches are identified and highlighted with a brief case study comparing Wisconsin Real Cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy
Dynamic Markets – Dynamic Relationships: The Example of Grain Marketing in Germany
Get PDF Grain markets in Germany, as in the rest of the world, are becoming more and more volatile. At the same time, the consolidation process on the level of the first hand, buying the grain from farmers, is moving forward in a strong pace, leaving farmers with less local alternatives to sell their grain. This paper addresses the question of what these developments mean for farmers’ grain marketing decisions and for their relationships with local marketing partners...
Community Supported Agriculture in the Urban Fringe: Empirical Evidence for Project Feasibility in the Metropolitan Area of Naples (Italy)
Get PDF Urbanisation of city-side areas effects on farm land use and organisation are analysed in this study with the objective of seeking the most effective way to implement a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme. Specifically, we used a theoretical framework to describe and assess the relationships between urbanization and farm-styles in the city belt. Our analysis is based on a case study in the protected area of the Campi Flegrei Regional Park situated in the north-western part of the Neapolitan metropolitan area, which is a peri-urban rural area with severe environmental management problems. Our results from the empirical analysis allowed us to distinguish the farms of the area into three behavioural-social groups on the basis of specific features, in order to identify the best suited type of farm for the strategic implementation of the CSA. A market scenario was predicted for each of them without any interventio
Sustainable Relations in International Development Cooperation Projects: The Role of Organizational Climate
Get PDF The importance of the human side of project management to assess the success of international development project has not been fully considered yet. An analysis of the literature on the project success definition, focused on the success criteria and success factors, was carried out. The organization’s effectiveness, in terms of Relations Sustainability, emerged as a criteria integrating the "time, cost, performance" approach to define a project success. Based on previous research contributions on the factors influencing the organization’s effectiveness, the paper expands the analysis of the influence of Organizational Climate on the Relation Sustainability between project manager and project team involved in international cooperation for development. The statistical methods used include confirmatory factors analysis and structural equation modeling. The results carry implications for project management identifying five dimensions of Organizational Climate (trust, innovation, social cohesion, communication and job challenge) influencing Relations Sustainability. This finding suggests that Organizational Climate contributes to project success by creating trust, stimulating commitment and generating satisfaction to overcome conflicts between project manager and project team
Consumer Market for Functional Foods in South Brazil
Get PDFThis study aims at investigating the consumer market for functional foods (FF) in Porto Alegre, South Brazil. Functional food is any healthy food claimed to have a health-promoting or disease-preventing property beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients. Health has been named as the most significant trend and innovation driver in the global food and drinks market. Brazil is one of the leading countries in food production and consumption, and the market for functional foods have been growing 10% per year, three times more than the market for conventional foods. Although this food category is considered mature in some developed markets (such as in Japan, in the Nordic countries and in the U.S), it is still unknown for many consumers, especially those located in developing countries. On the other hand, functional foods has been attracting the attention of multinationals and local food industries in Brazil, since innovation can significantly impact on their competitive advantages. Therefore, in this study, first we are going to identify the availability of functional food products in the local retail market, through observation techniques. Our aim is to confront consumers’ needs with local food companies’ market supply. Secondly, we investigate consumers’ motivations, attitudes and intention to buy functional foods, since the market demands a better understanding of this trend. A survey with 450 consumers was conducted and provided quantitative insights. Results indicate that the market for functional foods in Rio Grande do Sul is incipient, but it is developing fast. There are few local functional food products in the market, but those are attractive to consumers and indicate promising opportunities. The survey shows that interviewed consumers presented positive attitudes towards functional foods and enough purchasing power to buy it. Dieticians, nutritionists and other health professionals have high credibility and could help inform consumers about the benefits of particular categories of functional foods. Food industry itself is not regarded as the most trustworthy source, what indicates the need of more attention to this fact from a corporate point of view. Finally, this study shows that the understanding of Brazilian consumers is fundamental to help food companies define their strategies. To map the most accepted categories of functional foods is also important, aiming to avoid the "tentative and error" approach