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PurposeThe purpose of this research is to determine the convenience of using a contract model as an integration mechanism for decision-making in a decentralized supply chain of small agricultural producers in a developing country, taking as hypothesis coordinated chain achieves better management. The analysis is based on information obtained by direct inquiry to 99 small producers in the region, about planning, production, marketing and distribution in the chain, supplemented with secondary information sources.Design/methodology/approachAs a methodology an analysis of maturity in the chain based on the Capability Maturity Model Integration is done, whose evaluation is later analyzed as a fuzzy logic model, with the support of the fuzzy logic of the MATLAB toolbox, to study the convenience of the use of the contract against the other mechanisms, and to establish an approximation to the level of readiness of the chain toward integration.FindingsResults obtained show that the small farmer supply chain studied, from a maturity perspective, has a strong disposition for the use of contracts as an integration mechanism.Research limitations/implicationsThe supply chain for small producers presents a high dispersion, little consolidated offer capacity and lack of coordination. Limitations in terms of information and criteria unification are a challenge for future research. Results have socioeconomic implications for small producers and can serve as a guide to formulate policies by the governments in Latin American countries.Practical implicationsAs practical implications, it can be stated that the use of supply contracts is a real mechanism that can be implemented in this type of chain, to break the mistrust between the echelons and improve the supply chain performance. This research will allow to establish support programs from local governments for the sustainability and improving income of small producers. In addition, contracts will allow to formalize the linkage of small producers to a sustainable commercial network.Social implicationsSmall agricultural producers in developing countries live in unfavorable conditions, with socioeconomic limitations. This work offers an alternative for their productive activity development that will allow them access to marketing chains in a safe way and improve their living conditions.Originality/valuePrevious studies related to the maturity toward the chain integration and fuzzy logic as a hybrid methodology, were not found in the literature, and less even applied to a chain of small agricultural products.

This paper presents the sensitivity analysis performed on metrics of the SCOR model in order to measure the management of a fruitgrowing supply chain of small producers. The methodology is presented in a detailed manner for the selection of metrics by using a multicriteria method such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The pertinence of the results is analyzed by taking into account three possible scenarios of assessment by the experts. The results of the sensitivity analysis show a certain degree of soundness in the solution given that the changes in the identified metrics within the three scenarios are minimal. Finally, a path for implementing of such metrics from the SCOR model is offered as a proposal to improve the administration and as a usage alternative of the SCOR model for these chains.Keywords: Supply chain; scor; management; multi-criteria analysis; analytic hierarchy process.Análisis de sensibilidad de métricas scor seleccionadas para medir la gestión de una cadena de abastecimiento frutícola ResumenEn este artículo se muestra el análisis de sensibilidad sobre métricas seleccionadas del modelo SCOR, para la medición de la gestión en una cadena de abastecimiento frutícola de pequeños productores. Se presenta de manera detallada la metodología para la selección de las métricas con el uso de un método multi-crietrio como el Proceso analítico jerárquico (AHP). Se evalúa la pertinencia de los resultados, considerando tres escenarios posibles de valoración por parte de expertos. Los resultados del análisis de sensibilidad arrojan cierto grado de robustez en la solución, dado que los cambios en las métricas identificadas en los tres escenarios son mínimos. Finalmente se ofrece un derrotero para la implementación de las métricas del modelo SCOR, como una propuesta de mejoramiento de la gestión y una alternativa de uso del modelo SCOR en este tipo de cadenas.

This paper aims to analyze the impacts of a backup agreement contract on the performance of a small agricultural producers’ citrus supply chain. A backup agreement contract, which ensures for each echelon that a quantity of products will be bought independently of real demand, is proposed to coordinate a three-echelon supply chain, aimed at improving income. After presenting an overview of the literature that shows various coordination mechanisms but no backup agreement proposals for supply chain coordination, this paper develops a decentralized three-echelon supply chain facing stochastic customer demand and includes the backup agreement as a coordination mechanism to guarantee a balanced relationship between the chain members. The model is tested in a real case study in Colombia, and a sensitivity analysis is provided. Results show that a backup agreement contract coordinates the small agricultural producers’ supply chain and improves income for each echelon, especially for the small producer. However, the economic mechanism complexity can limit coordination among echelons, mainly because of a lack of trust and consolidated supply capacity from small farmers. The foregoing requires the development of an associative structure by small producers, which is proposed as future research work.

Before the Second World War, the Industrial Engineer's work focused on studies of plant distribution, quality control, production and inventories. Currently, these professionals are also required to carry out economic activities. The paper presents a business simulation game model that serves as a pedagogical tool for the teaching-learning process in the decision-making area, in the Marketing, Productionand Finance disciplines. The research was carried out in four phases: data collection, reference frame construction, design construction, and testing. The theoretical and practical foundations were laid for future research, which improve the proposed model with the addition of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques, which optimize data processing and provide better support to the decision-making process.