Determinants of sustainable agri-food chain relationships in Europe.

Abstract

The role of inter-organizational relationships in European meat and cereals chains is analysed. Using survey data from 1442 farmers, processors and retailers in six countries (Germany, UK, Spain, Poland, Ireland, and Finland), the empirical relevance of several factors potentially influencing the sustainability of agri-food chain relationships is tested. Structural equation models are estimated for each country, each commodity chain (meat and cereals) and for two chain stages (i.e., the relationships between farmers and food processors, and the ones between processors and retailers). Effective communication and the existence of personal bonds are consistently found to mostly affect relationship sustainability, followed by unequal power distribution between buyers and suppliers and the negative impact of key people leaving a company concerned. The existence of personal bonds is particularly important in relationships with farmers, while effective communication is more crucial in relationships with retailers.

Pig producer perspectives on the use of meat inspection as an animal health and welfare diagnostic tool in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

“…If a source of distrust exists, it will prove difficult to form and improve more favourable relations between relevant stakeholders [ 27 ]. This relational component can be influenced by the extent to which power is distributed along the production chain as well as by the prevailing economic situation [ 29 ]. For example, the economic conditions at a particular point in time may see various participants along the production chain competing with each other for a diminishing profit margin; thus leading to concerns over fairness between producers and processors [ 12 , 27 ].…”

“…The development of positive relationships based on trust, commitment and satisfaction between the supplier and processor may help provide a more favourable environment in which MI data can be received positively at the farm level. This can, in part, be achieved by developing personal bonds based on active engagement and partnership between all stakeholders, while building the wider level of credibility in which information is perceived by producers [ 9 , 29 ]. Furthermore, given the centrality of presumed objectivity, accuracy and consistency in forming trust relations; improved standardisation of terminology used in the feedback and information provided to producers, and better training of meat inspection roles, may be required.…”

Vertikális integráció mint a folyamatos technológiai innováció záloga

“…Stabil irányítási struktúrákkal és ehhez kapcsolódó erősen ellenőrzött, szabályozott termelési és gazdasági biztonságot nyújtó ellátási lánccal igyekszik felvenni a küzdelmet a jelen kihívásaival. A vertikális és a szoros ellátásilánc-kapcsolatok ma már a versenyképesség kulcsfontosságú elemei, amelyek eseteként kooperációs előnyt vagy az együttműködésből fakadó versenyképeségi előnyt eredményez (Fischer et al, 2008). A vertikális integráció számos pozitív hozadéka mellett hordoz magában olyan kockázati faktorokat, amelyek kiküszöbölésére külön érdemes figyelni, ilyen például az alapanyag-termelés minőségének a fenn-tartása (Fertő és Mizik, 2016).…”

The Efficiency of Garlic Supply Chain Actors Measured using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Method in Karanganyar, Indonesia

“…Suppliers have an important role in customer perceptions of service and customer satisfaction (Cho et al, 2012). Supply chain management emphasizes the important role of buyer and supplier relations in supply chain management strategies (Tan, 2001), especially in the agricultural sector (Fischer et al, 2010).…”