Toward Livestock Supply Chain Sustainability: A Case Study on Supply Chain Coordination and Sustainable Development in the Pig Sector in China

Abstract

Stricter environmental regulations on livestock production pollution have changed the sustainable practices of livestock supply chain stakeholders. By adopting three cases in China’s livestock supply chain, this study explores how supply chain coordination facilitates sustainable development of livestock production in China. It is found that close supply chain coordination and the capabilities of the core companies jointly contribute to supply chain sustainability. Thus, this research has theoretical significance in explaining the roles of supply chain coordination and core company capabilities in driving supply chain sustainability, which is not completely understood thus far. This study also has practical implications for livestock supply chain stakeholders and the government in terms of improving supply chain sustainability via closer supply chain coordination and enhancing the capabilities of the core companies involved.

Agricultural cooperatives participating in vegetable supply chain integration: A case study of a trinity cooperative in China

“…The purpose of supply chain integration is to facilitate inter- and intraorganizational governance processes [ 3 , 30 ]. Vegetable supply chain integration has been commonly used in research and includes shareholders’ relationships, contracts, and strategic alliances, as well as internal and external integration [ 2 , 3 , 31 ]. This means that various shareholders—e.g., vegetable material suppliers, vegetable producers (farmers), institutional vegetable retailers, banks, and vegetable customers—collaborate and integrate in the vegetable industry in China.…”

“…It consists of information sharing, strategic alliance, consistent planning, and collaboration with customers, suppliers, and other partners [ 32 ]. The coordination of internal and external integration contributes to the supply chain management process [ 2 ]. Internal integration positively impacts external integration within the operation implementation process [ 36 ].…”

“…Rapid growth in vegetable consumption and scarce land resources with a large population has increased the pressure to redesign the current supply chain to encompass economic, social, and environmental views in rural China [ 1 ]. An increasing number of people are concerned about vegetable quality, vegetable safety, and vegetable security [ 2 ], resulting in an urgent need for farmers to integrate the vegetable supply chain. In addition, in 2018, the Chinese State Council enacted a policy meant to shift the agricultural supply chain from a traditional agricultural circulation to a modern one through updates in standardization, intelligence, coordination, and greenization.…”

Towards More Sustainable Food Systems—14 Lessons Learned

“…The case study of Zhuo and Ji [13] analyses supply chain coordination in the pig sector in China under a sustainability lens, in particular looking for pathways that foster sustainability along the whole supply chain. The findings illustrate that good practices are initially transferred from single focal companies to other actors in the supply chain, including to upstream farmers with whom the companies cooperate.…”

“…Toward livestock supply chain sustainability: a case study on supply chain coordination and sustainable development in the pig sector in China (Zhuo and Ji [13])…”