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What are tradeoffs and obstacles towards a comprehensive framework of supply chain performance in global food chains?
Date de parution
2012-5-3
Résumé
Purpose
The paper investigates why business still postpones integration of sustainability and other non-financial performance measures into global agrifood supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
On basis of literature-based conceptual reasoning (“disciplined imagination”), we identify tradeoffs that are prevalent in basic agrifood supply chain strategy types (efficient, risk-hedging, responsive, and agile chains) and tradeoffs that additionally emerge when agrifood chains simultaneously strive for sustainability. Further, we conceptualize one major obstacle for businesses pursuing comprehensive supply chain performance in global agrifood chains, which helps explaining why agrifood chains procrastinate the integration of sustainability into their business activities.
Findings
First, we develop a variety of research propositions about performance trade-offs that appear when agrifood chains follow different supply chain strategy types. Second, we point out that many supply chain performance attributes represent in fact credence attributes not to be verified by the (final) consumer. Rational business responses to this situation tend to optimize publicity efforts by sustainability reports and other brand-enhancing marketing tools that are often and easily decoupled from real efforts of operations and supply chain improvements.
Research limitations/implications
The research propositions are to be tested in follow-up empirical and modeling/simulation research on global food supply chains.
Originality/value
The conceptual considerations presented in the paper serve as basis for managers and academics to develop innovative inter- and intra-organizational business processes that reconcile tradeoffs pushing the performance frontier outwards and that overcome hurdles towards sustainability that are inherent in current food production, processing, retailing and consumption/shopping practices.
The paper investigates why business still postpones integration of sustainability and other non-financial performance measures into global agrifood supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
On basis of literature-based conceptual reasoning (“disciplined imagination”), we identify tradeoffs that are prevalent in basic agrifood supply chain strategy types (efficient, risk-hedging, responsive, and agile chains) and tradeoffs that additionally emerge when agrifood chains simultaneously strive for sustainability. Further, we conceptualize one major obstacle for businesses pursuing comprehensive supply chain performance in global agrifood chains, which helps explaining why agrifood chains procrastinate the integration of sustainability into their business activities.
Findings
First, we develop a variety of research propositions about performance trade-offs that appear when agrifood chains follow different supply chain strategy types. Second, we point out that many supply chain performance attributes represent in fact credence attributes not to be verified by the (final) consumer. Rational business responses to this situation tend to optimize publicity efforts by sustainability reports and other brand-enhancing marketing tools that are often and easily decoupled from real efforts of operations and supply chain improvements.
Research limitations/implications
The research propositions are to be tested in follow-up empirical and modeling/simulation research on global food supply chains.
Originality/value
The conceptual considerations presented in the paper serve as basis for managers and academics to develop innovative inter- and intra-organizational business processes that reconcile tradeoffs pushing the performance frontier outwards and that overcome hurdles towards sustainability that are inherent in current food production, processing, retailing and consumption/shopping practices.
Notes
, 2012
Nom de l'événement
Colloquium on European Retail Research
Lieu
Paris, FR
Identifiants
Type de publication
conference paper
