Quantifying the Agri-Food Supply Chain

Due to globalization and internationalization of agri-food production, the arena of competition and competitive advantage is moving from individual firms operating on spot markets towards supply chains and networks. Therefore, coordination between firms within the chain becomes more important. Topics like costs, efficiency, risk and investment analysis have received little empirical attention within chain and network research. Nonetheless, these performance measures are of vital importance for continuity of individual companies, chains and networks.

This book aims at offering a coherent view on this matter by discussing the possibilities and limitations of quantifying performance, risks and investments in the agri-food chain. A wide variety of approaches from different economic disciplines was used to analyse the complex systems of agri-food supply chains and develop appropriate models for management decision support. Research gaps and discussion points are identified by an international forum of researchers in order to enhance progress in this field.

• Agri-Food Chains
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Performance
• management
• marketing
• organization

From the reviews:

"This text is a summary of the proceedings of a workshop convened in 2004 at Wageningen. … The book offers a number of readings in topic areas that have interest to students and researchers alike. It will be a useful supplementary text for final year under graduate agri-business programmes and essential reading for postgraduates researching in areas covered by the scope of the workshop. It is hoped that the exercises can be repeated on a regular basis." (David Walters, Food New Zealand, June, 2007)

Policies and ethics