Agricultural marketing and food safety in China: a utility perspective
Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies
ISSN: 2044-0839
Article publication date: 13 May 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore Chinese food safety issues by analysing select incidents within he Chinese agricultural marketing system.
Design/methodology/approach
A marketing utility framework is utilized to discuss some of the major food safety incidents in China and potential solutions are explored.
Findings
The paper finds that food safety issues arise from problems of asymmetric information which leads to the profit seeking behaviour of agents distorting rather than enhancing the creation of one of the four types or marketing utility (time, form, place and possession). Additionally, structural causes found within the Chinese food marketing system have contributed to the food safety problems.
Research limitations/implications
This is not an empirical research with numerical data.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to address Chinese food safety problems from an agricultural marketing utility perspective. Key anecdotes are used to support the claims made in this study.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Purdue-University of Queensland Early Career Researcher Exchange Seed Grant.
Citation
L. Ortega, D., G. Brown, C., A. Waldron, S. and Holly Wang, H. (2014), "Agricultural marketing and food safety in China: a utility perspective", Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 23-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-02-2013-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited