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The purpose of this paper is to integrate the manufacturing site and network perspectives for the purposes of strategy fulfilment, which has rarely been jointly discussed. By doing this, the site and network perspectives are broken into their constituents and linked to one another.

The paper provides qualitative research; it conducts a comprehensive literature review and merges the results with the concept of the quality function deployment to link the relevant dimensions. The developed framework is discussed based on a single case study.

The proposed framework relates the network and site perspectives in different dimensions, which range from the strategic dimension to the network and site dimensions. The paper, furthermore, offers the groundwork of developing relationship maps of the site and network capabilities, network configuration and coordination, and the structural and infrastructural dimensions.

The paper contains a single case study and lacks foundation with a broader data set.

The results support the decision-making process of the manufacturing network managers who assess, design, and develop their manufacturing networks and attempt to gain transparency by using different levels of analysis.

The paper is the first attempt to show how the different network and site capabilities contribute to strategy fulfilment, to link the configuration and coordination dimensions of the manufacturing network level, and to link the structural and infrastructural dimensions on the site level. Thus, the authors add to multilevel research in operations management because the authors provide a combined framework for the network- and site-level analysis.

To cope with the increasing challenges of globalisation, various manufacturing companies have established intra-company manufacturing networks. The purpose of this paper is to link the strategic network targets (i.e. accessibility, thriftiness represented by economies of scale and economies of scope, mobility, and learning) with the capabilities and characteristics of the constituting sites of the manufacturing network and thus facilitate the identification of mismatches and the discussion of possible development paths for the network.

The authors derive a conceptual framework from the literature which is tested with a single case; a manufacturing network consisting of eight manufacturing sites. Case data were collected based on 24 interviews with operations managers at network level and a standardised online survey among the sites’ management teams.

Results indicate that manufacturing network and site levels need to be related when striving for a fit between manufacturing strategy, network strategy, and site capabilities and characteristics.

Single case studies have only limited generalisability. Nevertheless, the case demonstrates the usefulness of several dimensions when analysing manufacturing networks on site and network level.

This paper represents the first attempt to link strategic targets of intra-company manufacturing networks with site capabilities and characteristics. Thereby, it provides a theoretical basis for future research on the relationship between strategic targets of manufacturing networks and their fulfilment. The developed manufacturing site portfolio, moreover, extends the site role typology discussion by a multi-dimensional perspective and represents a starting point for a multi-faceted discussion of site roles.

The Gemba‐Kaizen approach is a key business process strategy employed by companies (multinationals also) to enhance their manufacturing performance. However, whilst there is significant research information available on implementing management systems in a sequential manner, there is little information available relating to the application of this approach to provide a single and highly effective methodology for process innovation in the context of the Gemba‐Kaizen approach in multinational companies. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop and apply a process innovation framework in terms of methodology for multinational companies. The research question that governs the study is: How is the Gemba‐Kaizen approach applied in an organisational context such as that of a multinational food company in Mexico?

An exploratory case study was conducted. One multinational food company (chocolate) which has been established in Mexico for at least 19 years was selected. The paper chronicles the design and application of a process innovation framework in the context of the Gemba‐Kaizen approach. In total, four methods were used to gather data: direct observation; participative observation; documentary analysis; and semi‐structured interviews.

This paper proposes a process innovation framework using the Gemba‐Kaizen approach. The development, refinement and implementation of a process innovation framework in the context of the Gemba‐Kaizen approach has been achieved, working closely with a multinational food company. Consequently, as a result of the application, a conceptual framework was established, based on the results of comparing theory and fieldwork: this provides a glimpse into the relationship of the Gemba‐Kaizen approach with other improvement methodologies, known as Process Redesign, in the organisation analysed.

Derived to describe the case study on how to apply the Gemba‐Kaizen approach through process innovation methodology, the paper may prove to be of value to practitioners and managers involved in the field. Similarly, a section on managerial implications has also been included.

The paper contributes to the limited existing literature on the Gemba‐Kaizen system and subsequently disseminates this information in order to provide impetus, guidance and support towards increasing the development of companies, in an attempt to move the Mexico manufacturing (food) sector towards world‐class manufacturing performance.

This paper examines the potential of “biomarkers” to provide immutable identification for food products (chocolate), providing traceability and visibility in the supply chain from retail product back to farm.

This research uses qualitative data collection, including fieldwork at cocoa farms and chocolate manufacturers in Ecuador and the Netherlands and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals to identify challenges and create a supply chain map from cocoa plant to retailer, validated by area experts. A library of biomarkers is created using DNA collected from fieldwork and the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre, holders of cocoa varieties from known locations around the world. Matching sample biomarkers with those in the library enables identification of origins of cocoa used in a product, even when it comes from multiple different sources and has been processed.

Supply chain mapping and interviews identify areas of the cocoa supply chain that lack the visibility required for management to guarantee sustainability and quality. A decoupling point, where smaller farms/traders’ goods are combined to create larger economic units, obscures product origins and limits visibility. These factors underpin a potential boundary condition to institutional theory in the industry’s fatalism to environmental and human abuses in the face of rising institutional pressures. Biomarkers reliably identify product origin, including specific farms and (fermentation) processing locations, providing visibility and facilitating control and trust when purchasing cocoa.

The biomarker “meta-barcoding” of cocoa beans used in chocolate manufacturing accurately identifies the farm, production facility or cooperative, where a cocoa product came from. A controlled data set of biomarkers of registered locations is required for audit to link chocolate products to origin.

Where biomarkers can be produced from organic products, they offer a method for closing visibility gaps, enabling responsible sourcing. Labels (QR codes, barcodes, etc.) can be swapped and products tampered with, but biological markers reduce reliance on physical tags, diminishing the potential for fraud. Biomarkers identify product composition, pinpointing specific farm(s) of origin for cocoa in chocolate, allowing targeted audits of suppliers and identifying if cocoa of unknown origin is present. Labour and environmental abuses exist in many supply chains and enabling upstream visibility may help firms address these challenges.

By describing a method for firms in cocoa supply chains to scientifically track their cocoa back to the farm level, the research shows that organizations can conduct social audits for child labour and environmental abuses at specific farms proven to be in their supply chains. This provides a method for delivering supply chain visibility (SCV) for firms serious about tackling such problems.

This paper provides one of the very first examples of biomarkers for agricultural SCV. An in-depth study of stakeholders from the cocoa and chocolate industry elucidates problematic areas in cocoa supply chains. Biomarkers provide a unique biological product identifier. Biomarkers can support efforts to address environmental and social sustainability issues such as child labour, modern slavery and deforestation by providing visibility into previously hidden areas of the supply chain.

Literature indicates that those solid chocolate particles cannot be detected by human beings that are smaller than a critical value between 25 and 35 µm. Chocolate containing particles larger than this range is thought to be perceived as grainy. However, there does not seem to be any publication which justifies this threshold. Hence, the main aim of this work is to determine if the threshold at which particles can be detected is indeed 30 µm.

Three dark chocolates containing solid particles of expected D_v,90 of 30 µm, 40 µm and 50 µm were produced. Particle Size Distribution (PSD) was determined using static light scattering while hardness and melting behaviour were characterised using a penetration test and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Sensory analyses were performed with a trained panel (n = 9).

PSD analyses indicated that the solid particle D_v,90 of the three chocolates were around 30 µm, 40 µm and 60 µm, respectively. DSC measurements showed no significant difference in melting behaviour between the chocolates. Hardness measurements showed that the “30 µm chocolate” was significantly harder than both the “40 µm chocolate” and the “60 µm chocolate”, while trained panellists found that the graininess of the 60 µm chocolate was significantly higher than that of the 40 µm and 30 µm chocolates.

These results suggest that particle size detection threshold is higher than 40 µm. Chocolate manufacturers could thus increase the size of the biggest particles from 30 µm to 40 µm, leading to a decrease in production cost.

This is the first study to examine the particle detection limit of chocolate.

Motivated by transformations in global food systems and increasing demand for multidimensional credence attributes, the authors analyze cacao value chains in Ecuador – the main producer of fine and flavor cacao worldwide. The authors identify opportunities and discuss how private and public sector initiatives can help meet emerging challenges.

Primary information was collected through interviews of actors in the Ecuadorian industry during spring/summer 2020, including cacao producer associations, exporter associations, chocolate processing firms, public institutions and local universities. Two focus groups were also conducted with producers from associations in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Findings suggest new opportunities for cacao producers and chocolate processors have emerged from the global market transformation. To exploit these, firms need to personalize and differentiate their products, for example, by using quality certifications such as organic and fair trade. Market developments, such as European cadmium regulations and the necessity of worldwide traceability systems, are driving exporters to enhance Ecuador’s cacao value chains. The sector still requires coordination to reap the benefits associated with demands for credence attributes.

Findings are supported by two case studies. The first focuses on how associativity can help those producing high-quality beans to differentiate themselves in modern agri-food markets. The second describes the success of a local chocolate firm and its links with local farmers.

The purpose of this paper is to gain an insight about the strategy of diversification adopted by the company, Prime Technology, to increase its profits. The study is made so as to understand the essential aspects which any firm should consider before deciding to venture into a new business so that it may not end in failure.

The case is basically a narration of the business strategy adopted by Prime Technology and the aftermaths of the decisions taken in haste.

The paper showcases the experience of Prime Technology related to the correctness of the decisions taken related to the brand positioning and logistics involved with the import of a perishable commodity. It suggests that proper ground work while importing a product like chocolates plays a vital role in deciding the fate of an importer's fortune. Thus correct timing, packing and marketing are all close knit parameters for success.

The case provides traders with an insight in understanding the vitality of the decisions related to logistics and brand positioning while importing a product that is not very popular in the domestic country, and especially if it is a perishable commodity.

This case is an original attempt to illustrate the core drivers and capabilities for achieving success in a diverse field. The insights from the case demonstrate the value of proper planning, strategies to companies that are open to expand and recognize the need to focus the use of scarce value‐adding resources.

Research on cross-modal sensory interactions has shown that visual aspects of food can influence consumer's expectation and perception of taste, mouthfeel and liking. This paper aims to investigate the effects of a rounded (“bouba”) and a squared (“kiki”) shape on expected and perceived sweetness, bitterness, creaminess and liking of chocolates.

Brazilian consumers (N = 230) divided into two groups of 115 individuals each evaluated five chocolates containing 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70% of cocoa. One of the groups evaluated all formulations in the rounded shape and the other in the squared shape. Results were analysed with mixed multivariate analysis of variance (mixed-MANOVA) between shapes, repeated-measures MANOVA between pre- and post-tasting and Pearson's correlation analysis was performed between liking ratings and sweetness, bitterness and creaminess confirmation/disconfirmation.

The study found significant effects (p < 0.05) of shape on expected and perceived creaminess but not on other attributes; of cocoa percentage (30, 40, 50, 60 and 70%) on all four attributes; and time (pre- and post-tasting) on sweetness, bitterness and liking but not creaminess. Finally, it found significant negative correlations between the creaminess difference indices and the liking ratings for the 30, 50 and 60% chocolates.

This study reports that consumers may expect and perceive chocolates as creamier in a rounded shape than in an angular shape and that if the expectation of creaminess is not confirmed by sensory perception, acceptability may be negatively affected.

Gives reports and surveys of selected current research and developments in systems and cybernetics. They include: A calculus of ethics for a systemic world, Biocybernetics, Neuroscience, Neural technology, Computational model for chocolate, Safety‐critical systems (SCSs), Scientific and technical information from Russia, Cybernetics and systems control, Automation and cybernetics, UK science research.