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1 – 10 of over 17000Ali Shafiee Bafti, Ali Akbar Farjadian and Zahra Mirmohammadzade Noudehi
Supply of food from the early stages of societies was one of the most important needs of humans. Sustainable supply of food is a demand in modern societies. The agri-food market…
Abstract
Supply of food from the early stages of societies was one of the most important needs of humans. Sustainable supply of food is a demand in modern societies. The agri-food market grows as the population rises every year. The increase in the demand side of the market is more than the growth of the supply side. The rate of using technology in the supply side is increasing rapidly. By using technology in some parts, the efficiency of production improved and caused more production while resources are the same. Availability of resources in different areas causes different ways of production and nurturing innovative technologies to maintain food security. Water, soil, climate change, and growth of population are drivers of using technology in food security. To depict the role of different technologies in the food industry, the authors have reviewed the role of the most important technologies in this field. Knowing the trends of changes in the industry will help to focus on the most important questions and solutions. Having a share in the global food market requires the major use of technology in production processes. In this chapter, the authors will review the most important trends of technology absorption in the food industry.
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Manogna R.L. and Aswini Kumar Mishra
The study aims to analyze the impact of Research & Development (R&D) intensity on the firm’s performance, measured by growth of sales in the emerging market like India. Innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to analyze the impact of Research & Development (R&D) intensity on the firm’s performance, measured by growth of sales in the emerging market like India. Innovation strategy and its outcomes for firms may be different in developing countries as compared to developed countries. Thus, a study that focuses on the emerging economy like India, with a majority of the population dependent on agriculture, is of prime importance to the firm performance in the food and agricultural manufacturing industry. For this study, the broader focus will be on one widely recognised factor which may influence the growth rate of firms, i.e. investment in innovations which is in terms of R&D expenditure.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper investigates the relationship between the R&D efforts and growth of firms in the Indian food and agricultural manufacturing industry during 2001–2019. To empirically test the relationship between firm’s growth (FG) and R&D investments, system generalised method of moments technique has been used, hence enabling to avoid problems related to endogeneity and simultaneity.
Findings
The findings reveal that investments in innovations have a positive effect on the growth of firms in the Indian food and agricultural manufacturing industry. Investment in R&D also enables the firms to reap benefits from externalities present in the industry. Further analysis reveals that younger firms grow faster when they invest in R&D. More specifically, this paper finds evidence in the case of the food and agricultural industry that import of raw materials negatively affects the FG and export intensity positively affects the growth in the case of R&D firms.
Research limitations/implications
This study suggests that the government should encourage the industries to invest optimally in R&D projects by providing favourable fiscal treatments and R&D subsidies which are observed to have positive effects in various developed countries.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, the current paper is the first to analyse the impact of innovation in food and agricultural industry on firm’s performance in an emerging economy context with the latest data. This paper agrees that a government initiative to increase private R&D expenditure would have favourable effects on FG as growing investments in R&D lead to further growth of the firms.
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Reports on a comparative study of the types and degrees ofhorizontal and vertical integration within the seed potato industries ofThe Netherlands and Northern Ireland. Using an…
Abstract
Reports on a comparative study of the types and degrees of horizontal and vertical integration within the seed potato industries of The Netherlands and Northern Ireland. Using an integration analysis grid, presents descriptive models of the integrative functions in both industries. Given the superior marketing performance of the Dutch industry, and the way in which this is facilitated by its highly integrated organizational structure, makes a case for the utilization of both horizontal and vertical integration in improving marketing performance in seed potato industries.
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The purpose of this paper is to measure the Malmquist Productivity Index and its different components such as technological change, technical efficiency change and the change in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the Malmquist Productivity Index and its different components such as technological change, technical efficiency change and the change in scale efficiency in the Indian food industry during the period spanning 1988‐1989 to 2004‐2005. Further, it examines the variation in productivity and its components with respect to the factors internal to the firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The technique of data envelopment analysis has been used to measure productivity index and its different components under the assumption of variable returns to scale. Further, log‐linear regression model has been used to explain the variation in productivity and its components with respect to certain factors internal to the firms.
Findings
In spite of a strong agricultural base and being the third largest producer of food products in the world, India's food processing industry is far from tapping its full potential as a result of a low rate of technological progress/regress on the one hand and increasing inefficiencies of the firms on the other hand. It is necessary to encourage imports along with R&D to ensure faster technological progress in the Indian food industry. However, the technological possibilities depend on the mode of organization and various economic and institutional factors. Therefore, bold institutional changes are to be made side‐by‐side in order that inefficiency is substantially reduced.
Originality/value
The present study evaluates the contribution of technological change, technical efficiency change and scale efficiency change to total factor productivity growth in the Indian food processing industry by using the firm‐level data, collected from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). It further examines the impact of some common factors internal to the firms on their performance.
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Cecilia Díaz-Méndez and Cristobal Gómez-Benito
In this chapter the aim is to analyse the way the relationship between health and food has been changing at the same time as Spanish society itself. From the beginnings of the…
Abstract
In this chapter the aim is to analyse the way the relationship between health and food has been changing at the same time as Spanish society itself. From the beginnings of the consumer society until the present day the modernization process has made its imprint on the guidelines public bodies have issued to the public on caring for their health and diet. Beginning in the 1960s with a welfare idea of a healthy diet, very typical of the decade, and meant for a population with nutritional problems, today we have guidelines for an overfed population. The social trends dominant in each historical moment are shown throughout this transformation process and the dietary recommendations have been part of the social change. However, the perceptions of the administration itself on what constitutes a healthy diet have also made their mark on the criteria. The modernizing nature of the paternalistic administration of the 1960s can be easily seen in contrast with the public bodies of the 1980s competing with the messages from the food and agricultural businesses. As the 20th century drew to a close, dietary advice was in keeping with a background dominated by considerations on the nature of social change and in which both public bodies and citizens trusted in the truths of science as a reference point for correct action. At the beginning of the 21st century, reflexivity and questioning of scientific power appear and also an increase in public preoccupation with food risks. Each stage is analysed relating historical background and dietary recommendations.
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Maria Carmela Annosi, Federica Brunetta, Francesca Capo and Laurens Heideveld
Digitalization is becoming the subject of considerable interest in the literature. This is in view of its relevance in addressing social problems and contributing to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalization is becoming the subject of considerable interest in the literature. This is in view of its relevance in addressing social problems and contributing to the development of communities and societies. In the agri-food-industry, digitalization is also expected to contribute significantly to solve several challenges the sector is facing at this moment, such as the increasing food demand and resource use. However, the effects of advanced technologies are less a function of the technologies themselves than of how they are used by people. The study analyses the dominant challenges faced by firms in the agri-food industry in the usage and adoption of digital technology. Also, they show how these challenges impact on the sustainable development of digital technology for firms in the industry and provide avenues for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose a structured literature review aiming to investigate the following research question: what are the main challenges faced by firms within the agri-food industry in the adoption of smart technologies?
Findings
Results illustrate the dominant challenges faced by firms in the agri-food industry in the usage and adoption of digital technology. Also, they show how these challenges impact on the sustainable development of digital technology for firms in the industry and provide avenues for future research.
Originality/value
So far, in the context of digitalization in the agri-food industry, various researchers have analysed different kinds of challenges to the adoption of smart technologies. This work reviews these contributions to create a clear reference framework of the challenges faced by agri-food firms while providing future avenues of research and implications at a policymaking, economic-managerial and socio-environmental level.
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Angelo Corallo, Martina De Giovanni, Maria Elena Latino and Marta Menegoli
Nowadays, the agri-food industry is called to face several sustainability challenges that require the development of new sustainable models. The adoption of new technological…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, the agri-food industry is called to face several sustainability challenges that require the development of new sustainable models. The adoption of new technological assets from Industry 4.0 supports the companies during the implementation of sustainability practices. Several models design the operation management of the food supply chains (FSCs). Because none extant models resulted complete in technological and sustainability elements, this paper aims to propose an innovative and sustainable agri-food value chain model, contributing to extend understating of how supply chains can become more sustainable through the Industry 4.0 technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
Thanks to a well-structured and replicable systematic literature review and sequent content analysis, this work recognized and compared the extant FSC models, focusing on the interaction of five key elements: activities, flows, stakeholders, technologies and sustainability. The output of the comparison leading in the definition of the proposed model is discussed in a focus group of 10 experts and tested in a case study.
Findings
Fifteen extant models were recognized in literature and analysed to discover their features and to putt in light peculiarities and differences among them. This analysis provided useful insights to design and propose a new innovative and sustainable agri-food value chain model; an example for the olive oil business case is provided.
Originality/value
The adding value of the work is the proposed model which regards innovative elements such as recirculation flows, external stakeholders and Industry 4.0 technologies usage which allows enhancing the agri-FSCs operational efficiency and sustainability.
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Hao Lan and Xiaojin Wang
The purpose of this paper is to investigate market power in the Chinese pork supply chain. The authors aim to explain why a steady rise in prices is observed in the sector, apart…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate market power in the Chinese pork supply chain. The authors aim to explain why a steady rise in prices is observed in the sector, apart from existing evidence on incomplete/asymmetric cost pass-through and concerns of growing concentration and consolidation in the sector.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a new empirical industrial organization model for both oligopoly and oligopsony power to measure the degree of market power exerted on consumers and hog farmers simultaneously.
Findings
By examining annual panel data across provinces in China, the authors find that both oligopoly and oligopsony powers exist in the pork supply chain. In particular, the authors determine that a higher degree of market power is found to influence prices paid to hog farmers than prices paid by pork consumers. Estimates of key elasticities in the Chinese pork supply chain are also updated based on the structural model estimation and the latest data.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the lack of data at a more granular level of geography, the authors are only able to estimate market power by three major economic regions.
Practical implications
The findings provide useful information for future policy analyses of Chinese food markets. First, the pork-packing industry should be of great concern in terms of market power and its influence on consumers’ and farmers’ welfare. It is essential to take into consideration market power in the pork supply chain before making any public policy regarding the pork market. Furthermore, following economic theory and experience from developed countries, large meat packers will eventually vertically control hog farmers given their stronger oligopsony power over the upstream. Vertical integration may be the next important issue in terms of food market competition. Finally, the results may also draw the government’s attention to investigating market competition in all major food markets.
Originality/value
The empirical evidence draws attention to the issue of food market competition in one of the largest and most important meat-packing markets in China. The authors hope to encourage further discussions on pork and hog market regulations and related public policies.
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S.O. Jekayinfa, P.O. Okekunle, I.G. Amole and J.A. Oyelade
Because of the peculiar nature of food and agro‐processing industries, the industries cannot tolerate corrosion deposits in their production lines. Hence, there is the need to…
Abstract
Purpose
Because of the peculiar nature of food and agro‐processing industries, the industries cannot tolerate corrosion deposits in their production lines. Hence, there is the need to account for corrosion control before and during the production operations. This is more so in Nigeria where there is little or no proper accountability of corrosion cost in all production system.
Design/methodology/approach
The industries investigated were grouped into: meat and meat product, dairy and milk, beverages and brewery, confectionery and agro‐processing centres. Questionnaires and interview pro forma were used to collect information from ten major factories/outlets in each category. The study involved the use of life cycle costing to assess corrosion management alternatives and to determine the annualized value of each option.
Findings
Among the corrosion prevention methods identified in the industries, greasing gave the least cost contribution (15.9 percent) to the total cost of corrosion prevention followed by painting (17.97 percent) and cleaning (66.14 percent) in that order, while the contribution of each corrosion maintenance method to the total cost of corrosion maintenance was, respectively, 13.08, 7.23, 20.73 and 58.96 percent for annual maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and wages of workers.
Originality/value
This study reveals some of the control measures commonly adopted for minimizing corrosion damage in some selected food and agro‐processing industries in Nigeria. It also investigated the cost implication of each measure and how it affects the present value of processing machineries in each industry. The results of the study have created a state of awareness of corrosion problems to stakeholders, which would encourage preventive actions.
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Corporate social responsibility is a strategic decision whereby anorganization undertakes an obligation to society, for example in theform of sponsorship, commitment to local…
Abstract
Corporate social responsibility is a strategic decision whereby an organization undertakes an obligation to society, for example in the form of sponsorship, commitment to local communities, attention to environmental issues and responsible advertising. The impact of organizational decisions on society in the wider sense has been in evidence in the agricultural and food industries in association with merger and takeover activity, environmental pollution, intensive livestock production, hygiene, health and international marketing practices. Social responsibility has been given credibility through the attention given to social issues by the Confederation of British Industry, the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management and is of immediate relevance to the UK food sector because of the recent initiative of the Institute of Grocery Distribution. First considers social responsibility within a corporate strategy framework and subsequently deals with some theoretical and practical issues in the context of the UK food and agricultural sector.
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