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The purpose of this paper is to facilitate the successful adoption of traceability technologies, such as blockchain, into food supply chains and facilitate the understanding of the barriers and enablers to their uptake by channel members' needs so that appropriate enabling strategy can be put in place.

In this paper, an integrated framework involving five components was used as the methodology: (1) diffusion of innovation theory, (2) the innovation concept, (3) the business structure-conduct-performance paradigm, (4) legitimacy and (5) trust was developed and assessed for validity through interviewing 21 channel members, including distributors, wholesalers, Internet retailers and traditional retailers associated with a global fresh produce company's supply chain in China.

Barriers negatively framing channel members' attitudes and decisions included a perceived lack of need owing to fresh produce having a short shelf life and being of low value and risk. However, the importance of traceability and the need for effective food recalls were not always understood among channel members, and distributed trust innovations were also suppressed by their lack of compatibility with the Chinese hierarchical culture.

To date, channel members' perception of innovations in food supply chains has not been considered in light of the components proposed in the integrated framework. The adapted framework used in this study ensured a comprehensive assessment of channel members' attitude and motivations toward traceability practices.

Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.

The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.

The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.

In recent years, fresh produce (fresh vegetables and fruit) has been circulated widely via e-commerce in Chinese large cities in the form of fresh produce portfolios (FPPs). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the preferences of Chinese consumers for specific FPP attributes.

A choice experiment approach was used to explore consumer preferences. The authors conducted a means-end-chains evaluation to select the attributes for the choice experiment. The authors used a fractional factorial design and finally obtained 18 choice scenarios. The authors collected 166 effective consumer questionnaires in Beijing.

The authors found that among the four attributes considered, certification and the diversity of the FPP had significant effects on the willingness to pay (WTP) among consumers. Residents had heterogeneous preferences for FPP diversity and certification, but certification was the major concern when considering fresh produce in the FPP. With regard to the WTP for attributes in the portfolio, the WTP values for “green” and “organic” attributes were high, but the WTP for the diversity of FPPs was low.

This study is the first attempt to explore the preferences of Chinese consumers regarding the attributes of FPP in an e-commerce environment.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the sustained growth of sweet cherry exports in recent years in Argentina and to what extent the coordination mechanisms between public and private institutions can explain the growth.

The research method used in the paper is descriptive and based on in-depth interviews with producers, agencies and institutions from the cherry industry. Qualitative results are complemented with analysis of key market data.

The sweet cherry industry in Argentina underwent a shake up with entry of new vertically integrated players and the technological upgrade of traditional producers that resulted in an export boom. The transformation of the industry was induced by the global market conditions and, more importantly, the promotion and complementarities achieved through a strong public–private partnership. Despite the constant increase in global demand for counter-season cherries, exports from Argentina are currently struggling to sustain growth. Among various bottlenecks, the authors find the instability of government policies (e.g. labor law, tax system, economic and trade policies) as the main cause for the slowdown in investment and expansion of the planted area.

The paper highlights the importance of understanding the growth process of an industry and the different ways in which public and private sectors can enhance export performance. The relationship between the success of private–public partnerships and the particular configuration and characteristics of the industry deserve further study. The usual limitations from single-case studies apply.

The study has two contributions. First, the study uncovers the economics underlying the development and configuration of the sweet cherry industry in Argentina. Second, the study documents a successful case of private–public partnership to boost exports and reach new markets.

Internet + and Electronic Business in China is a comprehensive resource that provides insight and analysis into E-commerce in China and how it has revolutionized and continues to revolutionize business and society. Split into four distinct sections, the book first lays out the theoretical foundations and fundamental concepts of E-Business before moving on to look at internet+ innovation models and their applications in different industries such as agriculture, finance and commerce. The book then provides a comprehensive analysis of E-business platforms and their applications in China before finishing with four comprehensive case studies of major E-business projects, providing readers with successful examples of implementing E-Business entrepreneurship projects.

Internet + and Electronic Business in China is a comprehensive resource that provides insights and analysis into how E-commerce has revolutionized and continues to revolutionize business and society in China.

This case describes the challenges faced by Amul in organising dairy farmers into a co-operative and creating continuous opportunities for value addition. Participants in the case discussion are required to review the developments in the organisation and recommend a strategy for the future.

The purpose of this study is to determine French consumer perceptions and preferences for fresh fruit from different countries. French consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for citrus fruit and the factors affecting WTP are also determined.

An online consumer survey was conducted in France to collect data on consumer perceptions and preferences for fresh fruits from different countries. The contingent valuation method is used to estimate consumer WTP for fresh citrus fruit. A double hurdle model is used to determine the factors that have substantial impact on consumer preferences.

Results show that fresh fruit from China was perceived as the lowest quality, the least safe, and the cheapest among the fruit from various countries. French consumers had the highest stated WTP for fresh fruit from France, followed by fruit from Spain. In addition, consumer WTP for country of origin varies by type of fruit.

The contingent valuation method does not require consumers to purchase the product being evaluated, which may overestimate consumer stated WTP.

More domestically produced fresh fruit may be provided to satisfy consumer demand for fruit produced in their own countries. As second in consumer stated WTP, Spain should take advantage of the lower price high quality perceptions of their fresh fruit to gain a larger market share in France. Lower rated countries, such as China, Brazil, and Israel, need to improve consumer perception of the fruit from their countries to gain a better position in the fresh fruit market of France.

This is the first paper to present French consumer perception of fresh fruit and WTP for citrus fruit from different countries.

The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of the quality cues that consumers look for in purchasing fresh meat and fresh fruit and vegetables in Malaysia. Through a perceived quality model, this paper identifies the implicit, intrinsic, extrinsic and credence quality cues consumers’ use in their decision to purchase fresh meat and fresh fruit and vegetables.

This study utilised the shopping mall intercept survey method. Data were collected from traditional markets and modern retail outlets in the Klang Valley region in Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was designed to measure consumer’s perceptions and experiences of food quality when purchasing fresh meat and fresh fruit and vegetables from retail outlets. In this study, univariate data analysis (descriptive analysis, one-way analysis of variance) and exploratory factor analysis were performed to analyse the data sets.

Freshness (intrinsic cue), was the most frequently cited variable when respondents thought about the quality of both product categories. Other variables included price and cleanliness (extrinsic cues) and Halal (credence cue), which was associated with the quality of fresh meat. Quality was associated with freshness, food safety, nutrition and value. Exploratory factor analysis identified food safety (implicit cue) as the most important construct in the respondents’ evaluation of quality for both fresh meat and fresh fruit and vegetables.

There is a paucity of research focusing on consumer’s perceptions and experiences of food quality in the purchase of fresh meat and fresh produce in Malaysia. The findings of this research may assist the Malaysian food industry by providing new insights into the consumers’ perceptions of food quality.