A Knowledge Network and Mobilisation Framework for Lean Supply Chain Decisions in Agri-Food Industry

Copyright ©2017 IGI Global. Reproduced with permission from IGI Global. All rights, including translation into other languages reserved by the publisher. No part of this article may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher, except for noncommercial, educational use including classroom teaching purposes.Making the right decisions for food supply chain is extremely important towards achieving sustainability in agricultural businesses. This paper explores that knowledge sharing to support food supply chain decisions to achieve lean performance (i.e. to reduce/eliminate non-value-adding activities, or “waste” in lean term). The focus of the paper is on defining new knowledge networks and mobilisation approaches to address the network and community nature of current supply chains. Based on critical analysis of the state-of-the-art in the topic area, a knowledge network and mobilisation framework for lean supply chain management has been developed. The framework has then been evaluated using a case study from the food supply chain. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been used to incorporate expert's view on the defined knowledge networks and mobilisation approaches with respect to their contribution to achieving various lean performance objectives. The results from the work have a number of implications for current knowledge management and supply chain management in theory and in practice.Peer reviewe

Crystallisation of Collective Action in the Emergence of a Geographical Indication System

Replaced with revised version of paper 09/20/11.collective action, geographical indications, clusters, translation cycles, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Labor and Human Capital,

Knowledge Mobilization for Agri-Food Supply Chain Decisions: Identification of Knowledge Boundaries and Categorization of Boundary-Spanning Mechanisms

The current world business environment is characterized by increasing uncertainties, complexities, and risks, which require agri-food supply chain (AFSC) managers to respond and act quickly in a context full of instability and unpredictability. Increasing pressure placed on AFSC managers intensifies the need to combine knowledge management (KM) and decision support that rapidly overcome knowledge boundaries. It has been recognized that the research issue related to the knowledge mobilization crossing boundaries in the AFSC needs to be addressed. This paper investigates knowledge boundaries and boundary-spanning mechanisms by collecting data from experienced AFSC practitioners. Empirical results verify that knowledge boundaries such as syntactic boundaries, semantic boundaries, and pragmatic boundaries could be effectively tackled by four specific boundary-spanning mechanisms: boundary spanners, boundary objects, boundary practices, and boundary discourses

The impact of knowledge governance mechanisms on supply chain performance: Empirical evidence from the agri-food industry

The agri-food supply chain (AFSC) is an extremely complex structure that comprises a series of events from farm-to-fork. Additionally, there is a wide range of information and material flows required to be managed, which are seen as the knowledge flow in the AFSCs. It is expected that the use of knowledge governance mechanisms (KGMs) will help in enhancing AFSC performance. To examine the impact of KGMs on AFSC performance, a mixed methods research design was applied. First, semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. Then, themes were generated through thematic analysis. Afterwards, relationships between KGMs and AFSC performance were built by using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM). Finally, questionnaire-based structured interviews were undertaken to evaluate the empirical and theoretical findings further. The research results indicate that trust-, reciprocity-, market-, and contract-based KGMs have positive effects on product quality, efficiency, flexibility, responsiveness, and process quality of AFSC. Furthermore, market-based KGM, located in the lowest level in the TISM hierarchy, should be given additional focus due to its role as a key force driving the higher level of AFSC performance and other KGMs. The findings provide AFSC practitioners with useful guidance on how the relationships between KGMs and AFSC performance should be managed to improve the performance of AFSC

Evaluating the intention to use Industry 5.0 (I5.0) drones for cleaner production in Sustainable Food Supply Chains:an emerging economy context

YesPurpose – The purpose of this study is to evaluate food supply chain stakeholders’ intention to use Industry 5.0 (I5.0) drones for cleaner production in food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – We used a quantitative research design and collected data using an online survey administered to a sample of 264 food supply chain stakeholders in Nigeria. The partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was conducted to assess the research’s hypothesised relationships. Findings – We provide empirical evidence to support the contributions of I5.0 drones for cleaner production. Our findings showed that food supply chain stakeholders are more concerned with the use of I5.0 drones in specific operations such as reducing plant diseases which invariably enhances cleaner production. However, there is less inclination to drones adoption if the aim was pollution reduction, predicting seasonal output and addressing workers health and safety challenges. Our findings outline the need for awareness to promote the use of drones for addressing workers hazard challenges and knowledge transfer on the potentials of I5.0 in emerging economies. Originality – This is the first study to address I5.0 drones' adoption using a sustainability model. We contribute to existing literature by extending the sustainability model to identify the contributions of drones use in promoting cleaner production through addressing specific system operations. This study addresses the gap by augmenting a sustainability model, suggesting that technology adoption for sustainability is motivated by curbing challenges categorised as drivers and mediators

From Rhetoric To Policy Action: An Analysis of Agricultural Policy Reform in Six African Countries

Agricultural conditions and means of achieving food security are long overdue. Despite the claims that the food crisis of 2007/8 was a temporary shock, data released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other independent sources suggest that food prices will increase steadily over the next decade, despite occasional fluctuations (Evans, 2009). The number of the world's food insecure is growing. Latest estimates indicate that approximately one billion people are food insecure or one in seven go to bed to hungry every day (FAO, 2009, Action Aid, 2010: 7). The majority of these poor households are based in Africa's countryside

When workplace unionism in global value chains does not function well : exploring the impediments

Improving working conditions at the bottom of global value chains has become a central issue in our global economy. In this battle, trade unionism has been presented as a way for workers to make their voices heard. Therefore, it is strongly promoted by most social standards. However, establishing a well-functioning trade union is not as obvious as it may seem. Using a comparative case study approach, we examine impediments to farm-level unionism in the cut flower industry in Ethiopia. For this purpose, we propose an integrated framework combining two lenses, namely a vertical one (governance and structure of global value chains) and a horizontal one (socio-economic context). We identify 10 impediments that point to three major dimensions contributing to unionisation. These three dimensions include awareness of and interest from workers, legitimacy of trade unions, and capacity of trade unions to act. Furthermore, our results suggest that private social standards may, in certain cases, be counterproductive for the efficient functioning of trade unions. Although we argue that there is no ‘quick fix’ solution to weak workplace unionism at the bottom of global value chains, we stress the importance of considering the dynamics of, and interactions between, the impediments when designing potential support measures that mitigate negative impacts