Green Supply Chain Collaboration: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Green supply chain collaboration (GSCC) is an important enabler for the successful implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM). This article aims to systematically review the current knowledge structure in the GSCC field and suggest directions for a new research agenda. A systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis are employed to evaluate 1,462 articles from five databases. After eliminating unrelated articles, 100 were classified on the basis of content analysis and a subsequent citation network analysis performed using Pajek software. The results align with those of supply chain collaboration - information sharing, decision synchronization, and incentive alignment [1]. In accordance with the results, five research directions are outlined for future research in the GSCC field. 

Do consumers care about environmentally sustainable attributes along the food supply chain? —A systematic literature review

The agri-food market has shown a clear signal of "green" consumption that drives an increasing interest in studying consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for food products with environmentally sustainable attributes, such as eco-friendly and carbon neutral. Whilst many existing studies have focused on a general idea of green attributes or on-farm practices that are regarded to be most relevant to the attributes, the agri-food industry has started to address consumers' concerns about the negative environmental impacts of agri-food production across the whole supply chain, including the processing, transportation, and consumption process. It is therefore the purpose of this study to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature on consumers' intentions of purchasing and WTP for food products with environmentally sustainable attributes, with a special interest in understanding the connections between consumer behaviours and different stages of the food supply chain. Results of the study revealed three main research gaps: the lack of clear definitions of environmentally sustainable attributes; ignorance of connections between the characteristics of environmentally sustainable attributes and different stages of the food supply chain; and lacking effective information processing among the key players along the supply chain, leading to inefficient communication between the supply and demand side. The findings of the study help form a conceptual framework for future studies to associate environmentally sustainable attributes to the whole food supply chain that helps the agri-food industry to effectively process market information, communicate with consumers, and satisfy the market demand

Modelo conceptual para la implementación de prácticas de economía circular en la cadena de suministro farm to fork

79 páginasUna de las prioridades de las Naciones Unidas enmarcadas en los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS) a 2030, es el cuidado medio ambiente. En este sentido, se han planteado estrategias y modelos económicos que permiten articular el beneficio económico y social con el medio ambiente, contribuyendo así al alcance de los ODS. Una de las estrategias que se destaca es la Economía Circular (EC), también definida como un modelo económico alternativo que por medio de diferentes prácticas de producción y consumo sostenible que cierren los ciclos de materiales y energía para alcanzar el equilibrio entre los campos financieros, ambientales y operacionales. La EC se ha venido implementando en diferentes sectores, por ejemplo, en el sector agroindustrial y de restauración, los alimentos representan recursos que pueden ser aprovechados de maneras más eficientes, y el reaprovechamiento de residuos orgánicos puede ofrecer grandes beneficios al volver a ciclos biológicos en forma de abono y energía. Este estudio analiza la cadena de suministro (CS) de los establecimientos gastronómicos, con el fin de plantear una caracterización y prácticas posibles que faciliten la implementación de la económica circular e incrementen la competitividad del sector.One of the United Nations' priorities is caring for the environment. This is framed in the sustainable development goals (SDG) to 2030. Strategies and economic models have been proposed to articulate the economic and social benefit of the environment, thus contributing to the achievement of SDGs. One of the strategies that stand out is Circular Economy (CE), also defined as an alternative economic model that works through different production practices and sustainable consumption, allowing us to close the cycles of materials and energy to balance the financial, environmental, and operational fields. CE has been implemented in different sectors. For example, in the agro-industrial and catering sectors, food represents resources used in more efficient ways. The reuse of organic waste can offer great benefits by going back to biological cycles in the shape of compost and energy. This study analyzes the supply chain (SC) of gastronomic establishments to propose a characterization and practices that facilitate the implementation of the Circular economy model to increase the competitiveness of the sector.Maestría en Gerencia de OperacionesMagíster en Gerencia de Operacione

Cost-sharing models for green product production and marketing in a food supply chain

Purpose: the purpose of this paper is to explore the coordination mechanism of cost sharing for green food production and marketing between a food producer and a supplier who both contribute to the sales of green food.Design/methodology/approach: this paper first develops demand functions for both a food supplier and a producer, considering their influence on green degree of food and associated consumers’ acceptances. Then, cost-sharing contracts-based game models are proposed. At last, regarding to optimal supply chain profits and green performance, the proposed contracts and the non-coordination situation are compared and tested by a real case.Findings: when green cost is only shared by one side, the cost-sharing contracts cannot optimally coordinate the food supply chain, but it can improve profits for both the supplier and producer. When consumers’ sensitivity to the green degree of food increases, a mutual cost-sharing contract will bring more profits for both the supplier and producer than those under the non-coordination mode in a decentralized supply chain situation. A real case verifies the conclusions.Research limitations/implications: the models are in complete information, and the market demand is assumed to be linear to sales price. Mutual cost sharing is only for material processing and food production, which can be extended to include sharing for sales cost. Coordination ideas on the proposed contracts development and solutions for optimal decisions can be applied in the other industries.Practical implications: the study shows that coordination between a supplier and a producer is needed to improve the food supply chain’s green performance.Originality/valueThis paper first extends the existing profit functions by considering the green efforts of both a supplier and a producer as well as their effects on green degree of products and consumers’ acceptances to the green degree.</div

UK food sustainability and global food supply chains: a sustainability impact study of Ghana's fresh vegetable exports to the UK

The purpose of this research is to explore the opportunities for reducing sustainability implications associated with the UK's global food supply chains by analysing Ghana's fresh vegetables exports. Existing literature assesses sustainability implications focusing on the traditional sustainability dimensions; namely, the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Further, studies on the assessment of the UK food sustainability are yet to consider sustainability concerns generated by global food sources. To facilitate a holistic evaluation of the UK's global food supply chains and propagate its vision of global leadership in food sustainability, there is a need to consider all other relevant sustainability dimensions and their impacts associated with the activities and operations of global food suppliers. Case study data involving interviews and focus groups, together with survey data, are obtained from producers of Ghanaian fresh vegetables, such as smallholder farmers, outgrowers, local farmers, and exporters. The interviews and focus groups are first analysed using NVivo 11 software, following a thematic approach. Multilinear Regression (MLR) is performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse the survey, in order to examine the relationship between sustainable food supply chains (sustainable FSC) and sustainability dimensions identified from the thematic analysis of the interviews and focus groups. These findings indicate that six sustainability dimensions and their associated impacts are important in analysing Ghana's fresh vegetable exports to the UK. These are environmental, social, and economic dimensions, regulatory frameworks, collaboration, and producers' complexities in developing sustainable food supply chains (sustainable FSC). Interestingly, the survey results suggest that four of these dimensions are statistically significant; these are environmental, social, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration. The survey further revealed that an increase in regulatory frameworks and mechanisms can reduce sustainable FSC; whereas an increase in the practices and activities of the environmental, social, and collaborative dimensions increases sustainable FSC, thus improving overall sustainability. Revelations and findings from both the thematic and survey analysis were utilised to develop, test and validate the Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) model (thus, a conceptual framework of the study). This study contributes to the body of knowledge in several ways. To theory, an SIA model is suggested, demonstrating the capture of all important sustainability dimensions; namely, environmental, economic, social, regulatory, collaboration, and complexities of food supply chains. It extends the discussion on sustainability impact assessments and sustainability development and encourages research in sustainability assessment. In practice, this SIA model can facilitate easy capture, examination, and evaluation of all relevant sustainability implications and allow new insights into the development and assessment of the stream of sustainability development. Among many other implications such as promoting collaboration, policymakers need to encourage FairTrade for producers in developing countries, and regulatory mechanisms should be re-designed to enhance profitability by using simple conformity and economic incentives. Further, food trade partners and FSC professionals should encourage smart strategies and technologies to enhance logistics that minimise food waste and energy consumption, while boosting producers' welfare. Moreover, governments and policymakers should ensure that the sustainability concerns of overseas countries are captured in food policies and strategies to help facilitate global leadership in food sustainability