Agri-food business: Global challenges â Innovative solutions

The rise of a western-style middle class in many successful emerging economies like China currently is inducing deep structural changes on agricultural world markets and within the global agri-food business. As a result of both higher incomes and concerns over product safety and quality the global demand for high-quality and safe food products is increasing significantly. In order to meet the new required quality, globally minimum quality standards are rising and private standards emerging. All over the world these developments cause adjustments at the enterprise, chain and market levels. At the same time, the tremendously increasing demand for renewable energy has led to the emergence of a highly promising market for biomass production. This has far-reaching consequences for resource allocation in the agri-food business, for the environment, for the poor in developing countries and for agricultural policy reforms. The challenges increase with ongoing liberalisation, globalisation and standardisation, all of which change trade patterns for agricultural and food commodities, and influence production costs and commodity prices. The objective of the IAMO Forum is to show opportunities as well as risks for all participants of the food economy in the ongoing globalisation process: for small peasants in developing countries, farmers in Europe and globally active food enterprises and retailers. The success of enterprises depends on the ability to find innovative solutions with regard to the organisation of enterprises, chains, and markets, as well as future policy design. Concerning bio-energy strategies has to be identified to combat global warming most efficiently and concurrently attenuate the competition between "tank and table" on farmland. IAMO Forum 2008, as well as this book, would not have been possible without the engagement of many people and institutions. We thank the authors of the papers, as well as the referees. Furthermore we are highly indebted to MARLIES LOHR, NADINE GIEMSA and RONNY RECKE who in an outstanding way contributed to the organisation of the Forum. This is true as well for the IAMO administration, whose work we gratefully acknowledge. Many sponsors has funded the IAMO Forum 2008. We are very grateful to the German Research Foundation (DFG), The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Production in Germany, The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Federal State Saxony-Anhalt, Germany and last but not least the City of Halle. Further Conference sponsors are the BIONADE Corporation, Gaensefurther Mineral Water, The Wine Growers Association of the Region Saale-Unstrut, Germany, Obsthof am SüÃen See GmbH, Monsanto Company, KWS Saat AG, Sachsen-Anhalt-Tours, Baumkuchen Salzwedel and the Hallesches Brauhaus.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Industrial Organization, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Development, Marketing, Political Economy,

A method for assessing the viability of distributed localised manufacturing within the food sector

This thesis reports on the research undertaken to increase the sustainability of food production through the transition towards a ‘Distributed Localised Manufacturing’ (DLM) strategy. The DLM strategy aims to facilitate holistic improvements of future food supply chains. The principle objective of this research is to generate an assessment method which collects relevant food manufacturing systems data and expert knowledge to evaluate the suitability of DLM to manufacture the wide range of food product families. The research contributions are divided into three major parts. The first part reviews relevant literature regarding the organisation of the food manufacturing sector and its current behaviour, examines alternative manufacturing strategies and assesses the need for this research. The second part of this research defines the concept of DLM in the context of food manufacturing, and identifies four system models; namely Manufacturer DLM, Retailer DLM, Service Provider DLM and Consumer DLM; which can be used to implement the DLM strategy. Furthermore, it investigates a method used to assess the suitability of this approach for specific product families using nine distinctive metrics, and a decision-support model utilised to identify the most appropriate DLM system model for a specific application. The final part demonstrates the application of the developed assessment method through the generation of case studies. [Continues.]</div

Agri-food business: global challenges - innovative solutions

The rise of a western-style middle class in many successful emerging economies like China currently is inducing deep structural changes on agricultural world markets and within the global agri-food business. As a result of both higher incomes and concerns over product safety and quality the global demand for high-quality and safe food products is increasing significantly. In order to meet the new required quality, globally minimum quality standards are rising and private standards emerging. All over the world these developments cause adjustments at the enterprise, chain and market levels. At the same time, the tremendously increasing demand for renewable energy has led to the emergence of a highly promising market for biomass production. This has far-reaching consequences for resource allocation in the agri-food business, for the environment, for the poor in developing countries and for agricultural policy reforms. The challenges increase with ongoing liberalisation, globalisation and standardisation, all of which change trade patterns for agricultural and food commodities, and influence production costs and commodity prices. CONTENTS: Preface... i; On the political economy of food standards ... 1, Johan F. M. Swinnen, Thijs Vandemoortele; An analytical framework for the study of deviant behaviour in production... 11, Norbert Hirschauer, Gaetano Martino; Netchain innovations for sustainable pork supply chains in an EU Context... 22, Rannia Nijhoff-Savvaki, Jacques Trienekens, Onno Omta; Inclusion of dairy farms in supply chain in Bulgaria - Modes, efficiency, perspectives... 35, Hrabrin Bachev; The effective traceability on the example of Polish supply chain ... 47, Agnieszka Bezat, Sebastian Jarzebowski; Geographical indications in transition countries: Governance, vertical integration and territorial impact. Illustration with case studies from Serbia... 58, Marguerite Paus; Processing and marketing feasibility of underutilized fruit species of Rajasthan, India ... 70, Dheeraj Singh, Lobsang Wangshu, V. C. Prahalad; Future impact of new technologies upon food quality and health in Central Eastern European countries... 82, Lajos Zoltán Bakucs, Imre Ferto, Attila Havas; Are food industry companies interested in co-financing collective agricultural marketing?... 95, Anikó Tóth, Csaba Forgács; Farmers' reasons for engaging in bioenergy utilisation and their institutional context: A case study from Germany ... 106, Melf-Hinrich Ehlers; Degree and pattern of agro-food trade integration of South-Eastern European countries with the European Union ... 118, Štefan Bojnec, Imre Ferto; Competitiveness of cotton and wheat production and processing in Central Asia ... 133, Inna Levkovych --

Developing a ‘best practice’ supply chain performance and operational framework for dairy producers : a multiple case study analysis in Egypt

Supply chain management is based on the global concept, where different companies are connected worldwide. Moreover, supply chain performance management is a growing field of study, especially for perishable products. Egyptian dairy producers have suffered a significant drop in their production since 2011, due to the poor quality and quantity of raw milk, changes in governmental regulations, hazard risks, and volatility in consumer taste. This has threatened meeting the increasing market demand for dairy products. Extant literature highlighted the following gaps: limited research assessing the dairy producers' supply chain performance in a detailed view from an operational perspective, and lack of specific performance measures especially in Egypt as a developing country in this context. Therefore, this thesis introduces a best practice performance framework for dairy producers in Egypt to optimise and assess their performance, in terms of sustainable production of safe and secure dairy products to fulfil the Egyptian market demand. The research adopts three theories to explore and understand the research problem. The resource-based view theory is used to identify the operational capabilities and the critical control points within the production. Network theory is used to explore the risks in the wider dairy supply chain and identify solutions to overcome them. Last, the institutional theory is used to understand the pressures faced by dairy producers, all of which will help to develop a best practice performance framework by following the mimetic approach to contrast and compile the performance measures of the top six large Egyptian dairy producers. That is achieved by referring to the Supply Chain Operation Reference (SCOR) model key attributes as a guide. This research utilises a narrative literature review to consolidate the background knowledge on the dairy sector’s operations and supply chain risks. Then, classify the different operational and supply chain performance measures and models to provide future research directions based on the research gaps identified. A multiple case-study methodology is adopted in this study. It follows a qualitative research approach across two phases by using the NVivo12 software to conduct a thematic analysis. Firstly, two observations and seventeen exploratory semi structured interviews with key informants within six case studies were conducted to explore the operational capabilities, critical control points and performance measures and the risks affecting large Egyptian dairy producers. Secondly, two focus groups were held with a diversified sample of practitioners, government officials, and suppliers to validate the results of the first phase. The key findings of the research highlighted that those dairy producers performing on a satisfactory level qualify them to adopt the SCOR model to enhance their performance and imitate the dairy producers’ practices in developed countries. The following key areas were addressed: 1) identifying the current operational capabilities needed to produce milk products, defining and classifying new critical control points for the production of UHT milk and pasteurised milk which up until now remains vague and not well determined, 2) each producer has designed their performance measures which has left them exposed to vulnerabilities and limits their optimum utilisation of their capabilities and to be able to continually improve. Thus, standardisation of performance measures and sharing of best practice, with a detailed classification for applicability is key for Egyptian dairy producers. A major contribution of this research is the development of an operational and supply chain performance-based best practice framework, based on SCOR, to guide the dairy producers through optimising and enhancing their production of safe and secure dairy products. Further, the research has identified three new SCOR attributes: a) suppliers’ improvement and traceability, b) health and safety environment, and c) employees’ morale, also seven new critical control points and capabilities. Besides, utilising the qualitative approach to provide in-depth within and cross-case exploration of six large dairy producers’ current state. This research also recommends that the government should leverage the small farmers within a milk hub, with a tracking system, to close the gap of raw milk supply shortage to Egypt. That addresses the shortcomings in the extant literature, which will significantly contribute to enhancing the performance and sustainability of the Egyptian dairy industry as a whole, and consequently will benefit the Egyptian economy. That sets the base for future researchers to utilise the proposed best practice for a wider scope of dairy producers with similar characteristics

Paths to Innovation in Supply Chains: The Landscape of Future Research

This chapter presents a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for supply chain and it is the result of an intensive work jointly performed involving a wide network of stakeholders from discrete manufacturing, process industry and logistics sector to put forward a vision to strengthen European Supply Chains for the next decade. The work is based on matching visions from literature and from experts with several iterations between desk research and workshops, focus groups and interviews. The result is a detailed analysis of the supply chain strategies identified as most relevant for the next years and definition of the related research and innovation topics as future developments and steps for the full implementation of the strategies, thus proposing innovative and cutting-edge actions to be implemented based on technological development and organisational change

From truth to trust: the impact of blockchain traceability on trust in product authenticity

In the global marketplace, customers are increasingly unaware of the source, provenance, and authenticity of products. Early research has shown that the introduction of blockchain technology into the supply chain area can make it more transparent and trustworthy. As a platform that supports distributed, cryptographically secure, auditable transactions, blockchain has expanded from the domain of digital cryptocurrency into the domain of physical asset provenance and ownership tracking and tracing. This research examines blockchain support of trust in product authenticity adopting a two-paper dissertation format. In the first conceptual paper, I develop a conceptual framework on blockchain technology\u27s unique features and characteristics and how it can boost trust in product authenticity. The second paper adopts the conceptual framework to test through a vignette experiment the effects of blockchain traceability, product identification, and the interaction between them on trust in product origin authenticity. Academics can use this research to develop new instruments to inform practice about how blockchain can boost trust in product authenticity. Results from this study can inform managers considering investments into blockchain solutions and unique product identification as a customer product authenticity, brand protection, or anti-counterfeiting strategy

Product planning of manufactured construction products

The construction industry is experiencing further industrialisation to achieve greater efficiency and flexibility in the development of manufactured construction products. The development of these products poses challenges because of new complex design requirements and manufacturing processes. There is therefore a need to develop product planning methods that can effectively address these challenges. This research aims to develop product planning methods for complexity management of manufactured construction products. A framework for product planning for manufactured construction products is proposed, which involves application of methods for requirements management and modularisation. Using a reverse engineering approach, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method was applied to a modular plantroom to model and analyse its requirements. The plantroom QFD model facilitated a deeper understanding of requirements analysis than existing practice at the collaborating company. The QFD method was subsequently applied to a whole modular apartment building to analyse its requirements and investigate how requirements flow down across hierarchical levels. The application showed that a series of connected QFD models support requirements analysis by allowing to investigate systems structure, traceability and data analytic solutions of complex building systems. The QFD models were evaluated and validated by engineers at the collaborating company and were found to be effective at capturing and analysing requirements. QFD is a powerful requirements analysis method for manufactured construction products because it offers a more systematic, holistic and structured approach to requirements analysis than those currently adopted in the industry. The research also investigated the development and application of a multi-driver modularisation approach for manufactured construction products. The approach uses and integrates three modular tools, namely Dependency Structure Matrix, Modular Identification Matrix and Generational Variance Indexes, which support the design of flexible product systems. The approach is able to address multiple modularisation drivers and provide valuable design information.Open Acces

An appropriate level of risk: Balancing the need for safe livestock products with fair market access for the poor

This paper examines the role of livestock products as commodities of trade, responding to the demand and higher prices that many external markets offer, and at the same time providing important contributions to the development process in poorer countries. It highlights that this opportunity is not without its threats: much of the Western world has, over the last half century in particular, invested substantial amounts of money in controlling and eradicating many infectious diseases of livestock, and in building up healthy and highly productive animals, the products derived from which earn them very large sums of money on world markets. Such countries are not willing to take risks that could threaten their livestock industries, and their domestic and export markets that maintain high animal health and food safety standards. The study builds on a number of 'success stories', examples where developing countries have succeeded in exporting livestock or livestock products to external markets. An analysis of the factors governing their success revealed some commonalities: all were driven by strong private sector partners who contributed capital, management expertise and entrepreneurial flair; most concerned livestock products, rather than live animals, which matched the market's requirements; many had developed strong brand identities which had become synonymous with quality, safety and dependability; and many were vertically integrated systems, incorporating small and medium scale out-grower producers. Often these successes have been achieved despite the absence of effective support from the public sector, such as national veterinary authorities. One of the key findings of this study is the disparity between the push for global harmonisation of animal health standards for trade, and the lack of capacity of developing countries, particularly LDCs, to meet these standards. The study considers how this might be rectified and concludes that building capacity of regional bodies to create regional centres of excellence with regard to SPS matters may be the most practical way forward.Livestock Production/Industries,

Improvement of the software systems development life cycle of the credit scoring process at a financial institution through the application of systems engineering

A Research Report Submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment in partial fulfilment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Science in EngineeringThe research centred on improving the current software systems development life cycle (SDLC) of the credit scoring process at a financial institution based on systems engineering principles. The research sought ways to improve the current software SDLC in terms of cost, schedule and performance. This paper proposes an improved software SDLC that conforms to the principles of systems engineering. As decisioning has been automated in financial institutions, various processes are developed according to a software SDLC in order to ensure accuracy and validity thereof. This research can be applied to various processes within financial institutions where software development is conducted, verified and tested. A comparative analysis between the current software SDLC and a recommended SDLC was performed. Areas within the current SDLC that did not comply with systems engineering principles were identified. These inefficiencies were found during unit testing, functional testing and regression testing. An SDLC is proposed that conforms to systems engineering principles and is expected to reduce the current SDLC schedule by 20 per cent. Proposed changes include the sequence of processes within the SDLC, increasing test coverage by extracting data from the production environment, filtering and sampling data from the production environment, automating functional testing using mathematical algorithms, and creating a test pack for regression testing which adequately covers the software change.MT201