Information sharing as a safeguard against the opportunistic behavior of South African Karoo Lamb farmers

Misconduct in global meat supply chains are omnipresent and even more so in differentiated chains where credence attributes such as origin and taste are used to differentiate the product. By definition, these attributes signal asymmetric information which implies that in the presence of bounded rational individuals with conflicting interests, misconduct in the form of opportunistic behavior is bound to prevail. Increased information exchange through farmer networks is, however, expected to reduce opportunistic behavior. In the case of a differentiated meat product, such as Karoo Lamb, the article studies the farmer‐abattoir transaction with the purpose of recommending strategies that can be implemented to reduce the farmer's tendency to behave opportunistically. The article employs the PLS approach to SEM and reveals a significant negative relationship between information shared and opportunistic behavior. The results indicate significant positive relationships between trust in the abattoir and information shared as well as between farmer networks and information shared. These results are indicative of the support provided to the information shared construct by higher levels of trust between farmers and abattoirs and established farmer networks. It is, therefore, recommended that differentiated meat supply chains, through their various associations, concentrate their efforts to promote information sharing by building stronger, trust centered relationships and by supporting farmer networks.     

Building Collaborative Relationships with Distributors in the Dutch Potted Flower and Plant Industry

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to discuss the impact of the information network and trust on collaborative relationships as well as the impact of the collaboration on the performance of suppliers (i.e., growers). Combining network and trust, growers can build collaborative efforts, namely joint action and the norm of flexibility. Network in this paper is analyzed in terms of its information that can support a supplier in coordinating the channel relationship. By means of trust, a grower and his distributor may have adequate mutual understanding and shared experience to creatively solve problems, set up effective planning and be flexible in the day-to-day management. The discussion is based on the network approach to channel relationships and considers elements of the transaction cost economics and marketing channels. One hundred seventy-five growers of the Dutch potted flower and plant industry answered the questionnaires about their relationships with distributors. This data was analyzed through structural equation modeling in Lisrel. The results show the safeguarding effects of the information network to encourage joint action and flexibility. Also, trust influences directly flexibility and indirectly joint action. Flexible growers achieve high profitability and growth rate. This study implies that the network and trust should be considered in making the decision about the degree of collaboration in a channel relationship. To achieve an efficient mechanism of coordination, managers need to draw special attention to the development and maintenance of trust and the network.     

木材加工业供应链伙伴关系现状研究

用信任、关系承诺和依赖性3个维度作为衡量木材加工业供应链伙伴关系的调查指标,对福建省莆田市70家木材加工业供应链企业的性质、企业参与木材加工业供应链的情况、企业对供应链上下游企业更加偏好信任的企业类型以及木材加工业供应链的伙伴关系进行问卷调查。调查结果表明:不少原木材或木制品流通企业开始走上了工贸结合的道路,绝大多数被调查企业既有上游供应商也有下游厂商或经销商,一半的企业更加信任供应链上游企业;在木材加工业供应链中,多数企业对上下游企业之间的信任度较高、关系承诺较好,多数企业认为通过建立供应链伙伴关系能实现双方共赢但倾向于有更好的供应商或厂商时选择更换。因此,建议在木材加工供应链伙伴企业间,建立以木材行业协会为纽带的信任机制,建立以核心企业为中心的长期合作关系,建立信息共享平台,促进木材加工业供应链伙伴间的信息共享。     

微型茶企社会网络对茶叶营销渠道绩效的影响

根据社会资本理论,从社会网络视角,探讨微型茶企社会网络对茶叶营销渠道绩效的影响机制。通过实地调研与深度访谈收集问卷,运用结构方程模型与层次回归分析法对微型茶企社会网络影响茶叶营销渠道绩效的机制进行实证研究。研究结果表明:社会网络维度中网络中心性、网络异质性、网络关系度均对营销渠道绩效有显著的正向影响;渠道稳定性在社会网络对营销渠道绩效的影响中起中介作用;社会信任在渠道稳定性对营销渠道绩效影响中具有调节作用。据此,从构建关系网络维护体系,实现信息资源的高效传递与利用;拓展异质性社会网络,实现信息资源的有效开发和重组;占据社会网络中心位置,实现信息资源的快速交换与整合等方面提出建议。     

An Empirical Examination of the Role of Trust in Consumer and Supplier Relationship of Little Direct Contact: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

In view of the growing interest in consumer trust, this article examines the determinants and consequence of trust in the relationship between business and consumers with little direct contact. By using structural equation modelling, a framework of consumer trust was developed, and the effect of trust and its determinants was assessed. The findings suggest that provision of trust information, integrity, and benevolence are crucial in building up trust, whereas competence affects trust building indirectly through the provision of trust information. Consumer trust was confirmed to have a positive effect on the consumer's intention for future purchase. Within the limitations of the study, the implications of these results are discussed and further research is suggested.     

构建我国土地信托登记制度的思考

《信托法》确立了信托登记制度 ,但有关规定过于简单和含糊 ,现行土地管理法律法规也没有关于土地信托登记的具体规定 ,导致在实践中难以操作。在分析信托财产的法律性质、信托公示与物权公示 (土地登记 )关系的基础上 ,提出构建我国土地信托登记制度的设想。     

基于过程管理的水库移民后扶信息流共享模型

水库移民后期扶持已成为关系水利水电事业顺利建设,库区、安置区社会稳定发展的重大民生和社会问题。水库移民后期扶持信息的科学管理是水库移民后扶项目管理的重要组成部分。分析了传统水库移民后扶工作中信息流管理存在信息来源单一、数据处理不充分、信息交换不到位以及信息传达滞后等问题,以促进水库移民后扶工作的高效、科学管理并最终实现保障广大水库移民的切实利益为根本目标,提出了将移民纳入后扶信息的关键位置,并采用末端系统对数据进行充分关联和整合处理的共享、糅合程度更高的水库移民后期扶持信息流共享新模式,为水库移民后扶项目的科学高效管理提供信息和技术支持。     

The Role of Guanxi Networks in Vegetable Supply Chains: Empirical Evidence from P.R. China

This study attempts to empirically investigate how the concepts of relationship marketing affect market performance in Chinese vegetable sector. We interviewed 167 vegetable farmers and 84 processing and exporting companies to test our conceptual relationship model. Results demonstrate that personal relationships (called guanxi in China) significantly improve interpersonal trust and transaction-specific investments, which eventually show a significant impact on market performance. Results imply that the impact of guanxi networks differ on farmers and on companies. The study also reveals that transaction-related attributes (such as risk, channel requirements, and transaction conditions) influence trust, investment behavior, and market performance together with guanxi networks. The article ends with several managerial implications regarding the development of relationship marketing in China.     

Trust and economic relationships in selected European agrifood chains

The role of trust in eight selected agrifood chains in four EU countries is explored. The empirical analysis is based on a qualitative assessment of 28 expert interviews conducted in summer/autumn 2005. In particular, the connection between perceived trust levels and the prevailing type of vertical economic relationships are explored from the perspectives of farmers, processors and retailers. The findings suggest that trust is more pronounced among SMEs, which are characterized by the existence of personal relationships between business partners. However, as is clear for pork breeders, if a source of distrust exists, trust may not fully develop. Also, if the general economic situation is difficult, the development of trust may be hampered, because all chain participants are struggling to command a share of a diminishing margin within the chain. Finally, if economic power is distributed unevenly, as is the case in Germany, Ireland, Spain and the UK where retailers dominate most chains, trust of the more powerful may be limited.     

电商采纳与农民合作社内部信任

电商采纳使合作社被嵌入进新资源与技术环境之中。在电商情境下,合作社电商采纳通过提升社员与合作社交易忠诚度、增多社员与合作社交易环节来增强合作社内部人际信任;通过增强社员对信息技术的信任、促进合作社推广新型农业技术来增强合作社内部技术信任;通过促进合作社完善制度建设、建立公平机制来增强合作社制度信任。人际信任、技术信任和制度信任构成了合作社稳定的信任“三角架构”,建构了合作社内部信任的混合治理机制,其中,技术信任起到调节作用,其在有效促进人际信任向制度信任转化的同时,既能避免人际信任浓度被过分稀释,又能保障在合作社信任结构中制度信任的演进方向。     

Domestically produced food: Consumer perceptions of origin, safety and the issue of trust

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the public to attempt to assess risks using traditional methods such as smell, taste or other physical attributes of food. The existence of extrinsic cues such as the country of origin (COO) of food can help to make food purchase decisions easier for consumers. However, the use of extrinsic cues depends heavily on the extent to which consumers trust such signals to be indicative of quality or safety, which in turn depends on the credibility behind that cue. This paper aims to examine consumers association of domestically produced food with increased food safety standards and the association of COO and food safety information with socio-demographics and other aspects of consumer psychology such as attitudes, risk perception and trust. Using an ordered probit model, domestic production is examined as an extrinsic cue for food safety by looking at the relationship with trust in food safety information provided by national food standards agencies (NFSAs) and other socio-demographic characteristics, based on nationally representative data from 2725 face-to-face interviews across five European countries. Results suggest that domestic production of food is an extrinsic cue for food safety and as consumers place increasing importance on food safety they are more interested in food produced in their own country. This, coupled with consumer trust in a strong, and independent national food standards agency, suggests the potential exists for the increased consumption of domestically produced foods.     

Livelihood diversification,mobile phones and information diversity in Northern Tanzania

Throughout the developing world, households are diversifying their livelihood activities to manage risk and improve their lives. Many studies have focused on the material causes and consequences of this diversification. Few, however, have examined how diversifying groups establish new patterns of communication and information exchange with others. This paper examines the relationship between livelihood diversification and information diversity among agro-pastoralist Maasai in northern Tanzania, where new mobile phone use is common. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis are used to (1) describe how Maasai use phones to manage diverse livelihoods; and (2) assess the relationship between livelihood diversification and measures of information diversity, controlling for other factors. The findings indicate that households use phones in ways that support existing activities rather than transform them and that the relationship between livelihood diversification and information diversity is positive, non-linear, and significant.     

Food Scares and Trust: A European Study

The complex interactions between the determinants of food purchase under risk are explored using the SPARTA model, based on the theory of planned behaviour, and estimated through a combination of multivariate statistical techniques. The application investigates chicken consumption choices in two scenarios: (a) a ‘standard’ purchasing situation; and (b) following a hypothetical Salmonella scare. The data are from a nationally representative survey of 2,725 respondents from five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Results show that the effects and interactions of behavioural determinants vary significantly within Europe. Only in the case of a food scare do risk perceptions and trust come into play. The policy priority should be on building and maintaining trust in food and health authorities and research institutions, while food chain actors could mitigate the consequences of a food scare through public trust. No relationship is found between socio‐demographic variables and consumer trust in food safety information.     

E-commerce partnering due diligence: A methodology for trust in e-commerce in food networks

Trust is one of the key facilitators for transactions in food networks. Recent developments in electronic transaction support such as e-commerce allow for efficiency improvements in exchange processes along food supply chains. However, the communication of trust between transaction partners is not sufficiently realized in existing e-commerce offers for food networks. To enable food networks to exploit efficiency potentials from electronic commerce, appropriate generation of trust and confidence at the transaction partners in the sense of an e-commerce partnering due diligence is necessary. This paper presents a methodology for a systematic identification of trust generation for electronic transactions in food networks. The methodology builds on three central elements: transaction decisions, the four phases of the transaction process, and the information and communication processes as mediating links. The transaction decision portfolio builds the central element of the methodology and contains criteria for the assessment of the reliability of transaction situations.     

信任对城市居民有机食品消费行为的影响机理分析

[目的]揭示不同信任水平消费者在有机食品消费行为上的差异及其内在逻辑,从而为有效破解有机食品市场提供新的思路。[方法]文章以价值感知和食品安全意识为中介调节变量,构建信任影响消费行为的分析框架,并基于全国1 113位城市居民的微观调查数据,采用Ologit模型进行实证检验。[结果]信任水平正向影响居民有机食品消费行为和价值感知,价值感知在信任对消费行为的影响中发挥中介效应;同时,居民食品安全意识在信任与价值感知之间起调节作用,从而价值感知对信任与消费行为之间关系的中介效应也会受到食品安全意识的调节,即产生了被调节的中介效应。[结论]信任是决定消费者有机食品消费行为的重要因素,信任缺失会限制消费者的购买行为。利用有效的信号揭示和传递机制能缓解市场信息不对称,增进消费者信任,从而促进有机食品消费市场发展。与消费者信任相比,价值感知是影响消费者购买行为的更为直接的因素,不同消费者信任水平导致的购买行为的差异,在一定程度上是通过影响消费者价值感知实现的。因此,提供差别化的产品与服务、加强消费者的良性社交互动,普及和传播食品安全知识,有效提升消费者的价值感知水平和食品安全意识,都有利于有机食品市场培育。     

“互联网+”背景下农产品供需信息平台建设博弈分析

[目的]农产品是关乎国计民生的必需品,在"互联网+"背景下,国家大力提倡农业信息化建设,为农业现代化发展提供新一轮契机。但由于我国小农经济、农地分散、农民素质普遍不高、农业技术化程度总体较低等多方原因,造成长久以来我国农产品供给与需求不对称情况,频繁出现"菜贱伤农、菜贵伤民"现象,如何利用现代信息技术改善农产品供需信息不对称现象成为社会关注的焦点。[方法]文章在文献研究基础上,主要运用完全信息静态博弈及冷酷战略模型对农产品信息共享平台建设的必要性进行分析。[结果]博弈分析结果显示,供应链上下游组织间共享信息次数只要有足够多,就可以在供应链中建立起良好的互动关系,通过信息共享可以有助于供应链条上企业合作,实现共赢。[结论]信息共享平台建设可以有效提升农产品信息沟通效率,有效解决农产品供需信息不对称问题。     

黑龙江省重要生物资源信息共享系统

黑龙江省生物资源丰富，但现有资料多局限于印刷形式，利用率低、容易破损、交流不方便、储存占用空间大。资源信息共享系统可将此类信息通过整理、分类记录到数据库中。并可实现网络录入、查询、向公众发布，实现信息共享。     

获取披露信息能提高食品信任水平吗——基于湖南省长沙市生鲜品信息公示的调查数据

缩小主体间信息差距是提高食品市场信任水平的重要途径。为了研究食品安全信息披露环境中,消费者获取信息对食品信任的影响,本文通过问卷调查长沙市1050位消费者,搜集消费行为和个人特征的数据,并使用内生处理效应模型和倾向得分匹配方法进行实证分析,结果发现:虽然样本中只有17%的消费者主动搜寻公示信息,但是获取披露信息能够缓解不对称程度并提高满意度,进而显著正向影响信任程度;同时,获取披露信息在女性组中有显著正向影响,而在年龄组间的影响为倒U型;另外,信息获取行为的选择受到食品安全、干净卫生和对新鲜程度关注度的显著影响。结果说明,在信息披露后,帮助和引导消费者主动获取信息,能够更好地提升食品市场的信任水平。     

Supplier-Retailer Relationships in the UK Fresh Produce Supply Chain

Abstract

Over the past decade, the UK fresh produce (fruit, vegetables, and salads) supply chain has undergone numerous changes, with retailers becoming increasingly powerful. The overall trend is towards the industry being dominated by a few large corporations operating on a national level, with some corporations even operating on a European or global scale. This process, which could significantly impact on the supplierretailer relationships, is examined in this study using indepth interviews with participants from the fresh produce supply chain. Amongst the findings are the following: Supply chain advancements, including backhauling, and factory gate pricing are causing some controversy because suppliers feel that these initiatives do not benefit their relationships with retailers. There is room for supplierretailer relationship improvement in areas such as trust, co-operation, and collaboration. Retailers, who have significant supply chain power, are starting to acknowledge the importance of suppliers in the gaining of gaining retail market share. Lastly, the intense process of supplychain rationalisation that we have seen in recent years appears to be leveling out in the UK fresh produce supply, such that there is less anticipated further rationalisation. The study outlines a series of recommendations for how suppliers (retailers) can improve their relationships with retailers (suppliers).     

宏观国土资源数据的网络共享与数据挖掘初探

以宏观国土资源信息共享为出发点,针对分布式Web环境的特点,利用数理统计分析和计算模型方法、空间认知方法、可视化技术和Web GIS技术等,探索Web环境下宏观国土资源信息共享、数据挖掘与数据的专题应用问题,并以宏观国土资源信息共享研究为例,交互探索宏观国土资源信息查询、检索、分析,初步实现了由宏观国土资源数据获取和信息共享到知识发现。