Agriculture Under the Public Eye: Who Cares for What

Agriculture Under the Public Eye: Who Cares for What? The new CAP is becoming geared towards a more sustainable agriculture that takes account of the needs of future generations. Achieving sustainability, however, means meeting three challenges-, (a) profit - strengthening the viability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector; (b) planet - the ecological challenge of promoting good environmental practices; and (c) people-the social challenge to improve the living conditions and economic opportunities in rural areas. In the food chain we see responses to consumer concerns about food safety, quality and welfare issues through the development and implementation of mandatory and voluntary quality control and assurance schemes. And the consolidation and internationalisation of the food retailing and the manufacturing industry is expected to continue. An important duality has emerged. On the one side, we find a state system of regulation, on the other a system of self-regulation, largely driven by the major forces in supply chain management, the food retailers in particular. A simple and effective regulatory environment for the agri-food complex is essential if we are to achieve our competitiveness goals. One of the priorities for discussion by politicians, therefore, should be whether current and expected policy and industry developments should lead to a review of the balance between markets and government, ‘who cares for what?’ l'agriculture aux yeux des politiques publiques qui doit faire quoi? La nouvelle PAC est maintenant bien orientée vers une agriculture plus durable, en mesure de tenir compte des besoins des générations futures. Une véritable durabilityé suppose cependant que soient relevés trois défis: a) le profit - renforcer la viabilityé et la compétitivité du secteur agricole; b) la planète - le défiécologique de promouvoir des pratiques favorables à l'environnement; c) les gens - le défi social d'améliorer les conditions de vie et les opportunités économiques dans les zones rurales. Du côté des filières alimentaires, la réponse à trouver aux inquiétudes des consommateurs vis à vis de la qualityé sanitaire et organoleptique des produits devrait pouvoir venir de l'élaboration de contrôles de qualityé et de systèmes d'assurances, à appliquer sur la base du volontariat ou à rendre obligatoires. En même temps, il faut s'attendre à la continuation du mouvement vers l'affermissement du rôle des industries alimentaires et du commerce de détail, ainsi qu'à leur internationalisation. Un système dual vient d'émerger: d'un côté, un système de réglementations étatiques, de l'autre, une autodiscipline, pilotée par les plus solides des maillons de la filière, en particulier les grandes surfaces. Un environnement réglementaire à la fois simple et efficace est essentiel pour atteindre l'objectif de compétitivité du complexe agroalimentaire, II en résulte que, pour les pouvoirs publics, une des grandes questions à discuter est de savoir dans quelle mesure l' évolution des conditions politiques et celle du développement industriel imposent une révision de l'équilibre actuel entre les marchés et les autorités gouvernementales; en d'autres termes, qui doit faire quoi ? Landwirtschaft in der öffentlichen Meinung; Wer ist wofür zuständig? Die neue GAP wird gerade auf eine nachhaltigere Landwirtschaft hin ausgerichtet, welche die Bedürfnisse der kommenden Generationen berücksichtigt. Nachhaltigkeit kann jedoch nur erzielt werden, wenn den folgenden drei Herausforderungen Rechnung getragen wird: (a) Ökonomie – Stärkung der Leistungs- und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Landwirtschaftssektors; (b) Ökologie – Förderung umweltgerechter Verfahrensweisen; und (c) Soziales - Verbesserung der Lebensbedingungen und der wirtschaftlichen Lage im ländlichen Raum. Im Bereich der Nahrungsmittelkette wird den Bedenken der Verbraucher hinsichtlich der Nahrun gsmittelsicherheit, der Qualität und der Wohlfahrt durch die Entwicklung und Implementierung von obligatorischen und freiwilligen Qualitätskontrollen und Sicherheitsprogrammen Rechnung getragen. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass sich die Konsolidierung und Lnternationalisierung im Bereich des Lebensmitteleinzel-handels und der weiterverarbeitenden Industrie fortsetzen wird. Es ist eine bedeutsame Dualität entstanden. Auf der einen Seite erfolgt eine Regulierung seitens des Staates, auf der anderen Seite erfolgt eine Selbstregulierung durch die Vermarktungskette, insbesondere durch den Lebensmitteleinzelhandel. Eine sowohl einfache als auch wirksame Regulierung der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft ist von grundlegender Bedeutung für das Erreichen unserer Wettbewerbsziele. Daher sollte in der Politik mit Priorität diskutiert werden, ob die gegenwärtige und zukünftige Politik und auch die industrielle Entwicklung zu einem neuen Gleichgewicht zwischen Markt und Staatseingriffen führen sollte: Wer ist wofür zuständig?     

Towards collaborative, intermodal hub networks: A case study in the fast moving consumer goods market

Collaborative hub networks can provide an answer to the need to decrease logistics cost and maintain logistics service levels by shifting consolidated flows to modes that are better suited for handling large volumes (rail, barge, coastal shipping), so economies of scale can be obtained. This necessity has been increased by the tendency of globalization of industries, smaller shipments sizes, high frequencies, and the fragmentation of flows. Through collaboration the necessary synchronization between expensive but fast and flexible means of transport and inexpensive, but slow and inflexible means can be combined in an intermodal hub network. This paper shows the rationale behind these collaborative hub networks, based on the literature on the design of many-to-many hub networks. The resulting methodology is explained through presenting the results of the design and implementation of collaborative hub network for the distribution of fast moving consumer goods using a combination of trucking and inland barges. This concept, first proposed by Vermunt [Vermunt, A.J.M., 1999. Multilognet, the intelligent multimodal logistics network, an important node in the worldwide logistics net, Vermunt Logistiek Advies v.o.f., working paper (in Dutch)], won the European Intermodal Award of the European Intermodal Association in 2003, and after extensive research was launched in The Netherlands as a commercial pilot by logistics service provider Vos Logistics and barge operator Riverhopper in January 2004.     

Optimal Environmental Policy Differentials in Open Economies under Emissions Constraints

Is there a case for preferential treatment of the exposed sector in an economy when compliance to an aggregate emissions constraint induced by an international environmental agreement is mandatory? This question is being debated in many countries in the context of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. We address the issue in a general equilibrium framework and theoretically cover several market structures, including perfect competition, the large country case and oligopoly. We identify the conditions under which preferential treatment of the exposed sector is not warranted from the point of view of maximizing social welfare. In addition, we demonstrate that in the case of oligopoly, instituting a more stringent environmental policy on the exposed sector might be profit-enhancing for this sector. This finding lends theoretical support to a specific interpretation of the Porter hypothesis.     

Filling vacancies: an empirical analysis of the cost and benefit of search in the labour market

This paper investigates empirically the factors that affect the cost–benefit ratio of employers’ search. The empirical analysis is based on a small Dutch data set containing individual information on filled vacancies. It is found that firms that use advertisements during recruitment are sensitive to labour market conditions; their search cost per applicant rises (drops) in tight (slack) labour markets because of the diminished ability of advertisements to generate applicants in tight labour markets. Furthermore, it is found that the high search cost incurred by posting identical vacancies is more than compensated for by the benefits from having a larger flow of applicants.     

Characterizing the sustainability problem in an exhaustible resource model

We provide a general condition under which consumption can be sustained indefinitely bounded away from zero in the continuous time Dasgupta–Heal–Solow–Stiglitz model, by letting augmentable capital substitute for a non-renewable resource. The assumptions made on the production function are mild, thus generalizing previous work. By showing that Hartwick?s rule minimizes the required resource input per unit of capital accumulation, and integrating the required resource input with respect to capital, we obtain a complete technological characterization without reference to the time path. We also use the characterization result to establish general existence of a maximin path.     

Spatial patterns of biodiversity conservation in a multiregional general equilibrium model

Migration dynamics and local biodiversity are interrelated in a way that is likely to affect patterns of regional specialisation. We assess this relationship with a New Economic Geography model that has been extended with biodiversity. Biodiversity is heterogeneous, and responds to habitat availability. The results indicate that a symmetric pattern of regional specialisation is more likely, and that additional equilibria may emerge as the marginal utility of biodiversity increases. In the policy analysis we focus on the case where the overall social optimum is symmetric and show that it can be supported as a non-cooperative Nash equilibrium. However, multiple Nash equilibria may exist.     

Determining the environmental effects of indirect subsidies: integrated method and application to the Netherlands

The term ‘environmentally damaging subsidies’ covers all sorts of direct and indirect subsidies with negative consequences for the environment. This article presents a method to determine the environmental impact of these subsidies. It combines a microeconomic framework with an environmental impact module. The method is particularly useful for analysing indirect subsidies. These are often hidden, and therefore, not recognized as subsidies. Use of the method will provide a basis for formulating corrective policy. The method is applied to several important subsidies in the Netherlands, in agriculture, energy and transport sectors. The results reveal large environmental effects, which deserve serious attention from policy makers. To illustrate the specific features of the method, its application to a particular subsidy, namely the exemption of excise taxes on aviation fuels, is presented in full detail.     

Purchasing strategies in the Kraljic matrix—A power and dependence perspective

Kraljic's purchasing portfolio approach has inspired many academics to undertake further research into purchasing portfolio models. Refined models typically recommend one purchasing strategy for each portfolio quadrant. Yet, it has been shown that purchasers make a clear distinction between alternative purchasing strategies within each quadrant. The fundamental assumption of portfolio models seems to be that differences in power and dependence between buyers and suppliers exist. Still, little is known about how these concepts influence the choice for a specific purchasing strategy. In this paper, ‘relative power’ and ‘total interdependence’ for a number of portfolio-based purchasing strategies have been quantified empirically, using data from a comprehensive survey among Dutch purchasing professionals. The survey data largely confirmed the hypotheses that were deduced from the literature.     

Managing the global supply base through purchasing portfolio management

‘How to source globally’ has become a critical strategic decision for companies competing on a global basis. Despite an increased focus on global sourcing and supply chain management, little is known about the challenges and solutions surrounding such sourcing practices. Extant literature points at the critical importance of developing and sharing knowledge in multinational companies (MNCs). However, little work has been undertaken to examine the organizational mechanisms used by MNC headquarters for knowledge leveraging across subsidiaries, especially in the area of purchasing and supply management. Based on an in-depth case study, focusing on a chemical company, the actual buying systems for managing the global supply base are explored. Kraljic's purchasing portfolio approach appears useful, both for developing effective purchasing strategies as well as for managing a global supply base.     

A Methodology for Assessing Organizational Core Values*

abstract The goal of this study is to offer a methodology for empirically assessing the core values of an organization. It uses means–end analysis in order to determine those values that organization members manifest in their daily behaviour, and which are not just espoused ‘truisms’. The method is based on the sense members of an organization make of what they do. Sensemaking follows a means–end pattern, through which individual actions converge into central values. The values most central in this means–end structure are the core values that effectively motivate organization members in their job. Our method works in two steps: first, exploratory interviews using the laddering‐technique establish the values potentially most central to the organization; then, a follow‐up survey assesses the complete pattern of means–end relations among the potential values. Validity tests show that the most central values derived from this survey data are the most important to organization members. These values are also the most stable over time. We make a comparison of this method with traditional value surveys and we discuss its implications for the study of organizational behaviour.