Resilience and Digitalization in Short Food Supply Chains: A Case Study Approach

Rosario Michel-Villarreal, Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo, Maurizio Canavari and Martin Hingley
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Rosario Michel-Villarreal: School of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK
Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo: Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
Martin Hingley: Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN5 7AT, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-23

Abstract: The interest in short food supply chains (SFSCs) has grown significantly in the last decade, notably in respect of their potential role to achieve more sustainable food chains. However, a major barrier to achieving sustainable supply chains is the uncertainty associated with supply chain activities. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the different resilience capabilities that SFSCs possess and the potential role of digital technologies as enablers of SFSCs’ resilience. Using a case study research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted in two SFSCs in Mexico. Collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that SFSCs possess the supply chain resilience (SC resilience) capabilities investigated here, namely flexibility, redundancy, collaboration, visibility and agility. A key finding is the importance of low-cost digital technologies (including freeware and social media) that can support flexibility, collaboration, visibility and agility. These findings raise important implications for SFSCs actors exploring opportunities to improve their collective resilience. This study expands the current literature by proposing a conceptual framework that summarizes a wide variety of strategies that support SC resilience capabilities in the context of SFSCs.

Keywords: alternative food networks; resilient agri-food chains; digital transformation; local food systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:5913-:d:561262

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