Integration of the Food Supply Chain as a Driver of Sustainability: A Conceptual Framework

Agnieszka Bezat-Jarzębowska, Stephanie Krieger-Güss, Sebastian Jarzębowski () and Brigitte Petersen
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Agnieszka Bezat-Jarzębowska: Department of Quantitative Methods & Information Technology, Kozminski University, 03-301 Warsaw, Poland
Stephanie Krieger-Güss: Fakultät Agrarwissenschaften und Landschaftsarchitektur, HS Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
Sebastian Jarzębowski: Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics—National Research Institute, 00-002 Warsaw, Poland
Brigitte Petersen: Education and Qualification Alliance SCE, 53115 Bonn, Germany

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: This paper presents a conceptual framework aimed at exploring the connections between integration within the food supply chain and the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. The analysis combines theoretical insights with empirical research, specifically focusing on the economic aspect of sustainability, measured through efficiency. The study emphasizes the critical role of integrating participants across the food supply chain to achieve sustainability goals. It discusses methodologies for assessing integration levels within the chain, providing a theoretical and analytical basis for modeling integration and efficiency within the supply chain. To empirically validate these relationships, an extended stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) method was applied to selected sectors within the food processing industry. The results demonstrate that enhancing integration with suppliers and buyers can significantly improve efficiency within the food chain. In conclusion, through deductive reasoning, this study asserts that integration plays a pivotal role in advancing economic sustainability objectives within the food sector. This framework contributes to a deeper understanding of how integration influences sustainability outcomes, offering valuable insights for stakeholders aiming to enhance sustainability in food systems.

Keywords: food supply chain; integration; sustainability; stochastic frontier analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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