A Conceptual Framework to Analyze Food Loss and Waste within Food Supply Chains: An Operations Management Perspective

Na Luo, Tava Lennon Olsen and Yanping Liu
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Na Luo: Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, The University of Auckland Business School, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Tava Lennon Olsen: Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, The University of Auckland Business School, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Yanping Liu: Department of Management Science and Engineering, Business School, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Alongside the development of the circular economy and sustainable food supply chains (FSCs), research on food loss and waste (FLW) reduction and prevention has drawn much attention from academia, practitioners, and governments. The significance of FLW has been highlighted in the literature due to its impact on society, economy, and the environment. We propose a conceptual framework to systematically examine FLW issues within FSCs in the field of operations management (OM). We discuss various types and distribution modes of FSCs where FLW occurs, definitions of FLW, the impacts of FLW, and measures to reduce FLW in the OM field. We further introduce the methodologies that have been applied in existing FLW studies. The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, it proposes a conceptual framework to identify FLW problems within FSCs. Second, it helps to comprehensively understand FLW occurrence and thus stimulate research focusing on FLW from different perspectives. Third, it motivates researchers to discuss FLW issues by applying different methodologies.

Keywords: conceptual framework; food loss and waste; food supply chain; operations management (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 (7)

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