Product specification and agribusiness chain coordination: introducing the coordination differential concept

Altair Dias de Moura, Sandra Martin and Diane Mollenkopf
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Altair Dias de Moura: Departamento de Economia Rural, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s|n, Viçosa, MG, Brazil CEP: 36570-000, Brazil, Postal: Departamento de Economia Rural, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s|n, Viçosa, MG, Brazil CEP: 36570-000, Brazil
Sandra Martin: Agriculture and Life Sciences Division, P.O. Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand, Postal: Agriculture and Life Sciences Division, P.O. Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand
Diane Mollenkopf: Department of Marketing & Logistics, 323 Stokely Management Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Postal: Department of Marketing & Logistics, 323 Stokely Management Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Agribusiness, 2009, vol. 25, issue 1, 112-127

Abstract: As customers increasingly demand more specific products, firms are adopting new business approaches to satisfy customers and cope with competition. Efforts to satisfy ever more demanding markets appear to be associated with increased chain coordination, yet the relationship between these two factors is unclear. This research addresses the factors that affect chain coordination, focusing on the management of business processes to meet product specifications for customers. Five fresh meat New Zealand chains were the focus of multiple case study research. Results suggest that chains use different strategies and coordination mechanisms to deliver desired product specifications. More important, while product specifications are related to chain coordination as expected, the relationship is mediated by the coordination differential-the type and amount of effort that firms employ in their business processes to achieve the desired specifications. The nature and implication of the coordination differential concept are discussed. [L140, L150, L170]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Date: 2009
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:agribz:v:25:y:2009:i:1:p:112-127

DOI: 10.1002/agr.20182

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