Work

Agricultural co-operatives participating in supply chain integration in China: A qualitative comparative analysis

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Agro-food supply chain integration (ASCI) plays a growingly important role in the stable and sustainable development of agriculture. However, it is challenging for core firms to integrate the small-scale and scatted farmers due to complex transaction processes and volatile relationships in China. Agricultural co-operatives are organizations that unite farmers' power and help them achieve economic benefits. Our research focuses on ASCI from the perspective of co-operatives. A comprehensive cooperative framework, including trinity co-operatives and trinity federations, is conducted to figure out the position and process of agricultural co-operatives in ASCI, while QCA provides detailed collaborative patterns for agricultural co-operatives to adopt. Results show that agricultural co-operatives can achieve high economic and social/environmental performance when participating in ASCI. This study further completes the ASCI literature and offers many managerial and academic implications to co-operatives' members and policy-makers.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250018

Authors: Jiacheng Zhang, Jianli Luo, Jia Li

Institutions: Wenzhou University, Zhejiang DongFang Vocational and Technical College

Language: English

Topic: Cooperative Studies and Economics

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,749