Agribusiness Economics and ManagementAgribusiness scholarship emphasizes an integrated view of the food system that extends from research and input supply through production, processing, and distribution to retail outlets and the consumer. This article traces development of agribusiness scholarship over the past century by describing nine significant areas of contribution by our profession: (1) economics of cooperative marketing and management, (2) design and development of credit market institutions, (3) organizational design, (4) market structure and performance analysis, (5) supply chain management and design, (6) optimization of operational efficiency, (7) development of data and analysis for financial management, (8) strategic management, and (9) agribusiness education. [1]
Decision Technologies for Agribusiness Problems: A Brief Review of Selected Literature and a Call for ResearchThe supply chain in the food and agribusiness sector is characterized by long supply lead times combined with significant supply and demand uncertainties, and relatively thin margins. These challenges generate a need for management efficiency and the use of modern decision technology tools. We review some of the literature on applications of decision technology tools for a selected set of agribusiness problems and conclude by outlining what we see as some of the significant new problems facing the industry. It is our hope that we will stimulate interest in these problems and encourage researchers to work on solving them.[2]
Global change in agrifood grades and standards: agribusiness strategic responses in developing countriesThe role of G&S has shifted from a technical instrument to reduce transaction costs in homogeneous commodity markets to a strategic instrument of competition in differentiated product markets. The nature of G&S has shifted from performance (realized characteristics of the product) to process standards. In developing countries, these changes have tended to exclude small firms and farms from participating in market growth, because of the implied investments. The three strategic responses to G&S change by agribusiness firms and farms include: (1) by large firms and multinationals, to create private G&S and private certification, labeling, and branding systems; (2) by medium-large domestic firms, to lobby governments to adopt public G&S similar to those in export markets in developed regions; (3) by small firms and farms, to ally with public and nonprofit sectors to form G&S and certification systems to access export markets and to bring institutional change to nontradable product markets. Governments should build the capacity of the poor to invest to “make the grade” implied by the new G&S.[3]
Agribusiness and Food Processing Industries in Uttar Pradesh State of India
Uttar Pradesh is at the forefront in the production of the total food grains (20%), sugar cane (36%), potato (34%), livestock excluding cow (11%) and milk (17%), wheat (33%), lentil (45%), vegetables (30%) in the country. The purpose of the paper is to throw light on the process and structure of agribusiness and agro-processing in Uttar Pradesh. This study focuses on the untapped potential and highlighted the scope for the agro based agro-processing and agri-business in Uttar Pradesh. Efficient arrangement with favorable policy support and incentives, by taking into account the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of decisive components like human and land resources, crops, livestock and agro-processing activities would lead to plan the state of Uttar Pradesh as one of the major players in the field of agro-processing as well as agri-business sector of India. The diversified commodity mix in crop sector, livestock compositions, large geographical coverage, variety of soils and diverse agro climatic conditions, abundant availability of labour force, varied availability of agricultural raw materials in state offers excellent prospects for the development of high value agro-based industries and promotion of agri-business. Still state needs to address the issue of strengthen the agribusiness sector with proper implementation of business policies and to create strong mechanism for forward and backward linkages in it. [4]
Review of Competitive Advantage Measurements: Reference on Agribusiness Sector
Aim: In the rapid pace of competition in the current business environment, a firm or an industry is required to be more competitive and hostile. Competitiveness of the global agribusiness has raised concerns among economists and policy makers about the need for competitive advantage in the agribusiness sector of developing countries like. The concept of competitiveness could be viewed as an outcome and as such, superior economic or market performance is considered as an indicator of competitive advantage. Unique measurement of competitive advantage in agriculture sector hence provides supplementary value for identifying factors enhancing competitive advantage.
Approach: This paper attempts to critically review measurement criteria of competitive advantage at firm level, specially concerns with agribusiness sector. The paper undertakes a critical review of the available measurement variables of competitive advantage. Value: The proposed measurement items of competitive advantage could be used for valid measurements in future empirical studies, especially in agribusiness sector, after testing the validity and reliability. Further, review of comprehensive measurement dimensions of competitive advantage could enhance practitioners’ attentiveness to identify the sources of competitive advantage of their firms.
Reference
[1] King, R.P., Boehlje, M., Cook, M.L. and Sonka, S.T., 2010. Agribusiness economics and management. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 92(2), pp.554-570.
[2] Lowe, T.J. and Preckel, P.V., 2004. Decision technologies for agribusiness problems: A brief review of selected literature and a call for research. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 6(3), pp.201-208.
[3] Reardon, T., Codron, J.M., Busch, L., Bingen, J. and Harris, C., 1999. Global change in agrifood grades and standards: agribusiness strategic responses in developing countries. The International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 2(3-4), pp.421-435.
[4] Shekhawat, R.S., Singh, K.N., Burark, S.S., Meena, G.L. and Shekhawat, N., 2017. Agribusiness and food processing industries in Uttar Pradesh State of India. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, pp.1-7.
[5] Sachitra, V., 2016. Review of competitive advantage measurements: reference on agribusiness sector. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, pp.1-11.
