Organizational arrangements of the European agri-food supply systems (a Brazilian perspective)

Abstract

The aim of the project is to take into consideration the conceptual achievements about the organizational arrangements of the European Agri-Food Supply Systems (AFSS) in the view of the agricultural and food European policy. The political governance plays a critical role in ensuring the essential prerequisite of a market economy (Dixit, 2009), elements relevant for the organizational choices. Agents solve the problem of coordinating vertical exchange by adopting governance modes that promote efficient adaptation (Masten, 2000, p. 175). Historically the European policy intervention in Agri-Food Supply System (AFSS) determined important inducements to the integration. European policy makers are becoming aware of the importance of governance modes in improving the functrioning of the AFSS (COM, 2009). Integration across regions and countries relies on the emerging of structures and norms (Varzakas, Jukes, 1997, p. 507) that, in turn, influence the choice of the governance modes. European integrations also based on the convergence of the institutional arrangements toward a common European frame in which the governance modes are able to provide equal or comparable opportunities to resources mobilization and valorization in all the European productive contexts. On the other hand, the integration process influence the patterns of the division of labor in AFSS (Chevassus-Lozza, Galliano, 2009, p. 139; Levchenko, Zang, 2012, p. 586) and the cohesion between economic processes. Under this view the project has three objectives: 1. To contribute to a systematic conceptualization of the governance modes in the European AFSS: this objectives is mainly an outcome of a systematic review of literature. 2. To contribute to an enhanced comprehension of how the organizational modes relates to policy goals of EU policy intervention in the AFSS: this objective regards the instrumental role of the governance modes in EU policy design and will be achieved by making clear, through literature evidence and dedicated Delphi Analysis results, how organizational arrangements contribute to resources allocation, income distribution among the AFSS stages, environmental and health protection and social cohesion at regional and local scale. 3. To provide networks of concepts that are expected to enhance the basic knowledge requested in designing policy intervention: this objective is an outcome of integration of the previous outcomes in a common framework Chevassus-Lozza E., Galliano D., (2009), Agribusiness Vol. 25 (1) 128-143 COM (2009): A better functioning food supply chain in Europe, Brussels 28.10.2009) Dixit A., (2009), American Economic Review, vol. 99, 1, pp. 3-24 Levchenko A.A., Zhang J., (2012), Economic Policy, pp. 567-602 Masten S.E., (2000), Indutrial Organization, 9, 173-195 Varzakas T., David Jukes D., (1997), Food Policy, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 501-514, 1997 (AU)