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Applying economic sociology to understand the meaning of “Quality” in food markets

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  • Gilles Allaire

Abstract

This article reviews the concept of the “market” and questions the standard view of the “market” developed by orthodox economic theory. The article highlights how Economic Sociology and Convention Theory is more useful in understanding markets and appreciating markets as social constructs, which are governed by institutions and social orders. This adjustment in the analytical framework to study markets and especially food markets, is useful in unpacking the various dimensions of “quality” in food products and illustrating that “quality” is an institution that is shaped by society and by culture.

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  • Gilles Allaire, 2010. "Applying economic sociology to understand the meaning of “Quality” in food markets," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(s1), pages 167-180, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:41:y:2010:i:s1:p:167-180
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.2010.00498.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Lemeilleur, Sylvaine & Allaire, Gilles, 2016. "Standardisation and guarantee systems: what can participatory certification offer?," Working Papers MOISA 250275, Institut National de la recherché Agronomique (INRA), UMR MOISA : Marchés, Organisations, Institutions et Stratégies d'Acteurs : CIHEAM-IAMM, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France.
    2. Dervillé, Marie & Wallet, Frederic, 2014. "Institutionalizing short food supply chains for sustainable development: challenging issues," Politica Agricola Internazionale - International Agricultural Policy, Edizioni L'Informatore Agrario, vol. 2014(2).
    3. Marie Dervillé & Andrea Fink-Kessler & Aurelie Trouvé & Ikram Abdouttalib & Jean-Pierre del Corso & Charilaos Kephaliacos & Caetano Luiz Beber & Geneviève N'Guyen, 2018. "Comment peut se construire la compétitivité des exploitations laitières aujourd’hui ?," Working Papers hal-02329036, HAL.
    4. Guevara Alvarez, Gloria, 2020. "Overcoming quality uncertainty of hybrid maize seeds: An individually-randomized trial of labeling information in Chiapas, Mexico," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304311, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Lambare, Pierre & Derville, Marie & You, Gerard, 2018. "Quelles conditions d’accès au marché des éleveurs après les quotas laitiers ?‪," Économie rurale, French Society of Rural Economics (SFER Société Française d'Economie Rurale), vol. 364(April-Jun).
    6. Gaëlle Petit & Caroline C. Sablayrolles & Gwenola Yannou-Le Bris, 2018. "Combining eco-social and environmental indicators to assess the sustainability performance of a food value chain: A case study," Post-Print hal-01813496, HAL.
    7. Marie-Vivien, Delphine & Biénabe, Estelle, 2017. "The Multifaceted Role of the State in the Protection of Geographical Indications: A Worldwide Review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 1-11.
    8. Dervillé, Marie & Allaire, Gilles, 2014. "Change of competition regime and regional innovative capacities: Evidence from dairy restructuring in France," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 347-360.
    9. Guilherme Silva Fracarolli, 2021. "The Effects of Institutional Measures: Geographical Indication in Mercosur and the EU," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Guilherme Silva Fracarolli, 2021. "Mapping Online Geographical Indication: Agrifood Products on E-Commerce Shelves of Mercosur and the European Union," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Labatut, Julie & Aggeri, Franck & Allaire, Gilles, 2013. "Étudier les biens communs par les changements institutionnels : régimes de propriété autour des races animales face à l’innovation génomique," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 14.
    12. Ng'ang'a, P.K. & Vogl, C.R., 2015. "QUALITY PERCEPTION OF ORGANICALLY GROWN TOMATOES (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA," International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology (IJARIT), IJARIT Research Foundation, vol. 5(2), December.
    13. Meynard, Jean-Marc & Jeuffroy, Marie-Hélène & Le Bail, Marianne & Lefèvre, Amélie & Magrini, Marie-Benoit & Michon, Camille, 2017. "Designing coupled innovations for the sustainability transition of agrifood systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 330-339.
    14. Guilherme Silva Fracarolli, 2021. "Global Markets, Local Issues: The Hegemonic Process of Agri-Food Construction to Present Challenges," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-24, November.
    15. Carmen Bain & Tamera Dandachi, 2014. "Governing GMOs: The (Counter) Movement for Mandatory and Voluntary Non-GMO Labels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-21, December.
    16. Touzard, Jean-Marc & Labarthe, Pierre, 2016. "Regulation Theory and Transformation of Agriculture: a Literature Review," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 20.

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