IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v6y2016i3p44-d77509.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable and Inclusive Food Systems through the Lenses of a Complex System Thinking Approach—A Bibliometric Review

Author

Listed:
  • Irene Monasterolo

    (Frederick S. Pardee Centre for the Study of the Longer Range Future, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA)

  • Roberto Pasqualino

    (Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK)

  • Anthony C. Janetos

    (Frederick S. Pardee Centre for the Study of the Longer Range Future, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA)

  • Aled Jones

    (Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK)

Abstract

The multidimensionality and complexity of assuring food security in a sustainable and inclusive way requires us to think in systems. Yet, sector specific models or agricultural productivity models are not able by construction to represent the non-linearity and time-dependent nature of the relations underpinning the agri-food system. Two alternative modelling approaches, i.e., System Dynamics (SD) and Agent Based Models (ABM), gained increasing attention in particular after the food commodities prices spikes in 2007 thanks to the conceptual and structural advantages that they provide to the study of food system complexity. In this paper, we develop a first, rigorous bibliometric analysis based on pattern recognition analysis reviewing the peer review journal publications focused on agri-food systems. Using the ISIWeb of Science dataset provided by Thomson Reuters, we apply citation/co-citation semantic metrics to analyse publications from 1970 to 2016 in the field of agricultural models divided in two categories that we define as: (i) agricultural complex systems modelling (ACSM) that includes SD and ABM modelling exercised; and (ii) agricultural modelling (AM) that includes traditional approaches to agri-food systems modelling rooted on the neoclassical approach (e.g., Computable General Equilibrium Models and Partial Equilibrium Models). The publications are identified by applying a filter of specific keywords to the search. We then compare how both approaches appear in the literature looking at the number of publications and citations by scientific journals, identifying key authors and journals, their frequency, the impact factor and citations, and looking at their trend through time. Results show the prevalence of AM approaches for the analysis of the agri-food sector on one side, and the smaller but growing contribution of the ACSM community and literature on the other. We conclude by remarking the need for more systematic analyses on the contribution of the two approaches to the analysis of the complex dynamics and behaviour of agri-food systems to inform evidence-based policies for sustainable and inclusive agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Irene Monasterolo & Roberto Pasqualino & Anthony C. Janetos & Aled Jones, 2016. "Sustainable and Inclusive Food Systems through the Lenses of a Complex System Thinking Approach—A Bibliometric Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:6:y:2016:i:3:p:44-:d:77509
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/6/3/44/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/6/3/44/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Howarth, Candice & Monasterolo, Irene, 2016. "Understanding barriers to decision making in the UK energy-food-water nexus: The added value of interdisciplinary approaches," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 53-60.
    2. Stefano Balbi & Carlo Giupponi, 2009. "Reviewing agent-based modelling of socio-ecosystems: a methodology for the analysis of climate change adaptation and sustainability," Working Papers 2009_15, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    3. Hassini, Elkafi & Surti, Chirag & Searcy, Cory, 2012. "A literature review and a case study of sustainable supply chains with a focus on metrics," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 69-82.
    4. Henry Small, 1973. "Co‐citation in the scientific literature: A new measure of the relationship between two documents," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 24(4), pages 265-269, July.
    5. Tesfatsion, Leigh S., 2002. "Agent-Based Computational Economics: Growing Economies from the Bottom Up," Staff General Research Papers Archive 5075, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    6. Mary J. Culnan, 1986. "The Intellectual Development of Management Information Systems, 1972--1982: A Co-Citation Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(2), pages 156-172, February.
    7. M. M. Kessler, 1963. "Bibliographic coupling between scientific papers," American Documentation, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 10-25, January.
    8. -, 2009. "The economics of climate change," Sede Subregional de la CEPAL para el Caribe (Estudios e Investigaciones) 38679, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Aznar-Sánchez, José A. & Piquer-Rodríguez, María & Velasco-Muñoz, Juan F. & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2019. "Worldwide research trends on sustainable land use in agriculture," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Elena Claire Ricci & Massimo Peri & Lucia Baldi, 2019. "The Effects of Agricultural Price Instability on Vertical Price Transmission: A Study of the Wheat Chain in Italy," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Jagustović, Renata & Papachristos, George & Zougmoré, Robert B. & Kotir, Julius H. & Kessler, Aad & Ouédraogo, Mathieu & Ritsema, Coen J. & Dittmer, Kyle M., 2021. "Better before worse trajectories in food systems? An investigation of synergies and trade-offs through climate-smart agriculture and system dynamics," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    4. Wolfert, Sjaak & Verdouw, Cor & van Wassenaer, Lan & Dolfsma, Wilfred & Klerkx, Laurens, 2023. "Digital innovation ecosystems in agri-food: design principles and organizational framework," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    5. Jagustović, Renata & Zougmoré, Robert B. & Kessler, Aad & Ritsema, Coen J. & Keesstra, Saskia & Reynolds, Martin, 2019. "Contribution of systems thinking and complex adaptive system attributes to sustainable food production: Example from a climate-smart village," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 65-75.
    6. Marwa Ben Abdallah & Maria Fekete-Farkas & Zoltan Lakner, 2021. "Exploring the Link between Food Security and Food Price Dynamics: A Bibliometric Analysis," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Mangla, Sachin Kumar & Kazancoglu, Yigit & Ekinci, Esra & Liu, Mengqi & Özbiltekin, Melisa & Sezer, Muruvvet Deniz, 2021. "Using system dynamics to analyze the societal impacts of blockchain technology in milk supply chainsrefer," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marianna Mauro & Monica Giancotti & Giovanna Talarico, 2017. "Mapping the field: A bibliometric analysis of accountability literature in healthcare," MECOSAN, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(101), pages 7-30.
    2. Cristina Fernandes & João J. Ferreira & Mário L. Raposo & Cristina Estevão & Marta Peris-Ortiz & Carlos Rueda-Armengot, 2017. "The dynamic capabilities perspective of strategic management: a co-citation analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(1), pages 529-555, July.
    3. Mu-hsuan Huang & Chia-Pin Chang, 2015. "A comparative study on detecting research fronts in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) field using bibliographic coupling and co-citation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(3), pages 2041-2057, March.
    4. Yuruixian Zhang & Wei Chong Choo & Yuhanis Abdul Aziz & Choy Leong Yee & Jen Sim Ho, 2022. "Go Wild for a While? A Bibliometric Analysis of Two Themes in Tourism Demand Forecasting from 1980 to 2021: Current Status and Development," Data, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-38, July.
    5. Piñeiro-Chousa, Juan & López-Cabarcos, M. Ángeles & Romero-Castro, Noelia María & Pérez-Pico, Ada María, 2020. "Innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge in the business scientific field: Mapping the research front," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 475-485.
    6. Guan-Can Yang & Gang Li & Chun-Ya Li & Yun-Hua Zhao & Jing Zhang & Tong Liu & Dar-Zen Chen & Mu-Hsuan Huang, 2015. "Using the comprehensive patent citation network (CPC) to evaluate patent value," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(3), pages 1319-1346, December.
    7. Filippo Corsini & Rafael Laurenti & Franziska Meinherz & Francesco Paolo Appio & Luca Mora, 2019. "The Advent of Practice Theories in Research on Sustainable Consumption: Past, Current and Future Directions of the Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Rey-Long Liu, 2017. "A new bibliographic coupling measure with descriptive capability," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(2), pages 915-935, February.
    9. Yi-Ming Wei & Jin-Wei Wang & Tianqi Chen & Bi-Ying Yu & Hua Liao, 2018. "Frontiers of Low-Carbon Technologies: Results from Bibliographic Coupling with Sliding Window," CEEP-BIT Working Papers 116, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEP), Beijing Institute of Technology.
    10. Lilian Cervo Cabrera & Carlos Eduardo Caldarelli & Marcia Regina Gabardo Camara, 2020. "Mapping collaboration in international coffee certification research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(3), pages 2597-2618, September.
    11. Gangan Prathap & Somenath Mukherjee, 2020. "Letter to the Editor: Comments on the paper of Batagelj—on fractional approach to analysis of linked networks," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(3), pages 2717-2722, September.
    12. Chris W. Belter, 2013. "A bibliometric analysis of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 95(2), pages 629-644, May.
    13. Ding, Ying, 2011. "Community detection: Topological vs. topical," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 498-514.
    14. Ignacio Rodríguez-Rodríguez & José-Víctor Rodríguez & Niloofar Shirvanizadeh & Andrés Ortiz & Domingo-Javier Pardo-Quiles, 2021. "Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data and the Internet of Things to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scientometric Review Using Text Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-29, August.
    15. Ooms, Tahnee & Klaser, Klaudijo & Ishkanian, Armine, 2023. "The role of academia practice partnerships in the well-being economy: Retracing synergies between health and social sciences using bibliometric analysis," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    16. Manta Eduard Mihai & Davidescu Adriana Ana Maria & Geambasu Maria Cristina & Florescu Margareta Stela, 2023. "Exploring the research area of direct taxation. An empirical analysis based on bibliometric analysis results," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 18(s1), pages 355-383, December.
    17. Leslier Valenzuela-Fernández & Manuel Escobar-Farfán, 2022. "Zero-Waste Management and Sustainable Consumption: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Mapping Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-24, December.
    18. Yu-Wei Chang & Mu-Hsuan Huang & Chiao-Wen Lin, 2015. "Evolution of research subjects in library and information science based on keyword, bibliographical coupling, and co-citation analyses," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(3), pages 2071-2087, December.
    19. Raymundo das Neves Machado & Benjamín Vargas-Quesada & Jacqueline Leta, 2016. "Intellectual structure in stem cell research: exploring Brazilian scientific articles from 2001 to 2010," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 106(2), pages 525-537, February.
    20. Shiau, Wen-Lung & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Yang, Han Suan, 2017. "Co-citation and cluster analyses of extant literature on social networks," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 390-399.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:6:y:2016:i:3:p:44-:d:77509. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.