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Resilience and Digitalization in Short Food Supply Chains: A Case Study Approach

Author

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  • Rosario Michel-Villarreal

    (School of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK)

  • Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo

    (Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK)

  • Maurizio Canavari

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Martin Hingley

    (Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN5 7AT, UK)

Abstract

The interest in short food supply chains (SFSCs) has grown significantly in the last decade, notably in respect of their potential role to achieve more sustainable food chains. However, a major barrier to achieving sustainable supply chains is the uncertainty associated with supply chain activities. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the different resilience capabilities that SFSCs possess and the potential role of digital technologies as enablers of SFSCs’ resilience. Using a case study research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted in two SFSCs in Mexico. Collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that SFSCs possess the supply chain resilience (SC resilience) capabilities investigated here, namely flexibility, redundancy, collaboration, visibility and agility. A key finding is the importance of low-cost digital technologies (including freeware and social media) that can support flexibility, collaboration, visibility and agility. These findings raise important implications for SFSCs actors exploring opportunities to improve their collective resilience. This study expands the current literature by proposing a conceptual framework that summarizes a wide variety of strategies that support SC resilience capabilities in the context of SFSCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosario Michel-Villarreal & Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo & Maurizio Canavari & Martin Hingley, 2021. "Resilience and Digitalization in Short Food Supply Chains: A Case Study Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:5913-:d:561262
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    7. Balezentis, Tomas & Zickiene, Agne & Volkov, Artiom & Streimikiene, Dalia & Morkunas, Mangirdas & Dabkiene, Vida & Ribasauskiene, Erika, 2023. "Measures for the viable agri-food supply chains: A multi-criteria approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    8. Centobelli, Piera & Cerchione, Roberto & Maglietta, Amedeo & Oropallo, Eugenio, 2023. "Sailing through a digital and resilient shipbuilding supply chain: An empirical investigation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
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    10. Adelheid Holl & Ruth Rama, 2024. "Spatial Patterns and Drivers of SME Digitalisation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 5625-5649, June.
    11. Bilgesu Bayir & Aurélie Charles & Aicha Sekhari & Yacine Ouzrout, 2022. "Issues and Challenges in Short Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
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    13. Giannis T. Tsoulfas & Panagiotis Trivellas & Panagiotis Reklitis & Anna Anastasopoulou, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Short Supply Chains in the Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-46, January.
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