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Making Sustainability Tangible: Land O'Lakes and the Dairy Supply Chain

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  • Michael Boland
  • Brendan Cooper
  • James M. White

Abstract

This case study examines the challenges of implementing a vaguely defined concept called sustainability in a large organization that also has a cooperative structure. Stakeholder theory is described and applied to a multinational dairy firm. The case firm, Land O'Lakes, must balance the needs of multiple constituencies: the general public, employees, cooperative members, external funding organizations, and the management team. One challenge is to define sustainability for the entire dairy industry. The case discusses the strategies used by firms in developing a sustainability response where the tradeoffs between different strategies are between credibility and autonomy and using an industry rather than a firm-level response.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Boland & Brendan Cooper & James M. White, 2016. "Making Sustainability Tangible: Land O'Lakes and the Dairy Supply Chain," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(2), pages 648-657.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:98:y:2016:i:2:p:648-657.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ross, R. Brent & Pandey, Vivek & Ross, Kara L., 2015. "Sustainability and Strategy in U.S. Agri-Food Firms: An Assessment of Current Practices," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 18(1), pages 1-32, February.
    2. Dentoni, Domenico & Peterson, H. Christopher, 2011. "Multi-Stakeholder Sustainability Alliances in Agri-Food Chains: A Framework for Multi-Disciplinary Research," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 14(5), pages 1-25, December.
    3. Sobczak, André, 2006. "Are Codes of Conduct in Global Supply Chains Really Voluntary? From Soft Law Regulation of Labour Relations to Consumer Law," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 167-184, April.
    4. Rémi BAZILLIER & Julien Vauday, 2009. "The Greenwashing Machine, Is CSR more than communication ?," LEO Working Papers / DR LEO 1617, Orleans Economics Laboratory / Laboratoire d'Economie d'Orleans (LEO), University of Orleans.
    5. André Sobczak, 2006. "Are Codes of Conduct in Global Supply Chains Really Voluntary?," Post-Print hal-00765266, HAL.
    6. Boland, Michael A. & Amanor-Boadu, Vincent & Barton, David G., 2004. "Land O' Lakes," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 7(2), pages 1-13.
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    Cited by:

    1. Magdalena Kapelko & Alfons Oude Lansink & Encarna Guillamon‐Saorin, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and dynamic productivity change in the US food and beverage manufacturing industry," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(2), pages 286-305, April.
    2. Michael A. Boland & Brian C. Briggeman & Keri Jacobs & Phil Kenkel & Gregory McKee & John L. Park, 2021. "Research Priorities for Agricultural Cooperatives and their Farmer‐Members," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 573-585, June.
    3. Pielow, Cornelia & Schulze-Ehlers, Birgit, 2016. "Strategic CSR in food industry SMEs: identifying individual hot spots," 26th International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) World Forum, 2016, Aarhus, Denmark 275887, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA).

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