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Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Jason Donovan, Nigel Poole, Keith Poe and Ingrid Herrera-Arauz

Between 2006 and 2011, Nicaragua shipped an average of US$9.4 million per year of smallholder-produced fresh taro (Colocasia esculenta) to the USA; however, by 2016, the US market…

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Abstract

Purpose

Between 2006 and 2011, Nicaragua shipped an average of US$9.4 million per year of smallholder-produced fresh taro (Colocasia esculenta) to the USA; however, by 2016, the US market for Nicaraguan taro had effectively collapsed. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the short-lived taro boom from the perspective of complex adaptive systems, showing how shocks, interactions between value chain actors, and lack of adaptive capacity among chain actors together contributed to the collapse of the chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected from businesses and smallholders in 2010 and 2016 to understand the actors involved, their business relations, and the benefits and setbacks they experienced along the way.

Findings

The results show the capacity of better-off smallholders to engage in a demanding market, but also the struggles faced by more vulnerable smallholders to build new production systems and respond to internal and external shocks. Local businesses were generally unprepared for the uncertainties inherent in fresh horticultural trade or for engagement with distant buyers.

Research limitations/implications

Existing guides and tools for designing value chain interventions will benefit from greater attention to the circumstances of local actors and the challenges of building productive inter-business relations under higher levels of risk and uncertainty.

Originality/value

This case serves as a wake-up call for practitioners, donors, researchers, and the private sector on how to identify market opportunities and the design of more robust strategies to respond to them.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 1 October 2006

Jaruwan Daengbuppha, Nigel Hemmington and Keith Wilkes

The purpose of this paper is to present grounded theory as an alternative approach for conceptualizing and modelling the consumer experience. The basic theoretical tenets of the…

9141

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present grounded theory as an alternative approach for conceptualizing and modelling the consumer experience. The basic theoretical tenets of the grounded theory approach are contrasted with more traditional assumptions and methods used in consumer research.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is based on qualitative methods and a series of systematic ethnographic procedures, which along with the simultaneous processes of data collection and analysis, lead to the development of an inductive derived grounded theory of the visitor experience. In order to develop a model of the interactive experience of visitors to heritage sites, case studies are conducted at three World Heritage Sites in Thailand.

Findings

The findings indicate that the grounded theory approach has the potential to reveal a rich and deep understanding of visitor experiences, including the ways that visitors interact with the site, their interpretation of the site, and the meaning of the site for them.

Practical implications

It is suggested that the grounded theory approach can be a valuable tool in exploring the insights and meanings of visitors' experience and could be applied to future research in consumer behaviour. There are practical implications of this kind of research for the management of heritage sites in terms of visitor expectations, interactions and interpretations.

Originality/value

This study has developed a model of the experience and interaction of visitors to Thai World Heritage Sites which could be applied to other heritage sites. It illustrates the theoretical and practical issues of grounded theory approach to exploration and inductive development “interactive experience” of visitors at heritage sites. This is a qualitative research approach that could be adopted for a range of experience based industries such tourism, leisure and hospitality.

Details

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 9 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-2752

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 November 2014

Nigel Poole and Jason Donovan

Within the context of widespread donor support for producer organizations, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of interventions aimed at rescuing a failed…

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Abstract

Purpose

Within the context of widespread donor support for producer organizations, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of interventions aimed at rescuing a failed cooperative and improving performance and business linkages between grower-suppliers and international markets through enterprise development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports a case study of a Nicaraguan coffee cooperative, Soppexcca, which received substantial donor support at the time of the international coffee crisis between 1999 and 2004. The study used a framework of organizational structure, strategy, empowerment, and performance to assess business performance and sustainability. Quantitative and qualitative data collection focussed on asset building and changes during the period 2005-2009.

Findings

Soppexcca achieved major advances in asset building. External interventions played a pivotal role in building organizational capacity to respond to buyers’ demands and market-related shocks. Support was received not only from donors but also from supply chain partners and third-sector organizations. However, important gaps remain, and addressing these gaps requires changes in Soppexcca and sustained support.

Research limitations/implications

As a case study, findings cannot be readily generalized but the implications will be of significance beyond the coffee sector in Nicaragua, wherever and in whatever sector building cooperative capacity is an important development objective.

Social implications

Experience with Soppexcca shows that the creation of sustainable collective organizations is a long-term process, particularly in respect of building human capital.

Originality/value

The paper examines enterprise development using concepts of capital asset formation and cooperative performance, and argues the significance of effective links between value chain stakeholders as well as internal cooperative performance.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 8 June 2015

Foivos Anastasiadis and Nigel Poole

This paper aims to report research into emergent supply chain management (SCM) practices in a context in which the imperative for business development requires efficient…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report research into emergent supply chain management (SCM) practices in a context in which the imperative for business development requires efficient inter-firm collaboration. It explores the way key supply chain (SC) actors perceive entrepreneurial opportunities and evaluates their SC processes.

Design/methodology/approach

A whole chain approach, using qualitative methods, was used to investigate retail, wholesale and production links, with a special focus on small businesses which predominate in the agrifood sector. The methodology used is of vital importance to understand the complexity of the sector and the interdependencies among stakeholders.

Findings

Results suggest several SC malfunctions originating in diverse strategic planning practices and different entrepreneurial mentalities which hinder the process of emergence from traditional to more modern chain configurations. The fact that the nature of new opportunities in the agrifood sector (e.g. organics) was poorly understood, obstructs further development of the agrifood sector. Other key findings suggest problematic flows of information within the SC and minimal trust among stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

Sampling constraints suggest that caution should be exercised in extrapolating these conclusions elsewhere. Nonetheless, further investigation using similar approach should be applied in a wider context not only in Greece but also in other similar economies characterized by nascent SCs.

Originality/value

The study investigates the entire SC of a vital sector for numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises, with lessons for diverse emerging agribusiness economies. Insights, not only for the direct SC stakeholders but also for policymakers, could serve to unlock the potential of such sectors and also the exploitation of new opportunities in emerging markets which can be stifled by stagnant sectoral structures and conservative business attitudes.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

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Article
Publication date: 24 May 2013

Nigel Poole, Fernando Álvarez, Nora Penagos and Roberto Vázquez

The purpose of this paper is to argue for appropriate formal education for rural young people in order to sustain and enhance viable rural communities.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to argue for appropriate formal education for rural young people in order to sustain and enhance viable rural communities.

Design/methodology/approach

In reviewing the literature, it bridges the gap between thinking on education and development respectively, and links schooling with the concepts of livelihoods, human and social capital and life‐skills. By way of example, it summarises an empirical study of the content and delivery of tele‐education among indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico.

Findings

Developing and emerging economies and regions should prioritise effective and efficient rural education which incorporates practical and technical skills appropriate to the rural context in order to include young people in the agricultural development and agribusiness of rural areas. This means delivery of education that is rural, local and particular to the context, with appropriate technology, pedagogy and curriculum.

Research limitations/implications

The concepts and argument are of wide significance. The case study findings should not be readily generalised but the implications will relevant to many remote and marginalised communities where the rural economy is weak, opportunities are few and education resources are scarce.

Originality/value

The paper links different literatures and, by also drawing on empirical evidence consistent with the literature, makes a case for a significant reorientation of rural education towards appropriate life‐skills in order to create viable rural livelihoods.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2002

Nigel D. Poole and Kate Gray

The degreening process for citrus accelerates natural colour break which changes fruit from an “unripe” green colour to the characteristically ripe orange/yellow colour…

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Abstract

The degreening process for citrus accelerates natural colour break which changes fruit from an “unripe” green colour to the characteristically ripe orange/yellow colour. Degreening is used by producers both to extend the citrus season to make short‐term financial gains and to make fruit more attractive to consumers. This study reviews how, in an attempt to improve fruit appearance, other quality attributes may be sacrificed. The process is known to be detrimental to external fruit quality and is also suspected to be detrimental to consumption quality and shelf life. In the context of a dynamic and competitive fruit market, any reduction in product quality and consequent loss consumer satisfaction inevitably will have a negative economic impact on producers and traders. Further technical and marketing research is necessary, but among the conclusions drawn is that there is sufficient evidence already to be cautious about the widespread use of degreening.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 104 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1996

Nigel Poole and Laura Baron

Reports on research into the level of consumer awareness of the attributes of citrus fruit. Claims it is necessary to convert consumer attitudes towards healthy eating into…

1679

Abstract

Reports on research into the level of consumer awareness of the attributes of citrus fruit. Claims it is necessary to convert consumer attitudes towards healthy eating into appropriate consumer behaviour. Hypothesizes that consumer knowledge of some important attributes of fruit and vegetable products is low, and that better informed consumers might make better informed purchasing decisions. Describes the methodology and results of the survey which finds evidence that consumers are largely ill‐informed about the attributes of the citrus fruit that they purchase.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 98 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 1998

Raúl Compés López and Nigel Poole

The provision of port services is an important link in international logistics. Historically, ports have constituted a bottleneck in maritime transport. Moreover, the quality of…

4729

Abstract

The provision of port services is an important link in international logistics. Historically, ports have constituted a bottleneck in maritime transport. Moreover, the quality of port services has been compromised by the complex internal port organisation and the considerable number of bodies that participate in the transfer of goods between ships and inland transport vehicles. The efficiency of port services affects not only the port authorities, service providers and customers, but also the port hinterland through the multiplier effect on the regional economy. The problems of port organisation are explained using principal‐agent concepts. The authors then explore the concept of quality in relation to port services, and discuss certification of service providers as a means of signalling quality to their customers. Finally, the accreditation system of the port of Valencia, Spain, is presented as a model, one that is superior to the accepted ISO standards, whereby port service quality and efficiency may be enhanced.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

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Article
Publication date: 1 July 2005

Jean‐Joseph Cadilhon, Andrew P. Fearne, Phan Thi Giac Tam, Paule Moustier and Nigel D. Poole

To demonstrate that collaborative commerce is not restricted to trade in branded products between large, multi‐national organisations.

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Abstract

Purpose

To demonstrate that collaborative commerce is not restricted to trade in branded products between large, multi‐national organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

Insights from extensive field research in Viet Nam.

Findings

The benefits from collaborative commerce are plain for all to see yet very little of it is being practices in retail food chains at present, due primarily to incompatible organisational cultures and a competitive market environment that drives large corporations towards transactional relationships based on price competition. The insights from the Vietnamese vegetable supply chain demonstrate the simplicity of the principles of collaborative commerce and the ease with which they are adopted when the culture is conducive to collaboration and a partnership approach to trading relationships.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are based on research conducted in and around Ho Chi Minh city and on a narrow product range, but anecdotal evidence suggests the principles apply across all commodities and extend beyond the South of the country.

Practical implications

Demonstrates the importance of organisational culture in collaborative commerce, so businesses who wish to benefit from collaboration in the supply chain need to look at ways of developing an organisational culture that is conducive to collaboration.

Originality/value

This paper sheds new light on the application of the principles of collaborative commerce in a developing country context and in a low value‐high risk food category, without major investment in IT systems.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

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Article
Publication date: 13 March 2009

Ioanna‐Maria Gedeon, Andrew Fearne and Nigel Poole

This paper aims to explore the role that inter‐personal relationships play in promoting or hindering the dissolution of business relationships operating in the UK food industry.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the role that inter‐personal relationships play in promoting or hindering the dissolution of business relationships operating in the UK food industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study methodology was used to explore the dissolution of 11 business relationships and the role of inter‐personal relationships therein.

Findings

The findings demonstrate the critical role of personal relationships in the dissolution processing, acting as a catalyst, a precipitator and an extenuating factor in the dissolution process.

Research limitations/implications

The case studies draw exclusively on the experiences and perceptions of suppliers to uncover the dynamics of dissolved business relationships. However, this is not surprising, given the sensitive nature of the subject. Moreover, the two‐stage methodology used for identifying case study candidates should prove beneficial to other researchers in this area.

Practical implications

The case study findings illustrate that important though they are, personal relationships are a means to an end not an end in themselves. Failure to use close personal relationships to deliver commercial benefits leaves the supplier vulnerable.

Originality/value

This is one of very few papers to provide empirical evidence of the dissolution process in business relationships, using a novel case study methodology that may prove useful for other researchers working in this under‐researched area.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 24 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

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