A. Ariyawardana

Sources of Competitive Advantage and Firm Performance: The Case of Sri Lankan Value-Added Tea Producers

Given the greater importance of firm-effects as opposed to industry-effects in explaining firm performance, this study incorporated the resource and strategy-based views of the competitive advantage paradigm in explaining the performance of value-added tea producers in Sri Lanka. The study revealed the existence of three significantly different strategic groups and justified the assertion that there is significant intra-industry heterogeneity. Only one strategic group, which comprised four dominant firms, revealed strong mobility barriers and higher performance differences. However, no performance differences were evident between the other two strategic groups.

Value Chain Analysis Across Borders: The Case of Australian Red Lentils to Sri Lanka

This research examines the creation and distribution of consumer value in the most important supply chain of lentils between Australia and Sri Lanka. This adopts a value chain analysis approach applied to a case study, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Intercept surveys of consumers in Sri Lanka revealed that quality, size, and price as the most important value-creating factors. A very strong communication and relationships triad exists among the trader, indenting agent, and processor, but the flow of information from consumer to producer is weak. Opportunities lie in improved genetics, better-informed growers, and continued production efficiencies.

Capturing the consumer value: the case of red lentils

Purpose – Red lentils are one of the widely consumed food items in South Asia and this has created an enormous market opportunity for all players in the chain. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the most valued attributes of red lentils and to assess how consumer preferences vary across store type and by socio-demographic factors. Thereby, it was aimed to identify value chain interventions that are required to meet the consumer demand. Design/methodology/approach – Sri Lanka was selected as the study location because of its significance as an importer. Through an intercept survey of 300 consumers in three store types, consumption pattern and preference for four attributes of red lentils, namely, size, colour, visual quality and price were collected. Data were also collected from retail and wholesale stores and from a processor. Conjoint analysis was used to analyse the consumer data. Findings – A majority of the respondents consumed red lentils on a daily basis. Consumer preference ranking...

Balancing Industry Needs against Global Competitiveness: A Challenge for the Australian Vegetable Industry

The Australian vegetable industry is a significant contributor to the national economy and regional development, generating employment opportunities both on-farm and along the farm-to-market chain. However, the high cost structure of the industry has negatively affected its competitiveness and production is declining, resulting in the relocation of some processing facilities to other countries and increasing imports. These outcomes threaten the future viability of the industry and impact on food-safety-conscious consumers in Australia. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review policy issues along the producer to consumer chain and discuss how key stakeholders could be affected by alternative policy options. The current context of the vegetable industry shows that Australia faces a challenge to find appropriate policy solutions to achieve global competitiveness and secure the interests of its stakeholders while at the same time adopting a market-based policy approach to its food industry.

Why Organizations Struggle to Implement a Market Orientation: Insights Into Beliefs of Top Management

ABSTRACT The role of management as an antecedent and barrier to market orientation is well documented. However, the often deeply held beliefs of top management that influence the degree to which their firms are market oriented has been largely overlooked. This study sought to understand these beliefs using a qualitative research method. Case study research employing in-depth semistructured interviews of four Australian vertically integrated horticultural enterprises was undertaken. A total of 28 beliefs of senior management team members were identified. These beliefs, which appeared to have become part of organizational culture, influenced the way market intelligence was gathered and shared and the degree to which the organizations planned, coordinated, and timed their responses to market opportunities and threats. The results suggest that changing management beliefs about marketing and market orientation may be an important component of enhancing the degree to which firms are market oriented.

Market opportunities to improve vegetable value chains and rural livelihoods in southern Philippines

Two thirds of the population in the southern Philippines are dependent on agriculture yet the country has one of the world’s lowest per capita consumption of fresh produce. Smallholders are poor and incomes are limited by poor integration with markets. In line with the Philippines Development Plan 2011-2016, there is a major opportunity to enhance the performance of vegetable value chains (VC) and to improve the livelihood of small farmers. A study was undertaken to assess how vegetable VC performance could be improved. The study was conducted at five sites in the southern Philippines. It focused on five vegetables – eggplant, tomatoes, sweet pepper, ampalaya and leafy vegetables. Rapid appraisals of vegetable VCs were conducted using observations and interviews with key chain members and associated stakeholders. Existing vegetable VCs were examined to highlight material flow, information flow and relationship along the chains. Key issues along the chain were explored. Three potential chain development models were proposed based on who in a chain takes the position of captain for leading development interventions – smallholders, wholesalers or retailers.

Small-Scale Shrimp Grower–Collector Relationships: The Case of Thua Thien Hue Province, Central Vietnam

Small-scale shrimp-culture is an important livelihood for rural residents in Thua Thien Hue (TTH) province, central Vietnam. However, they are facing the risk of exclusion from the food system due to globalization and trade liberalization. To keep these farmers in modern supply chains, their relationships with other chain actors, foremost the collectors, need to be improved. Thus, this study explores the characteristics and constructs of the relationships between the small-scale shrimp growers and their collectors. Data was based on a survey on 83 small-scale shrimp growers, together with 16 unstructured interviews with growers (10) and collectors (6). It was revealed that the relationships between small-scale shrimp growers and collectors in TTH province are short-term and price-driven and are influenced by the power of collectors. The relationship strength was measured by five intercorrelated constructs including reliability, willingness-to-maintain, desire-fulfilment, negotiation capacity, and discussion capacity. Although some constructs were positively correlated, the strength of the relationships was weak. Both business linkages and social connections affected the grower-collector relationships. Female traders had stronger relationships with collectors than males. Therefore, interventions should be focused on business and social linkages as well as females’ involvement in shrimp trade.

The Future of Sri Lankan Agri-Business: What Needs to be Done?

Under increasing domestic and global pressures, the survival of small agri-businesses in developing countries such as Sri Lanka is being challenged because of their poor strategic focus and weak coordination along the supply chain. The quality, efficiency, and versatility of production, processing, distribution, and marketing systems play a significant role in the competitiveness of agri-businesses. Improved competitiveness requires closer coordination along the supply chain so as to decrease transaction costs and create opportunities for differentiation. In Sri Lanka, the government has a greater role to play in developing an enabling environment for the chains to which small agri-businesses belong.

Preference for ethnic specialty produce by the Hispanics in the east coast of the USA

Purpose – The consumption of ethnic food is an integral part of the Hispanic culture. Therefore, this study was carried out with the intention of assessing the consumption and preferences for ethnic specialty produce by the Hispanics in the east coast of the USA with an aim of formulating production and marketing guidelines to meet the increasing demands of the rising Hispanic population in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through telephone interviews from 542 randomly selected Mexicans and Puerto Ricans living in 16 east coast regions of the USA. Questions related to socio‐demographic details and consumption and preference for 20 pre‐determined ethnic specialty produce were asked. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.Findings – Chain grocery stores were the most common outlets for ethnic produce. Freshness and quality were the most important criteria for both Mexicans and Puerto Ricans. Expenditure patterns revealed that they allocate 71 percent...

Market Orientation in a Sample of Food and Beverage Processing Firms in the Western Province, Sri Lanka

This study empirically investigates the market orientation strategy of firms operating in the food and beverage industry in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Market orientation was conceptualized through three sets of activities: intelligence generation, intelligence dissemination, and responsiveness. Firms were grouped based on the level of market orientation and were compared. It was revealed that one group had a separate marketing division with specialized marketing personnel and a positive top management philosophy toward market orientation. Firms in this group showed a greater level of performance compared to firms in other groups.