William A. Kerr

Creating international competitiveness through supply chain management: Danish pork

Claims that by most conventional input cost measures, the Danish pork industry looks very uncompetitive when compared to its rivals in international markets, yet Danish exports account for between 20 and 30 per cent of global pork trade. Explores the reasons for this success, finding answers in the organisation of the Danish pork supply chain. Four farmer‐owned co‐operatives account for virtually all pig slaughtering and processing in Denmark which is highly technologically advanced. The pivotal role of the umbrella organisation, Danske Slagterier, in co‐ordinating market research, genetic and meat processing research is explored. Finally, an assessment is made of the competitive strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the Danish pork supply chain.

Costs of monitoring food safety and vertical coordination in agribusiness: What can be learned from the British Food Safety Act 1990?

The British Food Safety Act 1990 may significantly affect the structure of agribusiness. The most important aspect of the new act is the introduction of the “due diligence” defence clause. Food companies must prove that they exhibited due diligence in ensuring that food in their possession conformed to the provisions of the act. This may significantly increase the monitoring costs facing food companies. As a result, alternative forms of vertical coordination that minimise the costs of compliance with the act may evolve. Agribusiness companies need to be aware of the potential impact of the due diligence clause on monitoring costs and policy makers need to consider the implications for industrial structure when framing food safety legislation.

Genetically modified organisms, consumer scepticism and trade law: implications for the organisation of international supply chains

Given the rapid rates of technological improvements possible, using modern biotechnology, the product life cycle of new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is likely to be short and, hence, those investing in their development will desire access to the widest international market possible. There is, however, considerable consumer scepticism regarding GMOs, which is being translated into both government policy responses and actions by firms who are near the consumer end of the supply chain. As the licensing of GMOs is likely to vary from country to country and regulatory regimes will differ, firms involved in international supply chains for food products will be affected by the interplay of trade policy and consumer scepticism. All firms, even those not handling GMO products, will be affected because costly new monitoring procedures will be required. These additional monitoring costs suggest that competitive advantage is likely to be conferred on those supply chains which exhibit superior vertical co‐ordination.

Of fish and whales: the credibility of threats in international trade disputes

Abstract In protection of fisheries resources, whales, and other marine mammals, the US has used the threat of trade sanctions to force changes in environmental policies of other nations. Nations threatened with trade action must assess the credibility of a threat to impose substantial costs on the economy. The credibility of a threat will depend on the ability to divert sanctioned exports to other markets, the price impact of such diversion, and the time required for the diversion to take place. Using as an example the 1993 US threat to impose trade restrictions on imports of fish from Norway as a result of Norways decision to re-commence commercial whaling, this paper provides an example of a formal assessment procedure to empirically examine the credibility of threatened trade action.

Lamb‐buying preferences of Canadian abattoirs and producer marketing groups: implications for the Canadian supply chain

The Canadian lamb industry is small compared to lamb industries in many other countries and the supply chain for lamb is weak and fragmented. Without improvements in the flow of information, product quality and continuity of supply, the formal supply chain in Canada may collapse and Canadian lamb will become a local cottage industry with the retail chain and institutional markets serviced by offshore suppliers. Examines one of the key interfaces in the Canadian lamb supply chain. Conjoint analysis is used to assess the attitudes of the major commercial buyers of lambs ‐ abbatoirs and producer marketing groups ‐ towards key attributes of the lamb supply chain. The relative importance of a number of characteristics are assessed: a regular supplier, the basis of payment, reduced handling of lambs from farm to abattoir and the price paid for the lambs.

Marketing Education for Russian Marketing Educators

A considerable international effort is being made to improve marketing skills in Russia. One aspect is upgrading the existing academic communitys understanding of market economies. Based on a training experience, this article provides some insights into how to approach the training of potential marketing educators in Russia.

Can trade measures induce compliance with trips

Abstract Protection of intellectual property on the Asia‐Pacific Rim is weak. Piracy, counterfeiting and other violations of intellectual property in Asian economies with rising technical capabilities were the primary motivation for developed countries’ insistence on protection for intellectual property being included in the Uruguay Round negotiations. One of the central elements of the new World Trade Organization (WTO) is the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) whereby all WTO members have committed to strengthening intellectual property protection. Retaliation in the form of trade measures on goods for intellectual property rights violations is the fundamental enforcement mechanism included in the TRIPs agreement. The exact form retaliation will take was, however, left to further negotiations over a five‐year period. This paper examines the retaliation rules available to the WTO and their likely ability to induce compliance with TRIPs’ commitments. The conclusion is that...

Was the Babson Prize deserved? An enquiry into an early forecasting model

Abstract In this paper, an early price-forecasting model (Sarle, American Economic Review, 1925, 15, no. 3, Supplement 2, 1–22) is evaluated. The model was one of the first attempts at the systematic specification of a multivariate price-forecasting model. The model received the Babson Prize offered by the American Economic Association in 1924 and was published in a special supplement of the American Economic Review. Despite the profile given to the model, it was virtually ignored by the economic profession. We evaluate the contribution of the model, arguing that it was well specified, using a step-wise correlation procedure to define the regression variables, that it provided accurate price forecasts compared with a contemporary AR model and that it represented the frontier of price forecasting in 1924. We discuss the model in an historical context and in the development of commodity-price-forecasting models.

A system disrupted-The grazing economy of North Wales in the wake of Chernobyl

Abstract Considerable attention has been given to the study of agricultural systems but less attention has been given to systems in a disrupted state. This study examines the disruption to the grazing system of North Wales which arose from the accident at Chernobyl. The objective was to study farmer reactions to the disruption and to gain insights into the effect of the policies implemented. To this end, a stylized model of the grazing system is developed and the effects of the disruptive shock are assessed within the models structure. In the process, the interactive complexities of the grazing system are illustrated and the diversity of responses available to farmers explored. The ramifications of this diversity for the design of policies is then briefly discussed.

Access: A Global Issue in Electricity Generation

Abstract New sources of electrical energy have made it technically feasible to allow small-scale electrical generation facilities to make up a much larger percentage of an electrical systems energy sources than in the past However, the complexities of the electrical generator-transmission transaction may now act to inhibit investment by potential independent power producers. The critical issues for prospective investors are the terms for access and wheeling rights. Questions relating to dependency, opportunism, and destructive competition may be difficult to resolve in a satisfactory manner, and suboptimal levels of investment in alternative energy sources will result.