Strategic Collaboration in Supply Chain Networks

Businesses collaborate in supply chain networks to strengthen their strategic position in markets and business ecosystems. Collaboration provides businesses with valuable resources (including data and knowledge), high quality supplies, bargaining power, and opportunities for joint innovation. Through collaboration, businesses can achieve shared benefits and promote sustainability.

What we offer

At BMO we analyze how different collaboration structures and strategies, for instance in cooperatives, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and partnerships, affect business’ financial and sustainability performance. By understanding the dynamics of collaboration, we offer insights into effective partnerships.

BMO has extensive knowledge on collaboration in supply chain networks and on value chain development. We know how the sustainability ambition of businesses (perhaps in response to societal or regulatory pressure) translates into new inter- and intra-organisational structures and procedures of collaboration.

BMO provides insights into different organisational forms, depending on their (joint) goals and aspirations. For instance, what type of contracting arrangements are most suitable for collaboration among value chain partners? We also have extensive expertise on producer cooperatives and other collective action organisations in the agrifood sector.

Key Publications

Weituschat, C.S.; Pascucci, S.; Materia, V.C., Blasi, E. (2023). Understanding the role of value chain formation in the scaling of crop diversification. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 43(2): 25.

Weituschat, C.S.; Pascucci, S.; Materia, V.C., Caracciolo, F. (2023). Can contract farming support sustainable intensification in agri-food value chains? Ecological Economics 211(2): 107876.

Mahdad, M.; M. Hasanov, W. Dolfsma, G. Isakhanyan (2022). A Smart Web of Firms, Farms, and Internet of Things (IOT): Enabling Collaboration-based Business Models in The Agri-food Industry. British Food Journal 124(6): 1857-1874

Bijman, J., & Höhler, J. (2023). Agricultural cooperatives and the transition to environmentally sustainable food systems. In: M. S. Elliott & M. A. Boland (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Cooperatives and Mutuals (pp. 313-332). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

Groot-Kormelinck, A., Bijman, J., Trienekens, J., & Klerkx, L. (2022). Producer organizations as transition intermediaries? Insights from organic and conventional vegetable systems in Uruguay. Agriculture and Human Values. doi:10.1007/s10460-022-10316-3

Adetoyinbo, A., Trienekens, J., Otter, V. (2023). Contingent Resource-Based View of Food Netchain Organization and Firm Performance: A Comprehensive Quantitative Framework. Supply Chain Management: an International Journal 28(2): 957-974.

Wiedenroth, C., Otter, V. (2022). Can new healthy luxury food products accelerate short food supply chain formation via social media marketing in high-income countries? Agricultural and Food Economics 10 (31). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-022-00238-3

Havinga, F.; W. Dolfsma & M. Mahdad (2023) Unpacking ecosystem dynamics in the construction industry: the transition toward circular construction ecosystems. Journal of Cleaner Production 414: 137455.

Wang, X.; J.D. van der Bij & W. Dolfsma (2020). Knowledge sharing in inter-organizational teams: The role of the advice network and the substitutive role of the formal network in an R&D alliance. Industry & Innovation27(10): 1160-1185.