Abstract
This paper provides a management perspective of organisational factors that contributes to the reduction of food waste through the application of design science principles to explore causal relationships between food distribution (organisational) and consumption (societal) factors. Qualitative data were collected with an organisational perspective from commercial food consumers along with large-scale food importers, distributors, and retailers. Cause-effect models are built and “what-if” simulations are conducted through the development and application of a Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) approaches to elucidate dynamic interrelationships. The simulation models developed provide a practical insight into existing and emergent food losses scenarios, suggesting the need for big data sets to allow for generalizable findings to be extrapolated from a more detailed quantitative exercise. This research offers itself as evidence to support policy makers in the development of policies that facilitate interventions to reduce food losses. It also contributes to the literature through sustaining, impacting and potentially improving levels of food security, underpinned by empirically constructed policy models that identify potential behavioural changes. It is the extension of these simulation models set against a backdrop of a proposed big data framework for food security, where this study sets avenues for future research for others to design and construct big data research in food supply chains. This research has therefore sought to provide policymakers with a means to evaluate new and existing policies, whilst also offering a practical basis through which food chains can be made more resilient through the consideration of management practices and policy decisions.
Highlights
The terms food loss and food waste are often used interchangeably and ground in legal jurisdictions but they are quite different in terms of origin and scope
To explore and identify the interrelationships between organisational factors contributing to the management of food security, the researchers developed a research design to capture aspects of food distribution and consumption that may impact upon the generation of food waste
Noting the elements of new production and computer-oriented operations processes which are encapsulated within Internet 4.0 (i.e. Internet of Things, IoT; Internet of Services, IoS; Cyber-Physical Systems, CPS; and Smart Factories, SF) we further propose that food security elements of Availability, Access and Utilisation can be aligned with big data elements
Summary
The terms food loss and food waste are often used interchangeably and ground in legal jurisdictions but they are quite different in terms of origin and scope. Food ‘loss’ refers to the decrease in food quantity or quality, which makes it unfit for human consumption; occurring throughout the supply chain; from harvest through to processing and distribution. This wasted food, which is still potentially fit for human consumption, could potentially feed those in need and thereby contribute to enhancing food security. By reducing food losses and waste, more food could be made available for consumption without the need for more farm output (Babar and Mirgani, 2014). If only one-fourth of the food wasted could be saved, it would be sufficient to feed all currently undernourished people (Basher et al, 2013)
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