Sustainable Supply Chains for Food Systems 2600-MFS-SSFS
The course offers an exploration of both supply chain and value chain management, with a strong foundation in management theory and principles of sustainable development. It is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how supply chains operate within the global food system, and how they can be optimized for sustainability and resilience. By integrating key concepts from supply chain management and value chain analysis, the course focuses on equipping learners with the necessary skills to assess, manage, and improve food supply and value chains. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how to incorporate various stakeholders into an efficient and sustainable food system, ensuring that each link in the chain contributes to a more resilient and environmentally responsible food supply chains.
The presentations and discussions throughout the course will not only cover the technical aspects of supply chain management (SCM) but will also delve into broader strategic concerns such as building resilient value chains capable of withstanding global challenges. Students will engage with critical topics like sustainability and circular economy models, exploring how these concepts can be applied to real-world food supply systems to reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and minimize environmental impact. Moreover, the course will examine stakeholder analysis, highlighting the importance of understanding the roles, relationships, and influence of different actors within the food system, from farmers and manufacturers to distributors and consumers.
In addition to these foundational topics, the course will introduce students to cutting-edge developments in the field, including the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and advanced traceability systems in the management of food supply chains. These innovations are increasingly reshaping the food industry, enabling more transparent, efficient, and sustainable practices. Through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical case studies, this course prepares learners to critically analyse food supply chains, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement solutions that promote sustainability, resilience, and creating value.
Sustainable Food Supply Chains - Topics of Classes:
(1) Introduction to the supply chain concept:
- Introduction to the course
- Definition and characteristics of the supply chain within the global food system
- Elements of the food supply chain
- Supply chain management (SCM)
- Circular Economy Model
(2) Key characteristics of the food supply chains:
- Evolution of the food supply chain - from traditional to modern
- Food supply chain models – from local to international
- Elements of the food supply chain at macro, meso and micro level
- Collaboration and relationship models within food supply chains
- Formal and informal mechanisms of coordination in the food supply chain
- Local production and short food supply chains (SFSC)
(3) Value chains in the food system:
- Definition and characteristics of a value chain (M.E. Porter)
- Supply chains versus value chains
- Global vs. Local Value Chains in the food sector
- Sustainable Value Chains
- Value chain analysis
(4) Environmental footprint and external factors in food supply chains:
- Globalisation
- Income and wealth distribution
- International trade
- Technological Progress
- Climate Change
- PESTEL analysis
(5) Sustainability and sustainable food value chains:
- Origins of the idea of sustainability
- Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
- Measures of sustainability and sustainability standards
- Drivers for sustainable food supply chains
- Green supply chains
- Theory of shared value (M.E. Porter, M.R. Kramer)
(6) Actors of the food supply chains:
- Theory of stakeholders (R.E. Freeman)
- Stakeholder analysis
- Position and impact of the value chain participants
- Role of consumers in food value chains
(7) Future of sustainable supply chains:
- Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in the food sector
- Role of innovations in the food supply
- Drivers of change
- Traceability and trust
- Information and Communication Technology (ITC) in supply chains
- Role of AI in FSCM
- SCM 4.0 for food
- Implications of innovations in alternative food production and supply
- FSCM of tomorrow
(8) Exam - test
Course coordinators
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Upon completing the course, students:
K_W01 know key supply chain models in the food sector
K_W02 know Porter’s value chain model
K_W03 know the circular economy model
K_W04 know stakeholder theory
K_W05 know contemporary challenges related to the food needs system of societies
K_W06 know the phenomena and processes occurring within the supply chain of the food system
K_W07 know basic cooperation and integration models of value chains in the food system
K_U01 are able to analyze the supply chain of enterprises in the food industry
K_U02 are able to analyze the value chain of enterprises in the food industry
K_U03 are able to conduct a stakeholder analysis for organizations in the food industry
K_U04 are able to conduct an external environment analysis for organizations in the food industry
K_U05 are able to communicate teamwork results effectively in English
K_U06 organize both their own work and teamwork
K_U07 are able to independently educate themselves in the field of supply chain management in the food industry
K_K01 are ready to participate in discussions on contemporary challenges in supply chains in the food industry
K_K02 are ready to comply with ethical standards
K_K03 are ready to think in an entrepreneurial and creative way
K_K04 are ready to responsibly perform professional roles in the field of food system management
Assessment criteria
The final grade is determined based on the following components:
1) Attendance and class participation: 10%
2) Individual and team assignments during classes and homework: 50%
3) Final exam: 40%
Final grade calculation scale:
Very good (5): 92-100% of total points
Fairly good (4.5): 84-91% of total points
Good (4): 76-83% of total points
Satisfactory (3.5): 68-75% of total points
Sufficient (3): 60-67% of total points
Bibliography
Class 1:
(1) D. Li, X. Wang, H. K. Chan and R. Manzini. (2014). Sustainable food supply chain management. International Journal of Production Economics, 152, 1–8.
(2) F. Fassio & N. Tecco. (2019). Circular economy for food: A systemic interpretation of 40 case histories in the food system in their relationships with SDGs. Systems, 7(3), 43.
Class 2:
(3) S. Ammirato, A.M. Felicetti, M.Ferrara, C. Raso & A. Violi. (2021). Collaborative Organization Models for Sustainable Development in the Agri-Food Sector. Sustainability, 13(4), Article 4.
(4) Y.T. Kor, J. Prabhu & M. Esposito. (2017). How Large Food Retailers Can Help Solve the Food Waste Crisis. Harvard Business Review, December 2017.
Class 3:
(5) T.M. Simatupang, P. Piboonrungroj & S.J. Williams. (2017). The emergence of value chain thinking, International Journal of Value Chain Management, No 8 (1), pp. 40-57
(6) Bammann, H. (2019). Participatory value chain analysis for improved farmer incomes, employment opportunities and food security. Pacific Economic Bulletin, Vol. 22, No 3, pp. 113-125.
Class 4:
(7) J.M. Bloemhof, M. Soysal. (2017). Sustainable Food Supply Chain Design. In: Bouchery Y., Corbett C., Fransoo J., Tan T. (eds) Sustainable Supply Chains. Springer Series in Supply Chain Management, Vol 4, 395-411
(8) M.M. Hasan, M., Lu, Y. Nekmahmud and M.A. Patwary. (2019). Green business value chain: a systematic review. Sustainable Production and Consumption, No 20, pp. 326–339.
Class 5:
(9) I. Djekic, L. Batlle-Bayer, P. Bala, P. Fullana-i-Palmer, A. R. Jambrak. (2021). Role of the Food Supply Chain Stakeholders in Achieving UN SDGs. Sustainability 13, No. 16: 9095
(10) M.E. Porter, M.E., M.R. Kramer M.R. (2011). Creating Shared Value: How to Reinvent Capitalism and Unleash a Wave of Innovation and Growth, Harvard Business Review, 89 (1-2), 62-77
Class 6:
(11) K.C. Grunert. (2011). Sustainability in the Food Sector: A Consumer Behaviour Perspective. International Journal on Food System Dynamics, 2(3), 207–218
(12) K. White, D.J. Hardisty and R. Habib. (2019). The elusive green consumer. Harvard Business Review, 11(1), 124-133.
Class 7:
(13) M. Shacklett. (2017). How technology is transforming the food supply chain. Food Logistics, July 2017, pp.18-22
(14) M. Attaran. (2020). Digital technology enablers and their implications for supply chain management. Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 21(3), 158–172. Open access: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/16258312.2020.1751568?needAccess=true
Supplementary readings:
• P. J. Ericksen. (2008). Conceptualizing food systems for global environmental change research, Global Environmental Change, Vol. 18, pp. 234–245
• R.K. Mitchell, B.R. Agle, D.J. Wood. (1997). Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review, 22 (4), 853–886
• R. Nidumolu, C.K. Prahalad, M.R, Rangaswami. (2009). Why Sustainability is Now the Key Driver of Innovation, Harvard Business Review, 87(9), 56-64
• R. Zhong, X. Xu, L. Wang. (2017). Food supply chain management: systems, implementations, and future research Industrial Management & Data Systems. Vol. 117 (9)
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: