Objectives

The overall objective of the SUPPLIERS project was:

To assist the sustainable development of small-scale food enterprises in lagging rural regions (LRRs) of the European Union and Poland² through the develop-ment of new tools and models for supply/distribution chain integration leading to improved market accessibility and competitiveness.

1 Effi cient Consumer Response (ECR) is a generic term that covers a number of related approaches and techniques that aim to deliver greater consumer value, more rapidly and with less cost.

2 Poland became part of the EU not until after the research in SUPPLIERS project was carried out.

The Supply Chain Environment Objective identifi ed factors which infl uenced the operation and development of food supply chains from LRRs. The likely evolution of such factors was determined, along with their implications for supply chain access and management, the development of existing and new supply chains, and for rural develop-ment in the LRRs.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To construct a theoretical framework and to elaborate basic research propositions and tentative relationships to examine (a) the development and performance of food supply chains involving SMEs with identifi cation of indices for the measurement of effi ciency, effectiveness and structural impacts; (b) the linkages between supply chain characteristics and rural development trends, structures and strategies; and (c) the role of policies and institutional structures in infl uencing supply chain perform-ance with respect to the competitiveness and market accessibility of food SMEs in LRRs.

(ii) To assess the development of information and communication technology (ICT) and the implications for the marketing and promotion of rural products in the supply chain environment; analyse the existing and likely use of ICT by food product SMEs and by the intermediate chain members, examining the factors which facilitate and constrain its development, performance and use; review the use and utility of ICT from the end customer perspective; determine the implications (costs and benefi ts) of ICT for the future competitiveness of food-producing SMEs in LRRs, and the extent to which ICT can effectively reduce the importance of proximity to markets;

and evaluate the role of institutions in aiding the adoption of ICT by SMEs in LRRs for the supply logistics and marketing of food products.

(iii) To review and evaluate factors infl uencing supply chain development and perform-ance in each participating region and country, and their likely evolution and impact on small-scale food enterprises and rural development in terms of benefi ts and prob-lems. The evaluation is to include a broad assessment of ICT developments, and their implications for the marketing and promotion of rural products in the supply chain environment.

(iv) To review the study regions in terms of their physical, demographic, social and economic features as well as the production and marketing of food and its signifi -cance for local economic development and the existing institutional arrangements to support economic and social development. Confi rm food product groups to be studied; review existing production and marketing structures and supply chains in each study region for the selected products, and assess the existing role of ICT and its perceived contribution to supply chain development in the regions.

The Producer Objective evaluated the food supply chain from the SME producers’ per-spective, with particular emphasis on chain characteristics and performance, ICT use, linkages to the local and regional economy, and relationships with institutions.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To identify and assess the structure, internal relationships and effectiveness of supply chains used by food product SMEs.

(ii) To analyse the existing and likely use of ICT in supply chains and determine the perceived costs and benefi ts of the adopted systems.

(iii) To determine the broad economic linkages of rural food producing SMEs.

(iv) To assess producers’ views on the activities of institutions to assist the accessibility, development and management of supply chains.

The Intermediate Supply Chain Member Objective evaluated the food supply chain from the intermediate chain members’ perspective, including structural and operational characteristics, business performance, ICT use, chain integration and development, and relationships with other chain members.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To identify the objectives, activities, business relationships, decision-making pro-cedures, ICT use, and conduct and performance of supply chain members.

(ii) To assess the factors that facilitate and constrain members’ innovativeness, develop-ment and performance with respect to the needs of both individual chain members and rural development in the study regions.

The Commercial Customer Objective examined the food supply chain from the com-mercial customers’ perspective, emphasising chain organisation and relationships, chain dynamics, consumer requirements, and chain performance.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To identify customers’ own needs and practices in supply chain organisation, man-agement and development.

(ii) To assess supply chain performance from the customers’ perspective.

(iii) To assess the developing role of ICT specifi cally for SME food producers.

(iv) To identify customers’ perceptions of consumer needs and how they are being met.

The Institutional Objective assessed the strategies, measures and structures of national, regional and local institutions that assist food product SMEs and supply chain manage-ment, integration and development in LRRs.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To identify and classify the relevant national, regional and local institutions.

(ii) To specify institutions’ roles and functions with particular reference to their position with respect to supply/distribution chain integration leading to improved market access and competitiveness.

(iii) To describe and evaluate the strategies and measures undertaken to fulfi l these roles and functions.

(iv) To assess the contribution that supply chains make to the region – the ‘ring fenc-ing’ of value added from the supply chain to the LRR, from a rural development perspective.

(v) T assess institutions’ roles with respect to: a) ICT (including e-commerce and infor-mation exchange); b) organisation of producer networks and their interaction with institutions, and c) linkage with rural development programmes and objectives.

The Evaluation and Policy Objective provided an overall evaluation of food SME supply chains in LRRs, identifi ed the possibilities for effecting improvements in supply chain integration and performance, and investigated the development of tools and models for the cost-effective dissemination of good practice.

The scientifi c and technological objectives were as follows.

(i) To evaluate the structure, performance and competitiveness of food supply chains involving SMEs, in terms of their communication and decision-making systems, forms of inter-member dependence, access to suppliers and market, cost/value genera-tion and allocagenera-tion between chain members, geographical scope and responsiveness to technological and market change.

(ii) To assess the implications of ICT adoption for the future competitiveness of food-producing SMEs.

(iii) To assess the contribution of food supply chains to rural development.

(iv) To identify how good practice in SME food supply chain integration and develop-ment might be disseminated in a cost-effective manner within LRRs.

(v) To explore the possibilities for improved policies, institutional structures and rural development strategies for food supply chain integration and development in dif-ferent LRRs of the EU and Poland.