Structural Change in a Food Supply Chain

As changes in modern agribusiness markets have placed increasing emphasis to the study of structural change processes, this research advances an agent based model to examine transitions from a spot market exchange to a vertically coordinated arrangement in a supply chain system. This agent base simulation model draws from the subjective theme of Austrian entrepreneurship, behavioral theories of the firm and social networks. The results of this agent based simulation model indicate that structural change occurs with market structures that facilitate information transmission rather than from incentive based contractual arrangements.