The integration into global and local agri-food value chains requires farmers, food processors and grocery retailers to develop and maintain close and sustainable business relationships with buyers and suppliers. This title provides an overview of the relationship economics and management.

“Growing awareness among consumers about sustainability issues ‐ ranging from recycling to fair wages forworkers ‐ are starting to shape consumer buying patterns” (Partos 2009). Especially for conscious consumersethical and sustainable consumption are becoming mainstream.With regard to...

This paper analyzes the variance in accounting profitability within the European food industry. Based on a large panel data set, the variance in return on assets (ROA) is decomposed into year, country, industry, and firm effects. Further on, we include all possible interactions between year,...

The roles of business relationships and B2B communication in selected European agri-food chains are analyzed. Using survey data from 1,026 farmers, food processors and retailers in two commodity sectors (meat and cereals) and five different EU countries (Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland,...

The discussion paper 40 represents the results of an analysis for determining influencing factorson profits and profitability of Russian enterprises in the region of Omsk. Based on the finalyearly reports of the enterprises it is shown, that in Russia five earning ratios can be distinguished:the...