'Increasing Competitiveness of U.S. Agricultural Exports Through Supply Chain Management'

摘要

The characteristics of US agricultural exports are changing from bulk commodities to value added products. Imported agricultural products are placing increased pressure on domestically produced products. Supply Chain Management is suggested as an appropriate strategy to improve the ability of US agriculture to compete. This study described SCM in agriculture, discussed the results of four interviews with leading US agribusinesses and provided an example of how to improve the SC for agricultural products. All of the firms interviewed in this study were fully aware of SCM. Although their definitions of SCM varied, the increasing importance of SCM was recognised at the staff level. However, only Firm Four viewed SCM as a competitive strategy. The other three firms tended to look at improvements in the SC primarily as an attempt to reduce costs within the company with little recognition of the importance working with other companies in the SC. The transition from an internal focus ― intra firm focus ― to a more inclusive ― inter firm focus ― is difficult. It will be even more so with firms involved in agricultural exports. As indicated with the firms interviewed, the primary focus of SCM is as a tool to reduce costs, primarily transportation and logistics costs. Because the preponderance of agricultural exports have been, in the past, bulk commodities for which price is the most frequent competitive strategy, most agricultural firms look at cost reduction as the most appropriate competitive strategy. However, increasingly, firms are looking to factors in addition to price to purchase agricultural products. Consequently product selection criteria could include delivery parameters or unique quality characteristics the current marketing system does not recognize. With the long history of looking only to price as the competitive factor, the sector of American agricultural dealing with exports may find itself increasingly at a competitive disadvantage. Companies such as Finn Four recognize the importance of SCM to both itself and to its customers. In response to customer initiations requests, Cargill has worked with internal divisions to respond to customer needs. It is in response to external requests that SCM in agriculture seems to best respond.