Minimizing Waste in the Food Supply Chain: Role of Information System, Supply Chain Strategy, and Network Design

A continuous increase in the world population and reduction in quantity and quality of resources is putting enormous pressure on nations to ensure a balance between food demand and supply. The same is highlighted at number two in the United Nations' sustainable development goals as the Zero Hunger goal. However, a significant portion of produced food worldwide is damaged or wasted in the food supply chain. This study focuses on minimizing waste in the food supply chain by highlighting the importance of strategy, information systems, and network design in the food supply chain. The authors collected data from 211 respondents from 48 firms and analyzed it through structural equation modeling. It has been found that information system has great potential to minimize waste in the food supply chain. Moreover, strategy and network design significantly improve organizational capabilities to minimize waste in the food supply chain. The finding provides constructive insights to food companies to incorporate and operationalize recommended measures to minimize waste in the food supply chain so that the world can counter the food shortage and waste/damage problem and the Zero Hunger goal can successfully be achieved.

Automated summary

This study focuses on minimizing waste in the food supply chain by highlighting the importance of strategy, information systems, and network design. The findings suggest that information systems have great potential to reduce waste, while strategy and network design significantly improve organizational capabilities in waste reduction.