Practicing coopetition for food supply chain sustainability: a contextual perspective in the Norwegian fishing industry

ABSTRACT

With growing concerns about sustainability, competing companies in the food supply chain are compelled to engage in non-traditional forms of collaboration. Coopetition (i.e. horizontal collaboration with competitors) is gaining attention as a means of improving sustainability performance in supply chains. However, little is known in the existing literature about the causal mechanism and conditions of coopetition to improve supply chain sustainability in the food industry. Based on an embedded case study in the Norwegian fishing industry, we posit several propositions and develop an empirical framework delineating the relationship between coopetition and supply chain sustainability. The case study research is informed by semi-structured interviews corroborated by relevant secondary data. Our findings reveal a set of dynamic capabilities through which coopetition improves supply chain sustainability. Besides, laws and regulations, and certification and standards, positively impact the relationship between coopetition and supply chain sustainability. Conversely, insufficient funds, conflicts of interest, and firm size affect the same relationship negatively. This study contributes to the literature by providing valuable insights into coopetition as a source of dynamic capabilities. In addition, our results show how coopetition can best be leveraged by managers to improve the sustainability of the food supply chain.

KEYWORDS:

• Coopetition
• Supply chain sustainability
• dynamic capabilities
• Food industry

Acknowledgments

This research work was funded by EC-Asia Research Network on Integration of Global and Local Agri-Food Supply Chains Towards Sustainable Food Security project (Grant number: 777742 — GOLF — H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [MH], upon reasonable request.

Notes

1. First-hand sales are sales of wild marine resources from the person who hauled them, and the first sales after landing if the catch has not previously been sold through or with the approval of a fishing community

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the H2020 [777742 — GOLF — H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017].

Notes on contributors

Magoti Harun

Magoti Harun is a PhD Research Fellow from Molde University College, Norway. Has a degree in management science from the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Took Masters’ degree in Logistics; supply chain management at Molde University College, Norway, and now admitted as PhD Research Fellow in logistics. His major research project is food supply chain sustainability and inter-firm collaboration.

Deodat Mwesiumo

Deodat Mwesiumo is an Associate Professor in supply chain management at Molde University College, Specialized University in Logistics, Norway. His research activities focus on interorganisational relations in value chains and digital business management. His work has appeared in internationally accredited scientific journals, including Journal of Business Research, Technovation, Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research and Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management.

Heidi Hogset

Heidi Hogset is an associate Professor at Molde University College, Norway. Took a master’s degree at Purdue University (2000) and PhD at Cornell University (2005) in the US in agricultural economics. Has been affiliated with Molde University College since 2007. Is now a participant in an international research project on links between local and global food supply chains, with partners in the UK, the Netherlands, and several Asian countries. Research interests are sustainable food production and food supply, especially in tropical countries. Her work has appeared in different international accredited journals.

Amar Ramudhin

Amar Ramudhin is a Professor in logistics at the University of Hull. He also serves as director of the Center of Supply chain Management and Technology at Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain & Logistics Institute. His research activities focus on supply chain collaboration, sustainability, and food safety. His work has appeared in internationally accredited scientific journals, including Internal Journal of Production Research, International of Production Economics and International Journal of Operational Research.