Information Technology and CattleBeef Supply Chains Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The way in which the firms in the cattle-beef sector utilize information technology to facilitate supply chain functions is considered in this paper. The core functions of a supply chain are (1) responsiveness to consumer needs and (2) transformation of goods in form and location to deliver them efficiently to consumers. Chains differ from the traditional marketing channel in the degree to which firms cooperate with each other. Chains, in this viewpoint involve high levels of interfirm cooperation, without vertical integration by ownership. Information technology assists the functioning of supply chains by enabling partners to track consumer demand at the transaction level of detail. Information technology is also used in supply chains to monitor costs of the chain partners so that functions can be performed at the most cost-effective level and revenues appropriately shared. Just a few years ago, the Internet was hardly used in cattle-beef businesses. Now, business-to-business ("B2B") electronic commerce via the web is the trendiest item in high-tech and it has surfaced in the beef sector. My objectives are first, to review briefly the major information technologies used in the industry, and second, to draw out some key issues about the economic and institutional factors that affect how information technology can be used to develop effective supply chain linkages in the cattle-beef sector.

published proceedings

  • American Journal of Agricultural Economics

author list (cited authors)

  • Salin, V.

citation count

  • 13

complete list of authors

  • Salin, Victoria

publication date

  • December 2000

publisher