Strategic model to assess the sustainability and competitiveness of focal agri-food smes and their supply chains: A vision beyond COVID 19

Abstract

There have been disruptions in local and global food supply chains around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has led to rethink various aspects and to consider various trends in the food sector, encourage a more rapid transition and evolution to the Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), to counteract current problems and to help towards a more sustainable and competitive vision. However, there is a strategic disconnection in SSCM between sustainability and strategies related to competitive advantage. Therefore, the objective of this research is to propose a decision-making model to assess the sustainability and competitiveness strategically of a Mexican agri-food focal SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) that leads its supply chain. It is validated with comparative analysis in the productive taro activity through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) that contributes to prevent or to face problems such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. This research is based on a case study methodology divided into four stages. Three presented alternatives are assessed and compared by thirty-five criteria: a) A current situation without sustainability, b) Cost leadership strategy considering sustainability, and c) Differentiation strategy considering sustainability. The conclusions indicate more feasibility and compatibility to achieve sustainability with a differentiation strategy than with a cost leadership strategy. The current crisis should lead us to think beyond COVID-19, as we have more challenges ahead, such as climate change, environmental impacts, poverty, among other aspects that could cause instability around the world. Therefore, the current situation should be an impetus to further progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, in this case, through the theory of SSCM. That is why this model contributes strategically to the SSCM, to develop greater long-term resilience in the Mexican agri-food focal SMEs and their supply chains.