Management of perceived e-business risks in food-supply networks: E-trust as prerequisite for supply-chain system innovation

Abstract

Vertical coordination in food networks is characterized by dynamically changing supply and marketing relationships. E-business provides support and improvement options for vertical coordination processes in food networks. However, adoption of e-business in food networks is low as available e-business offers, as the communication of safeguards for trust and control as a basis for the transaction decision is not realized appropriately. This article analyzes decision preferences for trust generation as the basis for the design of e-business environments for food networks. The analytic hierarchy process is applied to prioritize preferences for different transaction scenarios in food networks. [JEL classifications O140, O310, O320]. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.