Abstract

This paper articulates a discussion towards how to build supply chains (SC) with potential members that do not always recognise practical advantages in working with others. The context is a typical UK regional, county-based food marketing group that provides umbrella business support for food specialist microproducers.

An approach inspired by the Community OR (COR) tradition is provided. Its aim is to design simultaneous interventions for individual and collective improvement inside microenterprise supply organisational structures. This approach, alternative to traditional efficiency, performance and economic-oriented supply chain arrangements, involves a traditional multi-stage method that helps to identify challenges of building microproducers supply chains.

The rationale for looking at COR is that gaining additional economic value is not a sufficient motivator for food microproducers to engage with traditional food supply chains. The nature of their drivers, usually related to individual lifestyle, suggests that imposing external criteria does not encourage their participation.

Findings suggest looking at microproducers, not as links constituting a chain, but as members of a community. A circular process is proposed where individuals identify which actions contribute to the collective self-construction, and simultaneously informs them how to make use of shared resources to support their individual performance. Difficulties on researching this circularity are addressed.