Government and the Food Industry: Economic and Political Effects of Conflict and Co-Operation

This book's purpose is to shed light on the threats and opportunities arising from the incentives and restrictions of governmental actions which food industry managers discover in their search for profits. The food industry, as defined here, includes farmers, their input suppliers, processors and distributors. This text explores how the private sector reacts to the stimulus of public support measures, rules and regulations which are usually motivated by entirely different ends than those desired within the private sector. No current single model of economic behavior as yet adequately encompasses or quantifies these complex vectors and forces. Management is comprised of many factors, most of which can be identified ex post but few of which can be appraised precisely ex ante. The perceptual processes by which managers respond to governments are influenced by culture, aptitudes, individual and collective goals. details of most government/business relationships are discussed Few openly since management and government officials are, understandably, often reluctant to share the decision tree route by which trust is built and understandings are negotiated. Our text differs from others in that we combine both a theoretical and experiential approach to the subject. The insights provided by the case study material give a more macro and yet realistic view than tha t usually offered elsewhere. We indicate the risks and dynamics of the situations faced by management while also showing the importance and strategic relevance of a solid analytical foundation for managerial purposes.