Ketenkennis

1.0

Chain strategy

The set of statements and guidelines at chainlevel with the purpose to guide the future development of the chain and its links, and based on the shared ultimate goal of the chain.
Chain strategies cover domains as marketcoverage, co-ordinated investments, extension of the chain with new participants, innovation. Besides chain (oriented) strategies every link in the chain has its own (supplementary) strategies.

1.1

Agribusiness system

A related set of organisations with the purpose to produce some product(s) for some market(s).
This concept is the broadest designation of a chain configuration, covering all organisations involved in chain activities, directly as well as indirectly.

1.2

Product flows

Physical flows of goods and services contributing to the formation of a marketable product The flows are not specified up to the level of participating organisations

Product

A good or service including all attributes that make a difference to buyers, compared to other products.
The product includes e.g. quality attributes, characteristics of the production process (environment friendly; innovative).

1.3

Chain

A network of autonomous and specificially named organisations, sustematically co-operating in the production of some (related) product(s).
The co-operative relations are more than incidental and can vary from direct linear to complex network forms.

1.4

Chain Diagnostics

The specification, with the help of analytical methods, of the state of the chain and chain behaviour, and the evaluation of changes of the state.
State of the chain and chain behaviour includes the separate links of the chain as long as viewed from a chain perspective.

1.5

Chain Competitive Power

Chain competitive power the extent to which the chain as an entity is capable acquiring marketshare by delivering products to the market at a cheaper, better, faster and more flexible way.
Chain competitive power can be applied to chains as such and to links in the chain. In the latter position the competitive power of one organisation is codetermined by the other links.

1.6

Chain Innovative Strenght

Chain innovative strength the establishment of effective new combinations of resources within the chain, leading to successful market introductions of new products.
The chain context introduces the co-operation of several links with respect to innovation, thus adding extra potential for new combinations or early-detected restrictions for new combinations

Link

participating organisation in the chain by systematically contributing to the productive purpose of the chain.

Market

the -virtual- place where buyer and supplier meet and price mechanisms determine whether an agreement is made.
In the context of a chain the market can be the meeting place between consumer/enduser and supplier or a meeting place between two participating organisations (links).

1.7

Chain Organisation

Chain organisation formal as well as informal structures and procedures advancing the efficient and effective differentiation and co-ordination between entities on all levels within a chain.

Chain behaviour 

interaction of a chain with its environment at a cognitive, an evaluative and an active level, as well as the interaction between  the constituting links of the chain.

Chain culture  

the norms and values shared by the links of the chain with respect to mutual interaction as well as interaction with the outside world.
Outside the shared norms and values there will be a set of individual norms and values within each link in the chain too.This fact is the ground for subcultures within a chain.

1.8

Chain Formation

All activities and conditions necessary to design as well as implement collaboration relations between chain links with the purpose to support the productive functioning of the chain efficiently