44
C. Capmany et al. / International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 3 (2000) 41-53
|
Table 1 (continued) | |
|
Clause |
Title and description |
|
4.18 |
Training: Training needs should be identified and addressed to ensure qualified |
|
4.19 |
Servicing: Although unlikely to be appropriate for the agri-food industry, provisions |
|
4.20 |
Statistical techniques: When statistical techniques are required to establish, control |
Source: ISO (1996).
registration company. This list contained the name, address, and telephone number of 640
ISO 9000 certified firms. Cost considerations precluded surveying all firms. Alternatively, a
systematic survey design was used to select a sample of 325 firms. Each firm was contacted
by telephone, briefed with respect to the purpose of the survey, and asked if they would be
willing to participate. If willing, the firm was (depending on their preference) sent a
questionnaire by mail or fax. Firms were given 3 weeks to reply. Those that had not returned
the survey within the allotted time were sent a reminder via fax or telephone. Due to cost
considerations it was not possible to perform any follow up analysis on questionnaire
nonresponses.
The survey instrument was developed after a comprehensive review of the literature,
including questionnaires that had been used to determine the impacts of ISO 9000 and ISO
14000 (a series of environmental management systems). The instrument was screened for
technical accuracy, clarity, and natural flow of the order of questions. The final instrument
included 48 questions divided into five sections; (1) ISO 9000 certification status, (2) ISO
9000 and firm performance, (3) ISO 9000 and trade, (4) ISO 14000 certification status, and
(5) firm profile.
From the 325 firms that agreed to participate in the survey, 197 completed questionnaires
were returned, yielding a response rate of 61%. Missing or invalid information led to the
deletion of 8 questionnaires and an overall response rate of 58%. The firms represented
various segments of the supply chain with a diverse range of organizational structures and
firm sizes. The 197 completed questionnaires were divided into responses coming from a
broadly defined group of ‘agribusiness’ firms and firms in other industries. This process lead
to an agribusiness subsample of 11 completed questionnaires. These agribusiness firms
include equipment and input supply companies predominantly associated with food produc-
tion and processing clients, manufacturers and processors of food ingredients and value
added corn, dairy and vegetable products, as well as nutritional supplements.
4. Findings related to the agribusiness industry
4.1. Profiles of agribusiness firms
The nature of the agribusiness goods was divided over the following categories; 3 of the
respondents viewed their products as consumer goods, 9 as manufactured goods, and 1 as
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