Uncovering the impact of food sharing platform business models: a theory of change approach
| Autor: | Laura Michelini, Alessio Di Leo, Cecilia Grieco, Francesca Ciulli |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Department of Organization Studies |
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Knowledge management
CORPORATE SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY CONSUMERS WASTE Business model INSECURITY SUSTAINABILITY social impact sharing economy food sharing 0502 economics and business Set (psychology) ENTERPRISES Poverty business.industry 05 social sciences CONSUMPTION Theory of change PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK Focus group Content analysis Facilitator Sustainability Social impact Business Management and Accounting (miscellaneous) 050211 marketing Business Food sharing Sharing economy Institute for Management Research 050203 business & management BEHAVIOR Food Science |
| Zdroj: | British Food Journal, 122, 1437-1462 British Food Journal, 122, 5, pp. 1437-1462 British Food Journal, 122(5), 1437-1462. Emerald Publishing |
| ISSN: | 0007-070X |
| DOI: | 10.1108/BFJ-06-2019-0422 |
| Popis: | PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the potential impact of food sharing platform business models and to identify the limits and barriers in measuring the impact. Using the “theory of change” (ToC) approach, this paper develops a theoretical framework that captures the activities, outputs and outcomes of food sharing platforms and links them to indicators.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a two-step methodology, which includes a website content analysis followed by two focus groups. The purpose of the website content analysis was to list a set of activities that are performed by food sharing platforms. The focus groups allow to design the ToC and to discuss limits and barriers in measuring the impact of food sharing platforms.FindingsThe study provides an overview of the main areas of impact of food sharing platforms (environmental, social, economic and political) and identifies the related outcomes. Furthermore, the paper highlights the need for the platform to manage the multifaceted tensions of food waste recovery vs prevention and the benefits of food recovery to helping hungry people vs the actual need to eradicate poverty by addressing social injustices and inequalities.Research limitations/implicationsThe selected sample involved in the focus group comprised a wide but not comprehensive set of stakeholders. Indeed, the obtained information cannot be generalized. In addition, the ToC approach requires a certain discretion of the facilitator and introduces the potential for partiality in conducting the analysis.Practical implicationsThe framework helps to unbundle the complex challenge of measuring the impact of food sharing platforms and it provides managers, practitioners and policy makers with a practical tool to direct their activities toward a better impact.Originality/valueFrom a theoretical perspective the study advances the literature on (food) sharing platforms and contributes to research on the sustainability in the food sector. It indicates the impacts a novel actor relying on digital technology can have in the food sector and points out the tensions between food recovery and prevention and the impact on poverty. The proposed framework could be a useful tool to support practitioners in understanding the trade-offs among the outcomes they aim to attain, and to identify the proper strategies to manage them. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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