Publication

BONET Dominique et Gilles PACHE

What they say and what they do... The logistical relationships between manufacturers and large food retailers re-examined through managers' words
Proceedings of the 88th EAAE Seminar, Paris mai 2004
03. Communications dans des colloques internationaux à comité de lecture

Mots clefs : Pratiques collaboratives, Canal de distribution alimentaire, Logistique, Analyse du discours, Logiciel Tropes®
Mots clefs (english) : Collaborative practices, Food distribution channel, Logistics, Speech analysis, Tropes® software.
Abstract (english) : A few manufacturers and large food retailers now have an almost complete control of the food supply chains in many western countries. Recent developments have ended in producing a sort of balance of terror which makes them co-dependent on one another. Yet manufacturers and large retailers are jointly involved in exchange relationships and it is in their interest to keep them running smoothly. It would even be to their advantage to implement collaborative practices to increase their long-term mutual gains. The paper investigates the reality of these collaborative practices in the logistics area by examining managers' words, i.e. their representation of the business world through their private speech. The results from a statistical content analysis of statements made by managers in the manufacturing industry and in the food retailing industry indicate the continuation of a conflictual climate in logistical exchange relationships, and this puts the real weight of most «success stories» presented in the trade press into perspective.

Retour au menu - Page imprimable