Agrifood Firms Collaboration through Brand Orientation Behaviour.

Abstract

This study applies signalling theory as a framework for understanding the pathways between brand orientation behaviour and supply chain collaboration. The path analytic findings based on data obtained from 343 UK-based small- and medium-sized firms in the agri-food industry suggest that a firm’s brand orientation behaviour allows it to improve its level of collaboration with its channel members, and medicating mechanism involved positive network identity, low behaviour uncertainty and social capital. These findings extend the theoretical insights on the relational view, transaction cost economics and strategic network by illustrating how signalling theory can be used to explain the impact of brand orientation behaviour on supply chain collaboration.