Content
The module deals with issues of governance, fairness and sustainability in the food system.
Key topics of the module may thereby include:
- Locks-ins and levers for facilitating a transitions toward more sustainable food systems;
- Food labels (origin-based labels, animal welfare labels);
- Food quality standards;
- Potential paths for a transition to more sustainable food systems
- Private and public governance in food sectors
- Fairness in business relationships
- European and national regulations and policies concerning the food sector
From a methodological point of view, the focus of this module is on
- Exploratory and Qualitative research methods
- Scientific writing skills
Learning outcomes
After successful completion of this module, students will have in-depth knowledge on how to
conceptualize, plan and conduct a research project concerning good governance, fairness and
sustainability in agro-food systems. Moreover, students will be able to i) identify and structure a
research topic, ii) build a conceptual framework for qualitative research; iii) applying qualitative
research methods to a concrete research question; iv) develop a study instrument; v) conduct
interviews for qualitative research; draft a scientific research report. The module thereby prepares
students for the scientific work to be conducted in their master theses.
Examination
Grading will be based on a written report (consisting of a research protocol and related research
findings) and an oral presentation (20 min) with subsequent discussion, both with an individual
and a teamwork component. Both the written report and the oral presentation are worth 50% of the
grade. The report and the oral presentation will demonstrate that students have gained in-depth
knowledge on how to conceptualize, plan and conduct a research project. It will thus show that
students are prepared to write their Master Thesis.
Prerequisites
Knowledge in microeconomics
Teaching & learning methods
The module is a seminar and provides students with in-depth knowledge of governance, fairness
and sustainability grounded in economic theory. The seminar includes a set of lectures on
governance, fairness and sustainability.
Guided by the instructor(s) through the entire process, students will work alone and/or in groups
around a topic in governance, fairness and/or sustainability.
Activities are carried out in parallel in coordination with foreign universities and students will have
the opportunity to collaborate and exchange with students from those universities. The course
takes place online.
Together with “Advanced Seminar Economics & Policy/Life Sciences & Management – Food
system governance, fairness and sustainability, Literature Review and Presentation Skills”, this
module offers a comprehensive toolkit to prepare students for their master thesis as well as for a
career in science.
Media & reading list
PowerPoint presentations, economic textbooks, scientific articles
Barathova, K., Cacchiarelli, L., Di Fonzo, A., Lai, M., Lee, H., Menapace, L., ... & Vandervelde,
S. (2020). Pass-through of unfair trading practices in EU food supply chains: methodology and
empirical application.
Bowie, N. E. (1988). Fair markets. Journal of Business Ethics, 7(1-2), 89-98.
Denzin Lincoln 2017 The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research
Gentile, E., Loi, A., Gentile, M., Bruni, M., Berisio, S., Parisi, P., ... & Rieger, L. (2020). Evaluation
of Marketing Standards contained in the CMO Regulation, the “Breakfast Directives” and CMO
secondary legislation. Final report.
James, H. S. (Ed.). (2013). The ethics and economics of agrifood competition (p. 99). Dordrecht,
Netherlands: Springer.
Kvale 1996 Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing
Miles Huberman Saldaña 2014 Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook
Russo et al. (2021) Upfront Costs as Coordination Devices in the European Agri-Food Value
Chain, forthcoming.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Share your experience when you rate this module.