Applying the operations strategy construct to rural grain-producing enterprises: a theoretical framework

Abstract A firm’s Operations Strategy is responsible for key decisions about the production function activity. Although a significant number of research studies have been conducted about this construct in industrial and service companies, only a few addresses the agricultural sector, specifically the grain production and export industry, which is an important contributor to the Brazilian economy. This study focuses on the operational decisions of grain-producing farms affected by the endogenous and exogenous factors of the grain supply chain. Based on a literature review of the operations strategy, this study aims to present conjectures relating the production decisions of grain-producing enterprises to their Operations Strategies. The results support the applicability of the construct to rural properties. Therefore, future research should address Operations Strategies in agricultural companies and the development/adaptation of tools and management methods applicable to such enterprises.