Research material for Simulation model for a sustainable food supply chain in a developing country

Sustainability in food supply chains is desired for production, logistics, and waste management. However, food supply chains have complex systems that differ from other supply chains (SCs). Managing such complexities is challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises due to their heightened constraints, such as infrastructure shortages, high technology costs, limited resources, and inadequate awareness. SC designs need to be adapted to navigate the challenges. The main objective of this research was to identify the practices influencing sustainable supply chain designs in a developing country and create a simulation model to illustrate the potential benefits and challenges of promoting sustainability.<strong style="color:rgb(14, 16, 26);background-color:transparent;"> </strong>Mixed-methods research was utilised, employing a literature review, participant interviews, observations, and survey data to gain insight into the problem, establish objectives, and develop a simulation model complemented by design science research.

食品供应链的可持续性是生产、物流及废弃物管理环节的核心诉求。然而，食品供应链拥有区别于其他供应链（Supply Chains, SCs）的复杂系统架构。鉴于中小企业面临的约束更为严苛——包括基础设施匮乏、技术成本高昂、资源有限以及可持续认知不足，对其而言，管控此类复杂性颇具挑战，因此需对供应链设计进行适配调整以应对上述挑战。本研究的核心目标为：识别发展中国家境内影响可持续供应链设计的实践要素，并构建仿真模型，以阐明推广可持续性理念可能带来的潜在收益与面临的挑战。
本研究采用混合研究范式，通过文献调研、参与者访谈、实地观察与问卷数据收集，深入剖析研究问题、明确研究目标，并结合设计科学研究方法构建仿真模型。