International Trade, Consumer Behavior and Trust: Factors Affecting Agribusinesses in Developing Countries

With the increasing complexity of global food systems, producers in developing countries are faced with challenges associated with market access to developed and other developing countries. There is clear evidence that the fastest growing developing countries are the ones engaging in trade and participating in the global market. The difficulty for developing countries, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in those countries is the logistics and agreements needed to enter international markets and benefit from trade. Global production networks are becoming extremely complex. Arms-length trade is now confined to commodities with low returns, thus access to high-income yielding activities requires participation in global value chains. Over the past decades, the global food system has concentrated in the hands of a few large companies. All these changes raise questions about market structures, market power, and strategies for small-scale agribusinesses in developing countries to insert themselves into the global food system. This paper summarizes the interview conducted with Dr. Ronald D. Hampton, Chair and Associate Professor of Marketing and Director of the Agribusiness Program at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Dr. Hampton has ample experience in international marketing, marketing management, retail management, leadership, and consumer behavior. The objective of this interview is to gain a better understanding of factors affecting small-scale agribusinesses in a context of international trade. This interview took place during the 17th Annual World Forum and Symposium in Parma, Italy in June, 2007