Development and Reliability Assessment on Indicators Affecting Spatial Marketing Networks for Milk Production in Rural Regions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor and member in Center of Excellence for Rural Planning, University of Tehran

2 Assistant prof. in Ferdowsi of Mashhad University

3 Associate Prof. in Tarbiat Modares University and member in Center of Excellence for Rural Planning, University of Tehran

4 Associate Prof. and member in Center of Excellence for Rural Planning, University of Tehran

Abstract

Introduction: studies about channels and marketing chains of agricultural products since 1990s are growing as one of the scientific and academic field. Economists, sociologists and experts of management course had participated in description and study of these cycles of agricultural production marketing. Inter organization relations is new phase of marketing that emphasis on assistance and participation of economic unit and institutions in this context. From the sociological viewpoint, searching in human relationship and organizational behaviors and using of technical perspectiveresult in emerging of marketing and chain branch. This concept is applied to the agricultural production marketing issues too. Studying of agricultural production marketing channels can be divided into three mainstreams. These streams are supply chain management, economic organization approach and channeling approach that underlining on multiple- relationships among institution and economic measures and marketing criteria. Experiments and Studies in different countries, introduce varying channels of agricultural production in spatial marketing particularly milk and dairy production in rural areas.In every of these channels there are determined elements and members for trading and changing of milk from producers to consumers. The purpose of this paper is to determine the most effective elements in the marketing process of milk among the prevalent channels. The indices of spatial mesh marketing are the most important criteria for successful planning and targeting in order to improve rural livelihood thatare based on agricultural and ranching activities. In such economies, identifying the effective indices in production mesh marketing form, can improve the trading activities of agricultural production and reduce deficiency of marketing phase. The main part of the phase must be due to spatial location of rural areas. Apparent gaps and losses in this field may cause farmers to focus on traditional and nonprofit channals, sake marketing of their agricultural production, without any attempt for identifying new and appropriate channels with the precise index that can improve the market of their production and develop the bestial economic of rural space.
Materials and methods: Thus, this paper try to develop and measur the reliability of effective indices in marketing of spatial channals of milk products in rural area.This is in order to planners and scholars in agricultural economic phase apply these indicesthat are approved by elites and experts of various fields (such as marketing, rural planning, agricultural economy, geoghraphy and…) in rural production and other agricultural production marketing. For achieving this purpose, we have used of descriptive- analytic approach through questionnaire data, observation and Field studies. Uppermost, 46 indices have been selected from theorical basis and had judjed by 50 elites and experts through questionnaire. Reliability assessment and elite and expert agreement have been obtained by using of Topsis technique and other rankings.For comparing the view of university elites with the experts in other organizations related to milk and agricultural production marketing,; U-mann whitney sample test has been used.
Results and Discussion: The results of this study express that average of all indices is more than mediocrity and among variate dimensions, “underlies Dimension” or in other word, “producer (farmer) situation” in mesh marketing channels is the most important. The obtained weights of each index show that “dictance from city” with 0.206 is the most important index and advers of it heating the milk has the lowest weight with 0.0004. Ultimately, the result of U Mann whitney sample show that there are a consensus among elites and experts view in 46 indices, expect for “transporting way” index that hasnot been agreed by them. So, other indices are approved for the next surveys and practical activity in future.
Conclusion: the result of this survey indicate that in the agricultural production marketing, especially in milk and dairy production, the spatial criteria and measurements have a hight and important effeciency. Unfortunately, in many researches this issue is disregarded. Spatial criteria as well as other criteria play a deterministic role in ontime delivery of milk and other products to local consumers, prosessoring factory and the other consumers. Similar to these factors, structure of market such as pricing, demend and offer of milk could influence on marketing channels. Many of research try to regard these factors separately. But in this paper, we try to consider all of theses dimensions to achieve a comprehensive pattern in milk marketing process. This helps us have an efficient market and producr in agricultural production and also in meeting the needs of all people. As well as, in this way, we can reduce the problems of traditional and semi industrial producers.

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