Antecedents and Consequences of Food Safety Practices in the Agri-food Industry in Vietnam

Food safety has become a pressing global issue, underscored by numerous incidents of food poisonings, product recalls, and legal offences over recent decades. Such incidents have amplified the need for improved food safety practices (FSPs) among agri-food firms and other stakeholders in food supply chains. Developing countries face unique food safety challenges because of their increasing integration into global value chains. Their domestic food systems are also evolving rapidly and are marked by a greater range of contamination sources, as well as by fragmentation and intensification of their food production and distribution chains. This thesis primarily focuses on Vietnam, an exemplar of persistent food safety challenges within a distinctive food system which contains many disparities in FSPs among firms. Adopting a holistic research approach, the study delves into how agri-food firms in this developing country navigate FSPs amidst the complexities of evolving business environments. The research is guided by three main research questions: what food safety practices are adopted by the agri-food industry in Vietnam, what antecedents drive firms’ FSPs and what are the consequences of the practices to industry and society. A qualitative research method, specifically a comparative case study design, is employed. The author conducted 16 in-depth interviews with owners, directors and managers from a range of agri-food firms, focusing on the crucial sub-sectors of fruits, vegetables, and aquaculture products in Vietnam. These firms were selected for their diversity in business functions and size, aligning with the holistic approach of the case study methodology. The selected interviewees were particularly knowledgeable and experienced, making them ideal informants of the nuances concerning food safety practices in the agri-food industry in Vietnam. Data analysis was conducted employing thematic analysis and a qualitative rating process, which enabled the patterns and variations in FSPs across firms to be identified. The findings reveal five main themes characterizing FSPs in Vietnam: legal framework compliance, safety standard adoption, hazard control systems approach, innovation and transformation approach, and holistic chain management strategies. These themes illustrate the compliant nature of firms, their progression towards stringent private food safety standards, the holistic nature of FSPs, hazard control strategies within and between organizations, and the continuous adoption of technology-based food safety practices. An evolutionary trend of FSPs in the agri-food sector in Vietnam from the 1990s to the 2020s was observed. This evolution follows a four-stage pattern, with each stage lasting roughly a decade, although not all companies progress at the same rate. The key antecedents positively impacting on the developments of FSPs include leaders’ capabilities and management skills, collaborative networks with stakeholders in chain, and competitive pressures. The findings also highlight the impacts of FSPs on firm performance, including their degree of product differentiation and commercial viability. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of FSPs in a rapidly developing economy and a comprehensive understanding of Vietnam’s food safety system, structured around five main themes of firms’ FSPs and the revealed evolutionary pattern of FSPs in Vietnam over time. It offers insights for integrating economics and strategy theories in explaining firms’ food safety adoption, highlighting the interplay of resource-based and industrial economic perspectives. The thesis discovers factors explaining the differences between firms’ adoption of FSPs and offers a practical framework for firms to develop their FSPs, emphasizing the importance of adapting to specific market contexts and resource availabilities.