A New Perspective on Quality Characteristics Determining Supply Chain Management of Coffee Production

Abstract

This paper explores the differences in the quality perception of coffee among different participants in the supply chain management of coffee production. Rather, the aim of this paper was to answer the question of whether a particular level of coffee quality is the same for all participants in the supply chain. Also, we wanted to respond to the issue of whether all participants in the supply chain equally valued its characteristic. As a possible remedy to the problem, two-stage PCA-I-distance approach has been performed. The results have shown that there are indeed differences in the quality perception of coffee among different participants in the supply chain. Also, we proposed framework for emphasizing significant components for respective participant, and within crucial quality characteristics. Therein, we determined the most significant component which encompasses following set of characteristics of the coffee supply chain for distributor: the coffee inventory turnover ratio, producer satisfaction with distributor services, customer satisfaction (retail) with distributor services. Likewise, same procedure was done for producer and analysis pointed out following quality characteristics: the coffee's country of origin, the manufacture date, the expiry date, storage cost of the final product, customs procedures, delays in procurement, and the temperature of at which the coffee is roasted.