Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T18:33:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Gisele Chaves parte1.pdf: 10769 bytes, checksum: d6c0e51d01cfa006ec3636031420e83f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-02-02 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This study analyzes reverse logistics in the processed food supply chain of the State of Paraná?s West region to systemize and identify its practices and strategic functions The relation between the agents: industry and supermarket of this chain is shown The gathered information and critical points minimize the problem of lack of data related to the reverse processes and allow the improvement and development of the activity Therefore the research method was the descriptive and applied survey It was used an interview structured by a questionnaire covering a population of 25 companies of the State of Paraná?s food industry and supermarkets for data collection After statistical analysis of the data it was pointed out as main results: a) the totality of food industries and the majority of the supermarkets analyzed manage returns but the responsibility for the returns is of the manufacturer; b) the nature of reverse logistics tends to be more conservative in the food industries and more liberal among supermarkets; c) the main strategic role reverse logistics plays in enterprises both in the industrial and retail sectors is that of satisfying customers; d) the main processes adopted by food industries are the disposal and recycling of returns while by supermarkets are the returns? disposal and donation; e) in general companies point out the inexistence of barriers for reverse logistics despite the absence of a measurement of the costs involved in the activity It is concluded that the relationship industry-supermarket is that of the type win-win in which both sectors have each well defined responsibilities and roles in the reverse logistics process and divide the inherent costs in this process It was noticed that the absence of specific and standardized procedures and the disinterest in improving the reverse flows management were present in most of the companies characterizing a deficiency in planning and managing the reverse logistics network Besides the lack of indicators that prove the activity?s cost/benefit relation contributes to the activity not to be considered a strategic element by the companies of this sector Reverse logistics should be reviewed and improved so that the service standards offered to customers can rise and be converted in competitive advantage for the companies / Este estudo analisa a logística reversa na cadeia de alimentos processados da região oeste do Paraná para sistematizar e identificar suas práticas e funções estratégicas A relação entre os agentes: indústria e supermercado desta cadeia está evidenciada As informações e pontos críticos levantados minimizam o problema da falta de dados relativos aos processos reversos e permitem o aperfeiçoamento e o desenvolvimento da atividade Para tanto o método de pesquisa foi o levantamento de caráter descritivo e aplicado Utilizou-se entrevista estruturada por questionário abrangendo uma população de 25 empresas da indústria de alimentos e supermercados paranaenses para coleta dos dados Após análise estatística dos dados apontou-se como principais resultados: a) a totalidade das indústrias de alimentos e a maioria dos supermercados analisados gerenciam os retornos mas a responsabilidade por eles é do fabricante; b) o caráter da logística reversa tende a ser mais conservador nas indústrias de alimentos e mais liberal nos supermercados; c) o principal papel estratégico que a logística reversa possui nas empresas tanto do setor industrial quanto do varejista é o de satisfazer os clientes; d) os principais processos reversos empregados pelas empresas da indústria são a disposição e reciclagem dos retornos e pelos supermercados são a disposição e doação dos mesmos; e) no geral as empresas apontam a inexistência de barreiras para a logística reversa apesar da ausência de mensuração dos custos envolvidos na atividade Conclui-se que o relacionamento indústria-supermercado é do tipo ganha-ganha em que os dois segmentos possuem bem definidos as responsabilidades e papéis de cada um no processo logístico reverso e dividem os custos inerentes a ele Constatou-se que a ausência de procedimentos específicos e padronizados e o desinteresse em aperfeiçoar o gerenciamento dos fluxos reversos estiveram presentes na maioria das empresas caracterizando uma deficiência em planejar e gerenciar a rede logística reversa Além disso a carência de indicadores que comprovem a relação custo/benefício da atividade contribui para que esta não seja considerada um elemento estratégico pelas empresas deste setor A logística reversa deve ser revista e melhorada para que os padrões de serviço oferecidos aos clientes se elevem e se convertam em vantagem competitiva para as empresas

O leite é um dos alimentos mais completos da natureza e sua importância é baseada em seu elevado valor nutritivo, como riqueza de proteínas, vitaminas, gordura, sais minerais e a alta digestibilidade. Esses fatores são relevantes para considerá-lo um excelente meio de cultura para a maioria dos microrganismos. A pasteurização é necessária e tem a finalidade de eliminar os microrganismos patogênicos, além de diminuir ao máximo o número de microrganismos em geral, mas alguns deles ainda podem sobreviver ao tratamento térmico aplicado. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a condição microbiológica e a eficácia da pasteurização industrial do leite tipos A, B, C e as condições microbiológicas do leite cru, através da enumeração de bactérias aeróbias mesófilas, termófilas e psicrotróficas, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, determinação do Número Mais Provável (NMP) de coliformes totais e fecais e pesquisa de Salmonella spp. em 30 amostras de leite comercializado no município de Piracicaba- SP. Com base na legislação do DIPOA (Brasil, 2002) os resultados mostraram que 44,4% das amostras de leite tipo A apresentaram-se fora do padrão microbiológico para aeróbios mesófilos. Para coliformes totais e fecais, o mesmo leite apresentou 66,7% e 55,6% das amostras respectivamente, em desacordo com a legislação vigente. No leite tipo B, nenhuma amostra esteve fora do padrão microbiológico em relação a aeróbios mesófilos. Já para coliformes totais e fecais, 33,3% das amostras estiveram em desacordo com a legislação em vigor. O leite tipo C foi o que apresentou resultado mais satisfatório, pois ao contrário do que se esperava, nenhuma amostra esteve fora do padrão em relação às análises microbiológicas realizadas no presente trabalho. O leite cru analisado apresentou valores elevados para todas as análises microbiológicas realizadas. Não foram encontradas amostras contaminadas com Salmonella spp. em todas as amostras de leite analisadas. O maior valor encontrado para Staphylococcus coagulase positiva foi 1,1 x 102 UFC/mL, portanto, longe da dose infectiva, mas esse fato não deixa de ser preocupante, já que o leite é um ótimo substrato para bactérias. Após a pasteurização (62,8ºC/30’) realizada no Laboratório de Microbiologia de Alimentos, do Departamento de Agroindústria, Alimentos e Nutrição, da ESALQ, todas as amostras novamente analisadas para os parâmetros microbiológicos citados, se mostraram em acordo com a legislação nacional vigente (Brasil, 2002). Os resultados encontrados na presente pesquisa podem ser indicativos de prováveis falhas do binômio tempo/temperatura durante a pasteurização industrial; matéria-prima excessivamente contaminada; higienização e sanificação deficientes das linhas de produção ou contaminação pós-pasteurização. / Milk is one of the most valuable of all foods in nature and its importance is based on its high nutritive value. Milk is rich in proteins, vitamins, fat, mineral salts, and high digestibility. These factors are relevant for it to be considered an excellent culture medium for most microorganisms. Pasteurization is necessary and its main purpose is to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms, in addition to reducing to the maximum the number of microorganisms in general. However, some of them may still outlive the thermal treatment applied. The aim of this project was to evaluate the microbiological conditions and efficiency of the industrial pasteurization of type-A,-B and-C milk, and the microbiological conditions of raw milk, through the number of mesophillic, thermophilic and psychrotrophic aerobe bacteria, Staphylococcus positive coagulase, through the determination of the Most Probable Number (MPN) of total and fecal coliforms, and also through the research on Salmonella spp. in 30 samples of milk commercialized in Piracicaba-SP. Based on DIPOA legislation (Brazil, 2002), the results showed that 44.4% of the type-A milk samples did not meet the microbiological standard for mesophillic aerobe for total and fecal coliforms, 66.7% and 55.6% of the same milk samples, respectively, were not in accordance with the present legislation. For the type-B milk, no sample failed to meet the microbiological standard in relation to mesophillic aerobes. However, for total and fecal coliforms, 33.3% of the samples were in disagreement with the present legislation. Type-C milk was the one presenting the best result. All samples were in accordance with the microbiological analysis performed in this work. The raw milk examined showed high values for all microbiological analyses. No infected samples with Salmonella spp. were found in the analyzed milk samples. The greatest value found for Staphylococcus positive coagulase was 1.1 x 102 UFC/mL, thus, far from the infective dose, although somewhat concearning since milk is considered na excellent environment for the infestation of bacteria. After the pasteurization (62.8ºC/30’) performed in the Food Microbiology Laboratory, of the Agroindustry, Foods and Nutrition Department, ESALQ/USP, all samples that analyzed again, based on the microbiological parameters mentioned above, met the national legislation in force (Brazil, 2002). The results found in the research may be an indication of probable failures regarding time/temperature during the industrial pasteurization; infected raw-material; defecient sanitation of product lines or post-pasteurization contamination.

The food industry is a large consumer of industrial energy. A very large portion of this energy is needed in the form of thermal energy at medium to low temperatures. Fossil fuels remain the dominant sources of this energy. This combination provides various possibilities to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions with heat recovery, but also with the integration of solar process heat. Energy efficiency must provide the context, or background, of such considerations, and is therefore a very important aspect of them. It is a complex task to design an efficient heat supply with a variety of energy sources. An analysis of standards for energy audits, guides for energy efficiency and guides for solar process heat integration confirms that complexity. However, no available methodology considers all the necessary steps. These must range from analysis of the existing heat supply to the redesign of an efficient heat supply system. The focus must be on heat sources with waste heat and on solar process heat that might be used to complement the conventional sources. The design of a process heat system is mainly the task of design engineers in engineering offices. Specific tools and measures are needed to support these experts. However, the companies of the food industry sector employ their own energy engineers for energy issues. These people are actually the decision makers responsible for the configuration of the company energy supply systems, who also possess knowledge of the processes in their industry subsector. The expertise of the energy engineers varies within a broad range and is also connected to their area of responsibility. Therefore, it is important to consider these energy engineers when developing a methodology. The development of the methodology proposed herein consists first of the configuration of the tools and measures, which were assigned to four elements and functions. Second, the methodology so developed was applied at two companies in cooperation with their energy engineers, in detailed case studies. The feedback from the energy engineers is therefore a main objective and provides a background for evaluation of the usability of the methodology. It demonstrates the expertise required of the energy engineers, for the application of the tools and measures provided. Moreover, the development and application of the methodology involving real companies demonstrates the necessity of getting feedback from energy engineers. That finding is very important, and has been insufficiently considered in previous guides or methodologies. It is proposed that further work be aimed at providing additional case studies to extend the use of this methodology to other parts of the food industry.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Management Sciences (Marketing), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / This study aimed at determining and evaluating customer service in independently owned retail food chains within the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Furthermore, it included assessing the level of retail service quality, current customer service tools employed by independent food chains in KwaZulu-Natal and the extent to which customer service tools are being used. The study was also about establishing whether there was a significant relationship between retail service quality and customer satisfaction. The study targeted both customers and managers of independent food chains in KwaZulu-Natal from whom a sample of four mangers were interviewed and 444 customers were conveniently selected to participate in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in the collection of data. The findings revealed that majority of the customers were generally dissatisfied with the quality of services offered by independent food chains owing to a lack of complementary services (ATM terminals, parking and toilets), facilities for shoppers with special needs (physically handicapped, wheel chaired or translators), inability to offer customers credit, failure to provide a wide product assortment, short operating hours and general appearance of store (cleanliness, good product display, presentation on how to use merchandise and availability of shopping trolleys, signage to locate and identify merchandise). The results, however, revealed that there is a relationship between customers’ expectations and their perceived satisfaction. Equally significant, the results showed that customers were satisfied with accessibility and safety of the stores, and that they will be considering independent food chains in KwaZulu-Natal as their primary stores. The study concluded by recommending that: independent retail food chains study their customer profiles as it was evident during interviews that customer profiling or segmentation was not being undertaken in detail; retailers are urged to identify and establish customer service needs and requirements so as to facilitate proper product and service mix design; retailers are also recommended to keep regular communication with customers to inform them about promotions or any new developments taking place; retailers should introduce customer loyalty programmes; provide regular staff training on customer service through workshops and follow-up refresher courses; retailers should offer quality merchandise and incorporate latest technological innovations; handle and process third party payment; meet and exceed customer service expectations of customers; upgrade their facilities to accommodate customers with disabilities; and finally retailers should have well-defined returns policies, parking facilities, rest rooms and introduce trolleys with baby-seating facilities. / D

The purpose of this study is to identify the challenges and opportunities for digitalization within the food industry, and give suggestions on how to co-create value through digitalization.  This qualitative study is based on data collected from scientific articles, reports and books about digitalization and value co-creation in the food industry. The primary data collection was carried out by twelve semi-structured interviews and a complementary food industry study with eleven respondents. The collected data was handled in thematic analysis and inspired by coding.  The study’s main conclusion was the discovering of a new value co- creation mechanism defined as relationship and learning.

速食食品不但在我們的生活中扮演重要的角色，在台灣，其亦是最重要的餐飲產業之一。文獻上有關於加盟總部與加盟商之間的決策背後的模型，各個因子如何影響彼此，最後加盟總部與加盟商皆能極大化他們的效用，達到一個最適加盟的平衡點。然而，未看到有使用校準分析(Calibration)的方式回推出無法觀察到變數之合理區間的文獻。本研究使用此方法及台灣麥當勞的資料來解開加盟與否決策背後模型的面紗。在最基本的經濟模型中，我們發現加盟商努力的重要性增加時會導致加盟率的下降。再者，都會區的加盟商風險趨避程度以及市場風險較非都會區高。為了針對麥當勞總部的市場策略，延續上個模型的設定，我們在生產函數中另外加入健康食品的產品線以建設出較細緻的第二種模型。此延伸模型相較於第一個模型能解釋更多資料。我們亦觀察到當健康食品佔麥當勞產能提高時，模型的適配度會下降。此現象可解釋為在其他條件不變下，當麥當勞在菜單內加入更多比重的健康食品時，加盟商與加盟主的獲利將低於現階段的水準。 關鍵字: 速食產業，委託代理理論，校準分析，加盟 / Fast food restaurants play an important role in our daily life; they are also one of the most important restaurant business types in Taiwan. The literature posits and examines models behind how franchisors and franchisees reach their franchising decisions, and how different factors affect optimal franchising rates. On that basis, they derive the optimal franchising rates, at which both franchisors and franchisees can maximize their utility. However, there is no literature on determining the reasonable range of variables in the model that we cannot observe in the real world. This study takes the initiative to unveil the model behind the franchising decision with proxies of variables by calibrating a basic economic model using data from McDonald’s Taiwan. Our finding are that a higher importance level of effort results in a higher optimal franchising rate, and the level of franchisees’ risk aversion and the market risk in metropolitan areas are higher than in non-metropolitan areas. In accordance with McDonald’s Taiwan’s strategy in the past years, we construct a more detailed model to capture the characteristics more accurately by adding a healthy food product line into the production function. The extended model can explain the real-world data better than the previous model. On the strategy side, we find that if healthy products account for a higher proportion of the production capacity, the model fitness level drops. In other words, the profit for both the franchisor and franchisees decreases when McDonald’s Taiwan introduces more healthy food to the menu. Key Words: fast-food industry, principal-agent model, calibration, franchising

Microalgae have a variety of commercial applications, the oldest of which include utilisation as a food source and for use in wastewater treatment. These applications, however, are seldom combined due to toxicity concerns, for ethical reasons, and generally the requirement for cultivation of a single algae species for use as a feed supplement. These problems might be negated if a “safer” wastewater such as that from agricultural and/or commercial food production facilities were to be utilised and if a stable algae population can be maintained. In this investigation preliminary studies were carried out using an Integrated Algae Pond System (IAPS) for domestic wastewater treatment to determine the species composition in the associated High Rate Algae Ponds (HRAPs). The effect of different modes of operation, continuous versus batch, on nutrient removal, productivity and species composition was also investigated. Furthermore, indigenous species in the HRAP were isolated and molecularly identified as, Chlorella, Micractinium, Scenedesmus and Pediastrum. Additionally, the effect of the nor amino acid, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMTBA) and its Cu-chelated derivative, on the growth and biochemical composition of Chlorella, Micractinium, Scenedesmus, Pediastrum and Spirulina was investigated. Species composition in the HRAP was stable under continuous operation with Micractinium dominating > 90% of the algae population. Under batch operation the population dynamic shifted; Chlorella outcompeted Micractinium possibly due to nutrient depletion and selective grazing pressures caused by proliferation of Daphnia. Higher species diversity was observed during batch mode as slower growing algae were able to establish in the HRAP. Nutrient removal efficiency and biomass productivity was higher in continuous mode, however lower nutrient levels were obtained in batch operation. HMTBA did not significantly affect growth rate, however treatment with 10 mg.L-1 resulted in slightly increased growth rate in Micractinium and increased final biomass concentrations in Chlorella, Micractinium and Spirulina (although this was not statistically significant for Micractinium and Spirulina), which are known mixotrophic species. Algae treated with Cu-HMTBA, showed reduced final biomass concentration with 10 mg.L-1, caused by Cu toxicity. Biochemical composition of the algae was species-specific and differed through the growth cycle, with high protein observed during early growth and high carbohydrate during late growth/early stationary phase. Additionally, 0.1 mg.L-1 HMTBA and Cu-HMTBA significantly reduced protein content in Chlorella, Micractinium, Scenedesmus and Pediastrum. In conclusion, operation of the HRAP in continuous culture provided suitable wastewater treatment with high productivity of an ideal species, Micractinium, for use in animal feed supplementation. This species had 40% protein content during growth (higher than the other species tested) and dominated the HRAP at > 90% of the algae population during continuous mode. Addition of HMTBA (> 1 mg.L-1) to algae cultivation systems and those treating wastewater, has the potential to improve productivity and the value of the biomass by enhancing protein content. Overall, the co-utilisation of microalgae for wastewater treatment and the generation of a biomass rich in protein, for incorporation into formulated animal feed supplements, represents a closed ecosystem which conserves nutrients and regenerates a most valuable resource, water.

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) provides an approach to recognition of the problems within bottle conveyors at an early stage of the engineering process. Key points in bottle conveyor systems, such as buffers, ejectors, diverters and transfers can be numerically analyzed. It is possible to calculate forces on lateral guides and forces between bottles within accumulation situations. The DEM provides an alternative opportunity for the virtual process optimization and numeric case studies of conveying systems at beverage and food industries. / Die diskrete Elementmethode (DEM) ermöglicht in einem frühen Stadium des Engineering-Prozesses die Erkennung von Problemen in Flaschenförderern. Wichtige Systemelemente wie Puffer, Ausschleuser, Weichen und Übergabestellen können numerisch analysiert werden. Es ist somit u. a. möglich, Kräfte auf Seitenführungen und Kräfte zwischen den Flaschen innerhalb von Stausituationen zu berechnen. Die DEM bietet eine alternative Möglichkeit für die virtuelle Prozessoptimierung und die Durchführung numerischer Fallstudien von Fördersystemen u. a. in der Getränke- und Lebensmittelindustrie.

In recent years, concern about food safety linked to health issues has seen a rise in private food safety standards in addition to the regulations set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). These have presented challenges to producers and exporters of agricultural food products especially the producers of fresh fruits and vegetables. In spite of the food safety-linked challenges from the demand side, the vast range of business-environment forces pose equally formidable challenges that negatively impact on the exporting industries’ ability to maintain or improve their market shares and their ability to compete in world markets. The objective of this study was therefore to establish the competitiveness of the South African citrus industry in the international markets within this prevailing scenario. Due to the diversity of the definitions of competitiveness as a concept, this study formulated the following working definition: “the ability to create, deliver and maintain value and constant market share through strategic management of the industrial environment or competitiveness drivers”. This was based on the understanding that the international market shares of an industry are a function of forces in the business environment which range from intra-industry, external and national as well as the international elements. The unit of analysis were the citrus producers engaged in export of their products and the study made use of 151 responses by producers. The study adopted a five-step approach to the analysis of the performance of the South African citrus industry in the global markets, starting with the analysis of the Constant Market Share (CMS) of the South African citrus industry in various world markets, establishing the impact of the business environmental factors upon competitiveness, establishing the costs of compliance with private food safety standards, determining the non-price benefits of compliance with the standards, as well as highlighting the strategies for enhancing long-term competitiveness of the industry in the international markets. South Africa is one of the top three countries dominating the citrus fruit export market. Since its entry into the citrus fruit exports market in the 1900s, the industry has sustained its activity in the international market. The Constant Market Share Analysis shows that, amidst the challenges on the international market side, and the changes in the business environment, over much of which the industry has limited control and influence, the industry has maintained its competitive advantage in several markets. The CMS shows that South Africa’s lemons are competitive in America. Despite a negative trend, the South African grapefruit has been competitive in France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Oranges have been competitive in the Greece, Italy, Portugal, UK, Asian and Northern Europe markets. Competitiveness in these markets has been due to the inherent competitiveness of the industry. Competitiveness in such markets as the Middle East has been attributed to the relatively rapid growth of these markets. The South African citrus industry has similarly undergone many major processes of transformation. The business environmental factors influencing its performance have ranged reform to the challenges beyond the country’s borders. These factors directly and indirectly affect the performance of the industry in the export market. They have influenced the flow of fruits into different international destinations. Of major concern are the food safety and private standards. Challenges in traditional markets as well as opportunities presented by demand from newly emerging citrus consuming nations have seen a diversification in the marketing of the South African citrus. The intensity of competition in the global market is reflected by the fluctuations in the market shares in different markets as well as the increase and fluctuations of fruit rejection rates in some lucrative markets such as America. A combination of challenging national environmental forces and stringent demand conditions negatively impact on revenues especially from markets characterised by price competitiveness. This study identified cost of production, foreign market support systems, adaptability, worker skills, challenges of management in an international environment and government policies such as labour and trade policies as some of the most influential obstacles to competitiveness. Some of the most competiveness-enhancing factors were market availability, market size, market information, market growth and the availability of research institutions. However, compliance with private standards still poses a challenge to the exporters. The different performance levels of the industry in various markets prove the dissimilarity of the demand conditions in the global market. These are supported by the negative influence associated with the foreign market support regimes as well as the challenges associated with compliance with private food safety standards. While market availability, market growth, market information and size were identified as enhancing competitiveness, the fluctuations and inconsistencies in the competitiveness of the industry in different foreign markets require more than finding markets. Resource allocation by both the government and the industry may need to take into account the off-setting of the national challenges and support of farmers faced with distorted and unfair international playing fields. Otherwise, market availability is not a challenge for the industry save meeting the specifications therewith as well as price competitiveness which is unattainable for the South African citrus producers faced with high production costs. For the purposes of further study, it is recommended that account should be taken of all the products marketed by the industry (including processed products such as fruit juices) in order to have a whole picture of the competitiveness of the industry in the international market. This study also proffers a new theoretical framework for the analysis of the business environment for the citrus industry and other agro-businesses. This framework takes into account the indispensability of the food safety standards and measures as well as the diversity of the global consumer and the non-negotiability of food trade for the sustenance of the growing population.

This study was undertaken to achieve three major objectives: 1. to estimate an econometric structure-profitability model for Canadian food, beverages and tobacco processing industries; 2. to estimate a structure-price model of the sector to compare with the profit model; and 3. to make inferences about the performance of the sector, with reference to market power and industry efficiency. The above objectives were accomplished by comparing empirical regression results of the two models by using the following approach. First, the statistical significance of the estimated coefficients was used to determine which factors should be considered of importance in explaining performance. Secondly, the signs on the estimated coefficients were used to determine the direction of the influence of market structure on performance. Lastly, a comparison of the size and statistical significance of the difference in the respective coefficients was used to determine which of the two performance indexes (profitability and prices) is most affected by market structure. From the study four broad conclusions were arrived at. Seller concentration and advertising do have an increasing effect on profitability, but this influence does not derive from market power (price increases). Instead, increases in these factors appear to promote price competition. However, tariff protection has an increasing effect on both profitability and prices. Furthermore, the net effect of tariffs is significantly larger on prices than on profitability. Industry growth and market isolation factors have an increasing effect on profitabilty. But they have no significant influence on relative prices. Exports have a decreasing effect on profitability and prices. Increases in input prices may lead to increases in ouput prices. Two broad implications can be drawn from the above results. First, price competition and industry efficiency can be enhanced by (either condoning or encouraging) high market shares, advertising, exports and industry growth. Secondly, although tariffs can increase industry profitability, they may also lead to relatively larger increases in domestic output prices. Similarly, changes in input prices may lead to increases in output prices. Therefore, high tariffs and input prices may serve as barriers to competition, and allow inefficiency to persist in an industry. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate