We discuss a family of clusters C corresponding to the region whose boundary is formed by a fractional Brownian path y(i) and by the moving average function yn(i)≡1n∑k=0n−1y(i−k). Our model generates fractal directed patterns showing spatio-temporal complexity, and we demonstrate that...

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, it discusses how the functioning and performance of food chains are affected by the way stakeholders are embedded in the chains, by the coordination modes, and by the kind of governance. Second, by depicting six relevant agro-food chains, attention is...

The paper introduces a modified version of the demographic balance equation commonly used in human demography in the study of populations of permanent crops. The proposed methodology is then applied to analyzing the evolution of the Italian vineyard. In short, the study measures different...

Food markets in affluent countries tend to be characterized by increasing complexity under severalregards such as the organization of the productive chains, the process that leads to the formationof consumer’s preferences, the information/communication task and the building of trustamong...

Olive oil markets, both traditional and new ones, are changing rapidly with vertical as well as horizontal differentiation that increasingly play a role in featuring demand and supply. The paper explores the role and effectiveness of different quality clues in the creation of value in high...

The ageing of farmers and lack of successors are major concerns for the future of the sector. The paper analyses the age structure of family workers with a twofold objective. The ageing dynamics is analyzed in order to seek out its inertial components as well as any new trends there may be. The...