This paper depicts the main coordination mechanisms (CMs) included in governance structures used to support the supply of piglets in the Brazilian Pork Chain (BPC). Furthermore, it analyses how and why actors use plural forms of coordination to support similar transactions. Based on the literature and an exploratory study carried out in the BPC, we propose a framework to analyse how price, volume, quality and resource allocation are coordinated in a transaction. This paper builds on transaction cost economics in two ways. First, it shows that to arrange a transaction, a buyer may set CMs in distinct positions within the market-hierarchy continuum. Second, it shows that actors use plural CMs with different counterparties in similar transactions. We found four explanations for plural governance: market fluctuations, bargaining power of suppliers, stricter coordination and quality, and the exchange context.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between coordination mechanisms (CMs) and quality requirements used to support transactions in the Brazilian pork chain. Design/methodology/approach Based on the transaction cost economics theory, the paper focuses on the alignment between CMs and quality requirements. The results were obtained by means of interviews (n=41) with public and private actors, including the main companies and other stakeholders in the Brazilian pork sector. The research addresses regulations, requirements of customers and supporting CMs used in different transaction contexts. Findings In the Brazilian pork sector, five transaction contexts can be distinguished: spot market, mini integration, singular cooperative, central cooperative and investor-owned firm. The chain actors apply different CMs to support a set of quality requirements which presents little diversity. The main quality requirements are driven by baseline public regulations. Besides, there are, in particular international, customers with more specific requirements. To support transactions, chain actors use different contracts in terms of resource allocation and price incentives. Originality/value Literature assumes alignment between governance structures (GSs) and quality standards. This paper further investigates this assumption by analyzing the relationships between CMs (underlying GSs) and quality requirements (underlying quality standards). The research findings show that similar quality requirements may well be supported by different CMs. It further gives indications on why different CMs are used to support a homogeneous set of requirements.

RESUMO:A demanda por fontes alternativas de energia tem crescido nos últimos anos em função das variações do preço do petróleo aliadas à recente crise energética. Por meio da digestão anaeróbia é possível transformar os dejetos de suínos em biogás. No presente trabalho, estudou-se a viabilidade econômica do uso do biogás como fonte alternativa para a geração de energia elétrica para diferentes períodos de geração. O método utilizado para a avaliação econômica foi o Valor Presente Líquido. O tempo de retorno do capital investido também foi calculado levando em consideração o desconto da taxa de juros nos fluxos de caixa. O estudo demonstrou ser economicamente viável a utilização do biogás da suinocultura, como fonte para geração de energia elétrica. O aumento da demanda de energia elétrica na propriedade aumenta o Valor Presente Líquido e diminui o tempo de retorno do investimento. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:biogás, suínos, energia elétrica, análise econômica. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE GENERATION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY FROM BIOGAS IN PIG PRODUCTION ABSTRACT:The demand for alternative sources of energy has grown in recent years in line with the variation of petroleum prices coupled with the recent energy crisis. Through anaerobic digestion swine manure can be converted into biogas. In the present study it was evaluated the economic viability of using biogas as an alternative source for the production of electricity, for different periods of generation. The method used for the economic evaluation was the Net Present Value (NPV). The time of return on invested capital was also calculated taking into account the discount interest rate on cash flows. The study proved to be economically viable use of biogas from swine manure as a source for generating electricity. The increased demand for electricity in the property increases the Net Present Value and decreases the time required for return of the investment.