Social network analysis in encouraging role-players in the beef market to take breeding decisions: a methodological study

The aim of the research is to apply the Social Network Analysis to the Romagnola beef meat market in order to well understand the relationship inside the supply chain. The knowledge of the market exchange system is very important to take the most suitable choises of breeding. The analysis was carried out using data of the heifers exchanges during the year 2008 in the frame of the “Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale” consortium activities. The Social Network Analysis shows that the effective linkage between the agents are very few in comparison to the all possible ones, therefore the competitive process is not intense. At the same time, the agents have shown to be able to place themselves in the crucial points of the supply chain. The analysis results, moreover, show the need of a stronger farming phase concentrate on the farmers that have the greatest economic importance.