Analysing beef supply chain strategy in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom

The purpose of the paper is to apply recently developed methods to compare and contrast the operation of beef supply chains in Australia, the US and UK. This comparison reveals aspects of the supply chains that are a consequence of their respective contexts, including resource endowments in the various countries. The market structure is a critical factor in determining optimal supply chain configurations. As a consequence, a lean approach to SCM is more likely to succeed in Australia than in the other two countries.