Factors behind Organizational Learning from Benchmarking: Experiences from Norwegian Municipal Benchmarking Networks

Benchmarking rests on the assumption that it supports organizationallearning and innovation, but the empirical knowledge that underpinsthis perceived means-end relationship is limited. This articledraws on existing research to develop a framework for analyzingorganizational learning outcomes from municipal benchmarking.The framework incorporates explanatory factors at differentlevels (network and municipality), and with different time perspectives(past and present). Empirical results from a nationwide Norwegianbenchmarking project indicate that municipalities do obtainorganizational learning from benchmarking but that care mustbe taken when organizational learning is conceptualized andassessed. Learning should incorporate aiding agenda settingand decision making, as well as changes. Factors such as networkand administrative characteristics and management and politicalparticipation are found to influence learning outcomes. Thereare also indications that learning from benchmarking is subjectto politics. Notably, nonsocialist political regimes are lessreceptive to organizational learning than other regimes andpolitical competition enhances organizational learning frombenchmarking.     

Geographies of meatification: an emerging Asian meat complex

ABSTRACT

The ‘meatification’ of human diets has been subject to increasing scholarly attention in recent years, along with its many impacts. While the rapidly expanding meatification in many Asian countries has been noted, the geographies of these processes have been left largely unexplored. This paper maps the changing geographies of meat with special focus on Southeast Asia. We use Tony Weis’ concept of ‘the industrial grain-oilseed-livestock complex’ to analyse how forms of systemic meatification are taking place in Asia. We map and analyse regional trends in meat production and consumption, as well as trade patterns in meat products and dominant feed crops. We argue that the regional meat complex emerges through increasingly regional development processes and capital, as well as through new South-South connections. The geographies of meatification in Southeast Asia thus constitute an empirical manifestation of the emerging multipolarity of the global food regime.