Companies and Society. The 7 Elements of Action. A Contribution from the Plate to the Farm

Abstract

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has generated great changes in society and business, particularly agribusiness. Consumers are more demanding, some countries have increased restrictive policies and retail has changed dramatically. The impact is everywhere. The purpose of this position paper is to summarize what we believe may happen in a short term period at the level of agribusiness. We will establish seven critical areas of change that may occur at this juncture considering both the Argentine and global situation. These areas are: a) the role of consumers, b) economy and business management, c) digitalization and connectivity, d) workforce changes, e) regenerative business models, f) behavior, g) protectionism and government intervention. Every topic is presented in a systemic view, taking into account the situation both in developed and underdeveloped countries. This approach implies the definition of a series of situations at a group and individual level that —sooner or later and at a greater or lesser level of occurrence— will allow us to make better decisions at work, personally and as a society. Covid-19 took into consideration the processes associated with globalization and de-globalization. The irruption of a new information and knowledge society reveals demands for transformations and challenges for organizations with a special connotation on people and their interaction with society. In this context, organizations must respond with actions that allow them to be sustainable over time. Studying these changes enables the identification of possible nstitutional, organizational, and technological adaptations for agri-food companies, policymakers, NGO’s managers, etc.