Taras Gagalyuk

• PhD
• Senior Researcher at Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies

This paper examines the rapid adoption of digital technologies by Ukrainian agroholdings, highlighting the transformative potential of agrifood digitainability, where digital innovation and sustainability intersect within agricultural practices through diverse stakeholder collaborations. We introduce a conceptual framework that categorizes firm-sta...

The post-war restoration of Ukraine's agricultural sector requires a "green" transition to sustainable agricultural practices. One of the key aspects of such a transition is the unification of sustainability reporting, which will allow for an adequate assessment of the managerial capital of agricultural enterprises in the context of European integr...

Introduction. Ukrainian agribusiness works in challenging conditions today, and the international community greatly supports it. The decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU accession, adopted by the European Council in June 2022, and initiatives such as the provision of financial assistance under the Ukraine Facility program (Jun...

The study aims to acquaint the scientific and professional community with the Sustainability Reporting Platform, which is the basis for preparing the ESGI report (Sustainable Development and Investment Report). This article describes standardized forms and indicators for measuring, preparing and disclosing human and social capital information becau...

Implementing a new mechanism for controlling carbon dioxide emissions related to producing and importing products to EU countries may pose a significant challenge to Ukrainian agribusiness. The article aims to examine scientifically one of the sustainability measurement systems implemented in the EU and to assess its ad- aptability for the use by t...

The present paper explores how implementation of digital technologies (DTs) assists firms in transition economies in addressing weaknesses of the institutional environment surrounding them, in particular via establishment of collective governance systems. Based on case studies of three large-scale agroholdings operating in Ukraine, the paper aims t...

Over the past decades, Ukraine has built an increasingly dynamic agricultural sector, characterized by growing export engagement in various commodities. Whether the country can quickly regain its status of a key player on the world agri-food markets amid and after Russian invasion is extremely important for international food security. However, the...

In den letzten Jahrzehnten hat die ukrainische Landwirtschaft ein schnelles Wachstum sogenannter »Agrar­holdings« erlebt. Das sind sehr große, im landwirtschaftlichen Bereich tätige Konzerne, die vor allem durch die Übernahme anderer landwirtschaftlicher Betriebe zu ihrer beträchtlichen Größe angewachsen sind. Bis­lang gab es noch keine detailliert...

The Russian agri-food sector illustrated remarkable progress over the last decade. Still, the Russian government is striving to boost production even further and has set a number of goals for the industry for the coming years. Agroholdings are believed to be the main engine not only behind the success of the industry in recent years, but they are a...

Rising weather volatility poses a growing challenge to crop yields in many global breadbaskets. However, empirical evidence regarding the effects of extreme weather conditions on crop yields remains incomplete. We examine the contribution of climate and weather to winter wheat yields in Ukraine, a leading crop exporter with some of the highest yiel...

Rising weather volatility poses a growing challenge to crop yields in many global breadbaskets. However, empirical evidence regarding the effects of extreme weather conditions on crop yields remains incomplete. We examine the contribution of climate and weather to winter wheat yields in Ukraine, a leading crop exporter with some of the highest yiel...

Building on the institutional theory of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and research on CSR in the agriculture of post-Soviet transition economies, the present paper investigates the institutional, organizational and individual factors of farm engagement in CSR activities. Based on a survey of 800 farms in Russia and Kazakhstan, the interacti...

Large firms operating in underdeveloped institutional environments of transition economies tend to invest in seemingly unrewarded corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. To explain this phenomenon, we extend the literature on the motives behind CSR disclosure in agribusiness from the institutional perspective on organizational legitimacy...

This paper presents a dynamic perspective on the processes of farm restructuring following farm acquisitions by large-scale agroholdings in Ukraine. In particular, the paper employs a large dataset of farm-level data and several quantitative techniques to explore how the acquired farms’ resource bases are integrated after acquisitions and what outc...

This article provides pioneering empirical evidence on the selection of acquisition targets by agroholdings in transition economies. We use panel data from Ukraine and Northwest Russia covering the years 2005-2016. Binomial logistic regression models were estimated to analyze the impacts of farm capital strength, financial performance and size on t...

With the emergence of large, horizontally integrated farm enterprises especially in Eastern European countries, the question arises whether these agroholdings exercise market power in (local) land markets. Using a theoretical framework of spatial competition that accounts for the presence of multi-farm agroholdings, we derive equilibrium prices und...

The current chapter demonstrates an application of the theoretical framework of vertical coordination, more specifically the application of contracting in productive partnerships, to integrate smallholders into the value chain of a specialised crop. The aim of the chapter is to derive implications for industry participants on how to integrate small...

This article provides pioneering empirical evidence on the ownership structure and firm performance relationship for the case of corporate agri-food companies in Russia. While Russia plays a vital role in the global agri-food system, its domestic agri-food production is evidently dominated by a small number of corporate enterprises, which are in tu...

This study provides pioneering empirical evidence on board gender diversity and firm performance relationship for the case of large-scale agri-food companies in Russia. While Russia plays an important role in the global food security, its domestic agri-food production is heavily dependent on large scale producers. Our findings suggest a strong posi...

The agricultural sector in transitional and emerging market economies is marked by the prominence of agroholdings, i.e., conglomerates of agricultural enterprises controlling up to hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland. Drawing on secondary information from Ukraine, this paper explores how institutional turbulence gives rise to agroholdings...

In this paper, we take a closer look at vertically cooperating chain systems or networks. The aim of the article is to give an overview of the general mechanisms of chain management in the context of cooperation and coordination issues and then focus on vertical coordination in transition economies. Vertical coordination will be the theoretical bas...

The article recommends practical measures necessary to increase the resilience of domestic agriculture as a whole and of individual enterprises as these are influenced by external shocks.

The agricultural sector in Ukraine and other transitional and developing countries is distinguished by the prominence of agroholdings, i.e., large-scale industrialized corporations, that offer extensive support to their stakeholders through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The stakeholder approach as a part of business ethics...

The agricultural sector in many industrialised countries remains in the spotlight of controversial societal debates that testify to an advancing alienation between modern agriculture and society. Key issues include animal welfare, environmental externalities, industrialisation of agricultural production, and the extinction of family farms. As stead...

ЭПШТЕЙН ДАВИД, КУРТИСС ЯРМИЛА, ГАГАЛЮК ТАРАС, УНАЙ ГЭЙЛХАРД ВОССТАНАВЛИВАЕМОСТЬ СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННЫХ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЙ И ВЛИЯНИЕ НА НЕЕ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ФАКТОРОВ И ИНТЕГРАЦИОННЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ (ПО ДАННЫМ СЕВЕРО-ЗАПАДА РОССИИ) КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: ВОССТАНАВЛИВАЕМОСТЬ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ПОСЛЕ ШОКОВ, AGRO HOLDINGS, SALES GROWTH, FINANCIAL CRISIS, AN ECONOMIC SHOCK, RESILIENCE O...

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries have been faced with numerous development challenges in agriculture, especially those related to water use. Well-intentioned foreign donors and development agencies have stepped in to support local farmers, research centers, and public authorities in devising innovative solut...

During the last two decades an increasing amount of large-scale farming operations have emerged all over the world: from (Eastern) Europe, to South America, China and the countries of the Former Soviet Union. These agribusinesses go under the name of mega-farms or agroholdings: horizontally or vertically integrated operations with farm sizes of up...

The paper argues that transparency of large corporate farms operating in transition economies is the factor that affects their competitive position as it helps to preserve access to international equity markets and to reduce uncertainty that arises from imperfect local input markets. We demonstrate that the corporate transparency of large farms is...

The agricultural sector in Germany, in the EU, and other industrialised countries remains in the spotlight of controversial societal debates that testify to an advancing alienation between modern agriculture and society. Key issues include animal welfare, environmental externalities, industrialisation of agricultural production, and extinction of f...

Vieles spricht derzeit für eine zunehmende Entfremdung zwischen Landwirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Begleitet wird dieser Prozess von einer Ideologisierung der politischen Diskussionen. Um dieser Problematik zu entgehen, reicht es nicht aus, der Öffentlichkeit mehr Informationen über die heutige Produktionsmethoden zu vermitteln. Vielmehr ist die Land...

Between 2007 and 2009, Ukraine's large agricultural holdings (agroholdings) trended upwardly (some years by 1 million hectares). Since then, agroholdings over 10,000 ha have decreased significantly. What are the prospects for future developments of agroholdings in Ukraine? Is further land consolidation expected? What will be the impact of changes o...

Nowadays products are increasingly produced in supply chain networks. The questions dealing with strategies and management of such networks have been widely addressed in literature. However, the importance of network goals for the network’s strategy and management is undisclosed. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide the theoretical elabor...

The research topic of asymmetrical power relationships has been receiving increasingly more attention lately. However, only a few scientific works have studied the questions of asymmetrical power distribution in the context of supply chain networks. The aim of our work is to identify how capable the existing power measurement efforts are of produci...

As suggested by the proponents of the relational view of strategic management, the advantages of an individual firm are often linked to the advantages of the network of relationships in which the firm is embedded (Dyer and Singh, Acad Manage Rev 23:660–679, 1998). The aim of this study is to develop and test a model of goal achievement in chain net...

This article develops the theoretical foundations of supply chain network management in order to investigate the constructs surrounding whole chain success rather than just success at firm level. It is argued that the 'network success' link has been under-studied, with most empirical studies focusing on the achievement of goals by an individual fir...

Three general implications for chain management can be derived from my results: 1. Network-level and firm-level goals must be considered simultaneously within a collective strategy. The collective strategy should address not only the alignment of interests of individual network members but also the alignment of network-level and firm-level goals. M...

This study examines traditional food chain goals and explores the match with general consumer perceptions and preferences in relation to traditional food as a food product category. Chain goals were selected using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews (84 chain members, three European countries, five traditional food categories), as well...

This article contributes to the general understanding of governance in networks and the achievement of private and common goals. Integrating transaction costs and social network theory, a simple integrated framework is provided for understanding why firms collaborate and under which conditions they establish durable networks that succeed in achievi...

This article provides several contributions to the general understanding of governance in networks and the achievement of private and common goals. A simple, integrated framework for understanding why firms collaborate and under which conditions they establish durable networks that succeed in achieving goals is provided. Network theory is extended...

The research topic of asymmetrical power relationships has been receiving increasingly more attention lately. However, only a few scientific works have studied power in the context of supply chain networks. Consisting of collaborative interactions among numerous firms, such networks possess a focal actor represented by a well-branded company. The o...

This article aims to reveal the impact of the retail internationalization process on the Ukrainian agribusiness. Building on an in-depth survey, we delineate major changes that occur owing to the process. Talking about global retailers, an essential part of their business is connected with selling high-quality products. Because (food) quality and t...

The article studies the evolution of the contractual relations in the agroindustrial complex in the direction of the vertical coordination deepening. The article offers the theoretical and methodological grounding for vertical coordination as a factor of balancing the intersectoral relations in the agroindustrial complex. Basing on the empirical an...

Current interorganizational literature almost exclusively analyzes the network effects on single firms participating in networks. This study expands this view theoretically by focusing on food supply chain networks. Specifically, we argue that both, network-level and firm-level goals have to be achieved to structure long-term and successful network...

Increasing consumer requirements for quality, safety and environmental sustainability of seafood products are recognized as the driving forces of vertical cooperation in the fish sector. Cooperation among the participants of the fish chain becomes apparent in formation of so-called supply chain networks that embody multilateral coordination and add...

This article analyses the effect of the East-European business environment on quality management as a means of operationalising chain management strategies. The particular focus on the Ukrainian agri-food business in combination with fifteen in-depth expert interviews reveals the infancy of chain (quality) management in transition economies. Genera...

Nowadays food products are increasingly produced in supply chain networks that involve numerous firms. Due to their pyramidal-hierarchical structure, such networks possess a focal company that coordinates the network. The managerial task of the focal company is to work out collective strategy that addresses cooperation and coordination problems at...

Today there is a clear consensus that customer orientation is a competitive necessity in order to survive in a market. In this article, the authors will analyze questions addressing brand management, especially the activities of retailers who are developing their own brands. As evidenced by the steady increase in market share for retail brands, now...

Nowadays food products are increasingly produced in vertically cooperating supply chain networks. The questions of how such networks have to be designed and governed have been addressed in several well known articles. However, questions dealing with chain strategy and management are not discussed satisfyingly. In particular, the importance of netwo...

Nowadays food products are produced in vertically collaborating networks. The questions of how such chain networks have to be designed and which governance structure fits best have been addressed in several well known articles. However, questions dealing with chain strategy and management are not discussed satisfyingly. Neither is the understanding...

The recent developments of Russian and Ukrainian economies and rapid growth of food industries have proven to be one of the key motives for international companies to enter these countries and stirred up active investments into the food sector. It is observable that when foreign food retailers and branded food processing companies enter a new count...

В данной работе отображены основные принципы и механизмы функционирования аграрной политики Европейского Союза. Предложенный вниманию широкого круга русскоязычных читателей дискуссионный материал не претендует на роль самого обширного и самого досконального источника информации касательно такой много- гранной сферы, как аграрная политика ЕС. Он, ск...

В данной работе отображены основные принципы и механизмы функционирования аграрной политики Европейского Союза. Предложенный вниманию широкого круга русскоязычных читателей дискуссионный материал не претендует на роль самого обширного и самого досконального источника информации касательно такой много- гранной сферы, как аграрная политика ЕС. Он, ск...

Problem setting Research on the success of co-operatives has a long tradition. However, most works concentrate on success measurements that either try to estimate the success of the single members or the success of the co-op itself. These findings are similar to the ones we have found for success of networks. Here, the vast majority of studies deal...