Implementing sustainability in the Scottish food sector : bridging the theory practice gap

A review of the Scottish food sector exposes the need for improved sustainability, encouraging an exploration of theory. Emerging with significance is the natural-resource-based view (NRBV), which promotes sustainability via several competitive strategies. In spite of positive academic appraisal, literature suggests that inapplicability has prevented NRBV practical realisation, resulting in a twenty year theory-practice gap. However, links with SSCM contest this, implying that the NRBV is implemented in industry under the guise of emergent SSCM strategies. Adopting a qualitative interview approach this study tests this assumption, using the results to provide recommendations for sustainability improvements in the Scottish food sector.