“Procurement and Supply Chain Management of Perishable Goods: Challenges and Complexities in Global Supply Chains”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Procurement and Supply Chain Management of Perishable Goods: Challenges and Complexities in Global Supply Chains”

Journal: Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

Overview

This special issue—published by Elsevier—examines the critical procurement and supply chain strategies required to manage goods with limited shelf life, including food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and chemicals. As global supply chains face increasing volatility, climate change, and institutional disparities, this issue focuses on the operational and relational complexities inherent in moving fragile, time-sensitive products across geographical and cultural borders.

Key Research Themes

• Contextual Procurement Factors: Analyzing how legislation (e.g., slavery/deforestation laws), indigenous practices, and diverse supply chain structures (e.g., informal markets, power dynamics) influence procurement decisions.

• Strategic Procurement Innovation: Exploring novel practices for supplier selection, contracting, and development that enhance quality, sustainability, and economic value, particularly at the "bottom of the pyramid."

• Sustainable & Circular Models: Developing strategies to extend shelf life, reduce waste, and foster secondary markets or redistribution networks through collaborations with NGOs and social enterprises.

• Climate Resilience & Geography: Assessing the impact of climate-driven geographic shifts in sourcing and the reliability of cold-chain operations in developing vs. developed regions.

• Digitalization & Technology Integration: Evaluating the feasibility and challenges of AI, machine learning, and blockchain for real-time monitoring and predictive analytics in cold chains.

Submission Details

• Submission window: 01 September 2025 – 30 June 2026.

• Submission portal: https://submit.elsevier.com/PURSUP

• Special Instructions: You must select the article type “VSI: P&SCM of Perishable Goods” during submission to ensure the manuscript is grouped correctly.

• Submission Standards: The journal welcomes qualitative, quantitative, empirical, and conceptual studies. Manuscripts must strictly adhere to the JPSM Guide for Authors.

Guest Editor Team

• Marco Formentini, University of Trento (Marco.formentini@unitn.it)

• Madeleine Pullman, University of Sussex (melliepullman@gmail.com)

• Verónica León-Bravo, IQS School of Management (veronica.leon@iqs.url.edu)

• Adé Oyedijo, Baylor University (ade_oyedijo@baylor.edu)

• Federica Ciccullo, Politecnico di Milano (federica.ciccullo@polimi.it)

• Janpriy Sharma, MNIT Jaipur (jsharma.dms@mnit.ac.in)

Why This Issue Matters

Managing perishable goods is a strategic imperative that directly impacts food security, healthcare accessibility, and global sustainability. This special issue—published by Elsevier—provides a dedicated platform for scholars to advance the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to build resilient, efficient, and ethical procurement systems capable of navigating the high-stakes complexities of the global perishable market.

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