THE SEIKATSU CLUB: LINKING STRUCTURAL EMBEDDENESS, INSTITUTION PROCESS, NETWORK GOVERNANCE, AND SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Great environment-related changes have been occurring and been discussed by a growing number of not only specialists, but non-specialists as well.  Sensitive impacts have occurred too in the manner in which food is produced.  New strategies have emerged not only in economic or organizational factors, but also in the new standards in food consumption with strong emphasis on characteristics of the sustainability approach.

Therefore it is relevant to note that special organizational arrangements, such as the “consumers cooperatives”, sustained by the concepts of network governance and institutional process, can help in the application and publicizing of new concepts in the food market and maybe advance towards more sustainable alternatives. Using an exploratory study, based on the Seikatsu Club experience, which is related to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and to the Sanchoku system, it is possible to verify the benefits that a closer relationship between organic consumers and farming producers can bring to the formation of social networks that internalize various characteristics of sustainability. This closer relationship or structural embeddeness between the members is oriented by social values like health, welfare, local conditions, cooperation, and freedom, among others, leading to more sustainable solutions.