TRANSACTION AS A STRUCTURING FACTOR OF BIODIESEL SUPPLY CHAIN IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Abstract

The present article intend to analyze the transaction influence that occur between members of biodiesel supply chain in Rio Grande do Sul on these structure. A multiple cases study was performed in two of the six biodiesel supply chain localized in Rio Grande do Sul, for date collection were used different sources of evidence, such as: literature review, informal conversation with the actors of the chain, participation in meeting with same representatives of the chain links, government reports, non-structured interviews with representatives of supply, consumption and support group, and semi-structured interviews with representatives of biodiesel plants. It was identified that attributes of transaction and behavioral assumption have impact on the structure of the biodiesel supply chain in Rio Grande do Sul, some relevant findings are: the presence of opportunism and uncertainty in transactions between family farmers and biodiesel mills, the lack of fidelity in the relation between  family farmers/cooperatives, family farmers/biodiesel mills and cooperatives/biodiesel mills resulted in constant change in the grain supply base of the biodiesel plants, and also was observed  a reduction of opportunism and uncertainty due a greater transactions frequency, and in consequence of the contracts signed under Social Fuel Seal.