Proximity-Based Antecedents of Agricultural Producers’ Motivations and Commitment to Adopt Local Distribution Channels: The Case of Normandy in France

Marie-Laure Baron; Sophie Cros; Hamdi Radhoui; Youssef Tliche

doi:10.37725/mgmt.2025.12980

Marie-Laure Baron Université Le Havre Normandie, Normandie Innovation Marché Entreprise (NIMEC), ISEL, Le Havre, France
Sophie Cros Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, PRISM-Sorbonne, École de Management de la Sorbonne, Paris, France
Hamdi Radhoui IES Business School Normandie, LIESR, France
Youssef Tliche EM Normandie, UMR Métis, Le Havre, France

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37725/mgmt.2025.12980

Keywords: Local distribution channels, Food supply chains, Proximity, Motivation, Commitment, Perception, Producers

Abstract

The integration of local distribution channels (LDCs) by agricultural producers plays a crucial role in regional sustainability and economic development. However, the determinants of producers’ motivations and commitment remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by applying proximity theory to assess the antecedents influencing Norman producers’ engagement in LDCs. Through an empirical study in Normandy (France), we examine perceived cognitive, social, institutional, organizational, and geographical proximities to determine their relative impacts on producers’ commitment and motivations. Our findings reveal that these are significantly driven by cognitive, social, and institutional proximities, whereas geographical and organizational proximities, although relevant, are less important. Producers engage in LDCs primarily to exchange knowledge, collectively improve their offerings, and contribute to local development rather than being driven by purely economic incentives. This research provides a holistic, quantitative framework for understanding producers’ motivations and commitment, challenging conventional assumptions centered on geographic and organizational proximities. Offering both theoretical and managerial contributions, the proposed predictive model applies to various regional contexts. Meanwhile, decision-makers in Normandy can draw on these insights to develop policies that strengthen producer engagement in LDCs and promote more sustainable food systems.

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Author Biographies

Marie-Laure Baron, Université Le Havre Normandie, Normandie Innovation Marché Entreprise (NIMEC), ISEL, Le Havre, France

Marie-Laure Baron is a full professor in management sciences at Université Le Havre Normandie and is the director of the research centre Normandie innovation marché entreprise consommation (NIMEC). Her research sits at the intersection of supply chain management and territorial development. It focuses on how players are embedded within business and industrial ecosystems, examining the organizational and managerial dynamics that foster collective performance, territorial resilience, and sustainable value creation.

Sophie Cros, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, PRISM-Sorbonne, École de Management de la Sorbonne, Paris, France

Sophie Cros is a full professor in management sciences at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, École de management de la Sorbonne. She is a member of the Board of the International Association for Research in Public Management (AIRMAP, France). She is a specialist of global risk assessment and crisis management. She is currently conducting research on decision-making, risk diagnostic and anticipation of the unlikely in the fields of environment, security, defence, and education of the population.

Hamdi Radhoui, IES Business School Normandie, LIESR, France

Hamdi Radhoui is an assistant professor in supply chain management and logistics at IES Business School Normandy, France. His research focuses on sustainable logistics, short food supply chains, local producer behaviour, and the effects of territorial and technological transformations on logistics and distribution systems.

Youssef Tliche, EM Normandie, UMR Métis, Le Havre, France

Youssef Tliche is an assistant professor in supply chain management and logistics, and joined EM Normandie in 2021. He is the head of the master programme of Supply Chain, Logistics and Innovation at EM Normandie. His thesis focuses on a collaborative inference-based forecasting approach in decentralized supply chains, allowing to improve local and global performance. His research focuses on the application of quantitative and algorithmic approaches in SCM, economics, and finance.

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