Geographical research of alternative food practices and their role in rural development

本研究旨在解决的关键问题之一是：由大型食品公司组成的“替代”食品网络（AFN）的替代性是什么？通过对大公司清酒供应网络的分析，得出如下结论。大公司的AFN似乎至少在一定程度上是替代性的，因为它包含了网络参与者之间的横向关系。然而，网络中也存在垂直和官僚组织。因此，大公司的AFN代表了“网络”和“等级”组织之间的混合形式。

One of the key questions that this research aims to address is : What is alternative about the 'alternative' food networks (AFN) constituted by large food company ? After analyzing the sake supply network of big company, I got conclusion as below. AFN of large company seems to be at least partly alternative, because it includes horizontal relationships among network participants. However, there are also vertical and bureaucratic organizations within the network. Thus, large company's AFN represents hybrid forms between 'network' and 'hierarchical' organizations.