Organization Dynamics, Identities and Legitimation: The Organic Food Movement in China

• In Event: 161 - Section on Organizations, Occupation and Work Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 07. Organizational Legitimacy and Illegitimacy

Abstract

Organic food is perceived as food produced without involving most conventional hybridized seeds, pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and processed without using ionizing radiation or food additives. Historically, national rapid socioeconomic development is accompanied by industrialization of agriculture, which is heavily reliance on synthetic chemicals and high-yielding varieties to improve productivity. China is by no means an exception. The development of organic food in Western countries could be interpreted as active opposition to industrialized food provision.To date, yet, few studies have been conducted to explore, both theoretically and empirically, what is behind the organic food movement? How could trust be reestablished, and identities be effectively constructed given highly distrustful of food production and process? How does the administration agency legitimate the organic food organizations? The fundamental purpose of this paper is to examine the organization dynamics, identities and legitimation behind the rise and proliferation of organic food. The primary core is to report a detailed analysis, qualitatively and quantitatively, of organic food development in China from 2003 to 2011.

Author

• Jianmei Hao, University of Utah