Levkivskyi Y. Development of vertically integrated agricultural business structures in the context of globalization

Purpose: to substantiate the theoretical, methodological, and applied principles and formulate strategic directions for the growth of vertically integrated agricultural business structures in the context of transformational processes in the global market environment. Object: the vertical integration process in agribusiness affected by permanent changes in the global business environment. Research methods: general scientific methods (dialectical, scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, the laws of reasoning) and specialized economic methods: economic and historical; comparative analysis; economic and statistical; economic and mathematical; monographic. Theoretical results are illustrated in the historical, theoretical, and methodological foundations and conclusions laid down in the dissertation. The research findings open up prospects for deepening the theoretical and methodological underpinning of vertical integration in agribusiness in light of global and local changes in food markets, and the key findings are taken into account in the educational process at Polissia National University. In particular, the theoretical foundations of vertical integration in agribusiness laid down in the dissertation have been introduced in teaching the courses “Global Economy”, “International Trade”, “International Economic Relations”, and “Social Responsibility in International Business”. Practical results: development of theoretical and methodological, as well as scientific and practical recommendations for managing the vertically integrated structures at micro and macro levels on the grounds of sustainability and in line with global and national sociocentric imperatives and the social and environmental responsibility of agricultural business. Scientific novelty: a convergent approach is proposed for vertically integrated entities in agribusiness. It is ensured by leveling the maneuverability disparity and enhancing the ability to create resilient intra-corporate business communications, taking into account the divergence of individual subjective interests and maintaining economic autonomy. This will help combine efforts to achieve related goals in uncertain conditions, overcome institutional barriers, ensure equal access to global food markets and opportunities for participation in large-scale investment projects, and involve innovative technologies and highly qualified specialists in management and logistics processes. In addition, the definition of “vertically integrated structure” was enhanced from the standpoint of agribusiness globalization as a stable system of relationships between its stakeholders, which contributes to ensuring food security and balancing the priorities of scaling up agricultural production and sustainable development in the post-war period. This will accelerate the process of businesses moving from raw material specialization to increased production of agricultural products with a growing share of added value, ensure advocacy for favorable trade conditions with countries around the world, and stimulate economic growth in the agricultural sector of the national economy. Extent of implementation: Department of Agribusiness Development and Economic Policy of Zhytomyr Regional Military Authority, Private Enterprise “GALEKS-AGRO” based in Novohrad-Volynskyi raion of Zhytomyr Oblast. Efficiency: the research findings will contribute to the sustainable development of vertically integrated entities to ensure the country’s food security during post-war recovery and intensified European integration processes in Ukraine. Scope of application: government agencies, scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and higher education institutions specializing in economics.