Barriers and facilitators of HACCP adoption in the Armenian dairy industry

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study that investigated the barriers and facilitators associated with the adoption of a hazard analysis critical control point based food safety management system (HACCP FSMS) in dairy processing companies of Armenia.

A cross-sectional qualitative research design was employed to examine managerial experience and perceptions of barriers and drivers to organizational adoption of HACCP FSMS procedures. The data were collected in 20 food processing facilities in the dairy industry through individual in-depth interviews with their representatives and in governmental and non-governmental organizations through focus group discussions with 23 policy makers and food safety consultants. Diffusion of innovations theory provided a framework for systematic exploration of the phenomenon under study.

Most frequently reported drivers of adoption included enhanced traceability, increased export opportunities, improved organizational image, and broader accountability. Major impeding factors, such as high investment costs, value incompatibility, excessive documentation, inadequate physical and technological infrastructures, and low observability led to less favorable attitudes toward the organizational change needed for HACCP FSMS adoption. The results indicate that larger organizations with well-developed infrastructures and skilled workforce have an advantage over smaller organizations in the process of adoption.

This study provides a comprehensive theory-based analysis of perceived determinants of organization-wide adoption of HACCP-based system in Armenia. The results of the study support and extend the findings of earlier research and provide new insights into HACCP FSMS adoption across different contexts.