Response to COVID 19 Pandemic Challenges – Insights from Food Industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Multifunctionality and the capability of the food system to address food security, safety, nutrition, quality during the crisis time always play an important role in shaping the quality of life for all. In general, the food system always shows strong resilience during the crisis time, but with a “new” type of threat – the COVID-19 pandemic, the food industry becomes exposed to the different uncertainties putting pressure on quality management systems to adapt and provide a prompt response. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether the Bosnian and Herzegovinian food industry is capable of responding efficiently and what kind of obstacles they are facing during the pandemic time. Besides, the quality/innovativeness of general and food safety protocols, total quality management elements such as leadership, resource management, customer satisfaction, communication with suppliers, work ethics, level of education and training, have to be reconsidered to build up business resilience and capability of the BiH food industry to provide a timely and efficient answer to the challenges of a disruptive global crisis, such as the COVID 19 pandemic. Study results will enrich understandings of the effects of the pandemic on the food industry as well as provide policy/company recommendations for total quality management improvement, emphasizing underdeveloped elements that should and must be prioritized by the top management of the companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.