Game Analysis Of The Government’s Supervision And Management For Food Safety

To fill in the gap on the lack of effective supervision and management for foodsafety from the government, firstly, this paper theoretically analyze the government’sregulatory functions for food safety. Secondly, based on the case study of illegalcooking oil incident in Ningbo City, it focuses on the analysis of results and reasonsfor the absence of food safety supervision from the government. Through the usage ofgame matrix, the benefit-based relationships will be discussed among the government,manufacturers and consumers in the third part. And in the part,the importance ofgovernmental supervision for food safety will be emphasized. In the final part,measures and suggestions can be offered through the discussion of the game theoryand successful food safety supervision experience from foreign countries includingthe US and Japan to make governmental regulatory functions better for food safety.Illegal cooking oil has been used in many restaurants for a long time due to thedefects of regulations and technology and the local government’s duty dereliction.Benefit games can be found among the government, manufacturers, restaurant bossesand consumers, based on the discussion of supervision games on the illegal cookingoil incident. For instance, in the game, the government can choose strict supervision and enforcement of law for manufacturers and restaurant bosses or not. Besides, thegovernment can choose to investigate illegal cooking oil usage in some restaurants ornot, when consumers report incidents to them. Diverse measures can be taken to copewith the government supervision by manufacturers, restaurant bosses and consumers.Meanwhile, repeated games generate the Nash Equilibrium.As a result, thegovernment will strengthen the food safety supervision. Manufacturers will producesafer food. Consumers will provide assistance to food safety supervision. In addition,measures and suggestions can be offered through the discussion of the game theoryand successful supervisory experience on food safety from the foreign countries’government.For instance, in terms of supervision concepts and modes, strong cooperation infood safety supervision can be formed among diverse economic subjects. Thegovernment can employ different food safety supervision ways. In terms ofsupervision methods and regulations, advanced supervision methods can beintroduced to better laws and regulations related to food safety. In terms of marketmechanism and credit system, mechanism of admittance and retreat from the foodmarket can improve to strengthen the construction of credit system in food safety. Interms of detecting technology and the talented, R&D investment can increase to raisethe level of food detection.In terms of function and responsibility,not only explicitdivision of labor can be emphasized but also accountability and performanceevaluation should be implemented. In addition, in terms of information transfer andfeedback means, the information channel which combined with diverse media can beapplied to encourage more people to get involved in the food safety supervision. As aresult, the government food safety supervision will be improved and the difficulty infood safety supervision can be tackled. Meanwhile, people can maintain their benefitsand enjoy a safer and more stable society.