Table 4 Items and scales used in the questionnaire

Governance

GOV

What type of relation do you have with your commercial partners?

“1 = verbal agreements,”

“2 = cooperative membership,”

“3 = formal contracts”

1.95

0.77

Milk price

MLP

What was the average price of milk in the last 2 years?

Quantitative/continuous

0.72

0.79

Firm size

SIZE

What is the size of your firm (number of sheep)?

“1 = small,”

“2 = medium,”

“3 = large”

2.01

0.72

  Technology

TECH

(Multi item, α = 0.75)

TECH1

What type of technology do you use in breeding?

“1 = manual”,

“2 = semi-automated”,

“3 = automated”

1.36

0.51

TECH2

What type of technology do you use in milk production?

“1 = manual”,

“2 = semi-automated”,

“3 = automated”

1.31

0.49

  Association

ASC

Trade associations provide an excellent support for firms

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

2.77

1.34

  Credit

CRE

Banks provide an excellent financial support

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

1.90

0.88

  Local origin

LOC

(Multi item, α = 0.76)

LOC1

I have a strong connection with Sardinian agricultural and sheep-rearing traditions

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

4.39

0.80

LOC2

I use production methods arising from the local cultural context

five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

4.36

0.85

  Safety

SAFE

My commercial partners perform regular milk quality tests

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = never”

to “5 = always”

4.66

0.61

  Quality

QUA

(Multi item, α = 0.95)

QUA1

Milk is produced with wild breeding

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = never”

to “5 = always”

4.35

1.11

QUA2

Milk produced with wild breeding is of superior quality

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

4.45

0.98

 Trust

TRU

(Multi item, α = 0.94)

TRU1

My commercial partners provide correct information

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

3.63

1.17

TRU2

My commercial partners fulfill their promises

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

3.59

1.25

 Uncertainty

UNC

I know in advance the price of milk

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly agree”

to “5 = strongly disagree”

2.23

1.45

 Investments

INV

I made investments to meet the needs of my commercial partners

Five-point Likert:

from “1 = strongly disagree”

to “5 = strongly agree”

2.05

1.56