Technological Innovation Drivers in Rural Small Food Industries in Iran

The first step in devising the best incentives to support innovation is to investigate factors that affect the development of innovations. This article contributes to exploring such factors in small food industries in the rural areas of Tehran province, Iran. Using a census sampling method, 111 managers of 60 active firms were interviewed. The results showed that in general the level of technological innovation is low in the studied firms. The managers do not find the technological changes successful in bringing benefit to their firms. Even though correlation analysis indicated a complex association matrix between independent variables, only the firm's capacity of production was associated with technological innovation as a dependent variable. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed that factors which influence technological innovation are the firm's age, formal research and development, fixed capital, and capacity of production. The results of this study were used to derive practical suggestions for managers and policymakers to increase technological innovation in the studied industry.     

Managing Customer Knowledge During the Concept Development Stage of the New Food Product Development Process

New product development (NPD) is a knowledge-intensive process where the generation of new ideas and concepts requires detailed knowledge of both products and customers. The high reported failure rates for innovative functional beverages suggest an inability to manage customer knowledge effectively as well as a lack of knowledge management between functional disciplines involved in the NPD process. This research explored the concept of managing customer knowledge at the early stages of the NPD process, through the use of advanced concept optimization methods, and applied it to the development of a range of functional beverages. A conjoint-based survey was administered to 400 customers in Ireland. This research identified 2 hypothetical functional beverage concepts with high levels of customer acceptance. Managing customer knowledge during the concept development stage of the NPD process can assist firms overcome customer acceptance issues associated with innovative products. Methodologies that advance both a firm's understanding of customers' choice motives and value systems can increase the chances of new product success in international food and beverage markets.     

Innovation and University‐Firm R&D Collaboration in the European Food and Drink Industry

In the National Innovation System (NIS), knowledge is produced and accumulated through interactive innovation processes that are embedded in a national context, which in turn may help determine innovation. This paper investigates how product and process innovations in the European food and drink industry are affected by: (i) NIS structure; (ii) NIS output in terms of scientific publications and the supply of graduates; (iii) NIS cohesion and coordination; (iv) NIS scientific impact and specialisation. The main source of data on innovation by firms is the EU‐EFIGE/Bruegel‐UniCredit dataset. This is supplemented by information from the International Handbook of Universities, Eurostat and a bibliometric analysis of academic research output. Our results suggest that large research institutions in the public sector may well be detrimental to interaction between university and industry and to process innovation. The indicators used for public research assessment are not necessarily the most appropriate proxies of local knowledge spillovers.     

Concept Optimisation in Innovation Through Conjoint Analysis

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to identify the optimal extrinsic and intrinsic attributes for a range of chilled nutrientenriched orange juice beverages; and to evaluate the contribution of advanced concept optimisation research techniques to new product design and the strategic marketing of innovative functional beverages. A conjointbased survey was administered in both Dublin and Cork between May and September 2004. The results suggested that firms should not rely solely on functionality to leverage a competitive advantage when developing functional beverages. Advanced concept optimisation research techniques contribute towards effective knowledge management in the new product development (NPD) process.     

Internationalization of innovative capabilities: counter‐evidence from the electronics industry in Malaysia and Brazil

The focus of this paper is the extent to which firms in the electronics industry in Malaysia and Brazil (Manaus) developed significant innovative technological capabilities. By examining whether innovative capabilities have spread to these two late‐industrializing countries, the paper seeks to add new evidence to the debate over internationalization of innovative capabilities and to argue against existing generalizations. Internationalization of innovative capabilities is measured here by the technological capability types and levels built within firms. The framework for capability‐building identifies types and levels of technological capabilities. The paper draws on empirical evidence from 82 electronics firms—transnational corporation subsidiaries and local firms: 53 in Malaysia (25 in Penang and 28 in Klang Valley) and 29 in Manaus (Northern Brazil). Empirical evidence was collected during extensive fieldwork based on different data‐gathering strategies. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used. Contrary to common generalizations, the study found that the capabilities of most sampled firms had been upgraded to carry out diverse innovative technological activities. Additionally, these capability‐building efforts were strongly associated with higher capabilities for local decision‐making and control, automation level and efforts to increase exports. The study found firms that innovated to be competitive by reducing costs, being more productive, reducing lead time and producing better products—regardless of whether they were in a domestic market‐oriented country or in an export‐oriented country. Finally, the analysis and framework in this study challenge some existing perspectives on the internationalization of innovative capabilities to the late‐industrializing context.     

科技创新在农产品加工业发展中的支撑作用

本文首先阐述科技创新在农产品加工业中的发展创新作用与推动产业融合作用,并从科技创新方式与行为主体方面分析科技创新的内涵,针对当前农产品加工业科技创新中出现的关键技术设备发展不足等问题,总结出加强基础原始创新、自主研发突破关键技术、构建全国协同创新体系等策略,旨在提高科技创新水平,提升自主研发能力,实现农产品加工业的长足...     

The role of knowledge,attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

Despite the great potential of agricultural innovations, the uptake by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa seems to be slow. We reviewed existing theories and frameworks for the uptake of agricultural innovations and found that these tend to emphasize the role of extrinsic factors such as the characteristics of the adopter and the external environment in the decision-making process. In this paper, we argue that intrinsic factors such as the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of the potential adopter towards the innovation play a key role, but this has been less studied. We present an analytical framework that combines both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in farmers' decisions to adopt new agricultural technologies and apply the framework to agroforestry adoption as a case study. We review the literature on agroforestry adoption in sub-Saharan Africa and identify the extrinsic and intrinsic variables affecting the uptake of agroforestry technologies. We conclude that the uptake of agricultural technologies is a complex process influenced by both extrinsic and intrinsic variables, and recommend that future studies aiming to understand the adoption process of agricultural innovations take into account both sets of variables. A mechanistic understanding of how intrinsic and extrinsic factors interact and drive adoption can help in targeting technologies appropriately to ensure sustainability.     

Examining the Adoption of Product and Process Innovations in the Canadian Food Processing Industry

In this paper we study the factors associated with innovation in the food processing industry using a survey of Western Canadian food processors. Our primary motivation is to gain a better understanding of the mechanics of innovation related to the adoption of product and process innovation. In particular, we consider the jointness of ex post realizations of product and process innovations, and assess whether there are underlying differences that result from innovations developed inhouse versus those developed externally by a third party. Using a multivariate probit model, we find evidence of significant interrelationships between product and process innovations that are developed inhouse. These findings suggest that firms that conduct both process and product innovations inhouse are better able to enjoy complementarities that arise in the discovery process. We also find that firms are more likely to innovate in response to keeping pace with competitors. Dans le présent article, nous examinons les facteurs liés à l'innovation dans l'industrie de la transformation alimentaire, à l'aide d'un sondage effectué auprès des transformateurs agroalimentaires dans l'Ouest canadien. L'objectif principal vise à mieux comprendre les mécanismes de l'innovation liés à l'adoption de nouveaux produits et procédés. Nous examinons les liens entre les réalisations ex post de nouveaux produits et procédés, et nous évaluons s'il existe ou non des différences sous‐jacentes découlant du développement de produits à l'interne par rapport au développement de produits à l'externe par des tiers. À l'aide d'un modèle probit multivariable, nous montrons qu'il existe une interdépendance considérable entre les nouveaux produits et procédés élaborés à l'interne. Ces résultats autorisent à penser que les entreprises qui mettent au point de nouveaux produits et procédés à l'interne sont mieux en mesure de profiter des avantages complémentaires qu'engendre le processus de découverte. Les entreprises sont également plus enclines à innover pour suivre les concurrents.     

THE RURAL POOR AND TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE DRY ZONES OF SOUTHERN ASIA

In contributing to the appraisal and evalution of technological innovation, agricultural economists have a major but changing role to play. Whereas hitherto the concern has been chiefly to compare sharply different exogenous and indigenous technologies, the challenge now is to assess technological change of either or both these kinds

• ? in ecologically sensitive and relatively unproductive areas
• ? when the bulk of the people are poor and survival is the most common preoccupation
• ? where innovations could impinge at many points in household life-systems but are, singly, likely to have only small impact
• ? where the institutional structure will be crucial to their acceptance and might itself have to change.

     

Dynamic Clusters in Developing Countries: Collective Efficiency and Beyond

The alleged beneficial effects of regional industrial clusters for competitiveness and growth in developing countries have been subject to intensive study. A prominent place in the debate has been occupied by the collective efficiency approach. In this paper we extend that approach by incorporating insights from the literature on firm-level technological learning in development. The resulting framework is applied to the software cluster of Bangalore (India), to illustrate the ways in which spatial proximity of firms and other parties interacts with cluster knowledge creation in a dynamic environment. A number of new insights emerge, including the importance of "old economy" factors such as high demand for innovation, international technology transfer, low wages and strong technology and education institutions. To the extent that "new economy" regional factors also matter, spontaneous agglomeration advantages appear to be important alongside active collective efficiency.     

Complementarity between In-house R&D and Technology Purchasing: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms

In order to catch up with the current technological frontier, firms, especially in developing countries, try to acquire technological advancement through internal R&D efforts, as well as through external technology-sourcing activities. This study tests whether these two sources of technology acquisition are complements or substitutes for each other in small- and medium-sized Chinese manufacturing firms. The evidence that we present shows some signs of complementarity between the two sources of knowledge in reaching a higher unconditional intensity of product innovation for firms with 100–300 employees and, in general, a significant degree of substitutability between them in achieving higher levels of labour productivity.     

Factors influencing technological practices in the Brazilian agrarian reform

In recent decades, agriculture has responded to technology-related changes with strong productivity growth. Despite this evolution, the adoption of new technologies by small farmers has been a consistent challenge. In the coming years, the adoption of technology should be an essential element for the survival of small producers. To follow this evolution, the objective of this research is to identify factors that influence the adoption of higher levels of technological practices by producers of the agrarian reform in the Midwestern region of Brazil. Technological practices were evaluated based on the adoption of natural or chemical inputs, crop rotation, high yield seeds and mechanization. Higher levels of technological practices were defined as the joint use of these technologies, classified as technological packages. We identified two technological packages, one using natural inputs and the other chemical inputs. Questionnaires were applied to 1,162 settlers and the analytical model used was an ordered logit. Education, technical assistance and exchange experience with neighbors have a positive effect on technology use but do not favor the use of technological packages, which are instead favored by training courses in technology, partnerships with agro-food companies and resources available for investment. Thus, the government’s priority should be to offer good technical support and access to training courses in technology. The financing of production costs did not show any effect on the adoption of technology, in contrast to funding for investments. Consequently, the financing of production costs should be reconsidered to favor greater technological investments.     

Cross-licensing agreements in presence of technological improvements

This study investigates the relationship between technologies that firms expect to achieve after cross-licensing (CL) and their incentives for signing CL agreements in a multiproduct-firm setting. Results indicate that if markets are bounded substantial technological improvements that result in removal of firms’ current products from the market may in fact reduce firms’ incentives to negotiate a CL deal. This may also give firms an incentive to agree upon a tacit collusion by which they limit the utilization of CL technologies. However, when markets are unbounded, the prospect of capturing new markets and charging royalty fees can significantly increase firms’ incentives for CL. The rationale behind our modeling assumptions is discussed using example from agriculture biotechnology industry.     

Technological intensities in East and Southeast Asian electronics firms: Does network strength matter?

This paper examines the importance of network strength (NS) on the technological intensities (TI) of electronics firms. TI was disentangled into the categories of human resource (HR), process technology (PT) and R&D (RD) intensities, and the differences between foreign and local firms. The results show that firms in Korea and Taiwan endowed with superior NS enjoy significantly higher skill intensity, TI and RD than firms in Malaysia and Thailand, which have inferior NS. There were no obvious differences in HR practices between foreign and local firms in the four countries. Local firms enjoyed higher TI and RD than foreign firms in Taiwan. There was no statistical difference involving all the technological categories between foreign and local firms in Korea. Foreign firms in Malaysia enjoyed statistically superior TI compared with local firms. Local firms in Thailand showed higher TI and PT than foreign firms. TI and RD of firms are strongly correlated with NS, which showed a stronger impact on TI and RD among local rather than foreign firms. The superior NS of Korea and Taiwan has helped firms participate in higher technological activities and pay higher wages than firms in Malaysia and Thailand.     

The Effect of Market Orientation on Learning,Innovativeness, and Performance in Primary Agriculture

Market awareness and innovativeness are important resources in any business environment. As customer needs and competitor responses change, performance may depend on the ability for firms to recognize and react to market shifts. Using survey data from beef farmers in Illinois, we examine the role market orientation, organizational learning, and innovativeness play on satisfaction with performance. We use a structural equation model to find that market‐oriented and innovative firms are more satisfied with their performance while controlling for structural and demographic variables. Results also show that while market‐oriented firms are more innovative, human capital resources moderate the ability to exploit innovations. We also find that an increase in experience correlates with less organizational learning.     

Experiencing forest products – An innovation trend by rural entrepreneurs

There is increasing emphasis on innovation as a driver of continued prosperity in the rural economy. Globalisation poses challenges to rural areas given technological advances and intensified competition in agricultural markets, ageing rural populations and expansion of urban areas. However, in recent years, the conception of rural areas has shifted from places of production to places of consumption. In line with an increasing urban demand for consumption of products and services close to nature within the rural landscape, we observe the emergence of experiential offers based around non-wood forest products (NWFP) where the consumer is closely connected to the harvesting and use of the products. In this paper, we examine how such intersecting demands have created new forms of market for NWFP, by analysing in-depth four innovative examples in Austria and the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the managers of these businesses, and cases were analysed through application of both the experience economy and the innovation systems approach. We found that all four businesses were on the one hand derived from traditional, regional cultural skills and values and, on the other hand, directly connected to new consumers’ demands. The apparent success of these emerging business models lies in the accretion of new social values onto traditional products. Thus creative approaches blending offers designed to enhance cosumers’ experiences into traditional sectors, such as forestry, would have potential in the future. However, our results indicate that there is a lack of institutional support for the development of such businesses in both countries. Better suited innovation policies and support structures would be important for mainstreaming or encouraging the development of similar businesses, innovations and knowledge.     

浅论政府治理工具创新的制度——技术逻辑

随着社会复杂性和不确定性的骤增,单一的政府治理工具或手段已经无法适应复杂的政府治理情境。大数据、云计算等信息技术的广泛应用使政府开始关注信息技术在政府治理领域的适用性,以便应对外部行政生态的变化。在信息化时代,政府治理工具创新有着双重逻辑,即依靠制度革新改善工具使用绩效的制度逻辑和依靠技术嵌入创新工具类型的技术逻辑,两者共同构建了治理工具创新的核心路径。应当注意到,治理工具的创新不仅仅是一个单纯的技术应用问题,其背后还有着明确的制度逻辑支撑。因此,政府治理工具的未来发展要通过制度逻辑对技术逻辑加以调适,并坚定人本主义的价值立场,不断促进治理工具的开发和创新。     

Energy Productivity Growth in the Dutch Greenhouse Industry

Profitability of Dutch greenhouse firms is largely dependent on energy costs, and policy makers focus on reducing the use of energy by these firms. This article uses Russell measures of TE to develop indicators of energy productivity growth. Results show that energy productivity grew by 2.8% annually in the period 1976–95, with technical progress being the key factor driving the process of productivity growth. From this we conclude that policies aiming at enhancing the adoption of technological innovations are more effective, if due attention is paid to measures for improving TE.     

黑土地保护性耕作发展的制约瓶颈和突破路径

保护性耕作是东北黑土地保护利用的有效途径,是落实"藏粮于地、藏粮于技"战略的重要抓手。新世纪以来,黑土地保护性耕作经历了从农机主导向农机农艺融合发展的历程,呈现出技术结构集成化、推广主体多元化、应用主体规模化的发展趋势。同时,在黑土地保护性耕作发展过程中,面临着来自于农户认知、技术结构、土地规模、推广体系、补偿机制等方面的现实障碍。因此,需要从提升农户认知水平、加强先进适用的技术研发与集成、推进农业生产经营方式创新、构建新型农技推广体系、加强政策引导与法制建设等方面营造黑土地保护性耕作的发展之路。     

Innovation and Growth: A Schumpeterian Model of Innovation Applied to Taiwan

Following Schumpeter, we assume that innovation in specific firms, or groups of firms, can have economy-wide effects. Models based on this idea can be shown to have multiple equilibria. The idea of a positive feedback loop innovation system, or POLIS, is formalized by picking an appropriate sequence of equilibria over time. It is shown that POLIS has empirical relevance by applying the formal model to an actual economy. The 1997-98 financial crisis in many Asian countries, most notably South Korea, seemed to have reversed the conventional wisdom regarding the "East Asian miracle". This paper applies the concept of a POLIS to the case of Taiwan to show that, at least in this case, neither the view that the miracle was a mirage nor the view that the growth was a result of factor accumulation only is correct. Ultimately, technological transformation--in particular the creation of a positive feedback loop innovation system--is what makes the difference between sustained growth and gradual or sudden decline. Although problems remain in both the real and the financial sectors, the successes of Taiwan in building the preconditions for an innovation system are worth examining. Upon careful examination of Taiwan's system of innovation within the above Schumpeterian model it is found that Taiwan has a fighting chance of building a POLIS in the near future.