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Understanding local agri-food systems through advice network analysis

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  • Yuna Chiffoleau
  • Jean-Marc Touzard

Abstract

Agri-food clusters have generated great interest in recent years and prompted a new wave of research dedicated to ‘Localized Agri-Food Systems’ (SYALs in French). However, the specific nature of relations between firms who belong to SYALs has rarely been studied. Our purpose is to show how the analysis of company directors’ advice networks helps to better understand the specificity and innovative dynamics of SYALs. Our research was based on a case study in the Biterrois wine growing region of southern France. We conducted a survey to collect information on advice relations between wine cooperative managers, who play a key role in the innovation process toward quality wine. Sociometric analysis of the advice relations, coupled with interviews, led to three main results: the first was that managers simultaneously cooperate on technical projects and compete for business ends. The second was a correlation between the innovations implemented by the cooperatives and the degree of centrality of the managers in the networks, revealing the relational and local conditions of innovations in SYALs. The third was that managers can modify their own network to improve the competitiveness of both their own cooperative and of the SYAL as a whole. In conclusion, we show that advice network analysis is an appropriate tool to describe the relational dimension of SYALs, to better understand their process of innovation, and to help managers improve the collective strategies they apply within the SYAL. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Yuna Chiffoleau & Jean-Marc Touzard, 2014. "Understanding local agri-food systems through advice network analysis," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(1), pages 19-32, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:31:y:2014:i:1:p:19-32
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-013-9446-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jean-Marc Touzard & Yuna Chiffoleau & Camille Maffezzoli, 2016. "What Is Local or Global about Wine? An Attempt to Objectivize a Social Construction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-20, April.
    2. Rosalia Filippini & Maria Elena Marescotti & Eugenio Demartini & Anna Gaviglio, 2020. "Social Networks as Drivers for Technology Adoption: A Study from a Rural Mountain Area in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Barberis, Eduardo & Freddi, Daniela & Giammetti, Raffaele & Polidori, Paolo & Teobaldelli, Désirée & Viganò, Elena, 2020. "Trade Relationships in the European Pork Value Chain: A Network Analysis," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 22(1), May.
    4. Vera Teresa Foti & Alessandro Scuderi & Giuseppe Stella & Giuseppe Timpanaro, 2019. "Consumer purchasing behaviour for "biodiversity-friendly" vegetable products: increasing importance of informal relationships," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(9), pages 404-414.
    5. Belletti, Giovanni & Marescotti, Andrea & Touzard, Jean-Marc, 2017. "Geographical Indications, Public Goods, and Sustainable Development: The Roles of Actors’ Strategies and Public Policies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 45-57.
    6. Gianluca Brunori & Francesca Galli & Dominique Barjolle & Rudolf Van Broekhuizen & Luca Colombo & Mario Giampietro & James Kirwan & Tim Lang & Erik Mathijs & Damian Maye & Kees De Roest & Carin Rougoo, 2016. "Are Local Food Chains More Sustainable than Global Food Chains? Considerations for Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-27, May.
    7. MCarmen Martínez†Victoria & Mariluz Maté Sánchez†Val & Narciso Arcas†Lario, 2018. "Spatial determinants of productivity growth on agri†food Spanish firms: a comparison between cooperatives and investor†owned firms," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(2), pages 213-223, March.

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