IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/caa/jnlage/v69y2023i8id169-2023-agricecon.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analysis of the perception and presence of design in the fruit and vegetable cluster: The case of southeast Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Mónica Arroyo-Vázquez

    (Project Management, Innovation and Sustainability Research Center (PRINS), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain)

  • Óscar González-Yebra

    (Research Centre on Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain)

  • Bélgica Pacheco-Blanco

    (Project Management, Innovation and Sustainability Research Center (PRINS), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain)

  • Miguel Ángel Artacho-Ramírez

    (Project Management, Innovation and Sustainability Research Center (PRINS), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

Companies must provide economic, environmental and social added value based on innovation strategies, design and creative thinking in a globalised and competitive world characterised by rapid change and constantly evolving technologies. In this context, this paper analyses the role of design practice in companies in the agri-food sector (i.e. what is the design component present like; what are its relevance and importance?) An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted with 30 companies in southeast (SE) Spain's fruit/vegetable sector. The findings reveal that all the surveyed companies make financial investments in design and positively value this (7.6 out of 10), which indicates they recognise its strategic and operative importance. However, integration, training and design promotion in the agri-food sector remains somewhat limited. Most companies lack an in-house design department or design professionals as staff members and perform mainly design activities limited to the visual and communication tasks related to marketing initiatives. These results unveil opportunities for enhancing design incorporation and appreciation in the agri-food sector, which could boost its competitiveness and differentiation in the market. Finally, this study can be considered a starting point for future development in line with the horticultural sector's theory, practice, and design management policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Mónica Arroyo-Vázquez & Óscar González-Yebra & Bélgica Pacheco-Blanco & Miguel Ángel Artacho-Ramírez, 2023. "Analysis of the perception and presence of design in the fruit and vegetable cluster: The case of southeast Spain," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(8), pages 321-331.
    • Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:69:y:2023:i:8:id:169-2023-agricecon
    DOI: 10.17221/169/2023-AGRICECON
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/169/2023-AGRICECON.html
    Download Restriction: free of charge
    File URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/169/2023-AGRICECON.pdf
    Download Restriction: free of charge
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.17221/169/2023-AGRICECON?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Walsh, Vivien, 1996. "Design, innovation and the boundaries of the firm," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 509-529, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. D’Ippolito, Beatrice & Miozzo, Marcela & Consoli, Davide, 2014. "Knowledge systematisation, reconfiguration and the organisation of firms and industry: The case of design," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(8), pages 1334-1352.
    2. Rajeev K. Goel & James W. Saunoris, 2020. "Design versus utility innovation: Is corruption sanding or greasing the wheels of innovation?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(5), pages 848-860, July.
    3. Elif Idemen & Ayse Banu Elmadag & Mehmet Okan, 2021. "A qualitative approach to designer as a product cue: proposed conceptual model of consumers perceptions and attitudes," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1281-1309, July.
    4. Beatrice d'Ippolito, 2014. "The importance of design for firms' competitiveness: a review of the literature," Working paper serie RMT - Grenoble Ecole de Management hal-00936947, HAL.
    5. Rammer, Christian & Köhler, Christian & Murmann, Martin & Pesau, Agnes & Schwiebacher, Franz & Kinkel, Steffen & Kirner, Eva & Schubert, Torben & Som, Oliver, 2010. "Innovationen ohne Forschung und Entwicklung: Eine Untersuchung zu Unternehmen, die ohne eigene FuE-Tätigkeit neue Produkte und Prozesse einführen," Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem 15-2011, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin.
    6. Park, Jungkun & Gunn, Frances & Lee, YoungHee & Shim, Scott, 2015. "Consumer acceptance of a revolutionary technology-driven product: The role of adoption in the industrial design development," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 115-124.
    7. Markus Grillitsch & Roman Martin & Martin Srholec, 2017. "Knowledge Base Combinations and Innovation Performance in Swedish Regions," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 93(5), pages 458-479, October.
    8. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Thorwarth, Susanne, 2009. "The design paradox: the contribution of in-house and external design activities on product market performance," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-068, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    9. Forbes, Naushad & Wield, David, 2000. "Managing R&D in technology-followers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1095-1109, December.
    10. Barros, Henrique M., 2021. "Neither at the cutting edge nor in a patent-friendly environment: Appropriating the returns from innovation in a less developed economy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    11. Arthur Vankan & Koen Frenken & Carolina Castaldi, 2014. "Designing for a Living? Income Determinants Among Firm Founders in the Dutch Design Sector," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 117-140, February.
    12. Dan, Sujan M. & Spaid, Brian I. & Noble, Charles H., 2018. "Exploring the sources of design innovations: Insights from the computer, communications and audio equipment industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1495-1504.
    13. Bertacchini Enrico & Friel Martha, 2013. "Understanding creativity and innovation in industrial design: an historical and empirical assessment," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201311, University of Turin.
    14. Richard Torbett & Ammon J Salter & David M Gann & Mike Hobday, 2001. "Design Performance Measurement in the Construction Sector: A Pilot Study," SPRU Working Paper Series 66, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    15. Graña, Fernando M. & del Mar Benavides-Espinosa, Maria & Roig-Dobón, Salvador, 2018. "Determinants of silent and explicit industrial design," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 314-320.
    16. Seonkoo Jeong & Yujin Jeong & Keeeun Lee & Sungjoo Lee & Byungun Yoon, 2016. "Technology-Based New Service Idea Generation for Smart Spaces: Application of 5G Mobile Communication Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-25, November.
    17. Santamara, Llus & Nieto, Mara Jess & Barge-Gil, Andrs, 2009. "Beyond formal R&D: Taking advantage of other sources of innovation in low- and medium-technology industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 507-517, April.
    18. Calonius, Mathias, 2002. "Findings about Design and the Economy," Discussion Papers 785, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    19. Moultrie, James & Livesey, Finbarr, 2014. "Measuring design investment in firms: Conceptual foundations and exploratory UK survey," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 570-587.
    20. Sumberg, James, 2005. "Systems of innovation theory and the changing architecture of agricultural research in Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 21-41, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:69:y:2023:i:8:id:169-2023-agricecon. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Ivo Andrle (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.cazv.cz/en/home/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.