The Cultural Trajectory of Food: An Analysis of Value Creation and Innovation through Product Dissemination

This study aims to demonstrate that products can create value in multiple forms, specifically use, economic, and cultural value, and thereby contribute to cultural innovation by altering collective human behavior. This study employed a dual methodology that combines a descriptive literature review with an empirical survey. The literature review analyzes four distinct case studies—chili pepper, tomato, döner kebab, and Portuguese francesinha— while an econometric analysis of a public questionnaire provides quantitative data on the latter case. The findings indicate that as products move across geographical and cultural boundaries, they carry an inherent cultural value that can significantly affect the behaviors of recipient populations. This is further substantiated by empirical data showing how demographic factors such as age and location, but not gender, correlate with the consumption behaviors of a culturally significant food product. A key social implication is that understanding the cultural values embedded within products can illuminate how they contribute to value creation and influence social dynamics. This study offers significant value to academics and professionals in business strategy, marketing, and economics by providing potential avenues for understanding how multifaceted value is created and how its various dimensions contribute to broader societal changes.