Geographical co-location, social networks and inter-firm marketing co-operation : the case of the salmon industry

This study looks at the factors that influence the development of marketing co-operation among cluster-based firms. It examines data from SMEs operating within the salmon farming industry in two different regions: Scotland and Chile. Analyses indicate that informal social networks help explain the observed relationship between geographical proximity and inter-firm marketing co-operation, especially for firms located in peripheral rural communities. A theoretical model is proposed for further research in the field that, until recently, has been traditionally analysed only by economists. Practical implications are suggested for practitioners and policymaker

The salmon farming industry: cooperation versus competition for achieving a global positioning

The main farmed salmon producing countries in the world are Norway, Chile and Scotland. These three countries account for 80% of the global supply of farmed salmon. Furthermore, Norway increased its production by 160% from 1990 to 2000, while Chile did so by 900% in the same period. This increase in production at a global scale has made the salmon farming industry the fastest growing food producing sector worldwide. At the same time, the industry has also become more international, with ownership structures and interest across national borders, clearly seen by the location of Norwegian and Dutch companies, with processing plants vertically integrated, in countries like Chile and Scotland. Different factors have influenced the increase in demand for farmed salmon over the last decade. At the same time, increased availability of farmed salmon led by large supermarket chains in both frozen and fresh types has had a key role in the distribution channels to final consumers. These trends in demand are important. However, the industry must also be aware of the pressure of the environmental groups, which have direct influence in media and consumer decisions. Consequently, marketing strategies and collectivistic efforts from producers should consider these different forces of the market and the environment. Under strong competition, in a sector that has been considered a player in a quasi commodity market, managers of the different trade associations of the salmon farming industry, in Chile and Scotland need to re-think how to persuade more innovative marketing strategies, better customer satisfaction and segmentations of their different markets. In short, they quickly need to re-establish how to compete more effectively in an industry which faces global competition and cheaper prices of their products. What should the Chilean and Scottish industry do next in terms of: (1) price; (2) quality; (3) positioning; (4) branding; (5) country and region of origin effect; and (6) image and packaging? Is there any possibility of inter-firm co-operation? These are only a few of the questions that most salmon companies, salmon farming trade associations and the export promotion offices in Chile and Scotland are looking to answer

An exploratory study of the factors enhancing and inhibiting export growth in the Chilean wine industry

The objective of this exploratory study is to investigate the main drivers that enhance and inhibit the export performance of Chilean wineries. Based on survey data collected from Chilean wineries, the findings of this study suggest that the main constraints within the Chilean wineries in developing exports is the lack of financial resources, limited quantities of stocks for market expansion, management’s lack of knowledge and experience, and the high cost of travelling and participating in trade shows. The main drivers of wine export performance according to the respondents are high quality of the wines, well established network of international distributors, and marketing skills. The major inhibitors of developing wine exports are exchange rate variability, problems in selecting a reliable international distributor, and limited government support to promote wine exports. This study also shows that export managers of Chilean wineries have high educational levels and have international experience. The findings have important implications for export development efforts of both governments and managers

Social networks and marketing cooperation in entrepreneurial clusters: An international comparative study

Regional clusters, Social networks, Marketing cooperation, Salmon industry, Chile, Scotland,

Artisan entrepreneurial behaviour:A research agenda

There has been an increasing interest in artisan entrepreneurship, which involves the marketing of creative assets in which manual techniques take precedence and emphasises the close link between products and a specific place or tradition. This growing body of research has yielded significant insight into artisan entrepreneurs’ goals, motives and the benefits of networking for resource accrual. There is limited research on how entrepreneurial behaviour manifests within this particular domain of contemporary entrepreneurship. Much of the extant research has focused on micro-and meso-levels of analysis with little attention paid to the impact of macro-level institutional and contextual factors on artisans’ entrepreneurial behaviour. This chapter provides an overview of research at different levels of analysis and presents an agenda for future research