Export Performance and Innovation Activities in the Agrifood Industry: A Recursive Estimation Approach

Agrifood firms operate in a more global, saturated and competitive market than other manufacturing firms, and they have smaller size. These firms certainly need to define appropriate strategies related to accessing the international market and to investing in innovative activities. This two decisions are related to firms size because as Krugman states international trade is not only explained by differences in technology between countries but also by firms' desire to extend their sales in foreign markets to take advantage of the economies of scales. Therefore, it seems to exist a simultaneous relation between firm size, exports and innovative activities. The aim of this paper is to analyse agrifood firms' decisions on these three strategies: export behaviour, innovative activities and firm's size in comparison to other manufacturing firms using some modification from the simultaneous model defined by Entorf and Pohlmeier. The study is focused on the Spanish manufactured firms taking special attention to the agri-food ones. Data come from a National Survey ("Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales") carried out by the "Fundacion Empresa Publica") from 1990. Results indicate that agri-food manufacturing firms decision process related to their size, export share and innovative activities is not a simultaneous process. Moreover, some differences with the rest of manufactured firms have been detected, In particular, agri-food firms have lower export shares, lower size and lower innovation intensity than Spanish firms in other manufacturing sectors. Spanish firms decision process on strategic variables (size, export share and innovation) is characterized by a recursive decision process where firms firstly decide export intensity, secondly, they decide their size or total sales depending on the previous decision and, finally, they decide their innovative intensity depending on the last two.Agribusiness,

Estrategias empresariales y propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria catalana y española

[EN] In an increasing globalized environment, the agrofood firms’ competitiveness becomes a strategic need for future survival. Recent changes both in agrofood markets and consumers’ habits have encouraged firms to adopt adequate managerial strategies. The objective of this paper is to determine main factors affecting the exporting behavior of the agro-food firms. Data come from the Survey on Firms Strategies (ESEE). To achieve this objective, a model has been specified and estimated taking into account the characteristics of the database. The personnel qualification, the existence of foreign capital, the existence of potential benefits in foreign market and the firm’ age are the main factors explaining the agrofood firm decision to export. On the other hand, variables denoting firm size and domestic market concentration and saturation are more important to explain export intensity.[ES] En un entorno económico más globalizado, la competitividad de las empresas se convierte en una necesidad estratégica de supervivencia, sobre todo en el sector agroindustrial. Ante los cambios observados en los mercados y los hábitos del consumidor, las empresas deben adaptarse adoptando las estrategias adecuadas. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en determinar los principales factores explicativos de la propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria española y catalana. Los datos utilizados proceden de la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales (ESEE). Para alcanzar este objetivo, se ha especificado y estimado un modelo que tiene en cuenta la naturaleza microeconómica de los datos utilizados. La cualificación del personal, la presencia de capital extranjero, las buenas perspectivas de los mercados y la antigüedad de la empresa parecen ser los principales determinantes a la hora de decidir exportar. Las variables de dimensión y de concentración, sin embargo, son mucho más determinantes a la hora de decidir cuánto exportar.Ameur, M.; Gil, JM. (2003). Business strategies and exporting behavior of agro-food firms in Spain and Catalonia. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 3(6):107-127. doi:10.7201/earn.2003.06.06SWORD1071273

Export Performance and Innovation Activities in the Agrifood Industry: A Recursive Estimation Approach

Agrifood firms operate in a more global, saturated and competitive market than other manufacturing firms, and they have smaller size. These firms certainly need to define appropriate strategies related to accessing the international market and to investing in innovative activities. This two decisions are related to firms size because as Krugman states international trade is not only explained by differences in technology between countries but also by firms' desire to extend their sales in foreign markets to take advantage of the economies of scales. Therefore, it seems to exist a simultaneous relation between firm size, exports and innovative activities. The aim of this paper is to analyse agrifood firms' decisions on these three strategies: export behaviour, innovative activities and firm's size in comparison to other manufacturing firms using some modification from the simultaneous model defined by Entorf and Pohlmeier. The study is focused on the Spanish manufactured firms taking special attention to the agri-food ones. Data come from a National Survey ("Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales") carried out by the "Fundacion Empresa Publica") from 1990. Results indicate that agri-food manufacturing firms decision process related to their size, export share and innovative activities is not a simultaneous process. Moreover, some differences with the rest of manufactured firms have been detected, In particular, agri-food firms have lower export shares, lower size and lower innovation intensity than Spanish firms in other manufacturing sectors. Spanish firms decision process on strategic variables (size, export share and innovation) is characterized by a recursive decision process where firms firstly decide export intensity, secondly, they decide their size or total sales depending on the previous decision and, finally, they decide their innovative intensity depending on the last two

Estrategias empresariales y propension exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria catalana y espanola

Resumen En un entorno económico más globalizado, la competitividad de las empresas se convierte en una necesidad estratégica de supervivencia, sobre todo en el sector agroindustrial. Ante los cambios observados en los mercados y los hábitos del consumidor, las empresas deben adaptarse adoptando las estrategias adecuadas. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en determinar los principales factores explicativos de la propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria española y catalana. Los datos utilizados proceden de la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales (ESEE). Para alcanzar este objetivo, se ha especificado y estimado un modelo que tiene en cuenta la naturaleza microeconómica de los datos utilizados. La cualificación del personal, la presencia de capital extranjero, las buenas perspectivas de los mercados y la antigüedad de la empresa parecen ser los principales determinantes a la hora de decidir exportar. Las variables de dimensión y de concentración, sin embargo, son mucho más determinantes a la hora de decidir cuánto exportar. Palabras Clave: Industria Agroalimentaria, estrategias empresariales, exportación, Cataluña. In an increasing globalized environment, the agrofood firms' competitiveness becomes a strategic need for future survival. Recent changes both in agrofood markets and consumers' habits have encourage firms to adopt adequate managerial strategies. The objective of this paper is to determine main factors affecting the exporting behavior of the agro-food firms. Data come from the Survey on Firms Strategies (ESEE). To achieve this objective, a model has been specified and estimated taking into account the characteristics of the database. The personnel qualification, the existence of foreign capital, the existence of potential benefits in foreign market and the firm' age are the main factors explaining the agrofood firm decision to export. On the other hand, variables denoting firm size and domestic market concentration and saturation are more important to explain export intensity

Estrategias empresariales y propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria catalana y española

[EN] In an increasing globalized environment, the agrofood firms’ competitiveness becomes a strategic need for future survival. Recent changes both in agrofood markets and consumers’ habits have encouraged firms to adopt adequate managerial strategies. The objective of this paper is to determine main factors affecting the exporting behavior of the agro-food firms. Data come from the Survey on Firms Strategies (ESEE). To achieve this objective, a model has been specified and estimated taking into account the characteristics of the database. The personnel qualification, the existence of foreign capital, the existence of potential benefits in foreign market and the firm’ age are the main factors explaining the agrofood firm decision to export. On the other hand, variables denoting firm size and domestic market concentration and saturation are more important to explain export intensity.[ES] En un entorno económico más globalizado, la competitividad de las empresas se convierte en una necesidad estratégica de supervivencia, sobre todo en el sector agroindustrial. Ante los cambios observados en los mercados y los hábitos del consumidor, las empresas deben adaptarse adoptando las estrategias adecuadas. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en determinar los principales factores explicativos de la propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria española y catalana. Los datos utilizados proceden de la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales (ESEE). Para alcanzar este objetivo, se ha especificado y estimado un modelo que tiene en cuenta la naturaleza microeconómica de los datos utilizados. La cualificación del personal, la presencia de capital extranjero, las buenas perspectivas de los mercados y la antigüedad de la empresa parecen ser los principales determinantes a la hora de decidir exportar. Las variables de dimensión y de concentración, sin embargo, son mucho más determinantes a la hora de decidir cuánto exportar.Ameur, M.; Gil, JM. (2003). Business strategies and exporting behavior of agro-food firms in Spain and Catalonia. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 3(6):107-127. doi:10.7201/earn.2003.06.061071273

Estrategias empresariales y propension exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria catalana y espanola

Resumen En un entorno económico más globalizado, la competitividad de las empresas se convierte en una necesidad estratégica de supervivencia, sobre todo en el sector agroindustrial. Ante los cambios observados en los mercados y los hábitos del consumidor, las empresas deben adaptarse adoptando las estrategias adecuadas. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en determinar los principales factores explicativos de la propensión exportadora de la industria agroalimentaria española y catalana. Los datos utilizados proceden de la Encuesta de Estrategias Empresariales (ESEE). Para alcanzar este objetivo, se ha especificado y estimado un modelo que tiene en cuenta la naturaleza microeconómica de los datos utilizados. La cualificación del personal, la presencia de capital extranjero, las buenas perspectivas de los mercados y la antigüedad de la empresa parecen ser los principales determinantes a la hora de decidir exportar. Las variables de dimensión y de concentración, sin embargo, son mucho más determinantes a la hora de decidir cuánto exportar. Palabras Clave: Industria Agroalimentaria, estrategias empresariales, exportación, Cataluña. In an increasing globalized environment, the agrofood firms' competitiveness becomes a strategic need for future survival. Recent changes both in agrofood markets and consumers' habits have encourage firms to adopt adequate managerial strategies. The objective of this paper is to determine main factors affecting the exporting behavior of the agro-food firms. Data come from the Survey on Firms Strategies (ESEE). To achieve this objective, a model has been specified and estimated taking into account the characteristics of the database. The personnel qualification, the existence of foreign capital, the existence of potential benefits in foreign market and the firm' age are the main factors explaining the agrofood firm decision to export. On the other hand, variables denoting firm size and domestic market concentration and saturation are more important to explain export intensity.Agrofood industry, firms' strategies, exports, Catalonia, Agribusiness, C31, L66,