The Increasing Multifunctionality of Agricultural Raw Materials: Three Dilemmas for Innovation and Adoption

Bio-economy, industry convergence, renewables, disruptive innovation, multifunctionality, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Demand and Price Analysis, Q10, Q27, Q42, Q47,

Future Agribusiness Challenges: Strategic Uncertainty, Innovation and Structural Change

The IFAMR is published by the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association.(IFAMA) www.ifama.orgStrategic uncertainty, innovation, structural change, Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Risk and Uncertainty, ISSN #: 1559-2448,

The Increasing Multifunctionality of Agricultural Raw Materials: Three Dilemmas for Innovation and Adoption

Agricultural raw materials are increasingly being used for multiple industries or sectors beyond the traditional fiber and nutrition industries: energy in the form of ethanol and biodiesel, industrial products such as polymers and bio-based synthetic chemicals and fibers, and pharmaceutical/health products such as functional foods, growth hormones and organ transplants. A combination of the new science of biotechnology, the new potential end uses of the products of that science and the broadened social/public goals that these products can respond to surfaces at least three fundamental challenges or dilemmas: (1) the competing goals dilemma, (2) the incumbent vs. new entrant competition dilemma, and (3) the industry boundaries dilemma. This paper reviews the innovation and adoption research related to renewables and the bio-economy, and then frames the three dilemmas with the objective of identifying important research issues and the conceptual frameworks that might be useful to analyze these issues

Cross-industry Collaborations in the Convergence Area of Functional Foods

Convergence processes are based on the activity of distinct industry sectors showing crossindustrycollaborations. The aim of this paper is to analyze cross-industry collaborations betweenthe food and pharmaceutical sectors in the convergence area of functional foods. Selectedcompanies from food (Nestlé/Danone) and pharmaceutical (Martek/Bayer HealthCare) sectorsare analyzed using the determinants of motivation and industrial scope. The analysis shows thatfood companies are more active in cross-industry collaborations than pharmaceutical companies.The latter are more active at the front-end of the value chain focusing on research anddevelopment, and delivering their ingredients to food companies that due to their higherexpertise in consumer marketing launch the products. While the first cross-industrycollaborations were based on an exploration motivation, those that follow focus on exploitation.Acquisitions and licensing agreements are dominant in inside-out and outside-in processes,whereas strategic alliances and joint ventures are based on a coupled process between the foodand pharmaceutical sectors

INNOVATION IN THE FOOD AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES: ACOMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEM

Innovation is critical to the long-term success of a firm as well as the economic health of an industry and the overall economy. This manuscript presents an overview of the management literature regarding technology and innovation management. It also describes the unique characteristics of the food and agricultural sector and offers a research agenda to extend the management literature to the agribusiness sector

Future Agribusiness Challenges: Strategic Uncertainty, Innovation and Structural Change

The global food and agribusiness industry is in the midst of major changes, and the pace of change seems to be increasing. These changes suggest three fundamental critical future issues for the sector: 1) decisions must be made in an environment of increasing risk and uncertainty, 2) developing and adopting technology and new innovations is critical to long-term financial suc-cess, and 3) responding to changes in industry structure and the competitor landscape and indus-try boundaries is essential to maintain market position. The focus of this paper is the synopsis and application of conceptual/theoretical frameworks that can be used in managerial decision making and analyzing the implications and consequences of strategic uncertainty, innovation and changing industry structure

Innovation in Food Products: First-mover Strategy and Entropy Metrics

The objective of this research is to investigate food product innovation in the context of the first-mover strategy among food manufacturers within agrifood supply chains. The emphasis of the analysis is on developing a useful metric for tracking new product development in the context of first-mover strategy. Entropy is introduced as a novel and useful means of examining first-mover strategy and new product development (NPD) in general. Understanding the complexities of the first-mover strategy and tracking NPD with entropy metrics holds promise for enhancing the analysis of agrifood supply chains and assisting firms in deciphering broad strategies of their rivals