Acceptance of Novel Technologies by the Irish

Food Industry

Agricultural Economic Society of IrelandStudent Seminar

5th November 2009Gráinne Kavanagh

Objectives

Introduction

Outline the research

Illustrate the findings so far

Outline the next step of the research

Introduction

‘Aim ‘to promote the study and understanding of

economics and sociology in relation to agriculture and the rural community’

(AESI website, accessed Oct 2009)

No of farms

132,700

Employment

Direct – 50,000

Indirect – 60,000

Annual Output:

€20 billion (2008) Exports

€8.16 billion

Irish Agri-Food Sector

Novel Food Technologies

Products

Packaging

Processes

Literature review of areaPatent-trademark of Irish Food

Companies

Postal Questionnaire to Irish Food Companies

In depth face to face interviews with management

personnel from ~20 food companies

Results and dissemination

Methodology

Central Concepts in Technological Innovation

Human Capital Firm’s structure

Firm performance

External

Environmental conditions

•Industry

•Regulatory

•Knowledge

•Economic

Firm strategies

Commercial outputs

Knowledge outputs

Firm’s Absorptive Capacity

Recognise and understand new

external knowledge

Assimilate valuable external

knowledge

Apply external

knowledge

Internal

Outputs

Source: Modified version of LANE, P. J., KOKA, R. K. & PATHAK, S. (2006) The reification of absorptive capacity: a critical review and rejuvenation of the construct. Academy of Management Review, 31, 833-863. p856

External Factors

Knowledge

Economic

Industry

Regulatory

Internal Factors

Human Capital Skills base Education level Work experience

Structure Size Decentralization/

centralization

Strategies and polices Orientation Innovative environment Technological

evaluation

Absorptive capacity

Human Capital Firm’s structure

Firm performance

External

Environmental conditions

•Industry

•Regulatory

•Knowledge

•Economic

Firm strategies

Commercial outputs

Knowledge outputs

Firm’s Absorptive Capacity

Recognise and understand new

external knowledge

Assimilate valuable external

knowledge

Apply external

knowledge

Internal

Outputs

Outputs

Commercial Outputs

Knowledge

outputs

Firm Performan

ce

Patent Search

Methodology N = 68 Irish Food Companies as per Irish Times Top 1000 list (ranked by

turnover) 18/63 classified as Small or Medium Companies*

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Patent Trademark

% of Top Irish Food Companies with Patents and Trademarks

Total Companies

SME

*SMEs as per European Commission Definition i.e. <250 employees and Turnover </= €50 million

Relevance to industry and dissemination

Input from advisory groupTechnologies to includeQuestionnaireInterviewsDissemination ChannelMost effective route

Conclusion

Patent Search

Quantitative postal survey

Qualitative in depth interviews

Collate results

Disseminate to industry and

Government bodiesEconomic benefit

Literature review

ReferencesImages

http://conservationreport.com/2008/08/10/africa-baobab-fruit-recast-as-european-superfood/http://www.allaboutfeed.net/news/efsa-approves-new-pioneer-gm-maize-id2632.htmlhttp://www.functionalfoods.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56http://www.foodscience.csiro.au/fpc/Detail.php?EqId=96http://www.hkjcicm.org/Questionnaire/img/questionnaire.jpghttp://immunocal.ca/images/Patents2.jpghttp://naturestelevision.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/summer-must-haves/

Referenceshttp://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1080567http://www.bccresearch.com/report/FOD035B.html