On a Path towards co-innovation : Institutional networking in Metropolitan Food Clusters : The case of Agrosfera in Aguascalientes, Mexico

Keywords
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Issue Date
2013-08
Language
en
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
As a country that is experiencing tremendous growth, Mexico has the potential to become a leader in sustainable project developments in the Americas. While this path towards innovation contains many unknown variables that could hinder or help an idea take shape, Mexico’s involvement in a MFC project exemplifies their aspiration in finding creative solutions and implementing new strategies for progress in the agro-­‐food industry. A venture like Agrosfera introduces new farming practices to a culture that has subsisted from traditional methods for generations and therefore, resistance to such endeavors will occur. While the voyage of discovery and change may entice some, others fear the spur of innovative activity. Even if this system is aimed at improving food security, the local economy and resource management strategies, if people are not willing to participate, then the project will fall through. I argue that creating a network of involved participants is needed for developing sustainable MFCs and by identifying what hinders or nurtures network expansion, better strategies to build capacity among stakeholders can be applied to foster its growth. A strong presence of social capital based on trust based relations then ultimately leads to communities of practice (CoP), which are groups of people who have a shared objective and who want to take steps to achieving it by knowledge sharing and interacting with one another on a regular basis (Murillo, 2011). The goal of this investigation is to gain a better understanding of the different elements that advance or deter stakeholder relationships from developing in Metropolitan Food Clusters (MFCs). Agrosfera is the emerging MFC in Aguascalientes, Mexico that utilizes technologically advanced systems of agroproduction that are sustainable in design in order to meet the nutritional needs of growing urban populations worldwide. Stakeholders involved in Agrosfera hope that the implementation of this competitive, state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art project will act as a model of innovation for the country and that it brings forth economic and social development to the state. The study was based on qualitative criteria congruent with my interests regarding sustainable development projects in Latin America and the desire to gain in-­‐depth knowledge on stakeholder participation for effective network formation. I have chosen to study the impact social processes have in the creation of this innovative system design because my conjecture is that the value networks formed via social capital are important in determining project success. Even though the empirical focus is Agrosfera, the overarching premise relates to social network formation in a MFC. While the theoretical assumptions described in chapter 2 address the core concepts of the thesis and establish the trajectory by which this study has been conducted, the research approach in chapter 4 makes explicit how the variables and relationships that follow from logical argument are operationalized (Sutton and Saw, 2007).
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen