The findings of this study show that when natural resources cover a prominent role in production, such as in the agri-food industry, agility takes peculiar characteristics not found in other sectors, giving rise to nature-driven agility. What is unique about this novel type of agility is that it improves the firm’s capacity to adapt natural resources while respecting nature times flexibly.
In the process, digital technologies are essential for scanning data about natural resources and predicting environmental dynamics. Agri-food companies have no more low technology knowledge. Companies are massively inverting to acquire digital technologies and related competencies so that firms can timely adapt their whole food production process to environmental and market dynamics. So digital technologies are an antecedent of Nature-driven agility.
At the same time, the firm’s management must develop a solid commitment to environmental sustainability to enhance the relationship between nature-driven agility and cleaner food production; otherwise, the times of nature are not respected. Furthermore, customer pressure toward food products or service changes must align with environmental sustainability.
Why do we need to specify that managers and customers must be committed to environmental sustainability? Because they may trigger adverse effects on cleaner food production. Adopting digital technologies is not a sufficient condition that automatically leads to cleaner food production. Digital technologies are tools and, as with any other tool, can be used for positive and negative purposes. That is why agri-food companies must ensure their managers are committed to environmental sustainability. Also, customers have their responsibilities in this process. They can put positive pressure on agri-food firms asking for, for example, more sustainable packaging and ingredients. Or, they can put negative pressure, such as asking for a never-ending price reduction de facto, forcing companies to overexploit natural resources.
These results were disseminated through several channels:
Conferences:
• Keynote presentation at 7th International Scientific Conference on Economics & Management: EMAN, March 23, 2023.
• Frau, M., Moi, L., Cabiddu F., & Keszey, T., (2023). Unpacking the link between digitalization and cleaner food production through the lens of agility. In IMTC 2023 “International Marketing Trends Conference”. Paris, France, January 19-21.
• Frau, M. & Keszey, T., (2022). The role of digital data in the agri-food product development process. European Marketing Academy Conference EMAC 2022 13th Regional Conference, Kaunas, Lithuania, September 21-23. Best conference paper.
• Frau, M. & Keszey, T., (2022). Agri-food firms’ attitude toward digital data exploitation in the product development. 28th Conference of the Hungarian Association for the Education and Research in Marketing EMOK, Hernádvécse, Hungary, August 23-25, 2022; Selected for been published in Marketing & Menedzsment.
• Frau, M., Moi, L., Cabiddu F., & Keszey, T., (2022). The role of market pressure on nature-driven agility and sustainable food production. European Marketing Academy Conference EMAC, Budapest, Hungary, May 27-29, 2022. Member of the organizing committee, in charge for the meet-the-editor sections.
Scientific publications:
• Frau, M. & Keszey, T. (2023). Agri-food firms’ attitude toward digital data exploitation in the product development. Marketing & Menedzsment.
• Frau, M., Moi, L., Cabiddu F. & Keszey, T. (2022). Time to clean up food production? Digital technologies, nature-driven agility, and the role of managers and customers. Journal of Cleaner Production.
• Frau, M., Moi, L., & Cabiddu F. (2022). Digital transformation through the lens of digital data: an exploratory analysis in the agri-food sector. Journal of Small Business Strategy.
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