DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED KNOWLEDGE BASED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR DIFFERENTIATED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Objective

Background : The drastic changes occuring in the EU towards the actual establishement and realisation of a Single integrated European market bring new opportunities and challenges to farmers and their cooperatives. Agribusiness industries face a stiff competition originating mainly from the EU trade barriers# removal and the rapidly changing marketing environment fo the single European market. Marketing of agicultural products has not yet taken full advantage of the methodological advances in behavioural sciences, economics and quantitative methodologies. A certain need has been identified towards the development and proper utilisation of updated market research tools and methodologies in the field of agricultural management and marketing. Also marketing information systems have been created and adopted in agribusiness firms to a very small extend. Management decision making is based on sporadic information and less on systematically collected and processed data. As a result, the recommended market penetration policies lead quite often to a dead end.

The objective is :

The aim of the project is to develop a knowledge based decision support system to
support farmers and relevant decision makers in formulating marketing strategies and
finding optimal distribution channels for novelty agricultural products (olive oil,
organic products, niche market products) .

Short description of the project :

It proposes an integrated approach to the marketing problem of agricultural products
taking into account all the marketing mix variables (product, price, promotion and
place). The system will suport decision makers in new product design and
development, identification of potential market segments, formulation of
communication strategy and in forecasting. Specifically, it will allow decision
makers: i) to formulate their own communication strategies based on consumer attitudes and beliefs, ii) to adjust production according to the product#s demand, iii) to select the most profitable market.

Fields of science

• social sciences › economics and business › economics

Programme(s)

• FP4-FAIR - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 4.2.1 - Consumers' expectations

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF CRETE

Address

University Campus - Kounoupidiana
731 00 Chania
Greece

Participants (5)

GREEK PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE - BRANCH OF WEST CRETE

Greece

Address

Boniali , 13 - 19
731 34 Chania

LINKOPING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Sweden

Address

581 83 Linkoping

MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE OF CHANIA

Greece

Address

P.o. Box 85
731 00 Chania

WAGENINGEN AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Netherlands

Address

Hollandseweg, 1
6706 KN Wageningen

Wye College

United Kingdom

Address

High Street
TN25 5AH Wye