Title: Understanding entrepreneurial competence and capability product innovation management in agriculture: a qualitative system dynamics perspective

Authors: Nathalie Lachapelle; L. Martin Cloutier

Addresses: School of Administrative Sciences, TÉLUQ University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ' School of Management Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Abstract: There are insights to be gained from the examination of innovation processes conducted by entrepreneurs in low and medium technology (LMT) sectors such as agricultural production. The research question addressed in this paper is: How can agricultural entrepreneurs innovate with largely undifferentiated and low-margin products? The research objective is to better understand the emerging articulation of factors regarding competencies and capabilities agricultural production entrepreneurs can mobilise to innovate in LMT. The syntax of qualitative system dynamics (QSD) is used to present a dynamic hypothesis of competence and capability development by agricultural entrepreneurs. The contribution is an analysis of the underlying feedback loop structure in support of knowledge management practice in LMT product, characteristic and process innovation by agricultural entrepreneurs, and could generally be useful to understand innovation management in other LMT sectors more generally.

Keywords: low and medium technology; agricultural entrepreneurship; entrepreneurship; agricultural production innovation; value-added agriculture; agricultural innovativeness; qualitative system dynamics; QSD; qualitative research; intercase study research; knowledge management; innovation process.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMABS.2020.113119

International Journal of Markets and Business Systems, 2020 Vol.4 No.2, pp.99 - 119

Received: 28 Nov 2019
Accepted: 09 Jun 2020
Published online: 19 Feb 2021 *

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