Title: Interorganisational networks and social innovation: a study in milk production chain

Authors: Marcelo Tsuguio Okano

Addresses: Unidade de Pós-Graduação, Extensão e Pesquisa, CPS – Centro Paula Souza, Rua dos Bandeirantes, 169 – Bom Retiro, 01124-010, São Paulo-SP, Brazil, 55-11-991096575, Rua Boa Vista, 424 – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: The interorganisational networks are important in economic life, by facilitating the complex interdependence between transactional and cooperative organisations. A new type of innovation begins to emerge; concerns about social issues begin to appear and to be important for organisations, called social innovation. This study proposes an investigation to prove that when companies organise in networks and use social innovation in a productive system gets economic and social gain. The object of study is a case study of Milk Producers Association of Fartura, São Paulo. This case study showed that association of producers is a social innovation because the association of producers brought social and economic benefits for a community; there have been new products and processes in order to innovate the marketing and production of lasting and sustainable milk.

Keywords: interorganisational networks; social innovation; social business; milk production chain; case study; milk marketing; Brazil; dairy industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2017.086868

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2017 Vol.11 No.4, pp.317 - 335

Received: 12 Feb 2016
Accepted: 26 Apr 2016
Published online: 02 Oct 2017 *

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