FOOD STANDARDS, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG SMALL AND MEDIUM AGRO-FOOD COMPANIES IN BRAZIL

摘要

In recent years, a series of highly publicized breakdowns in food industry have contributed to consumer concerns about food safety and quality in a number of countries. Media is increasingly emphasizing the impacts of contamination and sanitary problems related with inappropriate handling or even adulteration of food products, making consumers and governments more aware of food safety and raising the institutional complexity within the agro-food supply chains. As a result, governments, institutions, and companies in agro-food supply chains have proposed and adapted to a number of food standards to reduce the risks linked to food contamination. The introduction of food standards brought benefits to consumers, improving food security, and to the food industry, improving supply chain coordination, which reduces production costs and increases trust, in market relations, while at the same time reducing trade barriers in the global market. However, the costs associated with modernization equipment and infrastructure, staff training, and certification fees hinder the adoption of food standards for small and medium enterprises, compromising their ability to remain competitive or even survive. Despite the challenges faced by these enterprises to comply with these standards, technology transfer and access to knowledge enable some of them to develop resources and capabilities that make it possible to benefit from business opportunities associated with the adoption of these standards. This paper reports the preliminary evidence gathered from researching small and medium agro-food companies located in the northwest of Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil. Examining the barriers and strategies adopted, this paper explains how knowledge and technology transfer can influence these companies to adopt food standards to remain competitive. A qualitative case study method was used with managers and staff from small and medium food companies, academics, and professionals from institutions involved in health inspection and technical support to entities in the supply chain. Findings show that a company's interaction with suppliers, customers, competitors, and assistance institutions can facilitate the acquisition of the upscale and encoded knowledge necessary for implementation and adaptation to food standards. However, the lack of technical support and a regular assistance program, lack of employee education, and resistance in making changes to the production processes limit knowledge dissemination and the capacity to adapt to food standards, which excludes these companies from the market. These findings are fundamental in understanding the challenges faced by food companies and allow for proposed alternatives for these companies to adapt their structures to the regulatory demands. The paper also discusses implications of these results to policy makers and provides key areas for future research.