The short consumption circuits in the Network Society era. The ICT role on the commercialization of proximity agricultural food products.

Information and Knowledge Society Doctoral Programme

Research Presentation | 18.05.2015PhD candidate: Ricard Espelt

Amb el suport de la Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

2

Keywords

• ICT4D

• ICT4RD

• Local development

• Virtual communities

• Cooperative movement

• Social and solidary economy

• Public policies

Dissertation Committee

Ismael Peña-Lopez (UOC)

Oriol Miralbell (UOC)

Pere Losantos (UPC)

3

Table of Content

1) Introduction

2) Research Objectives

3) Theoretical Framework

4) Research Questions

5) Hypotheses

6) Case Studies

7) Methods

8) Expected Outcomes

4

1) Introduction: Approach

Catalan rural communities before the new scenario Society of Information and Knowledge, the case Conca de Barberà. Information and Knowledge Society Master Project (UOC) (+)

2011

From local food movement actions to public policiesInternational conference CANAL2013 – Circulation and adoption of local action standards and models – Agropolis, Montpellier, France. (+)

2013

Agro-food consumption patterns to favor social and economical resilience. The case of Sant Cugat del Vallès.ESRS Congress , Florence. (+)

2013

Phd Proposal.Information and knowledge Society Doctoral Programme. (+)

2015

5

2011

2013

2013

2015

RuralConca de Barberà

RuralLlavorsí

UrbanSant Cugat del Vallès

UrbanBarcelona

Producers

ConsumersAgrofood cooperative

ConsumersShort circuit agrofood

consumption business models

ConsumersAgrofood cooperatives

1) Introduction: Approach

6

• Most of these consumption cooperatives are linked with the social and solidarity economic values.

• Use of ICT as tools for organisation, inner-group and interaction with producers / intermediaries, creating virtual communities.

• Seem to generate an alternative to the main agro-food consumption model, providing more economic and social economic development, i.e. number of people employed around short circuits of commercialization food.

1) Introduction: Observations

7

2) Research objectives

• Develop a methodological tool on how to analyse the cooperatives organization and the relation with their producers /intermediaries.

• Develop the different characterizations according to the previous analyse.

• Empirically evaluate the implantation of new agro-food consumption groups.

• Contribute to cooperative movement, collaborative consumption, and social and economic local development.

8

3) Theoretical Framework

Information & Network Society

9

Short Circuit

Business Models

Cooperative Movement

VirtualCommunities

ICTCollaborative Consumption

Social & Solidary

Economy

Value chain scheme and economical stakeholders. Represented by Juan José Toribio based on Competence Defend Spain Association (2009 & 2011) and Rural Spain Government (2009).

10

3) Theoretical Framework: Agro-food main scheme

Short circuit of commercialization food scheme. Source: Elaborated by Binimelis & Descombes (2010) from Maréchal (2008); Valls (2006) and Venn et al. (2006).

11

3) Theoretical Framework:

Agroo-food short circuits of commercialization

3) Theoretical Framework:

Cooperative movement

+50 (interviewing process)

12

3) Theoretical Framework:

Social and Solidary Economy

13

Social and Solidary Economy is a working progress concept. In a theoretical framework, solidarity economy (World Social Forum, Brazil, 2001) is often considered part of the social economy (concept linked with cooperative movement), forming what might be termed the "social and solidarity economy". The concepts are still under development and the difference between the two terms is gradually being clarified. An organisation seeing itself as part of the solidarity economy generally goes beyond achieving purely social aims: it aims to put right an injustice by expressing solidarity.

1) What characteristics define agro-food cooperatives in the Network Society framework?

2) Through ICT, the consumer is able to have more knowledge about the characteristics of the food product, its origin and, the benefice its commercialization?

3) Through ICT, the collaborative environment allows the expansion of short circuits of commercialization?

4) Research Questions

14

5) Hypotheses

H0. The use of ICT facilitates collaborative consumption of food products, defining a new model of organization between local producers and consumers, caused by new forms of relationship between producers and consumers, and promoting the Network Society framework. This new model allows that through the use of ICT the cost of creating a virtual community is reduced, reversing a better dissemination of product characteristics and socio-economic benefits of their consumption, an increase in sales and a collaborative environment larger which allows to promote the benefits around this model of consumption.

15

5) Hypotheses

H1. The relation between ICT and food product contribute to generate more knowledge around the product food characteristics and the social and economic impact of its consumption, benefiting the community organized with that objective.

H2. The virtual communities created around the product are a key factor for the organization which allows the food product to get a more efficient space for its commercialization.

H3. The collaborative environment is amplified thanks to the ICT use and possibilities a favourable framework to promote this consumption model.

16

6) Case studiesResearch Map

17

Agro-food Consumption Cooperatives

Producers

Second –Grade Producer Cooperatives

7) Methods

Statistics Analysis & Interviews• In order to achieve significant results, the study

uses a quantitative methodology, such as statistics analysis and geographic information systems; and a qualitative methodology, around semi-structured interviews.

Participatory Action Research• So as to check the specific characterisation of a

consumption group performed, the study proposes a/some implantation/s in order to evaluate the model.

Considering tools from other disciplines, e.g. Ethnography, etc.

18

Participatory Action Research

Tourism – specific target:

Tourists with sensibility for food origin (or general environmental issues).

Linked with a specific type of travelling: home exchange, for example.

Pilot project focus on how to connect travellers interests.

At the same time, taking advantage of how it works consumption group through their own experience.

19

7) Methods: Investigation Questionnaire

Research Questionnaire: Social and Solidary Economy Criteria

Proxim

ity

Fair T

rade

Transp

arency

Cooperation

Particip

ation

Ethica

l Finan

ce

Ecologic

al Crit

eria

Wast

e Man

agement

Energy Efficie

ncy

Wag

e Leve

ls

Internal

Democracy

Free So

ftware0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

20

7) Methods: Investigation Questionnaire

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Research Questionnaire: ICT Impact 21

• Framework to assess and define consumption groups.

• Critical understanding of the role of ICTs within the contribution of collaborative consumption.

• Patterns to implant the different groups characterized.

• Empirical evaluation of the agro-food consumption groups model promoted.

8) Expected Outcomes

22

The short consumption circuits in the Network Society era. The ICT role on the commercialization of proximity agricultural food products.

Information and Knowledge Society Doctoral Programme

Amb el suport de la Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Research Presentation | 18.05.2015PhD candidate: Ricard Espelt