Although the first Agro-Food products based on modem biotechnology (e. g. recombinant chymosin for cheese production; tomato puree based on genetically engineered tomatoes; herbicide-resistant, genetically modified soybean; insect resistant maize) have been introduced in the EU markets in recent years, the application of this technology is still being intensively discussed in the European Union. Recent opinion polls indicate as well that consumers' acceptance of genetically engineered food and agro-products still is relatively low (e. g. European Commission 1997, Hampel et al. 1997), at least in some member states of the EU. In contrast, representatives from politics and industry underline the necessity to apply modem biotechnology in the Agro-Food sector as well, mainly to ensure the competitiveness of EU agriculture and food industry and for employment reasons. Against this background there seems to be a need for a scientific analysis of the future impacts of modem biotechnology in the Agro-Food sector of the EU. Recent studies trying to analyse this issue (e. g. OECD 1992, Teuber 1992) usually comprise extrapolations of status-quo analyses. What has not been exploited so far in this context are systematic technology forecasting approaches which do not include only one single country, but get information on an international level. Therefore, the impacts of modem biotechnology on the Agro-Food sector in five member countries of the EU (Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain) have been analysed with the help of the Delphi methodology which represents one of the most reliable tools for technology forecasting.
Food and beverage (F&B) companies are increasingly confronted with important strategic and operational questions as the dynamics in their environment constantly create new challenges. These challenges stimulate the management of many F&B companies to become innovative. Innovation managers have to deal with questions concerning the product innovation strategy, the partners with whom they can co-innovate and the management of the innovation process. Four studies have been carried out that all use empirical data on 129 products of the Dutch F&B industry. Data were collected in 2000 and in 2005. The studies focus on the innovative product itself, rather than on the companies. They provide empirical evidence of the relationships between factors dealing with the product innovation process, the innovation strategy, the innovation network and the market performance of the products. Where most studies only deal with short term performance, these studies also deal with the market performance in the long term (seven years after product launch). This book contributes to a better understanding of the key factors in product innovation in the F&B industry that are related to and explain the product’s successful market performance in the short and long term.
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