Innovation diffusion in food supply logistics

My main area of interest and current academic focus is on the diffusion of sustainable innovation. The proposed research aims to investigate sustainable post-harvest systems (SPHS) in the South African context; specifically, the research investigates which new, innovative methods are currently practiced within rural communities but have failed to diffuse to the wider industry. Both classic and contemporary academic opinion holds that pursuing environmental and socially sustainable business models can improve economic and financial performance (Porter & van der Linde, 1995; Wang, 2014). However, despite the huge potential pay offs many enterprises still struggle to adopt sustainable practices (Afzal & Zafar, 2014). Ambec & Lanoie (2008) argue that the benefits of sustainable agendas vary depending on the institutional environments firms are operating in. For example, firms can significantly reduce the costs of risk management by implementing environmental protection policies if operating in highly regulated industries (Ambec & Lanoie, 2008). This study aims to conduct in-depth semi-structured interviews with officials in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and small business owners to identify how rural communities have adopted innovative SPHSs in the South African context. Furthermore, participants will highlight the institutional barriers, both formal and informal, to the successful diffusion of these practices into the wider community. The findings of this project will help us identify successful innovative strategies, tailored to South African institutions, which are already contributing to the sustainable food agenda. Furthermore, the researchers will capture key information regarding the barriers to successful knowledge sharing and diffusion to develop highly effective strategies which are adopted by these rural communities.