Specialty food products and producers groups in Slovenia: evaluation of developmental potential and analysis of collective organization patterns using the Delphi method
Keywords:
Specialty food products, producers group, collective organization, Delphi methodAbstract
This paper analyses production systems of specialty food products (SFP) in Slovenia, which started to evolve far before the entrance into EU. In particular, it investigates collective organizational patterns, producer groups’ efficiency and their success. For this efficiency, horizontal relations that exist between all producers involved in PDO/PGI supply chains and SFP system as a whole are of main importance. We assumed that actual models of collective organization in Slovenia are not appropriate to achieve desired and expected results on the area of production, promotion and marketing of SFPs. Too week horizontal relations can be a reason for this. Composite empirical study was used to evaluate the developmental potential of SFP supply systems, while to study producers’ experiences and their readiness of collaboration in the SFP system, a three phase modified Delphi method was used. Extensive qualitative data were collected through individual interviews, which were later on studied, summarized and used as main statements for group discussion. Qualitative results from Delphi study formed the basis to upgrade them into a model of evaluation of each of 15-production system studied. Findings indicate that in Slovenia business environment for producers, involved in SFP system is very complicated and demanding. SFP system is still in the beginner development phase and is certainly not developed to the extent of some other European countries with longer tradition. Economic importance of this system is therefore still very small. On one hand, there is an important deficiency on national level, which is the absence of clear business, aims among producers, on the other hand we are faced with questionable efficacy of public and especially quality policy. A better collaboration and collective activities among producers can be expected only when the system will be operative in all segments and when special indications will assure competitive advantage through a good perception by consumers.
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