Innovation as a Competitive Attribute within Viticultural Cooperatives

Abstract

This current project analyses the strategy of innovation that has been utilized by the vinicultural cooperatives of the denomination "La Mancha". We mailed a survey to the Cooperative's Administrating Directors of 50 local cooperatives. The data was statistically organized and analysed through the statistical program SPSS, V.19. In our analysis we categorize the strategy of innovation as a variable, multidimensional determinant for the entirety of the adopted decisions in relation to technology, product & process innovation, internal & external sources of innovation, and innovative force. The most relevant results in relation to innovation are that the majority of the viticultural co-ops present a positive attitude towards innovation and that they already positively link said innovative force with long-term improvement. The principal implications of our study are that the co-ops should continue to increase in size, improve the professionalism of their workforces and formulate strategies to expand into multi-country markets in order to achieve improvements to their bottom line results.