Sustainable strategies for SMEs from traditional, regional industries: The case of Messinian Region, Greece

Vlachos, Ilias and Malindretos, George (2010) Sustainable strategies for SMEs from traditional, regional industries: The case of Messinian Region, Greece. In: 3rd Annual Conference of the Euromed Academy of Business, 4-5 November 2010, Nicosia, Cyprus.

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Abstract

Purpose – Research questions : Products embedded in a region (such as Products of Destinated Origin / PDOs) face significant obstacles to access remote markets, even to domestic ones, since there are a number of inherent difficulties in promoting and managing, in general, such products from the point of production to the market place.
This paper addresses to central research questions:
• how the sustainability issue relates to regional, traditional industries
• what are the prerequisites for sustainability and the corresponding barriers posed to regional food chains
• how sustainability relates to the performance of SMEs, operating in a traditional, regional industry
• what are the advantages of marketing sustainable products
• what region-based strategies could SMEs develop to transform the challenge of sustainability to opportunities ?

Design/methodology/approach : Development of a conceptual constructive action framework with reference to regional conditions. Focus on SMEs that produce and/or trade products in the region of Messinia, Greece . Messinian region is well-known for traditional products such as olive oil, olives, raisins, figs, etc. A survey study includes a questionnaire that aims at measuring sustainability, market access, and supply chain performance. Direct contact has been carried out with a number of managing directors of SMEs via semi- structured interviews. Using case study protocol there will be a combination of case analysis and cross-case analysis.

Expected Findings : Results will provide insights on how SMEs strategies can achieve sustainability requirements.

Originality / Value : Improving know-how by unique focus on the sustainability of regional, traditional products and its effects upon supply chain performance and market access. This study has practical implications for regional-based SMEs in the design of strategies to produce sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, sustainability has significant direct social, economic and environmental implications.

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