Collective entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation: case Studies of regional Australian agribusinesses

Abstract

Sustainability is vital for food and agriculture businesses due to challenges like food security, climate change, and market volatility. As many small firms are resource-poor, engaging in collective entrepreneurship is a way to develop sustainable innovations, however, this remains under-researched. Using a qualitative case study design of three cases of collaborative innovation by six firms in the agricultural sector, we gain insight into why and how these firms engage in collective entrepreneurship, elaborating on the process model of collaboration for sustainable innovations by Brown et al. We selected a Queensland region in Australia, with diverse food and agribusinesses and drawing on multiple data sources. We proceeded to conduct within-case and cross-case analysis using Brown et al.’s model as a coding framework. Our research shows how small agribusinesses use collective entrepreneurship to develop sustainable innovations by focusing on economic, social and environmental value creation and appropriation utilizing collective resources. In terms of collective entrepreneurship, key themes included selecting the right partners for collaborative ‘value’ fit, governance approaches, and relational mechanisms for launching and implementing sustainable innovations. Our research highlights how agribusinesses can embrace collective entrepreneurship, supported by regional industry networks, to bring sustainable innovations to market.