Micro-Wineries as drivers for local economic development and innovation in lagging areas

Giuseppe Cantafio,Luana Parisi

doi:10.36253/wep-8194

Abstract

For a long time mainstream economics has neglected the non-economic side related to economic growth. Yet, today there is increasing awareness of the role that social capital can play in spurring Local Economic Development especially in underdeveloped, remote, or lagging contexts. Microwineries represent a good example of SMEs, being small realities serving the local markets and spaces that strengthen local communities. The European Mediterranean regions have commonly been connected with these sectors. This study aims at pushing the body of knowledge in the development of microwineries in the lagging-behind contexts of Southern Europe, particularly in Southern Italy. To support the discussion, the present study will adopt a deductive approach, by analysing the San Diego wine cluster taken as a case study, since its wine market recently boomed. Findings will highlight the microwineries symbiosis with the territory itself. Useful lessons will be drawn for encouraging policymakers in undertaking actions towards strengthening the potential of microwineries and building networks among them.

Highlights

Microwineries can be defined referring to the official classification provided by the European Commission [12]
This study aims at pushing the body of knowledge in the development of microwineries in Southern Italy and, more in general, in Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries, with the goal to regenerate the existent wineries and transform them in actual places of knowledge sharing, where innovation can be applied to the agricultural sector
The present study aims at pushing the body of knowledge in the development of microwineries in Southern Italy and, more in general, in Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries, which rank among the first global places in terms of production of wine

Summary

Introduction

Microwineries can be defined referring to the official classification provided by the European Commission [12]. This framework can be used to define Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), identifying micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with two main indicators, namely the number of employees and total assets. Microwineries are those firms that count less than 9 employees and produce less than 2 million euros in total assets. They are considered as a new specialized organizational form that is proliferating recently in the wine market and is smaller in size than the farm winery, in that they tend to produce about 2,000 cases per year compared to the 40,000 cases of farm wineries [52].

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