Resilience and adaptation: Galician canning fish industry evolution

Abstract

Galicia, the leading region in Europe in the manufacture of canned fish. The governance of the sector is characterized by two main actors, the regional government of Galicia and the National Association of Fish and Seafood Cannery Manufacturers, and the multiannual strategic plans of the sector. During the period of validity of only two existing strategic plans, economic crisis affected the region severely. However, the canning sector maintained, and even improved, its performance at the aggregate level. The aim of this article is to analyze the degree of incidence of the strategic plans in the resilience shown by the sector during the crisis and whether this positive trend is shared across all segments of Galician canned industry. The methodology used is based on the analysis of the profitability of the sample of 64 Galician canning companies, by company size (very large, large, medium and small) and over a period of eight years (2011–2018). The results show a greater strength in the financial structure of the very large and large companies compared to the medium and small ones, for which compliance with the objectives of the strategic plans is lower. In conclusion, a trend of consolidation of the leadership of very large companies can be observed. This fact is evidenced by a doubling of turnover, investment in fixed assets and employment.