Abstract

ROBERT, Verónica et al. Organizational capabilities and competences for productive diversification: the case of rice and pacú in Chaco, Argentina. SaberEs [online]. 2019, vol.11, n.1, pp.41-64. ISSN 1852-4418.

In just five years, a rice producer in the eastern province of Chaco (Argentina) undertook an innovative process of large-scale production diversification. Since 2010, after an environmental claim, he integrated his main activity to the cultivation and processing of pacú, under a rotation scheme between both productions. Then, great changes were made in the organization of the company, which led to the coordination of a series of new and complementary activities to the new product (processing, logistics and commercialization of the new product, supply of inputs and specific technological requirements). On the one hand, from the perspective of organizational capabilities, skills and routines of the firm, diversification requires the development of important learning processes. On the other hand, the literature of pioneers argues that the first companies to enter in a new activity potentially facilitate the emergence of followers. This case allows us to reconsider some of the main hypotheses of both sets of literatures: organizational competencies and pioneers. It shows the complexity of the processes of innovation and productive diversification and their implications both within the organization and in its relationship with the environment.

Keywords : Competences; Pioneers; Agro-industry.