Strategic Value of Agricultural Business Networks in Sustaining Common Goods

Abstract

This article aims to highlight the positive relationship between the organizational form of the agricultural business network and common goods, thus seizing their strategic value for the company in terms of protection, development, and sustainable use. The common goods analyzed in this research are of different origins: natural, such as the local environment and biodiversity, and artificial, such as cooperation and communication. To this end, a four-year longitudinal study was conducted to study the relationship between agricultural business networks and common goods. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the literature, which highlights the following as main themes: the sharing of values, the importance of trust and reputation, the central role of adaptive management, learning as participation, and environmental sustainability. The chosen case highlights how agricultural business networks can be considered both an effective tool in the protection and sustainable use of common goods and a tool that allows the development of the commons. Both these aspects have a strategic value for an organization that can derive significant benefits both from common goods developed and from the implemented organizational form and simultaneously protect the environment with strong positive externalities for itself and the community.

Adopting a digital transformation strategy to enhance business network commons regeneration: an explorative case study

“…Although in classical economic theory, the government is expected to take care of such resources, an increasing number of published cases of emergent commons-enabling organizational forms suggest that other social players, such as collaborative networks, business networks, associations and communities, can play a crucial role in transforming common resources into generators of sustainable growth (Bonomi et al, 2019;Bullini Orlandi et al, 2019;Cantino et al, 2017;Fjeldstad et al, 2012;Ricciardi et al, 2018;Rossignoli et al, 2018).…”

“…The present study adopts the BNC definition conceptualized by Ricciardi et al (2018, p. 328): "resources that are available for the partnering firms' collective use, but that also requires the partnering firms' collective engagement and collaboration to be acknowledged, protected, and/or (re) generated." This view of networks as organizations that enable, protect and develop their key common resources is emerging in the literature (Bonomi et al, 2019;Bullini Orlandi et al, 2019;Cantino et al, 2017;Fjeldstad et al, 2012;Lusch and Nambisan, 2015;Ricciardi et al, 2018;Rossignoli et al, 2018), but the organization and management literature on the main organizational variables needed to preserve the commons is still in its infancy (Ferraro et al, 2015;Plummer and Armitage, 2007;Ricciardi et al, 2018).…”

“…In the context of commons preservation, the related literature underlines the ways in which business networks can play a pivotal role in facilitating positive environmental effects, in particular, concerning the protection and regeneration of the commons (Bonomi et al, 2019;Bullini Orlandi et al, 2019;Cantino et al, 2017;Fjeldstad et al, 2012;Ricciardi et al, 2018;Rossignoli et al, 2018). Cooperative behavior, such as actively contributing to the network and respecting the restraints on resource exploitation, is essential to (re)generate the common resources provided by the system (Ostrom, 1990) and to prevent their losstermed "the tragedy of the commons" (Hardin, 1968).…”

“…Referring to the network organizational configuration, a view of networks as commonsenabling institutions is emerging (Bonomi et al, 2019;Bullini Orlandi et al, 2019;Cantino et al, 2017;Fjeldstad et al, 2012;Lusch and Nambisan, 2015;Ricciardi et al, 2018;Rossignoli et al, 2018), and management scholars are attempting to identify the main organizational variables needed to preserve the commons (Ferraro et al, 2015;Plummer and Armitage, 2007). To this end, in a seminal work, Ricciardi et al (2018) underline that the use of highly participatory architecture, the integration of organizations at the network level and the presence of mechanisms for opportunism prevention and resolution are the prerequisites for enhancing firm performance through developing and protecting the network commons.…”

A New Life for Forest Resources: The Commons as a Driver for Economic Sustainable Development—A Case Study from Galicia

“…Elsewhere, new functions have arisen for commons, so many resources are still managed by community institutions. This applies both to traditional commons (be these renewables or nonrenewable, e.g., forests or irrigation systems) and other common resources that have been built according to eco-social-technical development such as Information and Technology Communications (ITC) Infrastructures, which are referred to as "new commons" and are mainly created through social and learning processes [1][2][3]. While these changes frequently encompass technical developments, nowadays, social priorities Land 2021, 10, 99 2 of 17 lay the foundations for a new generation of uses.…”