Analysis of the perception and presence of design in the fruit and vegetable cluster: The case of southeast Spain

Abstract

Companies must provide economic, environmental and social added value based on innovation strategies, design and creative thinking in a globalised and competitive world characterised by rapid change and constantly evolving technologies. In this context, this paper analyses the role of design practice in companies in the agri-food sector (i.e. what is the design component present like; what are its relevance and importance?) An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted with 30 companies in southeast (SE) Spain's fruit/vegetable sector. The findings reveal that all the surveyed companies make financial investments in design and positively value this (7.6 out of 10), which indicates they recognise its strategic and operative importance. However, integration, training and design promotion in the agri-food sector remains somewhat limited. Most companies lack an in-house design department or design professionals as staff members and perform mainly design activities limited to the visual and communication tasks related to marketing initiatives. These results unveil opportunities for enhancing design incorporation and appreciation in the agri-food sector, which could boost its competitiveness and differentiation in the market. Finally, this study can be considered a starting point for future development in line with the horticultural sector's theory, practice, and design management policies.