Governing food in a globalising environment: Innovation and market strategies in Norwegian food supply chains

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This project addresses the question of how competitiveness and innovativeness of food producers are affected by processes of governance and industry interaction in a globalising environment. In response to major challenges for global food supplies, Norweg ian food industry and regulatory authorities need to understand the challenges and opportunities arising from new technologies, shifting multilateral regimes and, in consequence, shifting patterns of value chain interaction. Such understanding will improv e the capacity of Norwegian food industries to formulate adequate strategies for for knowledge-based-competitiveness. The key research problem in this project is: What are the key conditions for the competitiveness of Norwegian food industry at the domes tic and at export markets? The project includes three sub-questions that are related to each their work package (wp): (WP A) How does international regulation of intellectual property rights affect product innovation and competitiveness in the food indust ry? (WP B) How is competitiveness of the food industry affected by national systems of governance relating to industry interactions, state/industry relations and market strategies? (WP C) What are the key industry-level drivers for and obstacles to produc t innovation? The project includes a joint analytical framework based on approaches and concepts found within the study of governance and globalisation. Two key understandings of governance are of particular relevance: multi-level governance (i.e. new de cision-making arenas involving state as well as non-state actors at the international level to supplement national decision-making authority); public-private partnership and coordination surpassing the limitations of markets and hierarchies.