Quality, Imagery and Marketing: Producer Perspectives on Quality Products and Services in
the Lagging Rural Regions of the European Union
Author(s): Brian Ilbery, Moya Kneafsey, Anu Soderlund, Efthalia Dimara
Source: Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography, Vol. 83, No. 1, (2001), pp. 27-40
Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the Swedish Society for Anthropology and
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QUALITY, IMAGERY AND MARKETING:
PRODUCER PERSPECTIVES ON QUALITY PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES IN THE LAGGING RURAL REGIONS
OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
By
Brian Ilbery, Moya Kneafsey, Anu Soderlund and Efthalia Dimara
Ilbery,B., Kneafsey,M., Soderlund,A. and Dimara,E. 2001:
Quality,imageryandmarketing:
producerperspectivesonquality
productsandservicesin thelaggingruralregionsof theEuropean
Union.Geogr.Ann.,83 B (1): 27-40.
ABSTRACT.A rangeof factors,includingconsumerconcerns
aboutfoodsafety,thegrowingpopularityof ruraltourismandpolicy initiativesto promoteendogenousruraldevelopment,is conof foodproductionandservice
vergingto promotearelocalization
by theglobaliprovision,especiallyin thoseregionsmarginalized
zationof thefood supplysystem.Therecentoutbreakof foot and
mouthdiseasein theUK has starklyillustratedthefragilityof localizedsystemswhichdependheavilyon consumerstravellingto
them.Withinsuch a context,the importanceof successfulmarketingstrategieshasbecomeeven moreapparent.Thispaperreportson a questionnairesurveywhichinvestigatedpromotional
andmarketingstrategiesamonga diverserangeof producersand
serviceprovidersin marginalagriculturalareasof the EU. The
findingssuggestthat many producersare situatedtowardsthe
"formal"end of a marketingcontinuum,wherebyabilityto promotequalityproductsandservices(QPS)lies witha rangeof intermediaries.
Thisraisesdoubtsaboutthe futureeconomicbenefits of QPS,shouldcurrentmarketingstructurespersist.Thedisandinternacussionofferscriticalreflectionson interdisciplinary
tionalresearchof this nature,and advocatesfurthertheoretical
and methodologicaldevelopmentin orderto explore in more
depthmanyof theaspectsraisedin thisexploratoryinvestigation.
continuum;laggingruralregions;imagery;
Keywords:marketing
qualityproductsandservices.
The relocalization of quality products and
service provision
Europeanrural areas are affected in contrasting
ways by the continuedglobalizationof the food
supplysystem(GoodmanandWatts,1997).While
themoreprosperousagricultural
areas,termed"hot
spots"by Whatmore(1995), are likely to respond
positivelyto increasingmarketorientationandinternationalcompetition,peripheral(lagging)rural
areascontinueto face problemssuch as unfavourable farmstructures,low incomes,an ageingpopulation,out-migration,andrelativeisolationfrom
majorcentresof economic activity.Despite high
levels of subsidyandbroaderprogrammesof rural
Geografiska Annaler * 83 B (2001) ? 1
developmentin these areas,agricultureis becoming increasinglymarginalizedas farmersstruggle
to come to terms with what has sometimesbeen
conceptualizedas the "post-productivisttransition" (Shucksmith, 1993; Ilbery and Bowler,
1998).Thisproblemis likely to intensifygiventhe
recentlyagreedreformsof the CommonAgriculturalPolicy (CAP),throughAgenda2000, andthe
latestroundof talks (2000/2001)on tradeliberalizationunderthe auspicesof the WorldTradeOrganization(WTO).
There is, however,a growingrecognitionthat
globalprocessesaremediatedby regionalandlocal
specificities (Arce and Marsden,1993) and that
forprocertainnichemarketspresentopportunities
ducersandserviceprovidersto retainsome degree
of local controlovertheproduction,marketingand
distributionof theirproducts(MurdochandMiele,
1999). For example, an alternativefood system,
food producbased on quality,non-standardized
tion andconsumptionpractices,is now reinstating
its formerimportanceas consumersdemandmore
varietyandgreaterproductdifferentiation(Barrett
etal. 1999;MurdochandMiele, 1999).As notedby
Marsden(1998), food marketsarebecomingmore
differentiatedon the basis of a range of socially
constructedquality criteria,or what Allaire and
Sylvander(1997) describeas a shifttowardsa "logic of quality"as opposedto "productivist
logic".
This shift back towards local and dedicated
productsin recentyearspresentsnewopportunities
forproducersstill embeddedin traditionalproductionmethodsor seekingto re-embedthemselvesin
such methods.Similaropportunitiesareemerging
in termsof providingqualitytourismexperiences
and other services in marginalagriculturalareas
which can offer distinctiveculturaland environmentalresourcesto theconsumer(Butler,1998).A
numberof interrelatedfactorsarecontributingtowards such a relocalizationprocess. First, food
27
B. ILBERY, M. KNEAFSEY, A. SODERLUND AND E. DIMARA
safety concerns have encouragedthe "new con- definedas "naturalgoods or servicesproducedor
sumer"to place greateremphasison high-quality providedby differententerprisesin ruralareaswith
food productswhich can be tracedto theirorigins an establishedsocio-economicidentity".
of production.Of special significanceis the idea
Relocalizationresults from the integrationof
that "quality"may be signified through association
thesethreephenomena.Successfullocal food marwithparticularplacesorregions(IlberyandKneaf- kets,suchas farmers'markets,requirethepresence
sey, 1998).Likewise,amongthe affluent,well-ed- of consumersin the locality.Likewise,touristatucatedpopulation,the consumptionof some types tractionsmay be built aroundlocal foods (e.g.
of QPS has become a statementof fashionand an cheese and wine trails).In this way, tourismcan
indicationof the possession of culturalcapital, help attractpeople to an areawho then buy local
good taste and sophistication(Chaney,1996; Bell foods and crafts,as well as participatingin activiandValentine,1997). Retailersand producersare ties dependentupon the local environment(e.g.
respondingto suchdevelopmentswhich,forexam- pony trekking,fishing). However,too much deple, in the case of the UK has led to a plethoraof pendenceon consumerscoming to the areais unfarm, food and rural tourism quality assurance sustainablein environmentaland economicterms
schemes(QAS)(FearneandKuznezof,1994;Mor- andit is necessaryto developmarketingstrategies
ris andYoung,2000) andtheformationof local and whichallowlocal areasto exporttheirqualities.Inregionalfood groupsbasedon theideaof a specific deed, the growthin ruraltourismmeansincreased
territory(Ilberyand Kneafsey,2000a). The exist- competitionbetween places, makingit more imence of such trendswithinconsumerattitudeshas portantthaneverto establishdistinctiveregionalor
also promptedthe EU to implementregulations place-basedbrands.
(2081/92 and2082/92) to "protect"food anddrink
Several commentatorshave recognized that
productswhichhaveeithera specialcharacter,such these combinationsof demands and regulations
as being producedwith traditionalraw materials could offerpotentialfor a "culturalrelocalization"
and/ora traditionalmodeof production,or aniden- of production,in whichlocallyproducedQPSwith
tifiablegeographicalorigin(e.g. protecteddesigna- designationsof authenticityof geographicalorigin
tion of origin(PDO)or protectedgeographicalin- are transferredto regional and nationalmarkets
dication(PGI)(see IlberyandKneafsey,2000b).
(Gilg and Battershill,1998; Ilberyand Kneasfey,
Second,thereis growingandwidespreadnostal- 1999;Murdochet al. 2000). However,littleempiras a siteof leisureandcon- ical evidencehas as yet been presentedregarding
gic interestin the"rural"
sumption(Cloke,1993).Thisrelatesin partto rapid the producersof QPS in the laggingregionsof the
recenturbanizationandreactionsto it in the form EU. The aims of this paper,therefore,are,first,to
of a searchfor the ruralidyll andmore"authentic" presentsome findingsfromaninternational
EU reand "wholesome"experiences.The consumption searchprojectthatinvestigatedthe use of regional
of the countrysideis also linkedto the purchaseof imageryto promoteQPS in lagging ruralregions
productsassociatedwith ruralareassuch as crafts (RIPPLE);second,to exploresomeconceptualideandculturalresources.Consumersmay makeeth- as surrounding
the marketingof QPSandespecialical purchasingdecisionsmotivatedby an interest ly the notionof a marketingcontinuum;andthird,
in supportinglocal businessesandeconomies,and to apply these ideas to case study evidence from
signalthepossessionof culturalcapitalthroughthe two RIPPLEcountries- Greeceand Finland.Alconspicuousdisplayof handmade,qualitygoodsin though RIPPLEincluded surveys of producers,
the home.
consumers and institutionsinvolved in regional
Third,therehavebeenrealinstitutionaleffortsto QPS(see IlberyandKneafsey,1999),thispaperrepromoteendogenousruraldevelopmentin the EU, portson findingsfromonly the producersurveys.
andespeciallyin laggingruralregions.Thisis most
readilyseen in the new ruraldevelopmentpillarof
the CAP and in such initiativesas the LEADER QPS in Europe: a mosaic of diversity
programmes.In 1996, the EU's Committeeof the As partof the RIPPLEproject,two regionsin each
Regions(1996 p.1),forexample,recognized"local of six countrieswere selected for detailed study
products"as a potential"trumpcard for the re- (Figure1). All 12 regionswere designatedat that
gions"andthe "increasingimportanceof theattest- time as eitherObjective1 or 5b (i.e. lagging)rural
ed regionalorigin of a productas a guaranteeof regionsandthuscharacterized
by the featuresoutquality"(p. 2). In this context,local productswere lined in the introduction.Researchersfrom each
28
Geografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
QUALITY, IMAGERY AND MARKETING IN THE RURAL REGIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Figure 1. QPS and the RIPPLE
study regions.
countryselected the QPS to be studiedin the two
regions, accordingto their perceivedrelativeimportance.The differenttypes of studyregion thus
permittedan examinationof a numberof QPS,
rangingfromfood anddrinkproducts(e.g. cheese,
ham, biscuits, and cider) to manufacturedgoods
(e.g. crafts,furniture,and carpets)and ruraltourism (Figure1).
Afterinitialpilotingof a detailed,mainlystructured questionnaire,information was gathered
frompersonallyconductedinterviewswithproducers of QPS.The questionnairecentredaroundfour
mainthemes:businesscharacteristicsandproduct
profile;producers'perceptionsand ideas of what
constitutes"quality";the marketingchain,marketing strategy,and institutionalsupportfor marketing;andthe use of regionalimageryin the marketing of QPS. Giventhe lack of systematicallycomGeografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
a purpileddatabaseson QPSproducers/providers,
posive samplewas developedfor each region.All
producershadto be SMEs(under50 full-timeemployees) andeitherhavean associationwiththereor use local resourcgion of production/provision
es. Some had a certified quality mark/symbol.
Companydirectories,sectordirectories,members
of quality assuranceschemes, and specially convened 'consultationpanels'in each country(comprisingkey actorsin QPS development)were used
to helpconstructlistsof QPSproducers.An attempt
was made to interviewall QPS producers,except
wherethereweretoo many;in suchcases a sample
was drawn,attemptingto select enterprisesof variable size and at differentstages of development.
Over900 interviewswereconductedeitherwiththe
businessownersormanagers.Theirbreakdownaccordingto regionandsectoris shownin Table1. It
29
B. ILBERY,M. KNEAFSEY,A. SODERLUNDAND E. DIMARA
Table2. Indicatorsof qualityamongQPSproducers.
Table1. QPSproducersby regionandsector.
Region
Sector
South
Ostrobothnia
(Fi)
Furniture
Carpets
Cheese
Fish/foodsector
Berries
Ruraltourism
Currants
Grapes/wine
Wine
Olive oil
Ruraltourism
Ham
Olive oil
Cheese
Ruraltourism
Crafts
Specialityfood
Ruraltourism
Crafts
Organic
Fish
Specialityfood
Ruraltourism
Lamb/beef
Crafts
Cheese
Organic
Beef
Fish
Biscuits
Touristattractions
Cider/Calvados
Cheese
Equestriantourism
Cantalcheese
Salerscheese
Lentils
Beef
Savo (Fi)
Achaia(Gr)
Arkadia(Gr)
Valencia(Sp)
Teruel(Sp)
Southwest
Ireland(Ir)
Northwest
Ireland(Ir)
WestWales(UK)
Grampian(UK)
Normandy(Fr)
Auvergne(Fr)
No. QPS
producers
30
24
12
12
17
46
98
88
30
22
45
18
13
5
46
22
27
29
20
13
2
10
28
21
20
16
18
21
19
14
16
52
5
9
20
12
17
17
should be emphasizedthat the empiricalsurveys
weredesignedto be introductoryin naturein order
to gain some much-neededbaseline information;
thusthe findingspresentedin thispaperremainexploratory.
Examinationof the informationgatheredon the
businesscharacteristics
of QPSproducersrevealed
considerablediversitybetweenboth the studyregions andQPSsectors.Thereis clearlynota model
profileof a QPSproducer.Acrossall studyregions,
thereis generallya highproportionof familyownershipamongQPS businessesand in many cases
the workforceis purelyfamilial.Manysectorsare
male-dominated,althoughin ruraltourism(Valencia, SouthwestandNorthwestIreland),equestrian
tourism(Normandy),craftproducts(Ireland),spe30
Methodof production
Rawmaterials
Closeinvolvementof owner
Productdifferentiation
mark
Certification/quality
Traceability
Associationwithan area/region
Goodenvironmental
conditions
Texture,flavourandtaste
Freshness/appearance
Presentation/promotion
Consumerperception
Premiumprices
ciality foods (Ireland),and cheese (South Ostroof febothnia)thereis a muchbetterrepresentation
males.Manyof thesearenotfarm-basedactivities.
Not surprisingly,certainsectors such as organic
food, berries,grapes,olive oil, ciderandcheeseare
dominatedby farm-basedproduction,andhenceby
family-ownedbusinessesoftencontrolledby older
males.
In-migrantsforma significantproportionof producers(i.e. over20%)in someof thesectorsandregions understudy.This is particularlythe case in
Walesandthetwo Irishregions.Intheformer,both
organicandcraftproducersaredominatedby people moving mainly from England.Many of these
are more concernedwith achieving a particular
quality of life than with pursinggrowing profit
margins. Under half of all entrepreneursinterviewed in both Irishregionscome fromthe study
morein-migrant
area,butthereareproportionately
owners in the south-west.Fewer craft entrepreneursandfood processorsoriginatefromthe Irish
studyregions.This would suggestthat,in areasof
historicallyhigh out-migration,the level of entrein thenativeandresidualpopulationis
preneurship
not sufficientto fully exploitthe naturalresources
of these areas,especiallythroughaddingvalue.
In an attemptto provideinitialcomparisonsbetween the differentregionsand sectors,producers
were askedto select the threemost importantfactors froma list of 13 characteristicsthathelpedto
ensurethe "quality"of their QPS (Table2). The
RIPPLEprojectadopteda definitionof qualityas
a positionalcharacteristic,somethingthatis above
minimumstandardsand which gives a productor
service (or process,companyor region)a cutting
edgeoverits rivals.However,it wasrecognizedthat
quality is a complex and contested notion, the
meaningof whichis socially constructedandthus
variable according to different socio-economic
Geografiska Annaler * 83 B (2001) ? 1
QUALITY, IMAGERY AND MARKETING IN THE RURAL REGIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Increasingcomplexityof marketingchain
-
-~
ACCESS TO MARKETS
TYPE OF MARKETING
& PROMOTION
4EEEEEEEEEE
Increasingdirectknowledgeof finalconsumer
Continuum
Marketing
the marketingcontinuum.
Figure2. Conceptualizing
contexts.Consequently,differentactorswill hold
differentperspectiveson whatqualityis andhow it
may be measured.For example,regulatoryagencies maybe concernedwithso-called"objectiveindicators"of quality,such as the applicationof hygiene requirementsin thecase of food productsand
qualitymarksor symbols(certification).Similarly,
producersof QPS may emphasizemethodsof productionandrawmaterials(specification)fromthe
local area(association),while consumersmay be
interestedin more "subjectiveindicators"of quality such as taste, flavourand appearance(attraction)(see IlberyandKneafsey(2000a)formoredetail on indicatorsof quality).
Not surprisingly,perceptionsof whatconstitutes
qualityvariedfor both differentQPS andregions,
highlightingthe contested notion of the concept
andthe difficultyof applyingcriteriato bothproducts and services. Nevertheless, specification
emergedas the key indicatorof quality,especially
for food products.This is achievedthroughparticular productionmethods,use of high-qualityraw
materials,and the close personalinvolvementof
the entrepreneurthroughoutthe productionprocess. Thus,for example,raw materialsandproduction methods are of paramountimportancefor a
range of products,from currantsin Achaia, craft
productsin WalesandIreland,andbeef andfish in
Scotland,to cheese in Wales, Terueland France,
and furnitureand carpetsin South Ostrobothnia.
Verysimilarfindings,usingmorequalitativemethGeografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
ods, emergedin a concurrentsurvey of regional
specialityfood producersin southwestEngland(I1bery andKneafsey,2000a).
Overall,producersof QPS aremuchmoreconcernedwith differentiatingtheirproducts/services
from other,similarstandardproductsin terms of
skills and craftsmanship,attentionto detail, inditechviduality,andtheabsenceof mass-production
niques,thanwith the promotionand marketingof
QPS.It is quiterationalforproducersto emphasize
productionprocessesas thekey indicatorof quality
becausethey are generallyin controlof these. Indeed,qualityis a markof personalprideandjudgement,as "natural"
ingredientsareusedandtheproducerhas "hands-on"involvement.These findings
add weight to the idea that a numberof QPS producersarenot necessarily"profitmaximizers".
QPS and the marketing continuum
Marketing,definedas the process or techniqueof
promotingandselling goods, is becomingincreasingly importantto the developmentof QPS in lagging ruralregions.In this paper,we introducethe
idea of a marketingcontinuumas a tool for understandingstrategiescurrentlyused by producersof
QPSin the studyregions.Itis importantto notethat
"quality"and"imagery"areclosely linkedto marketing.Inmarketingterms,an"image"refersto the
sets of beliefs, ideasandimpressionsheldby a person aboutan object.An image of productquality
31
B. ILBERY,M. KNEAFSEY,A. SODERLUNDAND E. DIMARA
may be createdthroughthe use of physical signs
andcues (whichconsumersgenerallyuse to judge
quality)in advertising,packagingand promotion
(see Hopkins,1998). Qualitymay also be communicatedthroughmarketingelementslike premium
pricing,distributionchannels,services associated
with the product (e.g. friendliness,helpfulness,
uniqueness)and sales outlets.The marketingobjective is to generatea perceptionof qualityand
thuscreatedifferentiation.
It is possibleto placetherangeof promotionand
marketingmethodsfor differentQPS on a marketing continuum(Figure2). This continuumconsiderstherangeof marketingchannelsandpromotional techniquesavailablefor QPS, from directmarketing to corporateretailing, at differentspatial
scales.Thusone endof thecontinuumis dominated
by informalmethodsof marketing,whereQPS are
solddirectlyto thefinalconsumerwithina fairlylocalizedareavia suchchannelsas stalls,marketsand
deliveryrounds.Here, individualproducerspromote theirQPSthroughsuchmethodsas word-ofmouth,personalcontacts,signposting,advertisementsin local newspapers,andpossiblybrochures.
Inthis situation,themarketingchainis bothsimple
and shortand so producersare able to bypassthe
cost of commercial intermediariesand provide
qualityassuranceto the consumerbased on trust
and experience.Not surprisingly,producersusing
informalmethodshave very good knowledge of
theirconsumerbase andthereis potentialto retain
value-addedin a locality.At theinformalendof the
marketingcontinuum,the use of regionalimagery
is sometimes under-developed,particularlyas
packagingmay be very simple or non-existent.In
additionto the costs associatedwith designingand
manufacturing
packaging,producersmayalsotend
to assumethatlocal consumersknowaboutthe"localness" of their products/services.This knowledge meansthatthereis little need to use regional
imagery;in otherwords,thereis a taken-for-granted consumerunderstandingof the link between
productqualityand place. However,this is not to
say thatregionalimageryis not used at all, for in
some cases, productssold locally and directlydo
use regionalimageryas a meansof differentiation.
Inthesecases,thelocalconsumermayfeel orassert
a sense of pride in the area by purchasinglocal
products,whereasa visitingconsumer(e.g. a tourist) maybe attractedto a productthatdisplaysits local originsthroughregionalimageryon the packaging or at pointof sale.
As one progressestowardsthe other,morefor32
mal endof the marketingcontinuum,QPSaresold
customto one ormoreof a varietyof intermediary
ers (ratherthanthe finalconsumer),who areseeking to sell in regional,nationaland even internationalmarkets.Eachintermediaryin the chainis a
customerin its own right,with its own marketing
implications.The marketingchain tends to increasein complexityas the marketingcontinuum
broadens(see Figure2); at the sametime,the QPS
producerbecomesless involvedin promotionand
marketing.Forexample,individualproducerscan
move along the continuumand thus extend their
reachevenup to an internationalscale by joininga
producergroupwhichconductsthe promotionand
marketingon behalfof individualmembers.In this
situation,individualproducerscan potentiallyretainmoreinfluenceovermarketingstrategiesthan
in cases wheretheyaredealingwithotherintermediariessuchas wholesalersandretailers.Nevertheless, it is oftenthe intermediary
customers,suchas
wholesalersandretailers,andnotthe QPSproducer, who increasetheir influenceas the marketing
chainlengthensandthe formalend of the marketing continuumis approached.They have the resourcesandgreaterneed to participatein different
forms of promotionand marketing,especially as
thereis less directknowledgeof thefinalconsumer.
At nationaland internationallevels, regionalimageryis also likely to be underdevelopedbecause
productsare eitherexportedundernationaldesignationof originor marketedundera largeretailer's
"ownbrand".
In betweenthe informalandformalends of the
marketingcontinuumexists a whole rangeof possible promotionand marketingcombinations.Indeed,it is importantto recognizethat,first,themarketingchainsfor the sameQPSin a particulararea
may varyas a resultof differentstrategiesadopted
by differentproducers;second,any producermay
engage in numeroustypes of promotionandmarketingat the same time (fromone end of the continuumto the other);andthird,a producer'sposition on the marketingcontinuumis not fixed and
may changeovertime.In termsof regionalimagery, it would appearto be most used at the scale
where local overlapsinto regional and national.
Producergroupsare likely to operateat this scale
andhavetendedto developaroundproductswhich
havea strongregionalimagery(e.g. Normandycider).
Geografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
IN THERURALREGIONSOFTHEEUROPEANUNION
QUALITY,IMAGERYAND MARKETING
The marketing of QPS
TheRIPPLEproducersurveysshowedthatthepromotion and marketingof QPS, togetherwith the
use of regionalimagery,variedconsiderablybetween (andoften within)the differentsectorsand/
or regions.Some of the QPS producerswere supply-drivenratherthanmarket-led.This was especially the case for many small-scaleproducers.It
soonbecameclearthatsome wereinvolvedin QPS
as partof a clearlydemarcatedlifestyle (e.g. many
of the craft and organicprofit satisficers),while
othershad turnedwhatoriginallywas theirhobby
into a business(e.g. furniture,ciderproduction).A
furthergroupincludedpeoplewho were diversifying theiractivitiesin anattemptto increaseincome:
a good example would be dairy farmersin both
WestWales and South Ostrobothniaaddingvalue
to theirmilk by producinghigh-qualitycheese. In
nearlyall cases, therewas little informationabout
the existingmarketandresearchhadnotbeen conductedintothefeasibilityand/ormarketingof such
enterprises.Instead, the business startedwith a
softly-softlyapproach,tryingto developlocal supportanda reputationfor high quality.
FormanyQPS producers,especiallywheredemandexceeded supply,there was little perceived
needformarketing.Thiswas oftenthe case, for example,fortheproducersof Salerscheesein theAuvergne, organicfood in West Wales and organic
strawberriesin NorthernSavo. In suchcases, marketingwas notseen as theproducers'job.However,
it was recognizedby the vastmajorityof QPSproducersthattheir approachto promotionand marketing had to evolve with increasingcompetition
withinthe differentsectors.Indeed,manyproducers had changed their methods over time as the
businessdeveloped.This leads to some important
points about the marketingcontinuumfor QPS,
whicharebest illustratedwithreferenceto specific
case studies from selected countries.Greece and
Finlandwere chosenfor this purposebecausethey
aretwohugelycontrastingcountriesin termsof geographicallocation, physical environment,histories, culturalcharacteristicsand relationshipwith
the EU. The case studiesallow the significanceof
nationalregulatory,political and economic contexts andthe influenceof local culturalmilieuxto
be incorporatedinto an understanding
of the operationof the marketingcontinuum.Both case studies also demonstratethatthe positionon the marketing continuumdependson the combinationof
It
productsectorandplace-specificcharacteristics.
Geografiska Annaler
83 B (2001) - 1
is impossibleto place a region,or even subregion,
on themarketingcontinuum,butit is possibleto locate groupsof producerswithina particularsector
on the continuum.
Greece
The researchin Greeceinvestigatedmoschofilero
grapesandthe Mantiniawine producedfromthem
in the prefectureof Arkadia,as well as Korinthian
currants,both organicandconventional,produced
and processedin the prefectureof Achaia.These
productswere chosen as representativeof a stagnant market(Korinthiancurrants)and a dynamic
market(Mantiniawine) in two lagging regionsof
the country(Dimaraet al. 1997, 1998). Bothproducts areimportantwithina nationalcontext,given
the centuries-oldviticulturaltraditionin Greece,as
well as the producers'contributionto the agriculturalproductandthe value of agriculturalexports
(especially currants).Recent changes have occurreddue to the shiftingsocio-politicalenvironment(suchas the impactof EU regulations,the restructuringof Greekviticultureand the establishmentof new agenciessuch as the GreekWineBureau), the introductionof new technologies and
changingconsumerdemands.
In relationto the marketingcontinuum,producersinAchaiause predominantly
formalchannelsof
distribution.Only a small percentageof the currantsproducedareintendedfor domesticconsumers and these are marketedthroughwholesalers
and/orsupermarkets.
Onlyfourfarmersin thesample sold their productsdirect to the consumerat
marketsordoor-to-doorsales andthesewerelocated close to the urbancentreof Aegion.The restare
destinedfor internationalmarkets,mainly in the
UK, the NetherlandsandGermany.Most primary
producerssell their productseitherto a producer
co-operativeor a privateprocessor,who exportthe
best A qualitycurrants.The areahas a traditionof
currantproductiondatingback to the eighteenth
century,duein largepartto thelong periodsof sunshine andextensivesemi-mountainousandmountainousrelief.Despitethe area'senvironmentaladvantagesand obvious link with the productionof
currants,producersdo not use thislink withthe region in theirpromotionalactivitiesandpackaging
materials.The most significantfactor preventing
themfromusingregionalimageryappearsto be the
reluctanceof buyersto committo currantswhich
have a regionalmarkfor fear thatit would be difficultto switch suppliesin cases of shortagesand
33
B. ILBERY,M. KNEAFSEY,A. SODERLUNDAND E. DIMARA
high prices.This suggeststhatlinkinga productto
a particular
withoutofficialcerregion,particularly
tification,is not necessarilyadvantageous.In addition, internalbuyers prefer lower priced, lower
qualitycurrants.All organiccurrantsareboughtby
theco-operativeandexportedmainlyto the UK, as
thereis currentlyonly a smalldemandfor organic
productsin the domesticmarket.
Arkadiapresentsa contrastingsituationin that
producersandprocessorsuse a widermix of formal
and informalmethods,and operatein a dynamic
and successfulmarket.Althoughprimaryproducers of grapeshavelittle contactwith finalconsumers, they do have a wider choice of distribution
channelsthan do their colleagues in Achaia.The
moschofileroproducersin Mantiniacan choose
fromsevenlocal wine-makingfirms,14 externally
located firmsand many individualswho produce
theirown wine. Some producersestablishreciprocal arrangementswhereby wine-makersprovide
them with technical assistance and guaranteed
minimum prices. The two largest wine-makers
have well-establishedmarketingchannels, while
the smallerproducersdirecttheirproduceto cavas,
restaurantsand supermarketchains. Unlike currantsfromAchaia,moschofilerowine is marketed
mainlyon regionalandnational,ratherthaninternational,scales. There is only one organicwinemakerwhichis suppliedby almost20 organicproducers.A regulatedgeographicalindicationfor the
Mantiniaareahas helpedto transformthe wine industry and safeguard incomes. The product is
stronglylinkedwith the areaandregionalimagery
is used widelyin promotion.In contrastto Achaia,
however,theregionhas a particularlystrongimage
withinthe domesticcontext.It is knownas a prefecturewhichproducesa rangeof traditionalproducts, has extensiveforestsandmountains,respects
traditionin social andeconomicactivity,andis in
theheartof theold Greekstate.Accordingto Greek
mythology,the GoddessArtemis(Dianain Latin)
usedto live andhuntinArkadia'sdense,mountainous forestsand this is wherethe term"Arkadian",
as appliedto a particularlifestyle,originatesfrom.
As such,producersareableto takeadvantageof the
region's distinctiveimage and use it to promote
wine.All producersuse the PDOandmanyuse images of the picturesquecountryside,family traditions,local floraandso on in thepackagingof their
goods.
Overall,in bothstudyregionsprimaryproducers
accesstheirmarketsmainlythroughintermediaries
(currantpackagers and wine-makers).As such,
34
they have little directknowledgeof the finalconsumers.Productsthatbelongto local co-operatives
face fewerproblemsin marketingthe produceand
enjoy guaranteedquantitiesand prices beforethe
pickingperiod,butdo not alwaysreceivethehighest availableprices.Thereareno examplesof collectivelydevelopedmarketingstrategiesin the regions.
Finland
The two study regions, South Ostrobothniaand
NorthernSavo, have differentclimatic and geographicconditionsbutsharesimilarsocio-economic structuresand peripherallocations.While the
formerhas a plain,openlandscapeandmanylarge
rivers,the latteris locatedin the heartof the lake
districtand has large areas of forest and rolling
fields.Eachregionhas its own distinctivedialogue
andidentity(ValimakiandNiemelii,1997;Soderlund, 1998).
is notedforits largenumber
SouthOstrobothnia
of ruralSMEs. It has productionclusters which
seemto havebeendriven,in part,by local socialrelations of inspirationand envy. Typically,when
productioninnovationswere made and markets
foundby someone,thisinspiredothersto trysomethingsimilaror evencopy directly.Ostrobothnians
seem to be more waryof co-operationand group
marketingthan their Savoniancounterparts.Observerscommenton an "independent"
will anddesire to makeit withoutexternalinvolvementor assistance.A rangeof productswerestudiedfor RIPPLE(Figure1), makingit difficultto drawgeneral
conclusions.
Thefurnitureindustryin SouthOstrobothnia
has
beenforcedto adaptto changingmarketsituations,
particularly
duringtherecessionof theearly1990s,
whenfirmswererequiredto come up withnew solutionsjust to survive.Typicalfeaturesof thesector
includesmallbusinesssize, independentlyminded
entrepreneursand a tendencyto marketproducts
throughindependentfurniturestores (thoughout
the country)andnationalchains.Theseintermediariesplaya majorrolein promotionandsometimes
even branding.In addition,a specialfeatureof the
industryis the formationof producernetworksin
orderto reachexportmarkets.Some of these date
back to the early 1970s and developmentactivity
has increasedrapidlysince then,with innovations
in quality management,export promotion and
product development.The sector is facing increased internationalcompetitionfrom imports,
Geografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
AND MARKETING
IN THERURALREGIONSOFTHEEUROPEANUNION
QUALITY,IMAGERY
particularlyfromEasternEuropeandthe FarEast,
but new exportmarketsare openingup in Russia
and Estonia.For these markets,regionalimagery
wouldbe quitemeaninglessas a marketingtool and
most productsare marketedwithoutany brandor
sign of the region.This is not to say thatthereis no
link between the region, the productand quality.
Theregionalimageryrelatedto Ostrobothnian
furnitureis primarilylinked to carpentryskills and
Mostfurnitureproducedtodaydoes
craftsmanship.
not havea particularlyclearlinkageto suchcraftsmanshipas the productionis industrialandtechnical in nature.Thereare,however,a numberof products, such as antiqueand country-stylefurniture,
where this craftsmanshipis betterpresentedand
wheretherewouldbe morepotentialfor the use of
regionalimageryin marketing.
The second sector,that of carpetmanufacture,
also has strongsubregionalconcentrationsbut is
smallerin termsof productivecapacityandsize of
businesses.It has developedmainly as a form of
seasonal and additionalincome for farmersand
marketingstructuresare not very sophisticated.
Carpetsreach consumersvia a varietyof formal
and informalmethods,rangingfrom specialretail
stores and furnitureand housing chains, to direct
salesatfairsandmarkets,andthroughwholesalers;
retailershandlethebulkof sales.Manycarpetmanufacturersare unable to meet the needs of large
buyersandtheirbusinessstrategy,consciousornot,
is to remainas smallproducers.As with furniture,
regionalimageryhas not been developedas a marketingtool.
The third sector, cheese-making,has been a
common practiceamong farmersall over the region, althoughthe numberof commercialproducersremainedsmalluntilthe 1980s.The sectorconsists of betweenfourandfive professionalproducers, who have 70 to 80%of the marketshare,plus
40 to 50 familySMEsandsomeoccasionalproducers. Finland's three largest retailers (Kesko, SgroupandTradeka)absorbabout95% of production and effectively determinethe marketingopportunitiesfor mostproducers.In otherwords,formal marketingmethods dominate.Nevertheless,
sales of cheese at local marketsremainsignificant
in culturalif not economic terms. There is also
some evidenceof attemptsto developthe use of regional imagery throughLeader II campaignsto
supportlocalproducts(notonly cheese),butco-operation between SMEs tends to be weak. Farm
cheese is one of the few Finnishtraditionalquality
productsto have some regionalimage amongconGeografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
sumers,but as yet this image is rarelyused in formal marketingstrategies.
NorthernSavo, with its well-developedski resorts,has one of the longestestablishedruraltourism sectorsin Finland.The marketingactivitiesof
this sectorhave been quite formalandtraditional.
Accommodationis marketedmainlythroughcentralizednationalagencies who assumethe role of
"gatekeepers"and publish annual glossy brochures. During the past decade, measures have
beentakento developentrepreneurial
"know-how"
and improvedproducts,infrastructureand route
networks.New nationaland subregionalorganizations in Innerand North-EasternSavo have been
establishedto organizelocal co-operationand development schemes. Some innovative entrepreneurshavebegunto use the internetto markettheir
services.Not surprisingly,regionalimageryis one
of the main marketingdevices, and two regional
brands- LumiSavo(Snow Savo) and LomaSavo
(HolidaySavo)- havebeen createdin the last two
years.
The second sectorin Savo, berryproduction,is
particularlywell knownfor the high qualityof its
products.The regionis home to the largestspatial
concentrationof berryproductionin Finland,and
the annualStrawberryFestivalin Suonenjokihas
strengthenedpublic perceptionsof the links between the region and berryproducts.Indeed,the
nameSuonenjokihas become a kindof strawberry
brandin Finlandover the past 20 years.Yet the
productstendto be marketedon thebasisof quality
ratherthan regional imagery.A large processor
buysapproximatelyone-thirdof all theberriesproducedin the subregion.Berriesare also marketed
throughretailers,wholesalersand directlyon the
farm.Of all the sectors studied,berryproduction
seems to havethe greatestmix of informalandformal marketingmethods,but thereis still greatpotentialforproducersto developnetworksof co-operation between themselves and the processors.
Given the significanceof self-pickingand direct
sales, good relationshipsbetween producersand
consumersare particularlyimportantand thereis
evidencethatconsumersarebecomingmoreinterested in domesticandorganicproducts.
The final sector,fish products,lacks a common
developmentstrategyand is generallynot highly
lucrative.Most of the businesses are struggling
with financialproblemsdue the difficultyof gaining access to fishingrightsand the fluctuationsin
annual yields of the principal species, vendace
(Coregonusalbula).At the time of research,about
35
B. ILBERY,M. KNEAFSEY,A. SODERLUNDAND E. DIMARA
Local
Regional
National
International
ACCESSTOMARKETS
TYPEOFMARKETING
&PROMOTION
_.4-
I
-I-
-
Increasingdirectknowledgeof finalconsumer
Continuum
Marketing
Figure3. Placingstudyproductson the marketingcontinuum.
50 individualscould be describedas professional
fishersandanother40, mainlyfarmers,fish to supplement their income. Two large wholesalersare
locatedin the areaand operatenationally,dealing
with retailers;one of these also processesthe fish.
About ten smallerwholesalersoperateregionally
and a numberof 'grey fishermen'operateentirely
outsidethe official systems and sell theircatchdirectlyfromvans.Processorsalso marketprocessed
Vendaceis traditionallyassogoods to restaurants.
ciatedwith Savo andthereis no real substitutefor
it. In termsof logistics,exportof vendaceis almost
impossible.Regionalimageryis used to some extentin marketingby processorsandretailers,largely becausethe regionis alreadyassociatedwiththe
fish and also with a specialityrye breadand fish
productknownas Kalakukko.Fishersuse informal
marketingmethods, simply calling wholesalers
once theylandtheircatchandsellingto the highest
bidder.
Overall,the scope of marketingfor producersin
some sectors, such as furniture,carpetsand tourism, hasbeenquiteextensive,despitethe smallsize
of manybusinesses.The limiteddemandpotential
offeredby the local areaorregionhasled suchproducersandintermediariesto focus on nationaland
internationalmarketsegmentsfroman earlystage.
Other sectors, such as berry productionand fish
products, have very simple and more localized
marketingstructures.A varietyof marketingmethods is used, dependingon bothproductandplace.
As a generalfeature,the marketingchainsarebecomingshorterandmoreverticallyintegrated.The
36
growingdominanceof retailersis clear,especially
in the furnitureand food-relatedindustries.However, some 'horizontal'co-operationis emerging,
mostobviouslyin thefurniture,carpet,tourismand
strawberrysectors.
In termsof the marketingof QPS, therefore,it
canbe seenthatbothcase studiesdemonstratea varietyof strategiesfromeitherend of the marketing
continuum,butwitha cleardominanceof "formal"
methods.Figure3 showshow the differentproduct
sectors can currentlybe placed on the marketing
continuum.Savonian berries and Ostrobothnian
carpetsarelocatedtowardsthe moreinformalend
of the continuum,given the significanceof local,
directselling in bothcases.Yet althoughthey tend
not to travelmuchbeyondregionalscale markets,
these examplesrepresenta departurefromthe hypotheticalmodel presentedin Figure2, due to the
varietyof marketingchannelsused (directselling,
use of retailers,wholesalers,etc.). They demonstratethatcomplexityof the marketingchainis not
necessarily related to scale and that even products
sold withinlocal andregionalmarketsmaybe distributedthroughan arrayof marketingnetworks
and strategies.Savonianfish and tourism,Ostrobothniancheese andArkadiangrapesoccupya position on the continuumwhich begins at the informal level and moves up to more formallevels for
theproductswhicharedistributedat nationalscale.
The only two studiedproductswhichreachintointernationalmarkets are Ostrobothnianfurniture
and Achaiancurrants.Interestingly,both of these
sectors featureproducergroups or co-operatives,
Geografiska Annaler * 83 B (2001) ? 1
IN THERURALREGIONSOFTHEEUROPEANUNION
QUALITY,IMAGERYAND MARKETING
which suggeststhatthesearean effectiveroutefor
SMEsto gainaccess to distantmarkets.Figure3 is
obviouslyrathera crudesimplificationof the complexity of marketingstrategiesused by the SMEs
which were studied.For instance,it does not represent scale accurately,in terms of geographical
scale of the regions,or the volumesof productunderconsideration.Moreover,as with any diagram,
it presentsa ratherstaticview of a situationwhich
is complex, dynamicand resistantto generalization. Nevertheless,despite- or perhapsbecauseof
- theselimitations,Figure3 does at least prompta
recognitionof the diversityof marketingstrategies
used by SMEs and the importanceof considering
theroleof distinctiveregionalandsubregionalproduction-consumptionnetworks in constituting
marketsfor specialityfoods and services.
Overall,theresultssuggestthata varietyof marketingstrategiesshouldbe used,suitedto particular
sectorsandplaces.In addition,a numberof factors
seem to influencethe success of marketingstrategies. Thefirstis thepre-existingimagesof regions.
Forexample,the strongterritorialidentityof Arkadia gives the region a head start.However,this is
not to say thata territorialidentitycannotbe built
up aroundcertainproductsand activities,as demonstratedin the case of the Suonenjokistrawberry
festival.Second,embeddedsocial relations,institutionalbehaviourand marketingactivitiesare all
influential.Thus strong consumerknowledge of
productscan lead to regionallyspecificconsumption, as demonstratedin the case of fish in Savo.
Likewise,the traditionof producergroupsor marketingco-operativescan providea competitiveadvantage,as in the case of Ostrobothniancarpets,
just as the existenceof institutionalstructurescan
protectproducts,as in Mantiniawine. Third,the
culturalcontextof differentregionsis highly significant.In the case of Finland,for example, the
tendencyto takedomesticholidays(e.g. the tradition of the lakeside summer residence) creates
quitea stablemarketfor ruraltourism.In contrast,
the lifestyle motivesof producersin otherregions
can createa differentdynamic,with less emphasis
on profitandexpansion.In orderto understandfactorsof successin marketing,it is clearthatthe territoryunderinvestigationhas to be looked at in a
holistic way. Indeed,furtherresearchis neededto
understandthe ways in which these differentfactorsinteract.
Finally,RIPPLEexploredtheextentto whichregional or place imagerywas used to promoteand
marketQPS (Ilbery and Kneafsey, 1998, 1999).
Geografiska Annaler * 83 B (2001) ? 1
This again highlightedconsiderablevariationbetweenthe regions,not only accordingto the different QPS,butalso in relationto the nationalandinternationalcontextwithinwhichthe regionis situated. Thus in Finlandproducersare awareof regional imagery,but they recognizethatconsumer
consciousnessof theirregionsamongpeople from
outsideFinlandis minimal.In sucha situation,the
usefulness of regionalimageryto marketQPS is
doubtful;instead,nationalbrandingis moreimportant. In a similarmanner,the Grampianregional
image, within an internationalcontext, is swallowed up by the nationalimage of Scotland;the
samewould appearto be truefor the Irishregions.
differentregionswithina similarnaFurthermore,
tionalcontextmay use imageryin differentways.
In the Spanishregionof Valencia,for example,regional imageryis barelyused at all in marketing
strategies,whereasin Teruelit is quiteprominent.
Likewise, the Greek region of Achaia has been
shownto havea strongregionalimage,butone that
is often not used for promotionalpurposesby currantproducers.Incontrast,in theregionof Arkadia
use of regionalimageryby wine producersis extensive.Overall,therefore,regionalimageryis not
always an appropriatemarketingtool; much dependson the enddestinationof theparticularproduct or service.
Conclusions and reflections
This paperhas exploredsome characteristicfeaturesof QPSdevelopmentin the laggingregionsof
the EU, especially in termsof producerconstructionsof qualityandthe waysin whichQPSarepromoted and marketed.The RIPPLEsurveyof QPS
producersconfirmsthatqualityis verymucha contested social construction,the meaningof which
variesregionallydependingupon the social interactions, institutionalproceduresand co-operative
activitieswhichoperatein differentplaces.Nevertheless,thereis clearevidencethat,froma producer
perspective,the key indicatorof qualityis specification of the productionmethod,using local raw
materials,and close personalinvolvementof the
Thesefeaturesareoftenimportantelentrepreneur.
ementsof certificationschemes,wheretraceability
to the point of productioncan be crucial.Yet producersdo not perceivetraceabilityto be the same
as an association with the environmentaland/or
culturalfeaturesof a specificregion.Indeed,both
associationandattractionareperceivedas the least
significantindicatorsof quality.
37
B. ILBERY,M. KNEAFSEY,A. SODERLUNDAND E. DIMARA
Not surprisingly,given the limited importance whereas"Finnishfurniture"
is moresuitableforthe
attachedto such featuresof attractionas appear- wider Europeanmarketand "Scandinavianfurniance, presentationand price, the promotionand ture"for beyondEurope.
Thereis considerablediversityin the charactermarketingof QPS have effectivelybeen appropriated by a rangeof intermediarycustomers.Rela- istics of the marketingstructuresfor QPS,between
tively few producersmarketa high proportionof andwithinregionsandsectors.Thisis notaltogeththeirQPSdirectlyto thefinalconsumerandso can- er surprisingbecauselaggingregions,by necessity,
not be placedat the informalend of the marketing tradeon theirdifferencesandpeculiarities(i.e. difcontinuum.Itis theintermediary
customersandnot ferentiation).Likewise,anunderstanding
of thedetheprimaryproducerswho dominatethemarketing velopmentof QPSin Europeanlaggingregionsand
continuum,and thus retain most "addedvalue". themarketingcontinuumcannotbe obtainedsolely
This raises a numberof issues concerningendog- throughthe views of producers.It is for thisreason
enous ruraldevelopmentin lagging ruralregions. thatRIPPLEalsoconductedsurveysof bothactual/
Local value-addedis normallyassociatedwith lo- potentialQPSconsumersandinstitutionsinvolved
cal input,local labourand local distributors/inter- in ruraldevelopmentandQPS.
mediaries.ThemosteffectiveQPSforaddingvalue
By way of conclusion,it is worthnotingthatthis
locally,therefore,are such stronglylocal products paperis writtenwith a certainamountof frustraas Teruel ham and Suonenjoki(NorthernSavo) tion. It reflectssome of the difficultiesin reporting
strawberries,which build upon stronglocal pro- resultsfromlarge-scalesurveysconductedin many
networks.Yet many outlets regions.While some generalconclusionscan be
duction/consumption
are at a distancefrom the point of productionbe- drawn,these are only exploratoryin natureand
cause of the use of supermarket
channels(e.g. or- must always be temperedthroughacknowledgeganicproducefromWestWales)or exportcompa- mentof theimportanceof local-leveldifferences.It
nies (e.g. Spanisholive oil). Withmoretrainingin has not been possibleto properlyconveythe compromotionandmarketingtechniques,QPSproduc- plexitiesand richnessof local situationsin a geners coulddevelopclosersynergieswitheachother; eral overview.Withoutdoubt,thereis a need for
groupsof producerswouldthenbe betterableto de- morefinelygrainedanalysisat a local level andfor
velop theirown networks,thus helpingto bypass an approach which "follows the networks",
expensiveintermediarycustomersandretainmore throughwhich marketsfor QPS are constructed,
of the economic benefit in the local community. ratherthantryingto separatetheactorswithinthese
The returnto traditionallocal/regionalmarketing networksintoseeminglydiscretegroupsof producchannelssuch as producermarketsandhigh-qual- ers, consumers and institutions.This latter apity specialistshops, at the expense of large-scale, proachdoes not adequatelyuncoverthe untidyand
at-a-distanceselling, would certainlyhelp to en- complexrelationshipsbetweenthe actors,nor the
courageendogenousruraldevelopment.
ways in whichthese relationshipsareconstructed,
Regionalimageryhas considerablepotentialas maintained,challenged,reformedandso on. Moreaneffectivemarketingtool. However,its use is cur- over, it does not successfullyreveal the linkages
rentlylimited and there are problematicissues in and relationships between particular regions,
tryingto relateproductqualityto specificplaces.A whichmayin turnbe crucialto the successandsusvery important initial finding of the RIPPLE tainabilityof regionalQPS.
RIPPLEwas developedon thebasisof a concepprojectis that,althoughrestrictedin use, regional
imageryis a methodby which some producersat- tual frameworkwhich used conceptsfromregulatemptto differentiatetheirQPS fromothersimilar tion theory,actornetworktheoryandgeographies
productsor services.However,it is rarelyused to of consumption(IlberyandKneafsey,1999). This
signify the qualityof those QPS.This createscon- guidedthe developmentof questionnairesurveys.
siderabledifficultyfor schemessuch as PDOs and Yet,in writingup resultsfromthe surveys,the coPGIs,wherethereis animplicitassumptionthatthe herenceof the conceptualframeworkwas, to a cerlinkingof productsto specificplacesis anautomat- tain extent,lost. Partly,this was becauseresearch
ic guaranteeof quality.Indeed,RIPPLEhas dem- andwritingup werecarriedoutby a diverse,interonstratedthatthe scale of "designationof origin" disciplinaryteam, membersof which carrieddifchangesas QPS are promotedfurtherafieldfrom ferentconceptualbaggagearoundwiththem.Origtheregionof production.Thus"Ostrobothnian
fur- inally,the aimwas to incorporatequalitativemethniture" is a good designation within Finland, ods into the research;this proveddifficultbecause
38
Geografiska Annaler ? 83 B (2001) ? 1
IN THERURALREGIONSOFTHEEUROPEANUNION
QUALITY,IMAGERYAND MARKETING
1) notall researchteamswereadequatelytrainedto
conductsuchresearchandanalysequalitativedata,
and2) theresearchteamsfelt theneedto collect socalled "factual"data to facilitate cross-regional
comparisons.The latterreflects,to a largedegree,
a responseto Commissionrequirements
to conduct
specificnumbersof questionnairesin each region.
In turn,the finalreportto the EuropeanCommission concentratedon presentingthesetypesof data
at the expense of more "messy"qualitativefinds
(fora moredetailedcritiqueof how policy-makers
canshapetheconstructionof academicknowledge,
see Cloke et al (1997)). While such dataallow for
a presentationof broadtrends,generalitiesanddescription(see for e.g. the similarreportingof a EuropeanCommissionprojectby Fuller(1990)),they
do not facilitate the kinds of insight and understandingthataredesired.Therewas little opportunity withinRIPPLEto explorein depththe potentially fascinatingdifferencesin the ways in which
concepts such as 'quality' and 'regional image'
wereconstructedwithindifferentculturalcontexts.
The foundationsfor suchan explorationhavebeen
laid, but a far moreintensiveapproachis required
whichcanteaseoutcomparisonsandexaminehow
such conceptsarecross-cutwith differencesrelating to place, genderandculturalidentity.
Despite these limitations,RIPPLEprovidedan
invaluablelearningexperience.At one level, it encolcouragedcross-culturalandcross-disciplinary
laborationandwas an excitingopportunityfor the
researchersinvolvedto exchangeideasanddevelop
theirskills. RIPPLEcertainlypromoteda detailed
knowledgeof problems,trendsand issues facing
theproducers,consumersandinstitutionsinvolved
in the production,promotionand consumptionof
QPSin the studyregions.Muchof thisknowledge,
however,remains"tacit",and only a fractionof it
will ever be conveyedthroughthe mediumof the
publishedword.Nevertheless,it will findpractical
expressionin the activitiesof researcherswho have
developedworkingrelationshipswith the producers and institutions.This is particularlyso in the
case of themorepolicy-orientedcentresin theRIPPLE networksuch as Teagascin Irelandand the
SeinajokiInstituteforRuralResearchandTraining
in Finland,which attemptto bridge the gap between researchand practice.Indeed, throughout
the courseof the project,consultationpanelmeetings were held with local and national experts,
practitionersandbusinesspeople, andmanypractical initiativeswere developedwhich will be incorporatedinto futureresearchof a similarnature.
Geografiska Annaler * 83 B (2001) ? 1
In all, RIPPLE raised as many questions as it answered, which can hopefully contribute to the development of new research agendas relating to the
development of QPS in lagging regions. At the
broadest level, the project confirms the need to develop better conceptual and methodological tools
for dealing with comparisons between places. It
also highlights the continuing challenge of conceptualizing both macro- and micro-level processes
and the interlinkages between them.
Acknowledgements
This paper arises out of a programme of collaborative research by the following: the Departments of
Geography at the Universities of Coventry (co-ordinator), Leicester, Lancaster, Caen, Valencia, Galway and Trinity College Dublin; the Scottish Agricultural College (Aberdeen); Institute of Rural
Studies (Aberystwyth); CEMAGREF (Clermont
Ferrand); Teagasc (Dublin); Department of Economics (University of Patras); and Seinajoki Institute for Rural Research and Training (University of
Helsinki). Particularthanks are offered to our colleagues in Greece and Finland for the case study
material presented in this paper. The research was
funded under the EU's FAIR Programme (FAIR3CT96-1827).
Brian Ilbery, Professor of Human Geography,
Moya Kneafsey, Research Fellow in Human Geography, Department of Geography, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, United
Kingdom.
Anu Sdderlund, Researcher, University of Vaasa,
Department of Marketing, PO Box 700 (Wolffintie
34), FIN-65101 VAASA.
Efthalia Dimara, Assistant Professor in Agricultural Statistics and Information Technology, Department of Economics, University of Patras,
Greece.
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