Technological clusters as a hub for the innovation: from the theoretical model to an Italian regional case study in the agrifood sector

Innovations are necessary for growth and competitiveness. Although agrifood production represents a pillar of Italian economy, it suffers a low propensity towards innovation. In line with current EU policy strategies, the creation of regional clusters promotes the innovation in order to increase the competitiveness of companies. This work aims to investigate the needs for innovation among SMEs in Italy, through a survey conducted on a regional cluster in Marche Region. Findings show a clear propensity of companies to innovate, although they face some structural constraints. Improving quality in each step of the supply chain is found to be the most relevant demand for innovation, being a successful strategy both for companies to compete in the global market and for the regional development.