Doctoral School Sustainable Development - Relevance of Social Networks for the successful Implementation of Innovative Practices. A Qualitative Research Analysis by the Case of Care Farming in Austria and the Netherlands
Abstract
Agriculture faces a major change which includes a decline of farming population. Technical progress, stress of competition through the globalisation of markets, and the reorganisation of agricultural policy leads to big challenges for agricultural population (WIESINGER, 2005). There is a tendency of a reorientation regarding the politics of subsidies from a sectoral to a regional approach (HÄGER und KIRSCHKE, 2007) and from a top down to a bottom up approach. Considering the decrease of agricultural subsidies within Europe it is of increasing importance to reorganise farming businesses. A lot of scientific work illustrates the significance of the emerging multifunctional agriculture (VAN HUYLENBROECK et al., 2003; RANDALL, 2002; KNICKEL und RENTING, 2000). Conventional agricultural tasks are re-evaluated and new fields of activity develop. Furthermore, farmers now fulfil tasks which make cooperation with different economic sectors necessary (energy production, care farming, agricultural tourism and so forth). Care farms, like agricultural tourism or didactic farms, is an example of multifunctional agriculture. As an analytical frame the theory of structuration will be used (GIDDENS, 1988). Furthermore, as a middle range theory the theory of “social innovations” will be applied. The research questions will be investigated with a qualitative methodological design.
keywords Social Innovation Cooperation Social Networks
Publikationen
Project staff
Bernhard Freyer
Univ.-Prof. i.R. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.Ing. Bernhard Freyer
bernhard.freyer@boku.ac.at
Project Leader
01.03.2007 - 31.01.2010
Michael Pregernig
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Mag.rer.soc.oec. Michael Pregernig
michael.pregernig@boku.ac.at
Sub Projectleader
01.03.2007 - 31.01.2010