The specificity of knowledge management in the food industry in Poland

83 1, XX, 2017 Business Adminis a ion and Managemen DOI: 10.15240/ ul/001/2017-1-006 In oduc ion Knowledge managemen is p esen ly o speci i c in e es o economis s dealing wi h co po a e go e nance, as o e he las ou decades hey ha e no ed a lack o in l uence o he adi ional ac o s o compe i i e ad an age due o he g owing impac o global p ocesses, di usion o inno a ion and he widesp ead up ake o mode n echnologies in p oduc ion p ocesses. In o ma ion and knowledge, which a e elemen a y esou ces o he blossoming o socie ies unc ioning on a mode n basis, hei economies, and mos o all companies, a e inc easingly impo an o de elopmen . Since Poland’s accession o he EU, manage s o en e p ises ha e a emp ed o posi ion hem on he ma ke , using mos ly adi ional, p ice- cos sou ces o compe i i e ad an age, which can ce ainly be bene i cial in he ini ial pe iod, bu i will no help o build solid ounda ions o compe i i eness in he u u e. Educa ion and he de elopmen o in eg a ed se s o di e se, unique skills, c ucially a ec ing he alue o cus ome s (Pie scionek & Ju ek-S ępień, 2006), a e conside ed o be he mos impo an o hem. Imp o ing compe i i eness should ake he in e - ela ionships and dependencies a ising om he implemen a ion o inno a i e p ocesses, c ea ing o ganisa ional aspec s o managemen in he p ocesses o mode niza ion and e i aliza ion o en e p ises in o accoun (Fi lej, 2012). A knowledge-based economy, which inc easingly equi es esea ch on he social sciences, o he mos pa o s eng hen he ac i i ies o indi idual en ep eneu s, should be conside ed as he economy cu en ly in o ce (Fi lej & Rydz, 2012a). 1. O e iew o Li e a u e Economics heo is s poin ou ha he global economy is in he age o in o ma ion and knowledge, which occu ed a e he ag a ian and indus ial e olu ion. A. To l e de i nes he cu en pe iod as he e a associa ed wi h he eme gence o mode n echnologies using unlimi ed communica ion be ween indi iduals, which enabled he de elopmen o se ices and he mo e away om mass p oduc ion. P. D ucke , who p edic ed he o ma ion o a new ype o socie y – “knowledge socie y”, and wi h i he knowledge-based economy, also p esen ed his posi ion. Wha e e you call he now eme ging social mac os uc u es ( he ollowing e ms a e in e changeable: he ne wo k socie y, he knowledge socie y, digi al socie y, pos -indus ial socie y), and he undamen al changes aking place concu en ly in he economy, i mus be no ed - ha knowledge is cen ally loca ed in he place o changes (Fi lej & Żmija, 2014). Knowledge is designed o con ibu e o he de elopmen o he socie y, imp o e he compe i i eness o he economy, and should also help o achie e be e esul s o companies and an inc ease in hei alue. The ma ke economy began o impose new ules o ac ion on a me s and ag i- ood sec o companies, as a esul o which economic ca ego ies such as: compe i ion, e i ciency and p o i (Fi lej & Rydz, 2012b) ha e gained key impo ance. The chosen a ea o s udy in his pape is he en e p ises o he ood indus y, in which he same mechanisms a ec compe i ion on he ma ke , as in o he sec o s o he economy. Un o una ely, he ag ibusiness sec o in Poland, in which he ood indus y sec o plays a majo ole, is conside ed by OECD me hodology s anda ds as a low- ech sec o . Howe e , i s unc ioning is dependen on inno a i eness, he in oduc ion o new p oduc and p ocess solu ions and mode n echnologies. Possibili ies in he a ea o ob aining in o ma ion and access o he wo ld’s knowledge s eng hens he p oduc i e THE SPECIFICITY OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN POLAND K zysz o Fi lej, Da iusz Żmija EM_1_2017.indd 83EM_1_2017.indd 83 13.3.2017 16:58:5113.3.2017 16:58:51 84 2017, XX, 1 Ekonomika a managemen po en ial o he ood indus y in Poland, as well as is enables he ongoing mode niza ion and es uc u ing ha lead o change. The ood indus y is cha ac e ized by an excep ional, almos unique speci i ci y, which is mani es ed in dependence on many mac o- and mic oeconomic ac o s. The implemen a ion o mode n echnological solu ions based on knowledge ans e and di usion o inno a ion has become a sou ce o compe i i eness o en e p ises in he ood indus y, no only in Poland bu also on he in e na ional a ena. Knowledge plays a special and impo an ole in he de elopmen o any indus y and i is “in o ma ion, skills in some a ea acqui ed h ough lea ning, li e expe ience, e c., as well as a esou ce o news o he domain and abili y o become awa e o some hing” (Słownik, 1996). Manage s o ood indus y companies o en wonde how o manage knowledge and inno a ion in o de o make op imal use o hei capabili ies, as well as c ea e he igh condi ions o hei de elopmen . The implemen a ion o hese plans can p omo e he p ope use o knowledge ha will enable he iden i i ca ion and implemen a ion o necessa y inno a ion, leading o s able de elopmen in he long e m (Fi lej, 2008). C ea i i y de eloping inno a i e p ocesses aises he le el o an en e p ise’s compe i i eness. The in e - ela ionships and dependencies occu ing in ca ying ou he p ocesses o inno a ion, c ea ing o ganisa ional aspec s o managemen in he p ocesses o mode niza ion and e i aliza ion o he ope a ion o en e p ises should be conside ed as necessa y o aise he le el o ha compe i i eness. 2. Fac ual Ma e ial, Pu pose and Resea ch Me hodology Since 2000, he ood indus y in Poland has expe ienced a pe iod o p ospe i y, as wi h he accession o he Eu opean Union in 2004, he ba ie s o Polish p oduc s disappea ed, allowing o he expo o ood and encou aged p oduce s o inc ease p oduc ion. As A. Kowalski no es, cold mea s, cheeses, ui s and swee s ha e become p oduc s sough a e due o hei p ice, which was he esul o lowe p oduc ion cos s, and lowe aw ma e ials as well as inc easing he quali y le el o he p oduc , as he e ec o mode nizing he ood p oduc s sec o . Cu en ly, apa om ag icul u e, he ood indus y is he p ima y depa men ag ibusiness sec o in ou coun y and one o he as es g owing, and i s g ow h a e is dependen on he a e o economic g ow h (U ban, 2010). In he yea s 2000-2013 he s uc u e o he economy was changing, as he subsequen ans o ma ion o p i a iza ion occu ed, a majo i y o he companies we e mode nized, which esul ed in he ac i a ion o he p o- ma ke beha iou , as well as he main enance o he high posi ion o he na ional economy on he in e na ional a ena (Fi lej, 2010). The ag i- ood indus y is di ided in o he ollowing sec o s (acco ding o he Eu opean Classi i ca ion o Economic Ac i i ies in oduced in 1991): 1. The p ocessing and p ese ing o mea and p oduc ion o mea p oduc s; 2. The p ocessing and p ese ing o i sh and i sh p oduc s; 3. The p ocessing and p ese ing o ui and ege ables; 4. The manu ac u e and animal oils and a s; 5. The manu ac u e o dai y p oduc s; 6. Manu ac u e o g ain mill p oduc s, s a ches and s a ch p oduc s; 7. Manu ac u e o bake y and a inaceous p oduc s; 8. Manu ac u e o o he ood p oduc s; 9. Manu ac u e o be e ages. To illus a e he accep ed esea ch, he o al numbe o o ganisa ional uni s o he ood indus y in Poland we e aken, meaning a comple e lis o companies om he REGON [Na ional Business En i y Regis e ] as a 30 Oc obe 2012, which, acco ding o he Polish Classi i ca ion o Economic Ac i i ies (PKD 2007) a e classi i ed as Sec ion C Manu ac u ing, Chap e 10 Manu ac u e o ood p oduc s, Chap e 11 Manu ac u e o be e ages and Chap e 12 Manu ac u e o obacco p oduc s. 3. Subjec s and S udy A ea and Thei Cha ac e is ics A ep esen a i e sample o en i ies o he s udy popula ion was based on a p obabilis ic (simple andom) sampling echniques. P ac ical analy ical es s we e pe o med in he ques ionnai e su ey. By using andom sampling echniques i s ep esen a i eness was p o ided, which au ho ized a e e ence o he conclusions d awn om he esea ch o he en i e s udy popula ion. Then, he minimum sample size was de e mined using he ollowing o mula (Sz ede , 2004): EM_1_2017.indd 84EM_1_2017.indd 84 13.3.2017 16:58:5113.3.2017 16:58:51 85 1, XX, 2017 Business Adminis a ion and Managemen n = zα/2 . ^ p . (1 – ^ p) . N 2 zα/2 . ^ p . (1 – ^ p) + (N – 1) . d2 2 (1) whe e: zα/2 – he alue o he andom a iable Z wi h s anda dized no mal dis ibu ion, o which, P(|Z|≤ zα/2) = 1 – α ^ p – sample ac ion, p – unknown, es ima ed ac ion in he popula ion, N – popula ion size, d – s a is ical e o . In de e mining he minimum sample size he ini ial sampling was d opped and he alue maximizing ^ p X (1 – ^ p) was adop ed o ^ p. This mo e ensu es ha ega dless o he ac ual alue o he es ima ed ac ion o he popula ion, he calcula ed sample size n will be su i cien , o ensu e ha es ima ion o ^ p will no be di e en om p mo e han ± d. In iew o he ac ha he maximum o he abo e esul he in e al [0,1] is 0.5, he o mula (1) will ha e he o m: n = 0.25 . zα/2 . N 2 0.25 . zα/2 + (N – 1) . d2 2 (2) Also, he maximum e o o s a is ical esul s was adop ed in he ange ± 5%, and he ac ha i will be calcula ed a a con i dence le el o 0.9. Wi h he help o equa ion (2) he su i cien minimum sample size was de e mined (33,662 business en i ies – 267 su eyed companies). The p obabilis ic sample selec ion echnique allowed o he calcula ion o he 330 companies ha we e selec ed o he s udy, o which 267 sen ques ionnai e we e comple ed co ec ly. The aim o his s udy was o examine he issue o knowledge managemen , which u ns ou o be one o he ein o cing elemen s imp o ing he compe i i eness le el o he o ganisa ional uni s o he ood indus y in Poland. A emp s we e made o iden i y ela ions be ween expendi u es incu ed on knowledge managemen , and an inc ease in he compe i i eness o hese uni s. The au ho s o he s udy sough o e i y he ollowing esea ch hypo hesis: he ans e o knowledge and i s p ope conside a ion o he adap a ion o he exis ing en i onmen al condi ions a ec pe manen ly inc ease he compe i i eness o en e p ises o he ood indus y in Poland. Based on he conduc ed esea ch, we sough o de e mine he ex en o which knowledge, in o ma ion and hei quali y a e use ul in achie ing success by ood business ope a o s, wha a e signi i can ac o s ein o cing success, how success ul he ma ke is s eng hened by i s echnology and mode n in o ma ion echnology, whe e is posi ioned in ellec ual capi al and co po a e ac ions when i comes o gene a ing compe i i e ood businesses, as well as managemen cul u e, o ganisa ional clima e, and he alue o social esponsibili y. The ini ial ask o he ex ensi e esea ch on he issues o knowledge managemen in he ood indus y en e p ises in Poland we e analyses o ood companies lis ed on he Wa saw S ock Exchange WIG Food Sub-index ca ied ou in 2007. Then he oppo uni ies and s eng hs o knowledge managemen in he s udied companies we e e i i ed, and esea ch showed ha :  Knowledge, in o ma ion, and hei quali y and imeliness a e ein o cing ac o s o a business’ success, which is exp essed in inc easing hei compe i i eness and be e ma ke posi ion.  The use o in o ma ion echnology in he cu en unc ioning o he company assis s in he use quali i ca ions and skills in a s uc u ed way, and o manage he capi al held.  The alue o he company, high posi ioned in ellec ual capi al and co po a e ac ions (due o i s well designed and unc ioning sys em o co po a e go e nance can ensu e he a ge ed p ospec s o he de elopmen o he capi al ma ke , which will ansla e in o he de elopmen o he whole economy).  In building a compe i i e i m, managing he o ganisa ional cul u e and clima e, and high social esponsibili y ole o he o ganisa ion should be deemed as essen ial (Fi lej, 2008). On he o he hand, a s udy conduc ed in 2012 and 2013 yea on a selec g oup o 267 ood businesses ela ed o he e i i ca ion o such issues as:  Knowledge o he company, indica ing i s sou ces used.  De e mina ion o he sui abili y o ac i i ies ha suppo he acquisi ion and ans e o knowledge which is o ha e been implemen ed in companies in he las 5 yea s. EM_1_2017.indd 85EM_1_2017.indd 85 13.3.2017 16:58:5113.3.2017 16:58:51 86 2017, XX, 1 Ekonomika a managemen  An indica ion o he sys ems and ools a e used in companies, which a e aising he e ec i eness o managemen expe ise.  Cla i i ca ion o whe he he company has a s a egy o de elopmen in he o m o a documen and whe he issues ela ed o knowledge managemen a e de e mined in i .  Ve i i ca ion i he company incu ed in es men s in he las 5 yea s ela ed o he implemen a ion o knowledge managemen elemen s.  E alua ion o he e ec s ha en e p ise knowledge managemen b ings.  De e mina ion o he le el o unding alloca ed by he company o knowledge managemen in he ollowing yea s.  Indica ion o whe he knowledge manage- men has helped o imp o e he economic pe o mance o he en e p ise.  Examina ion whe he knowledge manage- men has con ibu ed o he inc ease in he alue o sales o he company.  Examina ion whe he knowledge manage- men has con ibu ed o he inc ease in u no e o he company.  Examina ion whe he knowledge manage- men has con ibu ed o he expansion o ma ke s. The s udy began by iden i ying he economic si ua ion in which he ood businesses ound hemsel es in he pe iod om 2007-2012. In he analysed pe iod, he companies ope a ing in he ood indus y skil ully used he possibili y o ob aining unds om he EU s uc u al unds. Businesses had a ange o Ope a ional P og ammes a hei disposal, he mos impo an o which included: 5 na ional Ope a ional P og ammes – In as uc u e and En i onmen , Inno a i e Economy, Human Capi al, De elopmen o Eas e n Poland, Technical Assis ance; 16 Regional Ope a ional P og ammes; Eu opean Regional Coope a ion p og ammes. The g ea ad an age was he abili y o ake ad an age o CIT exemp ions ( a e 19%), as well as he a ailabili y o a ou able condi ions in e ms o doing business in he Special Economic Zones in sepa a e egions o Poland. Businesses ake ad an age o income ax exemp ions, which amoun o abou 30-50% o hei in es men , o Fig. 1: Loca ion o su eyed companies in % acco ding o he size o he popula ion Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch EM_1_2017.indd 86EM_1_2017.indd 86 13.3.2017 16:58:5213.3.2017 16:58:52 87 1, XX, 2017 Business Adminis a ion and Managemen he wo-yea employmen cos s - depending on which is highe . In addi ion, hey also apply o he exemp ion om p ope y ax, which is o en used by he new en ep eneu s. P esen ing he su eyed companies i was calcula ed ha mos o hem ha e ope a ed on he ma ke o mo e han 20 yea s (30.7%), 20.2% unc ioned in he anges o 11-15 yea s and 16-20 yea s, 16.1% unc ioned in he ange o 6-10 yea s and 12.7%in he ange o 0-5 yea s. The s udy in ol ed 65% o companies, in which had headqua e s in he ci y and 35% in u al a eas. In e es ing esul s we e ob ained by asking abou he size o he place in which he company ope a es, since mos o hem we e loca ed in he smalles owns wi h a popula ion o less han 5 housand esiden s (40.1%) and in ci ies wi h a popula ion o 100,000 and abo e (23.6%). This ep esen ed a o al o 63.7%, which is almos 2/3 o he o al popula ion, and he emaining 1/3 (26.3%) was comp ised o companies om owns wi h a popula ion be ween 5 housand o 99,000 esiden s (Fig. 1). The p esen s udy also de e mined he ac i i y o hypo he ical ma ke o businesses. I should be no ed ha esponden s hemsel es de e mined he ex en o hei company’s ac i i ies, which was o ob ain in o ma ion on he exis ing ma ke , as well as commen on he possibili y o ob aining new ma ke s. The esul s ob ained showed ha he la ges numbe o companies si ua e hei ac i i ies in he egion (28.8%), ollowed by he coun y (22.1%), he po ia s (18.7%) and municipali ies (16.5%). Un o una ely, only 13.9% o esponden s indica ed ha hei company’s ac i i ies a e on in e na ional ma ke s (Fig. 2). The owne ship s uc u e o he su eyed en e p ises (Fig. 4), in which he p i a e domes ic en e p ises occupied he dominan posi ion (87.6%) and o eign p i a e p ope y (7.5%) was e y in e es ing. P ope y belonging o he ci ies and illages (3.4%), he S a e T easu y (0.7%) and o he (0.7%) can be ea ed as an insigni i can pa o ma ke . This ype o business s uc u e o ma ion indica es e y s ong p i a iza ion o ood indus y en e p ises, which in he new eali y o he EU ha e chosen a clea pa h di ec ed o submi o he gene ally applicable mechanisms o he ee ma ke . The pe iod o ou coun y’s membe ship in he EU s uc u es a ou ed he p i a iza ion pa icula ly o small and medium-sized en e p ises in he ag i- ood sec o , which p o ided hem wi h he no mal unc ioning on he ma ke and he eme gence o new oppo uni ies in capi al in l ows, and abo e all he use o he i nancial esou ces o he Eu opean Union s uc u al unds. In he s udied pe iod he legal o m o companies also changed. The changes we e mo e a ou able o hem and mo e adequa e o Fig. 2: Decla ed ma ke a ea Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch EM_1_2017.indd 87EM_1_2017.indd 87 13.3.2017 16:58:5213.3.2017 16:58:52 88 2017, XX, 1 Ekonomika a managemen Fig. 3: Decla ed owne ship s uc u e Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch Fig. 4: B anches o s udied en e p ises Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch EM_1_2017.indd 88EM_1_2017.indd 88 13.3.2017 16:58:5213.3.2017 16:58:52 89 1, XX, 2017 Business Adminis a ion and Managemen he cu en ma ke condi ions. Ci il pa ne ships (22.5%) and limi ed liabili y companies (22.5%), and o he legal o ms, which we e up o 20.6%, we e deemed as he mos popula . A join s ock company (15%) and gene al pa ne ship (13.1%) as he a e age sha e in he ypes o legal o ms. Coope a i es, which amoun o 5.6% and limi ed pa ne ships 0.7% (Fig. 3) made up he smalles amoun s. The ollowing indus ies pa icipa ed in his s udy: ui and ege ables (24%), con ec ione y (20.2%), mea (19.1%), dai y (9.7%), pas y p oduc s (6%), bake y (4.1%), non-alcoholic be e ages (0.7%), co ee and ea p ocessing (0.4%), mille (0.4%), odde (0.4%), obacco (0.4%), i sh (0.4%), alcohol (0.4%) and o he (13.9%). The o he g oup included companies ha we e no able o accu a ely de e mine hei leading sec o , as hei ac i i ies ela ed o he mos wo o mo e b anches (Fig. 4). Taking in o accoun he c i e ion o he su eyed companies, i is clea ha mos o hem a e conside ed as medium (88%) and la ge (12%). Medium-sized en e p ises a e hose ha employ on a e age less han 250 ull- ime employees and ha e an annual u no e no exceeding EUR 50 million o an annual balance shee o al no exceeding EUR 43 million. La ge en e p ises a e hose ha employ on a e age mo e han 250 ull- ime employees and an annual u no e exceeding EUR 50 million o an annual balance shee o al exceeding EUR 43 million. 4. The Resul s o he Resea ch in he A ea o Knowledge Managemen in he Polish Food Indus y In o de o in es iga e he sou ces o knowledge, which he company can bene i om, as well as use in he cu en ac i i ies, hey we e ini ially selec ed in he ex e nal en i onmen , whe e i was no ed among new employees and acqui ed companies, s a egic in es o s, as well as om benchma king (Fig. 5). The s a emen s o he esponden s con i med he possibili y o ob aining knowledge om new employees. Based on ou esul s, i was ound ha in ood indus y en e p ises, sou ces o knowledge de i ed om new employees can be e y use ul (16.20%) and use ul (49.80%). This shows he g ea in e es o companies ec ui ing pe sonnel, in oducing new ypes o knowledge in o he companies, which in he u u e may ansla e in o gene a ed p o i s. Ne e heless, 1/3 o he esponden s conside ed hese sou ces no e y use ul o he ope a ion o companies (27.30%) and 6.70% had no opinion on his subjec . Sou ces o knowledge de i ed om he acqui ed companies we e e alua ed qui e di e en ly, as li le mo e han a qua e o he esponden s assessed hem posi i ely. They we e assessed as e y use ul by 7.8% and use ul by 19.9%, bu o li le use by 54.3%. A ela i ely la ge g oup, as many as 18% o he esponden s had no opinion on he subjec . This beha iou is qui e con o e sial in ood businesses, as an inno a i e app oach o me ge s and acquisi ions ecommends e en aking o e companies along wi h hei in ellec ual esou ces, which should be used o achie e he company’s goals. The sou ces o knowledge de i ed om s a egic in es o s ha e been assessed as e y use ul (13.8%) and use ul (31.5%), which accoun ed o less han hal o he esponden s. As many as 54.7% o he esponden s el hese sou ces a e o li le use (41.2%) and 13.5% o hem had no opinion on he ma e . One may ques ion whe he such a look a he sou ces o knowledge de i ed om he s a egic in es o is he p e e ed solu ion o he ood business. The s a egic in es o , in addi ion o he acquisi ion o a signi i can s ake in he company, should ha e signi i can in l uence on i s managemen , which should signi i can ly be suppo ed by he possessed in ellec ual capi al, know-how, skills and expe ience gained. The s a egic in es o should e en ake ca e o he ans e o echnical skills, concep ual, poli ical and in e pe sonal skills o he company, on which hey spend pa o hei esou ces. In p ac ice, in he unc ioning o he ood businesses in mos cases, pa icipa ion in he managemen o he company is limi ed o he ans e o a ce ain amoun o i nancial esou ces and he wi hd awal o he co esponding bene i s. In aking benchma ks in o conside a ion, ood businesses see many oppo uni ies in he de elopmen o his b anch. I s pa in he ag i- ood sec o is a measu able de i ni ion o aw ma e ial pu chase cos s o sa ings in he p oduc ion phase. Among he esponden s, 6.7% o esponden s conside ed i s use o be “ e y use ul”, and 30% “use ul”. As many as 48.7% conside i s use as being o li le use, and 14.6% ha e had no opinion on his subjec . In u he o de , an a emp was made o assess he sou ces o used knowledge EM_1_2017.indd 89EM_1_2017.indd 89 13.3.2017 16:58:5213.3.2017 16:58:52 90 2017, XX, 1 Ekonomika a managemen s emming om he coope a ion wi h supplie s and cus ome s (Fig. 6). The esul s o his s udy showed ha he ood business en ep eneu s highly app ecia e any coope a ion wi h hem in his ega d. In he case o co-ope a ion wi h supplie s, i was a ed as e y use ul by 65.9% o he esponden s, and in he case o coope a ion wi h cus ome s – 73.4%, wha clea ly demons a ed ha his is he highes o m o coope a ion among e alua ed knowledge sou ces used. These sou ces we e ound use ul by 28.5% o he esponden s in he case o coope a ion wi h supplie s, and 22.5% o coope a ion wi h cus ome s. Minu e numbe s e e ed o his o m o coope a ion as “no use ul” (2.6% and 2.6% espec i ely), and some did no ha e an opinion (3% and 1.5%). Poo e esul s we e ob ained when es ing companies ega ding hei collabo a ion wi h uni e si ies o esea ch cen es. Un o una ely his coope a ion is no e y popula among esponden s, as only 2.5% conside ed i o be e y use ul o he cu en ope a ion and de elopmen o en e p ises and 15.4% as help ul. As many as 65.2% conside ed his coope a ion o be o li le use, and 16.9% did no ha e hei own opinion. Businesses, howe e , decla ed hei willingness o coope a e in he implemen a ion o p ojec s, especially co- i nanced by he Eu opean Union, wi h local go e nmen s, o he c ea ion o uni e si y companies in o de o comme cialize he esul s o esea ch and de elopmen (Fig. 7). Simila esul s we e ob ained in e alua ing coope a ion by he en e p ises wi h consul ing companies, whe e only 4.4% o he esponden s conside ed his o be e y use ul, and 25.5% as help ul. Mo e han hal o he esponden s, as Fig. 5: Sou ces o knowledge de i ed om new employees o he acqui ed companies, s a egic in es o s and benchma king Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch EM_1_2017.indd 90EM_1_2017.indd 90 13.3.2017 16:58:5213.3.2017 16:58:52 91 1, XX, 2017 Business Adminis a ion and Managemen many as 56.6% conside ed he coope a ion o be o li le use and 13.5% had no opinion on his subjec . F om he s a emen s and opinions o esponden s on his opic, i can be concluded ha his kind o coope a ion does no ully mee he needs o p oduce s who equen ly i nd hei ma ke insigh s o be su i cien o hei needs. Responden s assessed he need o conduc ing ma ke esea ch in a di e en manne , as esponden s in Poland gene ally iew hem as s eng hening hei in o ma ion needs and es eem impac ing he di ec ion o he asso men p oduc ion. Ab oad, pa icula ly in he Uni ed S a es, ood and human nu i ion has been he subjec o many o esigh s udies, in which expe s con inually e iew ends in in e na ional ade in ood and c ea e de elopmen scena ios ha a e used in he es ablishing he company’s p oduc ion plans o he ag i- ood sec o and companies engaged in he wholesale o ood. Among he esponden s, 33.4% a ed he s udy as e y use ul, and 36.3% as use ul, which ep esen s almos 70% o esponden s. The emaining esponden s ecognized ma ke esea ch as o li le use o 24.3%, and 6% had no opinion on his subjec (Fig. 8). Responden s we e also asked o exp ess hei opinion on hei own esea ch and de elopmen depa men . Many o hem Fig. 6: Sou ces o knowledge de i ed om supplie s, cus ome s Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch Fig. 7: Sou ces o knowledge de i ed om coope a ion wi h uni e si ies o esea ch ins i u es and consul ing companies Sou ce: own s udy based on esea ch EM_1_2017.indd 91EM_1_2017.indd 91 13.3.2017 16:58:5313.3.2017 16:58:53