Diapositive 1

1
Mid-management of innovation in French
Agricultural RD system
Experience and learning from an
inter-organizational applied research project
Marc BARBIER ( INRA SADAPT - France ) et Valérie
WEBER-HADDAD ( APCA Paris - France )
With the collaboration of the participants to the
project ACTA/MAAPAR/MNRT 2001-2004  Icta-Acta
 Formes d intervention des ICTA dans les
processus d innovation  -
1. Context. The French RD system for
agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and
Fishery , research organizations, technical
institutes, extension services, and also RD of
Agro-industries and biotechnology firms) is under
a pressure of changes. Many dimensions of this
system are concerned effects of globalization
and food market dynamics on farm production,
reform of financial public supports, public
controversies and challenges about biotechnology,
territorialization and multi-functionality of
agricultural activities and demography of the
sector. In this context, the 19 agricultural
technical institutes (ICTA) and the Association
(ACTA) which co-ordinates transversal projects
between them are facing different challenges, one
of them being the management of innovation. In
this context a research project on innovation
processes (2001-2003) was coordinated by ACTA
with the participation of 3 ICTA and the
methodological support of INRA and Ecole des
mines de Paris.
2. Arena for the LEARNing Project. This project
on innovation process in agriculture with
Mid-managers of RD project from Agricultural
Technical Institutes was connected with the
LEARNing project knowing that the participants
were involved in an empirical approach of what
is an innovation processes that could have
effect in terms of knowing and learning. Issue
raised in the ACTA project for the LEARNing
Project perspective. To engage the Mid-managers
in discussions about the organizational aspects
of ICTA activities that are engaged in innovation
processes with a view to question how the
practices of innovation could be an issue for
strategic management. Objective for the LEARNing
project. To identify the relevance, the interest
and the possibilities of issuing some research
questions about the management of innovation
process in industrialized agricultures.
3. Situation for Learning (see figure 1). .
First order learning according to the
mobilization of social sciences methodology in
the realization of case-studies of innovation
processes in agriculture. . Second order
learning consisting in achieving the expansion of
the knowledge acquired in the team to each
organization participating to the project.
4. Learning and expanding from the
project Mid-managers of Ictas involved in the
Acta project realized a sort of journey in
knowing more about innovation process (1st order
learning at the team level, see figure 2). A
reflexive assessment of the Acta Project shows
that the team achieved a good range of knowledge
and developed capacities of analysis in this
field thanks to methodological learning. The
methodology of cross-cutting case-studies also
allowed mid-managers to work on innovation
process in others ICTA. This was clearly
identified as a collective learning within the
team with positive effects on envisioning
capacities in RD networks.
Figure 2.
Co-ordination of partners based on shared values
Co-ordination of partners based on agreement
Learning about methods of sociology of innovation
Knowing more about innovation process
Expectation about functioning
Knowledge about innovation management
Expectation about objectives realization
Institutional Recommendations
Legend Learning 1st order
learning at the team level
Nevertheless this project did not really succeed
in capturing the attention of ICTAs managers and
officers. Recommendations and case-studies have
not been valorized as expected outside the limit
of the project and despite the recognition of the
fact that communicating about innovation was
initially put as a challenge. Moreover, the
possibility of such an expansion of learning
within ICTAs appeared particularly difficult to
put on the agenda ICTAS despite some LEARNing
Project incentives and proposals. The objective
for the LEARNing project to enhance a collective
approach of issues about strategic management of
innovation did not follow.

• 5. Towards a Research agenda about LEARNing in
  industrialized agricultures
• Three research issues to be put on the agenda of
  LEARNing
• Knowing more about the meaning of innovation for
  Mid Managers and managers of RD and Extension
  organization is needed.
• Knowing more about the diversity of activities of
  Technical Institutes within the institutions of
  RD and within social networks of practitioners
  has to be acknowledged.
• Knowing more about managerial settings and tools
  for RD that are existing within this kind of
  organizations in their network of daily
  activities since the design of human and
  technical agency which is requested to shape
  innovation is largely muddled by such settings.
• An emerging paradox Why RD organization do
  not really want to learn from their own
  practices of managing innovation processes
  despite the managerial fashion in public
  administration and organizations remains a
  research question. Our hypothesis is that the
  translation of business management practices,
  designed specifically to increase profit and
  efficiency in agricultural RD is not
  particularly considered as completely - or
  necessarily- relevant according to the nature of
  innovation processes in French RD agricultural
  system.

Contact barbier_at_grignon.inra.fr