Networking Entrepreneruship in High Quality Agri-Food: The Case of Olive Oil Production in Apulia

Networking entrepreneurs stimulate the growth of the group through the reinforcement of the relations among the firms involved. The opportunity to work in clusters is particularly necessary for SMEs, which always have a low power, especially for those who work in a low technological sector. Italy is characterized by a massive presence of small and medium enterprises, organized in districts or networks. Despite the economic crisis, some of these groups are able to survive and score positive performances both locally and abroad. In this work we investigate the olive-oil biological sector, which is able to tow the Apulian economy based on its vocation. This sector shows a trend in network formation. Moreover, from an entrepreneurial point of view, such a strategy brings advantages both for the single unit and the group. This study aims at investigating the effect of the network on firm performances, considering the identity of the network and its social interactions. We believe that the entrepreneur advantages in supporting network necessity are relevant factors for a network identity. The common factors are the entrepreneurial culture and social contacts of the team.