Dr Nathaniel Massa’s international research collaboration with Prof Valeska Geldres-Wiess and others forms basis for food sector policy recommendations presented at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Science, Technology and Innovation Think Tank
Drawing on research findings from various publications and collaboration initiatives undertaken with Dr Nathaniel Massa from the Department of Business & Enterprise Management and other international scholars; Professor Valeska Geldres-Weiss from the Universidad de la Frontera, Chile recently participated as a speaker in the APEC forum: Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Think Tanks Dialogue.
The forum is part of the APEC PPSTI 052021 project entitled: “Strengthen APEC Think Tank Cooperation on STI Strategy to Enhance Recovery Featured with innovation, inclusion and sustainability”. Dr. Valeska Geldres Weiss participated in the discussion session on the topic: How Does Think Tank Contribute to STI Policy Making: Practice and Experience.
The recommendations presented were based on the results of their latest research, together with leading national and international researchers, from research initiatives focused on food exports from Chile’s La Araucanía region; as well as international and sustainability challenges Chilean companies face each other in existing and propsective destination markets.
Valeska, is currrently also engaging Dr Zhang from the Department of International Economics & Trade of the Jinan University in China.
For the food export sector, the formulation of STI policies should address: the need for advice for exporters in in relation to Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) for entry to international markets; recognition of the importance of behavior patterns and consumers perception in relation to sustainability in food; promotion mechanisms that strengthen the evaluation and measurement of sustainability throughout the value chain; and specifically in the case of China, the need to strengthen technological cooperation with the agri-food industry.
The following research initiatives undertaken by the international team of expert researchers and scholars provided basis for the recommendations put forward:
- FOVI210039: Diagnostic tool for sustainability challenges for processed foods exported from the La Araucanía region. Contest to promote international links for regional research institutions. National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) Chile. With Berta Schnettler Morales, University of La Frontera; Carolina Nicolás Alarcón, University of Santiago de Chile; Nathaniel Massa, University of Malta, Malta; and Jaume Gil Lafuente, University of Barcelona. Lead researcher: Valeska Geldres Weiss.
- COVID0364. Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the export competitiveness of food companies in the southern macro zone of Chile. Contest for the Rapid Assignment of Resources for Research Projects on Coronavirus (COVID-19) year 2020. National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) Chile. With Joaquín Monreal-Pérez, University of Murcia; Nathaniel Massa, University of Malta, Malta; and Hemant Merchant, University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, USA. Lead researcher: Valeska Geldres Weiss.
- Geldres-Weiss, V.V., Massa, N.P., Nicolas, C., & Dingli, J. 2022. Navigating and selecting voluntary sustainability standards to compete internationally in food exports. 4th Nordic International Business, Export Marketing, Int. Entrepreneurship & Tourism Conference 2022 (NIB-EM, IE&T Conference 2022) 5th -6th November 2022.
- Nicolas, C., & Geldres-Weiss, V. V. 2023. Business and management research trends of sustainability assessment in the food sector. British Food Journal, 125(13), 220-236. DOI 10.1108/BFJ-06-2022-0528.
- Zhang, J., Geldres-Weiss, V.V., Heredia, J. Latin America's Export Trade Prospect of Agricultural Products to China. Contemporary Economics (paper accepted for publication, 2023).