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Neda Bani Asdi, Davood Samari, Seyed Jamal Farajullah Hosseini, Maryam Omidi Najafabadi,
Volume 10, Issue 37 (12-2021)
Abstract

Introduction
 Agricultural processing industries are groups in which an agricultural product is transformed to achieve better consumption, better supply and increase economic value. Thus the nature of both primary and secondary products are the same, but compared to the raw material, the final product is totally novel. Establishment of processing and complementary industries has positive and significant effects on strengthening the rural economy, which enhances the level and variety of products and preserves agricultural lands and rural landscape. Among agricultural products, date is one of the most important and strategic horticultural products in Iran. About 17% of the cultivated area and 13% of world date production are in Iran. Also, according to the latest Iranian Customs Office statistics in 2011, the export of dates from Iran raised 17.7 percent compared to 2010 and reached to more than 174 million dollars. Innovation is vital to a civilization. The new era of global development is experiencing an extensive competition based on innovation to access scarce and limited resources, which guarantees the long-term and sustainable growth path of society. Innovation is considered as an idea or attitude related to a product, service, machinery, policy and program that is new and implemented by an organization. Total Innovation Management (TIM) provides the components for the organization, culture, strategy and the relationship between them as well as a model for the relationship between non-technology and technology. The TIM implementation has three transformations. It expands from single to complete innovation, from segregated to integrated innovation, and from focusing merely on the company's internal resources to emphasizing the integration of internal and external resources. Therefore, innovation will not only be the responsibility of some individuals or functions but also an integrated strategic process for adding and creating value and involving all members of the organization at any time and place.

Methodology
This research is descriptive-analytical and using a survey method for data collection. The statistical population of this research is 200 people who are active in the three domains of marketing, packaging and processing of date in the processing and complementary industries in Kerman Province. The sample size was calculated by Cochran's formula and155 people were determined by a simple random sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which has 58 items. For the validity of the questionnaire, the opinions of experts were used and for the reliability the Cronbach's alpha was used, which was confirmed (higher than 0.70). In order to analyze the collected data, multiple regression and One-Way variance analysis.

Discussion and conclusion
The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the total innovation management in the development of date processing and complementary industries in Kerman Province. Findings confirmed that the relationship between innovation culture and the development of processing and complementary industries of dates is directly significant and innovation strategy has an inverse relationship to the culture of innovation. In other words, the value of strategic innovation decreased, but the culture of innovation increased. In the case of technology management, as the findings showed, the values are positive, i.e. with the rise in technology management variable, the development of processing and complementary industries increases. Also, with the organizational structure variable, the value of “b” related to innovation culture and strategic innovation and technology management decreases. However, organizational structure has increased. The values for the organizational structure variable are positive, i.e. with the rise in the organizational structure variable, the rate of processing and complementary industries of dates improves. It seems that Kerman Province has the necessary conditions and capabilities for date cultivation and expansion of processing and complementary industries of this product. Establishment of complementary industries and date processing in the region can contribute to suitable conditions for economic development of Kerman Province by providing higher efficiency and profit for conventional date production, hence causing more income and higher standard of living for businesses.

Hadi Rasti, Faramarz Barimani, Hamid Barghi, Seyed Eskandar Saidai,
Volume 11, Issue 39 (5-2022)
Abstract

 Introduction
Many villagers depened on palm farming, in the date palm tree-growing regions of Iran. Nonetheless, the date markets are facing many challenges for some reasons such as unsanitary, lack of sales market, lack or absence of maintenance industries, long-distance from production to factory, dispersion of villages, low product prices, climate incompatibility, lack of proper access to capital, high waste and sale of low value-added products to market intermidearies. These challenges in Makkoran region, one of the country's date-growing regions, are more than other places due to climatic and environmental constraints and infrastructure deficiencies.
Date palm farming activity in Makkoran region has many problems in terms of marketing, price, exports, and required infrastructure; thus, the date product of this region are exported by middlemen often in bulk and low added value to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates and large cities in the country.
Therefore, the present study, in response to this need, uses the actor-network theory of Latour, Callon, and Law (1986-2009), aiming to identify the processes of translating actions and the spatial relationships between actors as a theoretical lens because according to Latour view (1987) actors (human and non-human) are negotiating and translating each other's goals to make a connection. Therefore, the present study seeks to answer these questions: What actors are involved in the date market of the Makkoran region, and what are the existing and emerging spatial relationships between these actors? Is there a significant relationship between them? In translation processes which actors and spatial relations need membership, expulsion, or reform?

 Methodology
This research employed an exploratory-sequential mixed-methods research design. The statistical population is 17493 date palm farmers in Makkoran region. Sampling was performed via a purposive-probability sampling method to determine the sample size via the "data saturation" criterion in the qualitative stage, and the "representation" criterion in the quantitative stage. The sample size consisted of 111 date palm farmers and 16 related experts in the qualitative stage and 376 date palm farmers and 32 experts in the quantitative stage. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews with date palm farmers and experts, and quantitative data were obtained through a questionnaire from date palm farmers and experts. Then, based on "sequential mixed-methods analysis," qualitative data were processed and analyzed using NVIVO software, and quantitative data were processed and analyzed using SPSS software. According to Latour's argument (1987), the " translation " method made the final analysis and inference.

Discussion and conclusion
Based on research findings, sales status and the price of the date product improves from south to north of Makkoran region. Hence, situational and climatic actors play a crucial role in product sales status and price change, especially Mazafati dates in the south part of the region. These actors may force date palm farmers to harvest early (at the Kharak stage) and reduce product prices. To achieve their goals and interests, human actors (date palm farmers and governments) inevitably align with the tendencies of non-human actors (such as geographical location and climate). Also, according to local date palm cultivars, which almost all of them need refrigeration, and depending on how it is accessed, date palm farmers to the refrigerator and the capital have changed the product's price. These two actors (refrigerator and capital) and date palm farmers have faced severe challenges and obstacles in terms of sales and product prices. Hence, date palm farmers inevitably sell their produce to brokers at low and insignificant prices. Of course, this is not a one-sided situation; but with the constructive support of the government, date palm farmers can play a more constructive and effective role in raising capital and creating the necessary refrigerator. They can reduce the power of the two agents of the refrigerator and capital by changing the palm cultivars (expanding the dry cultivars without the need for a refrigerator) or selling access to the refrigerator so they can sell their product at a reasonable price. This issue causes them to be present in the date market with more power and influence.
Nevertheless, in the current situation, the alliance of these two actors with other actors (space distance, transportation technology, road location) has led to the widespread influence of traders in the date market and has weakened its functions. The capital actor has a more prominent role in this regard, As it has been able to change the tendency of most date palm farmers to use a refrigerator and, to their detriment, to ally with brokers (predominantly local and regional brokers). Of course, the non-use of cold storage is not only related to capital but also situational and climatic actors in the south region. Also, due to a lack of proper access to capital, date palm farmers inevitably accept the rate offered by brokers; Local and regional brokers, in a solid alliance with telephone and capital actors, have prevented both major traders from entering the market and dragged the refrigerator into their network. Hence they have severed or severely shaken possible and necessary links between date palms and date palm farmers with target markets.
Thus, multiple spatial relations between actors (human and non-human) exist. Meanwhile, date brokers have conquered the date market to the detriment of producers by creating a strong network of spatial relations and have found role and agency as the key actors. Often weakness and inefficiency of the main actors (palms and government) and the alliance of capital and cold storage actors with brokers have led to such a detrimental consequence; however, these spatial relations are transformed by the participation of new actors (non-native palms, cold storage, etc.).

 


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