THE ROLE OF INNOVATION IN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF BRAZILIAN ORGANIC PRODUCTS

This research aimed at identifying the influence of the innovation in the competitiveness of organic agriculture and food industries in Brazil, seeking to create adhesion between a review of the literature and an empirical research about the strategies for innovation and competitiveness in the area. The trend in the globalized market indicates favorable prospects for organic food industries and, for this reason, they have realized the need for restructuration in order to meet the demands. The food industry has been searching for market differentials in order to add value to their products and make profit. As for the methodology, an exploratory research conducted with 54 managers of companies in the organic food sector, the result noted was that innovation had a positive influence over the competitiveness of organic products and that the research confirmed the theoretical base, showing that companies should focus on innovation in order to generate competitive advantages