Servitization and its influence on the diffusion process of precision agriculture technologies in sugarcane production

Abstract

In order to ensure the increase of competitiveness in their businesses, organizations continually resize strategic mechanisms aimed at strengthening relations with their customers. In this context, servitization emerges as a strategic model that aims to provide integrated solutions for products and services to the market. Within the scope of agroindustrial production chains, with an emphasis on sugarcane farming, the combination of products and services has significantly contributed to market expansion at a global level. The main objective of this work was to analyze how servitization strategies can contribute to stimulate the spread of precision agriculture technologies (PATs), in the set of productive activities present in the sugarcane cultivation. To this end, a qualitative research was carried out, through an exploratory case study in a cooperative of sugarcane planters in São Paulo state, Brazil. Among the main results, it became evident that servitization, although still characterized as a strategy under construction, plays an important role as a guiding element of innovation and added value in the agricultural segment, tending to contribute gradually for the diffusion processes of TAPs within the scope of sugarcane production.