INCLUSIVE BUSINESS MODEL – STRATEGIC CHALLENGE FOR AGRIBUSINESS CLUSTER MANAGEMENT

The aim of the article is to present the key assumptions of the inclusive business model and the justification for its application in agribusiness cluster. Scientific considerations were conducted on the basis of theoretical and empirical research results. The starting point in the accepted range of considerations was a well-known statement that well-managed clusters can shaping the competitiveness not only of its members but also the economy and contributing to strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion.The article consists of three integral parts, in which the strategic dimension of an agribusiness cluster, the essence, and significance of the inclusive business model and the existing experiences of the AgroBio Cluster in the area of implementation of this model were characterised. The authors show that the concept of agribusiness clusters provides a solid basis for adopting a new way of thinking about creating the competitiveness of food economy entities, taking into account social needs and values. Different types of clusters, in particular, agribusiness clusters, can create inclusive groups when an open membership is ensured in their environment, and the willingness of cluster cooperation is a decisive factor to belong to the cluster. The key factor in the development of clusters is the inclusive ties, which connect people and organisations from different environments. Thus, they determine the quality and intensity of partnership in the cluster, strengthening the involvement of the cluster community. These and other premises presented in the article, referring to the specificity of agribusiness cluster functioning, confirm emphatically that the inclusive business model may prove to be a valuable tool in the process of achieving the cluster goals, especially in less-developed regions. Although the implementation of this model is still a strategic challenge in cluster management, its numerous practical advantages justify the focus of the coordinator and cluster members efforts on shaping the inclusive business and sustainable supply chain within the cluster. In this process, measurable public support is required, both financial and non-financial.

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