Innovation diffusion and adoption of innovations in agriculture and agri-food firms - A systematic mapping and conceptualization of the research

The aim of this study is firstly to systematically explore, analyse, report on and synthesise the scientific studies on the topic of diffusion and adoption of innovations from the agri-food firms’ perspective, and secondly, to frame the results in a conceptual overview comprising key elements in the research over the period. The specific objectives are 1. to determine variables important in the diffusion and adoption of innovations from the agri-food firms’ perspective, 2. based on the results, to suggest development and improvements of capabilities in the supporting knowledge systems, in order to increase the sectors’ adoption of innovations 3. to discuss the implications for research. The study is based on systematic mapping of the literature (academic papers published in scientific journals) in the period 1997-2017. In total, abstracts for 202 papers were included in the mapping and analysed with an exploratory analytical approach. A delimitation of the study is to cover research in OECD-countries. Nine broad categories of key elements studied have been derived from the mapping: 1) Farm/firm characteristics; 2) Farmers’/managers’ characteristics; 3) Firm management practices; 4)  Adoption-diffusion behaviours and learning; 5) Sources of information and innovation; 6) Innovation characteristics; 7) Networks and relations; 8) Contextual variables, and 9) The agricultural knowledge and innovation system, AKIS. The open access data material consists of a spreadsheet containing included mapped studies, coding of abstracts, a meta-table with categorised keywords from the 202 papers, and unique reference numbers attached to each mapped item to allow tracing the themes from the meta-table to the connected excel sheet. All the mapped items have received a reference number, which is used in both the meta-tables of categorised keywords and the adhered excel spread sheet (data file). The data file shows the list of items included in the mapping and items removed in the later stages of the screening process. The data contains of: Meta-Table with categorised keywords Excel sheet with extracted information Notes on procedure (the procedure of the mapping process and analysis)