Participation of Bulgarian Furniture Manufacturing in Global and Local Value Chains as a Factor Supporting Their Innovation Activities

Daniela Georgieva, Nikolay Neykov, Andreja Pirc Barčić (), Petar Ćurić and Kristina Klarić
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Nikolay Neykov: Faculty of Ecology and Landscape Architecture, University of Forestry, 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria
Andreja Pirc Barčić: Department of Production Organization, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Petar Ćurić: Department of Production Organization, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Kristina Klarić: Department of Production Organization, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-15

Abstract: Innovations can offer key advantages to companies, but in some EU regions, the design and development of innovation measures are still relatively novel concepts. The aim of this study was to analyze the collaborations of innovative Bulgarian furniture manufacturers with external stakeholders and the used information channels as factors for the development and implementation of innovation and participation in global value chains over their innovation activities. Out of 3890 Bulgarian companies, the number of companies included in the target group was further reduced to 85 firms due to missing information on some variables. The data for the present study were collected using a large-scale questionnaire distributed on the spot during the months of March and April 2022. Logistic regression was used to reveal the real contribution of the collaborations and the information sources to the ability of companies to innovate. The research results indicated that in Bulgaria, the furniture sector is not considered very innovative, and Bulgarian furniture manufacturing companies do not rely on collaboration with the IT and mechatronics sectors. These companies do not want to participate in GVCs, as they refer to them in relation to supply chains. Therefore, they are less dependent on chain shocks. Companies prefer to hide their innovations for further protection, which might be the reason for the lack of cooperation between the furniture manufacturing companies and academia, NGOs, and other relevant institutions. The findings of the study contribute to new insights into the literature on the participation in GVCs as a factor for collaboration with different stakeholders and hence for product and process innovation development within the furniture industry companies.

Keywords: forest-based sector; innovation; global value chains; furniture manufacturers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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