Carraresi, LauraMamaqi, XhevrieAlbisu Aguado, Luis MiguelBanterle, Alessandro2011-11-042011-11-042011Laura Carraresi, Xhevrie Mamaqi, Luis Miguel Albisu, and Alessandro Banterle. "The Relationship Between Strategic Choices and Performance in Italian Food SMEs: A Resource-based Approach". XIIIth Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists, Zurich, Switzerland, ETH Zurich, August 30 to Sept. 2, 2011, 13 p.http://hdl.handle.net/10532/1720In the context of progressive rise of the competition among firms, due to the increasing globalisation, it is interesting to understand the potential sources of competitive advantage in order to set up a successful strategy. The theory of Resource-based View used in this framework examines the connection among internal resources and strategic choices, and how the latter affect firm performance. The firm strategy is determined by available resources and capabilities which are deployed to obtain a good performance. Therefore, strategic choices act in between resources and performance. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the relationship between strategic choices and performance achieved by food SMEs, based on a set of distinctive resources. This approach is assessed in food SMEs located in Italy, by applying a Structural Equation Model. The results of the empirical analysis showed that, in the food sector, strategic choices based on innovation, product positioning, and chain relationship development have positive effects on performance, but only if distinctive resources and capabilities are considered. Innovation plays a capital role because of its direct as well as indirect effects.enResource-based viewStrategic choicesSMEsFood sectorStructural equation modelSector agroindustrialEmpresas pequeñasToma de decisionesModelos econométricosEconomía agroalimentariaconferenceObject