Características empreendedoras e desempenho da vitivinicultura na Campanha Gaúcha

Abstract

Agribusiness is one of the fastest growing branches of activity in Brazil and around the world, being that the increasing competition and dispute for new markets driving significant changes in the rural environment. These transformations have demanded from the rural producer certain behavioral characteristics, such as being innovative, taking calculated risks and making decisions in the face of uncertainties, that is, demand of the producers an entrepreneurial behavior in relation to their business. However, despite the relevance of agribusiness to the Brazilian economy, studies related specifically to entrepreneurship in rural areas are recent and scarce in the literature, and entrepreneurial behavior in rural areas is a research gap to be investigated. Thus, the present study has as general objective to analyze the influence of the entrepreneurial characteristics on the performance of grape producers and winemakers in the region of Campanha Gaúcha. To reach this objective, a quantitative, descriptive-explanatory and survey method was chosen, in which questionnaires were applied to a sample of 57 grape producers from the region of Campanha Gaúcha. Statistical techniques were used to analyze the data, such as descriptive statistics, non-parametric hypothesis tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney) and multiple linear regression. Specifically in relation to multiple regression, three models were elaborated relating the entrepreneurial characteristics (Achievement Orientation, Innovation and Planning, Business Intention, Risk Propensity and Personal Motivation) with each category of performance (economic-financial, productive and market). In the results of the study, it was verified that the grape producers have a heterogeneous productive profile, being that they have a high variability in volume of production and billing per grape harvest, besides that, for the majority of the sample, the Grape cultivation is divided with other farming activities, such as livestock and cereal production. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the production of the grape is directed especially to the production of the raw material of the wine, being destined for the great wineries, a factor that does not add value to the production of the region with the elaboration of juices or sale of the grape in natura, for example. Regarding the entrepreneurial characteristics and their influence on the performance of the grape producers, two of the three regression models were considered significant at a maximum level of significance of 10% (economic and financial performance and market performance), and the set of characteristics "Innovation and Planning" had a positive influence on both. Regarding the "Achievement Orientation" and "Personal Motivation" of the producers, the regression model referring to the market performance showed positive influence, and the greater the presence of these characteristics, the greater the market performance of the grape and wine producers. With regard to "Risk Propensity", it was identified that the greater the agreement with this characteristic, the lower the market performance of the producers. The relation of negative influence was also evidenced in the relation of the characteristic "Entrepreneurial Intention" with the economic-financial performance of the producers. Finally, it is worth noting that the study contributes to presenting empirical evidence on the subject and structuring a theoretical model to analyze the influence of entrepreneurial characteristics on the performance of rural producers.