Conditions for approaching shared value creation management in the Japanese rice flour-related business: application of mixed methods research

Abstract

This is the second paper on creating shared value (CSV) management in Japanese rice flour-related businesses conducted by the same authors. In the first study, the relationships among business philosophies, business strategies and business outcomes of rice flour-related corporates in Japan were clarified using structural equation modeling (SEM) and cognitive mapping of questionnaire survey results. The management philosophy, effective altruism, influences business strategies (potential head market, tail market, organizational learning, and proposals from stakeholders) of rice flour-related corporates, inducing innovation and determining current business performance and future prospects for shared value creation. The business performance reflects their expectations for the rice flour market, and influences the direction of market development. In addition, we showed a need for policy innovations that strengthen effective altruism and create shared value through organizational learning of the stakeholders in rice flour-related businesses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify conditions for approaching CSV management in domestic rice flour-related businesses by applying mixed methods research (MMR). Specifically, a latent class analysis (LCA) was introduced to classify the management characteristics of rice flour-related businesses with survey results, and a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) conducted on the CSV management entities extracted from the LCA to clarify the necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving CSV management. The results revealed that there are very few rice flour-related businesses in Japan that have approached CSV management, and sufficient conditions for approaching CSV management in rice flour-related businesses are a combination of effective altruism and various management strategies (long tail/organizational learning/innovation/stakeholder proposals). Therefore, we conclude that to achieve a sustainable regional development of rice flour-related businesses, policy innovations that integrate pull-type and push-type strategies are important.