GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Under the provisions of the regulations for the degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

on Thursday, March 2, 2017

2:45 PM – 5:15 PM (Eastern Time)

in Architecture East Room 214

will be held the

DISSERTATION DEFENSE

for

Thomas H. Douthat

“ADAPTIVE EFFICIENCY IN COFFEE CLUSTERS: RESILIENCE THROUGH AGGLOMERATION, GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS, SOCIAL NETWORKS, AND INSTITUTIONS”

The Examiners Are:

Dr. Michael Elliott (Chair)
Dr. Nancey Green Leigh
Dr. Subhro Guhathakurta
Dr. Jennifer Clark 
Dr. Raffaele Vignola
Faculty and students are invited to attend this examination.

Abstract:

This Dissertation presents and tests the Adaptive Efficiency Model for agricultural cluster resilience. The dissertation first constructs the model by clarifying the relationship between institutional, relational and spatial elements that influence a region’s capacity to adapt, re-organize and survive environmental and market shocks. The dissertation then evaluates the role of each of the elements of the model in the performance of coffee clusters in Costa Rica and Mexico, in terms of production, land use change, and innovation, among other resilience indicators. The research uses a mixed methods approach, including Social Network Analysis, qualitative case studies, and regression models.

The results of this study highlight the importance of locally anchored institutions, in particular cooperatives, for fostering trust, knowledge exchange and adaptation to the Global Value Chain. They also suggest that coffee clusters where producers are geographically and relationally isolated from the GVC are particularly vulnerable to market and environmental stressors. Lastly, the research indicates that although local institutional, relational and spatial arrangements have an influence in coffee resilience, they are no substitute for national level policies that would provide safety nets and adaptation resources to rural communities. Together with these findings, the Adaptive Efficiency Model provides conceptual and practical guidance to planning decisions for fostering sustainable economic development, particularly within commodity-agricultural regions driven by Global Value Chains.