Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil

Illycaffé entered Brazil in 1991 with the simple goal of finding high quality coffee and with a simple but revolutionary procurement strategy based on a) direct interaction with farmers and b) on an Award for the best coffee quality beans. The entry of Illycaffé unleashed a series of long-lasting co...

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Main Author: Andriani Pierpaolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2010-01-01
Series:Cultural Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5334/csci.27
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author Andriani Pierpaolo
author_facet Andriani Pierpaolo
author_sort Andriani Pierpaolo
collection DOAJ
description Illycaffé entered Brazil in 1991 with the simple goal of finding high quality coffee and with a simple but revolutionary procurement strategy based on a) direct interaction with farmers and b) on an Award for the best coffee quality beans. The entry of Illycaffé unleashed a series of long-lasting consequences and unintended effects that revolutionised the Brazilian coffee industry and enabled the emergence of the quality coffee sector from the undifferentiated segment of commodity production. This paper analyses the ‘butterfly effect’ of the emergence of the quality coffee in Brazil in terms of complexity theory; and more specifically in terms of constraints and sources on nonequilibrium. I show how the entry of Illycaffé worked as an attractor (pull-strategy) that caused the decommoditisation of the coffee sector, enabled the emergence of a network of quality producers, and caused the rise of a ‘long tail’ of diversity.
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series Cultural Science
spelling doaj-art-09b29400270f483b8c52b8aef3a2fa082025-02-10T13:26:38ZengSciendoCultural Science1836-04162010-01-0131848810.5334/csci.2727Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in BrazilAndriani Pierpaolo0Durham Business School, Durham University, DurhamUKIllycaffé entered Brazil in 1991 with the simple goal of finding high quality coffee and with a simple but revolutionary procurement strategy based on a) direct interaction with farmers and b) on an Award for the best coffee quality beans. The entry of Illycaffé unleashed a series of long-lasting consequences and unintended effects that revolutionised the Brazilian coffee industry and enabled the emergence of the quality coffee sector from the undifferentiated segment of commodity production. This paper analyses the ‘butterfly effect’ of the emergence of the quality coffee in Brazil in terms of complexity theory; and more specifically in terms of constraints and sources on nonequilibrium. I show how the entry of Illycaffé worked as an attractor (pull-strategy) that caused the decommoditisation of the coffee sector, enabled the emergence of a network of quality producers, and caused the rise of a ‘long tail’ of diversity.https://doi.org/10.5334/csci.27
spellingShingle Andriani Pierpaolo
Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
Cultural Science
title Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
title_full Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
title_fullStr Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
title_short Constraints and sources of nonequilibrium: a case of radical market transformation in Brazil
title_sort constraints and sources of nonequilibrium a case of radical market transformation in brazil
url https://doi.org/10.5334/csci.27
work_keys_str_mv AT andrianipierpaolo constraintsandsourcesofnonequilibriumacaseofradicalmarkettransformationinbrazil