processing

Process innovation is a subset of innovation related to improving or reconfiguring production methods, workflows, or techniques. Process innovation aims to optimize the production or delivery method of existing goods or services. The importance of process innovation lies in its potential to simplify operations, reduce costs, minimize resource consumption, and improve productivity and quality. In agriculture, innovation catalyzes transformation, efficiency improvement, sustainability, and flexibility in production systems. Process innovation in sugarcane production and processing is vital to address the multifaceted challenges facing the industry, including market demand fluctuations, environmental degradation, and socio-economic inequalities. By embracing innovation, stakeholders can increase productivity, optimize resource use, reduce environmental impacts, and as a result, ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the sugarcane sector. In this regard, the present research was designed and carried out to explain the indigenous components of sugarcane production and processing with an emphasis on process innovations.

The research adopted Sandelowski and Barso's meta-composite qualitative approach. The process started with a systematic review of 405 primary articles and finally, 33 articles related to the research purpose were selected. The inclusion criterion was the publication in the field of sugarcane production and processing between 2010 and 2023. To validate the proposed model and increase acceptability, the fuzzy Delphi method with a panel of experts was used. The results were verified and reviewed by the experts.

The fuzzy Delphi resulted in deriving 57 key local indexes within four processes, i.e. planting, growing, harvesting, and processing. According to the results, it can be concluded that the integration of indigenous knowledge systems with modern innovations is important to enhance sustainability, flexibility, and learning in the sugarcane industry. In addition, joint efforts among the beneficiaries are needed to reinforce innovation, promote knowledge exchange, and develop comprehensive strategies to advance the sustainability and prosperity of the sugarcane sector.

Conclusion/ Implications: 

It can be inferred that innovation in the process of sugarcane production is too important to be ignored because it acts as a catalyst to enhance productivity, sustainability, and flexibility in the industry. Hence, it is suggested to create an interdisciplinary platform for cooperation and knowledge exchange to integrate indigenous knowledge systems with modern innovations in the process of sugarcane production. This way, communication among researchers, policymakers, industry players, and local communities is facilitated to create and implement innovative solutions proportional to specific fields and needs of sugarcane producers.

The aim of the current research is the structural model of improving the productivity of higher education administrators. The research method is applicable according to its purpose; mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of implementation method; descriptive in terms of nature and method; and in terms of the implementation method, fuzzy Delphi analysis in the qualitative part, and cross-sectional survey in the quantitative part. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part is 18 people from managers, professors and experts; sampling by snowball and purposeful method, and in the quantitative part, 243 people of the faculty members of government and azad universities, from the field of educational management participation; were chosen by stratified sampling. Data collection was done in the qualitative part by the interview; and in the quantitative part by the questionnaire. Delphi method was used in qualitative data analysis; and SPSS and PLS softwares were used in quantitative part. According to the findings, the 9 main factors identified in the structural model are: the processing of higher education, job and skill needs assessment, development of communication skills, educational planning, promotion of organizational culture, environmental factors, continuous and constant evaluation, development of strategic thinking, and process reengineering. The results of Friedman's ranking test showed that the highest priority among the effective factors is related to educational planning, development of strategic thinking, and process reengineering. The findings indicate that improving the productivity of higher education managers in Iran requires  re-engineering in all organizational elements; from executive methods to personal and professional competencies of managers, as well as development based on the processing of higher education.