Cork Case

1. To what extent is the cork industry guilty of complacency and a lack of innovation?

5. What level of R&D investment would be required to help the industry diversify and develop new opportunities for its materials?

1. To what extent is the cork industry guilty of complacency and a lack of innovation?

It wasn't until Australia, California and Chile had to produce different requirements in their wine industry and even then, no other wine industry followed suit which allowed these market to fall behind in the new synthetic plastic closure innovation.

2. If consumers love corks, why are the producers not providing what their customers want?

Europe, Spain and France saw a significant amount of loss being that the wine produces from California, New Zealand, Africa, Chile and Australia produced international wine brands such as Jacobs Creek and Blassim Hill which fundamentally changed the wine market. The international brands were demanding a consistent product that has little variation. Traditionally, wine products had a degree of variety dependent on the grape, the climate and the production.

3. Is it wine quality or costs that have driven producers to synthetic?

Based on this case study, the cost has driven producers to synthetic such as Tesco, Wall mart and other bigger buyers have joined in the enormous power to offer wine to millions of consumers as lowest price.

4. How could technology forecasting have helped the cork industry?

5. What level of R&D investment would be required to help the industry diversify and develop new opportunities for its materials?

6. What portfolio of R&D projects would you establish for the cork industry?