The case study analysis provides some valuable insights into the innovation activities of
the food processors in Guangxi which have achieved success in the open market. Process
and product innovation work hand-in-hand, and are seen as an important CSFs in the food
processing industry. In terms of managing strategic innovation, the five most innovative
companies seemed to have the capacity to assimilate the information they obtained and
apply the information to commercial ends. Surprisingly, these companies showed little
evidence of organic organizational structures and tended to be reasonably traditional in
structure. While this tends to be at odds with the literature, the more innovative firms did
reinforce the importance of visionary and strong leadership. The role of leadership within
these companies may play a more significant role in fostering strategic innovations,
especially within, arguably, less mature companies. While centralized decision-making
within a hierarchical structure may sound atypical of the classical innovator, they may
also contribute to efficient decision making within these companies which may be
appropriate in a climate of fast development of both the companies and markets. This
does not imply that structural and cultural aspects are not important. Instead, these
problems may unfold gradually as the companies continue to grow or reach a steady state
and are probably areas for future improvement.