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The paper aims to look at small to medium‐sized enterprises' (SMEs') approach to learning and innovation.

The first research direction focuses on the internal and external sources for learning used in the innovation process. A second research direction focuses on the main types of innovation SMEs engage in along with some of the obstacles or constraints identified within the innovation process. In order to answer the research questions set, the authors conducted a survey among 161 Romanian SMEs from various economic sectors and covering different geographical areas.

Romanian SMEs display a learning orientation related to innovation, using best practices within the organization and networking with external partners as internal sources for learning, whereas in terms of external support for learning, SMEs consider changes that take place on the market, changes in technology and the input from experts and consultants. Concerning the innovation type, Romanian SMEs are very much oriented towards innovation in their business model, at the same time being faced with various constraints such as lack of funds and high costs involved.

Firstly, in what concerns the organizational learning dimension, the need for SMEs to focus on strengthening the collaboration with universities (higher education area), as the research pointed out that only few SMEs rely on universities and educational institutions in acquiring knowledge. Secondly, to focus on innovation and manage innovation activities as a core competency inside the firm in relation to designing a process of organizational change in SMEs, which should enhance drastically the performance of such initiatives.

So far, few studies have been conducted on innovation and knowledge creation in South‐Eastern European SMEs. The findings presented in the paper offer a holistic view of the innovation approach in Romanian SMEs, emphasizing the predominant type of innovation implemented along with specific constraints applied. The originality of the paper also relates to the fact that few studies conducted in Romania on SMEs focus on the internal and external sources of knowledge in the innovation process.

Agricultural cooperatives have been able to become a strong and consolidated organizational form, although the new challenges of globalization and trade liberalization require changes in the strategic approach. The requirements of the distribution companies, consumers and government about the concentration of demand, traceability, food safety and respect for the environment had led to a thorough reorganization of agricultural food systems. So it is necessary to undertake a strategic review of horticultural cooperatives in order to conduct a strategic assessment and hence identify the strategic actions to be followed in the coming years. This paper seeks to address these issues.

An empirical study has been carried out during the first half of 2011 consisting in the application of the Delphi method and sending a questionnaire to experts whose purpose was to gain a view of the strategic situation of horticultural cooperatives in Spain. The Delphi method is a projection technique of the qualitative and subjective type which is appropriate for studies where there is little information on the subject to be analysed, and also for exploratory studies, as it is the case study of examining the role of agricultural cooperatives in coming out of the crisis of Mediterranean agriculture.

The performed Delphi analysis revealed that Mediterranean agriculture suffers from a severe crisis for which the solutions are hard to find, although the existence of the agricultural cooperatives and certain specific forms of performance and financing can partly improve the described situation. The application of the SWOT analysis based on the opinions of the experts provided sufficient detailed insights of the actual situation of the cooperatives. Thus, from the Delphi SWOT applied to Mediterranean agriculture and agricultural cooperatives, the authors can make some important assessments which are included in their paper.

It is a forward‐looking analysis that tries to give measures to the sector, but measures that come from the sector, in order to face the Mediterranean agriculture crisis.