*3.1. Phases of the Study*

	- Detect whether certain situations of economic growth and business dynamics (organisational and technological changes) influence the greater participation of women in the workplace.
	- Understand how the processes of economic growth and business dynamics in the sector have affected working women, particularly women in positions of responsibility.

To carry out this research, we focussed on data collection and interpretation of information involving trade unions and workers in a number of companies.

	- A series of surveys and interviews were used to cross-reference the information from the handling companies.
	- In-depth interviews with men and women working in the horticultural sector were conducted, including interviews with social agents and institutions.
	- Technological changes in the local production system were analysed.
	- The effects of innovation on working women in the horticultural sector were evaluated.

The qualitative part of the study was based on in-depth interviews carried out within the sector and was accompanied by hypothesis testing and analyses of the data obtained from the survey conducted in the second phase of the study.

#### *3.2. Companies Studied*

Most companies in the sector were established before 1985, a year which is considered the starting point of the development of horticultural companies in Almería. The early 1980s saw the establishment of cooperatives and APCs. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of *alhóndigas* (places used as both warehouses and marketplaces), while the same has not happened in social economy enterprises. It is important to consider the age of the companies to understand the evolution of working conditions and to verify if feminisation has been observed in certain positions. The 25 companies in the fruitand-vegetable handling sector in Almería with the highest turnover during the period 2014–2019 were selected since they employ a significant part of the female workforce. All companies had a turnover of more than 75 million euros per year, with two of them exceeding 230 million euros per year.

#### **4. Results**

#### *4.1. Typology of Workers and Shareholders*

The presence of women in positions of responsibility in fruit and vegetable companies has been debated over the past few years. Compared to 2014, there are now significantly more social economy companies and *alhóndigas* (Table 1), particularly in sectors such as field technicians, marketing, occupational-risk prevention, and quality-control departments. However, in high-responsibility positions, such as management, the number is insignificant.


Source: Compiled by the authors.
