Abstract
This paper focuses on sustainability strategies for the Forestry–Wood chain (FWC) driven by market demands on books and other products. The main objective is to draft and suggest a process for market driven pro-active sustainability strategies for the FWC, based on a SWOT-analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). Further to highlight the possible strategic implications and critical areas for actors upstream in the FWC, in the context of uncertain external future scenarios. Higher demands on product differentiation were found throughout the FWC, where also collaboration and stakeholder interaction was found important to improve sustainability. The work broadens the “traditional” perspectives on FWC sustainability to encompass also interacting value chains such as book production and publishing, to get a more holistic view.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arets E, Palosuo T, Moiseev A, Nabuurs G-J, Slimani D, Olsmats C, Laurijssen J, Mason B, McGowan D, Vötter D. Reference futures and Scenarios for the European FWC source Databases, European Forest Institute, EFI Technical Report 85; 2011.
Bonn I, Fischer J. Sustainability: the missing ingredient in strategy. J Bus Strategy. 2011;32(1):5–14.
Bryman A, Burgess RG. Qualitative research methodology—a review. In: Bryman A, Burgess RG, editors. Qualitative research, vol. I. London: SAGE; 1999.
Catasús B, Ersson S, Gröjer J, Wallentin FY. What gets measured gets … on indicating, mobilizing and acting. Account Audit Account J. 2007;20(4):505–21.
CEI-Bois (2011) European confederation of woodworking industries tackle climate change: use wood. http://www.cei-bois.org/files/FINAL_-_BoA_-_EN_-_2011_text_and_cover.pdf.
Confederation European Paper Industries (CEPI). CEPI sustainability report 2013, European paper industry advancing the bioeconomy. http://www.cepi-sustainability.eu/uploads/short_sustainability2013.pdf (2013).
Collis D, Rukstad M. Can you say what your strategy is? Harv Bus Rev. http://hbr.org/2008/04/can-you-say-what-your-strategy-is/ar/1 (2008).
European Commission (EC). Energy 2020:a strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy. http://ec.europa.eu/energy/strategies/2010/2020_en.htm (2010).Viewed 19 Mar 2014.
EFORWOOD—EU FP6 Integrated project: sustainability impact assessment of the Forestry Wood-Chain. http://www.innovawood.com/eforwood/ (2014).Viewed 19 Mar 2014.
Eisenhardt K, Sull D. Strategy as simple rules. Harv Bus Rev. 2001;79(1):106–16.
FEP—Federation of European publishers. European book publishing statistics 2012. www.fep-fee.eu (2014). Viewed 13 Nov 2014.
Gamborg C. Final report on stakeholder interaction in EFORWOOD, deliverable D0.1.10., EFORWOOD project report. European forest institute, EFI Technical report 33; 2010.
GRI—Global reporting initiative the sustainability reporting framework online. www.globalreporting.org/reporting/G3andG3-1/guidelines-online/Pages/default.aspx (2014). Viewed 19 Mar 2014.
House E. Challenges facing the UK book industry. Publish Res Q. 2013;29(3):211–9.
Huang M, Rust R. Sustainability and consumption. J Acad Mark Sci. 2011;39(1):40–54. doi:10.1007/s11747-010-0193-6.
Kajanus M, Leskinen P, Kurttila M, Kangas J. Making use of MCDS methods in SWOT analysis—Lessons learnt in strategic natural resources management. For Policy Econ. 2012; 20:1–9. doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2012.03.005. ISSN 1389-9341.
Kanter R. Transforming Giants. Harvard Bus Rev. 2008;86(1):43–52.
Kaplan R, Norton D. The balanced scorecard. Cambridge: Harvard business school press; 1996.
Karlöf B. Affärslivets begrepp och modeller, Stockholm: Svenska Dagbladets Förlag AB. 1994. ISBN 91-7738-367-2.
Kemmis S, Wilkinson M. Participatory action research and the study of practice. In: Atwel B, Kemmis S, Weeks P, editors. Action research in practice. London: Routledge; 1998.
Kitzinger J. The methodology of Focus groups: the importance of interaction between research participants. In: Bryman A, Burgess RG, editors. Qualitative research, vol. II. London: SAGE Publications; 1999.
Kotler P. Marketing Management—The Millenium Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall; 2000. ISBN 0-13-0156684-1.
Kurttila M, Pesonen M, Kangas J, Kajanus M. Utilizing the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in SWOT analysis—a hybrid method and its application to a forest-certification case, Forest Policy and Economics. 2000;1(1):41–52. doi:10.1016/S1389-9341(99)00004-0. ISSN 1389-9341.
Lekwall P, Wahlbin C. Information för marknadsföringsbeslut. 3rd ed. Göteborg: IHM Förlag AB; 1993.
Lindner M, Suominen T, Palosuo T, Garcia-Gonzalo J, Verweij P, Zudin S, Päivinen R. ToSIA—A tool for sustainability impact assessment of forest-wood-chains, Ecol Model. 2010; 221(18):2197–2205. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.08.006. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380009005651. ISSN 0304-3800.
Mintzberg H. The rise and fall of strategic planning. UK: Prentice Hall International; 1994.
Morgan D. Focus groups as qualitative research. London: SAGE; 1988.
Mysen T. Sustainability as corporate mission and strategy. Eur Bus Rev. 2012;24(6):496–509.
Nikolova B. The rise and promise of participatory foresight. Eur J Futures Res. 2013;15:33. doi:10.1007/s40309-013-0033-2.
Nørreklit H. The balanced scorecard: what is the score? a rhetorical analysis of the balanced scorecard. Acc Organ Soc. 2003;28(6):591–619.
Porter M. What is strategy? Harv Bus Rev. 1996. 74(6):61–78. ISSN 0017-8012
Rametsteiner E. SFM indicators as tools in political and economic context: actual and potential roles. In: Raison RJ, Brown AG, Flinn DW, editors. Criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, IUFRO research Series 7. Wallingford: CABI Publishing; 2001. p. 107–30.
Rimm A-M. conditions and survival: views on the concentration of ownership and vertical integration in German and Swedish publishing. Publ Res Q. 2014;30(1):77–92.
Rosén K, Lindner M, Nabuurs G-J, Paschalis-Jakubowicz P. Challenges in implementing sustainability impact assessment of forest wood chains. Eur J For Res. 2012;131(1):1–5. doi:10.1007/s10342-011-0571-8.
Sharma S, Henriques I. Stakeholder Influences on Sustainability Practices in the Canadian forest products industry. Strateg Manag J 2005; 26(2):159–180. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20142213.
Vertinsky I, Zhou D. Product and process certification—systems, regulations and international marketing strategies. Int Mark Rev. 2000;17(3):231–53.
Verweij PJFM, Knapen MJR, de Winter WP, Wien JJF, te Roller JA, Sieber S, Jansen JML. An IT perspective on integrated environmental modelling: the SIAT case. Ecol Model. 2010. 221(18):2167–2176. ISSN 0304-3800.
WCED—World Commission on Environment and Development. Our common future, UN World Commission on Environment and Development (Chaired by Gro Brundtland). London: Oxford University Press; 1987.
Wikström K. Project and project management as living theory—some considerations of how to create relevant and novel knowledge for the project-based industry. Åbo: PBI; 2002.
Acknowledgments
The authors want to thank EU, Skogsindustrins forskningsstiftelse and Innventia for funding of this research effort, and also the EFORWOOD coordinator Kaj Rosén and all EFORWOOD partners and colleagues for good collaboration and a creative, friendly project atmosphere.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olsmats, C., Slimani, D. Sustainability Strategies in the Forestry–Wood Chain Driven by Market Demands on Books and Other Products. Pub Res Q 31, 21–35 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-014-9389-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-014-9389-9