Anne Toppinen, Katja Lähtinen, Leena A. Leskinen, Niklas Österman. (2011). Network co-operation as a source of competitiveness in medium-sized Finnish sawmills. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 4 article id 102. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.102

Keywords: collaboration; social capital; strategic resources; competitive advantage; business processes

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

In the Finnish sawmill industry, inter-firm collaboration has often been brought up as a means of creating a competitive edge in global markets by achieving economies of scale. According to the resource-based view (RBV), a firm can evaluate its current or potential partners by considering firm-level collaboration as a portfolio of complementary strategic resources. The specific focus of the study is on examining the types and forms of sawmill co-operation, how the co-operation emerged and which firm-specific resources are mainly related to co-operation. Based upon this, we can see how the managers of medium-sized sawmills perceive network co-operation as facilitating the achievement of a sustainable competitive advantage. The empirical data for this study were collected by interviewing 16 managers and employees in medium-sized non-integrated sawmills, a joint-venture marketing company and other co-operative partners. The findings of the study show that meaningful and beneficial co-operation partnerships exist in the Finnish sawmilling industry, but the sawmill managers do not perceive this collaboration as a strategic resource. The marketing company was the only firm in this study that relied on its co-operative networks in seeking a sustainable competitive advantage. To make more of co-operative partnerships, the principles of co-operative networking should be understood better in the sawmilling industry in order to know what to expect from co-operation. Furthermore, the managers should have the courage to engage in more extensive co-operation in order for strategic rents to materialize. Since the selection of the right partners is fundamental, further studies could be conducted on the reasons behind failed or terminated co-operative arrangements to gather further empirical knowledge in this subject area.

Toppinen, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: anne.toppinen@helsinki.fi
Lähtinen, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Joensuu, Finland E-mail: kl@nn.fi
Leskinen, Rantalankuja 4, Joensuu, Finland E-mail: lal@nn.fi
Österman, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: no@nn.fi

article id 178, category Research article

Raili Hokajärvi, Teppo Hujala, Leena A. Leskinen, Jukka Tikkanen. (2009). Effectiveness of sermon policy instruments: forest management planning practices applying the activity theory approach. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 5 article id 178. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.178

Keywords: forest policy; forest planning; activity theory; advisory; extension; non-industrial private forests; qualitative study

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Recent and ongoing societal changes have brought about a need to foster multiple-use forestry and to strengthen customer orientation in family forestry outreach. The study assesses how forest management planning in family forest holdings could be developed to tackle these challenges. The approach introduces a new way of evaluating the effectiveness of information- and communication-based policy instruments. Here, the cultural-historical activity theory is applied in studying the interwoven practices of present-day planning and the associated advisory services targeted at landowners. The data, comprising semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 professional planners, were qualitatively examined, and a forest management planning activity model was constructed with the emphasis placed on the inherent contradictions of planning work. As the main contradiction, the forest and the forest owner compete as objects. The aims of making the forest productive and advising the landowners towards an increased activeness motivate forest management planning but the planners feel that they lack the opportunity to respond to the needs of the landowner. A wood-production-emphasizing interpretation of the benefits to the national economy frustrates the policy goal of genuinely promoting the goals of multiple-use forestry. The conclusion drawn is that the actors engaged in forest management planning can reveal the needs for change by discussing their opinions and practical innovations. This can be done with the aid of facilitation by e.g. researchers oriented to developmental work study.

Hokajärvi, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Metsäkouluntie 4–6, FI-90650 Oulu, Finland E-mail: raili.hokajarvi@oamk.fi
Hujala, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: th@nn.fi
Leskinen, University of Eastern Finland, Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: lal@nn.fi
Tikkanen, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Metsäkouluntie 4–6, FI-90650 Oulu, Finland E-mail: jt@nn.fi

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Bäcklund S., Jönsson M. T. et al. (2015) Composition of functional groups of ground veget.. Silva Fennica vol. 49 no. 2 article id 1321 (remove) | Edit comment

Lamedica S., Lingua E. et al. (2011) Spatial structure in four Norway spruce stands w.. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 75 (remove) | Edit comment

Vasiliauskas R., Stenlid J. (1998) Spread of Stereum sanguinolentum vegetative comp.. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 4 article id 672 (remove) | Edit comment

Kaunisto S., Sarjala T. (2003) Foliar potassium concentrations of bilberry, bog.. Silva Fennica vol. 37 no. 3 article id 492 (remove) | Edit comment

Dragotescu I., Kneeshaw D. D. (2012) A comparison of residual forest following fires .. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 3 article id 47 (remove) | Edit comment

Nuutinen T., Kellomäki S. (2001) A comparison of three modelling approaches for l.. Silva Fennica vol. 35 no. 3 article id 586 (remove) | Edit comment

Salminen H., Jalkanen R. (2005) Modelling the effect of temperature on height in.. Silva Fennica vol. 39 no. 4 article id 362 (remove) | Edit comment

Schweier J., Becker G. (2012) Harvesting of short rotation coppice – harvestin.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 2 article id 61 (remove) | Edit comment

Matulevičiūtė D., Motiejunaite J. et al. (2018) Decline of a protected coastal pine forest under.. Silva Fennica vol. 52 no. 2 article id 7699 (remove) | Edit comment

Keltikangas V., (1959) Finnish feather-moss types and their position in.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 69 no. 2 article id 7490 (remove) | Edit comment

Yirdaw E., Tigabu M. et al. (2017) Rehabilitation of degraded dryland ecosystems – .. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 1B article id 1673 (remove) | Edit comment

Lähde E., (1971) Anaerobic conditions in various virgin peat soil.. Silva Fennica vol. 5 no. 1 article id 4836 (remove) | Edit comment

Seppänen O., (1939) Car transportation of roundwood and its signific.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 52 article id 4555 (remove) | Edit comment

Seppälä K., (1972) Ditch spacing as a regulator of post-drainage st.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 125 article id 7559 (remove) | Edit comment

Heikkilä T., (1927) On examining the cross-sectional area of a stem Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 32 no. 3 article id 7208 (remove) | Edit comment

Hytönen J., (1995) Effect of repeated fertilizer application on the.. Silva Fennica vol. 29 no. 2 article id 5550 (remove) | Edit comment

Leikola M., (1976) Measuring environmental factors in a forest ecos.. Silva Fennica vol. 10 no. 2 article id 4943 (remove) | Edit comment

Pulkkinen P., (1993) Frost hardiness development and lignification of.. Silva Fennica vol. 27 no. 1 article id 5497 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica