An examination of strategic challenges and opportunities in the wood-based building product industry

The wood-based building products industry has experienced significant turbulence over the past several decades as a function of multiple forces including among others globalization, product and process innovation, and shifting customer and consumer interest and demands. Collectively, these changes have challenged the historical tenets which have defined industry strategy and competition in the realm of basic products and contributed to consolidation and labor reductions. Consequently, an onus has been placed on industry participants to better understand and adapt to the new competitive landscape or risk loss of competitive advantages built on the practices suited to historical tradition. However, a limited range of work that considers the machinations of turbulence and resulting strategic implications has been directed toward the industry particularly where differentiation of products is limited. A contributing factor for this deficiency is the relative stability that has defined the industry for generations due in part to limited strategic variation beyond cost and production, limited cycles of technological and product innovation, commodity nature of many products, and passive manner of consumption. Accordingly, there is value in work that takes a critical and empirical view of industry changes in the context of both strategic and competitive implications, how participating firms address challenges, and what factors influence consumer purchase decisions. This work addresses this need through examination of each element, industry, firm, and consumer, in the context of turbulence, competition, and strategy and delineates previously unidentified considerations for competing in the new landscape. At the industry level, drivers of industry turbulence and subsequent strategic challenges, adaptations, and opportunities are identified and reviewed. Analysis suggests that improved strategy which considers organizational and product differentiation beyond cost and production efficiencies permits greater stability and increased leverage in the turbulent competitive environment. Recognizing a need for improved strategy, the firm level analysis employs a primary qualitative approach to isolate previously unidentified firm qualities analogous to successful deployment of a market orientation strategy using the resource based view of the firm as a framework for analysis. Connecting strategy to the consumer and product, theoretical consumer behavior constructs (consumption, behavior, and involvement) were connected to conceptualize dimensions of product differentiation capable of holding consumer appeal and acting as behavioral drivers in the passively consumed arena of primary wood-based building products. Taken together this work provides a view of strategic considerations within the wood-based building product industry that extends beyond previous work in several ways. First, by considering industry environment, firm strategy, and consumer behavior and product differentiation collectively in the manner described, this work provides a more vertically complete strategic perspective for industry participants. Second, within each chapter, findings and case based examples relevant to each element are presented

ENVIRONMENTAL UTILITY OF WOOD SUBSTITUTION IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS USING LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS.

Wood is the predominant construction material in the US residential sector. In commercial and midrise construction, the use of wood is limited compared with reinforced concrete and steel. Wood, being a natural, renewable material that sequesters carbon, is a natural fit for newer construction with enhanced sustainability goals. The objective of this study is to evaluate and identify the environmental utility (avoided emissions) of using wood in place of steel and concrete in the commercial construction and renovation sectors in Oregon, United States. The study used comparative, cradle-to-grave, life-cycle analysis, with Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings. Six case studies that represent different building functionalities, material systems, and construction techniques were modeled via the user interface input option, and the results were evaluated for global warming potential (GWP) and impacts on energy sources, such as fossil fuel consumption, when structural materials are substituted using wood. Out of the six case studies, one building was completely redesigned as per current codes using wood as the major structural material. Bills of materials for both wood redesigns and the as-built designs were used as input in the software and subsequently analyzed. Results showed that the average reduction in GWP due to wood substitution was about 60% across the six case studies. These findings reinforce the perception of wood as a green building material having potential for commercial construction. 

Volatile halocarbon emissions by three tropical brown seaweeds under different irradiances

The emission rates of eight volatile halogenated compounds by three tropical brown seaweed species collected from Cape Rachado, west coast Peninsular Malaysia, under different irradiances have been determined. A purge-and-trap sample preparation system with a gas chromatograph and mass-selective detector was used to measure a suite of halocarbons released by Sargassum binderi Sonder ex J. Agardh, Padina australis Hauck, and Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kützing. All species are widely distributed in Peninsular Malaysia, with S. binderi a dominant seaweed species at our survey site. Release of few halocarbons was found to be influenced by irradiance. Correlations were also observed between emission of certain halocarbons with photosynthetic activity, especially bromo-and iodinated compounds (0.6 < r <0.9; p < 0.01) suggesting that environmental factors such as light can affect the release of these volatile halogenated compounds by the seaweeds into the atmosphere. Compared with temperate and polar brown seaweeds, tropical species, such as T. conoides, may emit higher levels of bromoform, CHBr3, and other halocarbons. It is therefore important to investigate the contribution of tropical seaweeds towards the local atmospheric composition of halocarbons

Dynamic capabilities in a sixth generation family firm: entrepreneurship and the Bibby Line

In this paper we draw on the theory of dynamic capabilities to examine development of the only surviving family-owned Liverpool shipping company. The Bibby Line was founded in 1807 to take advantage of the growing sea-trade based in Liverpool. The company remained in shipping until the mid-1960s, when a series of external crises led the owner, Derek Bibby, to begin a process of diversification. In the last 50 years, the Bibby Line has grown into a £1bn business with interests in retail, distribution and financial services as well as a continuing commitment to shipping. Our intention is to demonstrate how multigenerational ownership contributes to the creation of dynamic capabilities in family firms. The distinctive nature of Bibby as a long-standing family business is related to unique assets such as patient capital, flexible governance structures as well as the ability to mobilise social and human capital