Sources of competitive advantage in woodworking firms of Northwest Russia

Author(s):

Anne Toppinen (Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu, Finland)

Ritva Toivonen (Pellervo Economic Research Institute, Helsinki, Finland)

Antti Mutanen (Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu, Finland)

Vadim Goltsev (Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu, Finland)

Natalia Tatti (University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland)

Citation:

Anne Toppinen, Ritva Toivonen, Antti Mutanen, Vadim Goltsev, Natalia Tatti, (2007) "Sources of competitive advantage in woodworking firms of Northwest Russia", International Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 2 Iss: 4, pp.383 - 394

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17468800710824527

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Acknowledgements:

The authors grateful for two anonymous reviewer for their insightful comments on the manuscript. Any remaining errors are their own.

Abstract:

Purpose

– The existing literature emphasizes the strategic choices of core competencies/capabilities based on intangible and tangible resources, and the combination of these as the base for developing firm‐level strategies. However, little is known about the organizational structure, strategic orientation, and future goals of woodworking firms in the East‐European countries in transition. This paper aims to produce information contributing to these information needs regarding Northwest Russia (NWR).

Design/methodology/approach

– The largest potential increase in both production of and demand for wood products is in Russia, and this paper examines the issue in a case study of 18 small‐ and medium‐sized wood industry companies in NWR using thematic semi‐structured personal interviews.

Findings

– The results indicate that closeness to the main markets, good logistics connections and access to large markets, i.e. other than raw‐material related factors, are the main perceived sources of competitive advantage among the Northwest Russian woodworking firms. Intangible resources are valued over tangible assets in case companies.

Practical implications

– The companies target to shifting their production from commodity products, towards more specialized products and focusing on increasing the exports to the European Union. This is likely to intensify competition in the international markets for wood products in the future.

Originality/value

– The paper provides new information about forest industry small and medium‐sized wood industry enterprises and their current business environment in NWR.

Keywords: 

Wood products, Forestry, Competitive advantage, Small to medium‐sized enterprises, Russia

Type:

Case study

Publisher:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright:

© Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2007
Published by Emerald Group Publishing Limited

For further information log on website :
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/17468800710824527

Prospect of Bio-pellet as an Alternative Energy to Substitute Solid Fuel Based

Published Date
2014, Vol.47:303–309, doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.01.229
Conference and Exhibition Indonesia Renewable Energy & Energy Conservation [Indonesia EBTKE-CONEX 2013]
Open Access, Creative Commons license

Author 

• Wida B. Kusumaningrum ^a,,
 
• Sasa Sofyan Munawar ^a,b

• aResearch and Development Unit for Biomaterials, LIPI, Jl Raya Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
• bCenter for Innovation, LIPI, Jl Raya Bogor Km 47 Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia

Available online 4 February 2014.

Abstract

Bio-pellet is an alternative energy that can substituted low grade coal from biomass sources. Biomass waste from palm plantation and palm industry are challenging as bio-pellet based material. Palm plantation in Indonesia has reached 8.9 million hectare in 2011 that widely spread in all of locations. The aim of this research is to provide prospect information of bio-pellet from palm plantation and industrial waste. Proximate analysis resulted the equality between bio-pellet from oil palm waste with coal or briquette. Moreover, bio-pellet from biomass source gives environmental advantages than coal. Bio-pellet is a prospective and competitive as an alternative energy to substituted coal and these derivatives.

Keywords

bio-pellet

sustainable

alternative energy

oil palm industrial waste 

biomass

---

References

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   • Zamirza F. Pembuatan bio-pellet dari Bungkil Jarak Pagar (Jathropa curcas L.) dengan penambahan sludge dan perekat tapioka. Bogor: Institut Pertanian Bogor; 2009.
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• ☆
  Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of Indonesia EBTKE Conex 2013.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author. Tel.: +6221 87914511; fax: +6221 87914510.

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876610214002458

Characterization of Biomass Pellet Made from Solid Waste Oil Palm Industry

Published Date
2014, Vol.20:336–341, doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2014.03.042
The 4th International Conference on Sustainable Future for Human Security SUSTAIN 2013
Open Access, Creative Commons license

Author 

• Sasa Sofyan Munawar ^a,b,,
 
• Bambang Subiyanto ^b

• aResearch and Development Unit for Biomaterials, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, Indonesia
• bCenter for Inovation, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Bogor, 16912, Indonesia

Available online 2 May 2014.

Abstract

To utilize various potential agricultural residues, pellet making was performed and the pellets obtained were characterized in this study. Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), oil palm frond (OPF), oil palm shell (OPS) and oil palm mesocarp (OPM) were employed as feedstock. Biopellet production was started with material crushing to get uniform material and then continued with pellet forming. Pellet making was conducted using conventional pelletizer under temperatures of 150, 200 and 250 °C for 15 minutes. Some characteristics were measured to determine biopellet quality, i.e. moisture content, density, ash content and calorific value. Based on the water content, ash content, density and calorific value, OPM biopellets that pressed at 200 and 250 °C showed the best formula. The characteristics of this biopellet were moisture content of 1.7-1.9%, ash of 6.85-7.45%, and calorific value of 3,814-4,724 kcal/kg.

Keywords

Oil palm solid waste

flat-dye pelletizer

pellet 

calorific value

---

References

1. • [1]
   • Indonesian Energy Outlook. 2002.
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   • El Bassam N. dan P. Maegaard. 2004. Integrated Renewable Energy or Rural Communities. Planning guidelines, Technologies and Applications. Elsevier. Amsterdam.
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   • Yamada K, M. Kanada, Q. Wang, K. Sakamoto, I. Uchiyama, T. Mizoguchi dan Y. Zhou. 2005. Utility of Coal-Biomass Briquette for Remediation of Indoor Air Pollution Caused by Coal Burning in Rural Area, in China. Proceedings: Indoor Air 2005-3671.
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   • Bergman R. dan J. Zerbe. 2004. Primer on Wood Biomass for Energy. USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Technology Marketing Unit Forest Products Laboratory. Madison, Wisconsin.
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   • Hill, J., Nelson, E., Tilman, D., Polasky, S., and Tiffany, D. Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 103, 11 206-11 210, 2006.
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   • Fasina, O.O., Sokhnansanj. Storage and handling characteristic of alfalfa pellets. Powder Handling and Prosessing 1966:8, 361-165.
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    • Palz W. dan J. Coombs. 1985. Energy from Biomass. 3rd Edition. Elsevier Aplied Science. London.

• ☆
  Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the SustaiN conference committee and supported by Kyoto University; (RISH), (OPIR), (GCOE-ARS) and (GSS) as co-hosts.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author. Tel.: +62 2187914511; fax: +62 2187914510.

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029614000437

Relationship between wood anatomy, tree-ring widths and wood density of Pinus sylvestris L. and climate at high latitudes in northern Sweden

Published Date
2014, Vol.32(4):295–302, doi:10.1016/j.dendro.2014.07.003
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Author 

• C. Pritzkow ^a,,
• I. Heinrich ^a
• H. Grudd ^b
• G. Helle ^a

• aHelmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Climate Dynamics and Landscape Evolution, Potsdam, Germany
• bBolin Centre for Climate Research, Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Received 24 October 2013. Accepted 3 July 2014. Available online 1 August 2014. 

Abstract

In this study, wood anatomy, tree-ring width and wood density of Pinus sylvestris at the northern timberline in Fennoscandia were used to identify relationships among the parameters and to screen them for their climatic signals. Furthermore we investigated the influence of the juvenile wood section for all parameters developed. The measurements of wood anatomy were conducted with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) while the density profiles were produced using an Itrax MultiScanner. We developed chronologies of ring width, wood density and anatomy for a period between 1940 and 2010. Correlations between wood density and wood anatomy were strong in the latewood part. For some wood anatomy and density chronologies youth trends were found in the juvenile part. Wood density decreased from the pith up to the 9th ring and stabilized afterwards, while cell lumen diameter and lumen area increased simultaneously up to the 15th ring. All chronologies contained strong summer temperature signals. The wood anatomical variables provided additional information about seasonal precipitation which could not be found in wood density and tree-ring widths. Our study confirmed previous results stating that the parameter maximum density contains the strongest climate signal, that is, summer temperatures at the northern timberline. Nevertheless, the intra-annual data on tracheid dimensions showed good potential to supply seasonal climatic information and improve our understanding of climatic effects on tree growth and wood formation.

Keywords

Wood density

Itrax

Wood anatomy

CLMS

Sweden

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 Table 1

Table 1.

Fig. 1.

 Table 2

Table 2.

 Table 3

Table 3.

 Table 4

Table 4.

Fig. 2.

 Table 5

Table 5.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 3312881899; fax: +49 3312881302.

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1125786514000575