The purpose of this paper is to investigate Malaysian furniture industry via Sustainable competitive advantages (SCA) approach. In this case study, sense and respond method and Normalized Scaled Critical Factor Index (NSCFI) are used to specify the distribution of companies’ resources for different criteria and detect the attributes which are critical based on expectation and experience of companies’ employs. Moreover, this study evaluates Malaysian furniture business strategy according to manufacturing strategy in terms of analyzer, prospector and defender. Finally, SCA risk levels are presented to show how much company’s resource allocations support their business strategy. This case study involved four furniture manufacturing companies, in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia to provide the overall view of their strategies in the perspective of knowledge & technology management, processes & work flows, organizational, and information systems. Hence, the findings of this study presented the preliminary results from these furniture companies in Malaysia, which are involved in sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) studies in terms of expectation and experience, NSCFI, operational strategy triangle of prospector (P), defender (D), and analyzer (A). The result shows that almost all furniture companies are categorized into the Analyzer type strategy and planning to remain being Analyzer in future to come.

The article attempts to analyze the process of plywood production of a Polish plywood manufacturer. The aim is to describe the possibility of change in the production process in order to optimize production and minimize waste. It also indicates the possibility of minimizing production costs. Costs reduction could be achieved by modernization of technology and production equipment, as well as through the optimization of human resources management. However, in case of each particular change, the specificity of the whole industry and individual plant must be taken into consideration.Keywords management, organization, plywood, production, waste. IntroductionManufacture of wood products in Poland compared to other EU members is significant, and the key products in the field are wood-based panels [COM 474 2005]. For example, in Poland, in 2010, about 6.5 million m 3 of wood-based panels was produced, which accounted for 12% of the market share of all EU members and to this day, our country ranks second (after Germany) in Europe. Not without importance is trade exchange of Polish wood sector with other states [http://faostat.fao.org]. Competitiveness of Polish companies lies in the high technical level (modern and efficient technological lines) and the highly skilled workforce, which is directly reflected in the quality of final products.Wood-based panel plants are a part of dynamic growing wood industry. In Poland there are several modern plywood and other wood-sandwich products manufacturing plants. The research conducted on innovation development of the companies indicates the potential for the deployment of new solutions. Such innovations are often of technological nature [1][2][3]. Nevertheless, they have to be adapted to the needs of both customers and the competitive situation on the market.The aim of this study is to describe the activities of a typical plywood factory characterizing its production system model according to [4] (Fig. 1). The model will be critically analyzed in terms of: Management and Production Engineering Review1. significance of its elements in described factory; 2. discovery of new opportunities in both the technological and organizational sphere, that have the potential to extend the range of products, thus achieving competitive advantage; 3. implementation of the method of sustainable development based on the use of natural resources, which is particularly important in this sector. Types of production modelsIn manufacturing plants the right planning of raw materials necessary to ensure production continuity plays a key part. The supply of raw material for plywood plants may be realized in two alternative ways: by storing the raw material in the long term (greater parts on the storage place) or buying it in batches for the current production. A method allowing for raw material demand coordination is material requirements planning (MRP). The method uses master plan of the production in order to plan the supply of raw materials. Extension of master production schedule enables the compan...

The furniture industry in Poland is a rapidly growing area of the economy. The level of innovation strongly influences furniture enterprises competitive position on the market. To support innovation, small and medium furniture industry businesses are affiliate in cluster initiatives. It supports the area of R&D, joint promotional campaigns and financing of new ventures. The paper presents selected furniture industry cluster initiatives that implement policies to support innovation activities of enterprises affiliated to them. In Poland, more and more furniture industry businesses brings together in cluster initiatives that aim to improve their market competitiveness and increase the level of innovation. Taken studies allow to analyse the direction of innovative activities undertaken by companies of the furniture industry with particular emphasis on the ones associated in clusters. Thus the aim of the article is to investigate the interest of Polish furniture enterprises (especially SMEs), in participation in clusters. Moreover the benefits of that choice and its impact on Polish furniture manufacturers innovativeness are evaluated.Keywords innovation, furniture industry, cluster initiative, areas of innovation furniture industry.

Wood industry enterprises are an important branch of the Polish economy. More and more companies in this sector starts to work on the basis of new technologies, standards and policies, such as the idea of sustainable development. An important factor that may accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions or their employees are slowing. Their commitment and belief in the validity of the changes will depend on whether the innovation desired effect. Article is to show the factors affecting the slow process of innovation in the company with particular emphasis on the role of workers