Customer value creation in B2B relationships: Sawn timber value chain perspective

Makkonen, Marika; Sundqvist-Andberg, Henna

doi:10.1016/j.jfe.2017.08.007

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 90 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The method has recently been used in the case of sawnwood/ wood products industry case e.g. by Makkonen and Sundqvist-Andberg (2017), who studied customer value creation. The analysis progresses through sequential steps from data reduction and display to drawing out and verifying the conclusions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…in operations such as wood procurement and production processes of sawn timber . Firm strategies are typically not guided by customer needs (Makkonen and Sundqvist-Andberg 2017). Most previous research on Finnish sawmill firms has concerned factors in their operational environment such as the most significant costs or exchange rate changes (Hietala et al 2013;Pöyry 2013;Mutanen and Viitanen 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Networks in international opportunity recognition among Finnish wood product industry SMEs

Hietala¹,

Hänninen²,

Kniivilä³

et al. 2019

Silva Fenn.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Highlights• In line with earlier literature, we found the networks in our study to positively impact international opportunity recognition. • Despite the reliance on various network forms and levels, a strategic stance towards opportunity recognition can be characterized as being more reactive than proactive. • Institutional networks represented a more systematic way of recognizing international opportunities among case companies. AbstractBioeconomy development will create new opportunities for firms operating in the international wood products markets, and identifying and exploiting these opportunities is emphasized as a key concept to achieving business success. Our study will attempt to address a gap in the literature on sawmill industry business development from the viewpoint of international opportunity recognition. The aim of our study is to provide a holistic description on how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the wood products industry recognize and exploit international business opportunities, and how they utilize network perspectives in this context. The subject was examined through Finnish wood product industry SMEs by interviewing 11 managers and industry representatives. The results suggest that SMEs recognize international opportunities reactively per se. Social networks formed in professional forums were an important information channel for identifying international opportunities. Through vertical business networks, such as sales agents, firms have been able to increase their international market presence and free their own resources for other important activities. Horizontal dyadic business networks were seen to facilitate new international opportunities through cooperation, while excessive reliance on vertical networks raised concerns and seemed not to be effective in international opportunity recognition. Institutional networks formed a systematic way of recognizing international opportunities, but more so at the initial market entry stage.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Networks in international opportunity recognition among Finnish wood product industry SMEs

Hietala¹,

Hänninen²,

Kniivilä³

et al. 2019

Silva Fenn.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Ref. [36] described that there are four requirements that are key to meeting customer demands. First is to have a supply-chain strategy that is tailored to the requirements of each product and market.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is the Supply and Demand for Coloured Wood Products? An Empirical Study in Slovakian Practice

Sedliačiková

Moresová

Aláč

et al. 2021

Forests

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The paper deals with the issue of the colour tones of wood and furniture products. The main aim is to identify the supply of the colour tones of wood and furniture products and to map the interest in these wood colour tones at potential customers in Slovakia. By means of two independent surveys of supply and demand for colour tones of wood and furniture products, various shortcomings have been identified. It is necessary to increase the supply of wood and furniture products with the natural colour of the wood and at the same time in colour tones of grey, white and brown. The current demand for thermowood and modified alder wood is significantly higher than the supply of such products in the Slovak market. The results of the study represent an opportunity for Slovak woodworking and furniture enterprises to adjust their range of products according to the needs of potential customers, which will bring them higher turnover and help to overcome the current problems associated with the “COVID crisis”.

show abstract

“…The second study, reported in Article II (Makkonen & Sundqvist-Andberg, 2017), examines customer orientation, value creation and supplier-customer perceptions on customer needs in the sawn timber value chain. The motivation for the study was to better understand the customers' needs in order to develop service-based businesses in the sawmill industry.…”

Section: Article Ii: Customer Value Creation In B2b Relationships: Samentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Practical applications could be available relatively quickly if the necessary investments are found to be viable. (Makkonen & Sundqvist-Andberg, 2017)…”

Section: Article Ii: Customer Value Creation In B2b Relationships: Samentioning

confidence: 99%

Renewing the sawmill industry: studies on innovation, customer value and digitalization

Makkonen¹

2019

Diss. For.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The sawmill industry's current business strategies are based on traditional, productionoriented business logic. However, the ruling sources of competitiveness (lower prices and higher production volumes) are no longer sufficient to maintain the industry's profitability. A shift from manufacturing to service economy includes vast potential to improve customer value and, hence, business performance. The service view suggests that instead of being created by production, customer value derives from processes in which the provider supports the customer's value creation. This view positions the customer at the core of the business and challenges prevailing business approaches within traditional industries.The goal of this thesis is to explore the sawmill industry's business transformation toward customer orientation and service-based business. As firms do not operate in isolation from their surrounding business environment, the entire wood products industry is considered. Service logic was used as the research frame to accentuate the value-based business approach. The novelty of this thesis is applying customer orientation to improve the forest industry's innovation and competitiveness. Digitalization is a core of innovation and offers potential to take customer orientation to a new level. Therefore, two closely connected concepts with customer orientation, innovation and digitalization, were also studied. Both interviews and case studies were used, comprising a total of 36 semi-structured interviews. This thesis suggests that by positioning customers at the core of the business and by applying service-based business practices, the sawmill industry is in better position to achieve longterm competitiveness. This idea, however, necessitates significant strategic changes, questioning existing practices and principles of the entire wood products industry. The first step in the change toward a customer-oriented business (i.e., service-based business) is to gain more understanding of customer orientation and embrace this approach as an organization-wide attitude, not only within the sawmill industry, but throughout wood value chains.

show abstract

Customer value creation in B2B relationships: Sawn timber value chain perspective

Cited by 11 publications

References 90 publications

Networks in international opportunity recognition among Finnish wood product industry SMEs

Networks in international opportunity recognition among Finnish wood product industry SMEs

What Is the Supply and Demand for Coloured Wood Products? An Empirical Study in Slovakian Practice

Renewing the sawmill industry: studies on innovation, customer value and digitalization

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About