Promoting sustainable market development
Our planet and societies are about to radically change in becoming increasingly dynamic and complex. Particular drivers for change can be identified as massive environmental and social challenges, such as climate changes, poverty and financial crises. Consequently, this have led to loss of natural r...
| Autor principal: | |
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| Formato: | Second cycle, A2E |
| Lenguaje: | sueco Inglés |
| Publicado: |
2020
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| Acceso en línea: | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16288/ |
| _version_ | 1855572720683581440 |
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| author | Braunstein, Gustaf |
| author_browse | Braunstein, Gustaf |
| author_facet | Braunstein, Gustaf |
| author_sort | Braunstein, Gustaf |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | Our planet and societies are about to radically change in becoming increasingly dynamic and complex. Particular drivers for change can be identified as massive environmental and social challenges, such as climate changes, poverty and financial crises. Consequently, this have led to loss of natural resources, violated human rights, and reduced trust, which has enforced an urgent demand for a more extensive corporate responsibility. The construction industry is not an exception when it comes to industries that are expected to proactively contribute to the accomplishment of the global sustainability goals due to its major environmental impact. Despite a long domestic tradition of wooden build single-family houses and a very promising domestic access to relevant natural resources, the current use of wood as construction material for wooden multi-story constructions [WMC] can be perceived as inert, compared with other construction materials as concrete and steel.
This project presents a comparative case study of WMC in Sweden. The aim of the research focused on investigating the potential for market development of five Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] within industrial wooden construction. The methodological approach of this project had a qualitative flexible research design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews via telephone and Zoom meetings. A discourse analysis was carried out to identify potential themes in the empirical data, supported by an own-developed theoretical conceptual framework. The framework consists of theories such as Regional innovation systems [RISs], Quintuple helix innovation systems, and Ansoff’s matrix.
The result of the project shows strategies for market transition, partnerships, research and development, market competitiveness, future goals and sustainable development of the case-companies. Some of the investigated SMEs rely on the current markets by optimising the routines, production, business as usual, and closer relationships to partners, while others of them seek expansion to new markets. Attached to each of the strategies, promotion of environmentally and socially sustainable value can be created in different ways due to the industrial processes and development of societies. The main findings of the project are that SMEs in industrial WMC create competitive strategies in various ways to promote market development and sustainable development of the industry. To access necessary R&D-competence, some SMEs have connected themselves to both regional and external universities and high research institutes [HEIs]. Those companies who have not, intends to make such connections in the future. Until then, internal R&D is the main activity to access to relevant knowledge. Compared to large companies, SMEs can also possess unique opportunities that could generate competitiveness and increased market growth via flexibility and quickness. Awareness also of competitive weaknesses, such as economic boundaries and uncertainty, make it possible to manage these via relational proximity in regional clustering together with other companies and knowledge providers.
This project provides a contribution to innovation studies as well as an increased attention towards the importance and eventual competitive potential within SMEs. Through this research, links that goes beyond disciplinary boundaries to regional science studies, market studies, and sustainable research, was created. |
| format | Second cycle, A2E |
| id | RepoSLU16288 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Swedish Inglés |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU162882020-12-02T08:55:56Z https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16288/ Promoting sustainable market development Braunstein, Gustaf Land economics and policies Nature conservation and land resources Our planet and societies are about to radically change in becoming increasingly dynamic and complex. Particular drivers for change can be identified as massive environmental and social challenges, such as climate changes, poverty and financial crises. Consequently, this have led to loss of natural resources, violated human rights, and reduced trust, which has enforced an urgent demand for a more extensive corporate responsibility. The construction industry is not an exception when it comes to industries that are expected to proactively contribute to the accomplishment of the global sustainability goals due to its major environmental impact. Despite a long domestic tradition of wooden build single-family houses and a very promising domestic access to relevant natural resources, the current use of wood as construction material for wooden multi-story constructions [WMC] can be perceived as inert, compared with other construction materials as concrete and steel. This project presents a comparative case study of WMC in Sweden. The aim of the research focused on investigating the potential for market development of five Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] within industrial wooden construction. The methodological approach of this project had a qualitative flexible research design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews via telephone and Zoom meetings. A discourse analysis was carried out to identify potential themes in the empirical data, supported by an own-developed theoretical conceptual framework. The framework consists of theories such as Regional innovation systems [RISs], Quintuple helix innovation systems, and Ansoff’s matrix. The result of the project shows strategies for market transition, partnerships, research and development, market competitiveness, future goals and sustainable development of the case-companies. Some of the investigated SMEs rely on the current markets by optimising the routines, production, business as usual, and closer relationships to partners, while others of them seek expansion to new markets. Attached to each of the strategies, promotion of environmentally and socially sustainable value can be created in different ways due to the industrial processes and development of societies. The main findings of the project are that SMEs in industrial WMC create competitive strategies in various ways to promote market development and sustainable development of the industry. To access necessary R&D-competence, some SMEs have connected themselves to both regional and external universities and high research institutes [HEIs]. Those companies who have not, intends to make such connections in the future. Until then, internal R&D is the main activity to access to relevant knowledge. Compared to large companies, SMEs can also possess unique opportunities that could generate competitiveness and increased market growth via flexibility and quickness. Awareness also of competitive weaknesses, such as economic boundaries and uncertainty, make it possible to manage these via relational proximity in regional clustering together with other companies and knowledge providers. This project provides a contribution to innovation studies as well as an increased attention towards the importance and eventual competitive potential within SMEs. Through this research, links that goes beyond disciplinary boundaries to regional science studies, market studies, and sustainable research, was created. Vår planet och våra samhällen håller på att förändras radikalt till att bli alltmer dynamisk och komplex. Särskilda drivkrafter till denna förändring kan vara omfattande miljöförändringar och sociala utmaningar som klimatförändringar, fattigdom och finanskriser. Detta har resulterat i sinande naturresurser, kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter och ett minskat förtroende, vilket därmed har förstärkt det brådskande kravet av ett utökat företagsansvar. Byggindustrin är inget undantag när det kommer till branscher som, på grund av sin enorma miljöpåverkan, proaktivt förväntas bidra till att de globala hållbarhetsmålen uppfylls. Trots en lång inhemsk tradition av att bygga enfamiljshus av trä och en mycket lovande tillgång till relevanta naturresurser, kan den nuvarande användningen av trä för flervåningshus [WMC] betraktas som trög i jämförelse med andra byggnadsmaterial som betong och stål. Det här projektet utgör en komparativ fallstudie av WMC i Sverige. Forskningens mål fokuserar på att undersöka möjligheterna för marknadsutveckling beträffande fem små- och medelstora svenska företag [SMEs] inom industriellt trä-byggande. Projektet utgörs av en kvalitativ metod med en flexibel forskningsdesign. Datainsamlingen utfördes genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer över Zoom och telefon. En diskursanalys genomfördes för att identifiera möjliga teman från den empiriska data och understöddes av ett egenutvecklat teoretiskt ramverk. Ramverket utgörs av teorier som Regional innovation systems [RISs], Quintuple helix innovation systems och Ansoff’s matris. Projektets resultat beskriver fallföretagens strategier för marknadsövergångar, partnerskap, forskning och utveckling, konkurrenskraft, framtida mål och hållbar utveckling. Några av de undersökta SME förlitar sig på den nuvarande marknaden genom att förbättra rutiner och produktion, ägna sig åt business as usual, och närmare relationer med partners, medan andra söker att expandera till nya marknader. I varje strategi kan främjande av miljömässigt och socialt värde skapas på olika sätt genom de industriella processerna och utvecklandet av samhällen. Projektets huvudsakliga resultat uppvisar att SME inom industriell WMC skapar konkurrenskraftiga strategier på olika sätt för att främja marknadsutveckling och hållbar utveckling inom industrin. För att få tillgång till nödvändig FoU-kompetens har vissa SME börjat samarbeta med både regionala och nationella universitet och högre forskningsinstitut [HEIs]. De företag som inte har skapat dessa förbindelser avser att påbörja sådana samarbeten i framtiden. Fram till dess är intern FoU huvudaktiviteten för att få att erhålla kunskap. Jämfört med större företag kan SME också besitta unika möjligheter, så som flexibilitet och snabbhet, för att skapa konkurrenskraft och utöka marknadsandelarna. Medvetenhet om konkurrensmässiga svagheter som ekonomiska begränsningar och osäkerhet gör det möjligt att hantera dessa via relationella anslutningar inom regionala kluster tillsammans med andra företag och kunskapskällor. Denna studie erbjuder såväl ett bidrag till innovationsforskning som en ökad insikt om den möjliga konkurrenskraften, hos SME inom WMC. Genom studien skapades kopplingar som sträcker sig bortom disciplinära gränser inom regional forskning, marknadsstudier och hållbarhetsforskning. 2020-11-13 Second cycle, A2E NonPeerReviewed application/pdf sv https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16288/1/braunstein_g_201113.pdf Braunstein, Gustaf, 2020. Promoting sustainable market development : a case study of wooden multi-story buildings. Second cycle, A2E. Uppsala: (S) > Dept. of Forest Economics <https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/view/divisions/OID-300.html> urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-16288 eng |
| spellingShingle | Land economics and policies Nature conservation and land resources Braunstein, Gustaf Promoting sustainable market development |
| title | Promoting sustainable market development |
| title_full | Promoting sustainable market development |
| title_fullStr | Promoting sustainable market development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Promoting sustainable market development |
| title_short | Promoting sustainable market development |
| title_sort | promoting sustainable market development |
| topic | Land economics and policies Nature conservation and land resources |
| url | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16288/ https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16288/ |