Search results

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

During the first quarter of the twentieth century in Russia rapidly developed management thought, generated by many reasons, including socio-economic and political transformations, the results of scientific and practical activities of domestic and foreign experts in management. The purpose of this paper is, first, to acquaint readers with some of factors of the development of the history of Russian Management Thought in nineteenth century and at the beginning of twentieth century and, second, to present the most striking results of the formation of the History of Soviet Management Thought (SMT) in post-revolutionary Russia in the form of the movement of the so-called “The scientific organization of labor” (SOL), including “The scientific organization of managerial labor” (or SOML).

The review and causal analysis of the process of formation of the SMT and historiography of the SMT, a brief description of the institutions of SOL and SOMT and a comparative analysis of little-known works of some Russian authors on management topics of nineteenth century are chosen as research methods.

The paper emphasizes the action of objective historical inertia (or “non-Markoviness”) of the process of development of managerial thought, manifested, on the one hand, in the stable action of some management paradigms but, on the other hand, in identifying paradigmatic anomalies, in identifying the need for constant development of managerial thought, in the development of sought-after ideas and concepts of management, and even in the institutionalization of applied scientific research in the field of management throughout the country (in the form of SOL and SOML).

The paper attempts to attract the attention of researchers to the little-known Russian and Soviet authors and their little-known works in the field of management thought.