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Book part
Publication date: 1 November 2008

Enrico Baraldi and Torkel Strömsten

The role of management control has not received sufficient attention in the literature on value creation so far. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the role of control in…

Abstract

The role of management control has not received sufficient attention in the literature on value creation so far. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the role of control in value creation in industrial networks. More specifically, the aim is to examine the management and control of interfaces between key resources within and between firms, in the networks surrounding firms, when they attempt to create value. All the firms that take part in a value-creation process have both formal and informal control systems: these firms have budgets, specific routines, reward systems, and sanctioned “ways to behave.” The paper relates the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) group's research on interaction, relationships, and networks with control literature, and presents a framework for controlling resource interfaces in a network setting. Two in-depth cases illustrate the role of control in value creation. The first case covers the development of a low-weight newspaper grade that Holmen and its paper mill Hallsta initiated. The second case examines the attempt to develop and commercialize a new, energy efficient pulping technology.

Details

Creating and managing superior customer value
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84855-173-2

Article
Publication date: 29 April 2014

R.X. Cheng

This paper developed a new method of making floor from poplar using glued technology and densification technology. This paper aimed to use fast-grown poplar wood to produce floor…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper developed a new method of making floor from poplar using glued technology and densification technology. This paper aimed to use fast-grown poplar wood to produce floor to expand material supply range of floor in order to solve problem of material supply shortage for floor industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Densification technology and gluing technology were used to obtain high-density surface materials of floor under high pressure, meanwhile in order to reduce loss of poplar wood caused by compressing, high-density surface materials floor and substrate are glued and pressed under low pressure.

Findings

The method of compressing poplar wood under high pressure can improve poplar's physical and mechanical properties. Adopting densification technology and gluing technology can produce the poplar laminated composite floor which meets the requirements of Chinese standard GB/T 18103.

Research limitations/implications

This method of producing floor by compression densification technology would cause wood loss from reduction in thickness because poplar was pressed under high pressure.

Practical implications

This method of making floor from poplar wood concerned in this study allows the floor making industry to eliminate its dependence on precious wood resource, expand supply range of floor material, and then solve problem of wood supply shortage of floor industry.

Originality/value

This study may help solve the difficult problem that poplar cannot directly be used to produce floor because of its softness, low density and low strength. Through densification technology, great improvement in strength and hardness of poplar had been made.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 43 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 March 2022

Lina Gharaibeh, Kristina Maria Eriksson, Bjorn Lantz, Sandra Matarneh and Faris Elghaish

The wood construction industry has been described as slow in adapting efficiency-increasing activities in its operations and supply chain. The industry is still facing challenges…

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Abstract

Purpose

The wood construction industry has been described as slow in adapting efficiency-increasing activities in its operations and supply chain. The industry is still facing challenges related to digitalization, such as fragmentation, poor traceability and lack of real-time information. This study evaluates the status of digitalization in construction supply chains by thematically analyzing the existing literature and mapping research trends.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the key literature from 2016 to 2021 was performed. The results highlight various technologies and their applications within supply chains and identify research gaps, especially between theoretical frameworks and actual implementation using a scientometric-thematic analysis.

Findings

This paper provides a conceptual framework to further aid researchers in exploring the current trends in Supply Chain 4.0 and its applications in the wood construction industry compared to other more advanced industries. Suggested directions for future research in the wood construction Supply Chain 4.0 are outlined.

Originality/value

The existing literature still lacks a comprehensive review of the potential of a digitalized supply chain, especially in the construction industry. This framework is pivotal to continue explaining and observing the best ways to accelerate and implement Supply Chain 4.0 practices for digitalized supply chain management (SCM) while focusing specifically on the wood construction industry. The literature review results will help develop a comprehensive framework for future research direction to create a clearer vision of the current state of digitalization in supply chains and focus on the wood construction supply chain, thus, fully achieving the benefits of Supply Chain 4.0 in the wood construction industry.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2018

Glykeria Karagouni

The purpose of this paper is to explore how low-technology corporate ventures use knowledge from multiple and often trans-sectoral fields to intensively create and deploy…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how low-technology corporate ventures use knowledge from multiple and often trans-sectoral fields to intensively create and deploy innovative production technologies in order to sustain significant competitive advantages.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper primarily draws evidence from an exploratory case study of a low-tech private enterprise operating in the wood processing industry in Greece.

Findings

Low-technology firms appear to invest mainly in process innovation and therefore production technologies, in order to secure a position within mature markets. Within the notion of knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship (KIE), a creative bricolage of knowledge based on research work and industrial practice results in innovative products and processes covering technologies from a wide range, including high-tech industries. The case indicates that low-tech companies may be something more than just “borrowers” of technology.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations regard the single case study research design and the focus on the wood industry in Greece. Future research may pursue more case studies in different traditional sectors and national contexts.

Practical implications

Entrepreneurs and managers of low-technology firms should focus on technological innovation and more specifically on co-creation of novel production technologies in order to sustain strong competitive advantages and enhance performances.

Originality/value

The analysis challenges the established opinion of common entrepreneurial processes in low-tech sectors. It adds to the ongoing discussion of low-tech, KIE and it contributes to the literature of industrial dynamics since there are only a handful of studies that probe the role of production technologies within a low-tech but knowledge-intensive context.

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2012

Samuel Forsman, Niclas Björngrim, Anders Bystedt, Lars Laitila, Peter Bomark and Micael Öhman

The construction industry has been criticized for not keeping up with other production industries in terms of cost efficiency, innovation, and production methods. The purpose of…

1359

Abstract

Purpose

The construction industry has been criticized for not keeping up with other production industries in terms of cost efficiency, innovation, and production methods. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge about what hampers efficiency in supplying engineer‐to‐order (ETO) joinery‐products to the construction process. The objective is to identify the main contributors to inefficiency and to define areas for innovation in improving this industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies of the supply chain of a Swedish ETO joinery‐products supplier are carried out, and observations, semi‐structured interviews, and documents from these cases are analysed from an efficiency improvement perspective.

Findings

From a lean thinking and information modelling perspective, longer‐term procurement relations and efficient communication of information are the main areas of innovation for enhancing the efficiency of supplying ETO joinery‐products. It seems to be possible to make improvements in planning and coordination, assembly information, and spatial measuring through information modelling and spatial scanning technology. This is likely to result in an increased level of prefabrication, decreased assembly time, and increased predictability of on‐site work.

Originality/value

The role of supplying ETO joinery‐products is a novel research area in construction. There is a need to develop each segment of the manufacturing industry supplying construction and this paper contributes to the collective knowledge in this area. The focus is on the possibilities for innovation in the ETO joinery‐products industry and on its improved integration in the construction industry value chain in general.

Article
Publication date: 20 November 2020

Clement Oluwole Folorunso

Wood is one of the materials that is used for building construction either as structural member or as finishes from ages past to contemporary generation. It is composed of…

Abstract

Purpose

Wood is one of the materials that is used for building construction either as structural member or as finishes from ages past to contemporary generation. It is composed of elongated, hollow spindle shaped cells that are arranged parallel to each other along the trunk of a tree. The resistance to water, chemicals, strength properties, appearance and decay rate is dictated by the fibrous cells. The purpose of this paper was to examine the application and use of wooden floor finish (an extract from wood) in residential buildings in Lagos, Nigeria, with a view to determine its effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a dual stage survey approach before the administration of questionnaire on 100 respondents that were selected through purposive sampling after the initial inquiry on the use of the material from 384 randomly selected samples from the entire population.

Findings

The study shows that the material is applied in all interior spaces except bathrooms and toilets. Minimal adoption is also seen in the kitchen area. Users indicate that wooden floor finish requires little maintenance, has low impact on users' health, considered safe-minimal occurrence of home accidents is recorded, has moderate thermal insulation and affordable.

Practical implications

The usage has impact on the environment due to continuous lumbering activities and lack of adequate plan for reforestation. This suggests that its sustainability depends on afforestation programmes. Its poor performance in sound insulation, water and fire resistance requires further attention. The maintenance is relatively easy and affordable.

Originality/value

The author made a new foray into investigating the performance of wooden floor finish due to its resurgence in the area bearing in mind the unseasoned condition of wood in circulation in the area. Previous adoptions were done by a less aggressive generation of well-trained artisans. Best places for its usage within the interior spaces are identified.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 39 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 July 2022

Andrey Abadzhiev, Alexandre Sukhov, Antti Sihvonen and Mikael Johnson

Green innovation can promote both environmental sustainability and economic growth. However, its development and implementation can be complex due to the need to align innovation…

4287

Abstract

Purpose

Green innovation can promote both environmental sustainability and economic growth. However, its development and implementation can be complex due to the need to align innovation activities within and across companies. In this study, the authors examined how this complexity can be managed by analyzing how individual companies combine different innovation activities to develop green innovation, and how companies along the value chain align to implement these innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

The dataset comprises both interviews and a survey of senior executives from the Swedish wood construction industry. These data were first analyzed by using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify innovation activity configurations at the level of the individual company. The interviews were then analyzed to identify alignment mechanisms enabling the implementation of green innovation along the value chain.

Findings

At the company level, the authors found three innovation activity configurations with varying levels of complexity: (1) systemic innovation by proactive companies, (2) process innovation by reactive companies and (3) inaction by technology-independent companies. On the value chain level, the authors found three alignment mechanisms that facilitate the implementation of green innovation along the value chain. These mechanisms promote cooperation by increasing efficiency, opening up new market opportunities and increasing the level of servitization.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the complexity of green innovation and provides novel insights into how complexity is managed at the level of both the individual company and the value chain.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2004

Toshimitsu Hata, Paul Bronsveld, Tomo Kakitani, Dietrich Meier, Takeshi Kajimoto and Yuji Imamura

Recycling of preservative‐treated waste wood can be an environmental problem due to toxic elements being emitted into the environment. Pyrolyzing CCA‐treated wood at low…

Abstract

Recycling of preservative‐treated waste wood can be an environmental problem due to toxic elements being emitted into the environment. Pyrolyzing CCA‐treated wood at low temperature without any oxidizing agent is applied to capture the arsenic fraction in the solid residue. The influence of well‐defined process parameters such as pyrolysis temperature, time and heating rate are studied. Arsenic contents in the gas phase were measured by a wet chemical method while structural analysis of the arsenic reaction products was determined with Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2001

Lijun Qiao and Allan J. Easteal

Various modifications of polyvinyl acetate emulsion wood adhesive were made and their performance evaluated in standard tests. The results are interpreted in the context of…

1099

Abstract

Various modifications of polyvinyl acetate emulsion wood adhesive were made and their performance evaluated in standard tests. The results are interpreted in the context of adhesion theories and the chemical structures of the polymers and wood. The adhesion of the polymers to wood and the cohesive strength of the polymers are the two predominant factors determining the performance of the adhesives. Adhesive strength in thermosetting resins is enhanced by irreversible chemical reactions that create extensive networks within the adhesive layer and strong bonds to the wood substrate, leading to strong and durable joints that passed all of the performance evaluation tests. Most of the PVAc emulsions exhibited good adhesive performance in the dry state, but failed in water soak and boiling water immersion tests since their adhesion and cohesion are mainly based on weaker physical interactions. Emulsions with (hard) core‐(soft) shell morphology and correspondingly high glass transition temperatures gave poor performance under all conditions.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2009

Z. Gao, X‐M. Wang, H. Wan and Zhi‐Ming Liu

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of various catalyst contents, resin solid contents, catalyst species and wood extract on urea‐formaldehyde (UF) curing by…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of various catalyst contents, resin solid contents, catalyst species and wood extract on urea‐formaldehyde (UF) curing by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The finding obtained would benefit the manufacturers of UF‐bonded composite panels.

Design/methodology/approach

The UF curing rate under each condition in terms of DSC peak temperature was measured by high‐pressure DSC at a heating rate of 15°C/min; the correlations of peak temperature with catalyst content, resin solid content, catalyst species and wood extract, respectively, were regressed via a model equation, which described the curing characteristics of the UF bonding system.

Findings

A model equation, Tp=A · EXP(−B · CC per cent)+D, was proposed to characterise the DSC peak temperatures or the rate of UF curing with regressing coefficients greater than 0.97 (commonly greater than 0.99). The constants A and B in the model equation were found to correspond to kinetic characteristics of UF resin curing reaction. The constant D in the model equation is believed to be associated with the utmost peak temperature, which implies that the DSC peak temperature will finally reach a maximum with catalyst content increasing. It was also found that the wood extracts having higher pH value and base buffer capacity had stronger catalyses on UF curing.

Research limitations/implications

The catalysts commonly used in medium density fibreboard plants or particleboard plants are those having the utmost peak temperature of about 90‐95°C; the catalyses of wood extracts were much weaker than that of catalyst NH4Cl.

Practical implications

The model equation could be used to predict the peak temperature or the curing rate of UF resin, and to quantify the effects of wood extracts on UF curing.

Originality/value

The study developed a model equation that can well characterise the UF curing, and quantified the effects of wood extracts on UF curing.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 28000