The study had the dual objective of characterizing the present role of Virginia's wood furniture industry within Virginia's overall economy and evaluating the possible economic implications of changes in the major production factors influencing the future development of the industry. Supporting the hypothesis that the furniture industry is a major contributor to the economy of Virginia, the following factors were considered: size and number of plants, labor force, wages, and productivity of firms in Virginia. The industry 1n Virginia employed in excess of 21,000 employees in 1964. / Master of Science

The forest products industry significantly contributes to Virginia's economy, generating $23 billion annually, employing 109,000 individuals, and providing $345 million to timber landowners. Hardwood log exports are a crucial portion of this economic contribution, with major importers including China, Vietnam, and Canada. Most importing countries have specific requirements to prevent the movement of invasive organisms on the logs imported, of which chemical treatment is common. This study examines the feasibility and implications of transitioning from chemical-based treatments, such as methyl bromide, to a vacuum and steam treatment for hardwood log exports. Our investigation focuses on understanding the barriers to the adoption of this new technology, including industry awareness and perception, regulatory framework challenges, international acceptance, and economic viability. By addressing these areas, we aim to create a comprehensive manual for any company interested in adopting this technology. The manual will include a performance measurement system and a feasibility study to ensure successful implementation. Therefore, this thesis consists of two documents, the first provides background information, a problem statement and methods and results around the investigation of barriers to the adoption of this new treatment and a second document, the proposed manual to assist with implementation. To address the first objective, data were collected through interviews with technology developers, industry experts, and hardwood log importers in China and India. Quantitative data highlighted a 36.7% increase in US hardwood log exports to China in 2023, with species like alder and yellow poplar leading the market. Results indicate that China imports a significantly higher volume of hardwood logs monthly compared to India, highlighting a larger and more consistent demand. Commonly imported species include red and white oak, ash, and walnut. Both countries have strict fumigation requirements, primarily using methyl bromide, underscoring a global reliance on this method despite its environmental concerns. Awareness of alternative treatments such as vacuum and steam is limited, though there is interest in exploring cost-effective and efficient methods. However, adoption is hindered by regulatory approval and the need for proven effectiveness. To facilitate this transition, we created a comprehensive manual for companies to guide them through replacing methyl bromide and other chemical treatments with vacuum and steam technology. This study provides a comprehensive pathway for adopting vacuum and steam technology, addressing technical, regulatory, and economic considerations. The forest products sector can mitigate environmental impact by aligning industry practices with sustainable treatment methods while maintaining international trade relationships. / Master of Science / Virginia's forest industry is a major part of the state's economy, generating $23 billion each year and providing jobs to 109,000 people. Hardwood logs, particularly those exported to countries like China, Vietnam, and Canada, play a significant role in this economic impact. However, these countries require that imported logs be treated to prevent the spread of harmful pests. Traditionally, chemical treatments like methyl bromide have been used, but they pose environmental concerns. Our study explores the possibility of switching to a safer and more environmentally friendly method: vacuum and steam treatment. We looked into the challenges that might come with adopting this new technology, such as how aware the industry is of it, regulatory hurdles, whether international markets would accept it, and whether it's economically feasible. Our goal is to create a helpful guide for companies interested in making this switch, ensuring they have all the information needed to implement the new treatment successfully. To gather insights, we interviewed experts and key players in the industry, including log importers from China and India. We found that while there is interest in exploring new treatments, there are significant challenges, particularly related to getting regulatory approval and proving the effectiveness of the new method. Despite these challenges, our research outlines a clear path for adopting vacuum and steam treatment, which could help the forest products industry reduces its environmental impact while continuing to thrive in international trade.

Innovation is a critical component for long term success of an organization. However, being innovative is rarely easy. Successful implementation of any innovation (product, process, or business system) can heavily rely on the functionality of the current innovation system in a given industry. An innovation system is composed of policies, companies, individuals, and other major actors that may play a role in the development and diffusion of an innovation into the marketplace. Historically, the forest products industry has faced numerous challenges in remaining innovative: outside forces provide few incentives or favorable policies while poor communication among industry sectors impedes creative growth from within. An in-depth analysis of why the forest sector innovation system is not performing at a higher level is therefore essential. This thesis outlines results gathered from personal interviews with industry professionals and an industry survey on key policies, incentives, organizations, and the condition of Oregon's forest sector innovation system in general. Ultimately, the research provides recommendations for an improved forest sector innovation system that can, in turn, increase competitiveness and synergies among forest sector companies, higher education, and other businesses in Oregon. / Graduation date: 2013

The continued production of undifferentiated products in the B.C. forest industry has fascinated and divided provincial historians. The causes of this orientation of production are varied and complex. The provincial government and British Columbia's forest companies have each played a role in determining the orientation of production. The undifferentiated end products of these firms were the consequence of conscious government and business decisions made in British Columbia in the post-war period (1945 - 1979). B.C. forest resources were (and remain) owned and administrated by the government. Private access to these assets was (and is) determined by provincial statute. The government was instrumental in orienting the undifferentiated production undertaken by MacMillan Bloedel and B.C.F.P. in two fashions: by systematically subtracting value from the resource in order to attract capital to the industry; and, by adopting a variety of other policy initiatives that promoted the establishment of large-scale enterprises. Professor Michael E. Porter, in his book, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, argues that a firm's end products are the result of its competitive advantages and disadvantages. The two firms examined in this essay possessed two competitive advantages that promoted undifferentiated production: a high degree of productive integration from supply through to marketing: and large-scale production. Competitive disadvantages can allow a firm's products to become less advanced over time, or can preclude the advance to more differentiated production. Four competitive disadvantages prevented the development of differentiated products by Macmillan Bloedel and B.C.F.P. First, a super abundance of timber perpetuated undifferentiated production. With the continued supply of excellent quality timber protected by the government, competitive supply pressures were eliminated, and the resource was not evaluated or utilized to its maximum potential. Second, the integration of downstream supply networks by M.B. and B.C.F.P. impoverished lower levels of the industry. While this provided cost advantages to the producers, it limited the number of suppliers. Third, managerial incompetence at MacMillan Bloedel , and a narrowness of focus at B.C.F.P., limited the productive opportunities of these two firms. Finally, the collaboration of the two firms in marketing their undifferentiated products also diminished competitive pressures needed to promote differentiated production. Thus, contrary to some previous analytic approaches, the production orientation of these two firms can be explained with an historical analysis of their competitive advantages and disadvantages in the post-war period.

Vancouver Island's old growth temperate rainforest has been the focal point in the conflict between environmentalists and forestry workers. While a substantial body of sociological literature exists on participants in the environmental movement (EM), there is a dearth of literature on participants in anti-environmentalist countermovements. Share Our Resources of Port Alberni (Share) is a countermovement organization that emerged to act as a voice for forestry workers and resource dependent communities and to counter the 'misinformation' being spread by environmentalists. The conflict over forestry and conservation is fuelled as environmentalists become the "other" against which Share members mobilize and construct their collective identity - an collective identity characterized by a core of pro-industry, pro-community and anti-environmental sentiments. This thesis addresses two research questions: First, what are the underlying differences between members of the two movements with respect to their socio-demographics, values, networks, and collective identities? Second, if certain factors are important in explaining identification with the EM, then what factors are important in explaining identification with Share. Using bivariate correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis, three sources of data are analyzed: self-administered questionnaires sent to both Share (N=129) and EM members (N=381); and a telephone survey of the general public of Port Alberni (N=100). My results show that Share respondents are predominantly older, working class men employed in the forest industry without a great deal of formal education. Share members more highly value anthropocentrism and are more politically conservative. Identification with the forest industry is the strongest and most significant predictor of identification with Share. The most theoretically interesting and surprising finding is that out-group ties or ties to environmentalists, is a positive and statistically significant predictor of identification with Share.

CAPES; CNPq; PAE / A presente pesquisa objetivou propor ações de melhoria do desempenho ambiental associado ao ciclo de vida da produção do painel de madeira MDF, através da Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV). A consecução deste estudo acompanhou as diretrizes normativas das normas NBR ISO 14040 e 14044. Para procedimentos de cálculos e modelagem de cenários da produção do painel, utilizou-se o software Umberto® v.5.6, junto à base de dados de inventários do ciclo de vida Ecoinvent v.2.2. A proposta de ações de melhoria do desempenho ambiental da produção do painel MDF foi formulada com base nos resultados obtidos na aplicação da ACV. Diante do exposto, construiu-se o Inventário do Ciclo de Vida (ICV) para a produção do painel de madeira MDF, em condições da cadeia produtiva brasileira. A partir dos dados do ICV, avaliaram-se os impactos do ciclo de vida da produção do painel, através dos métodos CML (2001), EDIP (1997) e USEtox (2008). As categorias de impactos avaliadas foram: potencial de acidificação, aquecimento global, depleção da camada de ozônio, depleção de recursos abióticos, formação fotoquímica de ozônio troposférico, ecotoxicidade, eutrofização, e toxicidade humana. Os resultados apontaram seis pontos potenciais contribuidores às categorias de impactos (hotspots): consumo de gás natural utilizado na planta térmica, resina UF (ureia formaldeído), consumo de energia elétrica, consumo de resíduos de madeira na planta térmica, consumo de cavacos de madeira e o transporte dos cavacos de madeira até a fábrica. De acordo com os hotspots identificados formularam-se as ações para melhoria do desempenho ambiental do produto. As ações foram analisadas sensitivamente em diferentes cenários a fim de verificar a eficiência na redução dos impactos potenciais observados. A proposta de melhoria do desempenho ambiental compreendeu as seguintes ações: extinção do consumo de gás natural na planta térmica, redução proporcional de combustíveis de madeira que não receberam tratamento químico prévio, realização de análise especializada para verificação de eficiência de combustão em planta térmica, redução do consumo de energia elétrica, redução no consumo da resina UF, redução no consumo de madeira e minimização de distância dos fornecedores de madeira. Quanto às analises sensitivas de cenários alternativos que podem incorporar a proposta, destaca-se o fato da extinção do consumo de gás natural na planta térmica, onde se tem uma redução de aproximadamente 30% nos impactos potenciais de depleção de recursos abióticos e da camada de ozônio. A proposta formulada nesta dissertação subsidia e orienta ações estratégicas sustentáveis que, por serem avaliadas em uma abordagem de ciclo de vida, não se limitam somente ao processo produtivo ou a uma única atividade operativa. / The present research aims to propose actions in order to improve the environmental performance associated with the MDF production life cycle, by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) application. This study was conducted following the guidelines of regulatory standards ISO 14040 and 14044. In order to calculations procedures and panel production scenarios modeling was used the Umberto® software v.5.6, with the life cycle inventory database entitled Ecoinvent v.2.2. The actions proposed in order to improve the environmental performance of the MDF production were formulated based on the LCA results. Faced with these peculiarities, was constructed the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) for MDF production, under the Brazilian production chains conditions. Based on LCI data, was evaluated the impacts of panel production life cycle by the methods CML (2001), EDIP (1997) and USEtox (2008). The categories of impacts assessed were: acidification potential, global warming, ozone layer depletion, abiotic resource depletion, photochemical formation of tropospheric ozone, ecotoxicity, eutrophication and human toxicity. The results showed six potential contributors to impacts categories (hotspots): consumption of natural gas in the thermal plant, resin UF (urea formaldehyde), electricity consumption, consumption of wood waste in thermal plant, consumption of wood chips, and transportation of wood chips to industry. According to the hotspots identified were formulated actions in order to improve the environmental performance of the product. The actions were sensitively analyzed in different scenarios in order to verify the effectiveness in reducing potential impacts. The proposal for improving the environmental performance was included the following actions: extinction of natural gas used in the thermal plant, proportional reduction of wood fuel that not have been chemically treated, accomplish specialized analysis to check the efficiency of combustion in thermal plant, reduction the electricity consumption, reduction of resin UF consumption, reduction of wood consumption and minimize the distances of wood suppliers. As regards the sensitive analysis of alternative scenarios that can incorporate the proposal, we highlight the fact that the extinction of natural gas consumption in the thermal plant can reduce approximately 30% of the potential impacts of depletion of resources abiotic and ozone layer. The proposal presented in this research subsidizes and guides sustainable strategic actions that, by virtue of being evaluated on a life cycle approach, are not only limited to the production process or a single operational activity.

CAPES; CNPq; PAE / A presente pesquisa objetivou propor ações de melhoria do desempenho ambiental associado ao ciclo de vida da produção do painel de madeira MDF, através da Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV). A consecução deste estudo acompanhou as diretrizes normativas das normas NBR ISO 14040 e 14044. Para procedimentos de cálculos e modelagem de cenários da produção do painel, utilizou-se o software Umberto® v.5.6, junto à base de dados de inventários do ciclo de vida Ecoinvent v.2.2. A proposta de ações de melhoria do desempenho ambiental da produção do painel MDF foi formulada com base nos resultados obtidos na aplicação da ACV. Diante do exposto, construiu-se o Inventário do Ciclo de Vida (ICV) para a produção do painel de madeira MDF, em condições da cadeia produtiva brasileira. A partir dos dados do ICV, avaliaram-se os impactos do ciclo de vida da produção do painel, através dos métodos CML (2001), EDIP (1997) e USEtox (2008). As categorias de impactos avaliadas foram: potencial de acidificação, aquecimento global, depleção da camada de ozônio, depleção de recursos abióticos, formação fotoquímica de ozônio troposférico, ecotoxicidade, eutrofização, e toxicidade humana. Os resultados apontaram seis pontos potenciais contribuidores às categorias de impactos (hotspots): consumo de gás natural utilizado na planta térmica, resina UF (ureia formaldeído), consumo de energia elétrica, consumo de resíduos de madeira na planta térmica, consumo de cavacos de madeira e o transporte dos cavacos de madeira até a fábrica. De acordo com os hotspots identificados formularam-se as ações para melhoria do desempenho ambiental do produto. As ações foram analisadas sensitivamente em diferentes cenários a fim de verificar a eficiência na redução dos impactos potenciais observados. A proposta de melhoria do desempenho ambiental compreendeu as seguintes ações: extinção do consumo de gás natural na planta térmica, redução proporcional de combustíveis de madeira que não receberam tratamento químico prévio, realização de análise especializada para verificação de eficiência de combustão em planta térmica, redução do consumo de energia elétrica, redução no consumo da resina UF, redução no consumo de madeira e minimização de distância dos fornecedores de madeira. Quanto às analises sensitivas de cenários alternativos que podem incorporar a proposta, destaca-se o fato da extinção do consumo de gás natural na planta térmica, onde se tem uma redução de aproximadamente 30% nos impactos potenciais de depleção de recursos abióticos e da camada de ozônio. A proposta formulada nesta dissertação subsidia e orienta ações estratégicas sustentáveis que, por serem avaliadas em uma abordagem de ciclo de vida, não se limitam somente ao processo produtivo ou a uma única atividade operativa. / The present research aims to propose actions in order to improve the environmental performance associated with the MDF production life cycle, by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) application. This study was conducted following the guidelines of regulatory standards ISO 14040 and 14044. In order to calculations procedures and panel production scenarios modeling was used the Umberto® software v.5.6, with the life cycle inventory database entitled Ecoinvent v.2.2. The actions proposed in order to improve the environmental performance of the MDF production were formulated based on the LCA results. Faced with these peculiarities, was constructed the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) for MDF production, under the Brazilian production chains conditions. Based on LCI data, was evaluated the impacts of panel production life cycle by the methods CML (2001), EDIP (1997) and USEtox (2008). The categories of impacts assessed were: acidification potential, global warming, ozone layer depletion, abiotic resource depletion, photochemical formation of tropospheric ozone, ecotoxicity, eutrophication and human toxicity. The results showed six potential contributors to impacts categories (hotspots): consumption of natural gas in the thermal plant, resin UF (urea formaldehyde), electricity consumption, consumption of wood waste in thermal plant, consumption of wood chips, and transportation of wood chips to industry. According to the hotspots identified were formulated actions in order to improve the environmental performance of the product. The actions were sensitively analyzed in different scenarios in order to verify the effectiveness in reducing potential impacts. The proposal for improving the environmental performance was included the following actions: extinction of natural gas used in the thermal plant, proportional reduction of wood fuel that not have been chemically treated, accomplish specialized analysis to check the efficiency of combustion in thermal plant, reduction the electricity consumption, reduction of resin UF consumption, reduction of wood consumption and minimize the distances of wood suppliers. As regards the sensitive analysis of alternative scenarios that can incorporate the proposal, we highlight the fact that the extinction of natural gas consumption in the thermal plant can reduce approximately 30% of the potential impacts of depletion of resources abiotic and ozone layer. The proposal presented in this research subsidizes and guides sustainable strategic actions that, by virtue of being evaluated on a life cycle approach, are not only limited to the production process or a single operational activity.

The continued production of undifferentiated products in the B.C. forest industry has fascinated and divided provincial historians. The causes of this orientation of production are varied and complex. The provincial government and British Columbia's forest companies have each played a role in determining the orientation of production. The undifferentiated end products of these firms were the consequence of conscious government and business decisions made in British Columbia in the post-war period (1945 - 1979). B.C. forest resources were (and remain) owned and administrated by the government. Private access to these assets was (and is) determined by provincial statute. The government was instrumental in orienting the undifferentiated production undertaken by MacMillan Bloedel and B.C.F.P. in two fashions: by systematically subtracting value from the resource in order to attract capital to the industry; and, by adopting a variety of other policy initiatives that promoted the establishment of large-scale enterprises. Professor Michael E. Porter, in his book, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, argues that a firm's end products are the result of its competitive advantages and disadvantages. The two firms examined in this essay possessed two competitive advantages that promoted undifferentiated production: a high degree of productive integration from supply through to marketing: and large-scale production. Competitive disadvantages can allow a firm's products to become less advanced over time, or can preclude the advance to more differentiated production. Four competitive disadvantages prevented the development of differentiated products by Macmillan Bloedel and B.C.F.P. First, a super abundance of timber perpetuated undifferentiated production. With the continued supply of excellent quality timber protected by the government, competitive supply pressures were eliminated, and the resource was not evaluated or utilized to its maximum potential. Second, the integration of downstream supply networks by M.B. and B.C.F.P. impoverished lower levels of the industry. While this provided cost advantages to the producers, it limited the number of suppliers. Third, managerial incompetence at MacMillan Bloedel , and a narrowness of focus at B.C.F.P., limited the productive opportunities of these two firms. Finally, the collaboration of the two firms in marketing their undifferentiated products also diminished competitive pressures needed to promote differentiated production. Thus, contrary to some previous analytic approaches, the production orientation of these two firms can be explained with an historical analysis of their competitive advantages and disadvantages in the post-war period. / Arts, Faculty of / History, Department of / Graduate

The forest products industry is a major part of British Columbia's economy, employing directly or indirectly about twenty percent of the province's workforce; and accounting for a significant percentage of the province's exports and government revenues. Historically, the industry has been characterized by highly centralized bargaining structures and formal pattern bargaining between the two regions, the Interior and the Coast, and between the two main industry sectors, pulp and paper and solid wood. Recent environmental changes however, have put considerable pressure on the current system. Because of these changes employers now desire less centralized structures and more local control over terms of the collective agreement. Pressures for decentralization have resulted from a combination of world wide trends and industry specific changes. The globalization of markets, increased volatility of currency exchange rates, and the increasing rate of technological change are examples of the former. Industry specific changes include the diversification of products and markets between regions and firms, and two major labour disputes in the 1980s. These changes however, have had little effect upon bargaining in the forest products industry. Some changes have occurred, but to date they have not been significant. Employers in the province's pulp and paper sector deaccredited their employer bargaining association in March 1985. Despite this change, bargaining in the last two rounds has been done jointly, as it has been done for the past four decades. The second change noted is the severing of ties between the Pulp Bureau and FIR, the Coastal solid wood employer association. Previously overseen by a common Chairman, these two bodies are now run independently to encourage the separation of bargaining outcomes in the two sectors. The final change of note is the role reversal between the pulp unions and the IWA. For many years it was the IWA who negotiated what would become the industry wide settlement. In the last two rounds of negotiations, however, the pulp unions have settled first. Despite what appear to be significant environmental changes, there has been relatively little change in bargaining in this industry. Clearly there are forces in the industry's industrial relations system that are preserving the status quo. Several organizational forces and one environmental force are identified which are preventing change in industry bargaining structures. Organizational forces include third party pressures (specifically threats of government intervention), industry tradition and past practice, and the unions' ability to resist unilateral changes in bargaining. The environmental force preventing employers from forcing change in industry bargaining structure is the economic health of product markets in the two sectors. Not until the pressures for change are great enough to overcome these inertial organizational forces will significant change occur in the bargaining structure and patterns of the B.C. forest products industry. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Vancouver Island's old growth temperate rainforest has been the focal point in the conflict between environmentalists and forestry workers. While a substantial body of sociological literature exists on participants in the environmental movement (EM), there is a dearth of literature on participants in anti-environmentalist countermovements. Share Our Resources of Port Alberni (Share) is a countermovement organization that emerged to act as a voice for forestry workers and resource dependent communities and to counter the 'misinformation' being spread by environmentalists. The conflict over forestry and conservation is fuelled as environmentalists become the "other" against which Share members mobilize and construct their collective identity - an collective identity characterized by a core of pro-industry, pro-community and anti-environmental sentiments. This thesis addresses two research questions: First, what are the underlying differences between members of the two movements with respect to their socio-demographics, values, networks, and collective identities? Second, if certain factors are important in explaining identification with the EM, then what factors are important in explaining identification with Share. Using bivariate correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis, three sources of data are analyzed: self-administered questionnaires sent to both Share (N=129) and EM members (N=381); and a telephone survey of the general public of Port Alberni (N=100). My results show that Share respondents are predominantly older, working class men employed in the forest industry without a great deal of formal education. Share members more highly value anthropocentrism and are more politically conservative. Identification with the forest industry is the strongest and most significant predictor of identification with Share. The most theoretically interesting and surprising finding is that out-group ties or ties to environmentalists, is a positive and statistically significant predictor of identification with Share. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate