The resource-based view of the firm (RBV) is one the most important areas of research content to emerge in the field of strategic management in the last 15 years. The RBV is prescriptive. That is, the RBV prescribes that competitive advantage stems from those resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and nonsubstitutable (VRIN). With rare exception, resources that meet the VRIN criteria are widely purported to be intangible in nature. From a research perspective, the RBV stream tends to be dominated by conceptual discussions and advancements. However, empirical tests of the core premises, or the main prescription, of the theory are argued to be very limited in quantity. To add to the body of empirical research that seeks to verify the main prescription of the RBV, this research undertakes a new and different level of analysis, one that has not been previously tested. Given that firms compete with both tangible and intangible resources, the present study is interested in determining if, as the RBV implicitly prescribes, resources that are intangible in nature are more important determinants of firm success than tangible resources. Although the research question is basic and fundamental, it has rarely been appropriately or adequately tested within the RBV stream, as is demonstrated by this thesis. To carry out the research, this study offers a conceptual model of the firm’s resource pool that includes tangible assets (financial and physical assets), intangible assets (intellectual property assets, organizational assets, reputational assets), and capabilities. A series of hypotheses are posited to explore the proposition that intangible resources contribute more greatly to firm success, on the dimensions of sales turnover, market share, and profitability, than tangible resources. / A field survey, administered to 2000 manufacturing and services businesses operating in Australia, is used to gather the data. Of the 2000 surveys sent, the hypotheses are empirically tested using multiple hierarchical regression analysis on a final sample of 291 firms. Control variables include firm age and Porter’s five forces of industry structure. Based on the results, verification of the RBV’s main prescription can not be supported unequivocally. Intellectual property assets, for example, do not have a statistically significant association with firm success, after accounting for the effects of tangible resources and the control variables. Organizational assets, however, not only explain additionally significant variation in firm success, after accounting for the effects of tangible resources and the control variables, but make among the greatest, unique contribution to firm success based on the size of the beta coefficients. Reputational assets offer additional explanatory power to predicting firm success after accounting for the effects of tangible assets and the control variables, but only with respect to one measure of firm success does its beta coefficient make a larger, unique contribution than financial assets. Lastly, contrary to theory, capabilities are not the single most important determinant of firm success, after accounting for the effects of intangible assets, and tangible and intangible assets, in two separate hierarchical regression equations. This finding is surprising and explanations are provided. Overall, the study raises some questions with respect to just which resources are the most important determinants of a firm’s market and financial success and offers a fruitful avenue for further research.

This dissertation describes the development of CAMBIUM, an agent-based forest sector model for large-scale strategic analysis. This model is designed as a decision support tool for assessing the effect that changes in forest product demand and resource inventories can have on the structure and economic viability of the forest sector. CAMBIUM complements existing forest sector models by modeling aggregate product supply as an emergent property of individual companies’ production decisions and stand-level ecological processes. Modeling the forest products sector as a group of interacting autonomous agents makes it possible to introduce production capacity dynamics and the potential for mill insolvencies as factors in modeling the effects of market and forest inventory based disturbances. This thesis contains four main manuscripts. In the first manuscript I develop and test a dispersal algorithm that projects aggregated forest inventory information onto a lattice grid. This method can be used to generate ecologically and statistically consistent datasets where high-quality spatial inventory data is otherwise unavailable. The second manuscript utilizes this dataset in developing a provincial-level resource dynamics model for assessing the timber supply effects of introducing weevil-resistant spruce. This model employs a stand-level approach to simulating weevil infestation and associated merchantable volume losses. Provincial-level impacts are determined by simulating harvest activities over a 350 year time horizon. In the third manuscript I shift the focus to interactions between forest companies. I analyze the effects of strategic decisions on sector structure by developing CAMBIUM as an agent-based model of competition and industry structure evolution. The forest sector is modeled as a group of autonomous, interacting agents that evolve and compete within the limitations posed by resource inventories and product demand. In the final manuscript I calibrate CAMBIUM to current conditions in the British Columbia forest sector. Industry agents compete for roundwood inputs, as well as for profits in finished product markets for pulp, panel products, and lumber. To test the relevance and utility of this model, CAMBIUM is used to quantify the cumulative impacts of a market downturn for forest products and mountain pine beetle induced timber supply fluctuations on the structure of the forest sector.

This dissertation describes the development of CAMBIUM, an agent-based forest sector model for large-scale strategic analysis. This model is designed as a decision support tool for assessing the effect that changes in forest product demand and resource inventories can have on the structure and economic viability of the forest sector. CAMBIUM complements existing forest sector models by modeling aggregate product supply as an emergent property of individual companies’ production decisions and stand-level ecological processes. Modeling the forest products sector as a group of interacting autonomous agents makes it possible to introduce production capacity dynamics and the potential for mill insolvencies as factors in modeling the effects of market and forest inventory based disturbances. This thesis contains four main manuscripts. In the first manuscript I develop and test a dispersal algorithm that projects aggregated forest inventory information onto a lattice grid. This method can be used to generate ecologically and statistically consistent datasets where high-quality spatial inventory data is otherwise unavailable. The second manuscript utilizes this dataset in developing a provincial-level resource dynamics model for assessing the timber supply effects of introducing weevil-resistant spruce. This model employs a stand-level approach to simulating weevil infestation and associated merchantable volume losses. Provincial-level impacts are determined by simulating harvest activities over a 350 year time horizon. In the third manuscript I shift the focus to interactions between forest companies. I analyze the effects of strategic decisions on sector structure by developing CAMBIUM as an agent-based model of competition and industry structure evolution. The forest sector is modeled as a group of autonomous, interacting agents that evolve and compete within the limitations posed by resource inventories and product demand. In the final manuscript I calibrate CAMBIUM to current conditions in the British Columbia forest sector. Industry agents compete for roundwood inputs, as well as for profits in finished product markets for pulp, panel products, and lumber. To test the relevance and utility of this model, CAMBIUM is used to quantify the cumulative impacts of a market downturn for forest products and mountain pine beetle induced timber supply fluctuations on the structure of the forest sector.

This dissertation describes the development of CAMBIUM, an agent-based forest sector model for large-scale strategic analysis. This model is designed as a decision support tool for assessing the effect that changes in forest product demand and resource inventories can have on the structure and economic viability of the forest sector. CAMBIUM complements existing forest sector models by modeling aggregate product supply as an emergent property of individual companies’ production decisions and stand-level ecological processes. Modeling the forest products sector as a group of interacting autonomous agents makes it possible to introduce production capacity dynamics and the potential for mill insolvencies as factors in modeling the effects of market and forest inventory based disturbances. This thesis contains four main manuscripts. In the first manuscript I develop and test a dispersal algorithm that projects aggregated forest inventory information onto a lattice grid. This method can be used to generate ecologically and statistically consistent datasets where high-quality spatial inventory data is otherwise unavailable. The second manuscript utilizes this dataset in developing a provincial-level resource dynamics model for assessing the timber supply effects of introducing weevil-resistant spruce. This model employs a stand-level approach to simulating weevil infestation and associated merchantable volume losses. Provincial-level impacts are determined by simulating harvest activities over a 350 year time horizon. In the third manuscript I shift the focus to interactions between forest companies. I analyze the effects of strategic decisions on sector structure by developing CAMBIUM as an agent-based model of competition and industry structure evolution. The forest sector is modeled as a group of autonomous, interacting agents that evolve and compete within the limitations posed by resource inventories and product demand. In the final manuscript I calibrate CAMBIUM to current conditions in the British Columbia forest sector. Industry agents compete for roundwood inputs, as well as for profits in finished product markets for pulp, panel products, and lumber. To test the relevance and utility of this model, CAMBIUM is used to quantify the cumulative impacts of a market downturn for forest products and mountain pine beetle induced timber supply fluctuations on the structure of the forest sector. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

The gradually changing behavior of the population, towards urbanization, ledto an increased shortage of available housing. This development has resultedin a serious issue in Sweden, where too few firms are providing solutions formulti-family houses in wood. Potential firms that could fill this increasingdemand are those in the single-family house industry. Yet, these firms mightface considerable problems with productivity, predominately derived fromincreasing production costs and inadequate production development.Developing these firms are associated with long-term investments, whichis investigated by evaluating the industry structure for sellers, highlightingthe financial and market situation within their industry. These factors aregrowing in importance due to the current market concentration, where morefirms are required to focus on product development driven by the demand toprefabricate wooden elements, volumes or modules in an industrialized way.This thesis studies Swedish firms producing wooden single-familyhouses, with the aim to investigate their possibilities to enter the woodenmulti-family house industry in Sweden.Investigations will be conducted by applying Altman’s Z’ value, riskposition model, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the Herfindahl-Hirschmannumber equivalent, productivity ratio model for profitability and finally amodel measuring market Concentration Ratio.Results show that the industry tends towards perfect competition with toomany firms involved, i.e. firms mainly have to compete by prices. Further,firms are grouped into three zones; risk, grey or safe zone. The levels withinthese zone show a reduction of firms in the red zone over time. Related to thecurrent risks, many firms have promising positions to invest in productdevelopment towards wooden multi-family houses, in addition to theircurrent products, even though firm productivity has declined during thestudied time frame. The results that the investigated firms have goodpossibilities gaining a competitive advantage by diversifying into thegrowing wooden multi-family house industry.

The adoption of information technology (IT) is an intensive and ongoing process in society. All types of firms, but especially service firms, tend to adopt IT. Professional services, a sub-section of the service sector, are heavy users of IT. These firms are special because their business builds on the knowledge of the people in the firm. Therefore, tt is of special interest to study the impact of IT in these firms. The impact of IT in professional service firms is identified in four ways: service quality, competitive advantage, bottomline (management visions), and industry structure. The empirical focus is on the Swedish architectural industry and the adoption of CAD in this industry. Two extensive surveys each consisting of several in-depth interviews and a mailed questionnaire provide the empirical data. The research design is longitudinal and changes in the industry were observed. In special focus were the differences between the firms that had CAD—adopter firms—and firms that did not have CAD—non-adopters. Both the architects and their clients rated services performed with CAD to have better quality; e.g., the cooperation was eased by the use of this technology. The findings also suggest that CAD may be used as a competitive tool in the industry. The adopters increased their productivity significantly more than the non-adopters did between the two surveys and the adopters had significantly more loyal clients. CAD seems to be a tool that accentuates the differences between the adopter and the non-adopter firms. The results suggest that adopters and non-adopters develop into two different types of firms. The characteristics of these firms indicate that a division of the industry appeared. For example, the adopters were significantly larger than the non-adopters and plans to expand their business. One explanation to the disparity between these two types of firms may be the differences in management vision. The adopters may be characterized as progressive firms and the nonadopters as traditional firms. / <p>Diss. Umeå : Univ., 2001</p> / digitalisering@umu

The goal of this thesis is to analyze the emerging trends in the cross-border agrochemical distributors' network in Central and Eastern Europe. It aims to answer three research hypotheses and uses desk research methodology to reach this goal. The thesis studies five distributors of agrochemicals considered as pioneers in the industry and assumes their behavior as a proxy for the whole industry behavior. It verifies the first hypothesis that there is an ongoing cross-border consolidation of the distribution network. On the other hand, due to the industry stage and the agrochemicals' market growth it rejects the second hypothesis that there is a pressure on industry profitability. At last, it confirms the third hypothesis that suppliers should consider a change to cope with cross-border customers. In addition, it suggests two areas how to create additional value for the distributors and their suppliers.

The Japanese paper and paperboard industry has grown to be one of the largest in the world. It manufactures a range of products for sale primarily within Japan, and consumes organic fibre for these products from dispersed domestic and foreign forests, plantations and cities. This dissertation examines the links between the development and structure of the industry and its use of papermaking fibre. It takes a political ecology perspective and uses an industrial structure/consumption-production chain approach to show how the industry’s development and structure continue to depend on company control over fibre flows and the restructuring of products, product distribution and manufacture, the fibre supply chain and fibre resources. As with the modern global paper/board industry, the recent growth of the Japanese industry has been characterised by cycles of capacity expansion, market collapse, excess capacity and low prices and profits. Manufacturers and general trading companies involved in the industry have tried to support growth in the use of paper/board and counter these cycles by restructuring production, distribution, ownership and fibre supply. This restructuring helps protect the flow of fibre through the industry and concentrated it in particular companies. Obtaining increasing quantities of suitably-priced fibre has been at the base of the industry’s development.

The Japanese paper and paperboard industry has grown to be one of the largest in the world. It manufactures a range of products for sale primarily within Japan, and consumes organic fibre for these products from dispersed domestic and foreign forests, plantations and cities. This dissertation examines the links between the development and structure of the industry and its use of papermaking fibre. It takes a political ecology perspective and uses an industrial structure/consumption-production chain approach to show how the industry’s development and structure continue to depend on company control over fibre flows and the restructuring of products, product distribution and manufacture, the fibre supply chain and fibre resources. As with the modern global paper/board industry, the recent growth of the Japanese industry has been characterised by cycles of capacity expansion, market collapse, excess capacity and low prices and profits. Manufacturers and general trading companies involved in the industry have tried to support growth in the use of paper/board and counter these cycles by restructuring production, distribution, ownership and fibre supply. This restructuring helps protect the flow of fibre through the industry and concentrated it in particular companies. Obtaining increasing quantities of suitably-priced fibre has been at the base of the industry’s development.

Seit den 90er Jahren ist die Wettbewerbsstruktur im europäischen Eisenbahngüterverkehr starken Veränderungen unterworfen. Die Auflösung staatlicher Monopole sowie die Öffnung nationaler Märkte implizieren einen intensivierten Wettbewerb, bieten jedoch gleichzeitig die Möglichkeit, sich über neuartige Formen der Allianzbildung Wettbewerbsvorteile zu sichern bzw. Eintrittschancen in neue Transportmärkte zu nutzen. Die Einführung wettbewerblicher Marktstrukturen im Eisenbahngüterverkehr betrifft einerseits die Schaffung gleicher Wettbewerbsvoraussetzungen im Verhältnis der Verkehrsträger untereinander (intermodal). Weiterhin steht die Einführung von Wettbewerb zwischen Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen im Vordergrund (intramodal). Die vorliegende Arbeit betrachtet Allianzmöglichkeiten entlang beider Dimensionen: im Mittelpunkt stehen Partnerschaften zwischen Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen und/oder intermodalen Partnern, die grundsätzlich auf die Gestaltung des intramodalen Wettbewerbs ausgerichtet sind. Aufgrund des Einbezugs intermodaler Partner, der vor dem Hintergrund integrierter Logistikketten immer bedeutsamer wird, gelangt die Perspektive der Beeinflussung des Wettbewerbs der Verkehrsträger untereinander mittels Allianzen ebenfalls in das Blickfeld der Untersuchung. Übergeordnetes Ziel der Arbeit stellt die Analyse des Allianzphänomens und die Systematisierung spezifischer Allianzmodelle im europäischen Eisenbahngüterverkehr vor dem Hintergrund der sich fortlaufend verändernden Marktstruktur und fortgesetzten Deregulierung dieser Branche dar. Das Hauptinteresse gilt der Allianzrelevanz in dieser Branche im allgemeinen und der Verdeutlichung branchenstrukturprägender Allianzmuster im besonderen. Betriebswirtschaftlicher Forschung in diesem Branchenumfeld soll damit ein stärkeres Gewicht beigemessen werden.