Logging businesses are an essential component of the forest-based supply chain. They are the connection between forest landowners, who grow the raw materials, and forest product mills that produce primary forest products. They are confronted with many operational challenges and issues that can make operating sustainably, producing a profit, and obtaining long-term economic viability seem unattainable. Although other businesses have similar operational challenges, logging businesses are somewhat unique in that they have minimal influence over delivered prices or the cost of stumpage, so changes in variable input costs can have large impacts on businesses' economic sustainability. Logging business operational challenges include increasing input costs such as equipment purchase costs, fuel costs, and equipment maintenance and repair costs. The economic sustainability of logging businesses affects the entire forest-based supply chain because one segment cannot function successfully without the others. This project evaluated operational characteristics, challenges, and issues related to the economic sustainability of logging businesses in Virginia from May through July 2023. A comparison was conducted using opinions and perspectives from professionals in other segments of the forest-based supply chain, on their outlook for the logging industry in Virginia concerning economic sustainability. Mail questionnaires, following the Dillman Method, were used to collect data from the survey populations which included logging business owners, consulting foresters (landowner representatives), and mill owners or procurement representatives. The response rates for logging businesses, mills, and consultant foresters were 27, 40, and 69 percent respectively. The top two challenges logging businesses faced in Virginia were fuel related. The number one challenge reported by logging businesses was fuel costs for in-woods harvesting equipment followed by fuel costs for trucks. Only 32.9% of logging businesses reported they were profitable in the past year. Only 26.1% of businesses had an outlook that their business was economically sustainable while 38.8% reported that their business was not sustainable. A greater percentage of mills (56.3%) and consultants (68.9%) reported their outlook for logging businesses was not economically sustainable. There were many neutral perspectives from all populations, however small positive changes in market conditions could move responses to the positive side of neutral. This study identifies the challenges in the industry as well as perspectives on the future of the forest industry's economic sustainability. The results of the study should be used as a catalyst encouraging segments of the industry to work together to address challenges and find solutions. / Master of Science / Logging businesses are an essential component of the forest-based supply chain as they are the connection between forest landowners, who grow the raw materials, and forest product mills that produce primary forest products. They are confronted with many operational challenges and issues that can make operating sustainably, producing a profit, and obtaining long-term economic viability seem unattainable. However, the economic sustainability of logging businesses affects the entire forest-based supply chain because one segment cannot function successfully without the others. This project evaluated operational characteristics, challenges, and issues related to the economic sustainability of the logging businesses, including the perspectives from professionals across the forest-based supply chain. A mail survey, following the Dillman method, was used to collect data from the three populations; logging business owners, consulting foresters (landowner representatives), and mill owners or procurement representatives. The response rates for logging businesses, mills, and consultants were 27, 40, and 69 percent respectively. The number one challenge reported by logging businesses was fuel costs for in-woods harvesting equipment. Logging businesses reported that only 32.9% were profitable in the past year. Only 26.1% of businesses had an outlook that their business was economically sustainable while 38.8% reported that their business was not sustainable. A greater percentage of mills (56.3%) and consultants (68.9%) reported their outlook for logging business economic sustainability was not sustainable. There were many neutral perspectives from all populations, and small positive changes in market conditions could move responses to the positive side of neutral. This study identifies the challenges in the industry as well as perspectives on the future of the forest industry's economic sustainability. The results of the study should be used as a catalyst encouraging segments of the industry to work together to address challenges and find solutions.

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic caused lockdowns in countries across the globe and forced organizations to conduct remote work solutions, contributing for challenges to arise. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate main challenges related to remote leadership caused by external disruptions. Further, this study has conceptualized remote work conditions and distinguishes between remote leadership derived from proactive changes and reactive changes to create the concept of “proactive remote leadership” and “reactive remote leadership”. A qualitative and exploratory method was applied through semi structured interviews, with nine managers at a global organization named Leaseplan. The empirical findings from the data collection discovered noticeable differences in challenges between the two remote leadership concepts. Main challenges found within reactive remote leadership which had not been highlighted in previous studies focusing on remote leadership were organizational silos, information sharing, transparency, workload, employee wellbeing and motivation. The findings suggest that it is important for both scholars and managers to put context to leadership to find nuanced challenges but also opportunities.