North American oriented strandboard/waferboard producers were surveyed to assess the corporate rationale and product policy decisions employed in formulating branding strategies. The effectiveness of their branding policies was examined from a retail perspective by surveying 1,350 building material suppliers operating in each of the 50 states. This investigation also provides a detailed analysis of retailer and manufacturer perceptions concerning target market emphasis and the impact product/distributor attributes have on the oriented strandboard/waferboard purchasing decision. A majority of the oriented strandboard/waferboard producers have introduced a unique branding strategy. While the rationale behind this strategy varied considerably, over half of the respondents asserted that the brand served to differentiate their product from that of competitors. Price was perceived by producers and retailers to be the most important attribute from a marketing standpoint. Analysis of market segmentation strategies revealed that roofdeck sheathing applications commanded the highest degree of importance among both manufacturers and retailers. Retailers' perceptions of ideal product attributes centered on maximizing strength/stiffness, while areas of retailer dissatisfaction focused on the lack of promotional support and dimensional instability. A number of retailers contended that branding assisted in promoting the sale of their products and also improved the consistency of panel quality. However, both retailers and producers suggested that the variety of different brand names confused the consumer as to the products appropriate end use. Only 35% of the retailers surveyed asserted that branding encouraged buyer preference. / M.S.

The wood-based building products industry has experienced significant turbulence over the past several decades as a function of multiple forces including among others globalization, product and process innovation, and shifting customer and consumer interest and demands. Collectively, these changes have challenged the historical tenets which have defined industry strategy and competition in the realm of basic products and contributed to consolidation and labor reductions. Consequently, an onus has been placed on industry participants to better understand and adapt to the new competitive landscape or risk loss of competitive advantages built on the practices suited to historical tradition. However, a limited range of work that considers the machinations of turbulence and resulting strategic implications has been directed toward the industry particularly where differentiation of products is limited. A contributing factor for this deficiency is the relative stability that has defined the industry for generations due in part to limited strategic variation beyond cost and production, limited cycles of technological and product innovation, commodity nature of many products, and passive manner of consumption. Accordingly, there is value in work that takes a critical and empirical view of industry changes in the context of both strategic and competitive implications, how participating firms address challenges, and what factors influence consumer purchase decisions. This work addresses this need through examination of each element, industry, firm, and consumer, in the context of turbulence, competition, and strategy and delineates previously unidentified considerations for competing in the new landscape. At the industry level, drivers of industry turbulence and subsequent strategic challenges, adaptations, and opportunities are identified and reviewed. Analysis suggests that improved strategy which considers organizational and product differentiation beyond cost and production efficiencies permits greater stability and increased leverage in the turbulent competitive environment. Recognizing a need for improved strategy, the firm level analysis employs a primary qualitative approach to isolate previously unidentified firm qualities analogous to successful deployment of a market orientation strategy using the resource based view of the firm as a framework for analysis. Connecting strategy to the consumer and product, theoretical consumer behavior constructs (consumption, behavior, and involvement) were connected to conceptualize dimensions of product differentiation capable of holding consumer appeal and acting as behavioral drivers in the passively consumed arena of primary wood-based building products. Taken together this work provides a view of strategic considerations within the wood-based building product industry that extends beyond previous work in several ways. First, by considering industry environment, firm strategy, and consumer behavior and product differentiation collectively in the manner described, this work provides a more vertically complete strategic perspective for industry participants. Second, within each chapter, findings and case based examples relevant to each element are presented. / Graduation date: 2012

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-12T20:12:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGEF15MA039.pdf: 2330601 bytes, checksum: 436c70ad150933024e19e47188c03d1d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-19 / Evaluation of erros from non-destructive volumetric estimates takes fundamental importance, as well the establishment of trusted relations between solid volume and mass units, whereas the wood quantification is directly linked to eficiente planning in forestry companies. This way, the aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of volumetric estimates by the non-destructive method comprinsing diferente ages and horizontal distance measurement (HD) and, establish relations between solid volume and mass units considering diferente ages, assortments and storage time in stands of Pinus taeda l.. the experiments were conducted in themunicipality of Ponte Alta do Norte SC. The non-destructive measurements were performed using dendrometer Criterion RD1000, and they were compared to the destrucrtive and xylometer methods. The method used both volumetric estimates was Hohenadl with 10 sections, in stands of 13 and21 years old, considereing three HD s (10; 14 and 18 m). the results were assessed at the level of mean absolute and relative erros, taking as reference the xylometer values. In the study of relations between solid volume and mass units were considered stands of nine and 21 years old, where in the first age had assortments in fine point of 8 18 cm (S1) and 18 24 cm (S2), while in the second, in addition of these, there were two more assortments, 25 35 cm (S3) andaboce 35 cm (S4). Theexperiment was conducted in a randomized block expedrimental design, considering the a factorial scheme with three replications, each of these being composed of five logs. The logs had their estimated volume (Smalian method) and heavy, at 0; 7; 14; 21; 28; 60 and 90 days of storage in the open. Statistical diferences were evaluated according to analysis of variance followed of Scott-Knott test for factors age and assortment and regression analysis to storage time. The volumetric estimates through non-destructive volumetric estimates demonstrate satisfactoey results in all HD s studied at age 21 years. While in the age of 13 years it s observed that only the HD 0f 18 m showed similar results with destructive volumetric estimate, demonstrating overestimation mean erros of 1.32% aboce the same. Relations between solid volume and mass presented statistical diferences when considering assortments and ages, and there is, intersction between these factors. For the storage time, there were diferences in the case of S1 and S2 at both ages, whereas for S3 and S4 at the age of 21 years significant changes weren t observed. Thus, it can be concluded that the non-destructive estimates proved promising, reaching acceptable erros, especially in the HD 0f 18 m at both ages and, the adoption of mean conversion s factors of solid volume and mass units by the forestry companies, can lead to large erros in estimates, when they showed diferences in age, assortment and storage time / A avaliação de erros oriundos de cubagens não-destrutivas assume fundamental importância, assim como o estabelecimento de relações confiáveis entre unidades de volume sólido e massa, considerando que a quantificação de madeira tem ligação direta a planejamentos eficientes nas empresas florestais. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a exatidão de estimativas volumétricas pelo método não-destrutivo englobando diferentes idades e distâncias horizontais de medição (DH) e, estabelecer relações entre unidades de volume sólido e massa analisando diferentes idades, sortimentos e tempos de estocagem em povoamentos de Pinus taeda L.. Os experimentos foram conduzidos no município de Ponte Alta do Norte SC. As cubagens não-destrutivas foram realizadas utilizando o dendrômetro Criterion RD1000, sendo que as mesmas foram comparadas ao método destrutivo e xilometria dos fustes. O método empregado em ambas às cubagens foi o de Hohenadl 10 seções, em povoamentos de 13 e 21 anos de idade, considerando três DH s (10; 14 e 18 m). Os resultados foram avaliados ao nível de erros absolutos e relativos médios, tomando-se como referência os valores da xilometria. No estudo das relações entre unidades de volume sólido e massa foram considerados povoamentos de nove e 21 anos de idade, sendo que na primeira idade tinham-se sortimentos na ponta fina de 8 18 cm (S1) e 18 24 cm (S2), já na segunda, além desses, existiam mais dois sortimentos, 24 35 cm (S3) e acima de 35 cm (S4). O experimento foi analisado no delineamento em blocos ao acaso, considerando o esquema fatorial, com três repetições, sendo cada uma dessas, composta por cinco toras. As mesmas foram cubadas (método de Smalian) e pesadas, aos 0; 7; 14; 21; 28; 60 e 90 dias de estocagem a céu aberto. As diferenças estatísticas foram avaliadas segundo análise de variância seguidas do teste de Scott-Knott para idade e sortimento e, análise de regressão para tempo de estocagem. As estimativas volumétricas por meio das cubagens não-destrutivas demonstram resultados satisfatórios em todas as DH s estudadas na idade 21 anos. Enquanto na idade de 13 anos observa-se que apenas a DH de 18 m apresentou resultados similares à cubagem destrutiva, demonstrando erros médios de superestimativa de 1,32% superior à mesma. As relações entre volume sólido e massa apresentaram-se diferentes estatisticamente quando se consideraram sortimentos e idades, existindo ainda, interação entre esses fatores. Para o tempo de estocagem, observaram-se diferenças nos caso dos S1 e S2 em ambas as idades, enquanto para S3 e S4 na idade de 21 anos não foram observadas variações significativas. Desta forma, pode-se concluir que as estimativas não-destrutivas se mostraram promissoras, atingindo erros aceitáveis, principalmente na DH de 18 m em ambas as idades e, a adoção de fatores de conversão médios entre unidades de volume sólido e massa por parte das empresas florestais, pode acarretar em erros nas estimativas, sendo que os mesmos apresentaram diferenças a nível de idade, sortimento e tempo de estocagem