Browsing by Subject "Decision-making"
Now showing items 1-4 of 4
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(2021)Forests play a central role in climate change mitigation actions, and substitution, that is the use of wood products in place of fossil intensive materials, has been recognized as a potential way to avoid emissions. While there are studies estimating the substitution impact of products, i.e., the avoided emissions, there is a lack of studies integrating market perspectives into substitution estimation. To contribute to this research gap, this study explores the market assumptions of substitution through the theoretical lenses of value chains and microeconomic theory on demand. The objectives are to recognize powerful decision-makers in the value chains, to establish a better understanding for the current state of substitution in the markets, and to explore the determinants of demand of the wood-based products. To limit the scope of this study, the use of pulp-based products was examined in the cases of packaging and textile sectors. Semi-structured interviews with 14 experts were arranged to discuss their views on substitution and demand of the pulp-based products in the chosen sectors. Additionally, a Likert scale was filled at the end of each interview to supplement the interview answers and enable elasticity and cross-price elasticity analyses to examine substitution. The sample of respondents was chosen through the use of snowball sampling and a matrix to recognize potential interviewees. First, the findings of this study suggest that in both sectors, the decision-making power on materials is held by the operators at the end of the value chain whereas the forest sector is located at the beginning of the chain. Second, in both sectors, there is willingness to find more sustainable material solutions, but the tools for this are lacking. In the case of packaging sector, the barrier capacities of plastic are unattainable with fiber-based materials, meaning that reducing plastic use does not always imply switching the feedstock itself. In the textile sector, the production of wood-based textile fibers is not yet scaled enough for it to compete with similar materials. However, the analysis of elasticities indicates that some substitution can be expected in both sectors. Third, a number of important determinants of demand were identified, yet no single factor could be identified as the most important one. This study concluded that there is room to improve the market assumptions for substitution impact estimation. In packages, the market preferences of fiber-based packaging in some uses give a rise for interpretational issues, while plastic reduction goals do not always imply switching to wood feedstock. In textiles, the new man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) are expected to mostly substitute for viscose and fill the cellulosic gap from stagnating production of cotton instead of substituting for synthetic fibers. To conclude, it is central to integrate market data and concepts better into future substitution impact analyses to facilitate more realistic estimates.
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(2021)Forests play a central role in climate change mitigation actions, and substitution, that is the use of wood products in place of fossil intensive materials, has been recognized as a potential way to avoid emissions. While there are studies estimating the substitution impact of products, i.e., the avoided emissions, there is a lack of studies integrating market perspectives into substitution estimation. To contribute to this research gap, this study explores the market assumptions of substitution through the theoretical lenses of value chains and microeconomic theory on demand. The objectives are to recognize powerful decision-makers in the value chains, to establish a better understanding for the current state of substitution in the markets, and to explore the determinants of demand of the wood-based products. To limit the scope of this study, the use of pulp-based products was examined in the cases of packaging and textile sectors. Semi-structured interviews with 14 experts were arranged to discuss their views on substitution and demand of the pulp-based products in the chosen sectors. Additionally, a Likert scale was filled at the end of each interview to supplement the interview answers and enable elasticity and cross-price elasticity analyses to examine substitution. The sample of respondents was chosen through the use of snowball sampling and a matrix to recognize potential interviewees. First, the findings of this study suggest that in both sectors, the decision-making power on materials is held by the operators at the end of the value chain whereas the forest sector is located at the beginning of the chain. Second, in both sectors, there is willingness to find more sustainable material solutions, but the tools for this are lacking. In the case of packaging sector, the barrier capacities of plastic are unattainable with fiber-based materials, meaning that reducing plastic use does not always imply switching the feedstock itself. In the textile sector, the production of wood-based textile fibers is not yet scaled enough for it to compete with similar materials. However, the analysis of elasticities indicates that some substitution can be expected in both sectors. Third, a number of important determinants of demand were identified, yet no single factor could be identified as the most important one. This study concluded that there is room to improve the market assumptions for substitution impact estimation. In packages, the market preferences of fiber-based packaging in some uses give a rise for interpretational issues, while plastic reduction goals do not always imply switching to wood feedstock. In textiles, the new man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) are expected to mostly substitute for viscose and fill the cellulosic gap from stagnating production of cotton instead of substituting for synthetic fibers. To conclude, it is central to integrate market data and concepts better into future substitution impact analyses to facilitate more realistic estimates.
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(2023)Research has shown how individual identity may be either a burden or a supporting factor to group behavior. The issue is of relevance to business research where especially the field of supply chain management has been concerned with how relationships between supplier and buyer organizations may be facilitated. Yet, the interorganizational context has remained relatively less studied compared to the intraorganizational in terms of identity, whereas supply chain management studies have often disregarded behavioral factors. This study contributes to these shortcomings by examining how the identity types of organizational identity, collective identity and intergroup relational identity relate to commitment to supply relationships through the interaction of perceived supply disruption risk and individual risk attitude. Particularly, it is argued that individuals exhibit identity-protective cognitions and may, thus, assess risks threatening their identities as lower than others. A moderated mediation model with the constructs identity type, perceived supply disruption risk, individual risk attitude, and commitment to supply relationship was tested by collecting data from (N=)42 business students with a scenario-based role-playing experiment. The respondents were primed with an identity and consequently surveyed with items regarding the studied constructs. The data was then analyzed with exploratory factor analysis and moderated regression analysis. The results indicate that identity type is related to perceived supply disruption risk so that when an identity among the organization or supply chain relevant to an individual decision-maker exists, they tend to perceive the risks lower. However, the type of identity was of no significance to the strength of this effect. Likewise, the assumed mechanisms of mediation and moderation were not supported by the data. The findings show how the activation of organizational and interorganizational identities are essential in terms of organizational behavior and interorganizational relationships. On the one hand, identity may influence individual perceptions regarding other organizations. On the other hand, the identity or the perceptions do not always lead to congruent behavior. In this vein, it is possible that commitment to a relationship is more about what one commits to, than to whom. Future research could account for this and extend the presented model with more observations and concepts for better explanatory power.
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(2023)Research has shown how individual identity may be either a burden or a supporting factor to group behavior. The issue is of relevance to business research where especially the field of supply chain management has been concerned with how relationships between supplier and buyer organizations may be facilitated. Yet, the interorganizational context has remained relatively less studied compared to the intraorganizational in terms of identity, whereas supply chain management studies have often disregarded behavioral factors. This study contributes to these shortcomings by examining how the identity types of organizational identity, collective identity and intergroup relational identity relate to commitment to supply relationships through the interaction of perceived supply disruption risk and individual risk attitude. Particularly, it is argued that individuals exhibit identity-protective cognitions and may, thus, assess risks threatening their identities as lower than others. A moderated mediation model with the constructs identity type, perceived supply disruption risk, individual risk attitude, and commitment to supply relationship was tested by collecting data from (N=)42 business students with a scenario-based role-playing experiment. The respondents were primed with an identity and consequently surveyed with items regarding the studied constructs. The data was then analyzed with exploratory factor analysis and moderated regression analysis. The results indicate that identity type is related to perceived supply disruption risk so that when an identity among the organization or supply chain relevant to an individual decision-maker exists, they tend to perceive the risks lower. However, the type of identity was of no significance to the strength of this effect. Likewise, the assumed mechanisms of mediation and moderation were not supported by the data. The findings show how the activation of organizational and interorganizational identities are essential in terms of organizational behavior and interorganizational relationships. On the one hand, identity may influence individual perceptions regarding other organizations. On the other hand, the identity or the perceptions do not always lead to congruent behavior. In this vein, it is possible that commitment to a relationship is more about what one commits to, than to whom. Future research could account for this and extend the presented model with more observations and concepts for better explanatory power.
Now showing items 1-4 of 4