The Global Forest Sector Changes, Practices, and Prospects

Changes in production, demand, supply, and trade patterns; the impact of green building and bioenergy on industry practices and policy infrastructure; and new economies with production advantages and large consumption bases all present challenges and opportunities in the forest sector. With contributions from leading experts in academia and professional organizations, The Global Forest Sector: Changes, Practices, and Prospects fills a gap in the literature that is preventing students, scholars, and policy makers from developing a timely, structured, big-picture view of forest sector business. In addition, the book reviews current thinking on a wide variety of business management issues in the forest sector.

The book covers managing change in the global forest sector and the impact of globalization on forest users. It discusses markets and market forces, new products and product categories, and the influence of China and Russia. The book then examines the environmental paradigm, including environmental activism, sustainability, and the impact of green building and bioenergy. The book concludes with coverage of the role of information technology, corporate social responsibility, innovation, and next steps.

Overall, this book helps readers both develop a bird?s eye view of the changes surrounding the forest sector as well as have a magnified view of numerous managerial issues associated with these changes. The content paints a picture of the current and changing forest sector including the state of forests, the nature of markets, the newly emerged patterns of stakeholder impact, and evolution of key business practices. It provides the foundation needed to develop the conservation-based economy required for future success in the global forest sector.

Unit I: Changing context of the global forest sector. Understanding and Managing Change in a Global Forest Sector. The Impact of Globalization on Forest Users: Trends and Opportunities. Unit II: Changes in product categories and individual markets. Markets and Market Forces for Lumber. Markets and Market Forces for Secondary Wood Products. Markets and Market Forces for Pulp and Paper Products. New Products and Product Categories in the Forest Sector. The Chinese Era. Russia in the Global Forest Sector. Unit III: The forest sector within an environmental paradigm. Environmental Activism and the Global Forest Sector. Implementing Sustainability in the Forestry Sector: Toward the Convergence of Public and Private Forest Policy. Green Building and the Forest Sector. An Assessment of Global Wood-based Bioenergy. Unit IV: Capability development and strategic imperatives for the forest sector. The Current and Future Role of Information Technology in the Forest Sector. Cross-cultural Sales, Marketing, and Management Issues in the Global Forest Sector. Corporate Social Responsibility in the Global Forest Sector. Innovation in the Global Forest Sector. Strategic Orientations in the Global Forest Sector. Unit V: Bringing it all together. What Now, Mr. Jones? Some Thoughts about Today’s Forest Sector and Tomorrow’s Great Leap Forwards