A cross-national investigation of softwood sawmill marketing strategies

The concept of marketing strategy at the interface between a company and its environment (customers, competitors, and stakeholders) has been a topic of lively discussion since the late 1970s. The marketing strategy concept has evolved from the fundamental marketing management questions regarding elements of the marketing mix to a more extensive concept whereby the ultimate objective is to gain competitive advantage. This paper provides primary data collected from 102 companies in 3 nations/5 regions: Finland, Western Coast USA, Western inland USA, Coastal British Columbia, Canada, and Interior, British Columbia, Canada. Empirical testing was conducted by measuring a firm's marketing strategy, determined by making strategic decisions concerning products, customers, market areas, and marketing competences. Factor analysis discovered five underlying dimensions of market strategy which were subsequently measured and plotted graphically by the five producing regions included in the study. Comparisons and contrasts of the marketing strategies of the various regions are examined and discussed.