Innovative approaches in forest management - the application of a business model to designing a small-scale forestry strategy

Abstract

The strong market competition forces forest owners to find innovative approaches to forest management, and business models are becoming integral parts of successful innovations and business strategies. This paper deals with the applicability of a business model (as an innovation tool) for small forest owners. The main objectives were to design a business model applicable in the forestry sector and to find the innovative business alternatives for the small-scale forest owner reflecting the local situation (in a case study in the Czech Republic). The extended business model CANVAS was used. The embedded data was evaluated on the software developed at the Savonia University in Finland where business opportunity and competitive advantage were the main evaluation criteria. As a result, a proposed strategy was advised to be followed. The biggest added value of the extended CANVAS model is giving an objective and unbiased evaluation of the situation of small forest owners. The business model design proved a usable and applicable tool to be used in forest management, for the research has shown that the quantitative data should be complemented by qualitative research in order to get the complex view.

Keywords

• resources
• innovation
• rural economy
• competitive advantage
• business opportunities
• extended business model canvas