Glykeria Karagouni

Green marketing: The case of Greece in certified and sustainably managed timber products

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the possibility of promoting certified timber coming from sustainable managed forests, in order to support Greek enterprises and the institutions of the Greek timber sector involved to apply effective green marketing methods and policies. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a prototype questionnaire, specifically structured for the aim of the research, 55 responses were collected from Greek timber enterprises in April 2009. The questionnaires were processed and analyzed with the statistical program SPSS of ver17.0, using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The main purpose was the investigation of knowledge, use and promotion of certified timber that emanates from forests under sustainable management, thus planning the green marketing. Findings – The Greek enterprises of the timber sector expressed a great interest in the protection of forests all over the world, ranging from illegal loggings to their rational management. At the same time, in their overwhelming majority, they strongly support the certification of the sustainable management of Greek forests. These enterprises believe that the movement of green buildings has also reached Greece, albeit at a slow pace, and forecast that green consumers are prone to offer an additional percentage of about 6 per cent on price, in order to buy certified timber products. Companies trust to a high degree most institutions of higher education (universities and technological institutions) for the promotion of certified timber products and propose their publicity through newspapers and magazines, as well as through internet portals of close contact. Finally, the paper discusses reflections and forecasts on the growth of this new market of timber. Practical implications – The results offer precious knowledge on the market of certified timber and its future developments in the following five years, which can assist both enterprises and the institutions involved in strategy forming and decision making, in order to gain an important share of the market of green consumers. The paper also proposes effective green marketing applications. Originality/value – This is the first research on green marketing and the promotion of certified products of timber in the Greek market, while similar work is very limited even at an international level.

Mainstreaming green product strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the viability of the ecological furniture niche markets in Greece and Cyprus. More specifically, the authors investigate the current demand on ecological furniture, business strategy and planning in introducing eco-furniture products in Greek and Cypriot market. Finally, particular emphasis lays on the analysis of the barriers regarding decision making of Greek and Cypriot enterprises in order to incorporate ecological furniture into their current activities. Design/methodology/approach – Based on three distinguished hypotheses, the study seeks to draw attention to the critical factors which will impact decision making on such products development within the severe crisis. Using a prototype questionnaire, specifically structured for the aim of the research, the authors collected data from 36 Greek furniture enterprises, 25 Cypriot ones and 24 sectoral experts and relevant institutes in Greece and Cyprus. The questionnaires were selected in 2012, which were...

Market potential and determinants for eco-smart furniture attending consumers of the third age

Purpose This paper aims to discuss some of the findings of an ongoing “Green & Smart Furniture” (GSF) research project. It actually focuses on third-age consumers’ behavior and interest in purchasing smart and eco-friendly wooden furniture, providing some critical implications for the successful design and production of GSF products in the framework of innovation and differentiation. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on empirical data gathered from consumer research across Greece. The target group for “smart and eco furniture”, under the context of the present research, has to do with the third age, following the claims of many researchers that market orientation is essential for innovation success. Findings The present research promotes the development of innovation for furniture manufacturing industries, opening a new pathway in confronting the difficulties and strong competition. Firms should redesign their strategy, focusing on differentiation by including innovative products in their portfolio with high added value. Originality/value The present research is a prototype for the Greek and European furniture market, one designed to answer certain relevant questions regarding the drivers of innovation for the specific sector and the specific target group.

Knowledge–intensive entrepreneurship and performance during the crisis: cases of the Greek wood industry

The study approaches the relationship between knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship (KIE) in low-tech, traditional sectors and environmental instability from the perspective of the long severe financial crisis in Greece, which led to a drastic economic downturn. The empirical study builds on a qualitative approach of four case studies of the wood industry in Greece. The analysis sheds light on how KIE affects performance in unstable environments by explaining and enhancing understanding of the connections between knowledge-intensiveness, innovation, competitive advantage and performance during the crisis period. Implications for theory and practice culminate in suggestions for future research.