Munin: Browsing Doktorgradsavhandlinger (BFE-fak) by Title

Understanding and practising market orientation : exploring how managers cope in turbulent environments

Ottesen, Geir Grundvåg (Doctoral thesis; Doktorgradsavhandling, 23-Nov-2001)

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Abstract:

Ottesens doktorgrad fokuserer på hva det innebærer å være markedsorientert for bedrifter i fiskerinæringen. I næringsmessige debatter blir det ofte påpekt at norsk fiskeindustri må bli mer markedsorientert. Mens begrepet markedsorientering har blitt et moteord som brukes av både politikere og næringsliv, blir det sjelden klargjort hva dette innebærer. Resultatene fra avhandlingen avdekker hvordan bedriftene i denne industrien praktiserer markedsorientering. Avhandlingen viser at dette til dels skiller seg fra hva som er etablerte oppfatninger i faglitteraturen. I faglitteraturen fremheves det for eksempel at markedsorientering innebærer analyse av hva individuelle konkurrenter foretar seg i markedene. Men i fiskerinæringa ser en i liten grad på bestemte konkurrenter. Dette skyldes at det ofte er så mange aktører at en ikke har kapasitet til å analysere hva disse foretar seg i markedene. Slik analyse er heller ikke særlig relevant fordi sjømatmarkeder gjerne er globale, med så mange tilbydere at hver enkelt har liten eller ingen betydning. Aktørene i fiskeindustrien forsøker i stedet å forstå hvordan de ulike markedene fungerer, slik at de kan forutse hvor de kan få mest igjen for produktene sine. Mange av bedriftslederne forstår markedsdynamikken svært godt. Men for å komme inn med de rette produkter på riktig tidspunkt i de riktige markedene, er det i tillegg avgjørende med inngående kunnskap om råstoffet. Eksempelvis må en forholde seg til flere fiskearter med forskjellige kvaliteter gjennom året. Avhandlingen viser at mange bedrifter har imponerende kunnskaper om hvordan de, med utgangspunkt i usikker tilgang på råstoff, skal tilpasse seg markedet - de er med andre ord svært markedsorientert.

URI:

http://hdl.handle.net/10037/2513

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Upstream vertical integration and financial performance : the case of the Norwegian fish processing industry

Isaksen, John R. (Doctoral thesis; Doktorgradsavhandling, 08-Jun-2007)

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Abstract:

In this thesis, four different articles address the correlation between vertical integration and profitability in the Norwegian fish processing industry. By vertical integration we mean the ownership and control of one firm over different stages in the value chain. Firms within this industry consider the uncertain supply of fish as a main challenge. Literature prescribes vertical integration as an organisational form that can enable industries to overcome uncertainties in raw material supply, and, hence, increase profitability. Therefore, upstream vertical integration, i.e. ownership in – and supply from own – fishing vessels or fish farms, is expected to influence profitability positively in this industry.
Detailed firm and industry data, from the period 1977–2002, reveals a great diversity of firms, with varying profitability. Also, their organisation towards the fishing fleet varies. A central conclusion from this work is that no clear correlation can be revealed between the profitability of firms and their degree of upstream vertical integration toward their raw material source.
The study also demonstrate that the key to success in this industry seem to be connected to the resources firms possess, which enables them to make the most of the advantages – and minimise the disadvantages – of their choice of strategy. While successful integrated firms utilise a continuous production and reduced transaction costs, firms without ownership in – and supply from – fishing vessels have to develop alternative relations towards the fishing fleet, and exploit the advantages from a flexible production to succeed.
A central part of the thesis has concentrated on developing adequate measures for evaluating the degree of vertical integration in firms in this industry – related to prior research and methodologies. Analyses show that in this particular industry, there exist effective and profitable alternatives which firms can utilise in order to handle the inherent uncertainty in the raw material markets.

URI:

http://hdl.handle.net/10037/2546

File(s) in this item: 6

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paper_2.pdf (245.8Kb)

paper_3.pdf (241.0Kb)

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Vole population cycles and the role of colonisation

Glorvigen, Petter (Doctoral thesis; Doktorgradsavhandling, 06-Dec-2012)

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Abstract:	The multiannual population cycles in small rodents have triggered an intense debate between proponents of population-intrinsic and community-extrinsic factors as the cycle generating mechanisms. A well-known challenge is the apparent absence of vole individuals during the low phase of the population cycle and the fact that most studies addressing vole and lemming behaviour and demography are conducted at high to moderate population densities. Overall this thesis aim to (1) present new insight for the least studied phase(s)of the vole population cycles: specifically the role of colonisation processes in the transition from small isolated populations in the low-phase to the spatially extensively distributed populations in the peak phase of the cycle, and (2) provide an updated view on how population-intrinsic and community-extrinsic processes may interact during the vole population cycles. The first experiment documented that colonisation is a beneficial strategy in female bank voles (Myodes glareolus) compared to immigration. The second experiment demonstrated that the first born cohort of root voles (Microtus oeconomus) emigrating in early summer have large capacity for colonising spatially scattered habitat patches – a capacity that explains the fast recolonistation of empty habitat space following crashes in cyclic populations. These experimental results also gave evidence for presence of social fences around high quality habitats at low population density. Hence, in the increase phase voles seem to actively search for vacant habitats and settle in them conditional on habitat quality and population density. An observational study of a riparian mainland-island root vole metapopulation confirmed that such patchy populations with cyclic dynamics may be subject to extensive occupancy dynamics. However, owing to high capacities for dispersal and habitat tracking, voles rapidly colonised the high quality islands across the entire metapopulation landscape that previously had gone extinct due to demographic (small population size) and environmental (high water levels) stochasticity. In total, the experimental and observational studies show that spatially scattered (sub)populations that have survived the crash phase are able to provide colonists to remote habitat patches embedded in hostile matrix and thus pave the way to a new increase and peak phase. The updated view on the causes of population cycles in voles emphasises the important role of dispersal (colonisation) and sociality in all phases of the cycle. It is not claimed that intrinsic mechanisms, either alone or in interactions with extrinsic factors, are necessary for generating multiannual cycles. Rather that the interaction between extrinsic and intrinsic factors likely contribute to shape rodent population dynamics, and that different innate propensities for sociality and dispersal among different rodent species may be related to interspecific variation in topology of the cycles (i.e. cycle shape and amplitude) and degree of spatial population synchrony.
Description:	The papers of this thesis are not available in Munin: 1. Glorvigen, P., Bjørnstad O.N., Andreassen, H.P. and Ims, R.A.: 'Settlement in empty versus occupied habitats : an experimental study on bank voles', Population Ecology (2012), vol. 54:55-63. Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10144-011-0295-0 2. Glorvigen, P., Gundersen, G., Andreassen, H.P. and Ims, R.A.: 'The role of colonization in patchy population dynamics of a cyclic vole species' (manuscript). 3. Glorvigen, P., Andreassen, H.P. and Ims, R.A.: 'Relative importance of habitat geometry, habitat quality, population size and environmental stochasticity on occupancy dynamics in a riparian mainland-island root vole metapopulation', (manuscript). 4. Andreassen, H.P., Glorvigen, P., Rémy, A. and Ims, R. A.: 'New views on how population-intrinsic and community-extrinsic processes interact during the vole population cycles' (manuscript)
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10037/4655

File(s) in this item: 1

thesis.pdf (2.547Mb)

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