Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Forestry in Central Europe

What is the situation and perceived future outlook for forestry in Central Europe? What is the role of innovation and entrepreneurship as main driving forces for economic growth, competitiveness and employment creation? Research results of the EFI Regional Project Centre INNOFORCE provide new knowledge on the sector's innovation and entrepreneurial behaviour as well as on policy measures necessary to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. Survey results are accompanied by lessons learned from more than 30 cases referring to innovations in forestry implemented in eight Central European countries.

Table of Contents Foreword Acknowledgements
1. Background and Objectives
2. Theory 2.1 Innovation systems 2.2 Entrepreneurs / entrepreneurship
3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Monitors 3.1 European Innovation Scoreboard 3.2 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
4. Method 4.1 Overall approach 4.2 Forest holdings survey 4.3 Institutional system survey 4.4 Case study analysis
5. Frame Conditions for Innovations in Forestry in Central Europe 5.1 Forest resources and their utilization in Central Europe 5.2 Ownership structures 5.3 Educational background of forest managers/owners 5.4 Goals and strategies of forest management 5.5 Decision making structures and distribution of work 5.6 Product mix and contribution to income
6. Forest-owners and Forest Managers as Innovators 6.1 Innovation behaviour 6.2 Sources of impulse and information for innovation 6.3 Fostering factors for innovation 6.4 Impeding factors to innovation 6.5 Suggestions for improvements in innovation support
7. Forest owners and forest managers as entrepreneurs: start-ups in forestry 7.1 Entrepreneurship activities and behaviour 7.2 Support, fostering and impeding factors for start-ups
8. Entrepreneurial Orientation and Future Expectations 8.1 Entrepreneurial orientation of forest owners and forest managers
9. Institutional System of Innovation 9.1 Key actors in sectoral innovation systems and their views 9.2 Market expectations of institutional system actors
10. Innovation Systems and Processes: Lessons from Selected Cases 10.1 Wood products: Looking beyond the forest 10.2 Non-wood products: Marketing traditional products 10.3 Nature conservation services: From regulation to contracts 10.4 Recreational services: Accommodation and forest education 10.5 New technologies: Further mechanisation of forest work 10.6 The organisational challenge: Horizontal and vertical co-operation 10.7 Comparative analysis 10.8 Entrepreneurship in forestry 10.9 The role of sectoral and regional innovation systems in forestry innovations
11. Conclusions and Recommendations 11.1 Note the frame conditions for innovation 11.2 The current situation: Shortcomings and surprising strengths 11.3 Do institutional actors understand the needs of forest owners and managers? 11.4 How well are the three innovation system functions fulfilled? 11.5 Summary of recommendations Abbreviations References