The forest products marketing educational needs of Chile were investigated to determine the current availability of such training and assess marketing areas where strengthening may be needed. The work was a collaboration involving the University of Bío-Bío in Concepción, Chile, the Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Investigators, through secondary research and initial interviews, identified important marketing factors and organizations that were to be included in the study. A data collection instrument was designed and reviewed by the investigation team and sent to key people at the selected organizations prior to personal interviews. Personal interviews with 16 different organizations were conducted.
The results indicate an immediate and strong need for continuing forest products marketing education designed for existing industry personnel. Respondents indicated that, most likely, marketing personnel of larger forest products firms would have training in general marketing or hold an MBA, but have not been trained specifically in forest products marketing, whereas medium- and small-sized firms probably would not have people trained in marketing and generally these individuals advanced through the production operation. The need for intermediate length programmes and university-level programmes was also identified.
Quantitative results indicate that the highest educational subject needs were in developing strategic partnerships, developing marketing plans, green marketing, product promotion and new product development. These are the subject areas that would contribute most to a new programme in forest products marketing for Chile. Personal contact and short training courses were the highest rated delivery methods.
Recommendations resulting from the work include the delivery of short courses in forest products marketing, the establishment of intermediate-length courses leading to certification, inclusion of forest products marketing courses in existing undergraduate-level curricula, and the establishment of a forest products marketing graduate programme at a major university with an existing programme in wood science/forestry. The intent of the graduate programme is to train individuals who could continue to offer continuing education classes and individuals to enter upper level marketing positions in the forest products industry.