The Chilean forest products industry has seen a tremendous growth during the last decade and now accounts for 2 percent of the world trade in forest products (Miller Freeman, 1998). As with many developing countries, the Chilean people have utilized the natural resources of their country to produce products with limited processing and to increase their standard of living. While necessary, often such development promotes a production orientation, where the conversion of resources (including timber resources) to primary products is the major objective and focus of business. This phenomenon has been demonstrated in the Chilean forest products sector with the initial growth of the export of logs, chips and sawnwood.
At this early stage, processing of raw material is limited and the sale of products is based on being price competitive in the market place (e.g. a low price strategy). As awareness and knowledge within the market sector increases, most firms and/or countries move from primary product manufacturing to the value-added sector or secondary processing. While in the past this process may have taken several decades, the rate of progression appears to have increased in recent times. Chile demonstrated this with the relatively rapid development of a paper industry rather than relying solely on the export of chips, the building of medium-density fibreboard and particle board plants, and the move towards secondary processing in the solid wood products industry. This shift in markets requires a movement from a production orientation and a strategy of low cost production to a market orientation. A market orientation focuses upon the needs of the customer, rather than the needs of the company. The change to a market orientation places greater emphasis on marketing skills and increases the need for professionals trained in marketing.
As Chile continues to grow its forest products industries, and specifically the value-added sector, the need for forest products marketing educational and training will change. An evaluation of the availability and needs for such programmes can help to highlight potential barriers to further development and enhance current educational opportunities to meet the requirements of the existing workplace.
A specific need for an assessment of the requirements for forest products marketing education and training in Chile was identified by the University of Bío-Bío (Concepción, Chile) and INFOR (Instituto Forestal) in co-operation with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was invited to join the assessment based on its past experience in the area. FAO prepared the terms of reference for the forest products marketing training needs survey in Chile and issued a contract with the Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management, Virginia Tech to conduct the survey. The terms of reference for the survey are provided in Appendix 1.