Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities
The contribution of non-wood forest products is especially important in the context of rural sustainable development. Nevertheless, their perceived economic and environmental value remains low. The lack of an explicit and effective marketing strategy for NWFPs tailored to local mountain communities’...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/9/1762 |
| _version_ | 1797579995304951808 |
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| author | Marios Trigkas Foteini Pelekani Ioannis Papadopoulos Dimitra C. Lazaridou Glykeria Karagouni |
| author_facet | Marios Trigkas Foteini Pelekani Ioannis Papadopoulos Dimitra C. Lazaridou Glykeria Karagouni |
| author_sort | Marios Trigkas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The contribution of non-wood forest products is especially important in the context of rural sustainable development. Nevertheless, their perceived economic and environmental value remains low. The lack of an explicit and effective marketing strategy for NWFPs tailored to local mountain communities’ needs may lead to their restricted access to the market and underestimation of their value. The aim of this paper is to gain knowledge regarding the components of a marketing mix that could support the local markets of NWFPs, in Greek mountainous areas. The paper presents an analysis of the marketing mix for NWFPs, following for the first time the S.A.V.E. approach. The research contributes to the existing literature as we seek to “meet” groups of NWFPs’ consumers, in order to develop a customer-centric value proposition in Greek local mountain communities. The findings indicate that the marketing and promotion of NWFPs requires not only knowledge of the relative products and the market, it requires analysis and knowledge of the specific needs of local mountain communities and the ways that needs are met by the attributes and characteristics of the NWFPs as part of the solution that they can offer. Local mountain communities in Greece, through the exploitation of NWFPs, are trying to face challenges regarding the improvement of their income and their general wellbeing level. Also, we propose as a part of the marketing mix for NWFPs, their promotion as products with a distinct spatial, local identity, by associating them with local “culture economies”. Finally, we argue that a customer-centric marketing mix of NWFPs, which focuses on customers’ needs, desires, and resources as the starting point of the planning process, involves a higher level of mixing and synergies creation along the whole value chain, than simple personalization, with customers to interact with suppliers using ICT and by personal time disposition connected to nature. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:45:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17553cd5d6a0439f9ff7fa6081f464e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:45:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-17553cd5d6a0439f9ff7fa6081f464e72023-11-19T10:45:36ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-08-01149176210.3390/f14091762Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain CommunitiesMarios Trigkas0Foteini Pelekani1Ioannis Papadopoulos2Dimitra C. Lazaridou3Glykeria Karagouni4Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, GreeceEnv-Consults, 42132 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Natural Environment Management, Agricultural University of Athens, 36100 Karpenisi, GreeceDepartment of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, GreeceThe contribution of non-wood forest products is especially important in the context of rural sustainable development. Nevertheless, their perceived economic and environmental value remains low. The lack of an explicit and effective marketing strategy for NWFPs tailored to local mountain communities’ needs may lead to their restricted access to the market and underestimation of their value. The aim of this paper is to gain knowledge regarding the components of a marketing mix that could support the local markets of NWFPs, in Greek mountainous areas. The paper presents an analysis of the marketing mix for NWFPs, following for the first time the S.A.V.E. approach. The research contributes to the existing literature as we seek to “meet” groups of NWFPs’ consumers, in order to develop a customer-centric value proposition in Greek local mountain communities. The findings indicate that the marketing and promotion of NWFPs requires not only knowledge of the relative products and the market, it requires analysis and knowledge of the specific needs of local mountain communities and the ways that needs are met by the attributes and characteristics of the NWFPs as part of the solution that they can offer. Local mountain communities in Greece, through the exploitation of NWFPs, are trying to face challenges regarding the improvement of their income and their general wellbeing level. Also, we propose as a part of the marketing mix for NWFPs, their promotion as products with a distinct spatial, local identity, by associating them with local “culture economies”. Finally, we argue that a customer-centric marketing mix of NWFPs, which focuses on customers’ needs, desires, and resources as the starting point of the planning process, involves a higher level of mixing and synergies creation along the whole value chain, than simple personalization, with customers to interact with suppliers using ICT and by personal time disposition connected to nature.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/9/1762non-wood forest productsmarketingSAVE marketing mixNWFPs valuelocal mountain communities |
| spellingShingle | Marios Trigkas Foteini Pelekani Ioannis Papadopoulos Dimitra C. Lazaridou Glykeria Karagouni Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities Forests non-wood forest products marketing SAVE marketing mix NWFPs value local mountain communities |
| title | Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities |
| title_full | Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities |
| title_fullStr | Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities |
| title_short | Non-Wood Forest Products’ Marketing: Applying a S.A.V.E. Approach for Establishing Their Marketing Mix in Greek Local Mountain Communities |
| title_sort | non wood forest products marketing applying a s a v e approach for establishing their marketing mix in greek local mountain communities |
| topic | non-wood forest products marketing SAVE marketing mix NWFPs value local mountain communities |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/9/1762 |
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