Methodology of the Study

The methodological approaches used in this qualitative research (Silverman 2002) are case study and action research. Case study has great importance in developing new hypotheses and ideas. New cases offer a way to test set ways of thinking, theories and conceptions. Both evaluation and comparison may be performed, which help to question the adequacy of foregoing theories and practices (Koskinen et al. 2005).

Case study and value-focused research in marketing have strong roots in theoretical context and they give a good starting point for the new approach of sustainable development research in marketing. The roots of the case study approach take us to the common law tradition of the Anglo-Saxon court system, where new laws and regulations are formulated from single cases and prejudgement. Earlier (legal) cases offer a way to solve new similar cases, and in this way, over time earlier cases can form a rule to interpret and solve new cases (Perry 2001:303-323, Koskinen et al. 2005:155). Qualitative research enables the connection of practical issues with theoretical value-based research in marketing (Doyle 2000 & 2006).

On this basis, the study is action research where, following the entrepreneur interviews, the researcher takes on an active role in seeking the findings from the material. Using these findings, the researcher illustrates the weaknesses, challenges and opportunities related to ecoproductization of SMEs. The researcher constructs a context of sustainable green marketing through the action learning process, which is built on the systematic progression of the logic of the life cycle analysis.

On the basis of the earlier presented theory, the following assumptions are focused on empirical study. As the theory of environmental marketing has approved damage thinking as part of environmental policies, it may be assumed that damage thinking is also evident in the productization of SMEs in cases A-F. On the other hand, it may be assumed on the basis of the theory that credibility created on the basis of environmental policy differs between the regular SMEs of cases A-D, and the organic enterprises of cases E and F. On the basis of these two theoretical assumptions, SMEs find it difficult to comprehend and specify the ecological characteristics of the enterprise and think of the company’s products as being ecological products. It is important to describe the nature of the understanding and how such is evident. Enquiries conducted in a research mode are usually to do with values, and it is very difficult to capture the nuances of opinion associated with questions of value through the precise formulation of questionnaires (same result as McNiff 1995:78). Correspondingly with cases E and F, an organic company has an ecological product status based on a non-country specific environmental system. It may be assumed on the basis of this theory that products are marketed through status. It is important to illustrate whether or not the company’s views of status differ in the marketing of the products and in what ways.

As I was interested in the verbal descriptions and accounts of the ecoproductization of entrepreneurs, I chose the narrative approach. Using this narrative approach, I can emphasise the entrepreneur-based solution and move argumentation related to environmental policies into the background. The finding of empirical study is formed from the findings of control.

As truth is relative and constructed in a social process (Abma 2002), the narrative approach

works in this research as a tool to create entrepreneur-based environmental marketing and through constructive cooperation to seek an appropriate relationship between environmental marketing and environmental policy for SMEs.

Case study forces the understanding of observed enterprises in a more holistic way in their actual environment (Koskinen et al. 2005:156) and it supports study of the ecoproductization phenomena. Yin lists six types of research materials that should be kept in mind during the case study: document resources, archive resources, interviews, direct observations, material gathered by involving observation and physical objects (Yin 2003). However, the core of the case study is not in the method of collecting data; rather it is in the position and in the way of making conclusions (Koskinen et al. 2005:158). Yin points out that the needs of the research are still the final elements to order what kind of material gathering ways one should use. He also says that some extra work, for example, searching information about enterprise’s background, history and so on, makes the case study more useful (Yin 2003). Case study materials provide an opportunity to present the results of empirical research through a systematic analysis.

Systematic analysis has been used to help develop the utility value analysis. Case study material provides the chance for presenting empirical study data through systematic analysis.

Systematic analysis has been used to assist the development of the utility value analysis. Part of the utility value analysis is included in the group of decision makers. The experimental group for the research is SMEs, the evaluation group comprises researchers, and evaluation venues are conferences and seminars. These seminars and conferences are used as a means for information exchange.

The cases of the A-D analyses have been elaborated in the following contexts: The Fifth International Conference on Environmental Aesthetics Hämeen linna August 2003, Green Handprint Seminar Jokioinen November 2003, the Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland University of Helsinki January 2004, Greencom Sweden 2004, Green Week Belgium 2004, and the XI World Congress of Rural Sociology Norway 2004. The result of this part, ecodesign and change process are described in appendix 3.

In presenting the findings of empirical research, in addition to using comprehensive thinking, I also employ systematic thinking and present the findings as ecoproduct multi-criteria utility value analysis stages. The results of the “Utility Value Analysis for differentiated ecoproducts” were elaborated in the following contexts: IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program June-August 2005, European Society Congress Hungary August 2005, the Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland University of Helsinki January 2006, Studia Generalia Lectures Research Environment University of Lapland May 2006, Wageningen of the 7th Congress of the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics. The developed tool is monitoring the Netherlands’ new global management development challenges and opportunities of the sixteen world business congress international management development association.

5.1.1 Case Selection and Data Collection

In this case, the case enterprises were chosen to represent entrepreneurship with different types of businesses and products. Initially, four conventional SMEs were chosen. Later, two organic enterprises were interviewed by concentrating on two approaches, which were production

(economic production voice is valuable MCDM => combined AHP+CUVA) and marketing (way of action, e.g. combining advertising and alder sawdust which is valuable marketing point of view). As organic production and marketing of organic food is widely regulated, it was useful to use the organic enterprises and their practices to clarify the differences between regulated and non-regulated environmental practices. Ecoproductization marketing is undeveloped, even though LCA analyses are being made, because the results are difficult to use in marketing.

The enterprises are Tammelan Kala-Apaja Oy (www.kala-apaja.fi), a tourism enterprise, providing tourism services, leisure activities and educational services related to fish and fishing. Makuliha Oy (www.makuliha.fi), processing and delivering meat products of premium quality using products of local producers. FM-Haus Oy (www.fm-haus.fi), specializing in manufacturing of wooden industrial houses. Kiipula foundation’s garden (www.kiipula.fi) specializing in greenhouse production; its main products are vegetables and flowers. Kiipula Centre of Vocational Education and Rehabilitation also operates as a special training site for vocational special education, adult education, rehabilitation, and work life development.

Elomestari Oy (www.elomestari.fi), cultivates nitrogen bacteria for the needs of organic farmers. The enterprise sells seeds of organic and biodynamical vegetables, trains and advises people interested in organic farming. Biohof Adamah (www.adamah.at) focuses on direct marketing and sells farm products on local markets and from a recently opened farm shop.

The shop offers a wide range of their own production as well as organic products from other producers. The empirical data collection was carried out in cooperation with aforementioned six enterprises representing different fields of business. The majority of the empirical data was gathered through interviews, but also using written material, i.e. company brochures and website information.

5.1.2 Interviews and themes

In addition to the interviews, brochures, web-pages and other related material from the case enterprises are also gathered and used were in this study (Hirsjärvi & Hurme 2001). With the theme question, the interviewee was free to tell you and the interviewee was encouraged to continue their speech. When the interviewee spoke about the manufacture of products, both at the same time, I urged him to speak of their marketing. And when the interviewee spoke of the company’s staff, both at the same time urged him to talk about how the products have been among the company and customers receive. What kind of thinking the company has the products market ability? I translated this speech to the themes for the marketing and the company’s operations and history. Specifically, the measure was carried out using a narrative analysis of the turnaround.

Since personal interviews were to produce a comprehensive understanding of ecoproductization, the rhetoric stage, sameness and difference position followed listening to the interviews. In addition, as the theory could assume that the speech in the interviews focused on sustainable development in environmental policy speech, I took it as a point of reference. I watched ways of talking on the production side and in other locations such as the office (reference). This was able to certify two different ways of speaking, speech production,

which is associated with ecology and speech relating to the surrounding speech, such as the production location or long-term product development.

Theory was to be expected on the basis of splintered ecology in understanding, so I decided to collect clippings and other material, which the company provided interviews as support. Second data omission should not be highlighted, for example the company’s values and vision of transparency. At the time of the investigation, only one case (Kiipula Garden) the website officially had the activities described in the values.

Interviewing was used as an empirical data collection method and researcher was interview owner-chief executive officer (CEO) and one was gardener (table 27). Empirical research included six cases (A-F). Four of the enterprises were Finnish rural area SMEs (cases A-D) and two were organic enterprises, one Finnish and one Austrian (cases E-F).

Interviews were realized with theme interview method (Hirsjärvi & Hurme 2001, Koskinen et al. 2005, Denzin & Lincoln 1994). The main goal of the interviews was to get as broad and diversified picture of the ecomarketing potential of the enterprises as possible. An interview is a social interaction situation. Even though enterprises were the focus of interviews, the answers of entrepreneurs were more personal in the interaction situation. Interviewing is action based on concepts, language and meanings (Hirsjärvi & Hurme 2001:41). Using theme interview method facilitated adjusting the order of issues inside the themes and clarify the interpretations (table 28). In addition to this, during the interviews issues were clarified by asking additional questions. The main interview themes build up a theoretical field, but second research materials, such as newspaper articles, marketing brochures and home pages were also used.

Table 27. Interview procedures are first data (A-D) and second data (E and F) Cases A-D, 2002

Cases E-F, 2005 Interviewed

persons Length of the

interview Number of transcribed pages A. Tammelan Kala-Apaja Oy CEO about 2 hours 25 pages

B. Makuliha Oy CEO about 2 hours 24 pages

C. FM-Haus Oy CEO about 2 hours 27 pages

D. Kiipula foundation’s garden Gardener about 2 hours 25 pages

E. Elomestari Oy CEO about 2 hours 15 pages

F. Biohof Adamah CEO about 2 hours 15 pages

The interviews were divided into three themes; entrepreneurship, environmental awareness and product marketing (see table 17). The idea was to conduct interviews in such a way, that the entrepreneurs would themselves use the thinking to produce production and marketing related findings for their products. I studied these findings as possible marketing arguments and they are presented as challenges for the marketing of ecoproducts of SMEs.

Table 28. Interview themes

Themes Issues

1. Entrepreneurship entrepreneurship history and operative changes 2. Environmental

awareness environmental thinking as part of enterprise’s working process and production

3. Product marketing viewpoints of enterprise’s product development and discussion product marketing and pricing

Via the study analysis, the narrative forms an identity for the study, in such a way that through the narrative element the narration can shift from one discussion to the next. As chaining is related to ecoproductization, via description the narration facilitates identification of the turning points, i.e. between the so-called junction of green and sustainable marketing text.

Interviews were recorded with audio cases A-D and all interviews were conducted by the researcher of this study. The transcribed data was coded into two broad categories: the owner-managers’ views on the company history, present and future, and what they think about the product or service history, present and future. The transcriptions were read through from the viewpoint of the enterprise’s business and product. Additional public material of the enterprise and its product were also studied.

Based on the data from interviews and other material (e.g. marketing material and brochures) collected from the enterprise, in co-operation with the entrepreneurs, I chose for each enterprise some themes of environmental value to which we will concentrate on understanding ecoproductization. For example, for Kiipula, ecological, traditional, quality, and local and responsibility themes were selected.

Cases E-F presentation and interviews

Case E, Elomestari Oy was founded 1987 by microbiologist Petri Leinonen in Juva. The company cultivates nitrogen bacteria for the needs of organic farmers. The company’s business idea was born in autumn 1986, while Leinonen was practising at the Agriculture University in Wageningen, Holland. At that time, Petri worked as researcher, whose hobby was farming.

Additionally, he trained and advised people interested in organic farming. It was the golden age of organic farming. In cooperation with the machine builder Suvannori, in 1992 the company produced the first Weed Masterflamer in Pieksämäki. Nowadays the company sells Weed Masterflamers and hoes, German Kress hoes (2002) and crawlers (2000), a lay-down work cart for all handwork in the vegetable field. All the time the activities were accompanied by research and product developing projects. As the business expanded, farming became the main area of business in 1996, when new organic farmers needed plenty of inoculum (nitrogen bacteria). That year an area of about 13,000 hectares was inoculated. Elomestari received the best organic company’s prize in 2004 and in the same year the company moved to Tornio. The company is diversified. In summer 2005, Elomestari also sold organic and biodynamical vegetable seeds. Elomestari acts as dealer for the products of the Swedish Lindbloms Frö’n company in Finland.

Case F, The Zoubek family bought the 75-hectare Adamah farm in 1997. In the following two years, they converted the farm from conventional farming to organic farming. The farm is highly diversified. It grows some 140 different crops including cereals, vegetables, tubers, fruits and herbs. The farm devotes special attention on growing traditional varieties and to reintroducing ancient varieties. Supplies of seed and other plant material is obtained mainly form the “Arche Noah” organization. As customary for organic farming, a seven-year crop/

fallow rotation is applied. A typical rotation used on Adamah farm is: alfalfa, winter wheat, vegetables, oil seeds, maize, spelt and alfalfa/fallow. Livestock is of secondary importance, mainly serving for demonstration purposes and farm excursions. Many of the products are processed on farm, including vegetables, oils, herb tea, flour, and bakery products. The farm focuses on direct marketing and sells farm products on local markets and from a recently opened farm shop. The shop offers a wide range of farm produced products and other organic products from elsewhere. The home delivery system of vegetable and fruit boxes in parts of Vienna is particularly successful. This area of business is owned by biologist Markus Niemann who also works in the biofarm.