Over the space of many years, we have developed a unique database containing the annual accounts of companies in the Norwegian seafood sector. These figures are used in economic models to analyse the development of profitability, production and structure of companies and industry sectors in the seafood industry.
Knowledge developed from such models is used to provide advice about strategic choices to the administrative organs, industry sectors and companies. We also provide advice about how authorities can develop their regulation of business activities, such that companies and industries gain increased profitability and an enhanced competitive position. This knowledge is also important for the management of marine resources, such that these can be utilised in an effective and sustainable manner.
The research group is localised and integrated in a technological and scientific research environment. The group includes a strong specialist community within the field of traceability. Consequently, the relevant issues selected and scientific approach shows the signs of close collaboration with the specialist communities within production technology and biology. Nofima’s applied profile demands that the research within corporate and industrial economics is adapted and used with solid knowledge about the industry and the competitive area being studied.
Success criteria
Strategic choices are not static but rather dynamic. This relates to the fact that the company and its conditions are undergoing constant change. The surroundings change, such that strategic choices must be corrected. Over the years Nofima has studied how the companies’ ability to adapt to changing surroundings influences the performance and competitive position of the industry sector and company. This has proven to be an extremely important, but demanding quality. The priority, therefore, is on enhanced knowledge about how the company’s flexibility, along many dimensions, is developed and applied.
Management and value adding
The marine sector is developed around large fish stocks and good aquaculture localities. Increasingly more industries have an interest in good access to the coastal zone, e.g. the traditional fisheries industry, aquaculture and the tourism industry. The research group is interested in developing knowledge about how these natural advantages should be managed in a sustainable manner and at the same time form the basis for industries with international competitiveness.
Large sectors of the fisheries industry live by fishing and producing food from wild fish stocks. The research group has developed unique competence about how the choice of catch/harvesting strategies influences the quality of the raw materials and the total value adding from a given quantum. This knowledge has been heavily applied in order to adapt the catch to market preferences. In this way, the values of scarce resources increase.
Environmentally-friendly production
Food production is energy intensive. Nofima is working to acquire knowledge about which different driving forces influence energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in food production. We have placed particular weight on understanding how the choice of strategies for catch, production and technology choice influence the energy consumption and environmental strain. This knowledge is utilised to develop management and strategic choices that may reduce energy consumption and strain on the environment.
