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The state of the woodworking industry sectoral structure in Russia has been considered. The main sources for the present study were regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, statistical data of the Federal Forestry Agency, Federal State Statistics Service, international analytical reviews, and scientific articles. Statistical methods of comparison and analytical processing of information were used as research methods. The purpose of the study is to analyze the industry structure, as well as to identify development prospects. The number of firms in the industry and production of the main types of woodworking products in dynamics have been analyzed. The export of goods from various branches of the wood industry in the country and the index of physical volume of investment in fixed capital in the industry under consideration have been studied. The issue of waste utilization in wood processing industries due to low utilization of waste wood has been separately highlighted, and the importance of reasonable use of forest resources has been emphasized. The author concludes that, in general, the real contribution of the woodworking industry to the country’s economic development is still lagging behind the potential, but the main prospects for overcoming this condition have been highlighted, such as exports development, transportation costs reduction, state support strengthening in the industry, and improvement of waste disposal in woodworking industries.

Effective foreign economic activity contributes to the reproduction of the country's export potential, increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian products of the woodworking sector on world markets, forming a rational structure of export and import, attracting foreign investments on mutually beneficial terms, ensuring the economic security of Ukraine. The article examines the peculiarities of the realization of the export potential of Ukraine on the world market of furniture and wood products. An analytical assessment of the current state and competitiveness of Ukrainian woodworking products on foreign markets was carried out. On the basis of statistical analysis, the trends of Ukraine's export potential in the wood industry were revealed. An analysis of the international wood market and export prospects for Ukraine was performed. Strategic directions for improving the efficiency of Ukrainian wood exports have been determined. The need for the formation of proper infrastructural support for the management of the foreign economic activities of woodworking industry enterprises based on the creation of a cluster structure as a form of cooperation between authorities, institutions of critical infrastructure (transport, logistics, innovation, information, industry, etc.), institutions and organizations of the business, scientific and educational environment is substantiated. The practical significance of the obtained research results is that substantiated scientific and methodological provisions and recommendations can be used in the development of export strategies and mechanisms for their implementation by enterprises and various categories of stakeholders – participants in foreign economic activity, which would correspond to the modern conditions of their management, as well as in the finalization of the Strategy recovery and resilience of the national economy.

The research is devoted to analysing the woodworking industry from the point of view of using modern digital technologies at its enterprises. The relevance of this work is due to the fact that the timber industry is an important sector of the Russian economy, and the solution of such a task as determining the level of digital transformation (DT) of one of its industries will help identify problem areas and potential opportunities for improving production processes and introducing innovations. The methodological basis was the use of private and universal scientific methods such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, observation, ranking, and expert judgement. The authors of the study studied the activities of foreign and domestic timber processing companies, presented two options for calculating the level of their DT – both by quantifying the level of digitalisation of business processes and the scale of the company, and by analysing the effect of project implementation and the complexity of the technologies used, and found that the results obtained in both cases coincide. In the course of the work, three approaches to digital transformation were considered and it was concluded that its level not only in Russian, but also in foreign companies in the woodworking industry is average. The practical significance of the research consists in the development of recommendations and creation of a methodology for assessing the digital transformation of woodworking industry enterprises, which the latter can use when preparing for changes in the business model and the introduction of new technologies.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields has attracted a lot of attention in the past year, especially after the release of ChatGPT, a freely available intelligent online system. Several advanced software solutions that incorporate AI are becoming available on a larger scale and could help improve every aspect of our lives. The use of AI also has great potential in various areas of the woodworking industry. In the design phase, AI-supported design software can facilitate the development of new ideas and shorten 3D modelling processes. In the construction phase, AI plays a crucial role in optimising construction details using techniques such as topology optimisation, numerical simulations and generative design. The use of AI can also be applied in the production process, where it automates the creation of CNC machining programs and optimises machining methods. Quality control is improved through AI monitoring of machines and surface quality using advanced image analysis and machine vision systems. In addition, AI contributes to predicting production needs and facilitates the maintenance of production machines. AI can be used in market analysis and enables companies to make informed decisions. It helps in the strategic planning of marketing activities and the sales process by providing insights derived from comprehensive market analyses. AI could help in creating marketing materials, communicating with customers, managing social networks and websites, analysing competitors, predicting demand, etc. The use of AI could enable major technological improvements with efficiency gains and innovation in various perational areas, but also causes some concerns about trust in these new systems and fear of being replaced by machines. AI should be seen as a tool to improve our productivity and performance, automate certain tasks and transform existing jobs. There is a need for ethical oversight, policy decisions and regulations to ensure fair treatment of all humans. An overview of currently available solutions was given to discover new opportunities for the use of AI in the wood industry, as a pivotal aspect of the ongoing digital transformation.

In the context of low provision of Ukraine with forests, its uneven distribution and low level of forest cover of the territory, and, as a result, forestry reserves, it seems promising to determine the priority areas for the development of the forest industry and mechanisms for effective management of the modern forestry industry complex, taking into account the experience of the structural policy of the countries with the forest fund that is similar in terms of extent. The aim of the article is to provide an in-depth analysis of the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the pre-war period, taking into account its integral components. The article analyzes the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the context of uneven distribution of forests and the extent of the forest fund in different regions of Ukraine. An in-depth analysis of the components of the forestry industry complex in the pre-war period is carried out, in particular, such as: woodworking industry, production of paper and paper products, furniture production. At presence, the woodworking industry of Ukraine has a low level of provision of mainly coniferous wood for forest consumers and the needs of the domestic market, which, in turn, leads to inefficient use of wood resources in conditions of low rates of reproduction of forest plantations. It is determined that the woodworking industry is a priority industry for most of the western regions of Ukraine and can further become a driving force for the intensive development of their economy. The activity of enterprises of the woodworking industry is also characterized from the standpoint of their number, net profit (loss) and profitability. An analysis of the foreign economic component of the development of the woodworking industry of Ukraine is carried out. It is proved that the prerequisite for the further development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the post-war recovery period is its existing potential, which, under the conditions of an effective and systematic State policy in the field of forest management, will achieve an increase in competitiveness and growth of production at the regional level.

Transitioning from a linear to a circular economy is an important part of Europe's strategy to counteract climate change, boost green transformation and accomplish new business and welfare. Through the introduction of the European Green Deal in December 2019, this transition has received greater attention and activity to analyze and implement circularity throughout Europe. WoodCircus project of European Horizon 2020 program (2018-2021), a consortium of seven research centers, eight industry stakeholders, two EU networks and seven countries, aimed to increase knowledge, raise awareness, and improve conditions for an uptake of resource efficient processing, recycling and circularity in wood construction value chains, and foster competitiveness of the European woodworking sector. The project was based on an extensive fact finding and state-of-art process with a focused literature review and internet search, expert interviews of 99 stakeholders in ten countries in four macro-regions in Europe and three workshops with invited experts. The thematic focus was in wood-based side stream utilization and waste management systems, availability and suppliers of raw materials, bio-circular product solutions and markets, and resource efficiency, recovering, recycling, reuse and processing technologies. In addition, organization and set-up of different value chains, with specific attention to material flows, industrial ecosystems as well as composition and collaboration of stakeholders were mapped. The data were used for elaboration of SWOT analysis in the macro-regions, identification of good practices and development needs, and individuation of potential for novel bio-circular applications and cross-border transfer of practices. An invited review panel selected 25 of them for a European good practices catalogue. This paper summarizes this part of the project with recommendations for industry and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of low provision of Ukraine with forests, its uneven distribution and low level of forest cover of the territory, and, as a result, forestry reserves, it seems promising to determine the priority areas for the development of the forest industry and mechanisms for effective management of the modern forestry industry complex, taking into account the experience of the structural policy of the countries with the forest fund that is similar in terms of extent. The aim of the article is to provide an in-depth analysis of the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the pre-war period, taking into account its integral components. The article analyzes the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the context of uneven distribution of forests and the extent of the forest fund in different regions of Ukraine. An in-depth analysis of the components of the forestry industry complex in the pre-war period is carried out, in particular, such as: woodworking industry, production of paper and paper products, furniture production. At presence, the woodworking industry of Ukraine has a low level of provision of mainly coniferous wood for forest consumers and the needs of the domestic market, which, in turn, leads to inefficient use of wood resources in conditions of low rates of reproduction of forest plantations. It is determined that the woodworking industry is a priority industry for most of the western regions of Ukraine and can further become a driving force for the intensive development of their economy. The activity of enterprises of the woodworking industry is also characterized from the standpoint of their number, net profit (loss) and profitability. An analysis of the foreign economic component of the development of the woodworking industry of Ukraine is carried out. It is proved that the prerequisite for the further development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the post-war recovery period is its existing potential, which, under the conditions of an effective and systematic State policy in the field of forest management, will achieve an increase in competitiveness and growth of production at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extremely dynamic development of calamities caused by the effects of global climate change followed by the spread of under-bark insect pests mainly in coniferous stands and the ongoing incidental felling have raised concerns in the woodworking industry about the developments in the source material with respect to ensuring production in a short-term view. Since the overall standing stock in spruce stands of all age classes in the Czech Republic amounts to 399.6 million m3 (2017-2026) and the theoretical outlook of the logging potential based on the percentage of logging accounts for 112.62 million m3 (2017-2026), the concerns might be deemed justified. The article presents an updated view of the current situation based on official statistics and offers an analytic prediction of the possible development, considering the possible consequences, even in the production of the forestry sector. The statistical data on the current situation have been compiled for the last two decades of development. The results show that with a continued high rate of bark beetle calamities, assuming a total annual cutting with a permanent limitation on the planned harvests of more than 30 million m3, the complete stands of spruce from age class 5 onwards could be harvested in approximately 14-16 years.

To determine the strategic directions of development of the woodworking industry of the country, a structural-logical scheme of scientific research is proposed, which includes the following stages: identification of the main substantive determinants of ensuring the development of the woodworking industry of the countries over the world; assessment of raw material potential and competitiveness of the woodworking industry of the world countries; modeling the impact of raw materials potential on the competitiveness of the woodworking industry in the countries of the world; determination of priority directions of development of the woodworking industry of these countries. An integral assessment of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of the world countries was carried out by the following components: forest cover of the territory, reserves of the forest stand, the total volume of wood production, the volume of production of business wood, which made it possible to determine the level and disproportions of the development of raw materials for the woodworking industry of the countries of the world. According to the value of the integral indicator of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry in 2020, from 36 countries chosen, Finland, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia were included in countries with a high level of raw material potential of the woodworking industry, while the countries with the lowest level were Greece, Mexico, Italy, China, the Netherlands, and Ukraine. The level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry of Ukraine and the world countries is assessed. The leading countries in terms of competitiveness of the woodworking industry in 2020 included Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, Finland, while the countries with a low level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry included the Netherlands, Greece, Great Britain, Korea, Japan, and Italy. The carried out analysis allows to recommend for the group of leading countries in terms of competitiveness of the woodworking industry (including Ukraine) to focus on increasing exports of woodworking goods with high added value, such as sheet wood materials. A modeling of the influence of raw material potential on the level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry of the world countries is fulfilled. It is determined that the strategic directions of development of the woodworking industry of the countries of the world are to increase the output of products with high added value and the introduction of measures for the rational use of forest resources.

Theoretical provisions and practical recommendations for identifying the determinants of woodworking industry development in Ukraine in the postwar period make up the subject of the study. The existing research papers indexed by scientometric databases Scopus and Web of Science on maintaining the competitiveness of the woodworking industry in Ukraine have been systematized and generalized. The research results in deepening the theoretical basis for identifying the basic meaningful determinants of competitiveness of the woodworking industry in various countries grounded on using bibliometric analysis tools (by means of VOSviewer v.1.6.10). Four contextual research clusters on the competitiveness of the woodworking industry, which include the largest number of publications, are identified. An integrated assessment is made of competitiveness shown by certain types of economic activity carried out by the woodworking industry in Ukraine and the world. The main measures of state support aimed at maintaining the work of Ukraine’s industrial sector during the war are presented. The following problems in organizing the activity of the woodworking enterprises in wartime are defined: lack of qualified personnel; loss of logistics infrastructure, supply chains, and sales in the regions where active hostilities took place; limited access to raw materials for enterprises located in less forested regions of Ukraine; loss of customer base; limited supply of fuels and lubricants, spare parts, equipment of enterprises in the Central, Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine; reduction of business activity in some regions of Ukraine, etc. Drivers of maintaining the competitiveness of Ukraine’s woodworking industry in the postwar period have been formed.

The extremely dynamic development of calamities caused by the effects of global climate change followed by the spread of under-bark insect pests mainly in coniferous stands and the ongoing incidental felling have raised concerns in the woodworking industry about the developments in the source material with respect to ensuring production in a short-term view. Since the overall standing stock in spruce stands of all age classes in the Czech Republic amounts to 399.6 million m3 (2017-2026) and the theoretical outlook of the logging potential based on the percentage of logging accounts for 112.62 million m³ (2017-2026), the concerns might be deemed justified. The article presents an updated view of the current situation based on official statistics and offers an analytic prediction of the possible development, considering the possible consequences, even in the production of the forestry sector. The statistical data on the current situation have been compiled for the last two decades of development. The results show that with a continued high rate of bark beetle calamities, assuming a total annual cutting with a permanent limitation on the planned harvests of more than 30 million m3, the complete stands of spruce from age class 5 onwards could be harvested in approximately 14-16 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]