SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF THE SUM OF SAPONINS IN THE FRUIT OF THE CHINESE TREE LYCIUM CHINENSE MILL.

The objects of the study were Mature dried fruits of Chinese birch (Lycium chinense Mill., this. Solanaceae (Solanaceae)). Four samples were examined: no. 1 (Gifts of Pamir, Russia), no. 2 (Gullin Tianhe Pharmaceutical, China), no. 3 (A. J. Alliance, Russia), №. 4 (Globaltorg, Russia). The purpose of this work is to determine the content of the sum of saponins in Chinese fruit trees by spectrophotometry. By direct spectrophotometry, after reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid, the content of the sum of saponins in the raw material of Chinese wood was determined. The expediency of using the spectrophotometric method for quantitative determination of saponins in extracts from the fruit of Chinese wood is proved. The values of the optical density of the saponin solution were recorded at a wavelength of 250-500 nm. Analytical maxima of the studied compounds were determined at 325 nm typical for escin. Optimal conditions for the extraction of saponins from the raw materials of this plant (extractant – 40% ethanol; the ratio "raw material – extractant" – 1 : 50; extraction time – 90 minutes; the degree of grinding of raw materials – 0.5 mm) are justified. It was determined that the error of a single determination of the saponin content in Chinese fruit with a confidence probability of 95% is ±1.93%. It was found that the content of saponins in the studied samples of Chinese wood varies in the range of 4.94 to 5.03%.

Strategic transformation in the value-added wood products companies

Purpose – China is a leading country in the production, consumption and exports of value-added wood products. Despite this fact, the sources of competitiveness and the existing strategies in the Chinese wood products companies have not been profoundly studied in an international context. The purpose of this paper is to fill these gaps by exploring managerial perceptions of these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical ingredients originating from the value chain theory, functional upgrading, the dynamic capability perspective and the natural resource-based view were combined to explore the shift of business functions and sources of the firm-level competitiveness in the Chinese wood products companies. In the empirical part, data from qualitative semi-structured interviews made with 28 managers of seven companies in China based on the case study method were used. Findings – Our results indicate a transition from non-branded manufacturing to original equipment manufacturing to original brand manufacturing business model. With this strategic transformation, the amount of resources and the relative importance of intangible resources increased and the nature of tangible resources also changed. Practical implications – Chinese companies tend to shift from low-value-added to high-value-added products production. Our results are not only informative about the current situation of the Chinese wood products companies, but also can be used as a background for assessing the impact of China’s increasing competitiveness on the future international wood products market. Originality/value – The dynamic capability perspective was incorporated in a new empirical approach to study the strategic management of woodworking industries, and our results provide new information on the importance of intangible resources for firm competitiveness.

Changes in Chinese wood-based exports to the U.S.: Post Lacey Act amendment

The recent adoption of timber legality legislation in the U.S. (the Lacey Act 2008 amendment) requiring timber imports be sourced from legally harvested wood could have profound impacts on China's re-exports of manufactured wood products to the U.S. This study examines empirically how Chinese wood manufacturers’ sales to the U.S. have changed in response to the Lacey Act. A sample of 225 Chinese wood manufacturers was drawn from two trade shows in Shanghai, China in 2013. The results reveal that Chinese companies’ awareness of the Lacey Act has played an important role in their decision to export to the U.S. over the last five years. The companies who are less familiar with the Lacey Act tend to withdraw from the U.S. market and focus on domestic market. Also the smaller Chinese companies were more likely to withdraw from the U.S. market in the aftermath of the Lacey Act as compared to their larger counterparts. Finally, the Chinese companies that have increased their imports of raw materials from the U.S. were found to have increased their sales to the U.S. market over the last five years.