Communication as a Strategic Competence: The Case of Masisa

Abstract

The Masisa Company produces and sells wood products internationally and is one of the largest producers of wood panels in the world and leader in Latin America. In order to produce its MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) panels, Masisa used, as one of its raw materials, a resin that served as an adhesive - in which it was found a chemical component called formaldehyde. When the World Health Organization classified formaldehyde as cancerous and with the rise of the European norm of low emissions, Masisa realized that even though there were no restrictions yet to the chemical in Brazil and in most countries to where Masisa exports its MDF panels, it was most likely that the use of this input would be banned in Brazil and other countries in the near future. Bearing this in mind, Masisa considered the following questions: What is the best strategy to adopt in a scenario where restrictions will be imposed? A second issue had to do with marketing communication. If the Company decides not to use formaldehyde any longer, should it make it public? How should these measures be communicated in order to bring a competitive advantage? This paper reports on the results of a case-study research carried out at Masisa. The results indicate that this communication can be a strategic and effective ally in social-environmental management. For this research, both technicians and directors in the company were interviewed and the procedures adopted were analyzed.