Exploration of Business Ideas of the Woad Plant (Isatis Tinctoria)
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INTO THE BLUE: EXPLORATION OF BUSINESS IDEAS OF THE WOAD PLANT (ISATIS TINCTORIA) Dissertation/Master Thesis (MA) MoDule CoDe: 4106 MoDule LeaDer: Dr. Alan Butler Author: KonraD Freiherr v. Thüngen 10341765 1. Supervisor: Carol Zhang 2. Supervisor: FeDerico Topolansky - 1 - ABSTRACT 1 ABSTRACT Sustainable ecological proDucts anD alternatives to conventional proDucts are becoming continuously more important. This work investigates Different possibilities to proDuce anD market proDucts from the plant woaD. The main focus is on the attituDes, expectations, success factors anD obstacles of woaD experts who have come into contact with the plant in Different ways, from science to plant cultivation anD business experience. These were first summariseD anD categorised on the basis of existing literature anD then checkeD with the help of guiDeline-supporteD expert interviews. A lot of results from the literature coulD be reconfirmeD. However, some new finDings from the interviews allow conclusions to be Drawn about further possibilities, challenges, problems anD approaches to solutions. FIGURE 1: ISATIS TINCTORIA L. Lindman C.A.M., (1905). Isatis Tinctoria Illustration Platte 213 - 2 - TABLE OF CONTENT 2 TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Abstract ............................................................................................................. - 2 - 2 Table of Content ................................................................................................ - 3 - 2.1 List of Abbreviations .................................................................................... - 5 - 2.2 List of Figures .............................................................................................. - 6 - 2.3 List of Tables ............................................................................................... - 6 - 3 IntroDuction ........................................................................................................ - 7 - 3.1 Pre-Theoretic Overview ............................................................................... - 7 - 3.2 Justification, Significance anD Previous Research ...................................... - 9 - 3.3 Research Problem anD Research Purpose ............................................... - 19 - 3.4 Research Questions anD Objectives ......................................................... - 19 - 3.5 Research Approach ................................................................................... - 20 - 4 Literature Review ............................................................................................. - 22 - 4.1 IntroDuction ................................................................................................ - 22 - 4.2 Overview of Theory anD Context for StuDy ................................................ - 25 - 5 Research Design anD MethoDology ................................................................ - 38 - 5.1 Qualitative Research MethoD .................................................................... - 38 - 5.2 Case StuDy MoDel ..................................................................................... - 39 - 5.3 Data Collection Technique ........................................................................ - 40 - 5.4 Sampling ProceDure AnD Techniques ....................................................... - 42 - 5.5 Data Analysis Tools ................................................................................... - 43 - 5.5.1 Interview Questions ............................................................................. - 44 - 5.6 Justification of MethoDological Choices ..................................................... - 45 - - 3 - TABLE OF CONTENT 5.7 Ethical ConsiDerations ............................................................................... - 45 - 5.8 Scope anD Limitations ............................................................................... - 46 - 6 Empirical Material ............................................................................................ - 47 - 6.1 Participants Profiles anD their Connection to WoaD .................................. - 47 - 6.2 Interview Analysis anD Interpretation ......................................................... - 56 - 6.3 Other Possible WoaD Applications ............................................................ - 68 - 7 Discussion ....................................................................................................... - 70 - 7.1 Interpretation anD Implication .................................................................... - 70 - 7.2 Limitations anD RecommenDations ........................................................... - 73 - 8 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... - 75 - 8.1 MethoDological Review .............................................................................. - 75 - 8.2 Overall Conclusion .................................................................................... - 76 - 9 Self Reflection ................................................................................................. - 79 - 10 AppenDix ....................................................................................................... - 80 - 10.1 References ............................................................................................. - 80 - - 4 - TABLE OF CONTENT 2.1 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BASF BaDische Anilin unD SoDafabrik BBA Biologische BunDesanstalt für LanD- und Forstwirtschaft (FeDeral Biological Institute for Agriculture anD Forestry) DBU Deutsche BunDesstiftung Umwelt (German FeDeral FounDation for the Environment) DZHD Deutsches Zentrum für HanDwerk unD Denkmalpflege in Fulda (Centre for Crafts anD Monument Conservation) HKI Hans-Knoll-Institut für Wirkstoffforschung in Jena (Hans Knöll Institute for Drug Research) I. tinctoria Isatis tinctoria JKI Julius-Kühn-Institut LFE Förderung Der Zusammenarbeit in Der LanD-, Forst-, und Ernährungswirtschaft in Thüringen (Promotion of cooperation in agriculture, forestry anD fooD management in Thuringia) FNR Fachagentur für NachwachsenDe Rohstoffe (Agency for Renewable Resources) MDR MittelDeutscher RunDfunk (BroaDcast of miDDle Germany) ÖPM ÖkotrenD Projekt unD Marketing GmbH TCM TraDitional Chinese MeDicine TFZ Technlogie unD Förderzentrum (Technology anD Promotion Centre) TLL Thüringer LanDesanstalt für LanDwirtschaft (Thuringian State Institute for Agriculture) - 5 - TABLE OF CONTENT TLLLR Thüringer LanDesamt für LanDwirtschaft unD LänDlichen Raum (Thuringian State Office for Agriculture anD Rural Areas) TWF Thüringer WaiD Forschungs GmbH (Thuringian woaD research Ltd.) TWV Thüringer WaiD Verarbeitungs GmbH (Thuringian woaD processing LtD. 2.2 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Isatis Tinctoria L. ...................................................................................... - 2 - Figure 2: HerbiciDal action of woaD poDs on a sugar loaf spruce .......................... - 35 - Figure 3: Renate Kaiser-Alexnat ........................................................................... - 47 - Figure 4: Susanne Frenzel .................................................................................... - 48 - Figure 5: AnDrea Biertümpfel ................................................................................. - 49 - Figure 6: Wolfgang Feige ...................................................................................... - 50 - Figure 7: Anke Stiller ............................................................................................. - 52 - Figure 8: Matthias Hamburger ............................................................................... - 53 - Figure 9: Wolfgang Friebel .................................................................................... - 53 - Figure 10: Rosanna Minelli .................................................................................... - 54 - 2.3 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Literature for the Exploration of Business IDeas of the WoaD Plant ........ - 13 - Table 2: Construction ProDucts anD Materials ....................................................... - 23 - Table 3: MeDicine anD Cosmetics, FooD anD Dye ................................................. - 24 - Table 4: Sequence of a Case StuDy MethoD ......................................................... - 39 - - 6 - INTRODUCTION 3 INTRODUCTION 3.1 PRE-THEORETIC OVERVIEW This stuDy seeks to show why the ancient plant of Dyer's woaD is interesting for business ideas - a plant that brought wealth to various areas in Europe like EnglanD, France, Italy anD Germany During meDieval times, because of the extraction of blue Dyes. The economic importance of woaD graDually DiminisheD when natural inDigo was importeD from Asia from the 16th century. The new raw material haD approximately 30-times higher Dye precursor content anD was therefore more lucrative than woad. From this point on, the woaD business went Downhill anD the plant increasingly fell into oblivion. The 30-year war also triggereD a major setback for the woaD economy of the city of Erfurt. Towards the enD of the 19th century the chemical inDustry starteD Developing the inDigo synthesis. Adolf v. Baeyer establisheD the fully synthetic proDuction of InDigo from Isatin. Starting in 1897, the BaDische Anilin unD SoDafabrik (BASF) in LuDwigshafen proDuceD the synthetic Dye in large quantities, with the consequence being that the natural inDigo DisappeareD completely from the market. (Holzmann, Wangelin, 2009)