Current Research

Dr. Montague researches ways to improve the wood products industry's competitive advantage. She examines the industry's business model to understand product promotion strategies and limitations.  Also, she researches consumer purchasing behavior to determine what attracts consumers to wood products.

Research Interests

Her primary research interest involves analyzing the wood products industry's business model and marketing strategies. She uses the information obtained through market analysis to provide the industry with insight into current trends and consumer perceptions.

She researches current social media tends to determine how the industry can use those platforms to share information and market products effectively.
She also examines how consumers use these platforms to gather information during the wood products purchasing process.

She also examines the millennial generation and the attitudes and perceptions they have towards the wood products industry and wood products. As Millenials are the largest generation in the workforce and the consumer market, having this information is vital to understanding future employees and consumers.

Why This Research is Important

This research is important because of the increase in globalization and the change in how business is conducted during the last decade. The information obtained through this research is vital to the industry when developing strategies to improve business models and networks.  Also, having this information is key to the industry's development of new and innovative ways of marketing/selling forest products and reaching new customers.

Education

• University of Georgia, Ph.D. Forestry Resources (Marketing and Finance concentration) 2009
• Alabama A&M University, M.B.A. Business Administration (Marketing concentration) 2000
• Alabama A&M University, B.S. Forestry Management 1998

Professional Experience

Professional Organizations

• Forest Products Society (FPS), Member (2009 - Current)

Featured Publications & Products

• Stout, Kassandra ; Montague, Iris ; Shmulsky, Rubin . 2020. Millennial generation perceptions surrounding the wood products industry.
• Gazal, Kathryn Arano; Montague, Iris B.; Wiedenbeck, Janice K. 2019. Factors affecting social media adoption among wood products consumers.
• Montague, Iris B.; Gazal, Kathryn Arano; Wiedenbeck, Janice K. 2019. Social media use in the wood products industry: Impact on the consumer purchasing process.
• Gordon, Jason S.; Auel, John B.; Blair-Agyeman, Nia ; Montague, Iris B.; Shmulsky, Rubin . 2018. Infrastructure enhancement to support value-added bioproduct recovery.
• Gazal, Kathryn; Montague, Iris; Poudel, Rajendra; Wiedenbeck, Jan. 2016. Forest products industry in a digital age: Factors affecting social media adoption.
• Montague, Iris; Gazal, Kathryn Arano; Wiedenbeck, Jan; Shepherd, Jean-Gabriel. 2016. Forest Products Industry in a Digital Age: A Look at E-Commerce and Social Media.
• Montague, Iris; Andersch, Adrienn; Wiedenbeck, Jan; Buehlmann, Urs. 2013. Hardwood supply chain and the role of log brokers in 2012.
• Andersch, Adrienn; Montague, Iris; Buehlmann, Urs; Wiedenbeck, Janice K. 2015. U.S. Hardwood sawmill log procurement practices.
• Montague, Iris; Andersch, Adri; Wiedenbeck, Jan; Buehlmann, Urs. 2015. Hardwood log supply: a broader perspective.

Publications

• Bumgardner, Matt; Montague, Iris; Wiedenbeck, Jan. 2017. Survey response rates in the forest products literature from 2000 to 2015.
• Montague, Iris B. 2013. The influence of trade associations and group certification programs on the hardwood certification movement.
• Montague, Iris B.; Wiedenbeck, Jan. 2012. Cultivating connections in 2012 -- web strategies used by forest products businesses in the southern U.S..
• Montague, Iris B. 2011. Social network media in the forest products industry: A look at a new way of marketing.
• Montague, Iris B. 2011. Understanding chain-of-custody certification in the Appalachian hardwood region: Primary manufacturers' practices and perceptions.
• ​Montague, Iris B. 2010. Social networking: finding ways to incorporate social media into the forest products industry.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
NRS-2014-037	Hardwood Log Procurement and the Role of Log Brokers Forest Service researchers analyzed hardwood log procurement practices and the effects of log brokers on the hardwood distribution system. They ...	2014
NRS-2016-123	Options for Timber Salvaging After Natural Disasters in the Gulf States Forest Service researchers analyzed timber salvaging data collected in the Gulf State region after major hurricanes. Post-hurricane analysis lea ...	2016
NRS-2013-060	Social Media Use in the Forest Products Industry is a New Way to do Business Forest Service researchers analyzed the Internet and social media usage of forest products producers in major forest-products producing states t ...	2013