Competitive Goals Research Articles

Supply chain performance in the age of Industry 4.0

Goal: This study investigates the impact of Industry 4.0 adoption on supply chain performance in Bangladesh’s manufacturing sector, emphasizing the mediating roles of digital supply chain integration, supply chain innovation, and supply chain visibility. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed to 570 manufacturing professionals in Bangladesh, with 350 valid responses collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS was applied to analyze the data and test the hypothesized relationships. Findings: The findings reveal that Industry 4.0 adoption significantly enhances digital supply chain integration (DSCI), supply chain innovation (SCI), and supply chain visibility (SCV), which collectively improve overall supply chain performance. Specifically, Industry 4.0 adoption strengthens DSCI by enabling real-time communication, reducing process fragmentation, and supporting more efficient decision-making. It also fosters SCI by driving innovative practices, adaptability, and continuous improvement within the supply chain. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 adoption improves SCV, enhancing traceability, transparency, and risk management. These mediating factors demonstrate the critical role of Industry 4.0 technologies in achieving superior supply chain outcomes. Research limitations/implications: The study's limitations include the use of convenience sampling and data from a single industry sector within a developing country, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research could explore additional variables and contexts to further validate these results. Practical implications: The study provides actionable insights for manufacturing firms in developing economies on leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance supply chain performance. It also offers guidance for policymakers in supporting digital transformation initiatives. Social implications: By highlighting the benefits of digital supply chain integration, the study contributes to broader societal goals of economic development and industrial competitiveness in emerging markets. Originality/value: This study is among the first to empirically examine the impact of Industry 4.0 adoption on supply chain performance in Bangladesh, providing valuable insights for both practitioners and researchers.

Accuracy of smartwatches in predicting distance running performance

ObjectiveThis study examined the accuracy of smartwatches in predicting running performance.MethodsA total of 154 amateur runners (123 males and 31 females) were recruited. After wearing the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner for a minimum of six weeks, the runners' actual completion times for 5 km, 10 km, and half marathon distances were measured, resulting in 288 test instances. The predicted completion times for the same distances displayed on the watch on the test day were recorded simultaneously.ResultsThe actual and predicted performances for the 5, 10, and 21.1 km distances were highly correlated, with r ≥ 0.95 (p < 0.001) and r2 ≥ 0.9 for all three distances, an error rate between the measured and predicted values of less than 3%, and intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.9. The bias ± 95% limits of agreement were −20.4 ± 44.2 s for 5 km, 4.1 ± 299.1 s for 10 km, and 143.8 ± 400.4 s for the half marathon.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that the smartwatch exhibits high precision in predicting 5 km, 10 km, and half marathon performances, with an accuracy exceeding 97%. The performance prediction features of smartwatches can effectively guide amateur runners in setting reasonable competition goals and preparing for races.

The Value and Importance of a Professional Ethical Code for Medicines Development: IFAPP International Ethics Framework.

Pharmaceutical medicine professionals have to face many ethical problems during the entire life span of new medicines extending from animal studies to broad clinical practice. The primary aim of the general ethical principles governing research conducted in humans is to diminish the physical and psychological burdens of the participants in human drug studies but overlooks many additional social and ethical problems faced by medicine developers. These arise mainly at the interface connecting the profit-oriented pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare-centered medical profession cooperating in medicines development. In 2002, the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine developed the International Code of Ethical Conduct for Pharmaceutical Physicians for providing ethical advice for their members to manage the frequently competitive goals characteristic for their specialty. The ethical framework compiled by the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine serves its members by presenting morally acceptable or inacceptable behaviors in frequently encountered controversies arising from competing industrial and healthcare interests in medicines development. The authors selected this format to encourage reflection and debate for finding optimal moral conclusions in specific issues. Many recent examples of serious scientific-ethical misconduct, such as the oxycodone tragedy, the recommendations of unproven useless occasionally dangerous therapies during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and the withdrawal of many papers containing non-reproducible results, contributed to the increasing loss of trust by the public in science including pharmaceutical medicine. We are convinced that the ethical guidance developed by the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine will encourage its members to reflect intensively on optimal ethical behavior in drug development for strengthening the trust of society in innovative new medicines. Finally, considering the increasingly active participation of non-medically trained scientists in producing and applying complex biological medicines, distant monitoring methods coupled together with artificial intelligence technology in innovative clinical trials, the Ethics Working Group recommended already in 2017 measures to optimize their smooth cooperation and underlined their joint ethical responsibilities in guarding the safety and human dignity of trial participants.

Complexity meets flexibility: unintended differentiation in EU public procurement

ABSTRACT The expansion of European Union (EU) regulations often hampers effective policy implementation in the member states. However, little is known about how these diverse states navigate and apply the complex rules in practice, and with what consequences. This study addresses this gap by examining how the 2014 EU public procurement directives impacted procurement practices across the Union. Using a difference-in-difference design, we find that the EU's goals of harmonisation and competition were undermined in practice. First, we observe a rise in single-bid contracts across EU countries compared to non-EU countries, undermining competition. Second, we demonstrate a growing divergence in policy implementation, where member states with varying administrative capacities and corruption risks display different rates of single bids. Third, we show that while a few Eastern European countries with poor procurement records embraced the flexibility to award contracts based on the most economically advantageous tender, Nordic countries largely avoided this flexibility. This divergence raises concerns that the new EU rules have brought about new corruption risks. These findings have important implications, underscoring the unintended consequences of expanding complex and flexible regulations, revealing that efforts to harmonise the internal market can backfire, leading to increased differentiated policy implementation across the member states.

Dynamic Investigations of Shared Bicycle Operators’ Competition Based on Profit Maximization

With the rise of the sharing economy, shared bicycles have become an important component of urban transportation. This paper explores the nonlinear dual oligopoly system for the Cournot model in the bike-sharing market; both operators have maximized profits as their competitive goals. The analysis of pivotal factors influencing passenger preferences, including pricing discounts and comfort levels, is meticulously depicted by a bifurcation diagram. A new chaotic attractor—the shared bicycle attractor—is discovered. The research results indicate that larger discounts and adjustment speeds can cause the system to be in a chaotic state, which is not conducive to the long-term development of operators, although discounts can indeed attract more passengers to a certain extent. On the other hand, the increase in the marginal cost of comfort loss can also make it difficult for enterprises to operate, which requires continuous technological innovation to improve the comfort of cycling.

Differences Between Conditioning Support And Competitive Goal Level: Internet-Based Survey Of Japanese Junior Rugby Players

Differences Between Conditioning Support And Competitive Goal Level: Internet-Based Survey Of Japanese Junior Rugby Players

Transitioning from Administrative to Market-Based Spectrum Management in Sri Lanka: A Critical Analysis

Purpose: In Sri Lanka, the Radio Frequency Spectrum (RF spectrum) has traditionally been overseen managed and regulated by the government regulatory body(s), mainly accommodating the administrative RF spectrum management regime. This approach entails allocating and assigning RF spectrum to licensed operators solely through administrative means, with the regulatory authority having sole control and rights over it. However, in line with global trends, in recent years, many countries have begun to transition towards market-based approaches to RF spectrum management from legacy administrative regime, aiming to improve efficiency, promote innovation, and foster competition in the telecommunications sector. Currently, the regulatory landscape in Sri Lanka is also exploring the transition towards a market-oriented spectrum management regime. In this context, this legal research article critically analyses the viability and appropriateness of the transition from administrative RF spectrum management to market-based RF spectrum management in Sri Lanka in a regulatory context, highlighting various dimensions to be considered while migrating. Design/methodology/approach: In this research paper, the authors have considered the regulatory aspects of the transition from an administrative to a marked-based approach for the RF spectrum in Sri Lanka. Hence, the authors shall be carrying out a legal research using the doctrinal research methodology, which is commonly used in legal research. This research article considers John A. Posner’s law and economic theory and John Lock’s property rights theory as the theoretical foundation. Further, this research paper uses qualitative research methodology. By using the said methodological approach, the authors analyse the current administrative RF spectrum management regime in Sri Lanka comparing it with global trends towards market-based approach and thereby evaluate the primary objectives behind the transition, the current RF spectrum framework, and the anticipated challenges that they would encounter with the transition. Findings: The analysis revels that RF spectrum management in Sri Lanka under the administrative system is restrictive and hinders innovation and competition, compared to a more liberalized market-based approach. A market-based approach, characterized by auctions, in primary markets and spectrum sharing, trading, and leasing in secondary markets identified as a potential solution to these limitations. However, the study also highlights several challenges, including the need for regulatory reform, capacity building, and the development of a robust legal framework to support the transition. Originality: This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a detailed analysis of the potential shift in RF spectrum management practices within Sri Lanka, in the regulatory context, a subject area that has not been extensively explored in the local context. It offers a comparative perspective with international practices and provides actionable recommendations tailored to Sri Lankan conditions. Implications: The findings suggest that transitioning to a market-based RF spectrum management regime could significantly improve the efficiency and dynamism of Sri Lanka's telecommunications sector. However, careful planning and implementation are crucial to address potential challenges and ensure that the transition supports long-term goals of innovation and competition. The recommendations aim to guide policymakers in developing a framework that balances market efficiency with regulatory oversight.

Is There a Trade-off Between Sustainability and Competition Goals in Public Procurement? Evidence from Slovenia

Over the past decade, public procurement goals have expanded from obtaining free competition and lowest prices to achieving objectives of “horizontal” policies that take into account ecological and social aspects. However, the Tinbergen Rule states that one instrument should be matched with one goal, while using one instrument for achieving multiple goals would undermine its effectiveness. In this paper, we will examine whether implementation of “horizontal” public procurement policies related to green public procurement, socially responsible public procurement and the promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises’ participation affect achievement of the “primary” public procurement goal of free competition. Our study is based on empirical data on more than 65,000 public procurements carried out in Slovenia during the period 2016-2019.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE LEAN COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IN A WATER PUMP COMPANY

The manufacturing industry is currently experiencing a shift towards sustainability-driven practices and principles. Company X is one of those that want to improve their competitiveness in the manufacturing industry by implementing sustainability. However, this company experiences obstacles in its production process because production targets still need to be achieved owing to product defects that average 8.97%. This study used the sustainable lean manufacturing approach to help the company to achieve more competitive goals by reducing waste and pollution and creating more efficient production processes. The tools used in this research were process activity mapping (PAM), sustainable value stream mapping (SVSM), and the sustainability index (SI). Based on calculations with sustainability indicators, the company’s SI results amounted to 183%. The pProposed improvements were given to improve the company’s efficiency and to reduce its SI. After repairs had been made, the SI value was reduced to 118%. With the improvement in that value, production efficiency has also improved: the process cycle efficiency (PCE) value has become 90.49%, which means that the company’s production process has become more efficient.

ENSURING BALANCE BETWEEN GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, COMPETITIVENESS AND ENERGY SECURITY

The study is devoted to determining the future framework of the world’s energy development in the new geostrategic realities associated with military conflicts in the world and the problem of global warming. It was examined emerging trends in achieving global net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and decarbonization efforts in the study. It was determined that the war in Ukraine became a catalyst for the energy transition in the world. It is noted that in order to achieve climate goals, it is necessary to increase the production of nuclear energy by three times by 2050. This provision was recorded in the declaration on triple nuclear energy at the UN Climate Change Conference (Dubai) in 2023. It is also noted that hydrogen energy is one of the technologies of clean energy and has great perspective, although the infrastructure associated with the use of this energy resource is currently very expensive. Attention is focused on the need to ensure a balance between the goals of sustainable development, competitiveness and energy security. The focus on secure supply chains and energy access and market stability issues is updated. It has been determined that in the new geostrategic realities, attention is focused on the fact that competitiveness must be considered through the prism of «green competitiveness». Jointly solving the issues of sustainable development, competitiveness and energy security is important for building a sustainable economy in the new geostrategic realities associated with military conflicts in the world and the problem of global warming. The logic of the formation of the future framework of energy development in the world in new geostrategic realities from the definition of the conceptual basis and technological support of energy security and competitiveness of the national economy has been presented in the work. At the same time, energy security is crucial for maintaining economic stability and achieving the goals of sustainable development. R

Gaps between policy aspirations and enactment: graduate students’ struggles with academic English amidst a turbulent transition to the EMI environment in Kazakhstani universities

ABSTRACT This study investigated multilingual students’ linguistic challenges at English-medium instruction (EMI) universities in Kazakhstan. Using language policy and planning as a theoretical lens, this study looked at EMI policy in general, particularly the academic English challenges of students due to a haphazard implementation of the EMI policy in Kazakhstani universities. The data were collected through an online survey and semi-structured interviews held with students and instructors at eight purposefully selected EMI universities in Kazakhstan. The data analysis revealed that over 70% of students had no prior exposure to EMI, 66.9% were dissatisfied with their English proficiency, 65.3% were dissatisfied with their literacy skills, and 72.6% did not enjoy reading and writing in English. Therefore, their transition to the EMI environment was chaotic and stressful. The EMI policy and practice seem to have failed because the macro-level policy from the top is not in sync with the resources and preparation at the micro-level (teachers and students). The ambitious goals of internationalization, global competitiveness, and human capital development through EMI cannot be achieved without careful planning, systematic implementation, and appropriate support mechanisms for students and instructors.

Competition Law and Policy in the Global South: Power, Coercion and Distribution

Abstract Countries in the Global South have adopted competition laws and pursued competition policies very similar to countries in the North. This arrangement can be traced to various coercive powers at play—from trading partners in the North, international organizations to development banks, among others. As a result, the adopted laws are often unsuitable to the local needs of the countries in the South and their enforcement policies are often shaped by global pressure. This has alienated countries in the Global South from pursuing competition enforcement policies that could be empowering to their firms, consumers and communities at large. One way to resist and challenge these coercive powers is to pursue alternative competition policies, not alien to the Western nations themselves. In these alternative configurations, competition laws are squared with goals of industrialization and distributive equality. Pursuing these alternative competition goals challenges the dominance of the static model of competition policy aiming to achieve allocative efficiency. Examples from many places around the world are illustrated to show how competition policy, at crucial times of their development, were broadened to encompass an industrial agenda. The latter, more suitable for countries in the South, is discussed as a means of counter-coercion. It is discussed alongside an elaborate program for distribution to assure that the benefits of industrialization do not befall upon only a few. The aim of such a distributive program, built into competition enforcement, is to bring social justice concerns within the purview of competition policy.

Drafting a pro-antitrust and data protection regulatory framework


 The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023 has significant implications for antitrust issues in digital markets. A consensus has emerged among competition regulators across jurisdictions that in markets underpinned by data-driven business models, antitrust concerns intersect with data protection regulatory issues. With the recent enactment of the law, the landscape in India is now ripe to ensure that the two regulatory tools of data protection and competition work in tandem. The paper provides an overview of why a new approach to antitrust law is required in the realm of data-driven digital platforms, and delves into the evolving antitrust cases in India with respect to digital platforms to lay out the jurisprudence on data-related anti-competitive practices. The main objective of this paper is to map the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in the context of India's jurisprudence to theoretically illustrate how regulation of personal data could impact antitrust enforcement. Finally, the paper outlines how the CCI needs to assess digital antitrust cases and how the personal data legislation will need to evolve to achieve the twin goals of data protection and fair competition.

Cooperation Versus Competition: How Do Helping Coworkers Affect Work–Family Conflict?

AbstractAlthough studies pay increasing attention to how organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) affects work–family conflict, most research ignores the boundary conditions and underlying mechanisms of this relationship. Drawing on goal interdependence theory and conservation of resources theory, this research sees two types of goal interdependence as important boundary conditions of how helping behavior affects work–family conflict. We use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to test our theoretical model. Specifically, using two-wave survey data collected from 386 employees and 90 supervisors in a manufacturing company, our quantitative study shows that the interaction of helping behavior with cooperative goal interdependence is positively associated with work–goal progress, whereas its interaction with competitive goal interdependence is negatively associated with work–goal progress. In turn, work–goal progress is negatively associated with work–family conflict. The results further reveal that the indirect effect of helping behavior on work–family conflict via work–goal progress is positive and significant only when the level of competitive (cooperative) goal interdependence is high (low). We use 196 employees from the same organization to conduct our qualitative study, the results of which further substantiate and extend the findings from our quantitative study. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

Strategy Performation to Avoid Degeneration: How producer cooperatives can achieve social and economic goals

Due to tensions between social, cooperative and competitive goals, producer cooperatives often degenerate by abandoning their cooperative and social goals or fail economically. We show how these pressures to degenerate into business-as-usual can be resisted and even reversed through a longitudinal study of Zespri, a cooperative responsible for 30% of global kiwifruit exports. We employ a performativity lens to theorise the organising involved in regenerating cooperative principles while introducing new competitive strategies. We explicate three types of performativity: performative dualism, instrumental performativity and performative multiplicity, and offer nuanced insights into how different performative struggles unravel and temporarily resolve through different modes of ordering (distribution, coordination and mutual inclusion). Our insights further contribute to organisation studies about cooperatives’ tendencies to degenerate/regenerate by showing the importance of organising the multiple, and sometimes conflicted, views of actors in a generative and productive way. Those findings can be extended to other democratically managed and hybrid organisations.

Fuzzy multicriteria evaluation model of cross-border cooperation projects under resource curse conditions

Fuzzy multicriteria evaluation model of cross-border cooperation projects under resource curse conditions

It’s a Balancing Act! Menopausal Symptoms in Competitive Weightlifters

ABSTRACT Introduction Athletes may be unprepared for the onset and duration of menopausal symptoms and how they affect training and competition goals. There are inconsistent results about physical activity and menopausal symptoms, and guidance for athletes is lacking. Purpose We aimed to study the reciprocal association of performance and weekly hours of weightlifting training with menopausal symptoms. Methods Women reported the frequency of weightlifting training and additional physical activities, heaviest weight lifted, and menopausal symptoms using the validated Menopausal Rating Scale. An online survey was distributed by national governing bodies in 30 countries to female master weightlifters (ages 30 to 79 yr) in May 2022. Simultaneous equation models were used to provide reliable estimates in the presence of contemporaneous effects. Results Participants included 868 women, 178 postmenopausal. The proportions of moderate or more severe somato-vegetative symptoms and psychological symptoms were 25.7% and 46.5%, respectively. Better performance, defined as weight lifted relative to age and body weight, was associated with a lower score of menopausal symptoms (−0.51, P < 0.001); worse menopausal symptoms were associated with lower performance (−1.22 for somato-vegetative, −2.19 for psychological; P < 0.001). More hours of weightlifting training were associated with worse menopausal symptoms, whereas more hours of other physical activities were associated with worse somato-vegetative but not with psychological symptoms. Instrumental variables in the model were joint pain and protein tracking. The majority tracked their daily protein intake (62.8%) with a median of 1.9 g·kg−1 body mass. Conclusion Somato-vegetative symptoms were less prevalent in weightlifters than in the general population. There is simultaneous feedback between sport performance and severity of menopausal symptoms. Athletes must balance training intensity and menopausal symptoms to achieve training goals.

The achievement of digitalisation in the EU and its reliance on gigabit connectivity

A major component of the EU's digitalisation strategy is its targets for universal gigabit connectivity, based on either fixed (mainly FTTH) or mobile (5G) technologies. In order to achieve its objectives, such an ambitious strategy must achieve a fusion of the digital and the physical activities in all sectors of the economy (public and private); in this task, achieving the policy goal of universal connectivity requires that it be efficient, while achieving equitable (or ‘fair’) results. The EU position is that an appropriate balance needs to be struck through regulation which pursues the twin goals of competition and investment, as is now required by the EECC. Over the past 20 years, the EU has benefitted from a successful regime of pro-competition regulation in telecommunications, which has transformed the structure of fixed markets and broadly maintained rivalry in the mobile market. However, the policy imperative of attaining universal high-speed connectivity requires the mobilisation of resources to cover remoter areas, which are less attractive to competitors. Government subsides may help, but in some Member States regulators may also have to dilute competitive pressure on the historic incumbent in order to elicit this investment. Possible ways of accomplishing this entirely legitimate task (and ensuring that the resources thus generated are applied to the relevant public purpose) are considered. In relation to 5G, questions arise about how much network sharing should be permitted to allow the construction of advanced stand-alone networks. Relevant competition cases in this area are also reviewed. Finally, the suggestion has seen made that network operators should receive resources transferred from the largest Over-The-Top operators (OTT), which are understood to be highly profitable and involved in, but which do not contribute to the cost of, infrastructure that can support the high proportion of Internet traffic. Which they carry and from which they benefit The paper discusses both the legitimacy of such an approach, if directed towards an authorised public purpose, and (briefly) the practical difficulties involved in its implementation, including ensuring that the transferred resources are deployed for the intended purposes.

Knowledge seeking or sabotage? The effect of coworker relative overqualification on employee reaction from social comparison theory

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of knowledge transfer between employees and coworkers. That is, when and why employees engage in knowledge seeking or knowledge sabotage when confronted with coworkers with higher relative overqualification.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected survey data from 315 employee-coworker pairs in East China at three-time points.FindingsThe results showed that when the cooperative goal interdependence between employee and coworker is high, the perception of coworker’s relative overqualification will cause benign envy of employees, which in turn promote employees to engage in knowledge seeking from coworker. However, when the competitive goal interdependence between employee and coworker is high, the perception of coworker’s relative overqualification will cause malicious envy of employees, which in turn promote employees to engage in knowledge sabotage toward coworker.Originality/valueThis research not only expands the theoretical perspective and outcomes of relative overqualification but also enriches the mechanism of knowledge seeking and knowledge sabotage. Meanwhile, this study also provides practical guidance for enterprises to reduce knowledge sabotage.

Competition law and policy of the ASEAN member states for the digital economy: a proposal for greater harmonization

ABSTRACT Over the last decade, many countries have demonstrated remarkable development in their competition regimes, and the regimes of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are no exception. Since effective competition policy for the digital economy has become an important topic across the world, it is time to discuss desirable guidance for digital competition law and policy in the ASEAN region. There are notable obstacles to providing digital policy guidance for the ASEAN Member States. Most Member States have distinctive objectives of competition law, such as associating the non-economic goals of fair competition with unique substantive rules on unfair trade practices. Moreover, the dissimilar level of law enforcement among the Member States requires ASEAN to provide applicable standards for the appraisal of conduct in digital cases so as not to distort competition in the ASEAN region. This article aims at providing suggestions for ASEAN guidelines for the digital economy, which has not been discussed before, by analysing the cases and legislation in several competition regimes.