Context Of Competition Research Articles

Women in their mid-follicular phase outcompete hormonal contraceptive users, an effect partially explained by relatively greater progesterone and cortisol reactivity to competition

Early evidence suggests that hormonal contraceptive (HC) use alters psychological functioning and competitive behavior. Yet, there is limited data on endocrine models for explaining how HC use affects these outcomes. In this pre-registered and open-data study, we test if HC users and naturally cycling (NC) females in their low (mid-follicular) and high (mid-luteal) progesterone phase differ in competitive persistence and whether progesterone and cortisol reactivity mediate of this effect. HC users (N = 73) in the active hormone-exposure phase and NC participants in the mid-follicular (N = 69) or mid-luteal (N = 72) phase completed two behavioral measures of competitive persistence, holding up a weight for time followed by attempting to solve an unsolvable anagram. Participants also completed measures of handgrip strength and self-reported competitiveness as well as gave saliva samples before and after the tasks for hormone assay. Results showed that NC-follicular group had greater competitive persistence in the weight-holding task compared to both NC-luteal (d = 0.38) and HC use (d = 0.43) groups independent of physical strength and self-reported competitiveness covariates. Although anagram task performance showed similar trends for group differences, analyses for this task were inconclusive. Baseline progesterone did not mediate the effect of cycle phase group on competitive persistence. HC users showed relatively blunted cortisol and progesterone reactivity, and this effect partially mediated the difference in competitive persistence between HC users and the NC-follicular group. In sum, results suggest that HC use could downregulate competitive behavior at least partly by dampening cortisol-progesterone reactivity. These findings offer a new endocrine model for understanding HC use and cycle phase effects on motivational and energetic outcomes required for optimal performance in competitive contexts.

Do free schools create “competitive threats”? The perceptions of neighbouring schools

ABSTRACT A central policy claim for opening free schools in England was that these new schools would create competitive threats that incentivise nearby schools to improve. Where comparable policies have been pursued, notably charter schools in America, research has often measured competitive effects quantitatively. The perceptions of local actors assumed to experience competition can be overlooked. Responding, this article develops the first qualitative analysis of a sample of 28 schools neighbouring 14 free schools. The analysis evidences the importance of market contexts, with perceived competition mediated by supply and demand for places, choice geographies and school status hierarchies. Resulting diversity does not support simplistic assumptions nearby schools perceive competition or respond by seeking to improve. Just under half the schools studied perceived free schools created few competitive threats. Where competition was perceived, headteachers reported taking actions on promotion and national performance indicators, but rarely classroom practices. Where competition was strongest, headteachers reported intensive social selection, with free schools perceived to increase inequalities. The influence of school status on competitive logics of action was also revealed. Unequal material and symbolic resources afforded by status positioning informed headteachers’ perceptions of their relative capacity for effective action. Nine ideal types of logics of action are outlined, identifying how the context of competition and a school’s status influenced orientations to action. These logics are shown to be important in how intensive competition increased socio-economic inequalities by concentrating the negative effects of opening free schools, where these existed, in lower status schools serving more disadvantaged students.

The invasive Tradescantia zebrina does not inhibit germination of the native Hymenaea courbaril but does modulate its growth

ABSTRACT Background Invasive plant species can modify ecosystem structure and function, potentially leading to the loss of native species, environmental and biotic homogenisation, changes in nutrient cycling, impairment of ecosystem services, and decrease in the rate of regeneration of plant recruits. Aims We assessed the effects of the non-native and invasive vine Tradescantia zebrina on the germination and development of the native tree Hymenaea courbaril in north-eastern Brazil. We hypothesised that the invasive species would negatively impact the germination and development, and, via competition, the growth of the native species. Methods We conducted a germination experiment for six months in seven forest patches. Seeds of H. courbaril were cultivated in four possible combinations of two treatments: under a cover with and without T. zebrina, and on soil that originated from places with and without T. zebrina present. Results Neither T. zebrina cover or soil affected the germination or biomass of H. courbaril during the experiment. H. courbaril seedlings were taller and had longer roots when cultivated in soil that originated from places with T. zebrina. Conclusions T. zebrina presence alters soil properties in a way that triggers morphological responses in H. courbaril, which can be associated to a perceived competition context.

Cause-Effect: The Relationship between Role and Experience with Psychological and Physical Responses in the Competition Context in Soccer Referees.

This study analyzed the effects of psychological responses (impulsivity, self-esteem, self-confidence, and anxiety) in baseline and pre-competitive contexts of national soccer referees (SRs), their control of the game (yellow and red cards), and physical performance (PP) according to the role (assistant or main referee), and experience in the category. Twenty-seven national SRs from Spain participated in this study. Baseline and pre-competitive psychological data were collected through the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2 test), Urgency, Premeditation (lack of), Perseverance (lack of), Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency, Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P test), and Rosenberg tests. Furthermore, WIMU PRO™ inertial devices were used to monitor PP. The results indicated that a lack of perseverance and self-esteem were higher in the main SRs and somatic anxiety in assistant SRs. Experience of SRs was related to anxiety, self-confidence, self-esteem, impulsivity dimensions, and PP metrics (p < 0.05). Finally, red cards were related to positive and negative urgency (r = 0.38 and r = 0.35, p < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, the main SRs and SRs with more experience had better psychological characteristics and PP in a competitive context. However, yellow and red cards were not associated with these factors, although red cards were related with urgency. Based on these data, specific training programs could be incorporated to enhance emotional control in SRs with less experience to achieve greater performance and professional development.

Is the Intrasexual Competition in Male Red Deer Reflected in the Ratio of Stable Isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen in Faeces?

Isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen in faeces is a reliable methodology for studying ecology in wildlife. Here, we tested this technique to detect variations in carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in two different intrasexual competition scenarios of male Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) using faeces of individuals collected during hunting actions in South-eastern Spain. The carbon isotopic ratio (δ13C) was not found to be significant, likely due to similar diet composition in all individuals. However, the nitrogen isotopic ratio (δ15N) was found to be lower in populations where sexual competition between males during the rut was higher compared to low-competition populations. Therefore, this study suggests a different use of proteins by an individual male red deer depending on the sexually competitive context in which he lives. Although further research is needed, these results show the potential of isotopic analysis as a tool for studying individual and populational variations in the level of intrasexual competition, with implications in evolutionary ecology and population management.

Mandating interoperability of interpersonal communications services in an ecosystems competition context

With the adoption of Article 7 of the Digital Markets Act, the EU has taken a progressive approach to mandating horizontal interoperability of number-independent interpersonal communications services. This legislative measure addresses the structural competition challenge posed by direct network effects, which tend to lock users into established messaging platforms. However, it is not entirely clear how, if at all, the Commission should implement this interoperability mandate. To shed light on this matter, we present an ecosystems competition context where these messaging services transition into digital ecosystems to create value from user-generated data and attention. Within this context, we find interoperability mandates like Article 7 a plausible solution to the structural competition problem, although much is yet to be done to sharpen these mandates against the intricate inter-ecosystem dynamics and to empower multi-homing users in a post-interoperability world. Achieving this goal requires collaborative efforts not only from sector regulators responsible for overseeing these mandates but also from antitrust and data protection authorities.

Understanding the role of gender and project characteristics in research funding evaluations

AbstractResearch shows that women are less successful than men in obtaining external funding for research projects. However, other research points to advantages of female leadership and suggests that women are capable of breaking glass ceilings in competitive contexts (e.g., promotions). We bridge these ideas by arguing that although women are disadvantaged in the funding process (e.g., as principal investigators or PIs), there may be advantages of female representation in research projects that compete for funding. We analyze a unique panel dataset based on all call texts and all applications to the “Cooperation” part of the EU FP7, a 2007–2013 EUR 53.2 billion program. Using fixed‐effects regressions, we find that projects with high female representation (or with female PIs) receive less favorable evaluations. However, this effect weakens as the relevant projects become more heterogeneous and radical. These findings are robust to a number of alternative specifications.

Distinct inter-brain synchronization patterns during group creativity under threats in cooperative and competitive contexts

Previous research has revealed that threats lead to conflicting conclusions about the performance of group creativity. In this study, it was proposed that the interactive mode (cooperation and competition) would underly the divergent effects of threats on group creativity. The underlying neural mechanisms of the divergent effects were further explored. A total of 56 participants were paired into dyads, performing creative tasks cooperatively and competitively in threatening and non-threatening situations, without verbal communication. Brain signals were collected using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyper-scanning techniques. The results showed that when participants cooperated with each other, threats (vs. without threats) enhanced group creativity, while no such enhancement was observed in competitive interactions. In the threatening situation, participants’ group creativity in competitive interactions was as good as those in cooperative interactions. During the threatening cooperation situation, there were increased inter-brain synchronization in the right temporo-parietal junction and decreased brain activity at the prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction. Regardless of the presence of threats, there were decreased inter-brain synchronization and decreased brain activity during competition in the prefrontal cortex. These results reveal a positive effect of threatening cooperation and competition on group creativity and provide further insight into the inter-brain mechanisms that enhance group creativity.

Bucharest Stock Exchange Financing Opportunities for Romanian IT SMEs

Abstract The paper presents the current development status of the Romanian capital market and the opportunities it offers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to finance their growth strategies through the stock exchange. It is well known that SMEs represent a growth engine for any economy in terms of contribution to GDP, employment rate, and tax contribution to the state budget. Their primary role of supplying goods and services dynamises the market landscape and creates the proper context for competition, innovation, and research and development. However, in this context, they are the most affected by the economic crisis, inflationary pressures, post-Covid uncertainties, and the war in Ukraine. Thus, their access to finance is now more important than ever. The paper’s focus is on SMEs from the Romanian information technology (IT) sector and how their growth since listing could be a driver for other Romanian IT companies to list on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The stock exchanges offer SMEs medium and long-term financing opportunities, regardless of market conditions. Therefore, the more successful the SMEs business, the more significant their role as an economic growth engine is. The research is based on a quantitative approach-content analysis provided by Bucharest Stock Exchange and local and international financial institutions. The SMEs’ performance profile is determined by using trading evaluation indicators for IT SMEs listed on the Exchange. Results show that, by listing, companies benefit from contextual market conditions, highlighting the recommendation for other companies from the IT sector to list their business on the stock exchange.

Technical Land-Sea Spaces: Impacts of the Port Clusterization Phenomenon on Coasts, Cities and Architectures

Land-sea interactions, extending inland and towards the marine spaces, are affected by major management and design transformations. Globalization processes, port expansion projects and extensive energy transition requests have recently led port institutions to demand more land, engaging deeply with logistics platforms and radically restructuring forms of port governance. In this competitive context, the phenomenon of Port Clusterisation, i.e. the administrative aggregation whereby two or more ports are merged to form port clusters, is heavily impacting the institutional sphere. However, not only does this phenomenon have no control over cities, but its spatial component seems to be neglected by the disciplines of space, such as urbanism and architecture. As a result, port and city institutions lack design tools to tackle urgent challenges as coastal utilization, the need for resilient port-city infrastructures and the regeneration of the port-city architectural heritage. In terms of novelty and contribution to academia, an examination of the spatial footprint of port clusters will allow research to move beyond its state-of-the-art by targeting a phenomenon that, though pivotal, is under-researched, especially within the spatial disciplines.

Identifying key multi-modal predictors of incipient dementia in Parkinson's disease: a machine learning analysis and Tree SHAP interpretation.

Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) differentially progress to cognitive impairment and dementia. With a 3-year longitudinal sample of initially non-demented PD patients measured on multiple dementia risk factors, we demonstrate that machine learning classifier algorithms can be combined with explainable artificial intelligence methods to identify and interpret leading predictors that discriminate those who later converted to dementia from those who did not. Participants were 48 well-characterized PD patients (Mbaseline age = 71.6; SD = 4.8; 44% female). We tested 38 multi-modal predictors from 10 domains (e.g., motor, cognitive) in a computationally competitive context to identify those that best discriminated two unobserved baseline groups, PD No Dementia (PDND), and PD Incipient Dementia (PDID). We used Random Forest (RF) classifier models for the discrimination goal and Tree SHapley Additive exPlanation (Tree SHAP) values for deep interpretation. An excellent RF model discriminated baseline PDID from PDND (AUC = 0.84; normalized Matthews Correlation Coefficient = 0.76). Tree SHAP showed that ten leading predictors of PDID accounted for 62.5% of the model, as well as their relative importance, direction, and magnitude (risk threshold). These predictors represented the motor (e.g., poorer gait), cognitive (e.g., slower Trail A), molecular (up-regulated metabolite panel), demographic (age), imaging (ventricular volume), and lifestyle (activities of daily living) domains. Our data-driven protocol integrated RF classifier models and Tree SHAP applications to selectively identify and interpret early dementia risk factors in a well-characterized sample of initially non-demented persons with PD. Results indicate that leading dementia predictors derive from multiple complementary risk domains.

Ignorance is bliss? Information and risk on crowdfunding platforms.

This research examines the determinants of project success on crowdfunding platforms within a competitive context. We focus on the specific horizontal attributes of the project-attributes that do not affect the project returns but over which investors may have heterogeneous preferences-and on the project returns' risk level. We run a laboratory experiment with several set-ups, where multiple projects compete for funding simultaneously and where potential investors operate in a quasi-continuous time. We find the horizontal attributes' information affects project selection, while the risk level of the project returns affects the amount of collected funding.

In the right place, at the right time: Opportunity structures and candidates’ chances of getting elected for the first time

The foundational principle of representative democracy is that legislative elites can be replaced in elections. Yet, first-time parliamentary entries have received little attention. We present the first systematic attempt to examine the conditions of first-time parliamentary entry in multimember district PR systems. We introduce an overlooked explanatory factor, candidates' short-term opportunity structure. While controlling for personal vote-earning attributes (PVEAs), we examine how competitive context shapes newcomers' chances in a pure OLPR system where party elites cannot skew competition between candidates. Our register-based analysis of candidacies in seven Finnish parliamentary elections (1995–2019, n = 7548) shows that while personal qualities enhance candidates’ chances, first-time entry is restricted by the competitive context, especially the decisions of incumbent MPs. The strong impact of exceptional PVEAs suggests that other “big fish” candidates may also shape competitive contexts. Overall, the study indicates that electoral competition can be rather restricted even in the most competitive electoral systems.

A Theory and Test of Pledge-Based Voting: The Limited but Real Effects of Election Pledges on Citizens’ Vote Choice

Do voters decide on the basis of the election pledges political parties make? Although this is a key assumption in most democratic theories and, seemingly, among parties who issue dozens of pledges during campaigns, the scientific literature does not provide a clear answer to this question. This article develops a theory of pledge-based voting and a research design that allows for studying the electoral effects of pledges in real-time as the campaign unfolds. Based on a novel experimental design embedded in panel surveys administered during and after the 2019 Danish national election campaign (N = 6233), we estimate that the most salient pledges affect vote choice by between 1.1 and 2.1 percentage points averaged across the electorate. While modest, these effects can be decisive in the often highly competitive context of modern elections. The findings have implications for our understanding of political behavior, party politics, and normative theories of democracy.

Abstract concepts and simulated competition

To better understand the social determinants of conceptual knowledge we devised a task in which participants were asked to judge the match between a definition (expressed in abstract or concrete terms) and a target-word (also either abstract or concrete). The task was presented in the form of a competition that could/could not include an opponent, and in which different percentages of response rounds were assigned to the participant at the experimenter’s discretion. Thus, depending on the condition, participants were either exposed to a competitive context mimicking a privileged/unprivileged interaction with the experimenter or to a socially neutral setting. Results showed that manipulation of the social context selectively affected judgments on abstract stimuli: responses were significantly slower whenever a definition and/or a target word were presented in abstract form and when participants were in the favorable condition of responding in most of the trials. Moreover, only when processing abstract material, responses were slower when an opponent was expected to be present. Data are discussed in the frame of the different cognitive engagements involved when treating abstract and concrete concepts as well as in relation to the possible motivational factors prompted by the experimental set-up. The role of social context as a crucial element for abstract knowledge processing is also considered.

Nonverbal Communication And Sales Performance: Do High and Low-Performing Sales Students Gesture in the Same Way?

ABSTRACT Nonverbal communication impacts a broad range of human interactions and bears significant influence on understanding and perceptions. One of the most influential categories of nonverbal communication is kinesics, which includes physical gestures and other body movements. The current study develops a foundation for future kinesics education in sales by examining the use of four types of gestures (illustrators, beats, adaptors, and regulators) and coinciding measures of sales performance within the context of a national student sales competition. Results include the finding that highly rated sales students use one specific kind of gesture – illustrators - more frequently than low performing sales students. No significant relationships were uncovered between beats, adaptors, or regulators and performance. Educational implications and recommendations for sales courses are provided.

Exploring the Potential of V-Band for Satellite Communications

The current development in the scientific field indicates the ability to use v band in satellite communication. “This enhancement will enable the capacity of communication in GEO satellite system to be settled than before. During the last years, researches in geostationary telecommunication satellite systems had focused on the ability of satellite coverage for a wide area within broad banding context. This view had been changed under current investigations. Extended geostationary views in satellites had been challenged to remain able in the competitive context. This was due to its capacity, costs and supported services. The current situation showed its limited capacity, availability, flexibility, and inability to guarantee the required quality of service efficiently. These limitations expected to be resulted from the effects of radio-wave broadcast in atmospheric last layer. Lastly, “the attenuation and scintillation effects of atmospheric gas, clouds and rain become more severe by increasing the operating frequency.

The role of digital transformation practices in the operations improvement in manufacturing firms: A practice-based view

Digitalization has become increasingly crucial for manufacturing firms to optimize their production processes and improve operations management. However, the role of digital transformation practices in firms' operations improvement is still debated in the extant research. Moreover, there is little quantitative research on analyzing their associations using large data sets. Therefore, a theoretical framework is developed in this study based on a practice-based view (PBV) to demonstrate the relationships between digital transformation practices and firms' operational efficiency from three aspects of workforce productivity, physical asset efficiency, and working capital efficiency. Then, the role of industry competition in their relationships is examined. Besides, digital transformation practices are measured using the text analysis method targeting authoritative annual reports to enhance the objectivity and applicability of our quantitative studies. With a large sample of Chinese manufacturing firms from 2016 to 2020, a fixed-effect model is employed to reveal that digital transformation practices have significant and positive impacts on all three aspects of firms’ operational efficiency. It is further observed that industry competition weakens these positive associations. This study enriches the digitalization literature in operations management and expands the application of PBV by verifying the differentiated relationships between digital transformation practices and operational efficiency at different levels of competition. Furthermore, it provides significant practical implications for both managers and policy-makers to appropriately implement and popularize digital transformation practices under an external competitive context.

Understanding students’ motivations for participating in a mindfulness course: a qualitative analysis of medical students’ views

ObjectivesImproving medical students’ wellbeing and empowerment through curricular activities is a topic of interest worldwide. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly implemented in medical education often as part of elective courses. To better understand training outcomes and adjust curriculum to students’ needs, we will explore why will medical students participate in meditation-based education?MethodsWe analyzed 29 transcripts from the first session of an 8-week MBSR program offered to medical students in French. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using a qualitative content thematic analysis and the constant comparison method.ResultsAnalyses resulted in three themes describing students’ motivation: (1) Medical education and the physician’s role, i.e. improving interpersonal skills, acquiring skills oriented toward a more integrative medicine, being more productive in a highly competitive context. (2) Caring for my health i.e. aiming at stress reduction, emotion regulation, and improving self-compassion. (3) A quest for meaning, i.e. optimizing meaning of care, and meaning of life.ConclusionThe results highlight the congruence between the perceived motivations and the evidence on the effect of mindfulness on self-care, the development of humanistic medical skills, and the meaning of care. Some findings raise the issue of the limits of using mindfulness to enhance one’s productivity. Notably, participants articulated the need for self-care as in mindfulness training, with the ability to care for others.

&lt;p&gt;Factors Affecting University Graduates’ Employability in Egypt Using Egyptian University Students as a Case Study&lt;/p&gt;

Employability refers to the process of gaining initial employment, maintaining employment, and successfully obtaining new employment if required. In simple terms, employability is about being capable of obtaining and keeping fulfilling work. Employability is having a set of skills, including knowledge, understanding, and personal attributes that make a person more likely to choose and secure occupations in which they can be satisfied and successful. Employability depends on knowledge (what you know), skills (what you do with what you know), and attitudes (how you approach things). In higher education, the employment of university graduates is influenced by many factors including institutional ranking, image, branding, and program structure. Therefore, university reputation in specific programs is important and affects the employability of graduates directly.&#x0D; In a recent paper by the corresponding author, we argued that university branding is critical for developing a favorable image and impacts one’s identity formation and promotion substantially, thus differentiating and placing one in a highly competitive context. In this paper, we will investigate the factors that influence employability among university graduates and determine which ones can affect the overall graduate employability of university graduates in Egypt. These factors include academic branding, academic performance, technical skills, communication skills, personality, leadership and motivational skills, and teamwork and problem-solving skills, taken as independent variables, while overall graduate employability was considered the dependent variable. In addition, we consider the impact of the university’s reputation on graduate employability.&#x0D; Survey methods were used on 500 graduates and undergraduates (fourth level) from different Egyptian universities who have not yet performed employability behavior, chosen at random, by using exploratory factor analysis to validate the items under those independent variables and structural equation modeling with AMOS to test the hypothesized relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The questionnaire had 20 questions, including demographic inquiries and questions about the abovementioned topics. The findings of this study can help scholars further investigate the employability aspects and guide fresh graduates in acquiring the required employability skills while assisting companies in recruiting suitable people with the required skills and performance.