Competitive Edge Research Articles

AN EXPLORATION OF THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK INDUSTRY 4.0.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creating big opportunities in the workplace, especially with the combination of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), which is leading to advancements in robotics. This is known as industry 4.0, and it promises to bring precision, efficiency, and flexibility to businesses. However, to implement Industry 4.0, companies need to make a lot of changes, including changes to their Human Resources (HR) functions. In the new era, HR becomes even more important and can give a company a competitive edge. HR needs to be more adaptable and proactive in order to meet the challenges and demands of Industry 4.0. This study looks at how AI can improve HR practices in the context of Industry 4.0. It focuses on five key areas where AI can be applied in HR: Recruitment and Talent Acquisition, Employee Onboarding and Training, Performance Management, Employee Engagement and Retention, and HR Analytics and Reporting. The study also examined three aspects of HR readiness. Technological Readiness, Organizational Readiness, and Individual Readiness. The results show that AI has the potential to significantly enhance HR capabilities and improve the overall effectiveness of HR functions in Industry 4.0.

LEVERAGING DIGITAL PRODUCT AND PROMOTION INNOVATION TO ENHANCE COMPETITIVENESS IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMES)

This study explores the role of product innovation and digital promotion in enhancing the competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In globalization and digital transformation, SMEs face significant challenges, including shifting consumer preferences and heightened competition. Product innovation is critical in adding value and differentiating SME products. Meanwhile, digital promotion provides a cost-effective avenue for SMEs to reach broader audiences than traditional media. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a survey method targeting SMEs across various sectors. The sampling used the total sampling method, with a sample of 70 people. The total sampling technique was used, and data were collected through Likert scale-based questionnaires. The findings reveal that the synergy between product innovation and effective digital promotion strategies significantly enhances SME competitiveness, increased sales, stronger customer loyalty, and improved market positioning. These results highlight the importance of adopting sustainable innovation practices and leveraging digital platforms strategically to thrive in an ever-changing market landscape. This study offers practical insights for SMEs to strengthen their market presence and maintain a competitive edge.

Optimizing Retail Strategy with IBM Retail Data Warehouse (RDW): A Short Review of Data-Driven Approach to Customer-Centric Decision-Making

Retail businesses operate in highly competitive and unpredictable environments where customer demands continue to evolve rapidly. Whether catering to niche markets with premium products or competing at scale as mega retailers, businesses must deeply understand their customers and develop strategies that align with their preferences, behaviors, and expectations. Simply recording raw data is insufficient to gain meaningful insights; retail businesses must leverage advanced business intelligence tools to visualize and analyze data effectively. The integration of data mining techniques with business analytics plays a crucial role in extracting actionable intelligence, enabling retailers to enhance customer experiences, optimize inventory management, and improve operational efficiency. This paper explores the IBM Retail Data Warehouse (RDW) as a comprehensive solution for data-driven decision-making in the retail sector. By implementing robust data integration and governance frameworks, businesses can enhance their ability to derive valuable insights, streamline operations, and maintain a competitive edge in the dynamic retail landscape. Ultimately, mastering data-driven strategies through IBM RDW empowers retail businesses to transition from reactive decision-making to proactive, customer-centric approaches, ensuring long-term growth and sustainability in an ever-changing market.

Going Green: Effect of Dynamic Capability, Innovation, and Supply Chain Agility in Fostering Supply Chain Management in SDGs Context

Objective: This study investigates how green innovation and dynamic capacities impact agro-allied enterprises' Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices in Nigeria, as well as shift focus on the mediating function of supply chain agility. Theoretical Framework: Rising environmental consciousness is capturing the interest of business stakeholders in the face of fiercer competition, builds the efforts to attain green development practices, which is also prompting consideration of the potential impact on businesses. Method: This study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 264 randomly selected respondents employed in Nigerian agro-allied enterprises using a structured Likert scale survey. Results and Discussion: The study's results indicate a positive correlation between green supply chain management practices and green innovation as well as green dynamic capabilities. Research Implications: This research indicates that supply chain agility is an essential mediating factor enhancing the GSCM practices of agro-allied firms. Adopting environmentally friendly methods in their operations can help people who work in agro-allied firms better understand how important green innovation and dynamic green capability are for improving supply chain management. Originality/Value: The originality of the present study was the emerging linkage of the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, which emphasizes that businesses that care about the environment can gain a long-term competitive edge by using green development practices while developing their green capabilities, even while aligning to sustainable development goals.

Timing and interdependencies in blockchain capabilities development for supply chain management: a resource-based view perspective

PurposeUsing the resource-based view (RBV), our study aims to provide theoretical and empirical insights into blockchain capabilities’ (BCs) compounded and sequential effects on supply chain competitive advantages (CA).Design/methodology/approachWe combined a systematic literature review and an expert interview. Interpretive Structural Modelling and a Matrix of Cross-Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification were used to determine the relationship between the capabilities. Simple Additive Weighting assessed each capability’s relative importance and impact.FindingsWe reveal a sequential development path for BCs. Foundational capabilities, such as cybersecurity, provide immediate performance benefits, establishing a unique, valuable and inimitable resource. As firms progress to advanced capabilities, the compounded value of these capabilities generates a stronger, dynamic resource for sustained CA. Moreover, the study underscores the strategic importance of timing in adopting and developing BCs, as early adoption can secure a competitive edge difficult for later entrants to replicate.Practical implicationsOur proposed framework guides managers in incorporating blockchain technology into supply chain management (SCM) processes once it demonstrates that firms can enhance their CA by prioritizing the technical basics BC, leveraging the informational capabilities in level two and enabling effective problem-solving through level three. Our framework also shows that a learning process occurs as BCs are used and their results are explored.Originality/valueOur study extends the RBV by demonstrating BCs’ cumulative and interdependent nature in SCM. It emphasizes the synergistic interactions between these capabilities, which collectively enhance CA.

Two-Way Efforts Between the Organization and Employees: Impact Mechanism of a High-Commitment Human Resource System on Proactive Customer Service Performance

Service quality forms the foundation of customer experience value and is a key competitive edge for service-oriented organizations. In response to increasingly diverse service demands, proactive customer service performance (PCSP), which can improve service experience, has captured the attention of researchers and managers. While research on factors influencing PCSP is plentiful, there is a noticeable gap in discussions around organizational-level factors, especially concerning a high-commitment human resource system (HCHRS) designed to enhance positive relationships between organizations and employees. This study collected data from frontline service employees in China and their managers through a questionnaire survey grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), conservation of resources theory (COR), and social exchange theory (SET) and used hierarchical multiple regression and a mediation effect test to investigate the impact mechanism of the HCHRS on PCSP. This study reveals that the HCHRS directly influences PCSP and positively impacts it by bolstering mission valence (MV) and work meaning (WM). Furthermore, MV and WM serve as serial mediators of the process through which HCHRS affects PCSP. This study enriches research on the antecedent mechanisms of PCSP and offers valuable insights for management practices.

Role of Green Business Practices in Enhancing Corporate Reputation in Brazil

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to analyze role of green business practices in enhancing corporate reputation in Brazil. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Green business practices enhance corporate reputation in Brazil by improving consumer trust, regulatory compliance, and investor confidence. Sustainable companies attract loyal customers, comply with environmental laws, and gain access to green funding. Internally, eco-friendly initiatives boost employee engagement, while responsible supply chains and corporate social responsibility strengthen stakeholder trust. Positive media coverage further enhances public perception, giving businesses a competitive edge and long-term market credibility. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) theory, stakeholder theory & triple bottom line (TBL) theory may be used to anchor future studies on the role of green business practices in enhancing corporate reputation in Brazil. Companies should move beyond compliance-driven sustainability efforts and actively market their green initiatives as part of their brand identity. Governments and regulatory bodies should develop global sustainability reporting standards that ensure transparency and comparability across industries.

The Influence of Competitive Strategies on the Performance of Airlines in Tanzania

Abstract Competitive strategies influence strategic positioning, giving companies a competitive edge. This study analysed the impact of these strategies on airline performance in Tanzania, focusing on Air Tanzania and Precision Air. Based on the Theory of Competitive Advantage, it was found that differentiation and market focus strategies positively impact performance. Differentiation enables airline managers to make informed decisions and enhance their strategic initiatives, leading to measurable improvement. The market focus strategy allows airlines to specialize in specific segments, enabling them to navigate market fluctuations and swiftly respond to changing consumer preferences. However, the study also identified negative effects from cost leadership and product innovation strategies. Cost leadership was linked to financial losses, operational challenges, and high employee turnover, while product innovation sometimes failed to align with market needs, resulting in poor customer reception. To achieve competitiveness and sustained growth, Tanzanian airlines must balance these strategies, leveraging their strengths while mitigating potential risks in a highly competitive and dynamic market.

Leveraging of Digital B2C Marketing Between Product innovativeness and Product love

This study investigates the impact of product innovativeness and digital B2C marketing on fostering product love among mobile consumers in Egypt, with a focus on telecommunications companies. The purpose of the research is to explore how these two factors influence consumer emotions and brand attachment, and to examine the mediating role of digital B2C marketing in this relationship. The study is based on a survey of 500 consumers of telecommunications services in Egypt, with data collected through structured questionnaires. Statistical tools including descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analysis, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and mediation analysis were employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results reveal that both product innovativeness and digital B2C marketing have significant positive direct effects on product love. Moreover, digital B2C marketing was found to mediate the relationship between product innovativeness and product love, amplifying the emotional connection consumers feel toward innovative products. The study recommends that telecommunications companies in Egypt prioritize continuous product innovation and invest in targeted digital marketing strategies that engage consumers emotionally. By integrating innovation with personalized and interactive digital marketing, companies can strengthen customer love, and maintain a competitive edge in the fast-evolving market. Further research is encouraged to explore the long-term effects of these relationships and to examine the specific digital marketing strategies that most effectively foster product love.

The Role of Blockchain and AI in the Future of Energy Trading: A Technological Perspective on Transforming the Oil & Gas Industry by 2025

The convergence of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize energy trading in the oil and gas industry by 2025. These technologies are enhancing transaction efficiency, improving market transparency, and enabling more secure and automated trading processes. Blockchain, through decentralized ledgers and smart contracts, ensures immutable transaction records, reducing counterparty risks and enabling real-time settlements. AI-driven predictive analytics optimize energy trading strategies by processing vast datasets, detecting market patterns, and forecasting price fluctuations with high accuracy. Smart contracts, self-executing agreements embedded in blockchain networks, eliminate intermediaries, reducing transaction costs and mitigating fraudulent activities. These digital agreements automate trade settlements based on predefined conditions, expediting contract execution while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, AI-powered algorithmic trading enhances market responsiveness, enabling energy companies to make data-driven decisions in real-time. By leveraging machine learning and deep learning models, traders can optimize portfolio management, anticipate supply chain disruptions, and manage price volatility more effectively. Moreover, blockchain fosters trust among stakeholders by providing a tamper-proof audit trail of transactions, enhancing regulatory compliance, and reducing operational inefficiencies. The integration of AI with blockchain-enabled trading platforms allows for automated risk assessment, fraud detection, and enhanced liquidity management. These innovations collectively contribute to a more resilient and adaptive energy trading ecosystem, accommodating the growing complexity of global oil and gas markets. Despite these advantages, challenges such as regulatory uncertainties, interoperability issues, and cybersecurity risks persist. The successful implementation of blockchain and AI in energy trading requires standardized frameworks, industry-wide collaboration, and robust cybersecurity measures. Nonetheless, early adopters stand to gain a competitive edge by capitalizing on these technologies to optimize trading strategies, improve asset utilization, and enhance operational efficiency. As the oil and gas industry embraces digital transformation, blockchain and AI are becoming indispensable tools for modernizing energy trading. Their potential to foster transparency, streamline operations, and mitigate risks underscores their role in shaping the future of energy markets. Companies that integrate these technologies effectively will be better positioned to navigate evolving market dynamics and achieve sustained growth in a rapidly digitalizing energy sector.

Do social relationships at work enhance creativity and innovative behavior? Role of psychological safety.

Do social relationships at work enhance creativity and innovative behavior? Role of psychological safety.

Facilitating Immigration Will Fuel Innovation: To maintain its competitive edge in science and technology, the U.S. needs to make it easier for foreign-born STEM workers to enter the country.

Facilitating Immigration Will Fuel Innovation: To maintain its competitive edge in science and technology, the U.S. needs to make it easier for foreign-born STEM workers to enter the country.

Thalassia hemprichii may benefit from ocean acidification and slightly increased salinity in the future.

Thalassia hemprichii may benefit from ocean acidification and slightly increased salinity in the future.

How a Proactive (Rather than Reactive) HR Department Contributes to Business Success

The article explores how a proactive human resources (HR) department, in contrast to a reactive approach, can contribute significantly to organizational success in today's competitive business environment. Proactive HR involves strategic workforce planning, talent management, and the development of a strong company culture and employer brand, rather than just responding to immediate issues as they arise. The article examines how leading companies like Google, Netflix, and IBM leverage proactive HR practices around talent attraction and retention, strategic workforce planning, and future-focused learning and development to gain a competitive edge. While reactive HR may address short-term crises, the article argues that a forward-looking, data-driven proactive HR approach is essential for HR to be viewed as a strategic business partner and drive sustainable organizational success.

Evaluating the competitive edge of electric and hybrid powertrain architectures through MCDM

Evaluating the competitive edge of electric and hybrid powertrain architectures through MCDM

Revolutionizing Hospitality: Unraveling the Transformative Potential of Big Data in Tourism and Hotel Management

Objective: The purpose of this research is to investigate how big data analysis may be used in the tourist and hotel sectors to improve customer happiness and spur corporate expansion. The goals are to analyze traveler behavior and preferences, derive actionable insights from a variety of data sources, and design customized strategies to enhance customer experiences and promote brand loyalty. Methods/Analysis: To ensure precision and comprehensiveness, the approach incorporates rigorous preprocessing procedures for data. This technique is essential for providing precise insights into the customers, both explicit and implicit. The study provides a thorough understanding of consumer interactions and preferences by including data from social media, travel websites, and hotel booking systems. Findings: The research offers significant insights that demonstrate the capacity to improve consumer experiences, tailored products, optimized services, and effective marketing tactics. The results emphasize how important it is to understand client preferences to inform corporate strategy and create a competitive edge. Conclusion: The potential of big data analysis in the travel and hospitality sectors is shown in this research, which adds to the rapidly developing subject. This study highlights how big data analysis plays a critical role in enhancing the tourist experience and promoting industry innovation by clarifying the relationship between technology and customized services. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2025-06-01-014 Full Text: PDF

How to Tap Into Your Creative Genius at Work

This article explores five evidence-based practices for harnessing creativity to drive innovation within organizations. These include cultivating psychological safety, encouraging idea generation and sharing, embracing failures and learning from mistakes, challenging conventional wisdom, and developing a growth mindset culture. When implemented collectively, these approaches nurture an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to take risks, experiment, and contribute novel solutions to complex problems. By role modeling these behaviors from leadership and institutionalizing them as organizational norms, companies can unlock the creative potential of their workforce and gain a competitive edge in today's fast-paced, disruptive business landscape.

Fuzzy Ranking based Digital Marketing Strategies for Financial Institutions:Enhancing Customer Acquisition and Retention

The financial institutions nowadays increasingly depend on digital marketing tools to attract and retain customers. The paper examines the role of digital channels - social media, Search Engine Optimization, and personal email campaigns among others - in customer engagement. This is a highly competitive industry; therefore, there exists a drastic need for developing data-driven and targeted approaches to attract and retain customers. This paper proposes a novel Sugeno Ranking Fuzzy Digital Marketing (SRFDM) model to evaluate and enhance digital marketing strategies in financial institutions, with a focus on customer acquisition and retention. The model incorporates fuzzy logic to assess three key factors: Keyword Relevance, Content Quality, and User Engagement, which are essential for optimizing digital marketing efforts. Through the application of fuzzy rule-based outputs, the SRFDM model ranks the effectiveness of various strategies, providing insights into their performance and areas for improvement. The findings demonstrate that strategies with high levels of keyword relevance, content quality, and user engagement consistently achieve superior rankings, resulting in higher effectiveness in acquiring and retaining customers. This research highlights the importance of balancing these factors for optimal marketing performance, offering financial institutions a practical tool to refine their strategies, improve customer targeting, and enhance overall digital marketing outcomes. The SRFDM model serves as a valuable framework for financial institutions seeking to improve their competitive edge in the evolving digital landscape.

Integrating Quantum Computing and Predictive Analytics and Their Role in Reducing Costs and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Objectives: The research aims to demonstrate the integration between Quantum Computing (QC) and Predictive Analysis (PA) and their role in reducing costs while achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study addresses the inefficiencies in calculating and measuring product costs under traditional systems and examines how QC and PA can enhance cost reduction and product quality to better meet customer needs. Additionally, the research seeks to strengthen the theoretical framework with practical applications, illustrating how this integration improves a company’s competitive position while promoting social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Methods: The study employs a descriptive analytical approach, focusing on the practical application of QC and PA in cost management. It relies on financial and cost data from a selected company to analyze the impact of integrating QC and PA on cost reduction and sustainable development. The methodology aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of this integration in optimizing resource and energy use. Results: The research findings confirm that integrating QC and PA significantly contributes to cost reduction, which in turn plays a crucial role in achieving SDGs. The study highlights how this integration enhances efficiency in resource and energy utilization, identifies weaknesses in traditional cost systems, and supports the transition toward sustainable manufacturing. By improving production processes and minimizing waste, the application of QC and PA fosters innovation in sustainable product development. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of integrating QC and PA in modern cost management strategies to achieve sustainability objectives. Encouraging innovative local manufacturing through enhanced efficiency and resource optimization supports the transition toward sustainable production. The findings suggest that companies adopting QC and PA can improve their competitive edge, reduce costs, and contribute to environmental and economic sustainability, ultimately aligning with global sustainable development goals.

Strategic Analysis and Optimization of Business Performance in the Company in Indonesia

PT. XYZ, a key player in Indonesia's agribusiness sector, is at the forefront of revolutionizing the agricultural landscape through innovative approaches and cutting-edge technology. However, the company faces significant challenges in optimizing its profitability and scaling operations within its Output Division. These challenges revolve around two primary objectives: increasing sales transaction volumes and improving profitability margins to sustain long-term growth and competitiveness. This study employs a comprehensive approach that integrates internal and external analyses, including SWOT, PESTEL, and competitor evaluations, to identify key strategic levers. These analyses reveal critical inefficiencies in the market, gaps in customer engagement, and operational bottlenecks that hinder the company’s growth. By addressing these issues, PT. XYZ can unlock its full potential and leverage opportunities within Indonesia’s rapidly evolving agribusiness sector. Key findings of this research highlight the need for dynamic pricing mechanisms, enhanced operational cost efficiency, and a focus on regional market expansion. Implementing ERP systems for supply chain integration is a cornerstone recommendation to streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve decision-making. Tailored customer segmentation strategies and establishing strategic partnerships are proposed to deepen market penetration and foster customer loyalty. The study further emphasizes the importance of aligning operational capabilities with market demands to maintain a competitive edge. By adopting these strategies, PT. XYZ can position itself as a leader in the industry, setting a benchmark for sustainable and scalable business practices. This research contributes to the strategic management literature by presenting actionable frameworks that balance short-term profitability with long-term scalability. The insights derived from this study are not only applicable to PT. XYZ also provides valuable guidance for practitioners and policymakers aiming to drive innovation, sustainability, and efficiency within emerging agri-tech ecosystems. Furthermore, the findings underscore the critical role of technology-driven solutions and adaptive strategies in addressing the complex challenges faced by modern agribusiness enterprises.