Competitive Elements Research Articles

Company Competitiveness Profiles on the example of Polish enterprises in the Silesian Region in 2020

Motivation: The concept of competitiveness is used to define the ratio of enterprises to competitors and results from many internal features and the ability to deal with an external environment. However, comparing main elements of company competitiveness to each other does not give detailed position in the market sector, which is the main area of competition. Therefore it is necessary to look for a different method of companies comparison in the field of their competitiveness.
 Aim: The purpose of this paper is to present a assessment method of company competitiveness based on the Company Competitiveness Profile in a market sector. The Company Competitive Profile consists of different variables of a competitive potential, a strategy of competition and a competitive advantage. This method is verified based on results of the Company Competitiveness Barometer conducted in 2021 in 177 Polish companies in the Silesian Region. The Company Competitiveness Barometer is an online research tool for assessing company competitiveness which has been used by the authors since 2012.
 Results: The questionnaire used in the Company Competitiveness Barometer contains 48 questions. 45 of them are related to the characteristics of the company that are affecting its competitiveness, and 3 questions are metric questions. The questionnaire can be found on http://sensorium24.com. There were 2 hypotheses which were verified in the paper: H1: The configuration of the components of the Company Competitiveness Profile is different in different sectors of the economy. H2: Each company can be characterized in a sector by its individual Company Competitive Profile. The papers presents verification of two hypothesis which concern the Company Competitive Profiles and their use in assessment of company competitiveness in an economic sector. This is also an added value and an original contribution to company research methodology.

Development of tourism through the formation of the image of Аstana (Nur-Sultan) as a “brand city”

In a global world, competition has developed not only between countries and companies, but also between cities and economic regions. Marketing, which is one of the most important elements of competition, is significant not only for the country’s Reputation, Economy, International Tourism, gaining the honor of attracting foreign investors, but also for the state as a whole, as well as for sub-economic regions called “local lands”. In recent years, the growing branding of the city and the brand the concept of the city has become one of the paramount topics accepted internationally. Alongside the concept of the “brand city” originating from the Dutch language, local branding, local marketing and local sales demonstrate a high level of influence of the “brand city”. In fact, each city is a brand that stands out for its geographical features, products, recreational resources, urban planning, or historical values. Each city on earth has its characteristics and differences. However, not all brands have the same value for cities. The recognition of the achievements of the city “branding” is related to the recognition of the achievements of the region and the state. Being a “brand city” is also considerable for the competitiveness of state tourism. Kazakhstan is one of the countries with the highest tourist potential at the world level. There are many cities in the country that have natural and historical features. The identification of the features of one of the new and dynamic cities of Kazakhstan — Astana (Nur-Sultan) as a “brand city” — will be the basis for applying it as a model for other cities of the state. At the same time, branding of cities of Kazakhstan, as well as well-known brand cities of many major countries, paves the way for the promotion in the world.

The principle of VAT neutrality: content and relationship with tax legislation

The subject. The principle of VAT neutrality is actual for Russia as VAT is one of the taxes levied in Russia. The principle of VAT neutrality has been upheld by the Russian Supreme Court. Therefore, the subject of the research is the definition of this principle as well as the problems of its relationship with the Russian tax law.Purpose of the study. The article considers the principle of value added tax neutrality as an independent principle of tax law, analyzes its content and regulatory role as independent means of legal regulation. Dealing with foreign doctrine regarding to the referred principle, the article shows the problems of its implementation in Russia and includes suggestions re its harmonization with the Russian tax legislation.Methodology. The author uses the formally legal interpretation of the legal provisions, comparative analysis of Russian and European literature as regards the nature and neutrality principle of VAT as well as the systemic analysis.The main results. The author has formulated the definition of the principle of VAT neutrality and determined the elements of the referred principle. Each element of the principle has been described. The author divided the content of the referred principle on property, legal, economic and competitive elements. However, all these elements should be considered systemically as VAT is supposed to be neutral for businesses in terms of each sphere of their business activity. The author concluded that VAT is the tax on consumption and the burden of this tax should be transferred on final consumers. Taxable persons are only public agents to collect VAT after taxable transactions with final consumers. Therefore, there should be no obstacles as regards the right to deduct input VAT as well as any rules distinguishing the tax burden for similar taxable transactions. Also, due to the deduction mechanism the burden of VAT in the same price of goods (services, work) should be equal and does not depend on the quantity of transactions to be previous to the sale to any final consumer. As regards the Russian tax legislation, the author identified the rules infringing the principle of VAT neutrality. Thus, the author has concluded that the Russian tax rules establishing strict documentary requirements to the right to deduct input VAT and limiting this right for foreign businesses contradict the principle of VAT neutrality. Also, the rules of the Russian Tax Code which stipulate the exemptions for the transactions between taxable persons and the different tax rates for the similar transactions as well as exclude the persons of the special tax schemes from VAT regime are not in line with referred principle.Conclusions. According to the results of the study, the author has formulated the suggestions regarding to the amendments to the tax legislation in order to correct the revealed mismatches between the provisions of the chapter 21 of the Russian Tax Code and the principle of VAT neutrality. It is proposed to reduce the requirements to the right to deduct as well as exclude the current limitation of this right for foreign businesses, the different tax rates for the similar transactions and the exemptions for the transactions between taxable persons. In addition, the author has suggested to entitle the persons of the special tax schemes to refuse their excluding from VAT regime.

Philosophising with children as a playful activity: Purposiveness without purpose

While trying to preserve the autonomy of their playful activity consisting in a game of ‘questioning and answering’, the Gymnosophists defy Alexander the Great and, more importantly, go against their own chances of survival (since giving a wrong answer to the king’s question amounts to losing their life). Thankfully, we do not need to face such dilemmas when philosophising with children. Nevertheless, the Gymnosophists’ example helps construct a notion of philosophy for/with children as an autonomous playful activity that albeit (implicitly) purposive it is, however, without (explicit) purpose (something akin to Kant’s aesthetic judgement). Alluding to an Aristotelian sense of ‘<em>telos</em>’ in its connection with Platonic ‘<em>paideia</em>’ I understand philosophy for/with children as an activity that we carry out for its own sake. This does not mean that we are to abolish elements such as antagonism, competition, excellence, etc.―there is no question: the competitive element is there. But what does it mean? We could fix its meaning according to a purpose (we compete to excel or persuade and win) or we might entertain the idea of keeping its meaning rather vague or undetermined, implicit.

Integrating Africa by Competition and Market Policy

Africa has the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The agreement will lower tariffs and facilitate internal market trade on the continent, and policy makers hope that it will help lift 30 million people out of poverty. A competition protocol is now in the process of negotiation and proposals have been made ranging from a full, detailed, technical competition law as in the West to a scaffolding of regional cooperation. For the competition element of AfCFTA, this article makes a bold suggestion: Africa needs a basic but deep competition protocol, which concentrates on the priorities “at the top”: It needs to rid the continent of insidious trade-and-competition restraints at member state borders that prevent African integration, which requires a joinder of trade-and-competition violations. And it needs a voice at the top to take a stand for the continent: for example against the mega-mergers that hurt Africa. Only with these three elements—clear basic rules, trade/competition restraint prohibitions, and a voice at the top—can Africa hope to realize the promise of Africa.

Organizational and economic model of airline representation as an element of competition in air travel

Organizational and economic model of airline representation as an element of competition in air travel

Digital badges affect need satisfaction but not frustration in males in higher education

Digital badges are debated as a possible motivator in higher education, but their impact on basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration still requires research. Particularly need frustration has not been addressed systematically yet, specifically in relation to gender. Investigating whether and how badges affect both need satisfaction and need frustration, this study extends existing research on badges, motivation, and gender and discusses implications for theory and practice. During a digital seminar lasting for 8 weeks, we conducted a mixed-method experiment with N = 64 (32 women) undergraduates (M = 22.95 years, SD = 4.06). Participants were divided into an experimental (badges) and a control condition (no badges). We measured need satisfaction and frustration with pre-post online questionnaires. Univariate two-way analyses of variance revealed no effects of condition or gender. In the badge condition only, we used repeated-measurement analyses of variance and qualitative content analyses. Females and males estimated the seminar as equally need-satisfying, but males perceived working with badges as less need-satisfying than working for the seminar overall. Need frustration was not affected. Qualitative data implied that the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness could be better supported by underlining the value, ease of use, and social aspects of badges. Gender effects might exist because of a male preference for competitive game elements or ease of use. Conclusively, digital badges, even if not perceived as particularly need-supportive, can be a motivator in digital learning without frustrating the basic needs. This work adds empirical evidence from the perspective of need frustration to existing research on motivation and gamification. It can be conducive to an optimal promotion of female and male students’ motivation in digital learning.

Conditions for effective on-track competition in the European passenger railway market: A yardstick for regulations

Upon the liberalisation of commercial, domestic passenger rail services, the strong asymmetry of incumbent and entrant imposes the issue of sustainability of competition. Hence, we model the competition between two asymmetric operators. The model is grounded in empirical facts from EU countries with established on-track competition, aiming to explain the empirical pattern of fares and available seats and provide the regulatory guidelines that enable effective on-track competition in the passenger railway market. Our model represents a duopoly competition in the offered number of seats and prices in which passengers differentiate between incumbent's and entrant's services. The assumptions of the model represent considerable improvements to previous modelling approaches. We assume that asymmetric operators compete in the number of offered seats since the choice of frequencies is not directly under their control. Therefore, the load factor is introduced as a critical element of on-track competition. This setup aims to identify conditions that enable sustainable on-track competition in two critical regulatory issues—demand homogenisation (equal access to infrastructure facilities) and reduction of infrastructure access charge towards the marginal cost. Demand homogenisation, which results in incumbent's and entrant's fares converging, reduction of the average fare, and a larger number of passengers, could be achieved by reducing PSO network in order to enable more space for on-track competition and introducing market mechanism for allocation of commercial service train paths. Concerning access regulation, symmetric reduction of access charges increases the number of available seats on a line. We have also determined that asymmetric access regulation, where entrant pays reduced access charge compared to incumbent, results in a lower number of available seats and a higher entrant's market share than in the case of the symmetric access regulation.

Sustainable Steelworks in Polish Market

In the paper market situation of domestic steelworks during restructuring process was characterized. In the analysis the key elements of enterprises competitiveness were presented. Moreover the organizational changes in the steelworks plants and their influence on the sustainability were presented too. In the paper two kinds of restructuring were described: repair and development.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF ADVERSARIAL PARTIES IN THE APPOINTMENT OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AT THE PRETRIAL STAGES

This article discusses the principle of adversarial parties in the aspect of its implementation by the subjects of criminal proceedings in the implementation of goals and objectives set by the legislator priority for criminal proceedings. The discussion on goal–setting in criminal proceedings, its significance for individual elements of competition and, in general, for criminal procedural activity is also analyzed.

Soviet-American Strategic Arms Limitation and the Limits of Co-operative Competition

ABSTRACT The United States and the Soviet Union concluded two sets of strategic arms limitation talks – SALT I and II – during the 1970s. Drawing on recent revisionist scholarship, this analysis assesses the success of SALT I and SALT II’s relative failure and I by framing Soviet-American strategic arms control in the 1970s as an exercise in co-operative competition, the pursuit of competitive strategies through nominally co-operative means. Whilst SALT I achieved a temporary balance between the co-operative and competitive elements of arms control, SALT II’s demise was in large part due to the fundamental contradictions at the heart of both superpowers’ use of strategic arms limitation as an instrument of co-operative competition. The analysis concludes by assessing the implications of this analysis for strategic arms control in a new era of great-power rivalry.

Can Competitive Digital Games Support Real-Time Music Creation?

This article presents practice-based research exploring the interplay of real-time music creation and competitive gameplay. Musically creative video games, apps, and sound art are first surveyed to highlight their characteristic avoidance of competitive game elements. The relationship between play, games, and musical activity is then examined with reference to theoretical perspectives from ludomusicology and game studies, revealing a series of mechanical and aesthetic design tensions emerging between competitive gameplay and music creation. Two original music games are presented to explore this interplay across contrasting design approaches: EvoMusic engenders an abstract competitive dialogue between the player and system for authorial control, while Idea presents a more explicit ludic framework with goals, progression, danger, and victory. The games are evaluated in a comparative user study to capture the player experience of composing within competitive game settings. Participant responses revealed conflicting expectations for ludic and compositional experiences. Idea was the preferred game, yet its strong ludic elements distracted from or disincentivized music creation; EvoMusic offered more focused music creation yet also a weaker gameplay experience for lacking these same competitive elements. This relationship reflects the theoretical design tensions suggested by ludomusical scholarship. Further, a majority of participants characterized EvoMusic as being simultaneously competitive and creatively stimulating. The implication is that competitive games can support music creation for certain players, though it remains challenging to satisfy expectations for both within any one system. Design recommendations are drawn from these insights, and the potential for future research into creative music games is discussed.

ФАКТОРНИЙ АНАЛІЗ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ РЕГІОНІВ

The article is devoted to the study of the possibilities of practical application of factor analysis to identify relationships and patterns between elements of competitiveness. The competitiveness of the region has a complex structure, consists of different subsystems, so the study of factors and elements of influence on it is of particular relevance in modern conditions. These results will be interesting for the strategic planning of the development of the region, the creation of mechanisms of interaction of economic entities of the region, the introduction of practical decisions by the bodies of regional authorities and local self -government. The development of regionalism is leading to the use of new methods of analysis using computer software. Issues of the study of the competitiveness of regions are becoming increasingly relevant among the subjects of research of domestic regional scientists. The spread of modern analysis methods is associated with greater use of data analysis software. The formation of a new regional policy course at the state, regional and local levels is based on the study of the interdependent elements of the competitiveness of the region. The prerequisite for this is the management self -government in the choice of regional management levers, which is directly adjusted with strategic plans and tasks of increasing competitiveness. In the study of the competitiveness of the region, it is necessary to carry out a thorough analysis of all elements of the region, to identify factors of influence. It is necessary to note the peculiarities of the combination of the influence of various factors in the manifestation of various effects, for example – the effect of multiplication or synergy (when the total cumulative effect of the combined influence of two or more factors is greater than the influence of each individual factor). The prospects for the use of factor analysis are that its results make it possible to explore relationships with existing and potential partners and possible competitors, to choose strategic priorities that will be promising for the region in the future.

Dental filling technology: improving the quality of filling as an element of competition in the dental business

Dental filling technology: improving the quality of filling as an element of competition in the dental business

Government Policies, New Voter Coalitions, and the Emergence of Ethnic Dimension in Party Systems

AbstractConventional theories of ethnic politics argue that political entrepreneurs form ethnic parties where there is ethnic diversity. Yet empirical research finds that diversity is a weak predictor for the success of ethnic parties. When does ethnicity become a major element of party competition? Scholars have explained the emergence of an ethnic dimension in party systems as the result of institutions, mass organizations, and elite initiatives. But these factors can evolve in response to an emerging ethnic coalition of voters. The author advances a new theory: ethnic cleavages emerge when voters seek to form a parliamentary opposition to government policies that create grievances along ethnic identities. The theory is tested on rare cases of government policies in Prussia between 1848 and 1874 that aggrieved Catholics but were not based on existing policies or initiated by entrepreneurs to encourage ethnic competition. Using process tracing, case comparisons, and statistical analysis of electoral returns, the author shows that Catholics voted together when aggrieved by policies, regardless of the actions of political entrepreneurs. In contrast, when policies were neutral to Catholics, the Catholic party dissolved.

Informacioni sistemi u malim i srednjim preduzećima tekstilne i odevne industrije

Market uncertainty and financial instability in the era of global competition force companies to work faster and increase productivity and business efficiency with continuous cost reduction and qualitative efficiency, which serves as a basis for strengthening the competitiveness and sustainable development of all, including SMEs -small and medium-sized enterprises of the textile and clothing industry. Various innovative contents and adequate technological solutions, as well as reengineering of business/production processes, with massive and adequate implementation of technical-technological innovations based on information and communication technologies -ICT and flexible automation, i.e. on the direct and efficient implementation sector defined information systems, also represent possible elements of functional competitiveness and sustainable development. Otherwise, changes in the environment and ways of doing business of companies require a better understanding and integration of data, as well as their more efficient exploitation in the functioning and development of the company, which imposes the need for permanent generation, adaptation and development of quality and efficient information systems. As a result of such requirements, the responses of industrial production through the implementation of technical-technological innovations are inevitable, whereby quality and efficient ICT infrastructure, coherence of innovative technologies and flexible production, as well as compatibility and complementarity of production and business information systems, are necessary elements and indicators of efficiency and quality. The implementation, efficient exploitation, as well as the development of various business and production information systems, obviously has its benefits, presented through more efficient, better quality and faster operations, but also disadvantages, because it is obviously conditioned by the stochastic laws of the global market, the variable human factor or the lack of high-quality, highly educated professionals staff, requirements for high initial investments, but also the specifics of the textile/clothing industry and SMEs, as well as the incompatibility of the implemented production and business systems.

The external environment dynamics analysis towards competitive advantage and company performance: the case of manufacture industry in Indonesia

This study investigates the direct effect of external environment dynamics on competitive advantage and company performance. To analyse the direct effect of competitive advantage on company performance, this study also explains the indirect effect of external environment dynamics on company performance through competitive advantage as mediation variable. Primary data is collected by using a questionnaire, while secondary data is obtained from relevant documents. The number of samples was 267 manufacturing companies taken from the population based on proportional random sampling method. This study uses descriptive statistics, and structural equation modelling (SEM) as method of analyses. The findings of the study prove that external environment dynamics can increase competitive advantage. The external environment dynamics also can improve company performance. Then, competitive advantage can improve company performance. Moreover, external environment dynamics indirectly can influence company performance mediated by variable of competitive advantage. Company performance can be improved by improving the competitive advantage variable elements for getting best results.

Financing framework for local governments: diagnosis and change proposals

Motivation: The best way to widen access to public services at the local level is to increase efficiency of local government spending. However, an increase in efficiency may refer to output or inputs. In the latter case it does not widen access to public services. Moreover, factors conducive to spending efficiency may be detrimental to local cohesion. Finding a way so that the financing framework for local governments would reconcile the efficiency condition with the conditions of access to public services and local cohesion respectively, is an issue of great importance for economic policy. It seems to be so especially in a country like Poland, where there are large differences in the level of development between regions for historical reasons. These differences, if left accumulating, could easily jeopardize efficiency due to distorted capital flows, not to mention political tensions they may cause.&#x0D; Aim: The article aims at identifying basic features of the financing framework for local governments in Poland that hinder efficiency of their spending and at proposing feasible changes to that framework that would improve the efficiency but not at the expense of local cohesion or access to public services.&#x0D; Results: The article argues that the financing framework of local governments in Poland would better meet conditions of both efficiency and access to public services, if local governments relied mostly on revenues from income taxes instead of transfers from the central government, and some elements of tax competition between local authorities, although restricted to PIT-free allowance, were introduced. Such a shift in local governments revenue composition would not weaken local cohesion, if it was accompanied by an appropriate solidarity subvention financed by the richest voivodeship and the central government, and non-recurring central government revenues were allocated to investments exceeding financial capacity of local governments.

Redesign of the platform for rollart´s skate, centered on the needs of Mexican athletes

Rollart is a discipline, based on an aspirational system that values aesthetics, ability and strength to perform the elements of competition, due to this, the design of specialized sports equipment must attend to the needs of resistance and design. The commercialization and production of specialized sports equipment is monopolized by foreign companies, focused on improving resistance, durability and the ease of exchange of parts, leaving aside the anthropometric measurements of their smaller markets, thus designing products with anthropometric measurements and needs different from those that Mexican athletes require. Skates are the main equipment of the Rollart, they are made up of boots, insoles and accessories. Therefore, the present research has the objective to redesign a skate platform, using a methodology centered on the needs of Mexican skaters, through design techniques and incremental innovation, which allows the development of local sports equipment. The research was validated by measuring the improvements in the performance of the execution of the elements of the discipline, as well as the appropriation and acceptance of the sports equipment by the skaters.

Green claims, green washing and consumer protection in the European Union

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer some reflection on the importance of reliable green claims to encourage sustainable production. The role of market is fundamental. Businesses and consumers are both involved in achieving environmental protection objectives. There is the real risk of the phenomenon of so-called green washing or misleading marketing. The problem arises of verifying the reliability of green claims to prevent competitive elements from become distorting factors of competition.Design/methodology/approachBased on the analysis of a European programme, the author shows how in Italy there is a dangerous lack of consumer protection. For this reason the European and national authorities have provided that green claims must be true, reliable, verifiable and comparable, but it is necessary that consumers be protected, through a certification system that makes it possible to certify the veracity of green claims. The problem is that a number of certification systems have been adopted in Europe which undermine the competitiveness of the market for green products.FindingsThis work aims to identify the tools necessary to make green indications more reliable, but above all to create a common methodology on which to base them. In this direction, companies wishing to advertise the ecological characteristics of their products should be required to provide the supporting demonstrations on the basis of a standard methodology assessing their actual environmental impact.Originality/valueThis work will examine the problem of green washing and the importance of reliable green claims for environmental protection. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the original work of the author and has not been submitted elsewhere for publication.