Competitive Pressures Research Articles

How Did Chinese Local Media Face Media Convergence? A Case Study of Qianxinan Daily

ABSTRACT Scholars have long examined media convergence, yet little attention has been given to its intersection with local media and main stream Chinese media controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This study addresses this gap by employing focus groups and interviews to conduct a case study of Qianxinan Daily. Furthermore, the primary hypothesis posits that, under the leadership of the Party Committee, Qianxinan Daily has adapted to media convergence amidst the trend of media integration. The findings of this study reveal that Qianxinan Daily, under CCP leadership, benefits from stable resource access and avoids direct market competition pressure. However, this also results in organizational and reporting constraints imposed by the Party Committee’s Publicity Department in Qianxinan. While Qianxinan Daily has established a relatively solid framework, there remains significant room for improvement in manuscript quality and news value in the context of media convergence. This conclusion enriches our understanding of media convergence dynamics and highlights the influence of the CCP on this phenomenon.

Exploring the Link Between Social Media Adoption and Saudi Arabia SME’s Sustainable Performance: The Moderating Role of COVID-19

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use social media to communicate effectively with stakeholders. However, little is known about the influence wielded by social media adoption on sustainable performance during COVID-19. Based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework, our study developed an integrated model to explore the factors affecting social media adoption and its effect on sustainable performance in SMEs in the Saudi Arabian context. The quantitative method of a survey was used to collect data from SMEs owner-managers and CEOs. Partial least square was used to analyze data collected from 609 respondents. The findings revealed that environmental factors (i.e., the intensity of the competition, competitive pressure, and the bandwagon effect), technological factors (i.e., relative advantages and compatibility), and organizational factors have been the key drivers of social media adoption in SMEs during COVID-19. It also indicated that social media adoption is a key predictor of social, environmental, and economic sustainability. This study provides SMEs with meaningful implications about ways of fostering sustainable performance.

The Role Of Social Controlling In Improving Cooperative Performance : A Literature Review

Cooperatives have made a significant contribution to the growth of Morocco's economic system. Agricultural cooperatives now account for 67% of all Moroccan cooperatives, growing from 3,272 in 2006 to 10,542 in 2016 (ODCO). Cooperatives are however forced to adopt new and innovative managerial functions in order to steer their performance while maintaining their cooperative principles and values in the face of growing market and competitive pressures that jeopardize their sustainability. Agricultural cooperatives are convergent with social management control, which helps the organization perform better in carrying out its missions of managing human resources and the analysis and control of social data, at the same time by prioritizing people. execution of a study on Moroccan agricultural cooperatives using empirical data. We shall make an effort to illustrate the critical role that social management control will play in enhancing the performance of agricultural cooperatives in this regard and through a study of the literature.With the completion of an empirical study of Moroccan agricultural cooperatives, the current research has, on the one hand, added to the body of knowledge about Morocco and, on the other, encouraged researchers to think more deeply about the topic.

Smaller islands, bigger appetites: evolutionary strategies of insular endemic skinks.

Competitive dietary and morphological divergence among co-occurring species are fundamental aspects of ecological communities, particularly on islands. Cabo Verde (~570 km west of continental Africa) hosts several endemic reptiles descended from common ancestors, with sympatric species exhibiting wide morphological variation and competing for limited resources. To explore the mechanisms of resource partitioning between coexisting species, DNA metabarcoding was used to compare the diets of large and small skinks, Chioninia vaillantii and Chioninia delalandii, in sympatric and allopatric contexts on Fogo Island and in a more competitive context on the small and resource-poor Cima Islet. The morphological variation of all populations was also examined to test the character displacement hypothesis and to compare the effect of different competitive scenarios. Results showed significant differences in diet and linear measurements between species and populations. The two sympatric populations of C. delalandii on Fogo and Cima showed similar changes in head morphology compared to the allopatric population, supporting character displacement. The effect of higher competitive pressure on Cima was evidenced by the increased morphological and dietary variation observed. This study demonstrates how sister species develop dietary adaptations/morphologies to maintain stable coexistence, especially in highly competitive scenarios, providing useful insights for effective conservation strategies.

Building Digital Trust and Rapport in the Tourism Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis and Detailed Overview

In the rapidly changing environment of the tourism business, building digital trust and rapport has appeared as a critical factor for sustaining profitable customer relationships and confirming long-term business survival. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape with respect to digital trust and rapport establishment within the tourism context using techniques for bibliometric analysis in conjunction with visualization. This research paper explores publication trends, identifies key journals and authors, and determines the most productive countries, academic institutions, and primary research keywords. It involves analyzing publications from the Scopus database focusing on the duration between 2014 and 2023. The findings show that the digital trust and rapport-building literature expands its importance within the tourism industry due to factors such as competition pressure; customers’ high expectations; the incorporation of technology; and, most recently, the occurrence of pandemics like the COVID-19 pandemic. The US, in particular, can be identified as the most productive country in this research area. The International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and the International Journal of Hospitality Management appear to be popular scientific publications on this topic. They present the following main research themes: customer engagement, employee conduct, and technology in the construction of trust. This study also underscores the practical role of the findings in successful endeavors within the field, detailing how cultural sensitivity, technological incorporation, and accessibility in service provision would contribute to building digital trust with international customers. Potential future research directions are proposed to advance the understanding of culture, technology, the effects of crises, and the application of other research methods.

Exploring fintech innovations and their potential to transform the future of financial services and banking

This paper reviews the transformative potential of fintech innovations in reshaping the future of financial services and banking. The study critically examines how emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digital payment systems are disrupting traditional financial models and creating new opportunities for financial inclusion, operational efficiency, and enhanced customer experience. Through an extensive review of existing literature and industry reports, the paper identifies key trends and innovations within the fintech sector that are poised to redefine the banking landscape. The findings reveal that fintech innovations are significantly influencing customer expectations, regulatory dynamics, and competitive pressures in the financial industry. These technologies are driving the development of personalized financial products and services that cater to a broader demographic, including the underbanked and unbanked populations. The paper also discusses the challenges faced by traditional financial institutions in adapting to these changes, particularly the need for technological agility, regulatory adaptation, and the cultivation of consumer trust in digital platforms. The review underscores that fintech innovations have the potential to revolutionize the financial services industry, paving the way for a more inclusive, efficient, and customer-centric financial ecosystem. However, the successful integration of these technologies will require careful navigation of the associated regulatory, technological, and ethical challenges.

Stakeholder Analysis of Indonesia's Trade the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Actor Non-ASEAN

This study examines Indonesia’s trade relations with non-ASEAN member countries under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP, signed in 2020, presents Indonesia with significant opportunities to expand market access, particularly with key partners like China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. However, challenges persist, particularly in terms of trade imbalances and competitive pressures. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from trade flow statistics and tariff reductions with qualitative insights from interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders. The Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method was applied to assess the effectiveness of RCEP provisions. Results show that while Indonesia benefits from improved market access, significant trade deficits remain, especially with China and Australia. Stakeholders, including government agencies and private sector exporters, play pivotal roles in mitigating these challenges by addressing non-tariff barriers and enhancing trade facilitation. In conclusion, Indonesia must strategically leverage the RCEP framework to address trade imbalances and improve export competitiveness. Policy recommendations include enhancing stakeholder collaboration, improving infrastructure, and increasing awareness among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to fully utilize RCEP benefits. These efforts will ensure Indonesia remains competitive in global trade.

Ediacaran-type non-mineralized tube-dwelling organisms persisted into the early Cambrian (Terreneuvian) in Baltica

The Ediacaran taxon Conotubus hemiannulatus has been discovered in the Terreneuvian blue clays of Estonia. Alongside Conotubus, Gaojiashania-like tubes are also found in these clays. These tubes are fully compressed and pyritized. The well-developed peristomes of Conotubus might have provided stability if the living worm was partially buried in the soft sea floor, suggesting that Conotubus was a sessile suspension feeder. The presence of the archaic Conotubus hemiannulatus in the Fortunian of Estonia indicates that the tube morphology of some cloudinids did not change between the Ediacaran and the Terreneuvian. The existence of these old-fashioned cloudinids in the Terreneuvian suggests either that the early Cambrian ecosystem in Baltica was not significantly different from that of the Ediacaran, or that cloudinids with organic tubes were more resilient to ecological changes than previously thought. Most Terreneuvian faunas originate from lower latitudes, whereas Baltica, during the Terreneuvian, was located at middle-high latitudes and experienced a cold climate. We hypothesize that the cold climate zone ecosystem was more archaic in the Fortunian than the tropical ecosystem, providing a final refuge for the Ediacaran non-mineralized tubicolous organisms. The increased competition pressure from diverse modern animals in the tropics could have driven Ediacaran-type non-mineralized tubicolous organisms to seek refuge in the colder regions of the ocean, where the competition from more advanced animals was less intense.

Orienteering Is More than Just Running! Acute Effect of Competitive Pressure on Autonomic Cardiac Activity among Elite Orienteering Athletes.

Background and Objectives: Orienteering is a sport characterized by high physical exertion and intense mental demands, which increase susceptibility to errors. Understanding the impact of such errors on psychophysiological responses, particularly on heart rate variability (HRV), is essential. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychophysiological indicators and checkpoint errors made by elite orienteers during official competition. Materials and Methods: Fifty-three orienteers participated in this study, and their performance was continuously monitored and recorded by using a global positioning system (GPS) and HRV data. Errors made during the orienteering events were identified and analyzed. HRV data were examined in three temporal segments: before, during, and after the identified and standardized errors. Results: The analyses indicated that errors significantly impacted HRV indices across multiple domains: the time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear domain. Additionally, a significant effect of sex on the normalized the root mean square of successive differences (r-MSSD) before and after the error was observed. Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the significant impact of errors made by orienteers on cardiovascular responses, as evidenced by measurable alterations in HRV metrics. Cardiovascular activity, represented by the HRV, can provide useful information for coaches and sport psychologists to adopt effective training programs for athletes.

The Path of the Republic of North Macedonia Towards a Functional Market Economy and the Ability to Cope With Competitive Pressure and Market Forces Within the European Union

The path of the Republic of North Macedonia towards European Union (EU) membership has been long and difficult, with blockades from neighbouring countries and internal political instability that has hindered both the reform processes and the economic progress of the country. However, despite the difficulties and obstacles, the country remains determined and committed to continue its EU membership path through by implementing EU standards. North Macedonia started negotiations for membership in the EU in 2022, and, on that occasion, the European Commission began the screening process. However, the negotiation process on the horizon is not looking easy at all, since the Government is not only faced with the fulfilment of the demands as reached in an address by the Commission, but Bulgaria continues to insist on concrete results from the fulfilment of the obligations received from North Macedonia in a friendship agreement reached with Bulgaria in 2017. The purpose of this study is to shed light on North Macedonia’s ups and downs in this situation, which result from both external factors (disagreements with neighbours such as Greece and Bulgaria) and internal factors (the approach of certain Macedonian governments at certain stages to face demands in order to overcome disputes with neighbours in the name of Euro-integrations). The author intends to achieve such a goal through the selected methodology that is suitable for achieving the expected results and findings; empirical methods, analysis and synthesis, data collection and processing, the interpretation of results, and historical, comparative, inductive, and deductive methods. The most recent report from the Commission for North Macedonia (2023) finds essential treatment in this paper, with Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 being of interest for this study. The author concludes that the content of this report turns out to be not only an overview of the current situation in which North Macedonia finds itself, but also provides recommendations for improving the situation in the spheres and segments where either stagnation or a lack of progress has been detected.

How enterprises in the digital age can “break through the cocoon and become new”: a study based on social media strategic capability

PurposeSocial media is booming in the digital age, and its rich availability provides many opportunities for companies to innovate across borders. In reality, how enterprises use social media to achieve cross-border innovation also faces important challenges such as breaking path dependency.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores how social media can facilitate cross-border innovation from the perspective of strategic capability, combined with the path dependency theory and attention-based view. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap method are adopted to test the hypotheses based on survey data provided by 173 firms in China.FindingsThe findings show a positive relationship between social media strategic capability and cross-border innovation, with path dependency playing a mediating role. In addition, two internal and external contextual factors, namely customer embeddedness and competitive pressure, play moderating roles, with customer embeddedness negatively moderating the negative relationship between social media strategic capability and path dependency and competitive pressure negatively moderating the negative relationship between path dependency and cross-border innovation.Originality/valueThese findings provide not only new insights into social media and cross-border innovation but also theoretical guidance on how companies can effectively use social media in practice.

TechMark: a framework for the development, engagement, and motivation of software teams in IT organizations based on gamification.

In today's fast-moving world of information technology (IT), software professionals are crucial for a company's success. However, they frequently experience low motivation as a result of competitive pressures, unclear incentives, and communication gaps. This underscores the critical need to handle these internal marketing challenges such as employee motivation, development, and engagement in IT organizations. Internal marketing practices aiming at attracting, engaging, and inspiring employees to use excellent services have become increasingly important. Internal marketing is attracting, engaging, and motivating employees as internal customers to utilize their quality services. Gamification has emerged as a significant trend over recent years. Despite the expanding use of gamification in the workplace, there is still a lack of focus on internal marketing tactics that incorporate gamification approaches. Thus, addressing the challenges related to employee motivation, development, and engagement is crucial. Therefore, as a principal contribution, this research presents a comprehensive framework designed to implement gamified solutions for software teams of IT organizations. This framework has been tailored to effectively address the challenges posed by internal marketing by optimizing motivation, development, and engagement. Moreover, the framework is applied to design and implement a gamified work portal (GWP) through a systematic process, including the design of low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes. Additionally, the GWP is validated through a quasi-experiment involving IT professionals from different IT organizations to authenticate the effectiveness of framework. Finally, the outclass results obtained by the gamification-based GWP highlight the effectiveness of the proposed gamification approach in enhancing development, motivation, and engagement while fostering ongoing knowledge of the employees.

Spatial structure and individual competition characteristics of secondary Mongolian oak mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province, China.

The community structure of natural mature forests is determined by long-term forest succession, characterized by rational structure, rich biodiversity, and high ecological function. Understanding the spatial structure and formation mechanisms of mature forests is a fundamental prerequisite for forest management. We analyzed four structure parameters, including diameter structure, angular scale, size ratio, and mixture degree, as well as the Hegyi competition index, of secondary Quercus mongolica (Mongolian oak) mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province. The results showed that Q. mongolica predominated the tree layer. In the sapling layer, Q. mongolica, Tilia amurensis, and Acer pictum were the dominant species. In the seedling layer, Acer pseudosieboldianum, T. amurensis, and A. amurensis dominated, with very few Q. mongolica seedlings. The overall diameter distribution of the stand showed an inverse "J" shape, while the diameter distribution of Q. mongolica, the dominant tree species, followed a normal distribution. The horizontal spatial structure of the stand was generally randomly distributed, with an average angle scale of 0.505, size ratio of 0.219, and mixture degree of 0.670 for Q. mongolica. From the perspective of spatial structure binary distribution, Q. mongolica individuals which had a random distribution exhibited greater growth advantages and higher levels of mixing, in comparison to other distribution types. Randomly distributed dominant and subdominant individuals made up nearly half individuals in the stand, and showed a high degree of mixing with surrounding trees. The stand-level individual tree competition index decreased with increasing diameter classes. When the diameter at breast height exceeded 20 cm, the competition index tended to stabilize (ΔCI<2). The competitive radius of individual Q. mongolica trees was 8 m, with intraspecific competition as the main pressure. Other species experienced competition pressure primarily from interspecific sources. Our results suggested that competition played an important role in shaping the spatial structure of secondary Q. mongolica mature forests.

Synergizing lean management and circular economy: Pathways to sustainable manufacturing

AbstractOur research focuses on integrating circular economy (CE) and Lean Management (LM) within the manufacturing sector, a proactive response to the escalating pressures of globalization, environmental sustainability, and market competition. Through a comprehensive systematic literature review, the research uncovers how CE principles can fortify and enrich LM practices, the role of LM in facilitating a transition towards CE, their combined impact on manufacturing performance, and the crucial environmental factors influencing this integration. The findings underscore that CE principles significantly strengthen LM practices by advocating waste minimization and resource optimization, thereby contributing to operational efficiency and sustainability. Conversely, LM aids the transition to a CE by optimizing resource use and minimizing waste, aligning with sustainability goals. LM supports recycling and remanufacturing by employing Just‐in‐Time and value stream mapping methodologies, augmented by Industry 4.0 technologies for seamless CE integration. Despite challenges like integration barriers and the need for organizational change, the synergy between CE and LM offers substantial benefits for environmental performance, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage. Our paper enriches academic knowledge and provides practical applications in sustainable manufacturing practices, offering a roadmap for organizations striving for sustainable operational excellence. Moreover, it also paves the way for future studies to further explore the synergistic potential of CE and LM through empirical studies, quantitative analyses, and the exploration of Industry 4.0 technologies.

Anarchy as Architect: Competitive Pressure, Technology, and the Internal Structure of States

Anarchy as Architect: Competitive Pressure, Technology, and the Internal Structure of States

Adopting AI Advertising Creative Technology in China: A Mixed Method Study Through the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) Framework, Perceived Value and Ethical Concerns

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful force that is reshaping and challenging the ad industry by increasing its efficiency and accountability. The industry must invent new ways to work with AI technologies. This study takes the perspective of professionals in the advertising industry and explores the key factors influencing their adoption of AI ad creative technology through quantitative survey and computational textual analysis. The findings reveal that perceived usefulness, perceived control, corporate innovativeness, and competitive pressure all have a direct impact on the adoption of AI ad creative technology, with perceived value acting as a crucial intermediary. Moreover, adoption may be tempered by industry professionals’ ethical concerns about the technology. The findings reveal nuanced views of professionals on AI in advertising, providing valuable theoretical and practical insights.

Syndicated Lending, Competition, and Relative Performance Evaluation

Abstract Relative performance evaluation (RPE) intensifies competitive pressure by tying executive compensation to the profits of rivals. We show that these contracts make loan syndication harder by reducing banks’ willingness to participate in loans underwritten by banks named in their RPE contracts. Lead arranger banks, which are more frequently named in RPE, hold larger shares of the loans they syndicate, and their borrowers receive smaller and fewer loans and face higher spreads. Our results highlight the tension between the normal benefits of competition versus the need for cooperation in loan syndication.

"Volume" of Chinese Family Education: Analysis and Discussion of Formation Causes

The "volume" phenomenon of Chinese family education attention continues to rise in recent years, this paper for the Chinese family education "volume" phenomenon, through the relevant literature, different views, combined with social and cultural background and family education practice, to cause Chinese family education "volume" of multiple factors are analyzed. The study found that parents' educational anxiety, the intensification of social competition pressure, different economic advantages and resource access, the unbalanced distribution of educational resources, the bias of educational concepts and systems, and the intensification of psychological pressure are all important factors leading to the "coil" of family education in China. This paper further points out that family education should return to its essence and focus on the all-round development of children, rather than excessive pursuit of academic achievement and graduation rates. Finally, this paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to alleviate the trend of "roll" education, in order to promote the formation of healthier and balanced family education model and guide Chinese family education towards a more healthy and rational direction.

Servitization and product service system: A literature review on value creation

In recent years, the concept of servitization has been widely applied in the management of enterprises. However, changing customer demands and competitive pressures of the market have compelled enterprises to seek innovation. Simultaneously, in the context of the Industry 4.0 trend, the rapid development of digital technologies has led to an increasing number of studies on the integration of servitization and digitization. Therefore, this study, based on VOSviewer, Gephi, Scimago Graphica, and Histcite, analyzes the current state and development trends of research on servitization and product service system innovation from the perspective of value creation. Initially, basic statistical characteristics such as the influential author, geographical cooperation, and highly cited papers are presented by collecting relevant data from the Web of Science core collection database. Subsequently, this study explores the research hotspots and evolutionary trends in servitization and product service system innovation through keyword co-occurrence analysis and cluster analysis. Lastly, from a literature analysis perspective, the application of advanced technologies in servitization, digital servitization from an ecosystem perspective, and the innovative use of microservices architecture in product service systems are summarized and forecasted as research directions, providing theoretical guidance for future research in servitization.

Financial Analysis of Tal Education group Based on Harvard Analytical Framework

With the rapid development of China's economy and the continuous improvement of residents' living standards, people pay more and more attention to youth education. Among them, educational institutions represented by New Oriental and TAL have become well-known enterprises in the field of education and training in China. The huge market potential and rich market profits have attracted the participation of many educational institutions, which also makes the rapid development of China's education and training market in a short period of time, and intensifies the pressure of market competition for independent enterprises. In this paper, Tal Education Group as the research object, first of all, the business situation of Tal Education Group is analyzed, and then based on the Harvard analysis framework from the strategic analysis, accounting analysis, financial analysis, prospect analysis and other aspects of the application of TAL Education Group is analyzed. Finally, this paper expounds the problems of TAL Education Group financial management mainly including insufficient investment in the field of online education, insufficient accounting policy and accounting estimate, unreasonable accurate capital structure and cash flow management, poor brand building and marketing effect, and puts forward some optimization suggestions for TAL Education Group financial management from four aspects: strategic suggestions, accounting suggestions, financial suggestions and prospect suggestions.