Competitive Service Research Articles

Service quality and patient satisfaction with private health care services in Albania

Hospital service in Albania is facing difficult challenges, always trying to evolve and reform not only related to the high demand for improvement on the available infrastructure and technology, but also due to the private hospital services competition in keeping medical staff and patients with the obligation to ensure quality care, as a fundamental human rights requirement. The purpose of this study is to make an overall assessment regarding the quality of health care in the private sector in Albania and patient satisfaction related to this service. This paper also aims to determine the main factors that play a role in patient satisfaction, and their level of importance, to provide appropriate recommendations that will support the improvement of the quality of service and increasing patient satisfaction in this sector. The instrument used for quality assessment is SERVQUAL, with five main dimensions selected (responsiveness, reliability, safety, tangibles and empathy). Data processed for 400 interviewed patients shows the correlation of patient satisfaction with only four of the elements considered. Hence, the results obtained will back applicable recommendations for developing quality and increasing patient satisfaction.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OVER E-BANKING SERVICES OF PUBLIC SECTOR AND PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS

In todays scenario, dynamic changes in the banking sector have brought competition in winning and maintaining existing customers. Presently, banks have realized the importance of appealing to new customers is far more important than retaining existing customers of the banks, for the same cause banks are emphasizing more over customer satisfaction in providing competitive services. A comparative analysis of customer satisfaction levels in public sector banks and private sector banks has given the pathway to banks in magnifying the customers demand for comparative premium-quality services and products offered with a minimum waiting period. This research paper showcases the impact of e-banking services offered by banks to customers to avail maximum benefits. The study also identifies that e-banking services are improved versions of traditional banking systems and services because customers prefer technically sound banks as well as bankers rather than traditional banker and banking systems. The study aims to evaluate the e-banking services offered by both types of banks, including user-friendliness, security, range of services, and accessibility., and multiple services like ATMs, NEFT, Debit cards Credit cards, mobile banking KEYWORDS:- ATMs (Automatic teller Machines), NEFT (National Electronic Fund Transfer) Debit Cards, Credit Cards.

A Game-Theoretic Approach to Solve Competition between Multi-Type Electric Vehicle Charging and Parking Facilities

This paper investigates the competition problem between electric vehicle charging and parking desks for different owners using a non-cooperative Bertrand game. There is growing attention on electric vehicles from both policy makers and the public charging service provider, as well as the electric vehicle owners. The interaction between different entities forms a competition (game), especially between multi-type electric vehicle charging and parking facilities. Most of the existing studies on charging platforms are about the optimization of the charging platform scheduling strategy or the game relationship between charging platforms and EV users, but there is a lack of exploration on the revenue game between charging platforms. In this paper, the competitive interactions between different charging decks are studied and analyzed using a general game-theoretic framework, specifically the Nikaido–Isoda solution. In the pricing competition model, the pricing strategies of all players and physical constraints, such as distribution line capacity, are taken into consideration. Through the case studies, it is clearly indicated that the game played between different electric vehicle charging/parking decks will always converge to a Nash equilibrium point. Both charging service providers and customers could benefit from such an open and fully competitive energy service ecosystem, which enhances the overall social welfare.

Retailer’s optimal pricing decisions when offering installment in the presence of P2P market

The emerging of online installment service and P2P second-hand platforms stimulate consumers’ willingness to consume. This paper is intended to explore pricing optimization when a retailer provides installment service in competition with P2P market. We first explore a retailer’s optimal decision to set the selling price and service fee for installment in a benchmark scenario without P2P platforms. Then, we investigate how a P2P market enforces retailer to adjust its pricing decisions. We find that offering installment payment increases both the retailer’s selling price and profit unless under a remarkably high wholesale cost or default rate. We also find that a retailer needs to charge a higher selling price while a lower service fee for installments when confronting rivalry from a P2P market. Perhaps counter intuitively, our analysis further shows that the retailer is able to eliminate the P2P market when consumers have a high valuation towards second-hand products.

Shared e-scooter micromobility: review of use patterns, perceptions and environmental impacts

ABSTRACT Recently, a new shared micromobility service has become popular in cities. The service is supplied by a new vehicle, the e-scooter, which is equipped with a dockless security system and electric power assistance. The relatively unregulated proliferation of these systems driven by the private sector has resulted in numerous research questions about their repercussions. This paper reviews scientific publications as well as evaluation reports and other technical documents from around the world to provide insights about these issues. In particular, we focus on mobility, consumer perception and environment. Based on this review, we observe several knowledge needs in different directions: deeper comprehension of use patterns, their function in the whole transport system, and appropriate policies, designs and operations for competitive and sustainable shared e-scooter services.

Bureaucratic competition and provision of public goods and services: the consequences of inter-agency conflict on agricultural land conservation

Numerous layers of federal, state, and local agencies are necessary to provide public goods and services in any country. Inter-agency cooperation and coordination are essential to provide these goods and services. However, federal agencies may have conflicting interests; and understanding the consequences of such conflict across agencies is important in designing public policy. I exploit a unique situation created by the Missouri Farm Bureau and Extension Service in the mid-20th century and show how inter-agency conflict may undermine the benefits of public services provided by the federal government. The extension services in Missouri resented the creation of a new institution, conservation districts, to provide technical assistance to the landowners. Using the spatial and temporal variation of this conflict and employing a difference-in-difference strategy with Missouri’s border states, I show that this non-cooperation led to slower growth of conservation districts and a lower amount of land conservation services across the years.

ANTI-CRISIS MARKETING IN THE SYSTEM OF FORMING AIRPORT`S COMPETITIVE STRATEGY

Goal. Research of anti-crisis marketing in the system of formation airport`s competitive strategy in the conditions of dynamic changes of the air transportations market. Method. To achieve this goal used a wide range of general and special methods of scientific knowledge: scientific abstraction, deduction, analysis and synthesis to determine the place of anti-crisis marketing in the system of formation airport`s competitive strategy. Results. The key factors influencing the formation of the airport 's competitive strategy are studied. The peculiarities of the airports` activity in different segments of the air transportation market are determined, indicating the need to give priority to the diversification of services before operating in certain market segments. The importance of having a developed infrastructure to ensure the competitiveness of services provided by a concrete airport is determined. The expediency of airports` cooperation with low-cost carriers in the context of forming a competitive strategy is determined. The importance of integrating the "experience" strategy into the overall competitive strategy of the airport in order to form a unique image is emphasized. It is established that it is impossible to develop a universal competitive strategy, which may be the use by airports of different forms of ownership due to a number of differences in the conditions of their activities. It is offered to structure means of anti-crisis marketing in relation to stages of anti-crisis management development. An algorithm for the use of anti-crisis marketing in the formation of an airport`s competitive strategy has been developed. Scientific novelty. The necessity of anti-crisis marketing algorithm development and application it in the formation of the airport`s competitive strategy for maintenance of intensification its exit from crisis situations and preservation of competitive advantages is theoretically substantiated. Practical significance. The formulated and proposed results and practical conclusions of the article are that the proposed algorithm of applying anti-crisis marketing in the formation of the airport`s competitive strategy can be adapted to analyze the operation of a particular airport in pre-crisis or crisis state, in order to minimize the negative consequences and speed up the exit from the crisis, to promote the preservation of competitive advantages.

Does employee work-related curiosity predict workplace thriving? The moderating role of core-self evaluations

PurposeGiven the increasing organizational need for having a thriving workforce due to the fast-growing and competitive knowledge-based service economy and growing demand to explore new factors that may benefit individuals to excel at work. Drawing upon the intrinsic motivation perspective, with a Chinese sample (N = 309), the authors aimed to investigate whether work-related curiosity (WRC) may create conditions that indirectly promote employees' workplace thriving via task focus and whether this mediation was moderated by an individual's personality difference, i.e. core-self evaluations.Design/methodology/approachA time-lagged study among full-time employees who happen to be part-time students in the executive development program was used to test the hypothesized model by employing a structural equation modeling approach.FindingsWRC showed a significant positive association with task focus which in turn was positively related to workplace thriving. Furthermore, as predicted, the positive association between WRC and workplace thriving via task focus was stronger for employees with high core self-evaluations compared to those with low core-self evaluations.Originality/valueThe results of this study suggest that an individual's WRC can be instrumental in augmenting workplace thriving by providing a scientific explanation for the underlying psychological process of task focus and identifying the factors associated with the process, such as core-self evaluations. This study contributes to extending the literature on significant employee outcomes, i.e. thriving at work, by offering new empirical and theoretical insights that WRC may play a critical role in the process and identifying a boundary condition of personality factor, i.e. core-self evaluations.

Participation of developing countries in global value chains: What role for information and communication technologies?

This paper introduces model uncertainty into the empirical study on the effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the countries' participation in Global Value Chains (GVCs). This is done by adopting a panel Bayesian model averaging approach applied on the data of 44 developing countries, spanning the period 1990–2019. Findings indicate that ICTs positively and significantly affect the participation of developing countries in GVCs. This positive and significant effect of ICTs on countries participation in GVCs can be explained by the fact that ICTs, especially digitalization may help countries improve their competitiveness in the global market as a result of effects on competitive advantages, including price, product and service. Then, the study deeply explores the relationship between ICTs, other control variables and countries' participation in GVCs by employing the Driscoll and Kraay estimator and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) technique. The results are robust and confirm the results of the Bayesian approach. These findings suggest the need to support the access and the use of ICTs in developing countries to enhance their participation in GVCs.

An Evaluation on Sectoral Competitiveness of Guangdong in China: The Role of Carbon Taxation Policy

Given the spatial heterogeneity of the social-economic situations across different regions in China, the decomposition of emission reduction targets should be designed according to the actual characteristics of the industrial economy. There is concern about the loss of industrial competitiveness and leakage of CO2 emissions if just seven pilot carbon markets operate independently, so the national carbon market of the power sector was established in 2021. In this study, a China two-region CGE model including Guangdong (GD) and the rest of China (ROC) is built on an analysis of the long-term effects of CO2 prices in industrial sectors at the target 2030 peak. Based on this model, we constructed one business-as-usual scenario and six comparison carbon tax scenarios to quantify the CO2 cost impact for a wide range of manufacturing sectors and identify specific economic activities that face relatively high CO2 costs between the two regions. Based on the China two-region CGE model, the risks of leakage and competitiveness distortions in these potentially exposed sectors are qualitatively assessed. The results show that chemical, nonferrous metal, and machinery are GD’s competitive sectors, and agriculture, food, textile, paper, cement, construction, and service belong to ROC’s competitive industry. Both GD and ROC need to further unify carbon pricing policies at the same time to effectively coordinate the carbon intensity reduction target and industrial development, which is 2.6% and 3.2% of the severe GDP loss compared with BaU when implementing carbon tax policy. The results can support the setting of the carbon tax and industrial competitiveness promotion policy and with a strong reference to support the provincial emission reduction path.

Does The Privatization Worth It? Factors Influencing the Quality of the Brazilian Privatization

The state's economic participation has been intensely debated over the past three decades. In Brazil, especially after the advent of the Federal Constitution of 1988. Privatization in Brazil, however, was instituted by Law 8.130/90, which instituted the National Privatization Plan, aiming to transfer to the private sector activities improperly exploited by the public sector. This article investigates the quality of services provided by privatized companies or public concessions through interviews. The main conclusions indicated a complex privatization process, as there is evidence related to five topics: (i) oversight, (ii) quality in privatization, (iii) regulation, (iv) competition, and (v) public service. In addition, the careful analysis suggested implications for the privatization process and public concessions. In addition, implications for the public administration to focus its efforts on improving oversight and scheduling itself in pre-regulating the privatization process. Finally, free competition aimed at competitiveness and low prices are topics to be discussed in this article.

Proposing New Hybrid Models for Multicriteria Inventory ABC Classification

The literature is abundant with research studies that have been developed to provide an efficient model which has never been studied for multicriteria inventory classification MCIC problems. Therefore, this study proposes two hybrid inventory classification systems. Recently, the TOPSIS model has been widely developed, initially examined, and found very efficient to the (MCIC) due to its advantages and simplicity of use. In contrast, to the best of our knowledge, the PROMETHEE II and COPRAS models for determining (criteria weights) parameter values and classification, resulting in low/or competitive inventory cost and high service level. The proposed models utilize two sets of weights of CRITIC and Spearman’s rho (SR) tools for learning and optimizing PROMETHEE II and COPARS. In addition, a performance analysis is validated using a real-world dataset composed of 63 stock-keeping units (SKUs). The performance is compared to existing six MCIC classification models. The results reflect performances of the proposed models. Additionally, the comparative analysis indicates that the COPRAS model is the most preferred. Finally, the performance of the proposed models can be a great support for the overall supply chain system and decisions.

Purchasing Decision Behaviours of Health Insurance Products and The Determinants of Competitive Advantage

As a company that provides services in managing risks, coverage for the uncertainties faced by potential customers in the future makes the insurance business utilize several marketing models, such as personal selling combined with competitive premium prices and service quality. This study aimed to analyze the effect of competitive price strategies, service quality, and personal selling on purchasing decisions for health insurance products in Indonesia by implementing the role of mediating competitive advantage. This research was conducted using a random sampling technique using a sample of 220 respondents from customers of health insurance products in Greater Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires, which were processed and analyzed using PLS (Partial Least Square) with SEM Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with WarpPLS software. The results of the study show that personal selling, competitive price strategies and service quality positively affect competitive advantage and purchasing decisions. The findings also confirm the mediating role of competitive advantage in bridging the relationship between independent variables and purchasing decisions. Practically, these findings underscore the importance of health insurance uniqueness as an important part of the formation of purchasing decisions by custumers. Keywords: personal selling, competitive price, service quality, competitive advantage, purchasing decision

CHURN ANALISIS PADA DATA PELANGGAN TELEKOMUNIKASI MENGGUNAKAN ENSEMBLE LEARNING

Intense competition in broadband services will create high opportunities for consumers to switch providers, such as conditions that arise in competition for SMS, telephone, and internet services. The churn rate is the percentage of consumers who stop subscribing to the service. Ideally, this churn percentage is only 5% – 10%, and if it exceeds this figure, it indicates the company's inability to retain customers. A high churn rate indicates a decline in the cellular operator's market share and affects the company's revenue. Based on these problems, it is necessary to analyze the churn behavior of broadband subscribers to determine the dissatisfaction factors of cellular telecommunications consumers. Then predictions are made for customers who tend to churn from provider companies and determine the characteristics of churn and stay customers. The ensemble method is used to detect churn, which consists of several methods, including random forest, boosting, and super learner. Random Forest is proven to produce the best classification method with an excellent ability to predict customer churn, which is 80.1%, with an average usage time of 3 years.

Optimizing the competitive sustainable process and pricing decision of digital supply chain: A power-balance perspective

In recent years, sustainability and digitalization issues have emerged in supply chain management (SCM), attracting attention from academics and businesses. Furthermore, digital servitization changes value creation processes and subsequently influences supply chain relationships and power structures. Further, the success of digital supply chains (DSC) is closely related to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practiced by the competing channels due to the resulting competitive environment. This study explores the optimality of competitive sustainability service, digitalization service, and pricing decisions under Manufacturer Stackelberg (MS) game setting, Retailer Stackelberg (RS) game setting, Vertical Nash (VN), and integrated system (IS) model; therefore, it contributes to the literature on DSC systems which often focuses on optimizing price-only. In addition, it examines the environmental and economic benefits of taking advantage of green innovation products and digitalization processes. Results of implementing the model showed that when manufacturers combine digitalization, sustainability, and CSR activities, supply chain profits increase in all four power balance structures. However, the Model IS is sophisticated enough to synchronize the economic, environmental, and social gains of the system, leading to significant improvements in the performance indices. Furthermore, it is observed that the total DSC profit under the VN model is the highest. Whereas, manufacturers generate higher profits with Model MS, and retailers generate higher profits with Models RS and VN. Finally, we provide managers with guidance regarding the establishment of green innovation offerings by understanding the industrial organization's progress toward digitalization.

DEVELOPMENT OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATIONS AT ENTERPRISES OF THE REGION AS A FACTOR OF ENSURING ITS COMPETITIVENESS

The article highlights tools that can boost industrial modernisation to maintain the competitiveness of the region via innovation. These include the establishment of a market for competitive products and services using mechanisms that regulate the procurement of domestic high-tech products for state needs. Additionally, the improvement of mechanisms for partial financing of large innovation projects by the state and private business can stimulate investment in innovation-based industrial modernisation. Incentives for domestic enterprises to purchase modern technologies created by Ukrainian developers can encourage the adoption of innovative solutions. Other tools include the stimulation of industrial reform processes and creation of corporate structures that combine production and scientific and technical activities. These include centres of science and high technologies. Further development of the national innovation system should primarily aim to ensure systematic integration of all its elements and their effective interaction.

The Excellence of Lecturer HR in Increasing Competition In Research-Based Higher Education Services

This study aims to discuss strategies to improve the quality of the apostles in efforts to increase university competitiveness through research activities. To discuss this theme, we have conducted a series of data searches on several data sources that discuss the issue of increasing lecturer resources and the quality of intensity through research activities. We analyze the collected data under a phenomenological approach, which includes organizing data, coding data, in-depth evaluation, and high interpretation to improve the quality and reliability of study findings. An electronic population data search in several related kinds of literature, then we designed it in a descriptive collection. Based on the findings and discussion, we have concluded that efforts to excel in improving the quality of lecturers through improving the quality of understanding are a strategy that several universities in developed countries have pursued. The same strategy can be applied by Indonesian investment to increase the ranking and design of universities through research activities carried out by lecturers.

What do (future) civil servants think of bribery and corruption? Evidence from India

Motivation Civil servants are often seen as key actors responsible for systemic corruption in developing countries. Yet, there is a dearth of empirical studies on what public officials think of bribery and corruption. Owing to the limitations of enrolling in-service bureaucrats into research on the sensitive topic of bribery, the study tries to understand the perceptions of future bureaucrats. Purpose The study is a novel attempt to analyse how the select candidates aspiring to join the highly competitive elite civil services in India respond to experimental bribery situations. What deters potential bribe-takers from accepting bribes, and what do they think about corruption in public life? Methods and approach The study employs mixed-methods research to answer these questions. Bribery experimental games were administered to examine the impact of varying degrees of “punishment,” “monitoring,” and “public loss” and their relation to the varying “bribery amount.” In addition, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with these participants to explore the dynamics of corruption. Findings The findings suggest that high public loss and high severity of punishment were able to deter bribery even when the amount of the bribe was high. On the other hand, the impact of a high level of monitoring was only effective in cases where the bribe amount was low. FGDs revealed that social acceptance of corruption, and the low rate of convictions in corruption cases, are the main reasons for continuing corruption in the public sphere. Policy implications The study suggests that in India and other countries in which corruption is systemic and socially accepted, it is imperative to move anti-corruption policies away from their present fixation with strict monitoring to strict punishment. Monitoring alone without severe punishment is not sufficient. Corruption cases ought to have swift trials and better rate of conviction. It is equally important to inculcate the values of social good and integrity in public life

Development of Russian export of business services: great potential and ways to fulfill it

The development of national exports of business services is indicative of the competitiveness of domestic business services. Today, the global business services market is undergoing a transformation against the background of trends such as the intellectualization of business services and the digitalization of service delivery methods. These trends may allow us to reveal the previously unrealized (until 2022) potential of the Russian export of business services. Despite the sufficient demand for Russian services in segments with such a high knowledge component as engineering, design and architectural services, Russia was mainly an importer of business services. Today, Russian business service providers face the need to reorient exports to new markets, which is associated not only with the usual difficulties of redirecting business, but also with the specifics of the business services themselves. Thus, in the segments of intellectually capacious services, Russian exporters are faced with the need to ensure compliance with the qualification requirements for obtaining admission to participate in the market. In addition, in the new prospective markets, business services are developed in varying degrees, often at a lower level than in the countries of the traditional direction of Russian exports of business services, which is due to the cultural peculiarities of doing business. To provide state support for the export of business services in developing countries, it is necessary to take into account their features that determine the possibilities of marketing promotion of Russian exporters, namely: the importance of the professional reputation of the performer, business networking, private business initiatives. The main task of Russian exporters of business services in new markets is to gain consumer confidence.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF NEW SOCIO-POLITICAL TRENDS AND MIGRATION OF CITIZENS

The article analyzes the role of education and the challenges faced by the domain of philosophy of education nowadays. Civilization owes its existence to the development and formation of education. The philosophy of education considers the most general foundations of education, its development and functioning. The main aim of this article is to critically undertake the value of education and analyze how it has developed from ancient times up until nowadays along the philosophy of education. One of the major challenges is represented by the increased costs assigned to education, which has become one of the most expensive and most valuable commodities and, consequently, has affected the development of countries. In fact, one of the major premises of this study is that educational resources, rather than economic ones, definitely impact the raise and evolution of a nation. A particular focus will be devoted to the correspondences and contrasts between different European educational traditions and some Russian paradigms reflected by the philosophy of education. The European liberal understanding of the philosophy of education and its reception in the Russian philosophical thought have both differences and common aspects. Both support the idea that the philosophy of education has a pronounced interdisciplinary character which should be kept as such. A special place in the field of education is occupied by the international market of educational services, which is designed to improve the demographic situation and positively influences the labor market of recipient countries, as well as contribute to the development of the general level of education of the nation. A second argument that will tailor the current research will plea for accepting the competition of talents in the modern world, which is designed to attract educational migrants. The export of education requires freedom of movement, which underlies the free competition of educational services and the worldwide exchange of knowledge. Thus, the free exchange of knowledge and its transfer will contribute to maximize innovations in the field of education, which consequently will directly support both the modernization of the educational systems and the preservation of national educational traditions.