Competitive Strength Research Articles

Conditions and factors for energy supply company business process organization concerning payment acceptance

In the prevailing era, the most relevant issues seem to be the development of an adaptive policy of an energy sales company to ensure financial stability and sustainable development in the course of energy sales activities. This study continues the cycle of the author's general
 research devoted to the methodological issues of an adaptive policy development in relation to the key business processes of energy sales activities implemented by an energy sales company, the specifics of its work as a guaranteed energy (capacity) supplier, etc. The article examines the conditions and factors that determine the need to develop an adaptive system for an energy sales company to organize payment acceptance. When it comes to the business process organization for payment acceptance, energy retail companies need to take into account the conditions and factors that set the long-term trend in this area: changes in legislation, the strength of market competition and the trends of the payment acceptance market infrastructure, the ongoing coronavirus infection pandemic, and the ongoing technological change. Management decision-making should be based on the principles of economic feasibility and efficiency in conjunction with legal requirement compliance. Power supply companies need to use the conditions and factors highlighted in the study to build up competitive advantages in the field of payment acceptance organization, to maintain and develop their market position, which can only be done through an adaptation policy in this area. For the purpose of economic efficiency increase concerning organization payment acceptance business process, energy sales companies need to plan the indicators of the payment acceptance system, implement measures for their implementation (achieve target values), carry out the analysis of the achieved results and their reflection, which will ensure timely and reasonable acceptance of management decisions.

Physical and Physiological Characterization of Female Elite Warfighters.

This study characterized a sample of the first women to complete elite United States (US) military training. Twelve female graduates of the US Army Ranger Course and one of the first Marine Corps Infantry Officers Course graduates participated in 3 d of laboratory testing including serum endocrine profiles, aerobic capacity, standing broad jump, common soldiering tasks, Army Combat Fitness Test, and body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, three-dimensional body surface scans, and anthropometry). The women were 6 months to 4 yr postcourse graduation, 30 ± 6 yr (mean ± SD); height, 1.67 ± 0.07 m; body mass, 69.4 ± 8.2 kg; body mass index, 25.0 ± 2.3 kg·m -2 . Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry relative fat was 20.0% ± 2.0%; fat-free mass, 53.0 ± 5.9 kg; fat-free mass index, 20.0 ± 1.7 kg·m -2 ; bone mineral content, 2.75 ± 0.28 kg; bone mineral density, 1.24 ± 0.07 g·cm -2 ; aerobic capacity, 48.2 ± 4.8 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ; total Army Combat Fitness Test score 505 ± 27; standing broad jump 2.0 ± 0.2 m; 123 kg casualty drag 0.70 ± 0.20 m·s -1 , and 4 mile 47 kg ruck march 64 ± 6 min. All women were within normal healthy female range for circulating androgens. Physique from three-dimensional scan demonstrated greater circumferences at eight of the 11 sites compared with the standard military female. These pioneering women possessed high strength and aerobic capacity, low %BF; high fat-free mass, fat-free mass index, and bone mass and density; and they were not virilized based on endocrine measures as compared with other reference groups. This group is larger in body size and leaner than the average Army woman. These elite physical performers seem most comparable to female competitive strength athletes.

Evolution of sex allocation plasticity in a hermaphroditic flatworm genus.

Sex allocation theory in simultaneous hermaphrodites predicts that optimal sex allocation is influenced by local sperm competition, which occurs when related sperm compete to fertilize a given set of eggs. Different factors, including the mating strategy and the ability to self‐fertilize, are predicted to affect local sperm competition and hence the optimal SA. Moreover, since the local sperm competition experienced by an individual can vary temporally and spatially, this can favour the evolution of sex allocation plasticity. Here, using seven species of the free‐living flatworm genus Macrostomum, we document interspecific variation in sex allocation, but neither their mating strategy nor their ability to self‐fertilize significantly predicted sex allocation among these species. Since we also found interspecific variation in sex allocation plasticity, we further estimated standardized effect sizes for plasticity in response to (i) the presence of mating partners (i.e. in isolation vs. with partners) and (ii) the strength of local sperm competition (i.e. in small vs. large groups). We found that self‐fertilization predicted sex allocation plasticity with respect to the presence of mating partners, with plasticity being lower for self‐fertilizing species. Finally, we showed that interspecific variation in sex allocation is higher than intraspecific variation due to sex allocation plasticity. Our study suggests that both sex allocation and sex allocation plasticity are evolutionarily labile, with self‐fertilization predicting the latter in Macrostomum.

Sanctuary innovative safety equipment: converting adversity into opportunity

Study level/applicability Post-graduation. Subject area Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship. Case overview By July 2021, the curve of COVID-19 second wave started flattening. Hetika Shah, the founder of Sanctuary Innovative Safety Equipment, was unsure whether her business would survive in the long run. The company manufactured 4S Shield N99 masks. The business was doing well when the COVID curve was at its peak; however, the sales wobbled with the flattening of the curve. As the company had manufactured the product, especially for doctors who need protection from COVID, the demand showed a sudden fall after the second wave. She was certain that the business would not survive only on 4S shield mask. Diversification of this business seemed to be a suitable idea, where she could manufacture other safety equipment for the manufacturing industry. At that time, she had neither done market research nor had any prototype for such equipment. This variety of products required a huge investment of funds and time. But, as per the market demand of the existing product, it was crucial to make quick decisions for business survival. She had options in front of her, but the uncertainty of the market deterred the decision-making. She was at a junction with three possible choices: One option was to stay in the business of masks and expand it in medical devices market under health-care industry. The masks could be used by doctors engaged in the treatment of other diseases. She planned to distribute masks to doctors treating tuberculosis and cancer. Another option was to shift her attention to diversification of the business and enter the market of safety equipment under manufacturing industry that demanded more investment and a lot of market research. The main idea was to come up with innovative safety equipment. Though, this opportunity came with its array of risks. The last option was to shift towards her underdeveloped chiller prototype for industrial use. By that time, the prototype was 75% complete. Still, it required a lot more time and attention to be brought at the commercializing stage. Expected learning outcomes The case study can be used in the Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management course. It would be suitable for students at the post-graduation level. Discussion would be on the appropriate teaching method. Though there is no prerequisite, it would be better if students had a basic understanding of entrepreneurship and strategic management. It discusses the entrepreneurial dilemma of starting a business. Furthermore, the case explains the decision dilemma of the entrepreneur about the continuance of existing business, expansion and diversification. Students will be able to understand the following concepts: business plan, business development, strategic decision-making in business, entrepreneurial opportunities, sustainability of an enterprise and challenges faced by entrepreneurs. After this case study, students will be able to understand the following models and theories: uncertainty-bearing theory of entrepreneurship, porter’s generic strategy, porter’s five competitive forces, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, scenario planning, Ansoff’s growth model and social role theory. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Social implications Women entrepreneurship. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Linking What I Say and What I Do: Evidence From Perceived Competition Networks.

The enterprise network is of great significance in explaining the risk-taking of individual firm. However, some unobservable networks hidden in different firms have long been neglected. Using the text data of the annual reports of China’s listed firms from 2007 to 2018, this paper adopts a textual analysis method to capture the managers’ perceptions of pressure, and build a special kind of hidden inter-firm networks, that is, the perceived competition networks of managers. In addition, this paper discusses the impact of network characteristics on corporate risk-taking behavior. Empirically, there is a positive association between competition strength and corporate risk-taking, as well as the density of perceived competition network. Furthermore, this paper explores the risk-taking behaviors of peer firms in focal firm’s perceived competition network, and finds that the improvement of peer firms’ risk-taking significantly increases the risk bearing level of focal firm, that is, the positive spillover effect of risk-taking behavior among firms in perceived competition networks. Moreover, managers’ personal traits significantly moderate the impact of network characteristics on corporate risk-taking, which is mainly reflected in younger and male managers. Our findings can enrich the literature on social interactions and corporate behaviors, and help firms to improve their understanding of perceptible peer firms.

Community invasion resistance is influenced by interactions between plant traits and site productivity.

Plant communities are predicted to be more resistant to invasion if they are highly productive, harbor species with similar functional traits to invaders, or support species with high competitive potential. However, the strength of competition may decrease with increasing abiotic stress if species more heavily invest in traits that confer stress tolerance over competitive ability, potentially influencing community trait-resistance relationships. Recent research examining how community traits influence invasion resistance has been predominantly focused on single vegetation types, and results between studies are often conflicting. Few studies have evaluated the extent to which abiotic factors and community traits interact to influence invasion along vegetation gradients. Here, we use an in situ seed addition experiment to examine how above- and below-ground plant traits and vegetation type interact to influence community resistance to invasion by a recently introduced annual grass, Ventenata dubia, along a productivity gradient in eastern Oregon, USA. To measure invasion resistance, we evaluated V. dubia biomass in seeded subplots with varying trait compositions across three vegetation types situated along a productivity gradient: scab-flats (sparsely vegetated dwarf-shrublands), low sage-steppe, and ephemeral wet meadows. Trait-resistance relationships were highly context dependent. In wet meadows (the most productive sites), resistance to invasion increased with increasing resident biomass and as community weighted mean trait values for specific leaf area, fine-to-total root volume, and height become more similar to V. dubia's trait values, although these relationships were relatively weak. We did not find evidence that neighboring species influenced invasion resistance in less productive vegetation types, in contrast to our expectations that facilitative interactions may increase with decreasing productivity as posited by the stress-gradient hypothesis. Unlike V. dubia, which heavily invaded all three vegetation types, introduced species with similar trait values, including Bromus tectorum, were not abundant throughout the study area demonstrating V. dubia's unique ability to take advantage of available resources. Our results illustrate how community traits and site productivity interact to influence community resistance to invasion and highlight that communities with lower overall biomass and few functionally similar species to V. dubia may be at the greatest risk for invasion.

Optimization for the Human Resources Management Strategy of the IoT Industry Based on AHP.

Since the twenty-first century, new things are emerging in the market economy; the Internet is one of them. Internet of things (IoT) is a new thing, which combines computer, Internet, and mobile communication network after the third wave of information industry, the development of huge application prospect, has been listed as one of the five emerging strategic industries. With the rapid development of digital technology and market economy, to accelerate the competition in the market economy, intense competition in IoT industry also exists. Effect of human resource management to a certain extent determines the strength of the market competitiveness of an enterprise; the research about human resource management of the IoT industry is carried out in this paper, by analysis of the basic characteristics of the Internet industry and combining Internet enterprise competitiveness, and it is directly related to human resource of a number of factors and applies the AHP method to establish the Internet enterprise human resources management quality and the effect of the evaluation model. Finally, an IoT enterprise is taken as the study object, the human resources management quality assessment model studied in this paper is used to evaluate enterprise's human resources management, and its existing human resources management strategy and its optimization are studied, which provide certain theory support to enhance its market competitiveness.

Recovery of ro-pax ferry traffic from covid-19 under tightening environmental regulations: case Helsinki-Tallinn

In 2020, the number of passengers on international ro-pax ferries collapsed due to the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus and subsequent travel restrictions. At the same time, both the International Maritime Organisation and the European Union are setting stringent regulations on carbon dioxide emissions from ships. In this research, we look at what options companies offering ro-pax services have to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic under-tightening environmental regulations and the future options for the industry. The case under study is ro-pax ferry traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn. It is one of the busiest international passenger ferry connections in the world. The economics of transport are based on large high-speed vessels, the combination of passengers and cargo, and sales onboard. We created four scenarios for the traffic: to continue the same high-speed ro-pax system as in 2019, to reduce the number of vessels, to switch to new types of ships, to slow down the speed of the vessels or to divide traffic into faster and slower ships. The research contributes to discussion of competitive strengths of ro-pax transport.

The spatial and temporal distribution of females influence the evolution of testes size in Australian rodents.

Male-male competition after mating (sperm competition) favours adaptations in male traits, such as elevated sperm numbers facilitated by larger testes. Ultimately, patterns of female distribution will affect the strength of sperm competition by dictating the extent to which males are able to prevent female remating. Despite this, our understanding of how the spatial and temporal distributions of mating opportunities have shaped the evolutionary course of sperm competition is limited. Here, we use phylogenetic comparative methods to explore interspecific variation in testes size in relation to patterns of female distribution in Australian rodents. We find that as mating season length (temporal distribution of females) increases, testes size decreases, which is consistent with the idea that it is difficult for males to prevent females from remating when overlap among oestrous females is temporally concentrated. Additionally, we find that social species (spatially clustered) have smaller testes than non-social species (spatially dispersed). This result suggests that males may be effective in monopolizing reproduction within social groups, which leads to reduced levels of sperm competition relative to non-social species where free-ranging females cannot be controlled. Overall, our results show that patterns of female distribution, in both space and time, can influence the strength of post-mating sexual selection among species.

Interacting water, nutrients, and shrub age control steppe grass‐on‐shrub competition: Implications for restoration

AbstractUnderstanding the factors that control grass–shrub interactions and coexistence is critical to the design of dryland management and restoration strategies. Using Stipa tenacissima tussocks as adult neighbor and Olea europaea var. sylvestris as target woody species, we performed a 5‐year‐long, large‐scale manipulative experiment to investigate the independent and combined effects of water and nutrient availability, and the modulating effects of O. europaea ontogeny on the net outcome of grass–shrub interaction. At two contrasting dryland sites, we conducted experimental plantings of Olea seedlings on two microsites: contiguous to a Stipa tussock (Stipa microsite) and on the intertussock bare‐soil areas (Open microsite), and manipulated resource availability by combining nutrient and water addition. The experiment followed a full factorial design, with all treatment combinations applied at each site. We monitored survival, height, and stem basal diameter of Olea individuals over a study period of 5 years. All across the wide range of conditions considered, negative effects of Stipa on Olea largely prevailed during the first 2 years after the plantation. We found that competition was stronger in the drier steppe, where extra inputs of water favored neutral interactions. Conversely, nutrient addition increased competition strength, particularly when combined with water inputs, pointing to the contrasting role of different resources and the importance of interactions between them in the control of plant–plant interaction outcome. The competition effects of Stipa faded with time and gradually shifted to neutral interaction as Olea individuals aged. Our results are particularly relevant to guide restoration efforts in formerly wooded xeric grasslands and rangelands.

Доминирование национальных систем высшего образования на международном рынке

The theory of economic dominance in a multilevel economy, developed by Blokhin A.A. and Lomakin-Rumyantsev I.V., has been actively tested by researches on different markets since 2019 — the distribution of players in the markets allows to formulate different strategies for their development. This article is a development of studies devoted to the study of competition in the education market and presents the result of economic dominance of national higher education systems in the international market. This research aims to analyze the subject areas of social sciences and management, for further identifying dominance in the QS ranking. The sample consists of 58 QS subject rankings for 2018–2021. The main instrument is the SV-matrix (strength/variety). The analysis outlines areas of subject ratings where there is dominance of national educational systems and characterizes its level. In addition, an interpretation of the situation when constructing the SV matrix, where Lind index shows boundary values when determining dominant group size. The SV matrix gives valid results and allows both qualitatively and quantitatively assessing the positions of countries in educational rankings. Analysis using SV-matrix made it possible to identify 8 out of 15 subject areas, in which there is clear dominance and determined positions of Russian universities relative to the dominant group. The hypothesis of United States presence in the dominant group in most areas of social sciences and management was confirmed, however, several subjects were defined, where the higher education system of anther countries were in the lead. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the proposal and testing of a method for assessing the level of dominance of national educational systems in the international education market. The SV matrix allows to analyze the positions of different countries in the international educational space, both in dynamics and in statics (to assess the level of competitiveness of national educational systems); to understand theoretically the level of differentiation of national educational systems in certain subject ratings; to assess the concentration (barriers to enter the rating) and the strength of competition (how strongly the players differ) of subject areas.

Effects of Ultraviolet Exposure on the Tropical Fungi Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus japonicus: Survival, Amylase Production, and Thermostability

Background and Research Aims Although fundamental to tropical forest biodiversity, fungi have been largely neglected in conservation research. To examine the fungal response to increased ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation, we analyzed UVC radiation effects on the survival, growth, and amylase activity of Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus japonicus. Methods A. carbonarius (strain URM 7305) and A. japonicus (URM 7270) were exposed to UVC (254 nm) for different periods, and morphological changes were compared to the control. Results Survival capacity and growth decreased after 10 min of exposure in A. carbonarius and after 25 min in A. japonicus. After 40 min, amylase activity decreased ( A. carbonarius: 35.8%; A. japonicus: 30.3%). Amylase thermostability at 60°C was lower in UVC-exposed strains (T50 15 min) compared to controls ( A. japonicus, 45 min; A. carbonarius, 30 min). However, the protein amount remained stable in all UVC-treated strains. Contamination by other fungi was observed in the UVC-exposed strains, confirming competitive strength loss in both species. This was not observed in the controls due to secondary metabolite production, which increased their competitive fitness. Conclusion We provide new information about UVC’s adverse effects on the survival and enzyme production of A. carbonarius and A. japonicus, which could mean a loss of species essential for proper soil functioning and biodiversity. Implications for conservation Experimental manipulation of biochemical and physiological reactions advances fungal conservation beyond distributional data. The experimental evidence supports previous studies, suggesting that the increased UV radiation caused by climate change may drastically affect fungal biochemistry and physiology.

Constraints on population growth of blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis) in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Abstract Changes in population size are driven by environmental and social factors. In spite of repeated efforts to identify the constraints on an unusually low-density population of blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), it remains unclear why this generalist species fails to thrive in Kibale National Park in Uganda. While an unidentified disease may occasionally obstruct conception, it does not seem to limit overall reproductive rates. Infanticide at this site is infrequent due to the long tenures of resident males. Our analyses indicate that the single biggest constraint on blue monkey densities may be feeding competition with grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena): across Kibale, the densities of these two species are strongly and negatively correlated. Though further analysis is needed to understand the timing and strength of feeding competition between them, we conclude that blue monkeys at Ngogo experience competitive exclusion from grey-cheeked mangabeys, possibly resolving the 50-year mystery surrounding this population.

Global strategy collections: Emerging market multinational enterprises

AbstractResearch SummaryThis first collection of articles for global strategy focuses on the relatively new phenomenon of Emerging Market Multinational Enterprises (EMNEs). The first topic to draw real attention to articles in Global Strategy Journal, the study of EMNEs challenges many assumptions about what characteristics make a firm a successful MNE and forces a reconsideration of fundamental questions in strategic management. The articles in the collection provide a good introduction to the topic, but there is much more research on the topic in a variety of journals for those scholars considering the EMNE as a topic for their own research.Managerial summaryIn the last couple of decades, we have seen the emergence of EMNEs that are competing globally. This primer on EMNEs points at the specificities of EMNEs including their ownership‐specific advantages, their pattern of internationalization, their innovation strategies for catching‐up, and not least how their ownership and the home conditions in less developed countries alter their behavior. These are important factors that serve to help scholars to understand the strategies and actions of EMNEs and how they gain their competitive strengths on the global scene.

Last developments in polymers for wearable energy storage devices

Last developments in polymers for wearable energy storage devices

Moderating Impact of Strategic Vision To The Relationship of Strategic Involvement With Environmental Uncertainty, Competitive Strength, Job Involvement, and Organizational Commitment

This research aims to understand the moderating impact of strategic vision to the relationship of strategic involvement with environment uncertainty, competitive strength, job involvement, and organizational commitment. The sample of this research are 72 officials of Muhammadiyah universities in Indonesia which are called Rector, Chief, Director, Vice of Rector, Vice of Chief, Vice of Director, and Dean. This research use survey method with questionnaire as research instrument and nonprobability sampling method, specifically purposive sampling in particular. To test the validity we use confirmatory factor analysis and to test reliability we use coefficient of cronbach’s alpha. To test the hypotheses we use moderated regression analysis. The result of this research shows that strategic involvement is positively related and significant to environment uncertainty, competitive strength, job involvement, and organizational commitment. Strategic vision does not moderate the relationship of strategic involvement with environment uncertainty, but it moderates the relationship of strategic involvement with competitive strength, job involvement, and organizational commitment.

Construction and implementation of power grid dispatching interactive system based on Internet

Abstract The construction of the information-based and intelligent platform can completely reform the management mode of enterprises, effectively improve the production efficiency and competitive strength of enterprises. In view of the importance of information and intelligence construction, domestic electric power enterprises continuously build and transform information platform based on their own business needs. In this paper, starting from the background of the construction of the Power Grid Dispatching Command Network Interactive System, the dispatching standard and the overall idea of systems engineering, the interactive mode and system structure scheme of the power grid dispatching command network based on the national and industry standards are proposed, based on the computer network, the interactive supporting mode of dispatching command network is constructed to form a comprehensive and efficient dispatching command network, which ensures the flexibility and reliability of dispatching command interaction and improves the level of dispatching command.

Comparative Advantage and Competitiveness of COVID-19-Related Medical Products Exporters

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic generated an upsurge in demand for medical products. Trade policy changes, including export restrictions and import reforms, have led to a shortage of medical products. The World Health Organization has recommended countries to encourage local production and identify various import sources for medical products to ensure sustainable healthcare capacity to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and any similar events in the future. This study aims to examine the comparative advantages and competitiveness in producing medical products among top exporters. The contribution of this study is the ability to identify various import sources specific to developing countries. From the exporter’s perspective, this study allows countries to recognize their existing competitive strengths in the medical products trade, allowing them to strategize and compete in the international markets of medical products. Using Balassa’s revealed comparative advantage index, this study analyzes 25 primary medical product exporters, identifying several countries with a comparative advantage in producing medical products. Medicines are primarily dominated by high-income countries, including Switzerland and Germany, whereas middle-income countries, such as China and Malaysia, are more specialized in medical supplies, medical equipment, and personal protective products. This finding provides a basis for policy formulation that can facilitate the process of building a sustainable healthcare capacity.

Climate warming may weaken stabilizing mechanisms in old forests

AbstractPlant competition may intensify with climate warming, but whether this will occur equally for conspecific and heterospecific competition remains unknown. Competitive shifts have the potential to instigate community change because the relative strengths of conspecific and heterospecific negative density dependence mediate the stabilizing mechanisms underpinning species coexistence. We examined a mature temperate forest to assess both direct and indirect climate effects at multiple scales: individual species, interspecies relationships, and community stability mechanisms. Our coupled approach (1) quantified tree mortality risk dependence on the interactive effects of competition, climatic water deficit, snowpack, and soil moisture for 28,913 trees over 8 years (3149 mortalities), then (2) used a climate‐projection ensemble to forecast changes in conspecific and heterospecific competition from 2020 to 2100. We predict that projected climate warming will destabilize the foundational forest community by increasing the strength of heterospecific competition at a greater rate and to a greater degree than conspecific competition for four of five abundant tree species, particularly on dry microsites. Modeling showed that these findings were most pronounced after the year 2038, at which point snowpacks were projected to be too small to ameliorate the effects of drought on competitive interactions. Our finding that heterospecific competition is more sensitive than conspecific competition to climate warming may indicate the impending loss of ecosystem functioning. We join the growing body of work showing a predominance of indirect drought effects, yet coupled climate models still fail to consider how changing community dynamics may impact forest cover and, in turn, disrupt forest–climate carbon feedbacks. Ecosystems sharing characteristics with our example forest—those with low species richness and therefore a limited biodiversity insurance effect—may be similarly vulnerable to climate‐mediated destabilization. In such communities, increased heterospecific competition among even a small number of species can more easily destabilize communities without recourse from redundant species. This study of an overlooked but vital mechanism of community change can be adapted by research in a range of ecosystems to improve the understanding of climate change consequences.

Group defense promotes coexistence in interference competition: The Holling type IV competitive response

We investigate the role of group defense in the context of species interference competition by incorporating a Holling type IV like interaction term into the classical model. We have found a trade-off between species competitive strength and defense efficiency that reduces inter-species competition pressure. Thus, group defense promotes both each species probability of survival and species coexistence in two different ways: (i) Enlarging the range of parameter values yielding species survival/coexistence and (ii) Allowing for multi-stability scenarios, including global coexistence through several simultaneous coexistence asymptotically stable states that, to our knowledge, have not been previously reported in pure interference competition models.