Competitive Perspective Research Articles

Digital transformation and supply chain efficiency improvement: An empirical study from a-share listed companies in China.

This article thoroughly examines the influence of digital transformation on the efficiency of corporate supply chains. As global economic integration accelerates and technological innovations deepen, digital transformation has become key to enhancing core corporate competitiveness. This research, utilizing data from A-share listed companies in China between 2007 and 2022, analyzes how companies improve supply chain efficiency through digital transformation. Furthermore, the study establishes a theoretical framework that demonstrates how digital transformation facilitates supply chain efficiency from the perspectives of internal governance and external competition. The research indicates that digital transformation plays a key role in significantly enhancing supply chain efficiency. Furthermore, the results of the mechanism analysis confirmed that digital transformation contributes to enhancing corporate supply chain efficiency by improving the level of corporate governance and the degree of market competition. The study also finds that the effect of digital transformation on supply chain efficiency varies with different corporate backgrounds, indicating its heterogeneous impact. Lastly, an analysis of economic consequences shows that the increased supply chain efficiency resulting from digital transformation can reduce future external transaction costs, strengthening the company's market position and financial performance. This research provides strategic guidance for firms to develop robust strategies amid the digital wave and offers strong policy recommendations for promoting digital supply chain management and enhancing market adaptability.

Can the Relative ESG Gap Reduce Managerial Myopia? A Study Based on the “Tunnel Effect”

ESG concepts are regarded as a feasible method for enterprises to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage, but whether enterprises can spontaneously and proactively implement ESG concepts is the key to the sustainable development of ESG. Focusing on listed companies with relatively slow ESG performance and carrying out investigations from the perspective of the “tunnel effect”, this study explores whether the relative ESG gap can motivate listed companies to learn and compete in ESG and whether this behavior can alleviate managerial myopia and achieve the long-term development of the company. This study reports that there is a “tunnel effect” in the relative ESG gap in listed companies with relatively lagging ESG performance; this should motivate such listed companies to improve their ESG performance and reduce managerial myopia through voluntary disclosure. Further results show that there is a “tunnel effect” in the relative ESG gap in both state-owned and non-state-owned listed companies. The learning behavior is more obvious in listed state-owned companies, and the reduction in management myopia via ESG performance is also stronger in such companies. This study expands the research on the influence of ESG on corporate behavioral decision making in the context of sustainable development, and it also provides useful references for reducing managerial myopia from the perspective of inter-firm learning competition.

A different view on acquisition paradox: Empirical examination of international acquisitions from competitiveness perspective

Acquisitions are complex strategic decisions and there is not a consensus about the outcomes of them. The complexity and the implications increase with international acquisitions (IA). We examine international acquisitions from a different perspective to see how they affect competitiveness of acquires using a sample of international acquisitions by U.S. firms applying a control sample methodology. Competitiveness outcomes of IAs vary based on the dimension used. They result with lower financial performance, profitability and productivity whereas have a positive effect on market power and innovation of acquirers. Negative performance is consistent with the general belief about agency theory, but our findings also provide support for the resource-based view of enhanced competitiveness. Regarding the success factors, we show that capabilities of acquirers matter more than their resources in explaining post-acquisition competitiveness of acquirers. Acquirers with greater acquisition experience benefit a lot more from IAs compared to firms without acquisition experience. We also show that relatedness of acquirer and target is crucial for creating synergies and efficiencies in terms of enhanced productivity.

Operational analysis of crowdfunding on business: A perspective of product competition

With the emergency expansion of applying crowdfunding as a marketing tool for financing, a creative product, crowdfunding has been treated as a marketing-operations interface model to develop new products. However, the broad questions of whether and how the characteristics of crowdfunding affect product development strategies in the post-funding market have received limited attention in prior literature. In this paper, going beyond the fundraising phase, we propose a product competition model on product quality and price in the post-funding market when crowdfunding is seen as the demand learning tool to update the demand information. By analyzing the interaction between the crowdfunding-related characteristics and the post-funding market, we not only focus on the profit, but also decompose the effects of crowdfunding into profit inflows, demand learning, and price discrimination. The analytical results show that: (i) The competitive advantage in the crowdfunding stage benefits firms since the revealed information about the dominant product quality may increase consumers' willingness to pay. (ii) The effects of price discrimination on the optimal decisions about product quality and price depend on backers'/consumers' type. (iii) AoN mechanism is preferred use for blockbuster-potential products and KiA mechanism is preferred use for long-tail products. The model provides a theoretical underpinning for the recent observation that crowdfunding is seen as a marketing tool for some big firm in the process of developing new product. Our results complement earlier studies in Business Analysis by demonstrating the marketing-operations interface effect of crowdfunding.

The important of eliminating energy market distortions: The perspective of industrial green productivity

The elimination of energy market distortions (EMDs) is a key objective of energy marketization reform and plays a crucial role in advancing green industrial development. This study, based on the provincial panel data from 2008 to 2018 in China, first measured the EMDs from the perspective of competition and non-competition distortions, and then investigated the effect and mechanism of EMDs on industrial green total factor productivity (GTFP). The results indicate a declining trend in EMDs from 2008 to 2018, with a hierarchical distribution from high to low across the western, central, and eastern regions. Particularly, competitive distortions of EMDs inhibit industrial GTFP by negatively affecting green technological innovation. Moreover, the inhibitory effect is more pronounced in the eastern region. Additionally, the inhibitory effect amplifies as local governments face increasing pressures related to economic growth and fiscal demands.

Middling mobility and emerging cultural capital: a positional competition perspective on Chinese students studying in South Korea

Chinese student mobility has diversified with the rise of educational hubs in Asia. However, the literature primarily focuses on student mobility to Anglophone universities. This study conceptualises Chinese students studying in South Korea as participating in a positional competition, wherein the concepts of middling mobility and emerging cultural capital are introduced. Through the lens of positional competition, this study investigates the engagement of middling mobile students seeking positional advantage by studying in Korea. It further explores the competitive edge gained by the emerging cultural capital acquired from Korea within the Chinese labour market. The promise and precarity inherent in middling mobility and emerging cultural capital are illuminated through the juxtaposed narratives of Chinese students, parents, educational consultants, and human resources managers. This study supplements the landscape of Chinese students in global higher education and enriches our understanding of student mobility and cultural capital from a positional competition perspective.

Research on the Training of Financial Professionals from the Perspective of Financial Competition

Research on the Training of Financial Professionals from the Perspective of Financial Competition

Manufacturing and Fraud: Evidence from Price Competition and Lean Inventories

ABSTRACT We examine fraud from an industry competition perspective, oriented from inventory theory. We find that fraud occurs among manufacturers more than nonmanufacturers and that the association between price competition and fraud is significantly more pronounced in the manufacturing sector. Aggregating inventory and cash flow patterns to the industry level, we report that industry inventory imbalance rates, from either excessive stockpiling or inventory leanness, associate with increased future price competition, which subsequently associates with more fraud. However, for manufacturers, the industry-wide prevalence of either excess or leanness amplifies future price competition, which is observed as a U-shaped association that ultimately ties to more fraud. These effects are stronger when extreme leanness is the manufacturing industry’s standard. We also provide evidence that the association between price competition and fraud is comparable to managerial incentives’ association with fraud. Together, our findings contribute to the literature on price competition, inventory management, and corporate misconduct. Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text. JEL Classifications: M11; M21; M41; L60.

Carbon emissions from the perspective of regional competition: evidence from China’s low-carbon city policy

Carbon emissions from the perspective of regional competition: evidence from China’s low-carbon city policy

Airbnb exits China: insights from platform competition

ObjetivoEste artículo de opinión pretende aportar ideas sobre la salida de Airbnb del mercado chino, concretamente desde la perspectiva de la competencia entre plataformas.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueBasándonos en la comprensión de la evolución y la competencia del mercado de alojamientos P2P en China, así como en los “efectos de red de doble filo”, este artículo de opinión ofrece una discusión en profundidad sobre la retirada de Airbnb del mercado chino.ResultadosEste documento sostiene que Airbnb enfrentó desafíos crecientes para establecer ventajas competitivas únicas frente a sus rivales locales, demostrando estos últimos una capacidad de innovación y del mantenimiento de la lealtad de sus clientes al adaptarse a la evolución del mercado. En consecuencia, esto puede inhibir a Airbnb para atraer al mercado principal y llevar a la empresa a una espiral negativa, exacerbada por efectos de red indirectos.Originalidad/valorEste estudio ofrece una visión del fracaso de un proceso de internacionalización, a partir de un análisis del entorno competitivo y de las estrategias de competencia de las plataformas de alojamiento P2P en China. Estos resultados tienen implicaciones prácticas para la aplicación de estrategias empresariales internacionales en los alojamientos P2P.

Carbon metabolism characteristics of quorum quenching bacteria Rhodococcus sp. BH4 determine the bioaugmentation efficiency under different carbon source conditions

Carbon sources are critical factors influencing bacterial bioaugmentation, however, the underlying mechanisms, particularly the metabolic characteristics of bioaugmented bacteria remain poorly understood. The bioaugmented bacterium Rhodococcus sp. BH4 secretes the quorum quenching (QQ) enzyme QsdA to disrupt the quorum sensing (QS) in the activated sludge (AS) process, reducing AS yield in-situ. This study investigated the carbon metabolic characteristics of BH4 and explored the effects on bioaugmentation with different influent carbon sources. Because of the absence of glucose-specific phosphoenol phosphotransferase system (PTS), BH4 prefers sodium acetate to glucose. However, the lactones produced during extracellular glucose metabolism enhance BH4 qsdA expression. Moreover, BH4 possess carbon catabolite repression (CCR), acetate inhibits glucose utilization. BH4 microbeads were added to reactors with different carbon sources (R1: sodium acetate; R2: glucose; R3: a mixture of sodium acetate and glucose) for in-situ AS yield reduction. During operation, AS reduction efficiency decreased in the following order: R1 > R3 > R2. R2 and R3 microbeads exhibited similar QQ activity to R1, with less BH4 biomass at 5 d. 13C labeling and Michaelis-Menten equation showed that, due to differences in the competitiveness of carbon sources, R1 BH4 obtained the most carbon, whereas R2 BH4 obtained the least carbon. Moreover, acetate inhibited glucose utilization of R3 BH4. Transcriptome analysis showed that R1 BH4 qsdA expression was the lowest, R2 BH4 was the most serious form of programmed cell death, and the R3 BH4 PTS pathway was inhibited. At 10 d, R1 BH4 biomass and microbead QQ activity were higher than that in R3, and the R2 BH4 lost viability and QQ activity. This study provides new insights into bioaugmentation from the perspectives of carbon source competitiveness, carbon metabolism pathways, and CCR.

Competition effects of vertical integration in container ports: assessing the European Commission decisional practice

PurposeContainer liner shipping companies started expanding their business by investing in container port terminals in the late 1990s. This market entry results in an extensive presence of vertically integrated liners and terminals. This study aims to explore the competition effects of this vertical integration trend based on a regional (European) analysis. In particular, it extracts lessons from the European Commission (EC) cases on the competition effects of vertical integration. The critical analysis of the cases examined at the institutional level intends to reach conclusions on whether liner–terminal vertical integration harmed or advanced competition in the relevant markets and/or the extent that there is a need to revise the current policy practices.Design/methodology/approachThis study critically assesses the EC’s decisional practices in port container terminal vertical mergers in the last 25 years (1997–2021). Based on a literature review comparing maritime and competition economists' perspectives, it reviews the types of mergers examined, the methodology followed for relevant market definition and calculation of market shares and the estimated competition effects. The Hamburg–Le Havre area is the port range used as a case study for comparing the decisional practice with actual market developments. These container ports serve the greatest consuming market of final and intermediate goods in Europe and are gateways to Central and Eastern Europe.FindingsThe assessment identifies a need for expanding the investigation as a precondition for reaching conclusions on both the anti- and pro-competitive effects. First, only a limited number of transactions have been notified to the EC. Second, the empirical research identified a gap in this process, as there were no decisions (phase I) on vertical mergers between 2008 and 2016. Third, the exante assessment has not applied a phase II in-depth analysis to any case due to the absence of competition concerns. Finally, due to the absence of complaints, there is a lack of any ex post assessment of the effects of vertical integration.Research limitations/implicationsThis assessment is important for understanding the current and emerging features of intra-port and inter-port competition and the potential effects that the continuation and expansion of liner companies' vertical integration strategies will have along maritime supply chains. It also contributes to the broader discussion on liner companies' strategies, such as the research and policy-making efforts around the globe to understand the impact of both vertical and horizontal integration.Practical implicationsThese discussions are critical for a diversity of businesses that use liner shipping services or provide facilities and services to container shipping lines or ports. They are important for the interests of customers and consumers as they could inform any needed re-visiting of competition policy to protect from the dominance of any market developments that would lead to conditions limiting competition. Expanding analysis on the competition effects of non-notified mergers would help a better understanding of market changes.Social implicationsEnhancing competition and limiting monopolies is valuable from a consumer's perspective. This is more so in the case of maritime trade that serves the needs of societies. The study contributes by generating a better understanding of how decision-makers have worked towards that direction and what realignments are worthy.Originality/valueThere are no previous comprehensive reviews and analyses of the ways that policy-makers at the regional level have addressed the competition effects of vertical integration strategies of liner shipping companies when enhancing competition is valuable from a consumer perspective. Comparing maritime economists and competition, the study, via its literature review, also offers a comparison of maritime and competition perspectives on these competition effects, allowing positioning of how effective decisional-making practices have been.

Complex Characteristics and Control of Output Game in Cross-Border Supply Chains: A Perspective of Inter-Chain Competition

In this paper, an output dynamic game model of intertwined supply chains operating in two different countries is established. The Nash equilibrium point of the model and its stable region are obtained using nonlinear dynamic principles. The complex properties of the system, such as stability, period-doubling bifurcations, and chaos, are investigated using numerical simulations. Our results suggest that the level of output and the system’s profits undergo bifurcation and chaos with an increase in the output adjustment speed. An interesting phenomenon occurs in that higher tariffs lead to the expansion of the stable range of the supply chain in the product-exporting country. The chaotic behavior of the system is sensitive to the value of the initial level of output. In supply chain competition, each supply chain firm should make suitable adjustments to the speed of output. To maintain the stability of domestic markets, excessive tariffs should be avoided. It is essential that each supply chain firm evaluates the potential impacts of different initial output values when making initial decisions. Using the method of delayed feedback control, the chaotic behavior of the system can effectively be controlled. These findings offer valuable and novel insight into inter-chain competition in supply chain networks.

New canal construction and marine emissions strategy: a case of Pinglu

As an important component of new western land-sea corridor, the construction of Pinglu Canal will effectively alleviated waiting time and congestion costs and enhance the reliability and resilience of the regional maritime transport network in the post-pandemic era in particular. From the perspective of competition and cooperation game, this paper investigates typical transportation routes from the port of Jakarta in Indonesia to the port of Nanning in China from the key factors of the changes in freight volume and the evolution of profits and subsidies, considering local government subsidies, environmental costs, marine emissions and other critical factors. The results demonstrated that in the centralized strategies adopted by two transport route operators, as the volume of goods transported through Pinglu Canal increased, so the corresponding profits increased. The increase in subsidies also contributed to generating the volume of freight through Pinglu Canal, but the social welfare under the decentralized strategy adopted by both transport route operators was more effective than that of the centralized strategy.

Attracting digital nomads: Smart destination strategies, innovation and competitiveness

Digital nomadism, as a new form of tourist mobility, brings opportunities and challenges for destination management. To attract this new market, smart destinations need to innovate to develop readiness and competitiveness. This research examines 225 digital nomad destination web articles, from multiple sources and different continents. The study aims to identify innovative strategies and practices using semantic content analysis and hierarchical network analysis. It explores relevant stakeholders and their importance, and pinpoints digital nomad trends. Findings suggest that smart destinations cater for the work, travel, social, financial and basic-living needs of digital nomads. These are different from those of short-term leisure and business tourists. Destinations tend to portray digital nomads as a homogenous group, although different segments have been identified. The long-term impacts of digital nomads on local economies and societies have yet to be fully explored. The theoretical significance of this study lies in the provision of an agency-structural perspective of destination innovation and competitiveness. Practically, the study contributes to digital nomad management and marketing within smart tourist destinations.

Unpacking intercity competitive relations in the global corporate spatial organization of manufacturing

AbstractDespite being a traditional research topic in urban studies, competitive relations among cities have rarely been quantified in empirical research. Drawing on methods of social network analysis, this study aims to extract intercity competitive relations at the global scale based on the global corporate spatial organization of manufacturing. The geographies of competitive relations manifest different patterns from those of global city networks based on cooperative relations. This study finds an inverse U‐shaped relationship between cities’ connectivities and their gross intensity of competition. Although most global cities have unique positions in global manufacturing competition, intensive competition occurs among some global cities, whereas extensive competition exists between wide‐ranging cities with weak global connectivities. Furthermore, there is strong competition among cities of similar size and among those located in the same region. This research not only re‐examines global intercity relations from a competitive perspective but also informs the formulation of policy‐making on competition strategies of cities.

Game-Theoretic Security Analysis in Heterogeneous IoT Networks: A Competition Perspective

Game-Theoretic Security Analysis in Heterogeneous IoT Networks: A Competition Perspective

Improving Diversity and Inclusivity Measurements: A Competitiveness Perspective

Improving Diversity and Inclusivity Measurements: A Competitiveness Perspective

A Competition Perspective on Physician Non-compete Agreements.

Physician non-compete agreements may have significant competitive implications, and effects on both providers and patients, but they are treated variously under the law on a state-by-state basis. Reviewing the relevant law and the economic literature cannot identify with confidence the net effects of such agreements on either physicians or health care delivery with any generality. In addition to identifying future research projects to inform policy, it is argued that the antitrust "rule of reason" provides a useful and established framework with which to evaluate such agreements in specific health care markets and, potentially, to address those agreements most likely to do significant damage to health care competition and consumers.

Research on the Application of Punitive Damages System for Trademark Misleading Conduct from the Perspective of Anti-Unfair Competition

Research on the Application of Punitive Damages System for Trademark Misleading Conduct from the Perspective of Anti-Unfair Competition