Create Business Opportunities Research Articles

Fostering the competence of science students in identifying business opportunities: a design research approach

Opportunity identification is a core competence for entrepreneurs, and therefore should be part of an education in entrepreneurship. A pedagogical theory for teaching opportunity identification has not yet been defined, and therefore a design principle for ‘fostering science students’ competence in opportunity identification’ was developed, based on theoretical and empirical findings. The design principle, consisting of three strategies was implemented in a course for science students and evaluated. The strategy aiming at enabling students to conceptualise opportunity identification appeared to be effective. The strategy which aimed to enable students to apply techniques for the generation of ideas in opportunity identification was partially effective, as was the third strategy which aimed to help students to apply the concepts and criteria of opportunity identification in authentic tasks. The overall results of the course showed that the students were able to identify business opportunities and to create business opportunities based on their own knowledge and skills. The conclusion is that the synthesis of the three design strategies was effective to a large extent. Adjustments and refinements to the strategies are proposed.

A Study on Design value and role for Creating business opportunities

A Study on Design value and role for Creating business opportunities

Firms' intentions to use genetically modified organisms industrially: The influence of sociopolitical-economic forces and managerial interpretations in the Korean context

The industrial use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been highly controversial for many reasons. The controversies lead to a gap between societal needs and expectations of the potential benefits and risks related to the industrial use of GMOs. This gap has been imposing society-specific political-economic pressures on firms. These pressures derive from the external stakeholders' needs and expectations that GMOs will assume an important role in creating business opportunities for and damaging the social reputations of firms. This paper, by drawing upon the literature on managerial interpretations of issues, investigates the way sociopolitical-economic forces and managerial interpretations influence firms' intentions for the industrial use of GMOs in the Korean context. It uses a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Results based on survey data from 145 manufacturing companies indicate that social acceptance, and managerial interpretation influenced mainly by market attractiveness, will both make a significant contribution to the prediction of firms' industrial use intentions of GMOs. Market attractiveness was not a significant factor affecting the use intentions of GMOs directly. Some insights into what governments should do to promote sustainable use of GMOs in their countries are proffered.

E-Commerce Mobile Marketing Model Resolving Users Acceptance Criteria

The growth of e-commerce and mobile services has been creating business opportunities. Among these, mobile marketing is predicted to be a new trend of marketing. As mobile devices are personal tools such that the services ought to be unique, in the last few years, researches have been conducted studies related to the user acceptance of mobile services and produced results. This research aims to develop a model of mobile e-commerce mobile marketing system, in the form of computer-based information system (CBIS) that addresses the recommendations or criteria formulated by researchers. In this paper, the criteria formulated by researches are presented then each of the criteria is resolved and translated into mobile services. A model of CBIS, which is an integration of a website and a mobile application, is designed to materialize the mobile services. The model is presented in the form of business model, system procedures, network topology, software model of the website and mobile application, and database models.

Análisis de las promociones de ventas en Internet: el caso de las agencias de viaje

Internet has transformed business activity for many products and services. The mere Internet presence is no longer sufficient. The development of a specific online positioning and a structured plan of activities have become necessary. The travel industry is one of the sectors that best represent how Internet has changed the former distribution and communication systems. The established business model has changed dramatically since the online travel agencies entered the market. These agencies coexist with traditional travel agencies that have started to operate online. Travel agencies are therefore facing a very high level of competitiveness as Internet has provided them tremendous potential for creating business opportunities. Travel agencies are using different communication tools in order to differentiate from competitors. Strong emphasis is being put on sale promotions since they have proven very efficient in persuading consumers online.However, despite of its impact on consumer decisions and loyalty, it is highly unknown how travel agencies are using this communication tool. Through a content analysis this study analyzes sales promotions of those agencies that operate exclusively online and of those who operate in traditional channels as well as online. Results reveal that traditional travel agencies are still adapting to the Internet, while online agencies show a slightly greater dynamism and develop shorter promotional campaigns than traditional travel agencies. In addition, most developed sales promotions focus on monetary incentives (mainly price cuts) rather than offering any other kind of non-monetary incentives. This study shows that Spanish travel agencies are not making use of the advantages the Internet could offer to this business in terms of promotional activity.

Sustainable supply chain management in the agricultural sector: a literature review

In recent years, several contributions have been provided concerning sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), ranging from a theoretical analysis of the topic to practical applications across several industrial sectors. The scope of SSCM has been extended toward various industries and supply chains, not only domestic supply chains but also global supply chains. Transnational companies play important roles in the global supply chain as they create business opportunities and entrepreneurial activities along the chain. However, operating in global supply chains also gives rise to several issues. Environmental damage, food safety concerns, and social and sustainability issues are major topics for both domestic and global supply chain management. Many of these issues are driven by external factors such as standards and regulations as well as customer and market demand. Even if SSCM has been a subject of much discussion in the last few years, few contributions are available for SSCM in the agricultural sector. This paper aims to provide an extensive literature review on the practice of supply chain management and sustainability in agriculture sectors to identify the extent of the discipline in this field and to highlight areas that need further research.

Opening up new strategic options in the pulp and paper industry: Case biorefineries

Due to the global climate change discussion and drastic challenges within the external operational environment, many traditional pulp and paper industry (PPI) companies are forced to search for new value creating business opportunities. This paper discusses this development in the PPI and offers some illustrative examples to demonstrate the vital need for opening up new strategic options. To address these challenges, we launch a dynamic strategic framework for a PPI firm. This dynamic capabilities- and strategic options-based framework comprises of (i) sensing the weak signals of the operational environment, (ii) formulating them as strategic options in order to capture their upside potential, (iii) hedging against the downside risks of the options, (iv) exercising these options in often thin (i.e., imperfect) intangible knowledge assets markets, and (v) reconfiguring the existing knowledge base and capabilities to sustain competitive advantage obtained. The framework will be illustrated with strategic options possible for the PPI the main focus being on the interface between the PPI and energy industry by means of a forest biorefinery case.

Economic Effects of Renewable Energy Expansion: A Model-Based Analysis for Germany

Increasing utilization of renewable energy sources (RES) is a priority worldwide. Germany has been a forerunner in the deployment of RES and has ambitious goals for the future. The support and use of renewables affects the economy: It creates business opportunities in sectors producing renewable energy facilities, but also comes along with costs for supporting the deployment of renewables. This paper analyses and quantifies the net balance of economic effects associated with renewable energy deployment in Germany until 2030. To this end, we use a novel model, the 'Sectoral Energy-Economic Econometric Model' (SEEEM). SEEEM is an econometric multi-country model which, for Germany, contains a detailed representation of industries, including 14 renewable energy technology sectors. Our results show that renewable energy expansion can be achieved without compromising growth or employment. The analysis reveals a positive net effect on economic growth in Germany. Net employment effects are positive. Their size depends strongly on labour market conditions and policies. Results at the industry level indicate the size and direction of the need for restructuring across the sectors of the Germany economy.

Firm/Market Equivalency: Determinants and Effects on Industry Dynamics

Today's firm is a complex nexus of interactions, which it facilitates and regulates; it supports market activity by providing the participants with basic resources. Market failures form the foundation of this phenomenon; they create business opportunities that firms address through market support strategy. The concept of firm/market equivalency introduced here integrates an economics and a management strand of literature: multi-sided markets and business ecosystems & platforms. We address firm/market equivalency through concepts of interactions and gravity, i.e. density of firm's external interactions. We then apply these concepts to a case study and discuss implications of firm/market equivalency for antitrust policy.

Research and practice in IA

What is the current relationship of research and practice in information architecture? That was the question posed in a “back of a napkin” collective-thinking exercise introduced by Keith Instone and Andrea Resmini Andrea Resmini in “Bridging IA Research and Practice,” a session they co-hosted at the 11th ASIS&T IA Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. For additional ideas from participants, please see the list and description of other “napkin sketches” at the end of the article.

State-of-the-Art Tight Gas Sands Characterization and Production Technology

Abstract As part of the activities of the ConocoPhillips-NSERC-AERI Chair in Tight Gas Engineering established in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Calgary, a comprehensive literature review has been conducted that has led to an understanding of the current status of the study of tight gas sand formations. This paper presents the results of that work, concentrating initially on Canadian and U.S. tight gas sands. The literature survey discussed in this paper is the first part of the mission-oriented research on tight gas reservoirs conducted at the University of Calgary. The planned research looks at refining the resource base and recoveries from tight gas formations in Canada. Evaluating the current status of geologic models, reservoir characterization, recovery and production technologies currently available for these types of formations is the first step in the effort to reach the final goal: finding the economic means of producing as much of this gas as possible. It is expected that the research results will prove to be of value in other parts of the world and will be exportable, creating business opportunities for Canadian companies. The program will also result in a supply of highly qualified professionals having significant knowledge of tight gas formations. Introduction The complete reference list and interpretation of tight gas sands are presented by Aguilera and Harding(1). Tight gas sands are part of what is usually known as unconventional gas, which also includes coalbed methane, shale gas and natural gas hydrates. Although tight gas production is not reported separately in Canada, interest in this resource is growing significantly. Tight gas sands have been defined in different ways by different organizations and a unique definition has proven elusive. The original definition dates back to the U.S. Gas Policy Act of 1978 that required in situ gas permeability to be equal to or less than 0.1 mD for the reservoir to qualify as a tight gas formation. At present, this is probably the most commonly accepted definition. The National Energy Board (NEB) of Canada placed tight original gas-in-place at between 89 and 1,500 Tcf in 1999(2). The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) indicates that, more recently, the National Energy Board estimated that Canada has 300 Tcf of tight gas-in-place(3). Although the figures vary significantly among different estimators, the pervasive opinion among experts is that there are significant volumes of gas-in-place in Canadian tight gas sands. The estimated volumes of unconventional gas throughout the world are gigantic, as shown in a study presented by Rogner(4). He estimated tight original gas-in-place (OGIP) at 7,500 Tcf for the entire world. Our preliminary estimates suggest that this figure is conservative. For other unconventional gas sources, the volumes are even higher. The above tight gas volumes are in, at most, 271 of the 937 recognized petroleum provinces in the world. An evaluation of the resources from the remaining provinces would lead to even higher estimates, as has occurred with more conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs(5).

China's Energy Policy: from Self-sufficiency to Energy Efficiency

China's energy policy is traditionally based on self-sufficiency. While energy bottlenecks have often been cited as a limitation to China's economic growth, China has been successful at producing energy using its domestic coal – albeit putting a strain on transport and producing a high degree of pollution. Aggressively after 2001, China has started to search for external resources, both to supply its voracious appetite for oil and to insure its economy against possible geopolitical disruptions – including the threat of sanctions. This has given Chinese companies a life of their own, making them large international actors. Today, China is both saddled with new responsibilities for the developing countries in which it owns sizeable exploitation rights, and influenced by a new thinking on energy security, based on the idea of improving energy efficiency before developing resources. This offers opportunities for the West – and Japan – in cooperating with China, a huge energy importer, to lessen the dominance of producers, create business opportunities for energy efficiency equipment, and also to cap CO2 and other emissions.

Vendor managed inventory: a survey of the Taiwanese grocery industry

Recent research has shown the importance of improving the supply chain competitiveness by means of strategic alliances. This study considers the retailer–supplier partnership through a vendor managed inventory (VMI) system. The characteristics of a VMI system and a retailer–supplier power relationship are discussed in some detail with a case illustration to examine the practical implementations of the system in the Taiwanese grocery industry. VMI not only has the ability to reduce costs, but also to improve service levels and create business opportunities for both parties in the supply chain. Thus, it is considered as one of the main systems in a strategic alliance.

CONNECTING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES TO THE GLOBAL MARKET VIA THE GLOBAL LOGISTICS SERVICE CHAIN—SECTOR ANALYSES AND CASE STUDIES

ABSTRACT Developing countries, such as Taiwan, Singapore and Korea, are transforming to a multi-faceted consumer economy where financial services, medical services, research and development, education, distribution services, international business, technology product development and design, and retail development are fueling economic growth. The logistic and distribution services as a result have become information and technology-oriented businesses with global status. In order to maintain competitiveness in the global market, economic entities, such as Taiwan, are developing modern distribution channels not only for the local market, but also for the surrounding region and for the global marketplace. The local channel must act as an integrated link and intermediary source for other widely distributed supply and demand chains. During the last decade, global distribution channels have undergone accelerated transformation. This paper describes the business operations of critical components supporting the modern value chain underlying the distribution and logistics industry. Statistical data and four industry cases demonstrate the trends and future for Taiwan firms as members of the global logistics network. A wealth of information and a spirit of openness, new partnerships and international outreach are creating business opportunities around the world. The case studies and benchmark statistics provide the basis for proposing an e-commerce driven logistics center model applicable to serve small and medium enterprises in developing regions.

CHALLENGES FACING AGRIBUSINESS SUPPLY CHAINS IN SOUTH AFRICA BEYOND 2000

The managers of agribusiness supply chains in South Africa face three key challenges beyond 2000—namely the need to manage the drivers of change, to build core competencies to form and manage supply chains, and to overcome barriers to successful supply chains management. Appropriate actions to meet these challenges include having shared visions and compatible goals, flexible market response, cost controls, effective logistics and risk management, information sharing and, critically, building trust and incentives so that playas will invest resources in supply chains, Creative solutions are also needed to handle the potential impacts of HIV/AIDS on market growth and business costs, and to viably integrate communities that were previously denied access to economic opportunities into existing and new supply chains, These issues are likely to create business opportunities for firms that are competent coordinators and customizers. Learning from the “best practices” used by non-agribusiness firms ill South Africa and other countries to successfully perform supply chain activities will also improve cost competitiveness.

Brazil Meets the Global Challenge: IT Policy in a Postliberalization Environment

Since the early 1990s, Brazilian IT policy has changed substantially from greenhouse protectionism in selected segments of the market to a more liberal regime. This article analyses the impact of liberalization on IT equipment production, diffusion, employment, and foreign trade. There were both benefits and setbacks, depending on the aspect analyzed. Users benefited from greater access to imported equipment, which could eventually contribute to productivity growth in the overall economy.On the negative side, there was a loss of local linkages with internal sources of components, technology, and employment. The article concludes that the future of the Brazilian IT industry does not seem to be in commodity hardware production. Rather, it lies in design- and engineering-intensive applications. Such "production close to use" can spur domestic use as well as create business opportunities for domestically owned companies in markets not dominated by foreign multinationals.

The Diffusion of the Internet in a Pro-IT Cultural Environment: A Content Analysis of the Singapore Experience

Despite the magnitude of the Internet phenomenon, relatively few studies investigate the factors influencing its diffusion. This paper seeks to provide a better understanding of the forces that influence the diffusion of the Internet in Singapore. A push-pull framework that incorporates the political, technological, economic, and social factors is developed as the basis for examining this phenomenon. Based on this framework, a content-analytic approach is used to analyze the messages conveyed in Singapore's two local English-medium newspapers. The results show that both push and pull forces predominated in the early stages of Internet diffusion. However, as time went by, the pull forces predominated over the push forces. The results also show that factors such as building telecommunication infrastructure, having on-line information and services, and creating business opportunities were important in the diffusion of the Internet in Singapore.

Bridging the gap between business objectives and parameters of data mining algorithms

Data mining is being touted as having potential for discovering information that will contribute toward resolving business problems or creating business opportunities. However, before this potential can be realized, one needs to be able to relate the strategic objectives of a business to the use of the data mining technology. In this paper we focus on one aspect of that requirement, the translation of managerial goals into parameters of the algorithm being used to analyze the data. The first step in the process is to define a mapping from managerial goals to the performance measures of the algorithm. We then propose and apply an experimental approach using a classification algorithm, Probabilistic Inductive Learning, to develop a mapping between the performance measures and the parameters of the algorithm. The experimental results are analyzed and guidelines are given for setting the bias of the algorithm to meet managerial goals. We conclude by recommending that an experimental analysis similar to what we proposed be conducted for all data mining algorithms and provided along with documentation as an aid to the user.

The 1996 pricing and reimbursement policy in The Netherlands.

In The Netherlands, the government operates a reference price system in which medicines are categorised into groups of interchangeable drugs. The reimbursement within groups is limited. In addition, since drug prices in The Netherlands are currently among the highest in Western Europe, a law was implemented in March 1996 to lower the prices of drugs in The Netherlands to the mean of pharmacy buying prices in 4 surrounding countries (UK, France, Belgium and Germany). Maximum prices for oral formulations will be in force from 1 June 1996, and maximum prices for other formulations will be operational soon thereafter. Reducing the price level will lead to a substantial decrease in discounts for pharmacists. Lower discounts will also mean weaker 'golden chains' between wholesalers, the industry, and pharmacists, and will therefore create business opportunities for companies wishing to compete on the basis of price. Liberalising the distribution of pharmaceuticals and creating a cost-conscious demand side will stimulate price competition in the pharmaceutical market and make it easier for new participants to enter the Dutch market. Price competition will lead to lower prices and, consequently, to lower costs. Further exemptions from the reimbursement list will be recognised. Considerable efforts are also being made to rationalise the prescribing behaviour of physicians and the dispensing behaviour of pharmacists. Through this programme, which has many components, The Netherlands hopes to restrain and effectively control its expenditures on pharmaceuticals.

Competitive Communication Strategies

Summarizes the findings of the work undertaken by the Centre for Exploitation of Science and Technology into the interaction between transport and communications. Draws on the views of senior managers within information and communication industries and also uses an analysis of a range of communication‐based applications and market surveys to evaluate user/supplier relationships and the development of applications. Looks at one growth in teletrading and its strategic importance in one future as a competitor with the transport system and concludes with the thought that information and communication technology will create business opportunities and that there needs to be a better political and industrial understanding of its economic benefits.