Competitive Elements Research Articles

The Competitive Advantage of Collaboration – Throwing New Light on The Nordic Model

ABSTRACT In one of the most influential contributions to modern political economy, Hall and Soskice have launched a distinction between ‘liberal’ and ‘coordinated’ market economies, placing the Nordic countries firmly in the latter category. We argue that, while the H&S distinction may serve classificatory purposes, seeing the Nordic model in terms of ‘coordinated capitalism’ blurs the distinctive features of the Nordic countries’ success as productive and fair economies. We contend that the central formula behind this success lies in what we call the Nordic model’s ambidexterity – the capacity to combine collaborative and competitive elements and skilfully navigate between them. Using an interdisciplinary perspective (inspired by organisation theory, cultural semiotics and evolutionary analysis), we provide a conceptual basis for reinterpreting the Nordic Model as an ambidextrous combination of culturally rooted, collaborative strategies that are subsequently competitively exposed. The article illustrates the workings of this ambidexterity in three societal domains: work life (including female participation), resource management – illustrated by the Norwegian petro-economy – and international business management and regulation with a focus on CSR. In each case we will show how collaboration is intertwined with pragmatic competitive exposure, yielding high productivity, high welfare, as well as fair income and wealth distribution.

Banks, power, and political institutions: the divergent priorities of European states towards “too-big-to-fail” banks: The cases of competition in retail banking and the banking structural reform

AbstractThis article examines how two dynamics, one global and one domestic, have interacted to shape the politics of banking in Europe. In the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, European governments were subject to renewed structural incentive to promote TBTF banks: in financialized economies, the growth of these banks is perceived as an essential element of a national economy's global competitiveness. Yet, this incentive was subject to enhanced political contention at home. Factions—often led by actors from within the state itself—have opposed governments’ impetus to promote TBTF banks. The specific identity, preferences and resources of these factions are determined by distinctive political institutions and vary across countries. Through the comparative analysis of banking structural reform and banking competition policies in the UK, France and Germany, I argue that varieties of regulatory outcomes are explained by the differentiated institutional capacity of “anti-TBTF” factions to carry weight in policymaking processes across jurisdictions.

Trapped in university rankings: bridging global competitiveness and local innovation

ABSTRACT For over a decade, global university rankings have played a growing role in the status competition in higher education. More recently, we have seen a proliferation in rankings of innovation and urbanization. In this article, we argue that while these new measurements bring with them some conceptual adjustments, they draw heavily on existing rankings and embrace the embedded competitive logic. Local rankings of innovation objectify higher education as an element of global competitiveness. Furthermore, we argue that this logical shift is made with the help university rankings that now come to bridge global competition and local innovation; the existing global university rankings are directly used in the composite indicators of local innovation or their methodology is copied. Consequently, political imaginaries of global competition are now projected to regional and city level.

An efficient method to clone TAL effector genes from Xanthomonas oryzae using Gibson assembly.

SummaryTranscription Activator‐Like effectors (TALes) represent the largest family of type III effectors among pathogenic bacteria and play a critical role in the process of infection. Strains of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and some strains of other Xanthomonas pathogens contain large numbers of TALe genes. Previous techniques to clone individual or a complement of TALe genes through conventional strategies are inefficient and time‐consuming due to multiple genes (up to 29 copies) in a given genome, and technically challenging due to the repetitive sequences (up to 33 nearly identical 102‐nucleotide repeats) of individual TALe genes. Thus, only a limited number of TALe genes have been molecularly cloned and characterized, and the functions of most TALe genes remain unknown. Here, we present an easy and efficient cloning technique to clone TALe genes selectively through in vitro homologous recombination and single‐strand annealing, and demonstrate the feasibility of this approach with four different Xoo strains. Based on the Gibson assembly strategy, two complementary vectors with scaffolds that can preferentially capture all TALe genes from a pool of genomic fragments were designed. Both vector systems enabled cloning of a full complement of TALe genes from each of four Xoo strains and functional analysis of individual TALes in rice in approximately 1 month compared to 3 months by previously used methods. The results demonstrate a robust tool to advance TALe biology and a potential for broad usage of this approach to clone multiple copies of highly competitive DNA elements in any genome of interest.

Recearch for promising materials and constructive-technological solutions for temperature-sensitive elements of micromechanical accelerometers

The paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of piezoelectric micromechanical accelerometers. The designs, materials and methods for obtaining the sensitive elements of these micromechanical accelerometers are considered. It is shown that the choice of new design solutions, materials and structures allows you to create a modern domestic competitive element base with improved output characteristics.

International aspects of assessing the logistic potential of the main countries of agricultural production

One of the main conditions for improving the overall competitiveness of the country is the formation of its sustainable logistic potential, since logistics is responsible for promoting the country’s products, both in the domestic and foreign markets. This is also characteristic for agricultural companies of the main countries of agricultural production in the world, which need to manage their logistic business processes effectively. The business processes of logistics sphere include the processes of warehousing, transportation and further distribution of agricultural products between the entities of the agrarian market (warehousing, traders, wholesale and retail trade network, consumers) at the national, as well as international level. Internationalization of agricultural production includes the formation of cooperative industrial relations in the agrarian sphere between the countries in the chain of “production, processing and marketing”, and the management of business processes in the logistics sphere. The latter is characterized by the business process management of the warehousing, transport, distribution areas at the national and international levels and food safety, which represents increasing demand for food in many countries of the world. These are some of the main signs of sustainable logistic development at the national and international levels. A methodical approach to assessing the logistic potential of the main countries of agricultural production in the world is improved; this method is characterized by a set of competitive elements and includes the assessment of logistics management of countries by blocks: product safety, internationalization of production and logistics, management of business processes. The result of this improved method of assessing the logistic potential of the world countries is a developed criterial basis, which allows making effective managerial decisions at the interstate and state levels regarding the logistic development of agrarian productions.

Reorganization of Multinational Companies in the Western European Chemical Industry: Transformations in Industrial Management and Labor, 1960s to 1990s

Multinationals experienced a great growth after the European postwar boom. Factors in the 1970s included increasing competition from the United States, the emerging European market, as well as ongoing economic crises and changes in the international economy. The articles analyzes three case studies of Western European chemical companies—Hoechst, Akzo, and Rhône-Poulenc—to show the consequences of structural changes on management and the workforce. This article argues that (1) domestic export-oriented supplement investments lost importance, and the domestic workforce had a harder time meeting qualification requirements; (2) organizational changes incorporated divisional competitive elements into a company’s organization of work; and (3) managers had to learn to respect national path dependencies and specific skills of the local workforce. Furthermore, it illustrates the developments of the workforce in Europe and abroad and stresses the importance of nationality within the management of multinationals.

Digital Ecosystems, Decision-Making, Competition and Consumers – On the Value of Autonomy for Competition

Competition authorities in Europe have taken enforcement action against the GAFA-companies Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple. The “theory of harm” in such cases re-mains vague, however, and it is disputed whether the cases really contain competition law issues. The submission in this paper is that the agencies react to a shift in strategy by the so-called “super-platforms”: They are no longer acting as neutral intermediaries that primarily reduce transaction costs but meddle with the decision-making process of consumers and other companies. They have strong incentives, e.g. in connection with voice commerce, to limit decision-making by consumers and other companies or to bias information. This use of the gatekeeper position harms the institutional infrastructure of markets. Competition is pushed to the periphery and no longer takes a central role. Gatekeepers are in the position of agents that may abuse their position to the detriment of their principal. Information and innovation, crucial features of dynamic markets, are lost. The economic harm that is to be expected in the long run prompts intervention. Yet, there is also a normative argument coming from an analysis of the case law of the European Court of Justice. The ECJ sees the independence of decision-making as a key element of undistorted competition in markets. This doctrine, explicitly applied to Article 101 TFEU-cases in the past, is now ex-tended to consumers and abuse-situations. To preserve the structural requirements for digital autonomy becomes a priority for competition law enforcement.

Does the pursuit of more complex products contribute to the productivity of exporting firms?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on learning by exporting by investigating whether an increase in the complexity of exported products contributes to higher productivity at the firm level.Design/methodology/approachThe study implements an empirical analysis for Estonian manufacturing firms involved in exporting for the period 2008–2014, adding product complexity as an explanatory variable in the production function estimation. An increase in product complexity is interpreted as an indirect proxy for an increase in firm capabilities, capturing both tangible and intangible elements of competitiveness and reflecting the learning effects.FindingsA relatively weak correlation between product complexity and productivity was found using a simple OLS estimation – exporters with higher product complexity have generally higher productivity levels. Somewhat surprisingly, no evidence for the learning by exporting was found among exporters, meaning that the increased complexity does not seem to be a channel for productivity upgrading. This result seems to be robust, irrespective of estimation methods and sampling preferences.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is representative of exporting firms.Practical implicationsThe results show that the pursuit to more complex product does not necessarily contribute to productivity for exporting firms. The findings suggest that the firm-level upgrading due to increased export orientation is likely to take place through the other channels like moving up in global value chains and differentiating by product quality.Originality/valueThis is one of the first papers to investigate the effect of product complexity on productivity at a firm level. The results provide new insights into the learning-by-exporting hypothesis, with focus on potential learning among the existing exporters.

The EU-China partnership: balancing between divergence and convergence

The EU-China relationship is driven by two distinct underlying logics: a power-based one and a transformational one. The power-based logic is premised on a belief that because of anarchy, power politics and conflicts of interest cannot be entirely overcome. According to this view, intercourse between the EU and China will reflect their relative power positions and display concerns about relative gains, making cooperation between them more difficult. In contrast, a transformational logic reflects a more liberal/constructivist perspective. It suggests that rules and shared norms can sharply reduce conflicts of interest and mitigate concerns about relative gains through the creation of trust and reciprocal socialization, making enduring cooperation between the EU and China more likely. The EU-China relationship is thus clearly mixed, consisting of an array of cooperative and competitive elements. At any given moment, the relationship can be pictured as residing somewhere along a spectrum that extends from pure cooperation at one extreme to unrestrained competition at the other. Diverging trends, which are mutually reinforcing, are pushing the relationship toward competition, converging trends—also reinforcing each other—are promoting cooperation. The direction in which the EU-China partnership can possibly evolve—more competition or more cooperation—will be moulded by the relative strength of diverging and converging trends.

Strategic Factors for Building Brand Equity: Jordan Medical Tourism

<p class="Default"><em><span lang="EN-MY">Building a brand with strong equity is a vital element for differentiation and competitiveness, especially in today’s highly competitive medical tourism. The literature indicated that Jordan has weak medical tourism brand equity. The contribution of customer relationship management and service quality in developing brand equity can’t be ignored. Studies on marketing activities towards building brand equity remain limited. Accordingly, 650 self-administrated questionnaires were distributed to outpatient medical tourists in Amman’s five biggest hospitals using systematic sampling. After screening, 454 surveys were used for analysis using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that customer relationship management significantly impacted service quality and brand equity. Service quality strongly influenced brand equity, and brand equity was enhanced indirectly through service quality. This study highlighted the importance of such factors on brand equity-building activities in Jordanian medical tourism context. Further research is recommended to expand the proposed model.</span></em></p>

EFFORT EXPENDITURE FOR CASH FLOW IN A MEAN-FIELD EQUILIBRIUM

We study a mean-field game framework in which agents expend costly effort in order to transition into a state where they receive cash flows. As more agents transition into the cash flow receiving state, the magnitude of all remaining cash flows decreases, introducing an element of competition whereby agents are rewarded for transitioning earlier. An equilibrium is reached if the optimal expenditure of effort produces a transition intensity which is equal to the flow rate at which the continuous population enters the receiving state. We give closed-form expressions which yield equilibrium when the cash flow horizon is infinite or exponentially distributed. When the cash flow horizon is finite, we implement an algorithm which yields equilibrium if it converges. We show that in some cases, a higher cost of effort results in the agents placing greater value on the potential cash flows in equilibrium. We also present cases where the algorithm fails to converge to an equilibrium.

ICLE Comments, The Regulation of Consumer Data

These comments were submitted to the FTC as part of its hearings on “Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century.” In these comments, we analyze three overarching topics relevant for the regulation of data: (1) The role of privacy as an element of non-price competition; (2) The potential privacy harms that could arise from price discrimination; and (3) How, if at all, data possession could serve as a barrier to entry.

Predicting fungal community dynamics driven by competition for space

Abstract Predicting fungal community dynamics requires methods combining theory with experiments. Different elements of spatial competition influence interaction outcomes, and consequently community dynamics. Despite the literature on such elements, no theoretical study has tested the predictability of dynamics with models incorporating these elements. We aimed to develop a method for predicting dynamics, to be tested first under laboratory conditions. Six spatial competition elements were quantified for three basidiomycete species on agar. We found: constant extension; extension unaffected by other mycelia; faster replacement of younger mycelial regions; faster replacement of smaller mycelia; uniform distribution of mycelial competitive ability across the boundary with heterospecifics; and additive effects of competition. We developed a lattice model, and found that incorporation of all experimentally quantified elements was necessary for accurate prediction of dynamics. Our study provides a methodological basis for prediction of fungal dynamics, and hence of ecosystem processes in which filamentous fungi are key players.

Coopetition in Group Contest

There are situations in which competitors ally to pursue a common objective. This simultaneous presence of cooperation and competition is called coopetition and we study it theoretically and experimentally in a group contest setup. More concretely, we analyze a group contest with a new sharing rule, that we call inverse proportional. This rule embodies the idea that the more a member of a group contributes to win the contest, the less this member is able to capture the potential posterior prize, introducing thus a competitive element into group decision-making. We compare the effects of this rule with a standard, the egalitarian sharing rule. While in the egalitarian case theoretically the optimal individual contribution is positive, with the inverse proportional rule zero contribution represents the individual (and also the social) optimum. We find that participants in our experiment contribute more with the egalitarian than with the inverse proportional rule. We also document over-expenditure with the inverse proportional sharing rule, suggesting that group contest generates inefficient behavior even when individuals are extremely penalized for their contributions. We also explore the drivers of decision in the group contest, and find that contribution in a public goods game is positively associated with contribution in the group contest and that competitiveness explains part of the behavior with the inverse proportional rule but not with the egalitarian sharing. Neither social value orientation, risk attitudes, nor personal traits appear as significant predictors of behavior.

Elimination of Excess Capacity in Monopolistic Competition: An Alternative Approach

Monopolistic competition is a real life market structure in which the elements of both perfect competition and monopoly exist. The paper examines the properties of perfect competition and monopoly under the purview of both conventional and Islamic economics. It finds that perfect competition is permissible in Islamic economic framework but monopoly is not. Monopolistic competition, however, cannot be fully abolished because of its real life relevance. The main problem lying with the monopolistic competition is that each firm preserves the capacity of producing more than what they produce in equilibrium- this is generally known as excess capacity. The current paper proposes a model that eliminates excess capacity and shows how the monopolistically competitive firms may remain at an output level that is socially optimum. The proposed model is a modification of Chamberlin (1933) model. According to the proposed model, the firms will produce socially desirable output if they are given some incentives. Amount of required incentive is the difference between the cost of producing additional units of output and the profit foregone due to the deviation from profit maximizing output level.

Technological Entrepreneurship as a Factor of Development and Restructuring of the Global Economy

The main problem dealt with in the publication is the role of technological entrepreneurship in stimulating the processes of development and restructuring of the global economy. The purpose of the paper is to identify and analyze the factors of development and restructuring of the global economy against the background of the challenges and circumstances arising out of compliance with the criteria of sustainable and inclusive development. The paper provides an overview based on the analysis of the world literature, including the Polish contribution, as well as on the experience gained thus far by the leaders in the civilizational transformations of the last decades. The processes illustrating the emergence of a new economic map of the world were based on information concerning the ranking of the technology readiness level — i.e., the capability of an economy to absorb technologies increasing productivity of production factors. This parameter is currently the key element of the economic competitiveness of the individual states. The sources of this information were global reports issued by the OECD, various UN agencies, the World Economic Forum, as well as independent international analytical institutions. The common access to products created as a result of applying disruptive technologies implies a large number of civilizational threats of a hitherto unknown scale. It is advisable to undertake formative actions addressed to users of new devices concerning responsible use of the achievements of inventors and manufacturers of new products.

Investigating a PC-based Student-made Application and Its Implementation in Young Learners' Classroom

Games are inseparable in young learners’ classes. One of the reasons they are employed in the classroom is due to young learners’ short attention span (Brown: 2000, Harmer: 2002). Games are inserted in learning process to sustain young learners’ interest and to make them focus on the topic learned. Cross (1992) accentuates that games reduce tension by adding fun and humor to lessons and they add an element of competitiveness that motivates learners to participate. Furthermore, Read (2007) states that games provide stimulation, variety, interest and motivation. It is evident that games are beneficial for young learners’ learning. They allow students to actively involve both physically and cognitively which may reduce boredom in learning. However, there only few game applications, specifically, Personal Computer (PC) game available for teachers to use which can support young learners learning English. Some established English learning websites provide games for young learners but the number is still limited. Concurrently, a student from Informatics Engineering of Widyatama University worked on his course project on building PC games applications for children. The PC game applications were then used in young learners’ class. Therefore, this paper will discuss 1) the PC-based- games made by student in terms of the attendance of young learners’ characteristics of learning, 2) the implementation of using the above game applications, and 3) Young learners’ responses to the game applications.

Escape the Traditional Classroom: Using Live-Action Games to Engage Students and Strengthen Concept Retention

A constant challenge for faculty is to gain and to hold student interest so that substantive learning can occur. One way to achieve this is through the use of games. This article describes an escape room activity for the classroom that is modeled after commercial escape rooms. This fun, single-session team dynamics exercise can be used in an organizational behavior class or be easily adapted to other disciplines and courses. Research shows—and our survey results confirm—that games capture student attention, motivate them, and support learning when connected to specific outcomes. Furthermore, both the competitive element of the activity and the offer of a reward produced a stronger motivation for students to prepare for class and engage with the content. The additional preparation time required to create this novel activity will engage students, anchor class learning, and create readiness for understanding course concepts.

TECHNIQUES OF "COMPETITIVE PAIRS" WHILE TRAINING DENTAL DOCTORS

Considering the strategic directions of modern higher education, dominant personality-oriented paradigm, which determines the rejection of understanding the educational process as a path which interns must comply, can be called This paradigm provides a variety of methods and tools that match the individual personality as a subject of education. The purpose of this work is the searching for new paradigms of educational reform and its new models and technologies, innovative approaches, learning and education. Employees of the Academy were customized modification techniques "competing groups" in training doctors ‒ dental interns, whose meaning is "doubles competition." At the same time, three main components of the concept of critical thinking were basis of the systematization of techniques and strategies within this methodology: cognitive (development of mental levels), communicative (development of interactions) and reflexive (the development of professional reflection). The process of learning by this methodology is carried out in three stages:
 
 The preparatory stage involves the definition of the purpose and the task of a substantiated motivation. The conditional clinical situation should be in line with the current standard of higher education, which presupposes the presence of normative disciplines. Intern doctors can propose a problematic situation for discussion, based on the great interest in this topic themselves (the theme of the course work, the specifics of the place of future work, etc.), they can choose their "opponent" independently. The condition of the business game is the planned agreement of one member of the group with the other, he must reasonably and correctly proves the opposite.
 The main stage takes place as an independent work of interns on their task. For a well-grounded objection, doctors-interns should propose a variety of modern methods of clinical, laboratory, instrumental research, the use of certain therapeutic options, hoping for its effectiveness. At this stage, an important work is going on: each intern must receive the data necessary for "competitiveness", find evidence or refutation based on a specific approach to the problem (subjective, facilitarial, holistic, and interactive), which may indicate the implementation of personality-oriented learning . The phases of work with the information are determined: 1) recognition of information; 2) its review; 3) determination of the main; 4) comparison of the main and secondary; 5) information analysis; 6) its synthesis; 7) information characteristics; 8) its application; 9) information evaluation; 10) personal attitude to information.
 The final stage is the report of each competitive pair, presentation of results and project protection. An important point is the discussion of the results in the presence of all interns in a specialty that is conducted under the guidance of a teacher or a working group.
 
 The use of the technique of "competitive couples" in the educational process of interns of dentistry significantly increases the quality of knowledge. Problematic clinical situations form the ability to self-organization cognitive activity, the ability to perform operations of mental activity. The element of competition, the opportunity to reveal its theoretical and practical potential greatly enhances the ability of young colleagues to think clinically. The introduction of stimulating, encouraging, exciting methods in the educational process can remove psychological stress from interns' doctors, encourage them to self-improvement. As a basis that determines the use of the methodology of individual creativity in the practice of working with young colleagues, the humanization of education, as well as self-improvement, is a necessary condition for obtaining the individually required knowledge and skills.