Competitive Factors Research Articles

Evaluation and impact factors of international competitiveness of China’s cobalt industry from the perspective of trade networks

In recent years, with the development of the new energy industry, the demand for cobalt as a raw material for power batteries has been increasing. However, China itself has a shortage of cobalt resources. Therefore, overcoming poor resource conditions and enhancing the international competitiveness of the cobalt industry have become urgent issues. This paper is based on global trade data on cobalt resources from 2007 to 2020. A panel regression model is constructed from the perspective of trade networks, and Entropy-Topsis is used to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system for the international competitiveness of critical nonferrous metals. This study empirically examines the impact of the trade network characteristics of cobalt resources on international competitiveness, assigns practical significance to trade network characteristic indicators, and analyses the overall competitiveness changes in the global cobalt industry chain and its upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. The research findings reveal the following key points: (1) In recent years, the competitive focus of the cobalt industry chain in various countries has shifted from upstream and midstream to midstream and downstream, with increasingly fierce trade competition downstream, gradually tilting toward countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China. (2) Cobalt trade competition, which was initially characterized by competition among multiple countries, has gradually become more centralized and stable, with differences in the competitiveness of various countries occurring at different stages of the cobalt industry chain. (3) Network centrality and network heterogeneity both have a significant promoting effect on the international competitiveness of the industry, while network connectivity has a significant inhibitory effect on the improvement of international competitiveness.On this basis, the study also suggests some policy implications. The purpose of the study is to enhance the international competitiveness of China's cobalt industry from a trade perspective and to investigate the developments of cobalt trade between China and the rest of the world.

A Mathematical Analysis of Competitive Dynamics and Aggressive Treatment in the Evolution of Drug Resistance in Malaria Parasites

Experimental evidence supports the counterintuitive notion that rapid eradication of pathogens within a host, infected with both drug-sensitive and -resistant malaria parasites, can actually accelerate the evolution of drug-resistant pathogens. This study aims to analyze the competitive dynamics between these two strains through a mathematical model and evaluate the impact of aggressive treatment on the spread of drug resistance. We conducted equilibrium, uncertainty, and sensitivity analyses to assess the model, identifying and measuring the influence of key factors on the outcome variable (the population of drug-resistant parasites). Both equilibrium and local sensitivity analyses concurred that the density of drug-resistant parasites is notably affected by genetic instability, the production rate of red blood cells, the number of merozoites, and competition factors. Conversely, there is a negative relationship between genetic instability and one of the competition coefficients. Global sensitivity analysis offers a comprehensive examination of the impact of each input parameter on the temporal propagation of drug resistance, effectively accounting for the interplay among parameters. Both local and global sensitivity analyses underscore the continuous impact of drug treatment on the progression of drug resistance over time. This paper anticipates exploring the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance and providing theoretical support for developing more effective drug treatment strategies.

Research on the influencing factors of Chinese agricultural brand competitiveness based on DEMATEL-ISM

Agricultural products are pivotal to the national economy, and a comprehensive analysis of brand competitiveness significantly contributes to the support of agricultural structural adjustment and modernization. Focusing on the Yangtze River Delta region of China, this study develops an evaluation index system encompassing four dimensions: core brand competitiveness, brand management, market competitiveness, and innovation in branding. Utilizing a DEMATEL-ISM model, this research elucidates the intrinsic relationships among factors that influence brand competitiveness, resulting in a four-tier hierarchical model. The analysis delineates key factors at superficial, intermediate, and profound levels that influence brand competitiveness. Notably, regional production bases, along with innovations in brand technology and systems, emerge as profound influencers. Drawing on these findings, the study recommends strategies to enhance production foundations, accurately define development trajectories, spearhead technological innovation to foster collective reform efforts, and advocate for institutional advancements to bolster healthy brand growth.

Manajemen Risiko Dalam Pengiriman Barang Pada Jasa JNT Express Cabang Palembang Ditinjau Dari Perspektif Ekonomi Islam

The main problem in this thesis is that in the last few months JNT Express Palembang branch has often experienced a decline in sales and also complaints from customers about the many problems that occur in the service felt by consumers such as problems with late delivery of goods, shipments that cannot be tracked, damage to goods to loss of delivery packages. These complaints were obtained from the Internet Media. The purpose of this discussion is to find out the Implementation of Risk Management in the Delivery of Goods at JNT Express Palembang Branch Services and Islamic Economic Review on Risk Management in the Delivery of JNT Express Palembang Branch Services. This research is a field research. By using qualitative methods. This research uses informants consisting of 6 people, namely 1 Leader, 1 Admin, 1 Courier and 3 JNT Palembang Branch Consumers. This research was conducted at JNT Ekpress, Jl. Sultan M. Mansyur, Bukit Lama, Kec. Ilir Barat I. Palembang City. While the data collection method in this study is in the form of observation, interviews, documentation. Based on the results of the study. Risks in shipping JNT goods are Social, Physical, Customer and Competition factors. The obstacles are delays, wrong addresses, damage and loss of goods. To prevent or minimize the occurrence of risks, JNT issues Standard Delivery Terms (SSP). Review of Islamic Economics on Risk Management in the Delivery of Goods Services JNT Express Palembang Branch is not contrary to Islam.

Exploring the combination of individual and organizational–environmental factors in the expression of radical and incremental creativity

AbstractInnovative products and services are key factors in corporate competitiveness, and the expression “employee creativity” is the top priority factor in leading corporate innovation. This study aims to investigate the differences between the predictive variables for the expression of radical and incremental creativity and the combinations of the predictive variables, which aid in the expression of two types of creativity. A research survey was conducted with 600 employees working in newspaper, broadcasting, and film businesses. The results were derived by conducting a fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) on 513 useful samples. Using necessity and sufficiency analysis of a fs/QCA, the results indicate that the three personal factors—job expertise, creative process engagement, and work engagement—are commonly required for two types of creativity. Conversely, organizational–environmental factors, a risk‐taking climate, and external networking behavior are only predictive variables of radical creativity. This study's results provide insights regarding the personal and environmental resources that employees must secure to express radical and incremental creativity. Because a clear difference was found in the factors required for the expression of the two types of creativity, based on the results of this study, Human Resource Development(HRD) can devise an effective method to support the expression of the two types of differential creativity.

Anaphoric Expressions in Thai Narratives: A Corpus Study on Accessibility and Distributional Tendency

Abstract This study examines the relationship between Thai anaphoric expressions and their antecedents’ Accessibility, analyzing 3,453 expressions from Thai-Zlatev Corpus (Zlatev and Yangklang 2001), Aakanee Website (Aakanee, “Thai Recordings”) and Thai Folktale Database (Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, “Folktales”). Grounded in Ariel’s Accessibility Theory (1988, 1990), which asserts that referring expressions are universally arranged on an Accessibility scale but marking systems vary by language, we propose an Accessibility Marking Scale for Thai anaphoric expressions, informed by the factors of Distance, Competition, Saliency and Unity. Some anaphoric expressions showed no significant differences in mean Accessibility, leading them to share ranks. Our newly identified anaphoric expressions align on the scale with those of similar discourse function and pattern. The study also reveals that factors like Saliency and Unity account for the distinctions between the Thai Accessibility Marking Scale and the English Accessibility Marking Scale as proposed by Ariel.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS COMPETITIVENESS

The study is aimed at identifying the psychological factors of competitiveness of a business organization and determining the directions of organizational activities for their actualization. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that in today’s increasingly competitive environment, an organization should strive to make the most of all available resources and factors that can contribute to its competitiveness among other market players. On the basis of theoretical analysis, the authors develop a model of internal (organizational) and external psychological factors of competitiveness of a market-type organization. The internal psychological factors comprise three relatively independent subsystems: the managerial subsystem (goal setting, decision making, labor incentives, change management), the subsystem of professionally important qualities and the subsystem of organizational interaction (socio-psychological climate and corporate culture). The external psychological factors are divided into two subsystems: the client subsystem based on the consumer psychology and the subsystem of institutional interaction with other organizations. The areas of organizational activities aimed at actualizing internal psychological factors of competitiveness include psychological and managerial counseling; designing processes with due regard for psychological factors; psychological examination of various components of organizational activities: management decisions, key processes; personnel selection and training; formation of a socio-psychological climate and development of corporate culture. In order to gain an external competitive advantage, such organizational practices as consumer research, brand development, market positioning, company image formation, and psychological support of the negotiation process will be appropriate. The results of the study can be used by top managers of organizations in the formation of strategies to improve the competitiveness of the company, psychology specialists to determine the directions of psychological support of organizational processes. Key words: business organization, competitiveness, psychological factors, management system, professionally important qualities, organizational interactions, interaction with consumers.

Explore the Role of Management Accounting in Decision Making in Vietnamese Agricultural Cooperatives

This study examines the role of management accounting in decision making in Vietnamese agricultural cooperatives. This study investigates how management accounting information is used in decision making, the factors that influence the use of that information, and the challenges that cooperatives face in implementing a management accounting system. Research shows that management accounting information is essential for strategic planning, performance measurement, and risk management, and that its use is influenced by organizational culture, resources, market competition, government regulations, and individual factors. The study provides insight into the importance of management accounting in Vietnamese agricultural cooperatives and emphasizes the need to invest in management accounting systems, employee training, and technology to enhance decision-making.

Корпоративная социальная ответственность высших учебных заведений в условиях конкуренции

The article substantiates the relevance of forming an idea of corporate social responsibility of Russian universities as a condition for effective interaction of stakeholders in the higher education space. The research conducted within the framework of the article is aimed at determining the relationship between responsibility, social responsibility and corporate social responsibility of a university in a competitive environment. It is substantiated that in the field of higher education there is such a phenomenon as corporate social responsibility. The nature of corporate social responsibility of universities in the higher education space is determined by the position of the parties to mutual responsibility and the conditions that determine its nature. The article is the first to analyze the elements of corporate social responsibility of universities to stakeholders, such as students, teachers, employers, and the state. It has been revealed that the responsible fulfillment by the university of its direct responsibilities to stakeholders who meet mutual obligations to the university leads to mutually beneficial cooperation. The article proves that corporate social responsibility acts as one of the factors of university competitiveness.

Analysis of competitiveness factors of construction industry enterprises

Analysis of competitiveness factors of construction industry enterprises

Analysis of competitiveness factors of construction industry enterprises

Analysis of competitiveness factors of construction industry enterprises

Quality of service of accommodation establishments as a factor in tourism competitiveness

This study examines the quality of service provided by accommodation establishments as a factor in tourism’s competitiveness. The new application of the concept of quality is determined by the customer's perception, interests, and expectations, and quality is a competitive factor that will lead to full customer satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to determine the service quality of lodging establishments based on guests' perceptions of tangible elements such as reliability, responsiveness, safety, and empathy as factors of tourism competitiveness in northern Peru. The study had a quantitative approach with a descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional design. A non-probabilistic convenience and intentional sampling method was chosen, in which 14 lodging establishments participated. The modified SERVPERF service quality measurement scale was used. The tangible element dimension is perceived from the establishment's facilities and the staff's appearance. Reliability with the promise of service at the established time and the predisposition to solve problems. Responsiveness is perceived in terms of speed of service and the ability to respond to customer needs. Security is perceived in terms of trust, discretion, and respect for guests' privacy, as well as in the transactions they carry out. Finally, empathy in the personalization of service and friendliness. The results show positive perceptions in the five dimensions of the SERVPERF model, concluding that the level of service quality is regular in lodging establishments based on the guest's perception. An important fact to consider is that between 20% and 30% of the respondents' answers are neutral, showing aspects to be improved, such as the use of attractive materials, personalized attention, and guest satisfaction.

О формировании предпосылок стратегирования городской конкурентоспособности

Strategic urbanization needs new theoretical and methodological tools at the current stage of Russia’s territorial development. This article identifies prerequisites for a new approach to urban development based on strategizing the urban competitiveness. Using the general theory of strategy and the methodology of strategizing developed by Professor V.L. Kvint, the author studied the socio-economic phenomenon of urban competitiveness. The review of scientific publications involved a narrative bibliographic analysis, which made it possible to determine and classify the key factors of urban competitiveness. By strategizing the urban competitiveness, municipal authorities obtain scientifically based theoretical and methodological foundations for solving various issues of urban development. The review also highlighted urban competitiveness as a socio-economic phenomenon and revealed four groups of factors, i.e., social, economic, infrastructural, and institutional. The main prerequisites for strategizing the urban competitiveness should rely on a comprehensive analysis and forecast of endogenous and exogenous factors, while taking into account the dichotomy of the subject to be strategized. The main directions of strategizing should depend on the system of unique competitive advantages of the urban settlement in question. The approach and the basic strategizing principles introduced in this article do not complete urban competitiveness as a system: the matter needs further methodological research. However, the groundwork can be independently used to strategize urban development.

Facile preparation of thin and nanodisperse ZIF-8/PDMDES hybrid membrane for efficient alcohol recovery via pervaporation

Membrane-based separation technology has emerged as a focal point of research in the realm of renewable energy. In this investigation, nano-sized ZIF-8 particles were synthesized and then embedded into a poly-dimethyldiethoxysilane (PDMDES) matrix through a facile method, thereby creating an ultra-thin ZIF-8/PDMDES hybrid membrane specifically designed for alcohol permselective pervaporation. The successful synthesis of ZIF-8 nanoparticles was corroborated by the XRD, SEM, and FTIR characterization approaches. The addition of ZIF-8 nanoparticles into the hybrid membranes markedly augmented their hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and affinity toward alcohols, surpassing the attributes of the unmodified PDMDES membrane. The utilization of low-viscosity PDMDES led to an actual ZIF-8 loading that exceeded the theoretical one, resulting in unique membrane morphologies: dense layer and loosely-packed layer. The newly prepared hybrid membrane exhibited an improved separation factor and simultaneously increased permeation flux in the alcohol recovery via pervaporation, showcasing preferable anti-tradeoff achievements. Accordingly, the obtained hybrid membrane with a ZIF-8 loading of 6.5 wt% displayed an outstanding pervaporation performance for recovering ethanol from a 5 wt% ethanol/water mixture at 40 ℃, achieving a remarkable total flux of 6.67 kg∙m−2h−1, a distinguished ethanol permeability of 14.36 × 104 Barrer, and a competitive separation factor of 7.68.

The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies on Hotel Competitiveness

This study aims to analyze the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a competitiveness factor by hotel companies located in Inhambane and Macaneta, Mozambique. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. For data collection, a semi-structured interview script was used, which was applied to ten hotel managers from Inhambane and Macaneta (five participants in each case). The data was analyzed using categorical content analysis. The results showed that the interviewees recognize the importance of technology for the hotel's competitiveness, but do not use software, limiting themselves to simpler programs. It was found that Wi-Fi services and the use of social networks are perceived as sources of competitive advantage in the context investigated. The research points to practical contributions that shed light on the need to make resources available for the application of ICT in the hotel sector.

ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ ФАКТОРОВ КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ ДЛЯ РОССИЙСКИХ МАРКЕТПЛЕЙСОВ

The concept of «competitiveness factor» is clarified and the features of their definition are consid-ered. Competitiveness factors for marketplaces operating in the Russian market are systematized

The relationship between emotional intelligence and sports motivation in athletes

Athletes’ motivation is a dynamic construct that may change due to some factors. For example, the experience of pleasure, enjoyment, competition, and appropriate expectations factors to participate in sports and to achieve high performance (de Franco Tobar, Meurer, & Benedetti, 2013). However, emotional intelligence (EI) also plays a significant role, as athletes experience both positive and negative emotions when faced with achievement, stress, or competitive pressure during sport and competition, which is common in both youth (McCarthy, Allen, & Jones, 2013) and adult sport (Campo et al., 2018). Athletes’ EI may also manifest as an inability to express and manage emotions appropriately (e.g., unbridled anger, aggression, lack of control), particularly in competitive situations itcan negatively affect both athletic performance and withdrawal from sporting activity. Meanwhile, the ability to understand and effectively manage emotions can influence interpersonal relationships within the team better sports performance, and enhance motivation to participate in sports (Ramajayam, 2017). Research purpose – to determine links between athletes’ emotional intelligence and sports motivation.
 The study involved 245 adult athletes from team sports. Among them were 109 men and 136 women. The mean age of the athletes was 21.8 ± 3.09 years. The following instruments were used in the study emotional intelligence was studied using Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (Schutte et al., 1998). Sport motivation was investigated using The sport motivation scale II (Pelletier et al., 2013). Socio-demographic questions about athletes’ age, gender, and represented sport were also provided. Statistical data processing was used to analyse the results.
 Results. It was determined that the emotional intelligence of athletes is higher than average. It was found that athletes can be most characterised by integrated motivation and least characterised by motivation. Women are more likely to have higher EI compared to men. Women better than men value the ability to control the emotions of others and perceive them. Men all dimensions of sports motivation were statistically significantly higher than for women, except introjected motivation. It was determined that the overall EI and EI dimensions of the participant were statistically significantly related to internal, identified, and injected motivation. The dimensions of their emotion management and perception of emotion are inversely related to motivation .
 Keywords: emotional intelligence, sports motivation, athletes.

Ethical Considerations in AI-driven Dynamic Pricing in the USA: Balancing Profit Maximization with Consumer Fairness and Transparency

Organizations in the USA are progressively employing AI-driven dynamic pricing as a strategic intervention to flexibly modify their prices based on competition, market demand, and various other factors. This research paper focused on the ethical dimensions of AI-driven dynamic pricing and the crucial interplay between profitability and the establishment of unwavering consumer transparency and fairness. The recommended models for dynamic pricing solutions entailed ensemble learning methods, notably, XG-Boost, Light-GBM, Cat-Boost, and X-NGBoost models. Particularly, the proposed model consolidated the XG-Boost algorithm and the NG-Boost model, resulting in a novel methodology termed the X-NGBoost. To compare and contrast the performance of the proposed models, these algorithms were trained and subjected to the same dataset. The comparison between the models was mainly grounded on the root-mean-square error (RMSE) metric, which was quantified in meters. The results indicated that X-NGBoost had the lowest RMSE on both the testing and training sets, at 4.23 and 5.34 respectively. This indicated that X-NGBoost performed very well on both seen and unseen data. Therefore, from the outcomes it was deduced that, for the provided data set, the X-NGBoost model provided the accurate pricing solution.

The “Lifelong Learning” concept as a factor of competitiveness and sustainable social and economic development

The purpose is to identify homogeneous groups of consumers towards the purchase of Lifelong Learning services in the context of their purchasing behaviour.The theory of system analysis, economic‐statistical and empirical methods were used. The respondents were consumers of services provided in the centres of additional education of the largest Russian universities. The data for the study was collected by means of an online survey via Google Forms service.Six groups of educational services consumers were identified: 1st – “LLL” consumers who identify their learning experience as ineffective (corresponding to the response “get nothing out of learning”); 2nd – men and women not more than 35 years old, targeting mainly not in the family, but in building a career, quite often participating in various educational activities; 3rd – women who choose the format of training in the form of retraining programs; 4th – women working as freelancers or self‐employed, some of them on maternity leave; 5th – women up to about 35 years old, working as line workers, without children and without higher education; 6th – men under the age of 40, with a good financial situation, who independently choose a certain training programme in order to obtain specific knowledge.The concept of “Lifelong Learning” involves the continuous development and improvement of skills, competences and knowledge throughout life, which helps to enhance competitiveness and sustainability of social and economic development.

The impact of the systemic competitiveness of the economies of the Visegrad Group countries on the development of their non-life insurance markets in 2004–2020

The aim of the article is to assess the impact of selected factors of systemic competitiveness of the Visegrad Group economies on the development of their non-life insurance markets in 2004–2020. The study analyzes the literature on the subject, as well as the methods of descriptive statistics and econometric analysis, for the needs of which synthetic indicators of the development of non-life insurance markets of the analyzed countries were constructed. Based on the conducted research, it was found that Poland’s position within the Visegrad Group in terms of the development of the non-life insurance market was leading, despite the fact that the Czech Republic was characterized by the highest level of systemic competitiveness. Moreover, there were similarities between the markets of both countries. They were shaped in a positive, statistically significant way by the same components of systemic competitiveness (property rights and freedom of the labor market). The next places were taken by the Hungarian and Slovak markets. Keywords