Greater Competition Research Articles

Pendulum swings rather than paradigm shifts: Southeast Asia’s securitisations and the global war on terror

Abstract Two decades into the ‘war on terror’, attention is rapidly shifting away from terrorism. Increasing geopolitical competition between the US and China and Russia’s war in Ukraine prompted talk about a watershed moment in global politics marked by a return of great power competition. To what extent has this paradigm shift – from terrorism to ‘traditional’ considerations of military security from external invasion – taken place in Southeast Asia? Building on securitisation theory, this article argues that the war on terror did not mark a universal historical-political period as it is often presented. In Southeast Asia, so-called non-traditional threats such as terrorism have concerned states since their independence. Therefore, Southeast Asia continued to prioritise ‘traditional’ security threats alongside ‘non-traditional’ ones in what is commonly described as its comprehensive approach to security. Consequently, when the ‘return to geopolitics’ began influencing military doctrine and preparation amongst NATO countries, a similar shift was absent in Southeast Asia. We argue that the region has seen varied emphases on non-traditional versus traditional security threats but did not experience the paradigm shift suggested by the US-dominated security narrative. Southeast Asia’s comprehensive security constellation underscores the need for a more pluralistic and eclectic approach to the study of international relations.

A comparative neuro-study of solo or accompanied low and high boric acid doses with date molasses in adult male albino rats

Boric acid (BA) is a weak acid and the simplest compound resulting from the dissolution of boron in water. There is great competition to determine whether boron is an essential or nonessential nutrient. Date molasses is a potent type of sweetener with valuable components, such as flavonoids and phenolics, and has significant health benefits. This study investigated the neuro-essentiality and neurotoxicity of boric acid boron in adult male albino rat cortex and cerebellum brain areas and the impact of date molasses treatment. Animals were grouped into the following groups: control, low and high boric acid doses, 10 and 500 mg/kg, respectively, with or without 250 mg/kg date molasses. The results revealed the ability of BAs to cross the blood–brain barrier and accumulate in the cerebellum and cortex, revealing the ability of date molasses to decrease BA accumulation at different time intervals. Additionally, the results varied between a nonsignificant increase or decrease in calcium ion content, monoamines (norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin), glucose, adenosine triphosphate, malondialdehyde and glutathione, depending on the BA dose. Moreover, date molasses mitigated any unwanted BA results. In conclusion, boric acid, which is within a permissible limit, could be essential and have a neuroprotective effect, whereas at a sublethal level, it could have a neurotoxic effect. Additionally, Date molasses can have neuroprotective effects and antagonize the neurotoxic effects of boric acid through its antioxidant and scavenging effects.

Dark corners of alliance politics: alliance theory concepts and great power competition

Dark corners of alliance politics: alliance theory concepts and great power competition

Sustainable Strategies to Current Conditions and Climate Change at U.S. Military Bases and Other Nations in the Arctic Region: A 20-Year Comparative Review

Amidst the backdrop of growing great power competition, heightened United States presence via military bases has manifested in the Arctic. However, the then design and implementation have hampered the resilience of these bases in a region warming at nearly four times the rate of the rest of the globe. Two-thirds of the United States’ 79 military bases in the Arctic remain underprepared against permafrost thaw and rising sea levels despite rampant calls for sustainable strategies. Damages emanating from climate-related failures will continue to cost the U.S. billions of dollars and render crucial infrastructure unusable. The objective of this study is to present a comprehensive literature review of the extent of Arctic warming and its significance for U.S. bases, the negative implications of military infrastructure deterioration, and methods to adapt both existing and forthcoming bases to a rapidly warming atmosphere. Eighty published papers that directly or indirectly referenced U.S. military bases or climate-oriented engineering in the aforementioned contexts were identified and analyzed over a 20-year period from 2004 to 2024. The literature review concludes that warming concerns were often not taken into much account by civil engineers during initial base construction, an oversight that now jeopardizes runways, docks, and highways. Other nations that have a sizeable footprint in the Arctic Circle, such as Canada and Russia, have demonstrated progress by utilizing pile-driven substructures, thawing permafrost before construction, and ventilated crawlspaces. Alternative solutions, such as cooling permafrost via thermosiphons or refrigeration systems, employing spatially oriented foundations composed of specific materials, and preventative measures such as floodwalls and revetments, have also shown considerable promise in simulations and practice. A table illustrating a holistic literature summary of sustainable strategies to current conditions and climate change at U.S. Military Bases in the Arctic region is also developed. Modeling successful engineering concepts and incorporating existing innovations into military infrastructure should be at the forefront of the United States’ sustainable policy.

Disputed geometries of great power politics: US–China perspectives on minilateralism

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the theoretical and empirical development of contemporary minilateralism through the lens of US–China great power competition. The aim is to assess four theoretically informed predictions about US and Chinese minilateral formation: (a) the US would form minilaterals more readily than China, (b) the US would appreciate minilaterals more than China, (c) the US and China would have differing rhetorical approaches to discussing the value of minilaterals, and (d) that minilaterals formed in the contemporary period would tend toward institutionalisation in order to ensure their persistence (a reflection of the long-term nature of Sino-US competition). Following the Introduction, section II provides a descriptive, empirical overview of the perspectives on minilateralism in Washington and Beijing, focusing on the US judgment that they are an asymmetric advantage for the US, and China’s evaluation that they are a risk to its foreign and security policy strategy. Section III examines a set of US-led minilateral cases (Quad 2.0, AUKUS, US-Japan-South Korea, US-Japan-Australia, and US-Japan-Philippines) and the Chinese responses to their development. Finally, section IV concludes with thoughts on policy implications, as well as other avenues of research.

Making sense of the interaction between geopolitics and middle-technology trap: evidence from China’s catching-up CNC machine tool industry

This study proposes a framework to analyze the interaction between geopolitics and the Middle-Technology Trap, drawing on evidence from China's CNC machine-tool industry. Qualitative methods such as interviews have been utilized to identify geopolitical variables that have driven the development of the Chinese CNC machine tools industry. To explore the combined effects of the Middle-Technology Trap and the intense competition between China and the West, this article focuses on an industry that has been significantly influenced by the economic decoupling between China and the US, a phenomenon deeply rooted in recent great power competition. While several industries may illustrate the new status quo of the Middle-Technology Trap, the CNC machine-tool industry is particularly exemplary due to its close interrelation with geopolitics. Accordingly, this study presents a catch-up case that incorporates technology-oriented aspects and factors from strategic competition, underlining three scenarios that geopolitics could influence the result of addresing the Middle-Technology Trap, respectively technological decoupling, the relocation of supply chain, and industrial policy.

The Great Powers Competition and Increasing Entropy in the Local Media Across Africa and Asia

Abstract The current United States National Defense Strategy prioritizes strategic competition with Russia and China, whereas for the previous two decades, the priority was counter-terrorism. This research aims to measure the extent to which competition among great powers is intensifying and identify where such intensification is taking place. To achieve this, we utilize a large, open-source dataset called GDELT 2.0, which provides an archive of global news articles. We calculate the entropy for local press coverage of great powers (e.g., the United States, China, Russia, France, and India) across 96 African and Asian nations to measure static competition levels. Additionally, we identify African and Asian nations where competition levels have changed significantly between 2015 and 2020. Our findings show that seven countries are experiencing increased competition among great powers, whereas seven other countries experience increased domination by one great power. When we aggregate the data geographically, we find that Southeast Asia is the only subregion where there is a significant decrease in competition. Our results align with the primary concern of the National Defense Strategy: that American influence is decreasing. Specifically, we have identified increased competition across Africa and increased domination across Asia. These trends are due to a relatively higher reporting of Chinese in-country public and private entities between 2015 and 2020.

Who Bears the Welfare Costs of Monopoly? The Case of the Credit Card Industry

Abstract We measure the distribution of welfare losses from non-competitive behaviour in the U.S. credit card industry during the 1970s and 1980s. The early credit card industry was characterized by regional monopolies. Ensuing legal decisions led to competitive reforms that resulted in greater, but still limited, oligopolistic competition. We measure the distributional consequences of these reforms by developing and estimating a heterogeneous agent, defaultable debt framework with oligopolistic lenders. The transition from monopoly to oligopolistic competition yields welfare gains equivalent to a one-time transfer worth $3,600 (in 2016 dollars) for the bottom decile of earners (roughly 50% of their annual income) versus $1,200 for the top decile of earners. As the credit market expands, low-income households benefit more since they rely disproportionately on credit to smooth consumption. Greater competition also explains rising bankruptcies, chargeoffs, and credit to income ratios. Lastly, we bound the welfare gains from competition by computing a perfectly competitive benchmark. Aggregate welfare gains are 40% larger from perfect competition but distributed similarly to oligopolistic competition.

Understanding ASEAN's Perception and Response to Japan's "Indo-Pacific Strategy"

The ASEAN region is located along Japan's critical maritime lifeline and has maintained close cooperation with Japan in various fields for an extended period, making it a pivotal point for Japan's "Indo-Pacific Strategy". To successfully advance this strategy, Japan has strengthened cooperation with ASEAN and its member states in the economic and maritime security sectors through dual-track diplomacy, seeking ASEAN's recognition and support for the strategy. ASEAN views Japan's policies as beneficial to its development and capable of enhancing its strategic autonomy to some extent. However, the regional order constructed by Japan's "Indo-Pacific Strategy" undermines ASEAN's centrality in the regional security architecture and negatively impacts its amicable relations with China. To preserve its centrality, ASEAN introduced the "ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific", aiming to articulate its vision and stance clearly to maintain its central role in regional affairs. Furthermore, ASEAN employs a hedging strategy amid great power competition to safeguard its interests and actively collaborates with external countries to expand its strategic autonomy.

The Many Semantic Lives of Geopolitics: Evidence from the New York Times Archive 1900-2023

ABSTRACT Henry Kissinger’s death foregrounds a puzzle in the history of geopolitics. How did a word made infamous by Nazi Germany become so ubiquitous and popular in the English-speaking world? Was Kissinger, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, responsible for its rehabilitation into respectability in English? Historians, geographers and political scientists have traced how Western geopolitical thought developed in the twentieth century through transatlantic imperial rivalry and knowledge field formations. But there is no quantitative discourse analysis of the many ways in which the word is used in the English language. Responding to this absence, this paper uses both quantitative and qualitative discourse analysis to study how the word was employed in the New York Times from 1900 to 2023. Analysis of this corpus, and select examples from it, reveals the limits of three common presumptions about geopolitics: that it entered English as a synonym for Nazi foreign policy philosophy, that its use carried a stigma, and that Henry Kissinger led a revival of the word from the 1970s. Rather, the corpus record reveals a term with many semantic lives, a stigma that did not endure, and a synonym for great power competition and resource rivalry whose popularity is due to many factors besides Kissinger’s influence. Cluster of meaning around rivals and resources, books and culture, and US power define the term’s use in American geopolitical culture.

Identity-based rivalry: A common identity across competitors leads to rivalry perceptions and better performance

Researchers in psychology and management have recently examined what leads competitors to perceive that they are in a rivalry (e.g., repeated competitions) and what the consequences of rivalry are (e.g., better performance). Other researchers have long focused on the importance of social identity for how people evaluate themselves and others. In two studies, we connect and extend this past work by examining whether having the same identity as an opponent (specifically, gender or nationality) produces rivalry effects. In an online experiment, we found that sport competitors are more likely to perceive their same-gender opponents as rivals than their different-gender opponents (and this was especially the case for men). These stronger rivalry perceptions were predicted by competitors’ greater similarity, greater frequency of past competitions, and greater competitiveness with their same-gender opponents. Then, in an analysis of data from Major League Baseball (MLB), we found that batters from the Dominican Republic and the United States hit better when a same-nationality catcher was behind the plate. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of identity-based rivalry.

Peran Indonesia dalam Mewujudkan Stabilitas Keamanan Kawasan Regional Asean di Tengah Perebutan Pengaruh Negara-Negara Great Power

Geopolitical developments in Southeast Asia have become the center of attention of major world powers, especially the United States and China. ASEAN, through the ADMM and ADMM-Plus forums, plays an important role in maintaining regional security stability. This study aims to analyze Indonesia's role in realizing security stability in the ASEAN region in the midst of great power competition. The research methods used are qualitative with in-depth interviews, case studies, and secondary data analysis from various sources, including policy reports and official government statements. The results of the study show that Indonesia plays a role as a diplomatic mediator, a reinforcer of regional cooperation, and a defender of ASEAN sovereignty. ADMM-Plus also faces challenges in expanding membership, which requires careful geopolitical considerations. In conclusion, Indonesia has a crucial role in maintaining regional stability through multilateral cooperation and conflict resolution efforts in ASEAN.

DAYA SAING KOPI ARABIKA DI MASA PANDEMI

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the export-oriented Arabica coffee plantations experienced production and productivity constraints due to decreased maintenance costs; besides, export opportunities were constrained by regulations issued by several countries requiring the product to be sterile from the COVID-19 virus. export. Based on the above phenomenon, this study aims to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Arabica coffee agribusiness, especially the profitability and competitiveness of Arabica coffee during the pandemic. The method used to select the area is the production center area around Mount Ijen, the Ijen Ring Region. The research is descriptive, combined research (mixed methods), and the method of collecting data uses primary and secondary data, as well as purposive sampling and incidental sampling with observation and interviews. The analysis tool uses competitiveness and policy with PAM (Policy Analysis Matrix). Arabica coffee during the pandemic is still profitable both financially (privately) and economically (socially), has great competitiveness and export opportunities, and is indicated to be able to compete with similar commodities, both imported and domestic products.

Russia vs America cyber war: space technology mastery competition

Mastery of computers and information systems in international relations is one of the elements of a country's new power. In the context of cyber warfare, Russia and the United States are trying to modernize their technology to secure their countries in the event of an attack from the opposing party. This research aims to analyze the space technology competition carried out by two major countries, namely Russia and the United States, to achieve Great Power status in the international world. This research focuses on the technological achievements of Russia and the United States in the field of space and their implementation in the form of cyber warfare. A qualitative case study is the research method chosen by the researcher. The research stages used by researchers are divided into data collection stages and data reduction, and the next stage is that researchers conduct analysis using data reduction techniques, namely summarizing, selecting, and focusing on the things needed in this study. The results of this study show that national security priorities are number one, and especially defense priorities for the United States are no longer terrorism but great power competition. NATO is an alliance or political tool that the US relies on to achieve great power.

Tech wars: Distributional consequences of global tech rivalry

AbstractInternational competition over sophisticated tech is a modern feature of great power rivalry. Yet the automation delivered by this tech is a key source of rising inequality. While policy motivations stem primarily from great power political and defense competition, the automation has consequences for wider economic performance. We examine global economic consequences, using a six‐region global macro model with multiple households, under Rawlsian, Benthamite, capital friendly, or GDP maximizing policy criteria. Tech drives are shown to deliver higher capital returns and more growth, and therefore to represent dominant strategies under all but a Rawlsian criterion, despite their exacerbation of inequality and low‐skilled poverty. We then consider Gini‐reducing fiscal interventions. These are shown to have few international spill‐over effects and to be domestically attractive only under the Rawlsian criterion.

The Shortest Nuclear Route to Climate Tipping Points to Great Power Competition: Tracing Arctic Security from the Cold War to Now

<p>Arctic security has been growing in popularity across academia, policymaking, and news media. However, this popularity has come with a notable question: what does Arctic security mean and what knowledge underpins it? This study traces the discourse on Arctic security from the Cold War to present examining the emergence of different types of security which range from more traditional variants to wider and deeper readings such as environmental and comprehensive security. I identify key strands of Arctic security discourse, trace their interaction over time, and periodize the region. While the Cold War era was dominated by nuclear and traditional security logics, there have been three main shifts since then including 2) 1990s-2007, 3) 2007-2019, and 4) 2019-present. This research finds that Arctic security knowledge clearly follows global security trends. Thus, as security has widened and deepened globally, so too have the potential meanings of Arctic security expanded. However, there is a clear hierarchy in today’s general discourse regarding what issues take center stage for the Arctic such as great power competition and climate change. This is in contrast to the Arctic Council, which takes into account all but military security definitions for Arctic security and integrates them in a relatively balanced way. This has implications for ocean governance institutions and the degree to which traditional military security concerns should be left out of broader ocean governance.</p>

Analysis of registered clinical trials in Italy regarding dermatology (2003-2022): a cross-sectional study on historical trend and prospects for industry investments.

This cross-sectional analysis intends to evaluate trend and outlook of industry clinical research in Italy regarding dermatology and its prospects for the next few years. A computerized search of ClinicalTrial.gov database was carried out considering the 20-year period 2003-2022 using the following string: "Skin Diseases OR Skin cancer OR Skin Neoplasms OR Skin Infection OR Skin Lesion OR Skin Ulcer OR Skin Laxity OR Skin toxicity OR Dermatologic Complication OR Skin abnormalities". During the last 20 years 690 Industry Clinical Trials (IndCTs) were conducted in Italy regarding dermatological investigations, almost entirely funded by non-Italian pharmaceutical companies, involving 4497 centers, and recruiting an average of 13.0 subjects per site. The number of controlled and randomized studies has grown quite regularly and in the last 5 years they represented 79.6% of IndCTs initiated. Countries most frequently sharing with Italy international protocols were Spain (75.0%), Germany (71.8%), France (68.5%), the USA (67.4%), and the UK (54.8%). These data point to a historical involvement of Italy in dermatology IndCTs lower than in the major European countries. However, the war in Ukraine has deprived IndCTs of the contribution of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, meaning a mean of about 40 new IndCTs per year in a population of 200 million inhabitants. In contrast, many indicators point to Italy as a country with potential in dermatology wider than used in the past: an efficient health care system accessible to any citizen or resident, 4.6 million dermatological interventions per year, low density of IndCTs concerning dermatology, good production of scientific papers in indexed medical journals, relatively low cost of services and labour and geopolitical stability. The European Clinical Trials Information System's (CTIS), mandatory for the EU member states since early 2023 allows common, simplified, and harmonized regulatory procedures over the life cycle of clinical trials in Europe (EMA, 2023) and plays in favor of Italy's greater competitiveness in clinical research.

Study on the phase transition characteristics of nano-hydrated salts based on molecular dynamics simulations

Hydrated salts possess great competitiveness in terms of enhancing utilization efficiency of heat due to large densities of heat storage and low costs. However, the existence of supercooling degree is the common phenomenon for hydrated salts, which might restrict the application prospects in partial fields. This work focuses on hydrated salts with relatively larger latent heats, namely Na2CO3·10H2O and Na2HPO4·14H2O in the absence and presence of SiO2 as well as eutectic hydrated salt prepared with 40 wt% Na2CO3·10H2O and 60 wt% Na2HPO4·12H2O. Their melting/solidification temperatures were determined and the supercooling behavior was analyzed based on molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results of melting/solidification temperatures present small deviations of 0.17–3.24 ℃ in comparison with experimental data. Additionally, the aggregation phenomenon among salt ions and dispersion phenomena among water molecules and between water molecules and salt ions for supercooled liquid hydrated salts are revealed, which are attributed to stronger electrostatic interactions and weaker van der Waals interactions as well as lower binding energies. Moreover, SiO2 not only lowers melting temperatures due to its higher thermal conductivity than hydrated salts and the existence of micro-convection, but affects solidification behavior of hydrated salts. The different influences of SiO2 on solidification temperatures of Na2HPO4·14H2O and Na2CO3·10H2O were associated with dispersion degree between water molecules and salt ions around SiO2, which would be attributed to different strengths of interaction forces between SiO2 and salt ions. On these bases, this work provides new perspectives for clarifying phase change characteristics of nano-hydrated salts.

Responses of diazotrophic network structure and community diversity to alfalfa-maize intercropping are soil property-dependent.

Intercropping and soil properties both affect soil diazotrophic communities. However, the specific effects that alfalfa-maize intercropping has on diazotrophic networks and community diversity under different soil properties remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the soil diazotrophic communities of two crop systems, alfalfa monoculture (AA) and alfalfa-maize intercropping (A/M), in two sites with similar climates but different soil properties (poor vs. average). The diazotrophic network complexity and community diversity were higher at the site with poor soil than at the site with average soil (p < 0.05). Community structure also varied significantly between the sites with poor and average soil (p < 0.05). This divergence was mainly due to the differences in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon contents between the two sites. At the site with poor soil, the A/M system had lower diazotrophic diversity, lower network complexity and greater competition between diazotrophs than the AA system (p < 0.05) because intercropping intensified the soil phosphorus limitation under poor soil conditions. However, in the average soil, it was the A/M system that had an altered diazotrophic structure, with an increased abundance of 11 bacterial genera and a decreased abundance of three bacterial genera (p < 0.05). Our results indicated that the effects of alfalfa-maize intercropping on diazotrophic communities were soil property-dependent.

Preparation and characterization of polymeric cellulose wood adhesive with excellent bonding properties and water resistance

Developing the most abundant cellulose resources in nature as wood adhesives is a challenging but significant work. In this study, an oxidized cellulose-hexamethylene diamine-urea (OCHU) resin adhesive, of high bonding performance, and excellent water resistance has been prepared. The cellulose was firstly enzymatically hydrolyzed to increase its solubility and expose more hydroxyl groups, then oxidized by sodium periodate (NaIO4) to generate a biological compound being rich of aldehyde groups. The OCHU adhesive was prepared by crosslinking oxidized cellulose (OC) with a synthetic reactive polyurea (HU) polymer, which was formed through the deamidation reaction between hexamethylenediamine (H) and urea (U). This adhesive exhibited a 24 h cold water soaking strength of 1.61 MPa, 3 h hot water (63 °C) strength of 1.05 MPa and a dry strength of 1.71 MPa. Compared to oxidized cellulose-hexamethylenediamine (OCH) adhesive, a significant increase of 60 % in this adhesive's wet strength. The Schiff base and addition reactions in the preparation were confirmed by XPS, solid-state NMR, and FTIR. This cellulose-based wood adhesive has great market competitiveness for mass production and application in the plywood industry, due to its excellent bonding properties.