Niche Strategy Research Articles

An adaptive interval many-objective evolutionary algorithm with information entropy dominance

Interval many-objective optimization problems (IMaOPs) involve more than three conflicting objectives with interval parameters. Various real-world applications under uncertainty can be modeled as IMaOPs to solve, so effectively handling IMaOPs is crucial for solving practical problems. This paper proposes an adaptive interval many-objective evolutionary algorithm with information entropy dominance (IMEA-IED) to tackle IMaOPs. Firstly, an interval dominance method based on information entropy is proposed to adaptively compare intervals. This method constructs convergence entropy and uncertainty entropy related to interval features and innovatively introduces the idea of using global information to regulate the direction of local interval comparison. Corresponding interval confidence levels are designed for different directions. Additionally, a novel niche strategy is designed through interval population partitioning. This strategy introduces a crowding distance increment for improved subpopulation comparison and employs an updated reference vector method to adjust the search regions for empty subpopulations. The IMEA-IED is compared with seven interval optimization algorithms on 60 interval test problems and a practical application. Empirical results affirm the superior performance of our proposed algorithm in tackling IMaOPs.

Fashion niche market strategies: a systematic literature review

PurposeThis study systematically explores the literature on global niche market strategies within the fashion industry to allow the mapping of niche practices and examine the benefits, success factors and characteristics of a niche strategy. Additionally, it identifies data gaps and necessitates a detailed examination to uncover areas with inadequate information.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020) method for systematic review and included 70 studies to analyze their findings.FindingsThis systematic literature review pinpoints niche strategies shaping the future of the fashion industry while developing sectors of the textile and apparel industry, fashion technology, fashion retail business, fashion media and communication, luxury fashion, sustainable fashion, adaptive clothing and transgender fashion within the fashion supply chain. A niche market strategy utilizes both pull and push marketing in the fashion industry. Scholarly literature commonly underscores the understanding of the consumer as a pivotal factor in the success of fashion niche market strategy.Practical implicationsThis review offers a comprehensive overview of fashion niche strategy practices, aiming to inspire fashion industry professionals. It also serves as a guide for fashion industry professionals, summarizing best practices across various fashion industry sectors to help develop effective niche strategy competencies for firms.Originality/valueThis review thoroughly analyzes niche strategy implementation in the fashion industry, presenting an important resource for individuals new to this sector. It highlights the significance of niche strategies in improving the comprehension of emerging participants in the fashion business.

A dynamic-speciation-based differential evolution with ring topology for constrained multimodal multi-objective optimization

Constrained multimodal multi-objective optimization problems (CMMOPs) consist of multiple equivalent constrained Pareto sets (CPSs) that have the identical constrained Pareto front (CPF). It is challenging for primary multimodal multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MMEAs) to solve CMMOPs since they do not consider constraints. To tackle this challenge, a dynamic speciation-based differential evolution with ring topology, termed DSRDE, for solving CMMOPs is developed in this paper. To search for multiple equivalent CPSs in CMMOPs, the dynamic speciation-based niche strategy is developed. The dynamic speciation-based niche strategy divides the population into multiple species, each of which searches for diverse and equivalent CPSs in different regions. Particularly, the species number is dynamically decreased to explore the equivalent CPSs with good convergence. Then, a ring topology is constructed among multiple species and their neighbors to balance the diversity, convergence, and feasibility of solutions. Continuously, each species interacts information with its neighbors and searches for equivalent CPSs. DSRDE adopts the popular constrained dominance principle to handle constraints and uses the differential evolutionary algorithm to locate diverse CPSs in the ring topology. It is compared with several state-of-the-art algorithms in two CMMOPs test suites for evaluating the performance of the proposed DSRDE. The experimental results confirm that DSRDE is competitive and has the ability to find multiple CPSs when tackling CMMOPs. DSRDE is also implemented in a real-world CMMOP and obtains superior performance.

ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AS AN ANTECEDENT TO THE RAPID INTERNATIONALIZATION OF MOROCCAN SMES IN THE WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP FIELD

Purpose – This article aims to explore the importance of the international entrepreneurial orientation (IOE) of Moroccan women entrepreneurs (based on innovation, risk-taking and proactivity) in the speed of internationalization of Moroccan SMEs through the niche strategy as an intermediate variable. Research methodology – We adopted a quantitative study on a sample of 45 Moroccan SMEs to test the research hypotheses using the structural equation method, under Smart-PLS software. Findings – A significant relationship between the international entrepreneurial orientation of Moroccan women entrepreneurs and the speed of internationalization with the intermediation of the niche strategy. Despite well-calculated steps, innovative products and the courage to take risks on foreign markets, women entrepreneurs tend to adopt niche strategies to be more protected in the internationalization process: both to avoid direct competition from large companies and to speed up the internationalization process Research. Limitations – Theoretically, it was difficult to operationalize the phenomenon studied, for several reasons: the large number of movements in this approach, the number of variables mobilized. Methodologically, the criteria used to select the sample made it difficult to find more than 45 eligible companies (Exploratory quantitative study). Originality/Value – This article is one of the very few to combine international and women’s entrepreneurship. Furthermore, this is the first article in the field of women’s international entrepreneurship, as far as I know, that addresses the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and the speed of internationalization of exporting SMEs.

Creating architectural advantage in the airline industry: Strategic options for airlines to migrate value

Despite their central role in the industry, airlines have been consistently unable to earn their capital costs. The academic literature has noted the airlines’ limited success in capturing value, offered plausible explanations for it, but has been remarkably silent regarding strategic options for airlines to change their situation. The present paper addresses this gap by analysing the vertical embeddedness of airlines into the industry structure and focusing on the dynamics of the interfaces with adjacent industry segments. Using secondary data from industry reports and primary data from semi-structured interviews with industry experts, our analysis aims at identifying the main drivers and strategic options for value migration. The interfaces between airlines and distribution partners as well as airports show the highest potential for value migration, primarily for well-positioned low-cost carriers or larger multi-airline groups. To obtain that advantage, however, airlines need to extend their offering beyond the flight segment and reduce their replaceability by leveraging customer data along the entire travel chain, e.g., by sharing customer insights between segments and, thus, accessing additional revenue potential. For smaller, independent airlines, leveraging their -if present- dedicated niche strategy, will be the only lever to survive in the long-run. With its systemic perspective, this paper complements the currently fragmented literature on airline vertical strategies and suggests four generic strategic options for value migration to the airline segment.

Niche strategy gone astray: Air Arabia bets on service quality

Niche strategy gone astray: Air Arabia bets on service quality

Platform Strategy, Niche Strategy, and Firm Growth: A Business Ecosystem Positioning Perspective

Platform Strategy, Niche Strategy, and Firm Growth: A Business Ecosystem Positioning Perspective

Niche strategy gone astray: Air Arabia bets on service quality

Niche strategy gone astray: Air Arabia bets on service quality

Hybrid Integration of Au Nanoplates and Ag Nanoparticles with Controlled Nanogaps via Cu2O‐mediated Galvanic Replacement Reaction: Plasmonic Catalysis and Photothermal Conversion

AbstractRational assembling of different noble metal nanocrystals with controlled nanogaps in one entity allows the efficient coupling of electromagnetic fields of each component and versatile manipulation over the overall physiochemical properties. In the present study, we report a stepwise synthetic strategy to hybridlike assemble Au nanoplate and Ag nanoparticles without direct physical contact. Particularly, the success of current work relies on the conformal coating of Cu2O over the Au nanoplate as an intermediate layer, followed by the in situ formation of Ag nanoparticles via the galvanic replacement reaction between Cu2O and Ag+. With the anchoring of Ag nanoparticles over the Cu2O‐wrapped Au nanoplate, the resulting hybrid nanostructures exhibit noticeable multiple plasmonic absorptions across the UV‐vis‐NIR region. The potential use as the plasmonic catalyst for current Au@Cu2O‐Ag hybrid products is validated using reduction of 4‐nitrophenol as the model reaction, where the catalytic performance is greatly improved by the UV‐vis light irradiation. They also exhibit satisfactory photothermal conversion performance under the irradiation of Xe lamp. The current work provides a niche strategy to create noble‐metal hybrid nanostructures with controlled interparticle distance and tunable plasmonic properties, could be extended to other noble metal or alloys.

Can Organic Pork Help Achieve Sustainable Development Goals in Thailand?

This paper examines how organic pork (OP) production, marketing and consumption in Thailand contributes to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that affect food agri-food system sustainability. The paper discusses technical debates and academic literature sources about OP, socioeconomic and environmental impacts of organic agriculture (OA), food security and SDGs. It reflects on theoretical, practical, policy and empirical issues utilizing Thai case study data on willingness to pay (WTP) for OP to illustrate SDG linkages. The study raises broader questions, complications and contradictions about universal access to safe, healthy and affordable organic food. It suggests that WTP as a niche strategy supporting OP producers has responded to consumer demand and has potential for increased farmer incomes. But WTP for OP is an inadequate, problematic priority if it does not better address ecological, social and economic sustainability concerns, cross-cutting SDGs and national policies including inequities among richer and poorer consumers and farmers. It shows how OP may modestly contribute to SDG2 achievement or help realize other interlinked SDGs in Thailand but can also hinder some SDGs. We conclude that the OA movement and governments must better address difficult challenges affecting livestock systems sustainability, meat production, consumption, value chains and socioeconomic equity.

Niche marketing and operational performance in the Nigerian manufacturing industry: a study of Nestle Nigeria Plc. Lagos

This study examined niche marketing and organisational performance in the Nigerian manufacturing industry with a focus on Nestle Nigeria Plc. Lagos. To achieve this goal, four research questions were answered and four hypotheses were tested. The cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. The population of the consisted of one hundred and twenty-five (125) staff comprising 45 senior staff and 80 middle levels at marketing department of the company. The stratified random sampling technique was employed in the selection of the sample size. A structured questionnaire was designed by the researcher which was administered to the respondents for the collection of data. Frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze both the demographic data and research questions while regression correlation was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05level of significance. The findings of the study showed that application of niche marketing is valuable in achieving Nestle marketing objectives, serves as form of strategy to achieve sustainable growth, has significant impact on customers’ patronage of Nestle products and improve sales performance of Nestle Nigeria Plc products. Based on the findings, the study concluded that niche marketing is a potent strategy for improving sales performance of business organisations. On the basis of the findings, the study recommends the adoption of niche strategy as a potent strategy for effective cost control to support an underserved population so as to enhance business performance and competitive advantage.

A dual evolutionary bagging for class imbalance learning

Bagging, as a commonly-used class imbalance learning method, combines resampling techniques with ensemble learning to provide a strong classifier with high generalization for a skewed dataset. However, integrating different numbers of base classifiers may obtain the same classification performance, called multi-modality. To seek the most compact ensemble structure with the highest accuracy, a dual evolutionary bagging framework composed of inner and outer ensemble models is proposed. In inner ensemble model, three sub-classifiers are built by SVM, MLP and DT, respectively, with the purpose of enhancing the diversity among them. For each sub-dataset, a classifier with the best performance is selected as a base classifier of outer ensemble model. Following that, all optimal combinations of base classifiers is found by a multi-modal genetic algorithm with a niche strategy in terms of their average G-mean. A combination that aggregates the smallest number of base classifiers by the weighted sum forms the final ensemble structure. Experimental results on 40 KEEL benchmark datasets and a practical one of coal burst show that dual ensemble framework proposed in the paper provides the simplest ensemble structure with the best classification accuracy for imbalance datasets and outperforms the state-of-the-art ensemble learning methods.

A niche strategy for geographical indication products, by valorising local resources: the Greek cheese Ladotyri Mytilinis

A niche strategy for geographical indication products, by valorising local resources: the Greek cheese Ladotyri Mytilinis

A niche strategy for geographical indication products, by valorising local resources: the Greek cheese Ladotyri Mytilinis

A niche strategy for geographical indication products, by valorising local resources: the Greek cheese Ladotyri Mytilinis

New technology introduction and product rollover strategies

In a market with a technology provider and two competing manufacturers, we examine the provider's technology introduction strategy and the manufacturers’ product rollover strategies. Our main results show that, first, the provider sells the new technology to both manufacturers in the case of small-level technology improvement, and sells to only one of them otherwise. Specifically, under the niche strategy (i.e., the provider sells the new technology to only one manufacturer), the provider sells the new technology to the low-quality manufacturer in the case of moderate-level technology improvement; otherwise, the provider sells to the high-quality manufacturer. Interestingly, the provider's profit may decrease with increased technology improvement. Second, the manufacturers will remove the old version of the product from the market when adopting the new technology, as long as the quality of the new version of the product exceeds a critical threshold. Finally, if the provider has a limited production capacity and can only satisfy the demand of one manufacturer, the provider sells the new technology to the low-quality manufacturer when the technology improvement is moderate; otherwise, the provider sells to the high-quality manufacturer.

Adaptive and Lightweight Abnormal Node Detection via Biological Immune Game in Mobile Multimedia Networks

Considering the contradiction between limited node resources and high detection costs in mobile multimedia networks, an adaptive and lightweight abnormal node detection algorithm based on artificial immunity and game theory is proposed in order to balance the trade-off between network security and detection overhead. The algorithm can adapt to the highly dynamic mobile multimedia networking environment with a large number of heterogeneous nodes and multi-source big data. Specifically, the heterogeneous problem of nodes is solved based on the non-specificity of an immune algorithm. A niche strategy is used to identify dangerous areas, and antibody division generates an antibody library that can be updated online, so as to realize the dynamic detection of the abnormal behavior of nodes. Moreover, the priority of node recovery for abnormal nodes is decided through a game between nodes without causing excessive resource consumption for security detection. The results of comparative experiments show that the proposed algorithm has a relatively high detection rate and a low false-positive rate, can effectively reduce consumption time, and has good level of adaptability under the condition of dynamic nodes.

BRAND STRENGTH BASED ON REALISTIC AND EMOTIONAL FEATURES AND STRATEGY OF MANAGING IT

The article is devoted to the study of the definition of the strength of the brand by its main features: objective, characterizing the realistic benefits of using the brand, such as profit, cost savings, etc., and subjective, which characterizes the emotional satisfaction of the use of products of a particular brand or cooperation with an enterprise, which consists in the attractiveness of the brand. The purpose of the article is to develop proposals from: determining the strength of the brand's influence by realistic and emotional features, identifying strategies for managing it. The object is the process of brand management of products or enterprises. The subject is theoretical provisions, methodological approaches, methods for determining the strength of the brand on its main features and the formation of management strategies. Methods. Theoretical and practical analysis of works of branding specialists proved the need to use the following methods of research: monographic, analysis and synthesis, structural-logical method, system approach, theoretical generalization, expert methods, correlation-regression analysis. The results are as follows: the differences between the strength and value of the brand, generalized understanding of realistic and emotional components of the brand, offered indicators of their measurement - on a realistic basis by a three-factor model of transformation of brand strength into additional financial flows, emotionally - based on the developed questionnaire, that is, using expert methods, proposed a matrix of brand strength on these features and positioned brand management strategies in accordance with the essence and meaningful load. The main results of the research are proposals for assessing the strength of the brand on the basis of objective and subjective characteristics and their use to build a matrix of positioning strategies for brand management. As the main strategies of brand management it is offered to use the following: strategy of donation, and stratification of the general brand, strategy-aspiration to leadership at use of the strong points and opportunities, exclusive advantages, combining them with own possibilities, strategy of maximization of dominance in the market strengthening the basic direction of innovation, niche strategy - financing specific innovation proposals for target segments of the consumer market, strategy of flank attack to increase cash flows, market exit strategy, strategy of careful promotion, flank donation, donor strategy, attention is paid to the needs of the target audience of consumers in the market for products. The existence of a correlation between the rationalist and emotional characteristics of the brand is proved. Conclusions: brand strength and strategy should be formed on the basis of both realistic and emotional features.

Business ethics research at the world's leading universities and business schools

AbstractThis paper explores the role of the leading universities and best‐ranked business schools in the evolution of the academic field of business ethics. An advanced bibliometric methodology is applied to publications in business ethics from the major universities of the Shanghai ARWU ranking and from the FT‐ranked business schools. The comprehensive bibliometric study encompasses multiple indicators and examines the evolution of business ethics publications over time. Business ethics research is built on two complementary interdisciplinary streams of research, philosophy, and management. The study indicates that it were not the top universities that contributed most to research advancements in the field of business ethics but second and third tier universities. This finding suggests that academic research in new subfields constitutes a niche strategy for universities and business schools to differentiate themselves. The study furthermore highlights the prominent role of the product champion or ‘idea champion’ in management research at universities. The diffusion of business ethics research illustrates the possibilities for lower ranked business schools with lower budget to excel in specialised subfields and interdisciplinary subthemes.

Synthesis of Branched Au‐PdAg Hybrid Nanosheets by Controlled Reduction in a Galvanic Replacement Reaction

AbstractWe report a niche strategy to fabricate planar trimetallic nanocrystals with in‐plane branches and a unique hybrid structure. The success of current work relies on the use of seeded growth to produce Au@Ag core‐shell nanocubes, followed by the reaction with an excessive third metal precursor (i. e., Pd) via galvanic replacement reaction (GRR) in the presence of controlled reduction. The morphology of resulting products varied in the order of cube, concave cube, hollow cage, yolk‐shell frame, and finally branched nanoplates with Au‐PdAg hybrid structure. The controlled reduction involved in the GRR process, together with the use of Au seed at appropriate amounts and docosyltrimethylammonium chloride as the capping agent, is demonstrated to be crucial for the formation of such unique structure. When loaded on carbon black and working as electrocatalysts for electroxidation of ethanol in alkaline media, the current products exhibit satisfying electrocatalytic activity (e. g., 591 mA mgPd−1 in mass activity and 10.01 A m−2 in specific activity), improved kinetics, and long‐term durability, as compared to commercial Pt/C. The present study offers a feasible route to applying precise spatial control over elemental metals for two‐dimensional dendritic noble metal nanocrystals and could be potentially extended to other metals or alloy.

Japanese Amusement Arcades in the Retro Video Game Segment: A Case of Survival Strategy

Amusement arcades called Game-centers have tried to find ways of surviving in Japan. Independent game-centers with limited financial capacities have mostly struggled to find the best possible way to survive (Livedoor, 2015; Thutmosev, 2015; Nomu, 2016; SPEEDA, 2017; Chiba, 2018; Kamohara, 2019). For them, a niche strategy may be the best possible strategic direction to survive (Thutmosev, 2015; Sankei, 2016; Hirakawa, 2019; Kamohara2, 2019). This paper will focus on game-centers’ strategies in the retro video game niche to develop a general model of game-centers’ survival strategies. We will then refine the model through interviews with senior-level employees of Japan’s most successful retro game-center.