Relative Competitive Advantage Research Articles

A comparative study of research performance in computer science

The paper compares the research performance in computer science of four major Western countries, India and China, based on the data abstracted from INSPEC database during the period 1993–2002. A total of 9,632 computer science papers recorded in INSPEC database were used for the comparison. The findings indicate that, on the one hand, the number of papers produced in China has considerably increased in the past few years. Particularly, in recent years, China occupies a remarkable high position in terms of counts of papers indexed by the INSPEC database. On the other hand, Chinese scientists preferred to publish in domestic journals and proceedings and shares of SCI-papers to the total journal papers for China have still remained the lowest. This indicates that the research activities of Chinese scientists in computer science are still rather “local” and suffer from a low international visibility. Various scientometric indicators, such as Normalized Impact Factor, ratio of papers in high quality journals are further adopted to analyze research performance and diverse finding are obtained. Nevertheless, for these surrogate indicators, China has optimistically achieved great progress, characterized with “low level of beginning and high speed of developing”. The policy implication of the findings lies in that China, as well as other less developed countries in science, can earn relative competitive advantages in some new emerging or younger disciplines such as computer science by properly using catch-up strategy.

Engineering role models: do non-human species have the answers?

A shift from traditional engineering approaches to ecologically-based techniques will require changing societal values regarding ‘how and what’ is defined as engineering and design. Non-human species offer many ecological engineering examples that are often beneficial to ecosystem function and other biota. For example, organisms known as ‘ecosystem engineers’ build, modify, and destroy habitat in their quest for food and survival. Similarly, ‘keystone species’ have greater impacts on community or ecosystem function than would be predicted from their abundance. The capacity of these types of organisms to affect ecosystems is great. They exert controlling influences over ecosystems and communities by altering resource allocation, creating habitats and modifying relative competitive advantages. Species’ effects in ecosystems, although context-dependent, can be evaluated as ‘beneficial’ or ‘detrimental’. The evaluation depends on whether effects on other species or ecosystem function are more or less desirable from a given perspective. Organisms with beneficial impacts facilitate the presence of other species, employ efficient nutrient cycling, and are sometimes characterized by specific mutualisms. In contrast, many cases of detrimental engineering are found from introduced (i.e., exotic) species and are characterized by a loss of species richness, a lack of nutrient retention and the degradation of ecosystem integrity. Species’ impacts on ecosystems and community traits have been quantified in ecological studies and can be used similarly to understand, design and model human engineering structures and impacts on the landscape. Emulation of species with beneficial impacts on ecosystems can provide powerful guidance to the goals of ecological engineering. Using role model organisms that have desirable effects on species diversity and ecosystem function will be important in developing alternatives to traditional engineering practices.

Inactivation of gacS does not affect the competitiveness of Pseudomonas chlororaphis in the Arabidopsis thaliana rhizosphere.

Quorum-sensing-controlled processes are considered to be important for the competitiveness of microorganisms in the rhizosphere. They affect cell-cell communication, biofilm formation, and antibiotic production, and the GacS-GacA two-component system plays a role as a key regulator. In spite of the importance of this system for the regulation of various processes, strains with a Gac(-) phenotype are readily recovered from natural habitats. To analyze the influence of quorum sensing and the influence of the production of the antibiotic phenazine-1-carboxamide on rhizosphere colonization by Pseudomonas chlororaphis, a gnotobiotic system based on Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in soil was investigated. Transposon insertion mutants of P. chlororaphis isolate SPR044 carrying insertions in different genes required for the production of N-acyl-homoserine lactones and phenazine-1-carboxamide were generated. Analysis of solitary rhizosphere colonization revealed that after prolonged growth, the population of the wild type was significantly larger than that of the homoserine lactone-negative gacS mutant and that of a phenazine-1-carboxamide-overproducing strain. In cocultivation experiments, however, the population size of the gacS mutant was similar to that of the wild type after extended growth in the rhizosphere. A detailed analysis of growth kinetics was performed to explain this phenomenon. After cells grown to the stationary phase were transferred to fresh medium, the gacS mutant had a reduced lag phase, and production of the stationary-phase-specific sigma factor RpoS was strongly reduced. This may provide a relative competitive advantage in cocultures with other bacteria, because it permits faster reinitiation of growth after a change to nutrient-rich conditions. In addition, delayed entry into the stationary phase may allow more efficient nutrient utilization. Thus, GacS-GacA-regulated processes are not absolutely required for efficient rhizosphere colonization in populations containing the wild type and Gac(-) mutants.

Ranking the ability of wheat varieties to compete with Lolium rigidum

The relative competitive advantage of 12 commercially available wheat varieties was examined against Lolium rigidum Gaud. at a number of sites from 1995 to 1997 in south‐eastern Australia. Nearly all the variation in crop grain yield was attributable to the variety × environment effects (81%), with only 4% due to variety × weed × environment effects. Some varieties exhibited an environment‐specific competitive advantage, for example Katunga, Dollarbird and Hartog, whereas others like Shrike, Rosella and Janz were relatively poorly competitive in some situations. The introduction of greater genetic variability into wheat is required to significantly increase competitiveness. Alternatively, manipulating crop agronomy, such as increasing crop seeding rate, may be a practical alternative. The grain yield of weed‐free wheat was highly positively correlated with grain yield of the weedy plots, suggesting that local adaptation is important for strong competitiveness, and that wheat breeders in southern Australia may be inadvertently selecting for competitive advantage with weeds when selecting for other traits such as early vigour. The varieties which showed competitive yield advantage also suppressed L. rigidum. A combination of short‐term agronomic manipulations and a longer‐term breeding effort is needed for increasing wheat competitiveness, and the increasing importance of herbicide‐resistant weeds may facilitate this process.

Improving Financial Reports by Revealing the Accuracy of Prior Estimates

Several researchers (e.g., Lundholm, 1999; Ryan, 1997; Petroni, et al, 2001) have proposed a reporting mechanism to enhance the reliability of estimates and other forward-looking information in the financial reporting process. Their proposal requires companies to report reconciliations of prior year estimates to actual realizations as supplemental information in their financial reports. Such disclosures would enable investors to distinguish between accurate and opportunistic reporting behavior, and arguably should create incentives for companies to accurately estimate in the first place. Our study provides evidence on these proposals to expand the reporting model. We develop predictions based on research in psychology and conduct an experiment within the context of an important intangible asset requiring estimation-software development costs. Our results show that the reporting mechanism proposed by Lundholm, Ryan, Petroni, and others is effective in communicating information about the accuracy of financial estimates. However, we find that all disclosures are not equally useful. The most-effective disclosures transparently describe the implications of misestimation (if any) on both the balance sheet and on earnings. Merely disclosing what the software development asset would have been (i.e., balance sheet effect only) under perfect foresight does not always lead investors to completely distinguish between accurate and opportunistic estimators. Our results also show that when the disclosures transparently describe the implications of misestimation, investors reward those who are accurate estimators but do not punish those who are inaccurate. We conclude that information about previous estimate accuracy is useful to investors, and that regulators should consider the transparency of disclosure formats, as all disclosures may not be equally effective in creating management incentives for accurate estimation. Further, the effectiveness of the proposed reporting mechanism for enhancing the reliability of financial reports appears to rest on the relative competitive advantage conferred upon firms that provide accurate estimates.

Plant compensatory growth: a conquering strategy in plant–herbivore interactions?

We present a theoretical analysis that considers the phenotypic trait of compensatory growth ability in a context of population dynamics. Our model depicts a system of three interactors: herbivores and two different plant types referred to as ordinary and compensating. The compensating plant type has the ability to increase its intrinsic rate of biomass increase as a response to damage. This compensatory growth ability is maintained at the expense of a reduced growth rate in the absence of damage, where the ordinary plant type has the higher growth rate. Analysis of this system suggests that, even though a compensatory capacity of this kind will not imply an increase in equilibrium plant density, it will give a competitive advantage in relation to other plants, in the presence of a sufficiently efficient herbivore. Invasion of compensating plants into a population of non-compensating plants is facilitated by a high compensatory growth ability and a high intrinsic rate of plant biomass increase. Conversely, an ordinary plant can invade and outcompete a compensating plant when the herbivore is characterised by a relatively low attack rate, and/or when plant intrinsic growth rate is decreased.

Ecology of Micrasterias arcuata var. arcuata and M. arcuata var. expansa (Desmidiaceae, Zygnemaphyceae) in the Açude do Jacaré, state of São Paulo, southern Brazil

An ecological study of two taxonomic varieties of Micrasterias arcuata BAILEY (Desmidiaceae, Zygnemaphyceae) - var. arcuata and var. expansa (BAILEY) NORDSTEDT -was conducted from January 1990 to March 1991 at five stations in the Acude do Jacare, an artificial pond in Sao Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Presence of the algae in the pond was directly correlated with water temperature, thermal stratification of the water, and mixing processes in the pond. However, when the two varieties were considered separately, presence of var. arcuata was significantly directly correlated with total dissolved phosphorus, orthophosphate, chlorophyll a, and dissolved oxygen, whereas that of var. expansa was significantly directly correlated with the same environment variables above except, however, for dissolved oxygen and with inclusion of total nitrogen. Furthermore, representatives of var. arcuata were more abundant in the dry season, whereas those of var. expansa were in the rainy season; and both varieties were less abundant in rainy period 1. Both varieties occurred at the same sampling stations, but representatives of var. expansa always in higher densities. At the pond's bottom only var. expansa occurred. Occupation of different ecological niches in the pond must have greatly minimized competition between the two varieties. Comparatively smaller size and consequent greater ratio cell area/cell volume of var. expansa representatives was interpreted as a competitive advantage in relation to its nutrient requirement. Hence, their smaller sinking rates.

Modelling Asian incoming tourism: A shift‐share approach

This paper provides insights into the relative competitive advantage of Asian regions in tourism. The study employs the shift‐share technique which decomposes the growth in tourist arrivals to selected receiving regions from different generating regions of the world over a prescribed time period. Each receiving region's performance will be compared to the overall performance of the area (i.e., aggregated benchmark). As a result of this comparing decomposition, the relative competitive advantage of each receiving region in attracting tourists can be determined. The results could be helpful to Asian decision makers trusted with the development and implementation of tourism strategies.

An empirical assessment of relational competitive advantage in professional ship management

Intense competition in many sectors across the maritime industry and in professional ship management in particular, means that the quest for achieving competitiveness will continue and intensify. A review of the current strategies across many sectors of the industry indicates the importance of forging stable partnerships for the achievement of competitiveness. Considering that the capability to form a relationship is an intangible resource (as depicted in resource-advantage theory), an empirical assessment in the context of ship management was undertaken. The assessment aimed to identify the type of relationships present in ship management, and succeeded in classifying those relationships into four distinct groups. The central thesis of the paper is that maritime organizations in general, and ship management companies in particular, may utilize their intangible relational resources in order to achieve competitive advantage. Based on the classification of ship management relationships, implications for managers are discussed.

Sendai Viruses with Altered P, V, and W Protein Expression

Wild-type Sendai virus expresses three proteins containing the N-terminal half of the P protein open reading frame due to mRNA editing; a full-length P protein (ca. 70% of the total), a V protein with the N-terminal half fused to a Cys-rich Zn2+-binding domain (ca. 25% of the total), and a W protein representing the N-terminal half alone (ca. 5% of the total). To examine the role of these proteins in the virus life cycle, we have prepared recombinant viruses in which the normal V mRNA expresses a W protein (V-stop; 70% P, 30% W), one which cannot edit its P gene mRNA (Δ6A; 100% P), and one which overedits its mRNA like parainfluenza virus type 3 (swap/8; 20–40% P, 30% V, 30% W). All these viruses were readily recovered and grew to similar titers in eggs, and except for the P gene products, cell lines individually infected with these viruses accumulated similar amounts of viral macromolecules. The relative competitive advantage of each virus was determined by multiple cycle coinfections of eggs and found to be rSeV-Vstop= rSeV-wt ⪢ rSeV-Δ6A > rSeV-swap/8. On the other hand, rSeV-swap/8 underwent multiple cycles of replication in C57Bl/6 mouse lungs and was highly virulent for these animals, whereas rSeV-Δ6A was avirulent in mice and this infection was quickly cleared. Remarkably, rSeV-Vstopappeared to be more virulent for inbred C57Bl/6 mice than rSeV-wt, but was partially attenuated in infections of outbred ICR mice. Thus, the expression of either the V or the W proteins is sufficient for multiple cycles of infection and pathogenesis in C57Bl/6 mice, whereas W can only partially substitute for V for pathogenesis in ICR mice.

Extrapolating feedback processes from the present to the past

Extant terrestrial vegetation alters its physical environment via its albedo, and its influence on immediate temperature via stomatal and boundary–layer influences of energy dissipation as sensible and latent heat; aquatic vegetation also controls albedo (e.g. coccolithophorids) and, by competing with water for electromagnetic energy absorption, the depth of the mixed layer and hence the quantity of nutrients trapped for the spring bloom. Both aquatic and terrestrial vegetation have had, together with microbial and geological processes, an influence on O2and CO2levels, and hence on the availability and biological functioning of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se and P, and the relative competitive advantage of C3versus C4, crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and carbon concentration mechanism (CCM) organisms. Less directly, changes in primary productivity impact on the production of CH4and N2O which, like CO2, are greenhouse gases, while some (marine) primary producers yield dimethyl sulphide (and hence cloud condensation nuclei, with effects on cloudiness) and halocarbons (via, in part, O2–dependent processes), partly negating the O3attenuation of UV–B radiation. These effects can be related to the terrestrial embryophytic vegetation back to ca. 450 Ma, and to eukaryotic marine vegetation back to at least 1.7, and probably 2.1 Ga, with implications for inter alia C3versus C4, CAM and CCM photosynthesis, and Fe acquisition mechanisms. Even earlier (3.8 Ga onwards) prokaryotes may have influenced CO2levels and hence controlled (as they did later) surface temperature. By producing O2, they led to decreasing availability of Fe, Mn and P (and utility of Se?), and increasing availability of Cu (and Zn?) that shaped the biochemistry on which later biogeochemistry was based.

Modernisation Revisited: Market Structures and Competent Farmers in Södermanland County, Sweden, during the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries

During the last two decades interpretations of agrarian modernisation have been the subject of critical debate. In neo-classical tradition, agrarian economists and economic historians have traditionally laid emphasis on the diffusion of technology and on the commercialisation of production. They have customarily been interested in the development of agricultural output and incomes, and basically understood modernisation as an evolutionary process by which commercial, market oriented production was substituted for traditional, subsistence production. During the 1970s and the 1980s agrarian sociologists and historians posed the question in more social and historical terms, seeking to determine which type of producers, large farmers or family farmers, were the bearers of modernisation. The traditional Marxian standpoint, as is well known, was that capitalist farming — in spite of delays and problems inherent in agricultural production — would come to dominate the agrarian sector through technical innovation and large scale production. Opposing this, neo-Marxian/neo-Chayanovian interpretations claimed that family farming, due to the innate characteristics of that particular production form, provided family farmers with a competitive advantage in relation to large scale production. According to this, more ‘social’ historical tradition, the social organisation of family based production was the key to understanding the viability, or even superiority, of family farming in the industrialised and urbanised societies of western Europe and North America.

Institutions, Intergroup Competition, and the Evolution of Hotel Populations Around Niagara Falls

Earlier versions of this paper benefited from the comments of Joel Baum, Margaret Brindle, Mark Fichman, John Freeman, Paul Goodman, Amie Yael Inman, David Loree, Victor Nee, Jerry Salancik, and Tal Simons, as well as Christine Oliver, Linda Johanson, and the anonymous ASO reviewers. Earlier versions of the paper were presented at Cornell University and the University of Toronto. This paper examines institution building and the problems of collective action that must be overcome so that institutions can regulate the self-interested activity of organizations and facilitate the production or protection of resources that collectively benefit organizations. We show that the presence of competing groups of organizations is key to institution building because it may allow cooperating organizations to gain relative competitive advantage over other organizations and because the presence of salient rivals facilitates collective action. We use the history of tourism institutions at Niagara Falls to illuminate the collective action problems, and their solutions, associated with building institutions. We propose that (1) institution building in this context was the result of collective action among competitors to solve a common problem, (2) rivalry and competition between hotels on either side of the falls enhanced collective action among locally competing hotels, and (3) the regulation provided by the institutions lowered the failure rates and increased the founding rates of hotels on both sides of the falls. We examined these propositions first through historical analysis to show the motivation and process of building institutions and then through analysis of hotel failure and founding rates to show the presence of interpopulation competition and the influence over time of the institutions on organizational populations. Our analysis of failure and founding rates indicates that Niagara Falls hotels did benefit from the institutions they helped create and that there were two competing groups of organizations, but, surprisingly, institutions helped all Niagara Falls hotels, regardless of which group created them.'

A Cost Function Analysis to Estimate the Effects of Fertilizer Policy on the Supply of Wheat and Corn

Cost functions by crop (U.S. and French wheat and corn, and English wheat) are estimated and marginal costs derived. Fertilizer input demand and output supply elasticities, estimated via marginal cost, are computed capturing the effect of fertilizer-reducing policies (a tax and a quota). Supply and fertilizer demand effects are compared within and across countries. The results generally support the hypothesis that fertilizer-reducing policies have a greater effect on crop supplies that use fertilizer more intensively, and that fertilizer policy multilaterally imposed will give U.S. producers a relative competitive advantage vis-a-vis French and English producers.

Multinationality and firm growth

Multinationality and Firm Growth. — Multinationality influences relative competitive advantages, and hence firm growth. Thus, the relative extent of multinationality of firms, compared to competitors within their respective industries, may affect their rates of growth. The advantages that derive from multinationality depend upon the scope for internationally integrated strategies, which varies between industries. Previous statistical studies of multinationality and growth have failed to take proper account of these considerations, and therefore they have not identified the benefits from multinationality described in the theoretical and case study literature. These benefits are clarified using statistical evidence on the world’s largest firms in 1972–82.

STRATEGIC TRADE POLICIES, DIFFERENTIATED DUOPOLY AND INTRA-INDUSTRY TRADE

This paper examines the economic effects of various trade policies in a Brander-Krugman style model of intra-industry trade. The policies considered include tariffs, production subsidies, consumption taxes, countervailing duties, and anti-dumpting duties. In the analysis, the role of product differentiation and the relative competitive advantages of the firms are highlighted. Various trade policy formulas are also computed. Furthermore, it is shown that in such a model, free trade is not necessarily better than no trade. More product differentiation and lower transport costs will make free trade more desirable. [411]

Strategic Trade Policies, Differentiated Duopoly and Intra-Industry Trade

This paper examines the economic effects of various trade policies in a Brander-Krugman style model of intra-industry trade. The policies considered include tariffs, production subsidies, consumption taxes, countervailing duties, and anti-dumpting duties. In the analysis, the role of product differentiation and the relative competitive advantages of the firms are highlighted. Various trade policy formulas are also computed. Furthermore, it is shown that in such a model, free trade is not necessarily better than no trade. More product differentiation and lower transport costs will make free trade more desirable. [411]

Fluctuations in the herring and pilchard fisheries of devon and cornwall linked to change in climate since the 16th century

Scientific data from the last 100 years are combined with primary and secondary historical information on the fisheries to summarize changes in the relative abundance of pilchards and herrings in the south-west in the last 400 years. The fluctuations in the two species are compared with recorded and inferred annual mean temperatures over the period. Pilchards are more abundant and extend farther to the east when the climate is warmer, as from 1590 to 1640 and from 1930 to 1960. In cooler times, as in the second half of the seventeenth century, herrings are more abundant while the pilchard fishery occurs later in the year and is restricted to west Cornwall. Lesser changes in the relative abundance of the two species and the timing of the fishery along the south coast of Devon and Cornwall in the intervening periods between these extremes accord fairly well with smaller fluctuations in climate. It is presumed that in addition to direct effects on reproduction and behaviour, changes in climate can indirectly influence the relative competitive advantage of the species through alterations in the associated ecosystem.

Strategic Management of the Socially Responsible Firm: Integrating Management and Marketing Theory

Corporate social responsibility is conceptualized as a “product” offered to key publics of the firm. A model is proposed that integrates the content and process considerations of social responsibility using a “marketing” orientation. This approach is designed to increase the firm's relative competitive advantage and enhance the benefits of socially responsive behaviors.

GROWTH RATE VARIATION IN THE N:P REQUIREMENT RATIO OF PHYTOPLANKTON1

ABSTRACTTheoretical considerations predict that the cell N:P ratio at transition from nitrogen limitation to phosphorus limitation of phytoplankton growth (critical ratio, Rc) varies, as a function of population growth rate. This prediction is confirmed by experimental, data from the literature along with new experimental data for the marine, prymnesiophyte Pavlova lutheri (Droop) Green. Rc passes through a maximum at intermediate growth rates for the three phytoplankton species for which data, are available, but there is significant interspecific variability in its value. There is no theoretical or experimental evidence to support the idea that the ratio of subsistence N and P cell quotas is equal to Rc over the range of growth rates, or that the subsistence quota ratio equals the ratio of the N and P cell quotas minus a storage fraction. Examination of N:P composition ratios can be used to determine which nutrient is limiting, but cannot be used to determine relative growth rates or competitive advantage between species limited by the same nutrient. Growth rates are determined by environmental conditions and by the cell quota of the limiting nutrient, without reference to the cell quota of the non‐limiting nutrient.