Strategic Effects Research Articles

Xiaomi: An Analysis of Market Strategy under the High Cost-Performance Ratio

Abstract: Xiaomi Corporation, which was established in 2010 in Beijing, is well-known for its smartphones along with other smart hardware as well as IoT devices. It is the second-largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world, behind Samsung, with a market share of about 12%, most of which run on the MIUI (now HyperOS) operating system. It mainly focuses on providing products that are of excellent quality and performance but still maintain affordability which attracts customers from around the world. This research delves into Xiaomi's adaptive marketing tactics as a reaction to evolving market dynamics and changing consumer demands, and examines Xiaomis market plan by looking at three clear instances. The first is how Xiaomi keeps its strong position in the smartphone market by bringing out improved models every year with a steady price tag. This helps to maintain their image of being very good value for money. Second, the choice of the company to put $300,000 for three years into remaking its logo with Japanese designer Kenya Hara. This highlights how redesigning has a strategic effect on brand image and worldwide identification. Thirdly, this study talks about Xiaomis start in the car industry when it introduced the first car model called Xiaomi SU7 in month April. It shows a major shift from making only smartphones to also producing electric cars.

Dying to bankrupt: the effect of suicide terrorism on foreign direct investment

ABSTRACT Why do terrorist groups perpetrate suicide attacks? Political scientists maintain that terrorist groups adopt suicide terrorism for its strategic benefits. Yet previous studies have not demonstrated that suicide terrorism outperforms conventional terrorism. In fact, the most prominent studies do not even systematically compare the strategic effects of suicide terrorism to conventional terrorism to justify the cost. To date, the presumed strategic utility of suicide terrorism remains elusive. Although economists have assessed the impact of terrorism broadly on various economic measures, our study is the first to rigorously compare the effects of suicide terrorism to conventional terrorism on foreign direct investment. Consistent with bargaining theory, we find robust evidence that suicide terrorism “works” by depressing more than conventional attacks FDI in the target country. This effect is strong across PCSE model specifications, particularly in target countries weaker at counterterrorism. The study has important implications for both terrorism studies and international business.

Policy implementation and strategic effects: Assessing the impact of parliamentary thresholds on Indonesia’s political system and governance

This study examines the impact of parliamentary thresholds on the Indonesian political system through the lens of the Routine Policy Implementation Model and the Strategic Policy Implementation Model. The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of parliamentary thresholds in managing political fragmentation, assess their impact on stability and representation in the legislative system, and understand their implementation’s technical and strategic implications. Using a qualitative approach supported by interview studies and field observations, this research combines analysis of election data in the 2009, 2014, and 2019 elections with a qualitative assessment of policy changes and political dynamics. The Routine Policy Implementation Model focuses on the technical aspects of threshold implementation, including vote counting procedures and seat allocation efficiency. Meanwhile, the Strategic Policy Implementation Model examines the broader implications of these thresholds for political consolidation, government effectiveness, and the representation of minor parties. The results show that the parliamentary threshold has significantly reduced political fragmentation by consolidating the number of parties in Parliament, resulting in a legislative system that is cleaner and easier to administer. However, this consolidation has also marginalized small parties and limited political diversity. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of how parliamentary thresholds affect administrative efficiency and strategic political stability in Indonesia, compared to democratic countries in transition, such as Slovenia and Montenegro. In conclusion, although parliamentary thresholds have increased political stability and government effectiveness, they have also raised concerns about the reduced representation of small and regional parties. The study recommends maintaining balanced thresholds that ensure stability and diversity, implementing mechanisms to review thresholds periodically, and involving diverse stakeholders in adjusting policies to reflect evolving political dynamics. This approach will help balance the need for a stable legislative environment with broad representation.

Multisensory working memory capture of attention.

During visual search, representations in working memory (WM) can guide the deployment of attention toward memory-matching visual input. Although previous studies have demonstrated that multisensory interactions facilitate WM and visual search, it remains unclear whether multisensory interaction influences attentional capture by WM. To address this issue, the present study adopted a dual-task paradigm, pairing a visual search task with a WM task, in which the memory modality was manipulated to be either visual or audiovisual. The results revealed that memory-driven attentional capture was observed under the visual and the audiovisual condition. Additionally, the capture effects and response time (RT) costs under the audiovisual condition were weaker than those under the visual condition, even on the trials with the earliest RTs. Furthermore, RT benefits under the audiovisual condition were comparable with those under the visual condition. These findings suggest that multisensory interactions can enhance cognitive control, leading to robust strategic effects and improved search performance. In this process, cognitive control tends to suppress the attentional capture by WM-matching distractors rather than enhance the attentional capture by WM-matching targets. The present study offers new insights into the influence of multisensory interactions on attentional capture by WM.

Outsource processing under staff shortage

During the war, Ukraine has faced nume­rous challenges, one of the most threatening of which is the personnel shortage. The full-scale war caused large-scale labor migration, a signi­ficant number of the able-bodied population was mobilized into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and this became an important factor that led to a shortage of qualified workers. For many economic entities, this situation becomes critical and requires immediate and effective solutions to ensure stable work. One such solu­tion is outsourced processing which is the trans­fer of certain business processes to external companies that have the necessary resources and expertise. Insufficient research on out­sourcing causes a low level of business aware­ness of its strategic effectiveness. It is hypo­thesized that the use of outsourced process­sing is an effective adaptive solution to overcome the personnel shortage in the war in Ukraine, which will enable business entities to optimize costs, ensure continuity and flexibility of activity, and attract highly qualified specialists. The research was carried out using the methods of analysis, comparison, systematization, empirical studies and case studies, as well as horizon scanning and logical modeling. The challenges of outsour­ced processing in the conditions of war are analyzed, examples of its successful application in conditions of personnel shortage are provi­ded. The conducted studies form scientifically based approaches to determining the directions of integration of outsourced processing in the activities of business entities. The concept of outsourced processing is based on the quality selection of the outsourcer and its establishment of effective partnership relations; creates advantages in innovativeness and flexibility of business; creates conditions for optimizing time, effort and resources; makes it possible to attract the physical and intellectual potential of external companies, in particular to cover the shortage of personnel

Strategic Effectiveness: Search - Solve - Create - Participate - Evaluate - in the Middle School Students’ Achievement on Arabic

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of various strategies—search, solve, create, participate, and evaluate—in improving middle school students' achievement in Arabic. The experimental group was designed with partial control, following quasi-experimental design phases to meet research objectives. Before implementing the experiment, the researcher ensured comparable competencies between the two groups, constructed an Arabic achievement test, and confirmed its psychometric qualities. After implementation, the researcher also conducted additional tests.The study discovered that using the search-solve-create-participate-evaluate strategy in teaching Arabic raises academic achievement among sixth-grade middle school students. The experimental group outperformed the control group in the Arabic language achievement test. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the search-solve-create-participate-evaluate strategy in enhancing middle school students' Arabic language achievement.

Manufacturer encroachment in a vertically differentiated market with competing retailers and counterfeiter

AbstractThis study investigates the encroachment strategy of a manufacturer with multiple competing retailers in the presence of a counterfeiter who produces an imitated product in a vertically differentiated market wherein the counterfeits and authentic products differ in quality. We derive some intriguing results that uncover the strategic effects among manufacturer encroachment, counterfeiting, and retailer competition. First, having the option to encroach may hurt the manufacturer himself but benefit the counterfeiter in the presence of competing retailers. Second, increased counterfeit similarity shrinks the beneficial encroachment region for the manufacturer but may widen the beneficial region for the retailer. However, the intensified retailer competition always shrinks the beneficial region for them. Third, the individual retailer's (manufacturer's) profit increases (decreases) with counterfeit similarity when the manufacturer chooses encroachment. Conversely, consumer surplus (social welfare) exhibits an inverted U‐shaped (U‐shaped) pattern with counterfeit similarity under encroachment threat. Moreover, the profits and welfare may jump with counterfeit similarity because of the change in the encroachment strategy wherein retailer competition alters the jump points.

A one-way attack drone revolution? Affordable mass precision in modern conflict

ABSTRACT When considering drones’ impact on modern conflict, strategic studies scholars typically focus on the most sophisticated systems in states’ arsenals: costly and hard-to-acquire military drones, which are necessarily few in number. This article questions this conventional emphasis, proposing in its place that easy-to-produce and cheap(er) one-way attack (OWA) drones hold underappreciated war-shaping potential. Through analysis of recent and ongoing conflicts, we argue that OWA drones’ complementary characteristics are yielding tactical gains and can, under certain circumstances, generate strategic effects when employed against an adversary’s homeland. The findings show a need for scholars to further study the implications of innovative low-tech developments in drones.

Perceptual target discriminability modulates the Simon effect beyond the fading of distractor-based activation: Insights from delta plots and diffusion model analyses.

The visual Simon task is widely employed to explore the underlying mechanisms of sensorimotor processing in the presence of task-relevant (targets) and task-irrelevant (distracting) location information. Critically, the Simon effect is considered as an indicator of action-related interference resulting from distractor-based activation, which fades out over time. In this study, we tested whether attenuated Simon effects with slower task processing may be fully explained by the fading of distractor-based response activation. To that end, we selectively manipulated perceptual target discriminability by varying the ratio of differently colored dots within (Experiment 1) and between blocks (Experiment 2). According to pure fading activation accounts, the negative-going delta plots of the two discriminability conditions should overlap across the entire reaction time (RT) distribution. In contrast to this prediction, the negative-going DPs for the two discriminability conditions did not overlap in either experiment. Instead, the Simon effect was either consistently smaller (Experiment 1) or larger (Experiment 2) across the entire RT distribution in the easy condition compared to the hard condition. This result pattern indicates that perceptual target discriminability affected conflict resolution beyond the mere fading of distractor-based activation. Exploratory model-based analyses suggest a stronger processing of relevant perceptual information with more discriminable targets, which may counteract the influence of distracting location information. However, as the exact effects of discriminability on conflict processing seem to depend on variation mode (trialwise vs. blockwise), the importance of global strategic effects is also highlighted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Strategic Effect of Hedonic and Utilitarian Value in Building Brand Trust and Brand Satisfaction

Customer value, divided into hedonic (emotional) and utilitarian (functional) dimensions, is crucial for competitive advantage, prompting the need for research in diverse contexts. Existing literature highlights the strategic importance of balancing these values to enhance brand trust and satisfaction, yet the cosmetics industry in Ghana remains underexplored. This study gathered data from 200 cosmetic product users in Ghana and used structural equation modelling to analyze the relationships between hedonic and utilitarian values, brand trust, and brand satisfaction. The findings indicate that hedonic values do not significantly affect brand trust or satisfaction, while utilitarian values are key drivers of both. Brand trust positively influences brand satisfaction but does not mediate the relationship between hedonic values and satisfaction. However, brand trust mediates the connection between utilitarian values and satisfaction. These insights are valuable for scientists studying consumer behaviour and for marketers aiming to meet customer expectations more effectively. This study, among the first of its kind in Ghana, underscores the strategic importance of utilitarian values in building brand trust and satisfaction in the cosmetic industry. Limitations include a single geographic focus and industry, suggesting future research should explore other contexts and include variables like brand loyalty and socioeconomic status to enhance understanding.

Has the Operational Control Transfer of the ROK‐US Alliance Come to the Cul‐de‐sac? International and Domestic Factors That Explain Delays in an Alliance Policy

Strategic effects of military alliances notwithstanding, to assume that their policy will proceed without difficulties is problematic. The ROK‐US alliance began transferring the wartime operational control (OPCON) to the ROK in early 2003. However, the transfer did not proceed as planned, experiencing two delays in June 2010 and October 2014 with a significant format change to the Condition‐based OPCON Transition Plan (COT‐P), meaning the addition of prerequisites for the transfer and the death of the original parallel command structure. What have been the causes of these phenomena and resulting stagnation? This article argues that the allies' strategic consensus over the transfer and the policy coordination in the initiating ally are the main causes of the lethargy. Additionally, this study finds that the impact of the strategic consensus is greater than that of the ROK's policy coordination, as the former is demonstrated in all three indicators of the progress: timeliness, post‐transfer command structure, and the certification assessment through exercises.

Non-state campaigning: Islamic State’s guerrilla warfare doctrine

ABSTRACT We trace the influences and evolution of Islamic State’s guerrilla warfare doctrine, how it fits into a larger insurgency strategy, and how its military leaders sequenced the employment of military forces in time and space to achieve operational and strategic effects in its patient and successful campaign to establish its so-called caliphate in 2014. Applying Mao’s three phases of guerrilla warfare, we used a database of Islamic State movement attack claims from 2008 to 2014 to determine the character and patterns of guerrilla tactics during each of these three phases. We found that the group maintained a disciplined and patient approach to achieving political consolidation, eschewing any reliance on popular uprising or conducting large-scale military operations. This knowledge better helps us understand both non-state campaigning and the identification of early warning indicators of insurgent success.

Strategic insights from multi-armed bandits: Applications in real-time strategy games

In real-time strategy games, players often face uncertainty regarding which strategy will lead to victory. This paper delves into how multi-armed bandit (MAB) algorithms can assist in this context, beginning with an exploration of MAB's theoretical principles, particularly the crucial balance between exploration and exploitation. The study compares the efficacy of the Explore-Then-Commit (ETC), Upper Confidence Bound (UCB), and Thompson Sampling (TS) algorithms through practical experimentation. Beyond gaming, the paper also considers the broader implications of MAB algorithms in healthcare, finance, and dynamic pricing within online retail sectors. A focal point of the research is the application of UCB and TS algorithms in StarCraft, a popular real-time strategy game. The performance of these algorithms is rigorously evaluated by calculating the cumulative regret value, a key metric in assessing strategic effectiveness. The findings suggest that the implementation of UCB and TS algorithms significantly enhances players' winning rates in the game. While the results are promising, the paper acknowledges ongoing challenges and encourages further exploration into this fascinating and valuable area of study. This research not only contributes to the understanding of strategic decision-making in gaming but also signals potential cross-sectoral applications of MAB algorithms.

Merits and Demerits of Cloud Computing for Business

In today's world, cloud computing has become a new way of thinking about technology that promises many benefits to businesses. Businesses can cut down on capital costs, improve agility, and better use their resources by using virtualized and scalable computing resources provided over the Internet. Moving to the Cloud, however, brings new problems and risks that must be carefully considered. The article carefully considers the pros and cons of using the Cloud for businesses from a strategic point of view. We put together key benefits like lowering costs, growing, and being flexible in business by looking at literature from different areas, like management, computer science, and information systems. At the same time, we look at the most common risks, such as security issues, being locked into one vendor, following the rules, and losing control over data and systems. It also suggests a decision strategy that businesses can use to systematically figure out if cloud computing is a good fit for their specific operations. Our study adds to the body of academic knowledge by promoting a more complete understanding of the strategic effects of cloud computing. It also gives practitioners a strong analytical lens to help them understand the complexities of this paradigm shift.

Winning with mētis: embodied virtues in sport practice, from Odysseus to Maradona

ABSTRACT The Greek word mētis (μῆτις) traditionally refers to a particular form of wily intelligence associated with the arts of deception (dolos) and the knowledge of tricks (kerdē), subterfuges, and traps. Mētis evokes innovative and ground-breaking solutions, based on the capability to understand, anticipate, and possibly violate the others’ expectations. Most importantly, mētis presupposes practical wisdom, or prudence (phrόnesis), a dispositional quality that underpins all the virtues that deserve to be cultivated by sportspersons and that is pivotal to perfect sportspersons’ moral character. Not only is prudence required to apply mētis profitably for winning a game, but it is also indispensable to perform consistently with the game’s norms—cognizant of sport values. This analysis of mētis is key to illuminate the embodied dimension of tactical and moral reasoning in contemporary sport practice. In this paper, we first argue that the strategic effectiveness of mētis proves that not only sensorimotor control but also higher forms of intelligence, like strategic reasoning, are embodied and inform skilful performance; second, we argue that relying on mētis is necessary not only to interpret the rules of the game in one’s own favor but also to respect the shared values that these rules uphold in the sport practice.

Improving Risk and Customer Management Information System - A Case of Vietnam Commercial Bank

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to delineate strategies for enhancing the risk and customer management information system (MIS) within Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), a prominent Vietnam-based commercial bank. Through a blend of qualitative methods involving synthesis, analysis, and inductive reasoning alongside quantitative approaches such as econometric modeling employing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, this study aims to offer actionable insights. It underscores the necessity for ACB to adopt a flexible approach in implementing the proposed methodologies. Methods: The study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Qualitative techniques involve synthesis, analysis, and inductive reasoning to discern patterns and extract insights. Quantitative methods entail the development of an econometric model employing OLS regression to analyze systematic factors influencing stock returns within the observed period. The synthesis of these methodologies enables a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting the efficacy of the MIS within ACB. Results and Discussion: The intelligent implementation of the data collection, management, exploitation, and utilization processes within the 4th Industrial Revolution technology platform promises enhanced convenience in data analysis and processing for banks, including ACB. Furthermore, the recognition of systematic factors influencing stock returns over the observation period underscores the significance of refining the organization of the MIS system within ACB. The results obtained from both qualitative and quantitative analyses serve as a foundation for informed discussions regarding the optimization of risk and customer management within ACB's operational framework. Implications of the Research: The findings of this research carry significant implications for the strategic direction of ACB's risk and customer management practices. By embracing flexible implementation strategies and leveraging advanced technologies inherent to the 4th Industrial Revolution, ACB stands poised to streamline its data processing capabilities and enhance decision-making processes. Moreover, the recognition of systematic factors influencing stock returns underscores the importance of fine-tuning the organization of ACB's MIS system to accommodate dynamic market conditions. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering novel insights into the optimization of risk and customer management information systems within the banking sector, with a specific focus on ACB. By synthesizing qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research provides a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities inherent to MIS enhancement. The practical implications derived from this study serve as a valuable resource for banking institutions seeking to augment their operational efficiency and strategic effectiveness in an increasingly complex financial landscape.

The strategic effects of non-state shareholders’ governance: based on the perspective of product market performance of state-owned enterprises

ABSTRACT Making state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises stronger, better, and larger is the key driving force for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. This paper studies the impact of non-state shareholders’ governance on the product market performance of state-owned enterprises under the background of mixed ownership reform. Our results show that under the control of equity balances, non-state shareholders appointing directors to participate in governance can optimise the strategic decision-making of state-owned enterprises, promote product and service R&D innovation, and improve the operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises, thereby having a positive impact on the product market performance of state-owned enterprises. And this kind of governance effect is more obvious in state-owned enterprises in local control and competitive industries. Further research finds that the strategic effect of non-state shareholders’ governance not only has long-term sustained characteristics but also has a positive spillover impact on the capital market value and operating performance of state-owned enterprises.

Konsep Federatif Dalam Struktur Sistem Informasi Manajemen: Analisis Subsistem Dan Database Umum

The development of the structure of Management Information Systems (MIS) has brought significant changes in decision-making patterns at various levels of management, both operational and strategic. This study aims to identify the structure of MIS and its role in decision-making. The method used is library research, where the researcher collects literature, books, and previous research reports related to this theme. The results show that the structure of MIS can be detailed into several interrelated subsystems, with the federative concept influencing the integration among elements. Additionally, the role of the common database is crucial in providing integrated information that supports all subsystems. This finding underscores that a well-structured MIS can enhance the quality and efficiency of decision-making within organizations. As a recommendation, organizations should pay more attention to the development of integration among subsystems in MIS to improve operational and strategic effectiveness.

Strategic effectiveness (collect - suggest - discuss) in Central Thinking Skills for Biology in the Fourth Scientific Grade

يهدف البحث الى معرفة فاعلية استراتيجية (اجمع - اقترح- ناقش) في مهارات التفكير المحوري لطلاب الصف الرابع العلمي لمادة علم الاحياء، وعليه تم وضع الفرضـية الصفـرية ولتحقق من هدف البحث وكالآتي: لا يوجد فرق ذو دلالة احصائية عند مستوى دلالة (0.05) بين متوسط درجات طلاب المجموعة التجريبية التي ستُدرس وفقاً لاستراتيجية (اجمع-اقترح- ناقش) ومتوسط درجات طلاب المجموعة الضابطة التي ستُدرس وفقاً للطريقة الاعتيادية في مهارات التفكير المحوري, ولاختبار صحة الفرضية طبقت التجربة وقد وقع اختيار الباحث على تصميماً تجريبياً يتصف بالضبط الجزئي للمجموعة التجريبية ونظيرتها الضابطة وكلاهما ستخضع لاختبار بعدي لمهارات التفكير المحوري، تم اختيار عينة البحث من قبل الباحث قصدياً وهم طلاب (ثانوية المتفوقين للبنين- المغرب) الصف الرابع العلمي، من مدارس مديرية تربية محافظة بغداد الرصافة الأولى، بلغت عينة البحث (180) طالباً موزعون على (6) شعب، وقد ظهر لنا في الاختيار العشوائي ان شعبة (د) وعددهم (30) طالباً ستمثل المجموعة التجريبية، وشعبة (ب) وعددهم (30) طالباً لتمثل المجموعة الضابطة، تم مكافأتهم بـمتغير (الذكاء، العمر الزمني، اختبار مهارات التفكير المحوري)، أعد الباحث أداة لاختبار مهارات التفكير المحوري، أذ تألف الاختبار النهائي من (30) فقرة مقاليه وموضوعية، تم حساب صدق الاختبار وثباته، إذ تم تحليل بيانات الاختبار وعولجت احصائياً باستعمال (T- test) لعينتين مستقلتين متساويتين، تم استخراج معامل الصعوبة والقوة التمييزية وفعالية البدائل الخاطئة للفقرات، وباستعمال (Kuder-Richardson-20)ومعادلة ألفا كرونباخ، ومعامل ارتباط بيرسـون، والانحراف المعيـاري، وقد بينت نتائج الاختبار البعدي الى وجود فاعلية لاستراتيجية (اجمع - اقترح- ناقش) في مهارات التفكير المحوري ولصالح المجموعة التجريبية، وفي ضوء نتائج البحث وضع الباحث عدداً من التوصيات والمقترحات.

Psychological Attribution and Policy Intervention Pathway Analysis of Low Carbon Consumption Behavior of Consumers

Currently, research in the field of shared consumption mainly focuses on analyzing the factors influencing consumer behavior. Although some studies involve individual psychological factors, most of these studies focus on some variables and lack completeness, and few scholars attempt to explain the gap between willingness and behavior. In previous studies on government regulation and governance of the sharing economy, scholars often overlooked the connection between policy intervention factors and individual behavior attribution, resulting in a lack of effectiveness and persistence in the policy intervention path and strategic effects of sharing consumption behavior. This article explores the psychological attribution of low-carbon consumer behavior and analyzes the path of policy intervention. Through literature review and empirical research, this article finds that consumer low-carbon consumption behavior is influenced by various psychological factors, such as environmental awareness, social responsibility, moral concepts, etc. Meanwhile, policy intervention plays an important role in promoting low-carbon consumer behavior. This article proposes specific paths for policy intervention, including raising public environmental awareness, guiding enterprises to assume social responsibility, and strengthening policy supervision.