Strong Competitive Position Research Articles

Сorporate culture as a component of enterprise’s competitive advantages

The article investigates the role of organizational culture in the competitive advantages formation process of an enterprise. The main scientific works on the essence of organizational culture and its role in the competitive advantages formation process are analyzed. The main points of view relatively of corporate culture impact on the enterprise’s competitiveness are presented. It has been determined that a competitive advantage is a locking of a strong competitive position of an enterprise and determines the nature of its competitive strategy. It is proved that an organization ability is realized through two components, which are carriers of formalized and non-formalized knowledge, namely: process execution technologies and personnel competencies. The authors’ opinion is highlighted about that non-formalized knowledge reflects of corporate culture quality, namely, the spirituality of business, and, consequently, makes impossible to copy it by competitors. It has been determined that informal norms represent a deep level of corporate culture, where values are perceived automatically in the subconscious as true, irreplaceable, like those that do not need to be legitimized and cannot be copied. It is proved that an influence factors, which characterize of an enterprise’s corporate culture state, are: leadership style; the level of power centralization; an effectiveness level of motivation systems; professional training for career advancement managers; managerial competence level; degree of workers involvement in decision making and leader image. On the basis of experience studying of Odessa city leading enterprises, it is proved that the key to their competitive advantages has become implementation the system of corporate culture strategic principles. The measures system of cultural adaptation is justified, namely: ensuring of information transparency and timeliness; awareness of an importance of cultural and moral values by employees; the growth of management role and the chief executive officer (leader) personally, who initiates and heads organizational changes; involvement of employees in management decisions; formation of a rotation promotion system, lifelong learning, career advancement; formation of a positive image (reputation) encouraging creative, innovative activity

The determinants of the competitiveness of Lithuanian export: macroeconomic approach

The development of an appropriate export promotion strategy in any country calls for consideration of such country-level determinants as macroeconomic indicators and cultural elements. Small economies, like Lithuania, must have a clear understanding of which macroeconomic factors most significantly contribute to the competitiveness of their exports. This article is aimed at assessment of the competitiveness of Lithuanian export in the macroeconomic context.
 The main purpose of the research is to assess the determinants of the competitiveness of Lithuanian export in the macroeconomic context. For accomplishment of the defined purpose, the following objectives were raised: 1) to review the general determinants of export competitiveness; 2) to develop the methodology for assessment of the country’s export competitiveness in the macroeconomic context; 3) to empirically assess the impact of macroeconomic determinants on the competitiveness of Lithuanian export over the period 2007–2015. The research methods include comparative and systematic literature analysis, correlation and regression analysis.
 It has been found that GDP (gross domestic product) per capita and general state’s revenue from taxes and social contributions explain the trends of Lithuanian export by 99.1 percent. A very strong correlation has been estimated between Lithuanian export and terms of financing for exporting enterprises, a negative medium-strong correlation has been estimated between the country’s export and its general tax level, while a positive medium-strong correlation has been captured between the country’s export and its minimum wages.
 Novelty. The results lead to the conclusion that the competitiveness of Lithuanian export is mainly affected by the state’s tax policy, terms of financing for exporting enterprises and social wage strategies. By improving the above-mentioned areas, the country could occupy stronger competitive positions in international markets.

Size structure and body condition of Ponto-Caspian gammarids in the Vistula estuary (Poland)

Abstract Over the past few decades, Ponto-Caspian gammarids Pontogammarus robustoides, Obesogammarus crassus and Dikerogammarus haemobaphes have colonized the European inland and coastal brackish waters. Previous experimental studies of P. robustoides, O. crassus and D. haemobaphes indicated that the salinity optimum for the species is about 7 PSU. We examined whether salinities below 5 PSU in the Vistula estuary – the Vistula Lagoon and the Vistula Delta, create a favorable environment and have a positive effect on Ponto-Caspian gammarids. The objective of this work was to determine the population parameters (size structure) and biological indicators (condition) of the studied gammarid species at a low salinity level. Length–weight relationships can be considered as their body condition in the environment. These relationships were calculated for each gammarid species according to the exponential equation y = axb, where: y – wet weight, x – total length, a – intercept, b – slope. The results clearly show responses of Ponto-Caspian gammarids to the low salinity habitat and indicate that such environment provides excellent conditions. The results of analysis show that the condition of gammarids is good. The optimal strategy of the examined alien gammarids may help them to maintain a strong competitive position in the environment and affect the colonization process in non-native waters with low salinity.

The Role of Customer Engagement in Islamic Banking

The marketing strategy to be engaged with customer of an Islamic bank must be concerned with its ability to gain a competitive advantage and establish a strong competitive position without neglecting an Islamic business ethic. Customer engagement (CE) in Islamic bank does not take any matter of competing on product and prices, but rather in stressing quality of the services they provide appealing customers conscience. This research attempts to enhance understanding of CE related in its role to increase the quantity and loyalty of Islamic banks customers with the Islamic business ethics point of view. This is a qualitative research that develops customer engagement concept that relevant to be applied in Islamic banking by collecting some of CE theories regarding the CE approach through relationship marketing and analyze them with Islamic business ethic overview. CE in Islamic banking has to be relied with Sharia’s law. The main point of CE in Islamic banking is not only to have a good relationship with the customer and be a brotherhood, but also to reach the Islamic banking purposes.

Innovative Development of Ukraine: Strategies, Models, Mechanisms

The relationship between innovation activity and competitiveness is considered in the article. The stronger the competition, the more active the business entities develop and implement them, providing an innovative basis for their own strong competitive position and competitiveness of Ukraine. So, in fact, in Ukraine, there is a “gap” between the possibilities for generating innovations and the conditions for their generation and implementation. The possibility and necessity of the innovative development of Ukraine based on the use of a sufficiently powerful innovative potential and other factors contributing to the innovative development of the economy are substantiated. This requires the state to create conditions for protecting competition, defining a system of strategies and developing a strategic plan for its implementation. A set-theoretic model of the strategy system and a model of the mechanism for implementing the general strategy of economic management – the strategy of innovative development are proposed. To implement the strategy of innovative development of Ukraine, it is offered to develop intellectual-oriented entrepreneurship as an innovative strategy. The implementation of the chosen innovation strategy should be carried out in two strategic areas: increasing human capital and activation the formation of human potential, the creation of conditions for the implementation of intellectual-oriented entrepreneurship. It was proposed to include in the strategy system a number of key functional strategies that are consistent with the overall strategy and ensure its implementation: educational – development of intellectual abilities and competencies, structural-sectoral – priority development of high-tech and non-material-intensive industries and active use of knowledge potential for the modernization of all sectors of the economy, organizational and structural – the formation of a cluster model of the economy. Ukraine needs an information strategy for information support of innovative economic development and a mechanism for its implementation. Key words: innovation, innovative development, strategy, model, competition, Intellectual-oriented entrepreneurship, cluster.

LOGISTICS SYSTEM AS A DIRECTION FOR INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS OF THE METALLURGICAL PLANTS OF UKRAINE

Market relations in Ukraine are characterized by dynamism of the external environment, aggravation of competition between producers, increase of the level of commercial risk; require the enterprises of the mining and metallurgical industry of Ukraine to find effective ways of ensuring competitiveness, strengthening the competitive position and competitive status. Timely and uninterrupted supply of metallurgical complexes with quality secondary raw materials, sufficient for stable production volume, is an extremely important task that determines the economic security and competitiveness of ferrous metallurgy. Enterprise competitiveness management involves the introduction of modern logistics systems, taking into account the specifics of the competitive environment of the market and is a necessary and important strategic direction for improving the competitiveness of the enterprise. Today, in the secondary steel market, Ukraine's decision-making in the competitive behavior model is, in most cases, intuitive, without a fundamental basis and careful strategic analysis. Only a balanced approach to the assessment and use of competitive factors ensures business development and its advantages over competing companies. The implementation of this approach is an important task of management and marketing of the enterprise. In many ways, the solution to the problem of competitiveness of domestic metallurgical enterprises will depend on the possibility of its analysis. The methods of estimation of concentration level and monopolization of ferrous scrap market of Ukraine, which is a strategic raw material for metallurgical plants, are considered in the article. Approaches and indicators are analyzed to analyze the degree of market concentration: the coefficient of market concentration; Herfindahl-Hirschman coefficient; Rosenbluth coefficient (Hall-Tidman) is an indicator of market share entropy; Gini index. The share of metallurgical plants of Ukraine specializing in scrap metal processing and processing is analyzed and established. The current state and level of competition in the secondary steel market of Ukraine have been determined. On the basis of certain indicators, metallurgical plants of Ukraine have the opportunity to create an effective system for managing the competitiveness of enterprises, which are a prerequisite for achieving their strong competitive positions.

Seeking Efficiency or Price Gouging? Evidence from Pharmaceutical Mergers

We show that pharmaceutical mergers are a response to competitive pressure. Firms whose drugs face more competition tend to become acquirers and these acquirers pursue firms whose drugs hold strong competitive positions in their product spaces. However, we find no evidence of greater post-merger price increases of merging firms’ drugs as compared to a control group. Rather, we find robust support for the efficiency perspective of mergers. Firms with a high product overlap are more likely to merge and mergers are followed by a decline in prices of drugs that are similar across the acquirer and target portfolios.

A metric to assess the competitive position of airlines and airline groups in the intra-European air transport market

A strong competitive position can not only be regarded as a key success factor for firms, but may also indicate market power. As with operators of other long-distance transport modes, like e.g. train or coach operators, assessing an airline's overall competitive position is not trivial: This is because airlines serve many different, direct and indirect origin-destination (OD) markets between which competition intensity can vary immensely. Hence, airline (or rather airline group) networks compete against each other, meaning that “typical”, e.g. HHI-based competition assessments at, e.g., the national, airport or direct route levels will not be sufficient to get a full picture. This paper presents a modelling approach for an indicator for the individual competitive positions (CP) of airlines and airline groups at the network level. An application to the intra-European market, based on OD data for 2015, indicates a quite comfortable competitive position for low cost carriers like Ryanair, WIZZ Air, FlyBE or Volotea, followed by the major airline groups (Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, IAG) which focus on hub and spoke networks along some low cost activities. The weakest CP's within our sample of the 30 largest European airlines and airline groups are calculated for leisure airlines like Monarch, which recently filed for bankruptcy.

Mapping the Competitive Advantage of SMEs in East Java, Indonesia

This article describes the situation and potential of SMEs in East Java Indonesia. Small and medium enterprises are essential to support the economic progress of a country. By using descriptive analysis and multiple regression then generated mapping. Mapping the characteristics and competitiveness of SMEs is done as a basis for gap analysis. If the current condition of Indonesian SMEs is known, benchmarking can be done by comparing ideal conditions or targets to be achieved in the face of global competition. The mapping generated from this research is expected to provide an overall picture of SMEs in disrict of Jember, Bondosowo, Situbondo and Banyuwangi, East Java Province, Indonesia, so that it can assist government and business actors in determining business strategies and policies. This study found the variables that significantly affect the competitive position are innovation ability, quality focus, customer loyalty, response to change, price advantage and marketing power. While the insignificant membership of the cooperative, it does not have a significant role for the creation of a strong competitive position. This is supported by the fact that most of the SMEs in eastern Java are not members of the cooperative. Similarly, business status with legal status and not and the use of intermediary traders is not a thing that affects the strength of competitive position.

The estimation of competitive positions of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs on pharmaceutical market of Ukraine

Abstract The aim of our analysis is the estimation of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) competitiveness level, calculation of capacity, share and saturation of studied segment of market that allow to improve the competitive strategies of pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to the results of content-analysis of foreign and native economic literature, we elaborated the methodology of estimation of NSAID competitive positions that consists of six main stages. The offered model of estimation of competitiveness of the studied group of medicines is based on the construction of competition map of medicines on the example of non-selective NSAID as the largest group by the number of presented trade names (TN) using the calculation of market share of medicines for 2015-2016 and dynamics of its growth. RESULTS: The results of NSAID TN distribution in groups according to the market share volume testify that only 8 TN of medicines among 74 are the leaders of market and 10 TN are characterized with strong competitive position. At the same time 51 NSAID TN are outsiders and 5 TN have weak competitive position. The results of NSAID TN distribution in groups according to the change of their competitive position allow state that 16 TN among 74 have fast worsening competitive position, 43 TN belong to the group with worsening competitive position and only 5 TN has competitive position, characterized by fast improvement. CONCLUSION: The analysis of position, occupied by NSAID TN in matrix, demonstrated that 8 TM of medicines are the leaders of the market. At the same time 51 medicines TN are outsiders. The results of research demonstrated that 59 NSAID TN are characterized with worsening and fast worsening competitive positions.

STRATEGIC INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL SPHERE ON MACHINE-BUILDING ENTERPRISES ACTIVITY

The article states that whatever the interpretation of the main purpose of adaptation and strategic changes by different parties would not be, the management thereof should promote the creation of market-related entities, which in turn can be ensured if here is strong competitive positions of the enterprise on the consumer the market and opportunities for their growth in the long run. It helps to determine the optimum ratio of financial resources of the enterprise, which enables the management of machine-building enterprises, having studied the nature of strategic tendencies, to choose the strategic and tactical financial management policy of enterprises, which will ensure the achievement of the adaptive purpose of operation of enterprises during the strategic period

Prospects for steam coal exporters in the era of climate policies: a case study of Colombia

ABSTRACTContinued global action on climate change has major consequences for fossil fuel markets, especially for coal as the most carbon-intensive fuel. This article summarizes current market developments in the most important coal-producing and coal-consuming countries, resulting in a critical qualitative assessment of prospects for future coal exports. Colombia, as the world’s fourth largest exporter, is strongly affected by these global trends, with more than 90% of its production being exported. Market analysis finds Colombia in a strong competitive position, owing to its low production costs and high coal quality. Nevertheless, market trends and enhanced climate policies suggest a gloomy outlook for future exports. Increasing competition on the Atlantic as well as Pacific market will keep coal prices low and continue pressure on mining companies. Increasing numbers of filed bankruptcies and lay-offs might be just the beginning of a carbon bubble devaluing fossil fuel investments and leaving them stranded. Colombia largely supplies European and Mediterranean consumers but also delivers some quantities to the US Gulf Coast, and to Central and South America. Future coal demand in most of these countries will continue to decline in the next decades. Newly constructed power plants in emerging economies (India, China) are unlikely to compensate for this downturn owing to increasing domestic supply and decreasing demand. Therefore, maintaining or even increasing mining volumes in Colombia should be re-evaluated, taking into account new economic realities as well as local externalities. Ignoring these risks could lead to additional stranded investments, aggravating the local resource curse and hampering sustainable economic development.Key policy insightsThe climate policies of most of Colombia’s traditional trade partners target steam coal as the more emission-intensive fossil fuel, with many countries implementing or considering a coal phase-out.Coal exporters should re-evaluate their operations and new investments taking into account this new policy environment.To prevent a race to the bottom among coal producers that would favour weak regulation, climate policy makers should also consider the local social and external costs of coal mining, including on health and the local environment.

On German External Imbalances

In this contribution, Stefano Micossi, Alexandra D’Onofrio and Fabrizia Peirce examine the influence of the euro on the German economy and the role Germany has played in the evolution of Europe's economic and monetary union. This paper describes four features of the German economy which lie at the root of its external imbalances: the evolution of its real exchange rate; the underlying trends in productivity and unit labour costs; the persistent shortfall of investment relative to domestic savings; and the deployment of much of the current external surplus in portfolio investments outside the euro area. The euro has helped Germany maintain a strong competitive position for its exports within the euro area and has helped moderate the appreciation of its exchange rate vis-a-vis the main third-country currencies. Moreover, the currency union has eliminated much of the pressure on Germany to adjust its burgeoning external surplus, since capital inflows no longer affect its monetary base creation. The export strength of German manufacturing has been built, on one hand, upon a rate of growth in productivity in manufacturing, which even if declining has been almost constantly higher than that of its European partners; on the other hand, upon a remarkable measure of wage restraint. The analysis of sectoral balances between savings and investment shows that the enormous increase in Germany’s current external surplus in the euro years was determined by rising profits and low investment in the corporate sector, and by the shift of the public sector budget from deficit to surplus. Increased savings by the household sector do not contribute to the explanation of the surplus, contradicting the view whereby the surplus was the result of higher savings by an ageing population. Finally, the analysis of the capital account of the balance of payments shows that Germany has contributed neither to real investments within the euro nor to sharing the risks implicit in an incomplete monetary union with divergent national fiscal policies.

Międzynarodowa konkurencyjność litewskiej gospodarki a jej kapitał ludzki

Głównym celem każdej gospodarki jest osiągnięcie mocnej pozycji konkurencyjnej, a to w coraz większym stopniu zależy od kapitału ludzkiego. Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie kapitału ludzkiego jako czynnika o istotnym wpływie na kształtowanie się międzynarodowej pozycji konkurencyjnej litewskiej gospodarki w latach 2006–2016. W artykule posłużono się danymi pochodzącymi z raportów WEF. Artykuł składa się z trzech części. Pierwsza z nich została poświęcona teoretycznym aspektom konkurencyjności międzynarodowej oraz kapitału ludzkiego. W drugiej części zbadano zmiany pozycji konkurencyjnej gospodarki litewskiej w latach 2006–2016 na podstawie Indeksu Globalnej Konkurencyjności. W części końcowej przeanalizowano kapitał ludzki Litwy w latach 2006–2016 oraz wskazano, na podstawie raportów WEF, obszary problemowe dotyczące jego jakości. Z przeprowadzonej analizy można wywnioskować, że kapitał ludzki jest istotnym elementem konkurencyjności litewskiej gospodarki, o czym świadczy pozycja Litwy w rankingach WEF zarówno pod względem konkurencyjności, jak i jakości kapitału ludzkiego.

Structural Models of the Consumer Goods Industry in China, Turkey and Italy

The work researches foreign experience of developing consumer goods enterprises to define methodic basics of the economic entity management system, and optimal use of positive external and internal forces. Within the comparative analysis the history of developing the countries that have strong competitive positions in the consumer goods industry is systemized, factors that had an impact on industrial production are revealed, the role of the state in the development is analyzed, and mechanisms of regulating the consumer goods industry are defined. The authors form structural models of the industry functioning that make it possible to analyze competitiveness, sustainability and economic safety of the industry in the countries under consideration. Based on the conducted research, the main factors that make the basis for development and growth of the industry in foreign countries are generalized. Besides, methods and techniques are recommended by the authors for domestic enterprises. These recommendations can improve the efficiency of active internal production counteraction to both internal and especially external destabilization forces.

THE NATIONAL INDEX TARGET AS THE DEVELOPMENT FACTOR OF NATIVE VEGETABLE PROTEIN MARKET

The purpose of this paper was to indicate the possibilities of using The National Index Target of vegetable protein as the development of native vegetable protein market stimulating factor in Polish economy. Available research results connected with native vegetable protein market were used in the accomplishment of the task. The proposition of algorithm that defines, resulting from the National Index Target, native vegetable protein contribution to fodder production by national companies is presented in the article. The study concluded that previous attempts of native vegetable protein market animation had not produced intended effects. Further actions, to confront the strong competitive position of import soybean meal market, that tend to achieve the goal require the introduction of the National Index Target to native vegetable protein in the fodder, however it is a form of state interventionism. Yet the research connected with using rape seeds for the production of biofuels indicates a huge chance of succeeding in intended purposes.

Analysis of Genetically Modified Food Induced International Trade Law Issues

The advantages of genetically modified food are gradually highlighted because of the rapid development of modern transgenic technology. The trade proportion of genetically modified food in international trade products is increasing. Till now, legal regulations concerning the international trade of genetically modified food are still contradictory and conflicting, and a series of initiated legal issues about the international trade of genetically modified food becomes more acute. As a great power of transgenic crops planting, China should fully learn from the trade disputes of genetically modified food, perfect laws such as the safety management, approval and identification of import and export, accelerate the development of transgenic technology, and strengthen the mutual benefit and collaboration of the developing countries, thus to gain a strong competitive position in international trade and maintain the fundamental interests of China better.

Brend poslodavca - Novi koncept u oblasti upravljanja ljudskim resursima

Employer brand represents built reputation of the employer among the employees with which manage their concepts and attitudes in order to build a corporate brand. The benefits of developing an employer brand are reflected in attracting talented employees, improved employee motivation, lower costs, better business results and a stronger competitive position. The aim of the paper is observing the development of corporate brand and employer brand on the basis of carried out studies. Research methods are inductive and deductive method and the method of analysis and synthesis. The conclusion of the paper is that developed employer brand affects on better motivation of employees and their job satisfaction, which is reflected in the development of the company's reputation in the external environment.

THE DIRECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE POLISH VOIVODESHIPS AND LARGE CITIES WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON COOPERATION WITH UKRAINE

Nowadays a foreign policy is no longer the domain of national governments and the role of international relations at the level of regions and cities is growing. For these territorial units, it is a way to build their competitive position in a globalising world. The paper aims at examining the structure of the directions of international relations of the Polish voivodeships and cities - regional capitals, taking into account the role that the Ukrainian regions and cities play in this structure. Observations were made regarding differences in the directions of international activity of the voivodeships and their capitals as well as the dynamics of this phenomenon over time, and conclusions were drawn recommending the involvement of territorial units in international cooperation. Bilateral relations with partner cities and regions prove to be only a prelude to network integration which for years has been promoted by the structures of the European Union, first by its support for Euroregions, and in the last decade through the creation of European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation. The involvement of regions and cities in the structures of international cooperation can significantly affect the creation of a strong competitive position in the territorial market.

Estratégia para Indústrias em Declínio: O Caso Som Livre na Indústria Fonográfica Brasileira

This work analyzes the importance of strategy changing to perform a turnaround to avoid the decline in the music industry. Som Livre, a Brazilian music label, is used as a case study to exemplify the turnaround process. Turnaround frameworks were used as model to find if the strategies prescribed in the literature were actually used by the company. The decline of the music industry has its roots in the Internet, and in this new context, the case here detailed shows that a strong competitive position helps in the turnaround process, but the companies should also invest in assets that truly have value for the customers of the music industry.